Dear Parents/Guardians

In preparation for SATs in May, I will be running an after-school booster session which will focus on the SPAG and reading elements of English. This session will take place on Wednesdays from 3.15pm-4.00pm beginning on Wednesday 8th March 2023.

It is open to the whole class and it would be great to have everyone there. Pupils attending will be allowed to bring a drink and small snack to have during the session if they wish. Arrangements will need to be made for pupils to be collected from reception or to walk home at 4:00pm.

The final session will take place on Wednesday 3rd May 2023.

I would be most grateful if you could complete the form located within the forms section on ParentMail as soon as possible

Kind Regards

Mr L Boyd – Head of Year 8

Dear Parents/Guardians

Year 6 Mock SATS – week commencing Tuesday 7^th March 2023

As you may be aware, next week your child will be taking their mock SATs papers. In order for the children to experience the week as it would be during the actual SATs the arrangement of the mock tests will follow the same format that be followed during the SATs in May. We feel that this helps alleviate any questions that they have prior to the SATs. Additionally, we will be able to discuss these results at the upcoming parent’s evening.

Children will be provided with a timetable detailing the times of tests and which rooms they are in prior to the mock tests taking place. Children in Year 6 are able to attend school in PE kit from Tuesday to Friday next week, as they would during the actual SATs when we will be offering morning physical activities.

In addition to this, on Tuesday 14^th March between 6:00-6:30pm we are hosting a Year 6 SATs Parents Information Evening where you can find out more details about the upcoming National Curriculum Tests for Maths and English and ask any questions you may have.

We will give you an overview of the structure of the week, share suggestions for pupil well-being and provide information on types of questions and revision strategies. Mr McEvilly will also be able to answer any questions regarding access arrangements for SEND.

This session will be hosted on Zoom. Please use the following link to access the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7908525903
Meeting ID: 790 852 5903

We look forward to welcoming you virtually and thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Mrs L Moyle – Head of Data and Assessment

Miss K North – Head of Maths

Dear Parents/Guardians

Just a reminder St John’s Middle School will be closed to pupils on Wednesday 1^st March due the NEU strikes which are beyond our control. As with the previous strike, children’s attendance records will not be affected.

If you would like your child to continue with their learning at home, please access Century Tech and ask your child to follow their own pathway for Maths, English and Science, where artificial intelligence will guide their learning. Please note teachers will not be available to support on these days, so if your child requests help, ask them to use the slides or video clip at the start of each nugget. Remember nuggets can be repeated to reinforce learning.

This week children have the opportunity to able to purchase cakes or and biscuits which will be sold for £1 cash on the following days:

• Tuesday will be Year 5
• Thursday will be Year 6
• Friday will be Years 7 & 8

Thursday 2^nd March is World Book Day which we are looking forward to celebrating in school!

Children will be taking part in activities during the day and we are encouraging children to take part in the competitions which are as follows:

Costume competition

On World Book Day, children are invited to come into school dressed in fancy dress as a famous, recognisable character from a children’s book. There will be prizes for the best costumes! Please note – this is not a non-uniform day. Unless your child is coming into school in a very obvious costume, they need to wear their normal school uniform.

Design a wooden spoon

Children are invited to decorate a wooden spoon to make it look like a character from a children’s book! Children will need to bring their decorated spoon into school on Thursday 2^nd March. Again, the best wooden spoon designs will win prizes and there will be house points for all who enter!

Decorate a pebble

Alternatively, children are invited to paint a pebble in the style of a children’s novel. They need to bring their decorated pebble into school on World Book Day and there will be prizes for the winners!

Please note – all these competitions are optional. However, we would really like as many children as possible to take part! Pupils are welcome to enter as many competitions as they like!

Kind regards

Mrs A Elwell – Head of School

Dear Parents/Guardians

After much careful consideration and following concerns raised by Parents/Guardians regarding the forthcoming charity bake off on Monday 27^th February, it has been decided that the cakes made by the children will not be sold. Children are still encouraged to participate and use their creative baking skills to bake a cake representing a country of the world and these will be judged and prizes awarded as per the previous ParentMail.

As this is such a worthwhile charitable cause, that the children requested, we support it has been decided that for a donation from 50p children can purchase extra special biscuits and cakes kindly baked by the school kitchen team and we asking if Parents/Guardians/Staff will kindly donate shop bought cakes/biscuits to be sold alongside those baked by the school.

The bake off competition will still take place on Monday 27^th February. Cakes and biscuits will be sold for £1 cash on the following days:

• Tuesday will be Year 5
• Thursday will be Year 6
• Friday will be Years 7 & 8

We look forward to seeing all the fantastic creations!

Kind regards

Mrs A Elwell – Head of School

World Book Day 2023!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This year, World Book Day takes place on Thursday 2^nd March, and, as always, we are looking forward to celebrating this in school. The children will be off-timetable during the afternoon and will be taking part in a class ‘decorate a door’ competition, where each class will re-design their classroom door with a theme based around a popular children’s author. Already, staff and children are planning their designs!

In addition to the activities taking place in school, we would also like to encourage children to take part in our World Book Day competitions. This year, we will be running three different competitions:

1. A fancy-dress costume competition for the best book character costume
2. A competition to decorate a wooden spoon to look like a book character
3. A competition to decorate a pebble in the style of a children’s book

The details about these competitions are as follows:

Costume competition

On World Book Day, children are invited to come into school dressed in fancy dress as a famous, recognisable character from a children’s book. There will be prizes for the best costumes! Please note – this is not a non-uniform day. Unless your child is coming into school in a very obvious costume, they need to wear their normal school uniform.

Design a wooden spoon

Children are invited to decorate a wooden spoon to make it look like a character from a children’s book! Children will need to bring their decorated spoon into school on Thursday 2^nd March. Again, the best wooden spoon designs will win prizes and there will be house points for all who enter!

Decorate a pebble

Alternatively, children are invited to paint a pebble in the style of a children’s novel. They need to bring their decorated pebble into school on World Book Day and there will be prizes for the winners!

Please note – all these competitions are optional. However, we would really like as many children as possible to take part! Pupils are welcome to enter as many competitions as they like!

We would also like to use World Book Day as an opportunity to raise funds to help keep our school library well-stocked. Therefore, we are requesting a voluntary contribution of £1 cash to be brought in on World Book Day.

We are really looking forward to what promises to be a fun-filled day celebrating children’s authors and books and are excited to see the children’s fancy dress outfits, decorated wooden spoons and pebbles!

Miss K Devey - Head of English

Dear Parents/Guardians

Year 8 History trip to Black Country Living Museum

On Friday 28^th April 2023, Year 8 will be visiting the Black Country Living Museum, to support their History studies on the Industrial Revolution. Whilst at the museum we will have the opportunity to go down a mine shaft, visit a Victorian classroom and see a Newcomen engine. We will explore other buildings, shops and houses from this era.

The children will travel by coach, they will be picked up from St John’s school at 9.15am and return for the end of the school day at 3.15pm. They are able to wear sensible non-uniform but will need to wear their St John's hoodies and ensure they have sensible footwear, as well as sun cream and a coat as much of the day will be outdoors.

Children will need to bring a packed lunch with them, however if your child has free school meals, they will need to advise the kitchen two days in advance.

Children are able to bring a small amount of money (no more than £10) that can be spent in the gift shop.

For this trip to run, we are asking parents to make a voluntary contribution of £15 using our secure ParentMail online payment system. Unfortunately, if not enough contributions are made the trip will not be able to go ahead. The deadline to pay for the event is Friday 7th April 2023 at midnight. Once you have made payment, we will take this as a firm commitment to the event and will not be able to offer any refunds.

If you feel you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

It promises to be a very enjoyable trip.

Kind Regards

Mr N Edwards - Head of History

Dear Parents/Guardians

Absenteeism, Persistent Absenteeism and the issuing of fines / Court Orders

We would like to thank you for the excellent start our pupils have to the new term. We are very proud that our pupils consistently demonstrate a positive attitude towards school life and this is supported by our data which reflects excellent progress. For this to happen, pupils need to attend school regularly and whilst our whole school attendance record is currently above national average, attendance continues to be a key priority for us as a school.

We have recently received some parental queries regarding the school’s approach to absenteeism. Queries have been raised around recent letters issued to parents informing them that they may be required to attend a meeting to discuss possible actions, including the issuing of fines or Court Orders.

 The Department For Education/OFSTED dictate that attendance below 95% is poor and that below 90% is ‘persistent absenteeism’. The reasons for this have been made clear before; good attendance is vital for the success of pupils and their wellbeing. Our own school data, as well as that issued nationally, makes clear that poor attendance results in poorer outcomes for children.

 The Law

Children must attend school under the Education Act 1989 (revised). Poor attendance at school can result in one or more of the following:

• a Parenting Order
• an Education Supervision Order
• a School Attendance Order
• a fine (sometimes known as a ‘penalty notice’)

 Poor attendance impacts on outcomes for children individually and the whole school.

Holidays are not permitted in term time. We must work within policy adopted by the local authority and school. All school absence is a serious matter monitored by the LA, Education and Welfare department. Requesting holidays because it is cheaper during term time is not a valid reason, neither are celebrations abroad a necessity. Taking holidays within term time will result in fixed penalty fines being issued.

 When your child is unable to attend, it is essential that parents notify the school of the reason as soon as possible on each day of the absence so that we know your child is safe and well and that nothing has happened to them on their way to school.

They are only children; does it really matter?

Children who attend school for less than 95% of the time underperform and have significantly reduced lifetime opportunities.

 But my child has been ill and I have told you this?

Absence is absence and impacts on a child’s learning and wellbeing, regardless of the reason. This is clear in the actions taken under national policy. Whilst we completely understand that some absence has been a result of specific unavoidable illness, this does not negate the fact that their child has been impacted by it, or that the policy applies to all. A child, who is absent due to intermittent illness, has missed the same amount of time as a child who has been absent because of a parent’s failure to bring them to school for unauthorised reasons.

 If a parent is subjected to a fixed penalty notice (fine), this can be appealed against on medical grounds, but it should be noted that the absence is not ignored owing to circumstance and may not be ‘good reason’ in court without specific, long term, medical support and evidence.

 So, are you saying you want me to bring my child into school when they are ill?

No. But we do ask parents to consider carefully if absence is necessary. We are not medical practitioners and cannot make decisions on behalf of health professionals, or indeed parents – the choice is yours.

 My child always attends school, yet you say that there are ‘unauthorised absences’, how can this be?

If your child arrives late, beyond the close of register, the late mark is converted to an unauthorised absence. This is a national requirement, not the schools. This is done because too much time in school has been missed. We expect all children to be on school grounds by 8:45am, ready for the start of the school day at 8:50am. The same procedures and actions will be taken for children who are persistently late as those who are persistently absent. Children must arrive via the gates on the playground and will be marked late if they enter via the main office.

 I cannot afford a fine, how will I pay the school?

Fines are not issued by, or paid to the school. The courts issue fines and the revenue is taken by them. If you cannot pay a fine, this is a matter for the courts and is dealt with in line with any other unpaid debts to the Crown. The school has no influence over this.

 I will not pay the fine, what can they do to me?

The fine increases to up to £2500. If you continue not to pay, you can get up to a 3-month prison sentence.

 I did not realise my child’s attendance was so low, what can I do?

• St John’s Middle School is here to help you when and where we can.
• Before moving towards a legal action, we will invite you attend an attendance meeting. This will be your chance to seek support if there are underlying reasons for the absences. Whilst we cannot act on your behalf, we can point you in the right direction and look to see if there is anything we can do to help. You will not be invited in for a meeting where a fine is issued due to term time holiday.
• Recognise that there is an issue and do all you can to reverse any absence trends. This may be easier said than done, but it cannot be ignored for your child’s sake. It is never too late for attendance to improve.
• Act promptly if you receive notices, attendance letters and/or court notices. They will not go away.

At St John ‘s Middle School we will always work closely with children and families to offer support and help to overcome any barriers that are preventing a child from attending school regularly. Please get in touch with your child’s Form Tutor or Head of Year if you have any specific concerns regarding attendance.  However, we will actively seek to enforce the necessary legal actions to address absence affairs where improvements are not seen and /or parents do not engage with or recognise the legitimate concern.

Mrs N Hine – Assistant Headteacher

Dear Parents/Guardians 

Mental Health during childhood and adolescence is very important. Difficulties like anxiety and depression can start when people are young and it is important for young people and their families to understand these difficulties and get support when needed.

St John's has decided to collaborate with the University of Warwick to look at how online resources can support Parents and young people in reducing depression and anxiety.

The PIPA Trial is being coordinated by the University of Warwick and involves families of young people aged 11-15 years from schools in the UK. The trial is free and conducted completely online. Eligible Parents/Guardians and young people will be asked to complete some questionnaires. Parents/Guardians will then receive access to some online parenting resources: either the standard educational package of factsheets or the personalised programme with up to nine modules. Parents/Guardians and young people will also be asked to complete some follow-up questionnaires.

Please see the letter and information sheets attached with more details. If you have any questions, please contact the PIPA trial team at [email protected] or 02476 574316 or 02476 575078.

Kind Regards

Mrs K Gallinagh – Deputy Headteacher

Dear Parents/Guardians

I am sure you have seen in the News recently the suffering of those people in Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria as a result of terrible earthquakes last week. There are 17 million people who are in the affected area, many of them in urgent need of shelter, food and medical aid. Therefore Children within school have asked if the whole school community could raise as much money as possible to help those in need.

Therefore, having discussed ideas with the children, we have decided to host a " Countries of the World" bake off competition on Monday 27^th February. We are asking children to bake a cake representing a country of the world and bring them to school to be sold. There will be a prize for the winning cake from each Key Stage and anyone who takes part will receive housepoints.

Children will have the opportunity to able to buy a piece of cake for £1 cash at breaktime or lunchtime. If there are any cakes left at the end of the day, we will be on the playground after school for Parents/Guardians to have the opportunity to contribute and go back home with a tasty treat!

All money raised will go towards the Disaster Emergency Committee and their local partners who are among the first responders, working with locally-led relief efforts in Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria. Immediate priorities are medical treatment for the injured, shelter for those who have lost their homes, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, food and clean water. As an example £30 could provide blankets for six people to keep them warm and £50 could provide emergency food for two families for 10 days

Your generosity would mean the world to our children and of course to the people in those affected areas who are having to face incredible challenges each day.

Many thanks in advance.

Miss M Mosseri - Head of French

Dear Parents/Guardians

Firstly, thank you to so many of you for taking the time to give your feedback and complete the survey sent out previously regarding our homework policy. After reviewing all of the responses and results, we have carefully considered some amendments to the expectations of amount and frequency of homework. We have also changed the way rewards and consequence will be issued for completion or non completion of homework tasks.

Please see below for a link to the new policy for full details which come into effect from Monday 27th February but the main changes for the issuing of rewards and consequences are as follows;

Rewards and Consequences of completion or non-completion.  

• Pupils will be issued with a house point for each task completed on time, as a positive reward.   
• For any pupils not completing homework tasks by the deadline, this will be recorded on epraise for parents to see but will not incur any loss of points and have no impact on rewards. Pupils will have an opportunity to complete the outstanding work before the next lesson.  
• Where a pupil is persistently not completing homework tasks, the subject teacher may:  
  • Message parents via epraise. 
  • Refer the pupil to homework club and notify the Head of Year. 
  • Issue an intervention accordingly, which may include demerits. 

For full details, please see the link below to download the updated policy from the school website. 

https://www.st-johns-bromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk/homework

Kind regards

Mr D Owen - Assistant Headteacher

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

Most parents frequently chat with their child about how things are going at school or what’s happening in their friendship groups – but those discussions often doesn’t extend to youngsters’ online activities. In fact, National Online Safety conducted a recent survey which found that only slightly more than half (54%) of parents regularly talk to their children about staying safe online. It can be an awkward topic to broach and, of course, it needs not to feel intrusive. However, just checking in with your child about their digital life can get them thinking about online safety and alert you to any issues they might be having. In support of Safer Internet Day 2023, our #WakeUpWednesday guide has some useful tips on potential ways to start those conversations.

In the guide you'll find a number of useful tips such as being as honest as possible, discussing how misleading the online world can be and creating a ‘family agreement’.

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians

This week is Children’s Mental Health Week 2023 and the theme is Let’s Connect.

Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections. People thrive in communities and this connection is vital for our well-being. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends, and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of well-being https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/families  

In support of children's mental health week, children are invited to "Dress to Express" on Friday 10^th February. Children should wear their normal school uniform for that day, but are welcome to add accessories such as glasses, face paint/ face glitter, a bright pair of shoes or a medal from a sport or activity they participate (please note - dying hair an unnatural colour is against our uniform policy). We'd really like the children to think about their individuality and what helps them to connect to others. There will be house points and prizes on offer for the best expressions made. We request if possible that children bring a cash donation between 50p - £1 (although we appreciate in the current economic climate this may not be affordable) which will be donated to the Place2Be children's mental health charity.

Finally, there is also a home learning activity that has been added for pupils to complete in their own time. This involved creating a postcard and getting another child, sibling or relative to connect and complete the other half.  A video explaining the activity is available on the Epraise planner. All entries will receive one house point and the best will receive 3 house points, a positive postcard and will be displayed around school. 

We hope the children enjoy this year's theme of "Let's Connect" and we will continue to support and prioritise wellbeing for all of our school community. 

Mrs N Hine

Assistant Headteacher 

Dear Parents/Guardians

For safeguarding reasons the pedestrian gate to the car park will now be locked at all times.  In order to gain entry to breakfast club please press the “Reception” button where a member of the breakfast club staff will buzz you through and then press the “For Exit” button when you want to leave. If children arrive unaccompanied, they will also need to press the Reception button to gain entry.

