Headteacher's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Another half term has flown by at St John Vianney School. The six weeks we have had since the Christmas break have been very successful and I have been pleased with the way the children have engaged with the curriculum and supported our expectations and standards across the school. It’s been a good half term.
We have been really busy this week working alongside our construction partners at Kier, with the design process of the new build, at a close to finish stage. The new school plans look fantastic and we are confident will provide us with a state of the art SEND environment to futureproof the School. I am looking forward to sharing these developing plans with you in the near future.
This week the children have been involved in mental health activities, developing Safer Internet practices and we have had our partners from CAFOD in school to deliver assemblies on their ‘World Gifts’ programme. This is to help us prepare for Lent, which begins on February 22nd with Ash Wednesday. As we always do at school, we are planning a range of activities to get the children to understand the full meaning of Lent and what we can do to support those who are less privileged than ourselves in our local and global communities. As explained previously, this forms part of our school improvement plan strategy around Pope Francis’ Laudato Si- ‘care of a common home’ message. All the classes have been tasked with thinking about how they can raise some extra funds during Lent to buy World Gifts from CAFOD, which will make a difference to communities in the developing world.
Today we have had an INSET training day in school for our staff. We were given training this morning by ‘Papyrus’, an organisation who support our wider safeguarding culture in School. The presentation was thought-provoking and pertinent to our Child Protection practices. In the afternoon staff had some time to look after their own emotional well-being undertaking a range of activities, allowed them to reflect on their own EWB needs.
School will reopen on Monday, 20th February at 9am, for the fourth half term of the academic year. A key date for the next half term is Thursday, 30th March 5-7pm; which is our planned Parents Evening. Please keep this date in your diary and I will provide you with further information over the next few weeks.
I do hope that you and your families have a restful and peaceful half term and we look forward to seeing you again after the week break from School.
Best wishes,
Mr A Moloney
Extra May Bank Holiday 2023
Please be informed that on Monday May 8th 2023 the School will not be open. This is because of King Charles’ coronation on May 6th. The Government have announced Monday May 8th will be an extra Public Holiday in Great Britain. This is in addition to the May Day Bank Holiday, which falls on Monday May 1st 2023.
Stars of the Week
Lee - For having a fab week. He showed great sportsmanship in PE, and also created some super art in Mr Dumville's lesson.
Ben - For always being a good role model
Renee - For a mature and calm response to challenges this week.
Justin - For going above and beyond at cycling
Daniel - For always being helpful and trying hard in all lessons.
Evie - For super engagement and great focus during our trip to Manchester Runway
Dylan - For a real shift in maturity and incredible progress with English, especially in his handwriting
Rhys - For a great week engaging in lessons and trying his best to listen to teachers.
Jenna - For joining in well with swimming lessons.
Abdul - For doing really well trying unfamiliar foods and using communication mat to describe the foods
Kayden - For fantastic behaviour and work in all lessons!
Liz - For being a supportive friend and trying hard in her exams
Class News
Class 4
Class 4 finished the half term with their last trip to the farm. We watched as Tess, the sheep dog very cleverly rounded up the sheep from the field and brought them into the pen that Class 4 carried and help to arrange. Watching Tess at work was amazing to see. Class 4 then took it in turns to enter, by climbing, the pen and taking notes of the numbers that are tagged onto the sheep’s ears. Farmer Dot was extremely impressed with Class 4's help.
Class 13
Class 13 and other members of the Post 16 teams visited Manchester College to see what is on offer for them to take part in the future. It was a great trip and gave the young people the opportunity to see what colleges look like and how they run.
Our Catholic School
Our spiritual focus within SJV this week is the Gospel of Saint Matthew; ‘’no one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on a lamp-stand, where it shines for everyone’. Pope Francis; ‘Don’t make a show of doing good deeds’
Within our Catholic school this week we have been focusing on Children’s mental health week. The theme of Children's Mental Health Week this year is 'Growing Together'. The aim is to encourage and provide young people with knowledge, skills and tools to manage their own mental health and wellbeing. We had a different focus every day to help our students talk about their own mental health and different ways and activities we can do to improve our own mental health.
SJV is fully engaged with its commitment to mental health and part of our INSET day is given over to staff wellbeing, making time for the staff to check in with their own mental health.
Our lead Chaplains this week have been helping prepare each class for Lent, giving them a pack ready to use after half term.
Within RE this week, we have been doing our temperature checks and making a difference to our work and improving it. It is wonderful to reflect on such amazing work over the half term and celebrate the progress made.
I can’t believe its half term already! I hope everyone has a lovely break and that we all come back refreshed and recharged for the lead up to Easter and lot more exciting times at SJV.
A word from our Safeguarding team
Safer Internet Day
This week in school we delivered assemblies to all our pupils about keeping themselves safe when online, they also covered this topic in their PSHE lesson.
Top Tips for Parents and Carers
Have a look at the tips and links below with some suggestions on how to get you started and help you to stay safe and positive online. You and your family can #PlayYourPart in creating a better internet by…
Having conversations without judgement.
Whether by playing games, watching videos, or doing things your child enjoys, spending time together online is a great way to start conversations about the online world and how they’re finding being a part of it.
It is important to ask questions and take an interest in what your child enjoys online.
An essential part of having this open dialogue is to not judge, even if their behaviour or life online isn’t what you wanted or expected. This ensures that your child feels they can come to you if ever they make a mistake or experience a problem online.
Safer Internet organisation have created a video to offer support click on the link to find out more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_gZTQ9F7w
SJV Eco-Committee
This week's advice from the Eco-Committee is to the staff and pupils at SJV. We need to remember to turn off lights and whiteboards at break and lunchtimes! This is our responsibility, and the pupils can remind staff to turn off the lights when we leave the room.
From the Eco-Committee
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