Spring Term 2025
As Easter approaches we reflect back on what an action packed term it has been for the children (and staff!). We have had lots of exciting opportunities on offer including two residentials, World Book Day, Red Nose Day, Young Voices, Our Islam theme day, PTA Bingo, Break the Rules Day and Movie Night, Class Assemblies, Mad Science, Easter Services, Egg Raffle, Team Point Prizes and so much more. We are so grateful at St John's to have such a committed school community that comes together to make all these opportunities possible for the children here. We genuinely thank you for your support!
Please see the link to the key dates for the summer term 2025.
A summary of classroom experiences from this term
Mad Science Assembly
PTA Bingo Night
Year 2 - Safer Internet Work
We all celebrated Safer Internet Day, focussing on how to keep ourselves safe online.
Playground Playleaders
Our newly appointed Playground Leaders have been busy running activities at lunchtimes to keep the younger children entertained.
Year 2 - Science Investigations
Mixing Colours in Art
Reception - The Easter Story
Sequencing the key elements of the Easter Story.
Year 3 and 4 Residential Talent Show
We were treated to singing, dancing, gym, martial arts, magic, jokes and comedy!
Year 1 - Making Music
Using Chrome Music Lab to create melodies.
Year 1 - Labelling Body Parts
Making sure we learn all the correct scientific vocabulary.
A visit from the Mayor of Stockport
We were very lucky that the Mayor of Stockport managed to fit in a visit into her busy schedule to come and deliver an assembly and work with Year 3 and 4. The Mayor shared with the children about the work of the Mayor and the many and varied opportunities she gets the chance to support across Stockport. The children asked lots of thoughtful questions during a Q and A session. Some Year 4 children then gave the Mayor a tour of the school. It was an excellent way in which for us to demonstrate this term's Christian values of Service and Sacrifice in action. A big thank you to Miss Wyatt for organising the visit for us.
Young Voices 2025
Once more, we attended Young Voices taking 54 children to the new COOP Live Arena to perform with 8000 other children. This year was extra special as we also took part in a global live stream to celebrate what would have been Bob Marley's 80th birthday. Unfortunately, Mr Rayner wasn't able to make it but we are very grateful for all the hours he spent rehearsing with the children to get them ready. We have already registered for next year so look out for details in the future.
World Book Day 2025
We celebrated World Book Day by coming to school in our PJs and designing a wooden spoon to look like our favourite book character. Well done to those winners of the competition. Even those children away on residential got involved by being caught reading in extreme places.
Nationally school attendance rates are causing concern, however, at St John's we are extremely proud of our attendance and everyone's positive attitutdes to attending school daily and being on time. New research is making even stronger links between lower attendance at an early age and difficulty later in life with physical and mental health and attitudes to work. As always, we would encourage you to support us in promoting positive attitudes to attendance and punctuality. There have been 2255 minutes lost to lateness this school year, this equates to nearly 1.25 weeks. If you have concerns about your child's attendance please speak to your class teacher or arrange to speak to the school's Inclusion Team.
School Attendance for this Academic Year
If your child is unable to attend school due to illness please inform us as soon as possible on the first morning of absence. Please let us know the reason for absence and how long you expect your child to be absent for. You can ring the office on: 0161 442 7424 and leave a voicemail or email: admin@st-johns.stockport.sch.uk
We remain unable to authorise holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Our school attendance team, made up of the headteacher, office staff, a governor and the Education Welfare Officer, meet half termly to monitor the attendance and punctuality at St John's to ensure we continue to be able to offer support and intervention where needed.
Residentials
Newlands Adventure Centre - Year 3/4 Residential
It's been a few years since we were last able to take Year 3 and 4 away on residential, but when we found Newlands Adventure Centre we felt we had found the right location to take the children. We were delighted with the centre and the balance of adventure and nurture it was able to offer.
The children behaved fantastically well and literally threw themselves into everything, embracing everything the trip had to offer. From rope activities to bushcraft and mountain walking to canoeing, all the activities took part in the most gorgeous surroundings. The talent show on the last night was the icing on the cake, highlighting the confidence many of our children have.
We are looking to book the trip again next year and build upon the success of this year.
PGL earlier in March was another success with so many children conquering their fear of heights, water or even being away from home. It was great to see children who returned for a second year being able to push themselves further than last year.
Letters about next year's PGL trip will be coming out very soon as PGL need us to make our booking firm.
The video below shows everything we got up to at PGL this year.
MEDICAL INFORMATION:
We have recently sent out letters to the whole school population reiterating that we aim to be a nut free school, as we have some members of our school community with severe nut allergies. Some children are still bringing snacks that contain nuts such as Kinder Buenos. Please can we stress the importance of not bringing snacks and treats that contain nuts. This is just as applicable on residentials and school trips.
MAD SCIENCE
Parental Questionnaire
In our parental questionnaire this term we recieved 63 responses. We are very pleased that overall the school is achieving well and meeting the expectations of our parental community. We will of course be examining any development areas to see if there are ways in which we can continue to develop and improve the school further. Thank you to all those who submitted a response. A summary of the answers can be seen below.
At times we get feedback that parents don't know enough about what goes on at school. As a reminder the school and class X (Twitter) accounts are a great way to see what has been happening at school especially in relation to key events. Below is a link to the whole school X Feed.
Extra-Curricular Opportunties
Can we take the opportuntity to thank our staff for providing the many extra-curricular opportunties that they do. The teacher led clubs this term have included: Quiet Club, Choir, Eco Club, Cooking, Newspaper Club, Sewing Club, School Council, Lego Club, Pilates, Scratch Club and Recorder Club.
Miss Allen, as P.E. Lead, continues to be actively try and find tournaments and opportunties for the children to compete in against other schools. This term we have taken part in the Tag Rugby finals coming third overall. A big well done to those children competing in them and a special well done to Ali who won the Respect Award during those finals. Our girls represented us in the football tournament in March, again coming third overall. Thank you to the staff and parents who have supported with supervision and lifts to make these events possible.
Easter Service
Our annual Easter service was held at St John's Church on Friday 11th April. It was a lovely occasion with the children brilliantly taking us through the key events of Holy Week and leading us in prayer. As always, we are very appreciative to St John's Church for allowing us to come together as a school community to celebrate this key Christian festival.
In the build up to this service Reverend Rowles came into school and led Easter workshops to explain the Easter Story in more detail. It even involved her washing some children's feet!
ROAD SAFETY & PARKING:
Children’s safety has to come first with regards to this and we do feel it is vitally important that we all park, drive and behave in a considerate and responsible manner both inside and outside the school grounds. We politely ask that all parents and carers consider the needs and safety of everyone whilst travelling to and from the school.
Can we also remind parents that the school carpark is for staff use. We have noticed some parents using it at the end of the school day, creating a potential hazard with those cars having to cut across the lines of pedestrians leaving the school grounds
The cycle path development continues to move forward. Most of their efforts so far have been away from the school site, but in the second week of the holidays the works will begin on the path immediately in front of school. The works have been scheduled like this to reduce the impact on school life. Should there be any implications for us upon our return we will of course communicate this as soon as we know, however their intention throughout the project was to maintain access to school at all times.
Finally, we look forward to seeing you at some point over the next term. Many thanks for your continued support.
Mr P Rayner Mr A Clerc
Contact: admin@st-johns.stockport.sch.uk
Website: http://www.st-johns.stockport.sch.uk