The breakfast club opens at 7:50am and therefore entry will only be permitted from this time.

Due to safety reasons under no circumstances are pedestrian Parents/Guardians or children to enter the car park through the blue car gate. We kindly request the only gate used to enter and exit the car park is the pedestrian gate.

May we also remind Parents/Guardians that you should not be driving into the car park to drop children off unless this is something that has been agreed with The Pastoral or Safeguarding Team.

Your support and co-operation in this matter is appreciated.

Kind regards

Site Manager

In 2001, an average of six people an hour had an online account compromised. Now, the average is 97 every hour. The pandemic undeniably added to this level of risk, as work and education went remote and cyber criminals sensed an opportunity. More recently, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the growth of cyber threats, with both sides carrying out online attacks.

The irony is that many of these incursions are facilitated by devices designed to make our lives easier. Smart home appliances, wearable tech, streaming services … virtually any internet-enabled device is a potential entry point for a competent cyber-criminal. Check out the tips in our #WakeUpWednesday guide to see if your home is as cyber-secure as it could be.

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians

You will no doubt be aware from the media that the trade union NEU will be taking industrial action on Wednesday 1st February, Wednesday 1st March, Wednesday 15th March and Thursday 16th March. On these days, teachers in the NEU will not be available to teach lessons, take registration groups or supervise pupils during breaks.

Having assessed the potential impact of strike action resulting from teachers at St John’s Middle School not attending work and in considering the potential risks to pupils’ health and safety as a result of depleted staff on these dates, we are left with no alternative, in the given circumstances, other than to close the school to all pupils.

The decision to close the school is never taken lightly, but in this instance, where staff have elected to take lawful industrial action, we have no choice but to take the appropriate steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all our pupils. Attendance records will not be affected by these closure days.

If you would like your child to continue with their learning at home on the days of the strikes, please access Century Tech and ask your child to follow their own pathway for Maths, English and Science, where artificial intelligence will guide their learning. Please note teachers will not be available to support on these days, so if your child requests help, ask them to use the slides or video clip at the start of each nugget. Remember nuggets can be repeated to reinforce learning.

We would like to apologise to parents and guardians for the obvious inconvenience that this will cause you but hope you will understand that these strike days are set nationally and are beyond our control. If circumstances change, we will be in touch immediately with updated plans.

Kind regards

Mrs A Elwell                                                                   Mrs A Lee

Head of School                                                              Chair of Governors

Dear Parents/Guardians  

Thank you for completing the consent forms for our forthcoming trip to Oakerwood Leominster.  

I would like to invite you to a parents information evening on Tuesday 7^th March 2023. During the evening I will talk through the details of the trip, along with the kit list and answer any questions you may have. There will also be paper copies of the medical form which you will be able to complete on the night ready for the trip.

Please could you complete the ParentMail form to indicate if you will be attending the evening so we have an idea of numbers. Due to the lack of space, please can we ask that it is limited to two adults per child.

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Kind regards

Mr B Clements - Trip Lead

Dear Parents/Guardians 

It is almost time for our concert performance and all of the pupils are very excited! 

Please take the time to read through the following important information to ensure you are prepared and aware of the events of the day. 

 Schedule: 

Below is the running order of the children’s day on Thursday 26^th January: 

• 8:45am – children to attend school at normal time in normal school uniform (no PE uniform to be worn) 
• 11:20am - children have an early lunch with form tutor. Please bring a packed lunch in a disposable bag or children can order one from school on Monday morning. 
• 12:15pm - children to depart school on coach for Resorts World Arena 
• 1/1:30pm - arrival and check-in for rehearsal 
• 2:15pm-5:00pm - choir rehearsal with Young Voices team and all other schools 
• 5:00pm-6:00pm - tea time/preparation time (children will change into their white T-shirt at this point) 
• 6:00pm - children return to seats with class groups 
• 7:00-8:45pm – Young Voices performance 
• 9:00pm - children to leave venue and commence journey home. 
• Around 10pm - children expected to return to school site for collection (depending on traffic). 

Packing list: 

Children WILL NOT be able to bring rucksacks or school-bags into the venue, therefore please could children leave their normal school bags at home.  A small carrier bag is recommended to bring their lunch and another similar sized bag for their dinner/tea which they will take to the arena. The bag policy is attached. Children should ensure they are prepared with the following items for the day: 

1. A plain white T-shirt with NO LOGOS for the concert  
2. A packed lunch or children can order one from school on Monday morning
3. A dinner/tea snack for after the choir rehearsal for example Pasta pot, snacks, fruit.
4. Water bottle and extra small drink for the day (no fizzy drinks). 
5. Any medication/inhalers. 

Please note- no glassware will be permitted into the venue upon bag checks. 

Collecting your child: 

ALL children from St John’s Middle School will be brought back to school for collection. This may be different from other schools on the day, however this is the decision we have made to aim to provide the best safeguarding possible for your child.  

Coaches will return to Watt Close. We request that you do not park on this road or near the entrance of the road in order to enable the coaches to drive down and park safely. Children will be dismissed from the coaches to an adult.  

Key notices: 

• Staff will have the school mobile with them at all times in case of an emergency. 
• Children are permitted to bring their mobile phones however these are not to be turned on during the day
• Live updates will be given on Twitter. Any delay in the coaches arrival to school will be updated here. 
• Children will be dismissed to an adult upon collection. It is important that you notify your child’s Form tutor should you plan for your child to make their way home with another adult. We will not permit any child to walk home alone at this time. 
• As children will be changing into their white T shirt after rehearsal, please ensure ALL uniform is clearly labelled. 
• A video recording and photographs of the performance will be carried out on the night. If you have any queries or concerns regarding this please send an epraise message to your child’s form tutor

 I have attached a Young Voices flyer and the Spotify playlist for children to rehearse this weekend if you have access to Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/39qcKoWHfI0pApSKFaoYhY  

Any last-minute tickets for audience members may show availability on the Ticket Factory Website: 

https://www.theticketfactory.com/tickets/ 

We hope for the event will be a wonderful day for all of our children to remember and enjoy! Please keep an eye on Twitter for updates throughout the day. 

Take care and best wishes  

Miss A Kelly – Year 5 Teacher 

Dear Parents/Guardians

You may have seen the recent announcement from the National Education Union (NEU) confirming the dates of the national strikes.

The below dates are those that will affect the West Midlands area

Wednesday 1st February 2023

Wednesday 1st March 2023

Wednesday 15th March 2023

Thursday 16th March 2023

We are currently completing a Risk Assessment and awaiting further clarification on the impact this may have on the school and we will write to you to confirm arrangements for the strike days in due course.

Kind regards

Mrs A Elwell

Head of School

Snapchat is a photo- and video-sharing app through which users can chat with friends via text or audio. Images and videos can be shared with specific friends, or as a ‘story’ (documenting the previous 24 hours) that’s visible to a person’s entire friend list. Snapchat usage rose during the lockdowns, with many young people utilising it to stay connected with their peers. The app continues to develop features to engage an even larger audience and emulate current trends, rivalling platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as sexting, visible location and strangers.

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians

Year 7 History trip to Worcester Cathedral

On Thursday 16th March and Friday 17th March, Year 7 (split over the two days) will be visiting Worcester Cathedral, for a History trip. Worcester Cathedral is home to the tomb of King John, one of the most famous Medieval Kings. Pupils will spend the day learning about King John, using a variety of interactive workshops, which will broaden their understanding of the topic ‘Why did Medieval Kings struggle to rule England?’.

The children will travel to the Cathedral by coach, they will be picked up from St John’s at 9.15am and return for the end of the school day at 3.15pm. Children will be required to wear their school uniform and will need to remember a coat and their school jumpers, as it can be quite cold inside the Cathedral.

Children will need to bring a packed lunch with them however if your child has free school meals, they will need to advise the kitchen two days in advance.

Children are able to bring a small amount of money (no more than £10) that can be spent in the gift shop.

For this event to run, we are asking parents to make a voluntary contribution of £14.40 using our secure ParentMail online payment system. Unfortunately, if not enough contributions are made the trip will not be able to go ahead.

The deadline to pay for the event is Friday 3rd March 2023. Once you have made payment, we will take this as a firm commitment to the event and will not be able to offer any refunds.

If you feel you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

It promises to be a very enjoyable trip

Kind Regards

Mr N Edwards - Head of History

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am writing to advise you that from Monday 23rd January, we will be conducting a focus week within the PE department targeted at the PE kit which pupils are wearing. I have attached the St John’s kit list (which is also available on the school website) for anyone who may be unsure. Pupils have been informed of our expectations regarding their PE kit and will be expected to wear appropriate clothing from this point. Failure to do so could result in the issue of demerit points to children who are not in correct kit.

