St John Vianney School Newsletter 15.03.2024

Headteacher's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been relatively quiet in school this week, with 6 classes in Key Stage 3 in the Lake District for their annual KS3 Residential. For many of our children this is the first time they have been away from their home and families and is a really big event, especially as Bendrigg is a very different environment to Manchester. We have had 20 staff support the 2 groups of 25 plus pupils this week. Both groups have had a fantastic experience and really stepped out of their comfort zones in joining in the many challenges that are offered in Bendrigg. Well done to all involved and a huge thank you to the staff who gave up time away from their families to secure such a fantastic experience for our children and young people. The pupils have come back to school very excited, but are also very tired!

We are busy in school with new building plans and much progress has already been made. It does however, still seem a long time away before we finish the project. I have attached some new projection images to help remind us all of what the final project will look like in 2026, when we will be finally able to step in.

A reminder please; we are busy preparing the second interim report of this academic year, which will sent home later next week. The report will identify the progress being made by your child since the last report in November. Following the report, we invite you into school for our annual Parents Evening. Please make a note of the date and time of this really important event, where you will have an opportunity to meet with teachers and class teams to discuss the progress made by your child and look through the work that they have been undertaking this year. Parents Evening will be on Wednesday 27th March from 4:30pm to 6pm in the school hall; please make every effort to attend. After school club for our pupils, is however, cancelled on this date.

I hope you and your families have a great weekend and for the week ahead.

Mr A Moloney

Dates For Your Diary

• Weds 27th March - Afterschool Club Cancelled
• Weds 27th March @ 4.30pm - 6.00pm - Parents Evening

Stars of the Week

Congratulations to our Stars of the Week!

• Class 1 - Shawn - For excellent and confident swimming.
• Class 2 - Zackariya - For working hard in lessons and his incredible art work.
• Class 3 - Ethan - For leading the class in our prayers at the end of the day.
• Class 4 - Jon Paul - For making some very positive decisions this week and working really well.
• Class 5 - Zachary - For being an always pupil.
• Class 6 - Kyan - For being very settled around school and engaging in assembly.
• Class 7 - Leon - For greatly improved handwriting and managing himself more effectively.
• Class 8 - Alfie - For a positive attitude in lessons.
• Class 9 - Leah - For an improved effort in all subjects and superb effort in Maths.
• Class 10 - Harley - For being so mature and always thinking of others.
• Class 11 - Emilia - For trying new things and stepping out of her comfort zone!
• Class 12 - Micah - For making great choices and adapting to new routines.
• Class 13 - Dylan - For doing well in his college interview.

Employee of the Week

Congratulations to Miss Harley and the Class 2 Team

Miss Harley for being quiet and unassuming in her role and always a supportive colleague, helpful to other support staff when needed.

Class 2 also for fantastic teamwork and their cover and delivery of lessons in a colleague's absence.

Highlights of the Week

Our Catholic School

‘Jesus leads us to go out from ourselves more and more, to give of ourselves and to serve others.’

- Pope Francis

Within our Catholic school this week, each class is competing to raise the most money in our ‘£5 Challenge'. Using their keen entrepreneurial skills, each class will attempt to increase their £5 starting budget, in order to raise money for CAFOD. We did really well last year and are hoping to do the same again. Throughout Lent, we are fasting from unkind words and acts as we focus on our '40 Acts of Kindness'. It is lovely to read through each of the kind acts that our staff and students have done.

Fr Nick and I had the pleasure of attending our Key Stage 3 residential this week. We all had a wonderful time. It is great to see such fantastic behaviour and team work.

In RE, we have been looking at Ramadan and how it is celebrated, comparing the similarities and differences to Lent.

This week's Wednesday Word is 'Follow'.

Mrs Garfin

Poetry Corner

Congratulations to our poet of the week Kian, on his amazing entry to this year's 'Poetry By Heart' Competition! His word perfect and powerful recital of Mandy Coe's poem 'Extinct' explores the theme of creatures that once lived on the earth, but are now sadly extinct. The poem challenges us to think about our impact on the environment today and the responsibility we all have to ensure this never happens again. Well done Kian for taking the time to learn this poem off by heart and perform it with so much passion, Mr. Lomax has high hopes for this performance! Also huge thanks to Mr. Dumville for his camera wizardry.

Oliver Lomax

Useful Information

Looking after a child or young person's mental health.

"As Parents and Carers, there are ways we can support our children to give them the best chance to stay mentally healthy. Encouraging and guiding a child to think about their own mental health and wellbeing are vital skills you can teach them from a young age. Find out how you can help a child to have good mental health, including knowing how to talk to a child about their mental health, and when to spot signs they might be struggling. Plus get self-care tips for you, to help you look after your mental health while caring for others, and find out how to get more support if you, your child or your family need it." - NHS Every Mind Matters

Click on the following link to navigate to NHS Every Mind Matters You will find lots of useful information here including: ways to support a child or young person, signs a child is struggling, looking after your own mental health and details on how to get support.

Online Safety for families and children with SEND

The NSPCC have partnered with Ambitious about Autism to bring online safety tips, advice and activities specifically for parents and carers of children with SEND. Click on the following link for more information and resources: NSPCC

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