Welcome back to all members of our school community, especially our Reception children and their parents, as well as our new staff members: Miss Gibbons and Miss Biniek.
I hope that our families enjoyed a wonderful summer break and we look forward to working together in partnership with school, home and parish to enable all our children to develop and grow to be the young people God has chosen them to be.
As we start a new term together, there are a few important reminders so that we can continue to ensure that your child's experience at St. Joseph's is the best that it can possibly be. It is key that children start the day on a positively by arriving to school on time. Gates are open from 8.45am until 8.55am which allows the children to enjoy an Early Morning Activity with their class teacher which could be relating to previous work, practising a new skill or simply having some independent reading time. As a beacon school for the Walk to School programme with Living Streets, I encourage all our children and parents to walk, cycle, scoot or park and stride at least once per week. The children will receive a monthly reward badge for walking, cycling or scooting once per week over a monthly period. You will be able to see Living Streets' new promotional video with their new ambassador, Dr Ronx, which was filmed at St. Joseph's last term.
This coming Sunday is Education Sunday, whereby we give thanks to God for all those who support children and young people in school. We are very blessed with the school staff and volunteers who give up so much of their time to better the lives of all our children. The Parent Teachers Association (PTA) at St. Joseph's has continued to develop and grow in terms of the support provided for the children at the school. If you would like to play an active role in being a member of the PTA, then please contact the school office.
The theme of this year’s Education Sunday is ‘enlightening the mind’. It is taken from the words of this Sunday’s Gospel acclamation, ‘May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.’ (Ephesians 1:17-18).
As Catholics in education, we trust God as the Source of all enlightenment and our capacity to enlighten others. He is both the means and our end of enlightenment, and every educator and student participates in this gift. With enlightened minds, we can begin to see the plans and paths set ahead of us, and how best to live in accordance with them. Education is a lifelong pursuit of the fullness of truth, beauty and goodness, for which a good start in Catholic schools and universities provides the foundation. Catholic education strives to open the mind and fills it not only with knowledge and wisdom but also the curiosity and capacity to seek ever more of them. It also enables people to grow and excel in character and virtue throughout their lives, and to find fulfilment while discovering their vocation. Education Sunday is an opportunity to showcase the work and fruits of Catholic schools, especially locally. From a priest speaking in his homily about a local school, to pupils wearing their uniforms at Mass, Education Sunday can be the reminder to all members of the Catholic community of the importance of education to the Catholic mission.
Buckingham Palace announced yesterday the sad news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had died.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, paid tribute to The Queen:
“On 21 April 1947, on her twenty-first birthday, Princess Elizabeth said, ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.’
“Now, seventy-five years later, we are heartbroken in our loss at her death, and so full of admiration for the unfailing way in which she fulfilled that declaration.
“Even in my sorrow, shared with so many around the world, I am filled with an immense sense of gratitude for the gift to the world that has been the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
“At this time, we pray for the repose of the soul of Her Majesty. We do so with confidence, because the Christian faith marked every day of her life and activity.
“In her Millennium Christmas message, she said, ‘To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.’
“This faith, so often and so eloquently proclaimed in her public messages, has been an inspiration to me, and I am sure to many. The wisdom, stability and service which she consistently embodied, often in circumstances of extreme difficulty, are a shining legacy and testament to her faith.
“Our prayer is that she is now received into the merciful presence of God, there to be reunited with her beloved Prince Philip. This is the promise of our faith, and our deep consolation.
“Queen Elizabeth II will remain, always, a shining light in our history. May she now rest in peace. We pray for His Majesty the King, as he assumes his new office even as he mourns his mother. God save the King.”
Please make a note of the days when your child/ren will have PE in school this half term. We are continuing to allow children to come into school wearing their PE kit along with their school jumper and blue or grey tracksuit bottoms. This enables teachers and children to spend more time being physically active during lessons but also reduces the need for bringing into school additional bags etc. We are following the best practice in Physical Education in terms of enabling children to be more physically active for more sustained periods of time in lessons. The approach introduced by Newman University in Birmingham focuses on the 'SHARP' principles. If you would like further information, then please contact the school office.
| Year Group | Day 1 | Day 2 |
| Reception | Friday | |
| Year 1 | Tuesday | Friday |
| Year 2 | Monday | Tuesday |
| Year 3 | Thursday | Friday |
| Year 4 | Wednesday | Friday |
| Year 5 | Monday | Thursday |
| Year 6 | Wednesday | Thursday |
| Day | Breakfast Club (8am-8.45am) | After School Club (3.15pm-4.15pm) |
| Monday | - | - |
| Tuesday | Gymnastics - Years 3 to 6 | Irish Dancing |
| Wednesday | Multi Skills - Years 3 to 6 | Irish Dancing |
| Thursday | Gymnastics - Years 1 and 2 | High 5 Netball - Years 5 and 6 |
| Friday | Indoor Archery - Years 1 to 6 | Football - Years 1 to 4 (until 4.45pm) |
Sunday 11th September - Education Sunday
Monday 12th September - Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary
Wednesday 14th September - Exhaltation of the Holy Cross
Sunday 18th September - Home Mission Sunday
Wednesday 21st September - Feast Day of St. Matthew (children in this house can wear purple to school)
Sunday 25th September - Harvest - Thanksgiving
Monday 26th September - Book Fayre at St. Joseph's
w/c Monday 26th September - Little Way Week
Tuesday 27th September - Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul
Thursday 29th September - Feast of the Archangels
Thursday 29th September - Reception and Year 6 Welcome Assembly (2.30pm) - parents from these year groups are able to attend
Friday 30th September - Memorial of St. Jerome
Friday 30th September - PTA Family Quiz at St. Joseph's
Saturday 1st October - Family Mass at OLAS 5pm - All welcome to attend
On Tuesday 29th March, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, set out the next steps for living with COVID-19 in England from Friday 1st April.
Free COVID-19 tests will continue to be available for specific groups, including eligible patients and NHS staff, once the universal testing offer ends on Friday 1st April.
Updated guidance will advise:
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· adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature · children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend · adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious. For children and young people aged 18 and under, the advice will be 3 days. |
For education and childcare settings from Friday 1st April:
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· regular asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended in any education or childcare setting, including in SEND, alternative provision and children's social care settings. Therefore, settings will no longer be able to order test kits · residential SEND settings may be advised by their local health protection team to re-introduce some time-limited asymptomatic testing. This would be an exceptional measure, for targeted groups of staff and pupils or students (secondary age or above) in the event of a possible COVID-19 outbreak. These settings are scheduled to receive an automatic delivery of contingency supply test kits during the week commencing Monday 28 March · the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will publish new guidance. Most of the specific COVID-19 guidance for education and childcare settings will be withdrawn from GOV.UK on Friday 1 April. The operational guidance on the testing in education settings document sharing platform will also be removed on the same day. |
The Wednesday Word can be accessed via following link: The Wednesday Word Primary School Resource | Catholic Church. Please go through this with leaflet with your child so that they become more familiar and understand the focus of the Gospel each week.
We pray for the repose of the soul of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We give thanks for her life of faith and service to God and to the people of this country, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
Lord in your mercy
R: Hear our prayer.
We remember all those who in mourn for Her Majesty and especially her family. May they be comforted by the love of the Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord hear us
R: Hear our prayer.
We pray for His Majesty King Charles III. We ask that God blesses him and gives him the strength as he begins his reign.
Lord hear us
R: Hear our prayer.
We turn to Mary who is both our Mother and Queen of Heaven and ask her to intercede for us as we continue to pray for Her Majesty.
Hail Mary…
Eternal rest grant unto her,
O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine
upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.
Children at St. Joseph's are growing to be compassionate towards others, near and far, especially the less fortunate; and loving by their just actions and forgiving words.
September
For the abolition of the death penalty
We pray that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country.
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St Joseph’s |
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| Lea Vale Road Stourbridge West Midlands DY8 2DT For enquiries or to request paper copies of information from this website please contact the school office. |
Contact Information |
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| Principal - Mr Anthony Wilkes SENDCo - Mrs J McCole (Vice Principal) Business Partner - Mrs D A Faux-Conduit Administrator - Mrs D Bradley Chair of Governors - Mr J Coyne Safeguarding Team DSL - Mr Anthony Wilkes DDSL - Mrs Jo McCole & Mrs Michele Riley Tel: 01384 431980 Email: info_stjosephs@emmausmac.com The school is open for 32.5 hours per week. Opening Times - 8:45am to 3:15pm Monday to Friday. Registration starts at 8.55am. |
Social Media |
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