GIRLS

• Black and red polo shirt with school badge
• Black and red Skort
• Long black sports socks
• White trainer liners (summer term only)
• Red hooded jumper with school badge (optional)
• Sports trainers (not high fashion or expensive)
• Plain black tracksuit bottoms

BOYS

• Black and red polo shirt with school badge
• Black and red shorts
• Long black sports socks
• White trainer liners (summer term only)
• Red hooded jumper with school badge (optional)
• Sports trainers (not high fashion or expensive)
• Plain black tracksuit bottoms

Children should not be wearing any football club branded kit or leggings of any sort. Children are also reminded to remove any jewellery and to tie up long hair for safety reasons.

If, for any reason, pupils are unable to wear correct uniform then please ensure you send either an Epraise message or a written note to your child’s PE teacher informing them of the reason. Should children require replacement kit, there is a limited amount available in the school's pre-loved uniform store or from the school uniform shop on Church Street.

Thank you for your understanding and support with this.

Mr M Cowdery - Head of PE

Dear Parents/Guardians

To kick-start the new year and continue our focus on developing our children's progress and attainment in English, we would like to invite you to participate in an interactive training workshop aimed at supporting you to encourage positive reading habits with your child.

The workshop will be delivered via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84213461747) on the following dates:

• Tuesday 17^th January 2023 @ 8:30pm
• Thursday 19^th January 2023 @ 8:30pm

The workshop should last approximately one hour.

Evidence from the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) makes it clear that ‘ensuring every child has the necessary skills they need to read is an essential component of literacy education. It enables children to not only learn across the curriculum but also to access numerous aspects of daily life, influencing the opportunities that they have available to them in the future.’

At St. John’s, we have a wealth of ways in which we promote reading fluency within school. However, engagement in reading for both purpose and pleasure in the home is an integral part of our pupils’ learning journey and we hope you will join us in exploring the steps you can take in developing your child’s reading fluency so that they can not only more readily access the wider curriculum but also nurture a love of reading.

If you would like to attend either one of these workshops, please let us know as soon as possible via this link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=IWPlOOua_EC6hzahD-uC_fNjsKg1xvNBnKwDAUKGSlRUQlhFRE1VR1I0NlZWVDJHVkdFVUdJMVVNMy4u

We look forward to seeing you!

Kind regards

Miss S Pemberton - English Consultant for the Spire Academy Trust

Whether you’re an internet newbie or a pro at surfing the web, it’s always important to keep online safety in mind. We’ve pulled together a list of top tips to make it easier for you to protect yourself and your devices in the digital world - helping you steer clear of hazards like misleading information and vicious viruses. There’s never a bad time to refresh your internet safety knowledge, but it’s an especially smart thing to do before you start using any shiny new devices! Also, there are two guides centred around the latest crazes, The Metaverse and Virtual Reality, that gives you the latest advice on how to use these new pieces of technology! #WakeUpWednesday

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians

Below is a link to the curriculum area of our website, where you can access all information regarding what your child will be learning in the weeks and terms ahead in all subjects. You will be able to see a Long-Term Plan, for each year group, of all the topics to be covered in each subject over the year. Furthermore, by selecting each subject, you will be able to see more detailed curriculum plans and knowledge organisers. These give specific information about what will be covered in each topic/unit of work and are a useful resource for supporting your child's learning at home. You may wish to print these out to help with homework, or even stick on the fridge for regular revision of current topics.

https://www.st-johns-bromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk/our-curriculum

Also attached is a guide with some possible ideas for how knowledge organisers can be actively used at home.

Kind regards

The Office Team

Dear Parents/Guardians,

On Friday 27^th January Year 7 pupils will take part in a Poetry Slam. The day is led by two poet laureates (one of whom is the well-known poet 'Spoz' who recently performed at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony) culminating in a winning group being chosen to perform against other Middle Schools at the Palace Theatre, Redditch in March.

We politely request a voluntary contribution of £5.00 towards costs by Tuesday 24^th January via Parentmail. If we do not receive sufficient funds, the event may have to be cancelled. Please do contact school if you require support with making this payment.

This is always a very enjoyable day for all involved!

Yours sincerely,

Miss K Devey

Head of English

Parents Evening Drop in sessions

On Monday 16^th January 2023 we will be holding a drop in Parents Evening, 3.30pm-5pm. This is an informal drop in session where you are invited to come into school and visit your child’s form classroom. The Form Tutor will be available for an informal chat and English and Maths books will be accessible. No appointment is required, however if you have specific concerns or enquires please contact the Form Tutor directly through epraise as this will not be an individual Parents Evening.

Kind regards

The Office Team

Dear Parents/Guardians

We are very excited to take part in Young Voices on Thursday 26^th January 2023 for the first year and hope it will be a wonderful experience for all of our pupils. 

A few things to note regarding the trip:

• Due to the late return of the children who are attending the concert, it has been agreed that on Friday 27th January 2023, children are able to arrive at school at the usual time of 8.50am or at the later time of 10.10am. This is to ensure children have a restful sleep before returning to school the next day. This delayed start will not affect children's attendance. It is imperative for safeguarding reasons that you complete the form indicating the time your child will be attending school on Friday 27th January 2023. 
• Provision will be made for any children remaining in school on Thursday 26^th January 2023. A music enrichment afternoon will be provided and delivered to these pupils.
• Children attending the concert will need a packed lunch and plenty of snacks to sustain them throughout the day, which they will bring to the arena to have prior to their performance. Children will also need a plain white T-Shirt with no visible logos 
• Children can listen and rehearse the Young Voices material via the attached Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1MrGxAUWIWd9ZRXelWwT9D?si=pRPcNgPcRkSMXXJKI78EFQ&nd=1

A further Parentmail will be sent a week prior to the trip with the finer details of the trip.

To ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place, the difficult decision has been made to return ALL pupils to school after the concert with their class teacher, where they can then be collected.

Kind regards

Miss A Kelly - Children's University Coordinator

Dear Parents/Guardians

We would like to share some exciting news that this year our school has made the decision to work towards Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation, you can find out more on the Eco-Schools website here: https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/

With the world beginning to experience the effects of climate change; different species of plant and animals becoming extinct every day and micro-plastics being found in the most remote locations on Earth - now, is the time to educate future generations about the impact of our actions on the planet we call home.

The Eco-Schools programme does this through providing a simple seven-step framework that has been designed to raise awareness of environmental issues whilst empowering young people to make a positive difference by taking a lead on environmental actions and projects in their school and local community.

Within Eco-Schools’ simple framework children have the freedom to decide on the environmental issues they would like to tackle, represented by ten Eco-Schools topics. Once children have chosen their topics, they decide what actions they would like to take and how they are going to involve their school and community. The seven step process takes around one academic year to complete and culminates in an Eco-Schools’ assessor looking over a school’s application and evidence, with a view to recognising and celebrating their achievements.

The Eco-Schools programme began in 1994, is delivered in more than 70 countries around the world and in England is operated by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. The programme not only positively impacts our planet (for example schools participating in the programme planted 37,865 trees during the last academic year), it also benefits children, building teamwork and leadership skills whilst increasing confidence and reducing eco-anxiety.

As a key part of the Eco-Schools process is involving our entire school and wider community, we wanted to let you know about our involvement and what to expect over the coming months. We will be providing regular updates in our school newsletter as well as invitations to participate in environmental events and projects.

If you would like to support our work or know more about the Eco-Schools programme please contact Miss Watts or Miss Sedgwick

Kind Regards

Miss S Watts and Miss R Sedgwick - Eco-Coordinators

Dear Parents/Guardians

Year 6 Revision Sessions in Maths

As the Year 6 National Curriculum Tests are due to take place in May, I am offering revision sessions after school beginning in January until the tests in May. The sessions will be on a Thursday after-school, starting at 3:15pm and ending at 4:00pm, commencing on Thursday 12^th January 2023.

This additional hour could be crucial in securing a ‘pass mark’ for your child in their National Curriculum tests and I would be most grateful if you could complete the form located in the forms section.

Kind regards

Miss K North - Head of Maths

Dear Parents/Guardians

As you may be aware our pupil toilet facilities are currently undergoing a complete refurbishment, consequently we are having to rely on temporary toilet facilities whilst this work takes place.

Unfortunately, due to the extreme cold temperatures the set of temporary toilets have frozen and are no longer useable. This leaves us with limited toilet facilities and given the number of pupils we have in school for Health and Safety reasons we have no other option but to partially close the school tomorrow, Friday 16^th December, for Year 7 & 8 only. We are working closely with the contractors to try and prevent this happening in the future during any further cold spells.

Maths and English work will be set on epraise and children all have access to Century Learning Platform.

We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. This is not the way we wanted to end the Autumn term however the health and safety of our pupils is paramount.

Thank you for your understanding

Mrs A Elwell

Head of School

Good afternoon 

Over the Christmas holiday, epraise messages will be switched off as they are not able to be monitored as regularly as they are during term time.

We understand that occasionally people make contact regarding concerns that arise during school holidays and for this reason, wanted to provide you with the following numbers and websites:

In the event of an emergency (Fire, Crime or Medical) please call 999. 

For non urgent police reports call 101 or use https://www.westmercia.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

For Children's Social Care (Worcestershire): 

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20501/children_young_people_and_families/1842/how_to_contact_childrens_social_care

For Parent Support, including financial and where parental conflict may be impacting on a child.

https://www.startingwellworcs.nhs.uk/families

Kooth and Qwell Services:

Kooth (ages 11-18) and Qwell (ages 19+) is available 365 days a year, including our live chat with counsellors.  With Christmas coming up, our hours of operation will change slightly - attached is a graphic to help support signposting of both children and young people (Kooth), and parents and carers (Qwell).  Also included is a booklet for Parents and Carers on Kooth to help answer any questions they might have on the service and to help have honest conversations around mental health and wellbeing with their families.

If you would like to keep up to date with what's happening in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, the Twitter page is: https://twitter.com/bryoney_kooth . Please do not hesitate to get in touch if they can help or support you in any way. 

On our website you will find information and links to organisations to support wellbeing and online safety.

We understand that the festive period can be a challenging time for some and we want as many people as possible to know there are services available across all national holiday days.

We hope you have a lovely Christmas holiday and we look forward to seeing everyone return for the Spring term.

Mrs A Elwell - Head of School

Dear Parents/Guardians

Considering the tragic incident that happened this weekend involving four children from Solihull sadly falling into a lake, all children in school have been spoken to about the importance of not stepping onto icy/frozen waters and the impact that this could potentially have if the ice was to crack. 

We have had concerned parents contact school to say that some of our pupils have been seen standing on the pond in Sanders Park. We did send a Parentmail out last week about our concerns around this. Please can you reiterate the same message at home about the dangers of stepping onto icy/frozen water. 

Thank you for your support. 

Kind regards

Mrs K Gallinagh

Deputy Head Teacher

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are delighted to inform you The Basement Project have kindly donated Christmas Hampers for some of our families. We would like to invite you to collect yours! Hampers are limited to one per family and must be collected from the Main School entrance by an adult. Please bring along a very strong Bag for Life as the hampers are quite substantial. Access to the school site is via the pedestrian entrance as the school car park is not available for parental use.

Collection days and times are as follows:

Monday 12^th, Tuesday 13^th, Wednesday 14^th & Thursday 15^th December from 2:45pm until 3:45pm.

Kind regards

The Office Team

Dear Parents/Guardians

RE: Christmas present ideas for keen readers

I have created a list below of books which have been recommended by the Historical Association. Please see a list of book names, authors and the topics they connect with, including the year group they are studied. I've also added some miscellaneous suggestions.  I hope they are of value:

Year 6 – The Chessmen Thief – Barbara Henderson

             (Vikings)

• The Swallow’s Flight – Hilary McKay Macmillan 10-13
• The Valley of Lost Secrets – Lesley Parr Bloomsbury 10-13

  (WW1&2)

Year 7 – The Queen’s Fool – Ally Sherrick

                (Tudors)

Year 8 –    The Royal Rebel – Bali Rai

                   (Migration)

• Lightning Strike – Tanya Landman

(Industrial Revolution)

Best wishes for a happy Christmas and restful New Year

Mr N Edwards - Head of History

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

This year we are offering pupils in Year 6 the opportunity to attend a residential trip to Ingestre Hall. This is a residential specialist Arts centre, where children have the opportunity to develop their skills working with specialist tutors on a certain Art form including dance, drama, visual arts, music or film and animation.

The cost of this trip will be £191.00 which includes a two-night stay, transport, all meals, all tuition and other activities.

The payment schedule will be

Deposit: £65.00 by 28^th February 2023

Instalment 1: £65.00 by 31^st March 2023

Final Payment: £61.00 by 30^th April 2023

To allow the maximum number of pupils the chance to attend, we will be running two trips.

The dates of the trips will be:

Monday 26^th June - Wednesday 28^th June 2023 and Wednesday 28^th June – Friday 30^th June 2023.

If your child is interested in attending this trip, please tick the relevant box below and we will send you further information in due course.

At this stage, this is just an expression of interest and therefore no payment will be required.

Kind regards

Miss K Devey

Trip Leader

Dear Parent/Guardians,

We are pleased to remind you our Preloved Uniform Shop will be open this Thursday 8th & Friday 9th December from 3pm until 3:45pm in the main entrance of the school. We ask that parents use the pedestrian gate to gain access to the school site as the car park is not available to use. We politely request you have the correct change. The price list can be found below:

• Blazers £5 each
• V-neck jumpers £4 each
• PE hoody £4 each
• PE polo shirt £3 each
• Rugby shirt £4 each
• PE shorts £3 each
• PE skorts £3 each

Kind regards

The Office Team

Dear Parents/Guardians

A recent study by the Co-Op Foundation reported that 95% of children and young people admitted to occasionally feeling lonely. So it’s easy to understand how networking apps like HiPal – with the tempting lure of bucketloads of cool new people to befriend and interact with online – become hugely successful very quickly if they’re delivered well. HiPal is indeed a competently assembled app in terms of usability and features – but (with no age verification system and an ineffective reporting tool) it does also sport some glaring omissions from a safeguarding perspective. #WakeUpWednesday

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians

On Wednesday 7^th December pupils in years 5, 6 and 7 will be taking part in our annual Christingle service at St John's Church. Those parents who wish to attend are warmly invited to be seated in church by 2.15pm (but please do note that space is limited due to the number of children attending this year’s Christingle Service and it may be standing room only).

All pupils in Years 5, 6 & 7 will need to bring an orange/tangerine/satsuma to school on Wednesday 7^th December to make their Christingle (all other materials will be provided). Please ensure long hair is tied up for the service as pupils will be holding lit candles as part of their Christingle.

Yours faithfully

Miss C. Russell – Head of Music

In preparation for National Curriculum tests in May, we are offering the chance for Year 6 pupils to purchase CGP revision materials at a reduced cost through school.

At a cost of £9.12 (instead of the retail price of £21.00), you are able to order a bundle of books which contains: KS2 English Revision Book, KS2 English Question Book, KS2 Maths Revision Book and KS2 Maths Question Book.

If you wish to purchase this bundle, please make a payment of £9.12 through Parent Mail by Friday 9^th December. Please note that these books are not able to be purchased separately through school. Should you decide to purchase, they will be delivered to school in January.

Kind regards

Miss K North – Head of Maths

An estimated one-third of children have a social media account, so it’s important that trusted adults know what content young people are consuming, what they’re posting and the interactions they’re having. On social media, it can be easy to go down a rabbit hole that isn’t beneficial to our wellbeing. As platforms grapple with managing ‘legal but harmful’ content, lives are being impacted – sometimes to tragic effect. We might be daunted by the scale of the tech giants and their content which enthrals young people, but we can still help children to be mindful of their mental wellness: recognising when something isn’t OK … and knowing what to do about content that upsets them. In the guide, you'll find tips such as how to hide content, setting daily limits and discussing what children have seen online. #WakeupWednesday

Mr Clements

Head of Computing

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are reopening the booking system for Parent's Evening on Monday 5th December 2022 but only for selected pupils with no current bookings. If you have not yet booked an appointment, please login to epraise and book an appointment with your child's English and Maths teachers. Appointments are available between 3:30pm & 5pm. These will be held virtually via Zoom so can be accessed by laptops, mobile phones and tablets. If you require any assistance with booking appointments, please contact Amanda Lloyd on [email protected]

Kind regards

Mr D Owen

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are pleased to inform you our Preloved Uniform shop will be open on Thursday 8^th & Friday 9^th December from 3pm until 3:45pm in the main entrance of the school. We ask that parents use the pedestrian gate to gain access to the school site as the car park is not available to use. We politely request you have the correct change. The price list can be found below:

• Blazers £5 each
• V-neck jumpers £4 each
• PE hoody £4 each
• PE polo shirt £3 each
• Rugby shirt £4 each
• PE shorts £3 each
• PE skorts £3 each

If you have any items of branded uniform you would like to donate to our Preloved Uniform Shop, please hand in any items to the Main Office.

Dear Parents/Guardians

Please be advised that ALL After School Clubs will be cancelled on Thursday 1st December 2022 (Monday Clubs are operated by external agencies) due to Parents Evening.

Please see below for the extra-curricular clubs finishing dates for Autumn term:

Thursday 24^th November – Robotics Club

Friday 2nd December - All PE Clubs including morning clubs

Tuesday 6^th December – Hula Hooping

Tuesday 6^th December – Mock Trial

Wednesday 7^th December – Alice In Wonderland Rehearsals (Will restart on Wednesday 11^th January 2023)

Thursday 8th December - Final session of Mathmagician Club due to preparation for SATS

Thursday 8^th December – STEM Club

Thursday 8^th December – Homework Club

Monday 12^th December – Photography Club

Tuesday 13^th December – Elite Maths

Tuesday 13^th December – Cookery Club

Kind regards

The Office Team

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

Dear Parents/Guardians

At St. John's we are constantly reviewing what we already do, and we look at what we can do to improve the school experience for our students and parents/guardians. Therefore, we would like to know your thoughts and opinions on the current provision for students with Special Educational Needs.

If you would like to be involved, you can complete our online survey which is available on the website below:

https://forms.office.com/r/7Nm79reU8P

The survey should take you no longer than 5-10 mins and all responses will be kept anonymous with the results being published after the closing date which is Wednesday 30^th November 2022

Kind regards

Mr D McEvilly – Trust SEND Lead

After receiving feedback from our school council, we are pleased to inform you that we have booked a trip for our Year 8 pupils to attend Hollywood Bowl at Rubery Great Park on Wednesday 7^th December 2022. The trip includes, one hour of bowling and an adult meal for all pupils. We will leave school at 11:15 am and return by 3.00pm. On this day the pupils can wear their PE kit to school.

In order for this event to proceed, we are asking parents for a voluntary contribution of £11.00 using our secure ParentMail online payment system. This is to cover the cost of travel, one hour of bowling, a meal and a host at the venue. Should we receive insufficient voluntary contributions, unfortunately the trip will not take place.

The deadline to pay for the visit is 25^th November 2022. Please note, if you do not meet this deadline, your child will not be able to attend. Once you have made payment, we will take this as a firm commitment to the event and will not be able to offer any refunds. Please note that when making payment you accept that this trip is non-refundable if your child is unable to attend for any reason.

If you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

Yours faithfully,

Mrs A Elwell Mrs N Hine
Head of School Assistant Headteacher

After receiving feedback from our school council, we are pleased to inform you that we have booked a trip for our Year 7 pupils to attend Hollywood Bowl at Rubery Great Park on Wednesday 14^th December 2022. The trip includes, one hour of bowling and an adult meal for all pupils. We will leave school at 11:15 am and return by 3.00pm. On this day the pupils can wear their PE kit to school.

In order for this event to proceed, we are asking parents for a voluntary contribution of £11.00 using our secure ParentMail online payment system. This is to cover the cost of travel, one hour of bowling, a meal and a host at the venue. Should we receive insufficient voluntary contributions, unfortunately the trip will not take place.

The deadline to pay for the visit is 25^th November 2022. Please note, if you do not meet this deadline, your child will not be able to attend. Once you have made payment, we will take this as a firm commitment to the event and will not be able to offer any refunds. Please note that when making payment you accept that this trip is non-refundable if your child is unable to attend for any reason.

If you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

Yours faithfully,

Mrs A Elwell Mrs N Hine
Head of School Assistant Headteacher

We are pleased to inform you that we have booked a school trip for our Year 6 pupils to see Peter Pan on Tuesday 13^th December 2022 at The Swan Theatre.

“Oh no we haven’t…. Oh yes, we have…”

We will leave school at approximately 9:15am, travel by coach and will return to school just after lunchtime. Therefore all pupils will need a packed lunch on this day and pupils who receive free school meals should order a packed lunch from the kitchen the day before the trip. The children will be required to wear school uniform and may bring one small packet of sweets or chocolate as a treat for during the performance if they wish.

The pantomime is an opportunity for the children to see a live performance in a theatre.

In order for this visit to go ahead we are asking parents for a voluntary contribution of £16.50 per child using our secure Parentmail online payment system. This is to cover both the ticket and the cost of the coach. Should we receive insufficient voluntary contributions, then unfortunately the trip will not take place.

Payment needs to be made by 25^th November 2022 at 12 noon.

If you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

Please note that when making payment you accept that this trip is non-refundable if your child is unable to attend for any reason.

With Kind Regards,

Mrs A Elwell Mrs N Hine
Head of School Assistant Headteacher

We are pleased to inform you that we have booked a school trip for our Year 5 pupils to see Beauty and the Beast on Monday 5^th December 2022 at The Palace Theatre, Redditch.

“Oh no we haven’t…. Oh yes, we have…”

We will leave school at approximately 9:15am, travel by coach and will return to school just after lunchtime. Therefore all pupils will need a packed lunch on this day and pupils who receive free school meals should order a packed lunch from the kitchen the day before the trip. The children will be required to wear school uniform and may bring one small packet of sweets or chocolate as a treat for during the performance if they wish.

The pantomime is an opportunity for the children to see a live performance in a theatre.

In order for this visit to go ahead we are asking parents for a voluntary contribution of £17.50 per child using our secure Parentmail online payment system. This is to cover both the ticket and the cost of the coach. Should we receive insufficient voluntary contributions, then unfortunately the trip will not take place.

Payment needs to be made by 25^th November 2022 at 12 noon.

If you require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered/available to you or alternatively you can email [email protected].

Please note that when making payment you accept that this trip is non-refundable if your child is unable to attend for any reason.

With Kind Regards,

Mrs A Elwell Mrs N Hine
Head of School Assistant Headteacher

Dear Parents/Guardians

In order to help us make informed decisions about potential amendments to our Homework policy and expectations, we would very much appreciate your thoughts and input.

Please complete the survey by clicking on the link below

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=IWPlOOua_EC6hzahD-uC_YRvvNSMnKJEpp8r6WkIqs5UOVoyQVNSOE5aUkJUM0VUR0JPNzhFNDRXQy4u

Kind Regards

Mr D Owen - Assistant Headteacher

Dear Parents/Guardians

At St. John's we are constantly reviewing what we already do, and we look at what we can do to improve the school experience for our students and parents/guardians. Therefore, we would like to know your thoughts and opinions on the current provision for students with Special Educational Needs.

If you would like to be involved, you can complete our online survey which is available on the website below:

https://forms.office.com/r/7Nm79reU8P

The survey should take you no longer than 5-10 mins and all responses will be kept anonymous with the results being published after the closing date which is Wednesday 30^th November 2022

Kind regards

Mr D McEvilly – Trust SEND Lead

Dear Parents/Guardians

RE: Autism awareness and information evening

Following our successful Dyslexia awareness and information evening in the summer term we will be running a number of information events on different special educational needs and disabilities.

This term we will be looking Autism and will discuss the assessment process, how we support students with Autism at school and what you can do to support parents at home. We are holding a parents information evening on Monday 21^st November 2022 between 6pm and 7pm.

Miss Jarvis and I will be available to answer any questions you have following the presentation.

If you would like to attend, please fill out the form. 

Kind regards

Mr D McEvilly – Trust SEND Lead

Dear Parents/Guardians

Subject Parents Evenings 2022  

On Monday 28^th November and Thursday 1^st December, we will be holding our subject parents’ evenings. These evenings will be held virtually using zoom and appointments will run between 3:45pm- 7pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet with your child’s subject teachers to find out how they are getting on and discuss their attainment and progress so far, this academic year. Our pastoral parents evening, later in the year will give parents another opportunity to meet their child’s teacher in person.

The booking of slots can be made in the normal way using Epraise. Simply login to Epraise and under the Community tab at the top select Parents Evenings. Click on the date you wish to book an appointment, select your child’s subject teachers and the time. This will automatically populate the teacher’s schedule. 

To meet demand, appointments will be released in stages: 

• Stage 1: English, Maths and Science for all years from 7am on Monday 14th November 2022 
• Stage 2: All subjects for all years from 7am on Monday 21st November 2022. 

Each member of staff will have a Zoom meeting open and a link will be provided on Epraise (in the Room tab at the top of your booking schedule) for you to join and will take you a waiting room, staff will then admit you at the designated time. 

Please note that appointments are strictly 5 minutes to accommodate demand, however certain time slots do fill up quicker than others so please book as soon as possible to avoid missing your requested slot. Bookings for these evenings will close on Friday 17^th November 2022. 

You will also receive an interim report prior to parents evening detailing your child’s target grades and current prediction. 

Kind regards 

Mrs N Hine - Assistant Headteacher 

Dear Parents/Guardians

Survey about sport and physical activity for children and young people

Our school and Sport England would like to find out about the sports and physical activities our pupils take part in, both in and out of school. The information collected will be used to:

• Provide a report to our school to help us understand what our pupils are doing and
  what we can do to support them
• Help Sport England invest in opportunities for children and young people to take part
  in and benefit from sport and physical activity.

Our school has agreed to take part in this research. Your child’s class 5AAL/6BC/7JAB has been selected to take part in the survey. This involves your child completing an online questionnaire which will take about 20 minutes and will be completed during the school day at a suitable time arranged by your child’s teacher. Your child will have an individual questionnaire, but they will be completing it in a time and place where other children from their class will also be taking part.

We will provide each child with information in advance to explain what the research is about and what the survey will be like. If your child does not wish to take part, they can tell their teacher this on the day.

If you do not want your child to take part in this survey, please mark that accordingly on the form in the Form section in ParentMail. If you are happy for your child to take part, please tick the box agreeing to participate on the form.

The surveys are hosted by Ipsos MORI, a research organisation. Ipsos MORI will store all information securely and keep it confidential. Further information can be found on the next page or contact Mr Cowdery if you have any questions.

