Working in partnership

Class newsletters

Class newsletters for Years 1–6 will have been shared with you today via Google Classroom. These will give you an overview of what your child will be learning about this half term, their PE day, as well as other important information and key dates for your diary.
We hope you find these useful in helping you to talk to your child about their learning and all the exciting things happening in class this half term.

Healthy Packed Lunch Reminder

As part of our commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting children’s wellbeing, we would like to remind families about our healthy packed lunch expectations. This guidance also applies to packed lunches provided for school trips.

If your child brings a packed lunch to school or on a trip, please ensure it contains a healthy and balanced selection of food that will help them stay focused and energised throughout the day.

Packed lunches should include:

• At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables
• A healthy source of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or hummus
• A carbohydrate such as bread, pasta, rice or wraps
• A dairy item such as yoghurt or cheese
• Water only (milk is also provided in school)

Please be reminded that the following items should not be brought into school or on trips:

• Crisps
• Sweets or chocolate bars
• Fizzy or sugary drinks, including juice drinks such as Capri-Sun and Fruit Shoot
• Any nut products, including chocolate spreads containing nuts, as we are a nut-free school

Healthy alternatives could include:

• Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks
• Rice cakes or crackers
• Cheese cubes or yoghurts
• Wraps, pasta salads or sandwiches
• Water in a reusable bottle

Thank you for your continued support in helping us encourage healthy habits for all children. Further information can be found on the school website.

Reminder: After School Club Collection Procedures

This is a gentle reminder that our After School Club finishes promptly at 5:00pm each day. If you wish to collect your child before 5:00pm, you must inform the school office in advance, so we can ensure your child is ready for collection. We have had an increase in parents arriving at different times between 4-5pm and this causing significant disruption.

For safeguarding reasons, we are unable to accommodate parents waiting in the school office until the club finishes. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for all our pupils.

Thank you for your continued support.

End of Day Safeguarding Reminder

A reminder that all parents and carers must remain in the playground during pick-up times and are not permitted to enter the school building. This is a key part of our safeguarding procedures and is essential to keeping all children safe.

Parents and carers may request to speak with their child’s teacher outside in the playground; however, this may not always be possible due to other commitments, such as staff training or scheduled meetings. In these cases, appointments should be arranged through the school office.

We appreciate your cooperation in supporting our safeguarding expectations and helping to ensure clear communication while maintaining a safe environment for all.

Reminder: Outstanding ParentPay Balances

We would like to remind all parents and carers to please check ParentPay to ensure any outstanding balances are cleared. We understand that the festive period can be a costly time for families, and therefore reflected this in our extended payment deadline of 31st January for this term’s Breakfast Club, After School Club, and Wraparound Care.

If anyone needs support with accessing ParentPay, please come to the school office and speak to Miss Nifa, who will be happy to help.

School Uniform

As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a smart, inclusive and focused learning environment, we’d like to send a friendly reminder about the school uniform policy here at St John and St James.

Our school uniform consists of the following items:

• Grey trousers or black jogging bottoms
• Grey skirts or tunics
• Plain red, white, or grey socks or tights
• Red or white polo shirts, shirts, or blouses
• Red sweatshirts(with or without the school logo)
• Red cardigans(with or without the school logo)
• Sensible black shoes
• Plain black trainers

During the summer months, children are also permitted to wear:

• Grey school shorts
• Red and white gingham summer dresses

Please also be reminded of the following additional guidelines:

• Footwear must be black, either sensible shoes or plain black trainers.
• Jewellery should not be worn, except for small studs in the ears.
• Hair accessories should be simple and in keeping with the uniform (e.g., plain headbands, clips, or ties).
• Tights or socks should be plain red, grey or white.
• School uniform MUST be labelled with your child’s name.

We appreciate your support in helping ensure that your child arrives at school in the correct uniform each day. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in maintaining our school’s standards.

Keeping Our Children Safe at Home and In School

Safeguarding is EVERYONE’S responsibility. Our attitude is, it could happen here.

At St John & St James we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect ALL staff, volunteers and visitors to the school to share this commitment.

If you have any concerns about the safety of a child, please speak immediately to our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Joshua Watson.

If Mr Watson is not available, you can always speak to one of our school’s Deputy Safeguarding Leads: