St John Vianney School

Contents

• Headteacher's Message
• Key information and Dates for your Diary
• Lunches
• Stars of the Week
• Highlights of the Week
• Our Catholic School
• Spotlight
• Useful Information
• Links to Our Website and Social Media

Headteacher's Message

Dear Parents and Carers, We have had another very good week in school, blessed by the spring sunshine which always helps everybody’s mood. My assembly last week focused on the high standards we have set in school and the potential for a summer term Catholic School’s Inspection. We will, at some point in the near future, have 3 Inspectors in for 2 days to look at our catholicity in school and how our faith helps us show we are a very special school. Our pupils are fantastic in these situations and I know they will share positively with the inspecting team how proud they are, like the staff and Governors, with what we have achieved since the last inspection in 2019. They will also be able to discuss the wide range of provision we have in school, which allows our catholicity to stand out and shine. We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate our achievements when the inspection is arranged and we will keep you informed of the inspection plan, when it is communicated to us. Key Stage 4 pupils have this week been at Calvert Trust, on their annual residential in the Lake District. They have been blessed by wonderful weather and the staff have reported back that the 29 pupils who attended, with 10 staff from school, were really engaged with their learning and were really considerate of each other and the staff who attended. I have to thank the staff for supporting the residential this week and for giving their time so freely in being away from their homes and families. I know the pupils really appreciate the work Mr Donovan and the KS4 team have done to provide them with such an exceptional experience. Thank you to all the staff who attended and well done to the KS4 team for helping us grow our positive reputation in the wider community; the feedback we have received from the staff at Calvert has been excellent. Can I remind you please that Monday 4th May is a bank holiday and school will be closed. We look forward to welcoming the full cohort of pupils back to school on Tuesday morning next week, at 9am. Can I also remind you that the school will break for the Whit half term on Friday 22nd May, returning to school on Monday 1st June for the secondf half of the summer term. Best wishes for the long weekend, Mr A Moloney, Headteacher

Key information and Dates for your Diary

Dates for Your Diary

• Mon 4th May - Bank holiday school closed
• Fri 22nd May - School closes for half term
• Mon 1st June - School reopens after half term

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 Tuesday 5th May 2026:

Stars of the Week

• Class 1 Mrs Jordan - Blake - For having a mature attitude towards playing football this week.
• Class 2 Miss Walsh - Nico - For coping well with new experiences and sudden changes.
• Class 3 Mr Healey - Freya - For an improved attitude.
• Class 4 Mrs Garfin - Alex - For showing great engagement in his subjects.
• Class 5 Mr Whelan - Tyler - For improved effort in lessons and attitude.
• Class 6 Miss Shaw - Khalil - For a great residential trip.
• Class 7 Miss Graeme - Riley - For excellent attitude and attendance.
• Class 8 Mrs Wood - Leon - For showing a positive attitude, demonstrating respectful behaviour and being a good listener in all activities.
• Class 9 Mr Donovan - Cormac - For his great work in all areas of his learning.
• Class 10 Mr Wood - Kayden - For excellent attitude in lessons.
• Class 11 Miss Sherwin - Mia - For engaging very well in lessons and a positive attitude.
• Class 12 Ms Lord - Harley - For fantastic effort in his work, being kind to others and writing some amazing poems.
• Class 13 Mr Kanakides - Amanda - For having a brilliant week and working hard.
• Class 14 Miss Wilkinson - Megan - For being caring and kind to the dinner ladies and displaying a very mature and respectful attitude.

Employee of the Week

Congratulations to Miss Shaw

Highlights of the Week

Our Catholic School

At SJV this week, we are guided by this prayer as we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday:

"Dear Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who knows us by name and guides us through life. Please help us to hear your voice and to follow you always. Amen"

As we say farewell to April, we warmly welcome the month of May, which seems to have arrived in the blink of an eye. Throughout May, we give special honour to Our Lady, celebrating the Virgin Mary as the Queen of May. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary and is a special reminder of Mary’s role in our faith. Within our Catholic school, the Chaplaincy team has been guiding our community in marking May as the Month of Mary. Pupils have been praying the Rosary, creating thoughtful items for our prayer tables and taking time to reflect on the life of Our Lady, turning to her in prayer as the Mother of our Lord.

In RE lessons this week, pupils have been learning about Life After Death, deepening their understanding of Catholic beliefs about eternal life and considering how these beliefs shape the way we choose to live.

Mrs Garfin

Spotlight

Celebrating Neurodiversity

April is Neurodivergence Acceptance Month, a time to recognise and celebrate the many ways we are each uniquely made. At St John Vianney School, neurodiversity is an important and valued part of our community, reflected in both our pupils and staff. Neurodivergence, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, is often linked with strengths such as creativity, resilience, empathy and strong problem‑solving skills. These gifts enrich our classrooms and school supporting our shared mission of learning and growing together in faith.

This week, pupils took part in a special assembly led by our Assistant Headteacher, Miss Rodgers, which explored neurodiversity in a positive and affirming way. Pupils learned that there is no “right” or “wrong” way for a brain to work, and were encouraged to recognise their own strengths, value the strengths of others and show kindness and understanding. Examples of well‑known neurodivergent individuals were also shared, including Daniel Radcliffe, Robbie Williams and Billie Eilish, celebrating their achievements and highlighting how neurodivergence can be a source of strength, rather than a barrier. To mark Neurodivergence Acceptance Month, Miss Rodgers has created a special ribbon for pupils and staff to wear, symbolising acceptance, pride and unity within our school community. As a Catholic school, we are guided by the belief that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Celebrating neurodiversity is a natural expression of our Gospel values of love, dignity, respect and inclusion. We would like to thank Miss Rodgers for delivering such a thoughtful and inspiring assembly and for creating a ribbon that unites our school community throughout this important month. We also thank our pupils and families for continuing to support a school culture where differences are embraced and every child’s God‑given strengths are recognised and celebrated.

Useful Information

Family festival

(All ages) Visit Stoller Hall this May for a fun-filled weekend of musical concerts and activities for the whole family. There are ticketed events throughout the weekend, with ticket bookers able to enjoy a series of free drop-in events around the building. Saturday 23rd May is designed for families living with SEND, offering concerts and musical experiences which are accessible and sensory-friendly. On Sunday 24th May, experience, make, and enjoy live music during this jam-packed day of concerts and hands-on activities for younger families. Stoller Hall is at Chetham’s School of Music, Long Millgate, opposite Victoria Station, M3 1SB. Find out more and book tickets. Have you tried one of the free relaxed concerts at Stoller Hall? They're at 1.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month in term time. All welcome!

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

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.

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