The Link Newsletter #54

Friday 26th January 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

The last few weeks have presented everyone with a plethora of weather events to cope with, with the freezing temperatures, stormy winds and now, the balmy, mild spell. Added to that, a burst water main on the High Road and the queuing traffic which all added to the challenges of getting children to school on time. We have much appreciated the difficulties and also the extra effort families took in leaving earlier to avoid children being late for school.

With half term soon approaching, it feels timely to reflect on the opportunities and experiences the children have had since we returned in January. 

Children in Year 1 enjoyed the Coronation Day, working in the Church with an expert on historical facts and procedures in times past. The large number of parent volunteers contributed to the success of the day, each parent leading a workshop station, enabling the children to experience the techniques used in Victorian Britain. Thank you to the staff team and parent volunteers for making this such a wonderful experience for the children.

Our Choir represented St John’s at the Young Voices concert at the O2 Arena in London two weeks ago. The staff and children who regularly attend the Choir had practiced over many weeks to be ready for the show on Wednesday 17th January. What a delightful time the children had with their T-shirts, torches and talent! It was lovely that parents were also able to attend the performance and show their support for their son or daughter. Thank you to Mr Peck who organised the event, Miss Davy, Mrs Bage, Miss Marbe, Mrs Griffths and Mrs Jordan for accompanying the children to and from the O2. It was unfortunate that the return journey was badly affected by traffic, meaning a very late return to school on a freezing night. However both children and staff showed great resilience and returned to school the next morning full of enthusiasm.

Mr Peck put together a video of the event from various clips and photos taken on the day.

Young Voices 2024 Film from St John's CE Primary School on Vimeo.

On Friday 19th January, sixteen children from the School Council and Head Prefects joined Mr Whale, Mrs Bagga, Ms Ward and myself for a visit to the Palace of Westminster. Our journey into London was smooth and uneventful, leading us to be in the gift shop by 9.20am! After spending a King’s ransom, the children were ready for the tour shortly before 10am. We walked through the King’s Robing room and entered the House of Lords since the Lords were not sitting at this time. We were able to spectate proceedings in the House of Commons from the Public Gallery and participate in a democracy workshop where children learned how laws are made, voted for and decided upon. The morning finished with a visit to the Cenotaph, Downing Street and Horse Guards before finally sitting down for a lovely lunch at Prezzo. Our return journey was not so swift (is there a pattern emerging here?) but we made it back to Buckhurst Hill Tube Station safely.

On Friday 26th January, our Year 6 Digital Leaders visited the BETT show in London. They travelled by Tube to the Excel Centre and had a fun filled day of visiting a vast array of exhibitors showcasing the latest and the best in technology. The children were captivated by the freebies on offer and no doubt brought home a bounty of goodies. Ryan was honoured to be chosen to take part in the Kids Judge BETT event. Ryan and pupils from Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School, Hereward Primary School and High Beech CofE Primary School worked as a team of four to find the best product, service or solution. They had to evaluate an array of hardware and software before deciding on their chosen item. They then presented this on a stage in the BETT arena alongside Michael Rosen, no less. Thank you to Miss Marbe, Mrs Scull and Matthew Harrison (Head of Technology at the Trust) for making this opportunity become a reality.

Kids Judge BETT 2024 from St John's CE Primary School on Vimeo.

PARENT GOVERNOR ELECTION

I was delighted that we had five nominations for the role of Parent Governor. I was so pleased that this represented a strong commitment amongst the parent body who are willing to give of their time to support the strategic direction of the school. Thank you to everyone who stood and those who took the time to vote.

The ballot closed on Friday 19th January and I am pleased to report that Mrs Catherine Leyland was elected as Parent Governor. As you know, this will be her second term of office and we wish her well as she continues to give her commitment to the school over the coming years.

The Local Governing Body produces an Annual Governance Statement which reflects the achievements of the school over the past year.

WELLBEING COFFEE MORNING

Our third Wellbeing Coffee Morning took place last Wednesday for the parents of our Early Years children. It was well attended and parents enjoyed the opportunity to talk to each other as well as Mrs Tinker and Mrs Jacob about the joys and challenges of parenting in 2024! This was followed by a short presentation that showcased how important mental health is for us all to reach our potential. During the presentation, how we support children in school and how you can support them at home was discussed. The slides for this are on our website:

https://www.st-johns-school.com/Wellbeing-Coffee-Mornings/

DOGS ON SITE

A reminder to everyone that dogs are not permitted beyond the school gates at any time. If you bring a dog to school, they must be kept to away from the gate entrances to allow our children safe and uninhibited passage in and out of the school. Thank you.

COLD WEATHER

A reminder to all parents that during periods of extreme cold weather, the children are expected to eat their packed lunch in The Barn. We display a snowflake symbol which signals to the children that they should eat inside. Children are always welcome to eat inside on warmer days should they wish, but the majority of children prefer to eat their packed lunches outside.

Whilst our indoor space is limited for PE, we do everything we can to ensure that children can continue to enjoy their PE lessons whatever the weather. We adapt our teaching plans as appropriate so that PE can take place in the Church and also in the classrooms if needed. 

We request that you support us by making sure the children have their winter tracksuits and also bring coats to school for the extreme weather days.

 

...AND FINALLY...

Here are some photos from recent trips and events including Coronation Day, the O2, Palace of Westminster visit, Achievement Assembly and BETT 2024.