Headteacher's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Week two of the spring term has gone very well. We have certainly benefited from having the vast majority of our staff and pupils attending school daily, despite the challenging weather we have had this week. Our attendance in Term 1 was really positive, with pupil attendance above 90%, consistently. School attendance is essential if children and young people are going to maximise the progress and development in school they should make. We still however, have too many pupils who take unnecessary days of school. When children are genuinely poorly they need to rest, recover and stay home, but sniffles and a few aches and pains should not be reasons for children to miss out on their vital education. Can I urge you please to support us in this and maximise the days in school your child attends? We have excellent rewards and prizes as part of our attendance strategy in school and it would be great at half term and at Easter to see an extra 5% plus of our pupils accessing these rewards. Thank you for your support in this.
I’m pleased to report that children are engaging well with their learning, cooperating with staff and their peers and making the most of the opportunity to be back, after the Christmas break, in school lessons. The behaviour, cooperation and engagement in learning this week has been very pleasing.
A key part of our School Improvement work this year is linked around Pope Francis’ ‘Laudato Si; care of our common home’ appeal. In 2015 Pope Francis called on us to be better at looking after creation, our planet and each other. It is clear from the current climate crisis and the humanitarian issues across the world, that we have some significant work to do. Our work in school has three clear areas of focus and we will be sharing our work in each area with you weekly in our newsletters.
The three areas are
• Live Simply; to challenge our way of living and to better at living out our roles in serving others.
• Live Sustainably; To reduce our carbon footprint and support ecological challenges we all face. To reduce waste, to recycle more and to better reuse.
• Live in Solidarity; care of and support for the poor and most vulnerable; our neighbours.
You can really help us in our work by reinforcing some key areas that we are developing in School, which will allow the pupils in school to gain a better understanding of the roles we all need to play in looking after our common home; planet earth. A great example this week would be to ensure your child helps with recycling at home. Do they separate out waste for recycling and understand the colour bins that your local authority use? Getting the pupils to empty inside bins appropriately, would be a great step towards independence for many of our pupils and a good task to support your family at home.
We will try to offer more suggestions as the term progresses for you to help from home. Thanks in anticipation of your support.
I hope you and your families have a restful and peaceful weekend.
Best wishes
Mr Moloney
Headteacher
Laudato Si`
Our ‘Laudato Si’ School; taking responsibility and care for our Common Home. Pope Francis tells us;-
Tips for saving Energy and developing good habits in the home;
As your child grows, teach them some habits to save energy around the home:
• Switch off the lights when they leave a room.
• Turn off the tap when they’re not using it. For example, when brushing teeth, or washing hands.
• Put on a jumper and thick socks instead of turning the heating on.
• Ask them to close the door behind them when they come inside.
• Switch off the television and any consoles when they’re not using them. Use the ‘shut down’ function on your computers and laptops.
• Turn off or unplug electrical items when finished with them. Some devices use energy even when they aren’t on. For example, the kettle, your phone chargers, lamps and fans.
Our Eco Committee
This week Class 3 were tasked with making an 'Eco Aware' poster. Well done Dylan on his poster, showing us all what we need to do!
Stars of the Week
There has been lots of great behaviour and positive attitudes around school this week. The children & young people below were chosen by their class team as 'Star of the Week'.
Aidan - For being very happy and settled in class :) Well done Aidan!
Ezra - For a fantastic start to the spring term.
Mikail - For great effort in Maths this week!
Riley - For being a good sportsman in PE, and being brilliant during our first farm visit.
Jackson - For working hard and having a positive attitude towards school.
Leon - For excellent behaviour and engagement in all his lessons this week. Keep it up Leon!
Callum - For being willing to put himself out of his comfort zone and try new things
Reece - For excellent work in History
Troy - Great first week back and 100% attendance.
Renee - Very positive return to school for new year and contributing well to class discussions.
Louis - Making a positive start to the new year. He has been first into class everyday this week.
Jay - For being well mannered, positive and working hard. A great start to the new year.
Daniel - For having a great first week back
Class News
Class 10
Class 10 enjoyed making pizzas with Ms Nesbitt.
As you can see they were thrilled with their resulting pizzas!
Class 13
Class 13 have been helping out at Wythenshawe Park, taking down all the Christmas decorations.
They have also been completing some excellent and funny pictures of themselves in Photography.
SJV College Morning
Tuesday 31st January 2023
Our next college morning is going to be held on Tuesday 31st January 2023 and will begin at 9:30am. As a parent/carer of a pupil in either Key Stage 4 or 5, we would like to invite you to the second ‘College Morning’ of the 2022/23 Academic Year. This event continues our Careers Education, Information and Guidance plans and is also an important stepping stone in your child’s future steps.