Many thanks

Mr M Cowdery - Head of PE

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

Dear Parents/Guardians

Following last year's success, we are pleased to announce that we will be continuing our involvement with the Children's University programme this year.

Children's University is a fantastic way for our pupils to feel empowered by tracking and validating their after-school activities. These will be tracked on a pupil’s learning passport and stamped monthly, allowing pupils to progress through different levels of recognition for their efforts. These hours of extra-curricular work are calculated at the end of the year and your child will be invited to attend a ‘graduation ceremony’ at the University of Worcester with their classmates for a day of celebration.

All school clubs are automatically registered on the Children's University programme as well as many other out of school clubs in the Worcestershire area. New clubs can register to be a learning destination for Children's University and can be added onto the register once they complete the initial registration. To check if any of your child's out of school clubs are members, please visit the Children's University website:

https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk

Children will have a presentation about the programme upon return to school after half-term which will notify them of what it entails. There is no requirement for your child to participate in Children’s University, however if you do wish for your child to take part, the registration fee is £5, this can be paid through Parentmail. This will include your child’s passport and online learning passport with individual login details.

For any Children's University members from last year, the hours and points will roll over to this academic year and children will have their first "Pupil Check-in" on the week commencing 7^th November 2022. Payment for the yearly registration fee of £5 is required to continue on the programme for this year which can be paid using ParentMail.

If you require any further information about the Children’s University programme, please refer to our school website or contact me via e-praise.

Kind regards

Miss A Kelly – Children’s University Coordinator

Dear Parents/Guardians

After the half term holiday, week beginning 31^st October, ALL pupils will be completing two PE lessons where the focus will be cross-country.

We are aware that this can seem daunting to our pupils, but we wish to reassure them that, at St John’s, we make these lessons interactive, enjoyable and challenging without seeming overwhelming.

To ensure the well-being of all pupils and to maintain the cleanliness of our school site and building, we are asking that all KS2 pupils bring with them a spare pair of socks and a change of footwear to be worn either during their lesson or to be changed into afterwards. All KS3 pupils are asked to come to school in their school uniform and bring with them their PE kit to change into. They will then need to change back into uniform at the end of the lesson.

As the temperatures may be colder than we are currently experiencing we would welcome children bringing gloves and warm hats which can be worn to stay warm. School hoodies and plain black tracksuit bottoms may also be preferred to shorts and t-shirts.

We thank you for your support with this. The week beginning 7^th November pupils will return to their individual units

Kind regards

Mr Cowdery – Head of PE

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

This year the Christmas Lunch for pupils and staff will be held as follows:

Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6) Monday 12th December

Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8) Tuesday 13th December

The cost of the meal will be £3.75 per pupil and only Christmas Lunch will be available on these days. The traditional Christmas Lunch will comprise of a roast turkey dinner with a festive dessert.

Payment must be made through our online payment facility, ParentMail, by Wednesday 30th November 2022. If payment is not received by this date we will presume that a Christmas lunch will not be required.

If a vegetarian option is preferred or if your child has any dietary requirements for example allergies, gluten free or halal, please email Ms E Smith - [email protected] by Wednesday 30th November 2022.

All children qualifying for free school meals will be provided with a Christmas lunch on their Key Stage day and a sandwich on the day the other Key Stages will be having their Christmas lunch.

It is essential that pupils will be required to bring a packed lunch in on the day the other Key Stages will be having their Christmas lunch as no other option will be provided.

This is a lovely opportunity for all children and staff to share in the Christmas celebrations by eating together, singing songs and having fun.

Yours faithfully,

Ms E Smith Mrs A Elwell

Lead Kitchen Assistant Head of School

Dear Parents/Guardians

After the half term holiday, week beginning 31^st October, ALL pupils will be completing two PE lessons where the focus will be cross-country.

We are aware that this can seem daunting to our pupils, but we wish to reassure them that, at St John’s, we make these lessons interactive, enjoyable and challenging without seeming overwhelming.

To ensure the well-being of all pupils and to maintain the cleanliness of our school site and building, we are asking that all KS2 pupils bring with them a spare pair of socks and a change of footwear to be worn either during their lesson or to be changed into afterwards. All KS3 pupils are asked to come to school in their school uniform and bring with them their PE kit to change into. They will then need to change back into uniform at the end of the lesson.

As the temperatures may be colder than we are currently experiencing we would welcome children bringing gloves and warm hats which can be worn to stay warm. School hoodies and plain black tracksuit bottoms may also be preferred to shorts and t-shirts.

We thank you for your support with this. The week beginning 7^th November pupils will return to their individual units

Kind regards

Mr Cowdery – Head of PE

Dear Parents/Guardians

We are pleased to announce that St. John's Middle School will part-take in the 2023 Young Voices concert with conductor David Lawrence.

Our concert date will take-place on Thursday 26^th January 2023 at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.

We have made the decision to take all of our current Year 5 cohort and have scheduled time into our busy school schedule to allow them to learn the Young Voices songs, ready for their performance. We are hoping as many as possible of the Year 5 children will take part to allow for an amazing day out and memorable experience. (Please be advised that coaches will arrive back to school at approx 10.30 - 10.45 PM).

Children will leave school on Thursday 26^th January 2023 and travel directly to Resorts World Arena, Birmingham via coach, for a warm-up rehearsal with the other schools participating. This will be followed by a live performance in the evening, including guest performers and a live orchestra. Children will then leave the arena together with the class groups and return to school that evening for collection. A detailed scheduled of events with timings will follow in the New Year. Please note, all pupils participating will require a plain white t-shirt to wear for the event. 

The price for this trip will be set to £8.25 per child. This will include coach transport and registration fees for the event.  

Tickets for parents will be purchasable from the school for £23.50. Please note, these come on a FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED basis and purchase for these tickets must be complete by 17th November 2022. After this date, left over tickets may be purchased directly from Resorts World Arena but will be set at a higher price as will include admin fees.

Both pupil registration and parental tickets are now available to purchase on Parentmail.

We are very excited to be a participating school in this wonderful event and hope it will be an incredible experience for all of our children to remember.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Kelly or a member of our year 5 team.

Kind regards

Miss A Kelly – Children’s University Coordinator

Dear Parents/Guardians

We have recently had a higher number of online incidents that we have had to investigate within school. These incidents have resulted in misuse of technology including inappropriate communication online and have occurred outside of school hours.

Pupils are accessing apps which have an age rating on 13+ and some,such as WhatsApp, have an age rating of 16+. As a school, we know that parents may choose to allow their child to access a range of apps, however it is very important that Parents/Guardians are monitoring what their child is accessing, who they are communicating with and what they are posting. If technology use is not monitored, it leaves a child vulnerable to being exposed to inappropriate material.

Every half term, school will send some information out to Parents/Guardians on how to keep children safe online, and in particular, on certain apps. Attached for this half term is

What Parents Need to Know About WhatsApp

What Parents Need to Know About TikTok.

How to Keep Children Safe Online

Pupils in school cover a range of education on Online Safety during their PSHE lessons and their computing lessons. For more information, PSHE and Computing Curriculum Maps can be found on the school website.

Thank you for your support

Mrs K Gallinagh - Deputy Headteacher

Dear Parents/Guardians

HARVEST FESTIVAL

On Thursday 20^th October all pupils and staff will be visiting St John's Church for our annual Harvest Festival Service. Those pupils who wish to, and are able to, are invited to bring items (tinned or dried goods) for the harvest festival collection. All food collected will be split between The Basement Project and Fresh Starts, both of whom are local charities doing excellent work within our local communities, and operating food banks, amongst their other provision. 

We look forward to celebrating harvest together and thanking God for all he generously provides us with. 

Miss C. Russell

Head of Collective Worship

Dear Parents/Guardians

It has come to our attention that there has been some confusion amongst parents regarding some of the requirements for our outdoor PE lessons. Children have all been given this information, however we understand that sometimes these messages do not reach you at home.

For PE lessons when pupils are on the school field during the wetter months, we ask that they bring alternative footwear to either wear for the lesson or to put on afterwards. This can be a pair of trainers or football/rugby boots. We fully appreciate the financial cost of trainers during these difficult times and therefore we recommend that children bring their school shoes to put on after their PE lesson if boots or trainers are not available.

The reason we ask this is to ensure that pupils do not have to spend the remainder of the day in wet trainers and to prevent muddy, wet footwear being worn in school.

For lessons when children are indoors or on the playground they will not be required to bring in additional footwear to change into.

I hope this clarifies the situation but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Mr M Cowdery – Head of PE

Dear Parents/Guardians,

For many years our pupils have enjoyed working in the areas of Art, Food Technology and Design and Technology where our aim as subject leaders has always been to emphasise the practical side of these disciplines.

We have in the past allowed our pupils to take their finished artefacts home with them and would like to continue this in the future.

We are asking you for a contribution of £5.00 towards costs of materials in all areas for the whole year. With this contribution we can maintain the interesting range of more challenging materials pupils experience working with and avoid the need to look into the possibility of recycling pupils’ work to keep expenditure low.

