Dates For The Diary 

Be Bright, Be Seen Day

On Friday 6th November, children are invited to come to school in home clothes instead of their usual school uniform for our Be Bright, Be Seen Day!

We encourage everyone to dress as brightly as possible, wearing colourful clothing and reflective items to help them stand out and be seen.

By taking part, we hope hope to raise awareness of the importance of road safety and staying safe as the days get darker.

Be Bright Be Seen, Stay Safe!

CAMHS Coffee Morning 

Celebrating Black History Month through African Dance 

As part of our Black History Month celebrations, all pupils took part in exciting African dance workshops this week, exploring the rich and diverse dance traditions of Nigeria and South Africa.

Through music, movement and rhythm, pupils discovered different styles of African dance and learnt a range of technical footwork and dance moves. The workshops challenged pupils to step outside their comfort zones, develop their coordination and rhythm and push themselves to try new movements. With energy, enthusiasm and plenty of determination, everyone had the opportunity to learn, participate and express themselves through dance.

The workshops provided a fantastic opportunity to celebrate African culture and heritage, while deepening pupils’ understanding of the important role dance plays in storytelling, community and cultural identity. Pupils were encouraged to embrace new challenges, appreciate different traditions and celebrate the diversity of Black cultures.

It was wonderful to see pupils engaging so enthusiastically with the workshops, building confidence and learning through the power of movement. A memorable and inspiring way to celebrate Black History Month!

Year 5 Writing Sample 

In Year 5’s writing, we have been reading Journey to the River Sea. We wrote diary entries from the perspective of Maia, a young girl travelling on The Cardinal as it sets sail for South America. We imagined key events during the voyage, including her initial impressions of the ship, a storm at sea and her meeting Clovis King and his acting company.

This is a lovely piece of work by David which uses vivid similes, expressive figurative language and ‘show, not tell’ descriptions to bring Maia’s diary account to life. Instead of simply telling the reader she was seasick, David shows us through physical reaction: “My stomach lurched as the waves…” The Cardinal is also evocatively described as being “as beautiful as a leopard” and “as big as a mountain,” helping the reader picture the majesty of the vessel. David then builds the dramatic tension as the ship leaves Lisbon and the dream voyage turns into a stormy nightmare. To give their work extra authenticity, the children stained their paper with tea and crumpled it to create a realistic aged look!

Our Green Team Superstar – Freyja in Year 3

As part of our Green Team work, Freyja has created a colourful poster to share ideas about how we can care for our planet. The poster highlights the importance of protecting the environment through messages about recycling, reusing paper and looking after nature. It includes drawings of the Earth, a recycling bin, lots of nature, as well as our Green Team motto: “Love your Neighbour, Love your Planet.” This creative piece reflects the importance of working together to make our school and planet a greener place. Well done Freyja!

Harvest is a special time of year when we come together to give thanks for the food we have and reflect on the importance of sharing with others in our community.

To celebrate Harvest this year, we are collecting food donations for local food banks, including Hackney Foodbank, which support individuals and families who may be struggling to afford food and other essentials.

We are asking everyone who is able to contribute to bring along non-perishable, in-date food items such as tinned vegetables, fruit, soup, pasta, rice, cereal, pasta sauces, tea and coffee, and other cupboard essentials. Every donation, no matter how small, can help make a meaningful difference to someone in need.

Harvest is about more than simply celebrating the season  it is an opportunity to share what we have, look out for one another, and support people in our local community.

Thank you for helping us make this year’s Harvest collection a success. Together, we can help ensure that essential food reaches those who need it most.

If you would like to make a donation to our appeal during this Harvest season, please give your donations at the school gate office until Friday 23wrd October.

SAINT Annual Light Party

Keeping Our Children Safe at Drop Off and Pick Up

We kindly ask all parents and carers to refrain from driving on the streets immediately around our school at drop off and pick up times.

Isabella Road and Mehetabel Road are both part of the School Streets initiative, which is designed to reduce traffic around schools and create a safer environment for children and families at the busiest times of the school day.

With many children walking, scooting and cycling to and from school, reducing the number of vehicles on these roads helps us create a safer, calmer environment for everyone and supports our safeguarding responsibilities.

The safety and safeguarding of our children is our shared responsibility. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep the streets around our school safe for every child.

School Nurse Drop-In Sessions

Our school nurse will be available on the first Wednesday of each month, from 9.30am to 12.30pm, for drop-in sessions in the Multi-Purpose Room. No appointment is necessary – simply come along if you would like to speak with the school nurse.

These sessions provide a friendly and supportive opportunity for parents and carers to seek advice, ask questions and discuss any concerns about their child’s health and wellbeing. You may wish to discuss topics such as, but not limited to:

• Sleeping difficulties or establishing healthy sleep routines
• Eating habits, fussy eating or concerns about nutrition
• Bedwetting and toileting
• Your child’s emotional wellbeing
• General health and development concerns

Please note that these drop-in sessions are not intended for children who are currently receiving support from CAMHS. If your child is already receiving CAMHS support, please continue to work directly with your child’s existing team for advice and guidance.

Upcoming dates:

• Wednesday 4th November – 9.30am–12.30pm
• Wednesday 2nd December – 9.30am–12.30pm

All parents and carers attending a session must sign in at the front office on arrival. This is an important safeguarding measure to help us maintain a safe environment for everyone in our school community.

We hope these sessions will be a valuable source of support for our families. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Prayer Of The Week – Understanding

Lord, give us understanding hearts so we can see things from others’ points of view. Help us to listen carefully before we speak and to ask questions when we don’t understand. May we seek to
understand rather than to judge, showing compassion to everyone we meet.

Amen.

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.

Reminder: Outstanding ParentPay Balances

We would like to remind all parents and carers to please check ParentPay to ensure any outstanding balances are cleared. 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: