St John Vianney School Newsletter 16.01.2026

Contents

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

Headteacher's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,   Week 2 of the spring term has gone very well; we have certainly been helped by better and milder weather since the start of this week.  Pupils are back into their school routines and clearly enjoy the curriculum and enrichment activities we continue to provide them to ensure they have a balance in their learning.   We have benefited from having the vast majority of our staff and pupils attending school daily. Our attendance in Term 1 was again really positive, with pupil attendance above 92% consistently, (92% last year too). It was lovely to be able to send out so many letters to parents at the end of last term celebrating attendance, over 95%, from many pupils and to pupils who have significantly made improvements in attendance last term, from the previous year. Well done to all our high attending pupils, who continue to make the most of school provision.   School attendance is essential if children and young people are going to maximise the progress in school. Thank you for your support in getting your child to school each day.

The behaviour, cooperation and engagement in learning this week has also been very pleasing. Thank you for your continued efforts in having your child school ready, each day. The journey to school each day can be a difficult transition for many, but it is clear that our pupils enjoy attending SJV and are ready to join in from once they arrive. With so many CYP their enthusiasm, first thing, is clear to see and this impacts positively on the staff in School too.  I’m pleased that our children and young people are engaging well with their learning in the curriculum, cooperating with staff and peers whilst making the most of the opportunity to be back in school lessons.   Preparations are now beginning for the annual residential experiences planned for March and April this year. These again will be paid for by the school and are fantastic opportunities for pupils to learn in an outdoor environment, building self-esteem and confidence. Please keep a look out for communication and the paperwork required to ensure your child is able to attend. Can I remind you however, that where pupils' behaviour is a concern or risk to the safety of themselves and others, the school will make the decision whether a child will be able to attend. Our pupils have been informed of this also.      I hope you and your families have a peaceful weekend.   Best wishes   Mr A Moloney  Headteacher 

Key information and Dates for your Diary

Dates for Your Diary

• Tue 20th Jan @ 1:45pm - Open Afternoon for prospective pupils, parents and carers
• Thu 12th Feb 2026 @ 3:15pm - School closes for Half Term Break
• Friday 13th Feb 2026 @ All Day - INSET Day - school closed to pupils
• Wed 11th Mar - Fri 13th Mar 2026 - KS3 Ghyll Head residential
• Mon 30th Mar - Wed 1st Apr 2026 - KS5 PGL at Winmarleigh Hall residential
• Wed 22nd Apr 2026 - Class 6, overnight CAFT residential
• Mon 27th Apr - Fri 1st May 2026 - KS4 Calvert Trust residential

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 19th January 2026:

Stars of the Week

• Class 1 Mrs Jordan - Zakary - For a great start to 2026 and working hard during lessons.
• Class 2 Miss Walsh - Nico - For working hard in maths and trying to be more independent.
• Class 3 Mr Healey - Freya - For making improvements in her behaviour and some fantastic work in Food Tech.
• Class 4 Mrs Garfin - Isabelle - For being an amazing friend.
• Class 5 Mr Whelan - Anderson - For a more positive week, showing greater patience and resilience.
• Class 6 Miss Shaw - Oskar - For excellent work in rebound therapy.
• Class 7 Miss Graham - Zachary - For demonstrating exceptional maturity and courage in addressing unkind behaviour among peers.
• Class 8 Mrs Wood - Rhys - For an impressive perfomance in basketball, great participation in football and being respectful throughout the week.
• Class 9 Mr Donovan - Zack - For being so brave this week.
• Class 10 Mr Wood - Mikail - For improved attendance and excellent effort with exams this week.
• Class 11 Miss Sherwin - Joe - For much improved engagement in lessons.
• Class 12 Miss Lord - Bruno - For having a great attitude towards work.
• Class 13 Mr Kanakides - Heaven - For having a good attitude.
• Class 14 Miss Wilkinson - Tomasz - For being proactive and organising the bag for Bread & Butter Thing.

Employees of the Week

Congratulations to Mr Brownrigg and Miss Sherwin!

Highlights of the Week

Our Catholic School

Our spiritual focus in SJV this week:

'Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is yet to come. We only have today; let us begin'.

- St Teresa of Calcutta

By this stage of January, many people may begin to feel a little low or find it challenging to maintain their New Year’s resolutions. At SJV, we are using this time to focus on sharing and reflecting God’s love, supporting one another, and approaching all that we do with positivity. As a Catholic school, we are also spending time exploring the vital role of our Chaplaincy Leaders. We are looking closely at the responsibilities involved and beginning to form our Chaplaincy Team for 2026, as we continue to strengthen and nurture the faith life of our school community. In RE this week, students across the school have been engaged in thoughtful and meaningful learning. Key Stage 3 pupils have been exploring the question, “Who is Jesus?” Key Stage 4 students have been reflecting on the theme of responsibility, while Key Stage 5 students have been examining significant issues related to medical ethics.

Mrs Garfin

Poetry Corner

AI. Embracing Technology Without Losing Ourselves As Poets

Here at SJV we champion creativity that is rooted in experience and imagination. We proudly teach our pupils that it is our humanity that breathes life into poetry and art, and that is something technology will never truly replicate. AI is a remarkable tool that can support the creative process. However, it should not be mistaken for a replacement for genuine human creativity. By embracing technology as a support, rather than a substitute, we can ensure that authenticity and real empathy continue to flourish here at school. In a world where the truth is often up for grabs, it is vital to remind young people that their voice counts, and not to simply create content and poems in AI. We need to encourage our young poets to speak their truth, it is only through writing with originality and integrity that we can impact this challenging world in a positive way. Please enjoy two poems below that could have never been written in AI! The first by the great Jackie Kay.

Mr Lomax spotted this on the London Underground Tube over the holidays, and here he is giving her a hug at a recent poetry reading, these are the moments of true human and poetic connection!

The second wonderful poem performed and written in response to AI “The Unprompted,” a Poem That AI Will Never Understand. Performed wonderfully by Salome Agbaroji at a recent TED Talk.

Oliver Lomax

Useful Information

‘What I wish my parents or carers knew…’: A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives

Young People have told the children's commissioner for England that their parents do not understand their online lives. They propose the common nature of online harms would shock their parents. This new guide reflects the biggest issues, according to children and young people, with practical tips and conversation starters to aid families: To read the full guide please click on the link: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/what-i-wish-my-parents-or-carers-knew-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers-on-managing-childrens-digital-lives/

- 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