St John Vianney School Newsletter 26.09.2025

Headteacher's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you are having a good week? We are now 4 weeks into the autumn term and it has been lovely to see so many of our pupils settled well in school again this week. Attendance has been fantastic at 93.9%.

We do however, have a small group of pupils, who are not always role modelling our expectations of behaviour and we have had to have some challenging conversations with pupils and parents this week. SJV is a lovely school community and you will be pleased to know that we will not accept behaviour which persistently disrupts learning of others in school or is unkind to other pupils and staff. I am sure the pupils involved will be working to ensure they are more cooperative and in being a positive pupil in all aspects of school. We are a kind and purposeful school and we want our children to role model, in their behaviours, our distinctive Catholicity, which is built on selflessness and care for others.

The second phase of the new build is coming on quickly and we are starting to see the foundations for the second building and the wider estate. Pupils have this week seen the ‘bath’ section of the hydrotherapy pool being put into the ground. It is really coming on well and we are now only 10 months to completion. It continues to be an exciting time for all at school as we see our planning and designs come to life.

Thank you to those parents who joined us for Macmillan Coffee afternoon today, helping raise funds for a really worthwhile cause. It was lovely to meet you all informally over coffee today. I do hope you enjoyed your visit to school.

A reminder please; On Thursday evening (October 2nd) next week we have our Welcome Evening from 5pm-6.30pm. All parents are invited to join the staff team to meet staff and understand how we ask our parents to support their children in school during the next academic year. We do hope you join us at this really important event.

Can I urge you please to donate to the Harvest Festival Appeal. The Harvest Festival services will take place on October 10th in School and we are asking families to contribute tinned food and other non perishable products over the next two weeks, through their children, to contribute to the appeal. All procceds will go to a local food bank for families in our communities, who will benefit from our donations.

Can I also remind you that the forthcoming October half term break is this year for 2 weeks. School will close at 3:15pm on Friday 17th October 2025 and will open again for autumn term 2 on Monday 3rd November 2025.

Best wishes for the weekend!

Mr Moloney, Headteacher

Key information and Dates for your Diary

Dates for your Diary

• Thu 2nd October @ 5:00 - 6:30pm - Welcome Evening in School for all parents.
• Tue 14th Oct 2025 @ 9:00 - 10:50am - College Morning for Key Stage 4 & 5.
• Wed 15th Oct @ 1:45 - 2:30pm - Open Afternoon for prospective parents to attend.
• Fri 17th Oct @ 3:15pm - School closes for Half Term Break.
• Mon 3rd November @ 9:00am - School Re-opens after the half term break.
• Tue 11th Nov @ 9:15 - 10:00am - Open Morning for prospective parents to attend.

Key Info

Allergies

Please be aware that we have a number of pupils in school with severe nut allergies. To reduce the risk of exposure for these young people, we aim to keep the school nut free. In order to support us with this we kindly ask that you:

• Do not give children nuts or nut products in their packed lunches.
• Do not give nuts, nut products or snacks/bars containing nuts for break time snacks.
• Do not send cakes or food items, containing nuts, in to school for birthday celebrations, cake sales or events.

Thank you for your support.

Lunches

Week commencing 29th September 2025:

Stars of The Week

• Class 1 - Zakary - For making a great effort in class, for good listening and making friends.
• Class 2 - Meera - For working hard and being kind to her friends.
• Class 3 - Quinn - For showing maturity and taking on responsibility, without being asked.
• Class 4 - Isabelle - For good engagement in SALT and doing her best.
• Class 5 - Maisy - For looking after her peers and working well at D of E.
• Class 6 - Adnan - For a really settled week and brilliant singing in OMF.
• Class 7 - Charlie - For managing a challenging situation really well.
• Class 8 - Sean - For being an always pupil and being a good friend.
• Class 9 - Joe - For having a great week.
• Class 10 - Ryan - For being an always pupil and always doing his work.
• Class 11 - Evie - For being a mature and helpful student.
• Class 12 - Leah - For making mature choices.
• Class 13 - Alfie - For being an always student.
• Class 14 - Munir - For achieving a national award for his photography and efforts with photoshop, placing first in the country.

Employee of The Week

Highlights of the Week

Our Catholic School

Our spiritual focus in SJV this week is:

" Trust the present to God’s love and the future to God’s care."

- St Augustine of Hippo

Another busy week in our Catholic school! Class 13 enjoyed their retreat at The Spiritan Centre with Fr Nick, spending some quality time in prayer and reflecting on the Jubilee Year of Hope.

It was wonderful to be able to hold and support a huge national event such as the Macmillan Coffee Morning or in our case, Coffee Afternoon. It has been a really nice way to end the day and the week this way. It was so lovely to welcome all the parents and carers enjoying some social time with them and making new connections. The G.I.F.T /Chaplaincy and Ms Nesbitt’s Hospitality Team did a wonderful job of supporting this key event in our schools’ calendar.

Within RE this week the whole school has been looking at how the commandments shape our lives, laws and our society!

Mrs Garfin

Poetry Corner

Faith, Poetry, and R.S Thomas

At St John Vianney, we believe that faith is not just something we learn, it’s something we live, feel, and even create. One of the most powerful ways we can explore our relationship with God is through poetry.

Just like prayer, poetry uses words to go beyond the everyday. It gives voice to our questions, our hopes, and our thankfulness. Whether it’s the Psalms of the Bible or the quiet thoughts of a child writing about God’s love, poetry brings the spiritual into the visible. It reminds us that the sacred is all around us, in nature, in each other, and in the stillness of our hearts.

One writer who did not separate the writing of poetry from prayer was the great R.S Thomas.

R. S. Thomas (1913–2000) was a renowned Welsh poet and Anglican priest, known for his powerful and often stark poems exploring themes of faith, doubt, and nature. His work often reflects the rugged beauty of the Welsh landscape and the spiritual struggles of a man searching for God in a silent and sometimes indifferent world. Though he wrote in English, Thomas was a passionate advocate for the Welsh language and culture. His poetry is marked by deep introspection, honesty, and a profound sense of place and mystery. Please see below two of his most powerful poems, and click in the link to listen to R.S Thomas reading ‘The Bright Field.’

Oliver Lomax

Useful Information

There are lots of positives to being online for children, from staying in touch with friends to learning about the world.

There are some challenges, too, and the online world can be tricky for children to navigate. For some it can become overwhelming trying to keep up with friends, and the pressure can mount.

Noticing how your child is affected by being online is the first step in helping them manage their wellbeing.

You can:

• Manage the content that your children see
• Ensure the interactions they have are suitable
• Manage how long they’re online, in balance with other activities.

There are several things you can do to help support a child, including using specific apps and checking app settings.

How much time should children spend online? And is it OK to make a mistake? you can take the NSPCC online wellbeing quiz with your family and see if you all agree!

Click on the link

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-wellbeing/

Supporting the wellbeing of children has never been more critical than it is right now. All custodians of a child, from parents, to teachers, governments and policy makers are more focused than ever on ensuring that children are protected from online harms.

The wellbeing outcomes of children are heavily influenced by their digital experiences. A child’s online activity, including what they view, who they interact with, and what they share can contribute to a deeply positive outcome, or pose a worrying threat to their wellbeing.

Developed by a team of world-renowned Online Safety Experts, the Hub is designed to engage and align the community on online safety and wellness by providing up-to-date and evidence-based information to all key stakeholders of a child’s life.

Parents will find a rich library of helpful resources, including app reviews, how-to guides and advice on an array of online safety topics.

Click here to visit our Online Safety Hub for more useful tips and advice.

- Mrs J Griffin, Family Liaison Officer, Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

Click on the following link to open a directory of useful links and information about facilities, activities and support available to you and your young person: INFORMATION DIRECTORY