This is an ideal time for parents to meet the colleges, discuss preferred options for your child and submit applications to prospective colleges.
Parents of July 2023 leavers
This will be your final opportunity to collectively look at college offers before your child leaves in July.
Parents of July 2024 leavers
This is an ideal time to start making enquiries and gain insights as to what the different colleges are able to offer, and best meet your child’s needs. You will then be in a strong position to articulate this to your local authority at their final EHCP annual review, along with school, in Autumn 2023.
The day will be scheduled as follows.
9:30am; Introductory presentation to parents Meeting room
9:40am; Presentation from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Meeting room
10:10am Parents Meet the Colleges – Pupils join
Expected attending Colleges are– Manchester College, Tameside College, Salford/Eccles College, Trafford College, Bridge College, Cheadle College, Stockport College, New Bridge College, Xaverian College
10:50am Approximate end of meeting
The DWP are attending to give an overview of the benefits you may be entitled to now, but also how these change as your child leaves St John Vianney at age 19.
If you are able to attend this event, please return the reply slip on the letters sent home, or please let the office know by Friday 13th January so we can get an idea of numbers.
Mr Darren Cooper
School Business Manager.
Our Catholic School
Within SJV this week we have been focussing on our Laudato Si agenda; we are looking how we improve our environment, care for the poor and the wider world. Each our forms teams/classes have made three promises to help move SJV forward in these important areas.
God’s message we are focussing on this week is from St Thomas Aquinas ‘If you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because he himself is the way’. As we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, by John the Baptist this weekend, we are drawn into Jesus’ family, so that we can be more like him and joyfully share in God’s own life.
As we start our first full week back at SJV let us ask for the Lord’s help with our pledges. God invites each of us to make a new start with him, each and every day. We need to take a step back from all that is happening in the world at the moment and look at what we have to be thankful and grateful for. Cherish each new day, cherish each new start, and make the most of the opportunities God gives us and to be thankful for this.
Within our Catholic School- Class 9 went on retreat to Father Nick’s centre and reflected well on prayer and friendship.
The Chaplaincy team have been meeting to look forward to Lent and continuing our Laudato Si work this week in our meetings. Lent it’s only a few short weeks away. Where does the time go? We are looking week by week at our aims during Lent. This week we focused on the campaign to bring in some spiritual reflection into our lives through 'si-LENT'. This is from 'Million Minutes', who are a Catholic youth charity who try and encourage us to take some time out, to make some quite time and reflect with God.
We are looking at the laws, commandments and the Beatitudes within RE this year. Looking at our role in helping others and how important it is for us to reflect on these qualities. Debating why we need to have rules and order as well; our students have been coming up with great ideas on how we need to respond to Jesus’ call.
Mrs Garfin
A word from our Safeguarding Officer
Kooth are coming into school on 19th January to deliver an assembly to Key Stage 4 students. They will talk about their service and how the students can access their platform for support.
It can be difficult to recognise when a child or young adult is struggling with a mental illness. Kooth’s clinical team have created a brochure (click on the link below to read) which will help you better understand and be aware of the warning signs of mental illness in young people, as well as signposting you to organisations that can provide support. You will also find practical tips on how best to support your child’s mental and emotional health and advice for starting a conversation with a young person about their mental health.
Top tips on how to talk to your children about their feelings and Frequently Asked Questions.
Link:
Work Experience at SJV
This week Class 9 began their in house work experience at St John Vianney School.
The students did really well working with staff and students in job roles which include Teaching Assistant, S.A.L.T, Office receptionist and estates manager. They showed us some excellent work skills and qualities; well done Class 9
Credits:
Created with images by Rawpixel.com - "Shiny golden stars glitter festive background" • Przemek Klos - "Little girl preschooler showing painted colourful hands. Child having fun making a stamps on sheet of paper with painted hands during an art class in the classroom" • Grafvision - "Artist paint brushes" • Piman Khrutmuang - "Empty red shopping cart with supermarket aisle with seasoning and cooking vegetable oil bottles product shelves interior defocused blur background" • Dusan Kostic - "Tractor spraying soy field in sunset." • claireliz - "Four labradors on hay" • fesenko - "Top view of sketchbook on wooden table around which pencils lie" • Rawpixel.com - "Old reclaimed wood background" • Olena Rudo - "Various spices in a bowls and empty cutting board on black concrete background. Top view copy space." • MarekPhotoDesign.com - "to be or not question" • lotus_studio - "microscope with lab glassware, science laboratory research and development concept"