If you would like your child to bring their artefacts and design projects home please support us with your contribution by sending it via our online payment system ParentMail.

Thank you for your co-operation on this matter.

Kind Regards

Mrs C Stables – Head of DT

Mrs J Davenport – Head of Art

KS3 Cookery Club

We are excited to launch a new Cookery Club for KS3. The club will run for Years 7 and 8 each week on a Tuesday from 3:15 – 4:30pm until Christmas and will be hosted by Mrs Stables and Miss Watts in Tech 1 (Cookery Room). The first session will run on Thursday 1^st November 2022.

Children will have the opportunity to make a mix of savoury and sweet dishes. All ingredients will need to be brought in from home each week to participate.

Places for the club are limited to 10 per term. Names will be drawn out of a hat or added to a waiting list, names will then be redrawn every term.

If you wish for your child to attend, please complete the form in the 'Forms' section in Parentmail and indicate whether your child will be walking home from school or being collected.

Kind regards

Mrs C Stables – Head of DT

Miss S Watts – Class Teacher

Dear Parents/Guardians

Our school day begins at 8:50am. To enable a prompt start to learning, we will be ringing a first bell at 8:45am which is the time that we would like all pupils to be on the school grounds by. 

The gates will still remain open between 08:40am and 08.50am. After this time, pupils will need to sign in late via the main school office. 

Kind regards

Natasha Hine

Assistant Headteacher

Times Tables Rock Stars Day – 3^rd October

Dear Parents/Guardians

On Monday 3^rd October 2022 we will be launching the fantastic Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) programme with our Year 5 and Year 6 children, which we hope will encourage a love of learning those pesky times tables and build confidence in Maths!

Children in Year 5 and 6 will be invited to dress as a rock star for this day in place of their normal school uniform if they wish. We hope to see our pupils transform into their favourite rock hero with crazy wigs, bandanas, face paint, band t-shirts, ripped jeans and inflatable guitars galore! Please ensure that pupils are able to magically change back to their normal selves for the following day therefore no hair dye, tattoos or piercings! Should your child have PE on this day, no PE kit is required as long as children are able to move about freely in their outfit. Children in Year 7 and Year 8 will need to attend school in their usual school uniform.

During the afternoon we will have an assembly where teachers will battle it out on stage to showcase their times tables, accompanied by live music from a very talented real-life rock hero. We hope that pupils will be as excited for the launch as we are!

TTRS is online and therefore accessible from home, children will be given individual log-in details to get started. In school, children will have the opportunity to compete within class and earn prizes as they build their skills. Mr Hackett will also be introducing a TTRS after-school club, so keep your eyes peeled for a letter on Parentmail from him soon.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Miss North via epraise or [email protected]

Miss K North - Head of Maths

Dear Parents/Guardians

Below is a link to the curriculum area of our website, where you can access all information regarding what your child will be learning in the weeks and terms ahead in all subjects. You will be able to see a Long-Term Plan, for each year group, of all the topics to be covered in each subject over the year. Furthermore, by selecting each subject, you will be able to see more detailed curriculum plans and knowledge organisers. These give specific information about what will be covered in each topic/unit of work and are a useful resource for supporting your child's learning at home. You may wish to print these out to help with homework, or even stick on the fridge for regular revision of current topics.

https://www.st-johns-bromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk/our-curriculum

Kind regards

The Office Team

Photography workshops

I am pleased to let you know the popular photography workshops, delivered by Education in Focus, will be recommencing for another year!

The children have been made aware of the workshops and what is involved in a recent assembly. The club will run afterschool on Mondays from 3.15pm – 4.15pm at a cost of £30 for 6 sessions. The club will commence on Monday 7^th November 2022.

To reassure you that Education in Focus do not have access to any photographs taken by the children, their strict Safeguarding Policy prevents them from supplying cameras to the club members. Therefore, children should provide their own devices (which may include smart-phones, iPads/tablets or compact, bridge or DSLR cameras) and all equipment should be clearly labelled with your child’s name and class. On the mornings of the club, all equipment should be put into the art cupboard until the start of the workshop.

However, for those keen photographers who don’t have access to their own devices, the school will be able to provide a limited number of iPads for them to use.

Numbers are limited to a maximum of 20 pupils, however to make the running of the club financially viable we will need a minimum of 10 pupils to attend. The total cost for all six sessions is £30.00 per child (payable in advance). If you would like your child to attend, please complete the expression of interest form within the forms section on ParentMail by Friday 14^th October 2022. Payment is required by 20^th October 2022. You will be notified if your child has been successful in gaining a place. If your child is unsuccessful you will not receive confirmation will be placed on a waiting list.

Due to the high interest we received last year for the Photography Workshops, if your child has previously attended this workshop and would be interested in an advanced course please register your interest in the ‘Forms’ section. We will only be able to run the advanced course if enough people show they would like to attend. The cost of these sessions will be £32.

We are very much looking forward to running the sessions again, I’m sure they will be a fun and fruitful learning experience for all.

Yours faithfully

Mrs J Davenport – Head of Art

Dear Parents/Guardians

Residential Trip to OAKERWOOD

A residential weekend has been arranged at the above centre for Year 5 children only in the Summer Term. The dates are Friday 19^th May ~ Sunday 21^st May. Qualified teaching staff will lead all activities, with the extra support of St. John’s teachers.

During the weekend, a range of interesting, stimulating and challenging activities are offered to the children. These include low ropes, paintballing, monkey climbing, zip wire, raft building and den building.

Accommodation is in Wooden Glamping Pods with bunk beds. Pods have electric lighting and heaters for the colder months. Meals are taken in an adjacent dining room. All equipment needed for activities is provided.

The cost of each weekend is approx. £210 (tbc, depending on uptake). This includes use of specialist equipment and expert tuition, accommodation, all meals from lunch on Sunday to lunch on Tuesday, travel to and from the Centre and insurance in accordance with county guidelines.

If you would like your child to be considered for a place, please complete the ParentMail Form. This does not confirm a place. We endeavor to take as many pupils as possible but should demand exceed availability, names will be drawn from a hat.

If you are successful the first instalment of £50 would need to be made by Monday 17^th October. Please note this deposit is non-refundable if your child cannot attend the trip

Please do not send any money at this stage. When places have been allocated, all details of payment will be forwarded to you.

Yours sincerely

Ms M Jarvis and Mrs K Hall - Trip Leaders      

Dear Parents/Guardians

We are pleased to offer Homework club the week commencing 3^rd October 2022, Mondays to Thursdays until 3:55pm.

Homework club will take place in ICT1 to enable pupils the opportunity to complete homework on the computer or to access Century which supports independent learning.

Due to the limited number of computers available, spaces will be limited. You will be notified if your child has been successful in gaining a place. If unsuccessful they will not receive confirmation and will be placed on a waiting list.

If at any time you no longer require your child to attend homework club, please let Mrs Moyle or the Office know so the place can be allocated to another pupil. If your child does not attend for 3 weeks the space will be allocated to another pupil.

Following the club children will leave school through the main reception. If you would like your child to attend Homework Club, please complete the form located within the forms section of ParentMail can you confirm that you will make the necessary arrangements for the collection of your child at 4:00pm or for them to walk home.

Kind Regards

Mrs L Moyle

Data, Assessment and Reporting Manager

Dear Parents/Guardians

The new school year has started off very well at St John’s Middle School and it has been great seeing the children back at school in good spirits ready for the next stages of their educational journey. As the new Head of Year 8, I, along with the brilliant team of Year 8 tutors, endeavour to ensure that all year 8 pupils settle back in to school life as quickly as possible, that they uphold the school’s high expectations in all areas and that they are provided with a wealth of opportunities to ensure they can leave at the end of the year with the skills and knowledge required to help them progress in their next chapters. Understandably, it is a new year and there will be certain worries and doubts, maybe about this year or maybe about what happens going forward, but please be rest assured the Year 8 team are always on hand to help deal with these.

Please see the Year 8 team below who you can contact via Epraise should you have any concerns.

We really do want the children to do well this year, so we have high expectations of them here at St John’s. Children must adhere to the school uniform policy, please refer to the uniform policy on our website to ensure that your children arrive at school each day wearing the correct uniform. Children should be ready to learn and fully equipped with the necessary stationery to access all of their lessons. This includes their school planner, which should have a record of the child’s reading and should be signed by an adult each week. Again, please refer to the equipment policy on our website if you are unsure of the expectations - checks will be carried out during form time each week to ensure pupils are meeting these expectations. Pupils who consistently meet the expectations will be regularly rewarded; those who fail to meet the expectations will unfortunately face sanctions which could eventually lead to them losing certain privileges throughout the year, which none of us want to happen.

Throughout Year 8, there will be many wonderful things that the pupils can get involved in. Pupils can apply for a variety of roles including Prefects, House Captains and Sports Captains who in return will receive many special privileges. There will be several trips on offer including a week-long residential to Arete Outdoor Education Centre in Wales which is always a big hit. An event for the Summer term will also be planned to commemorate the Year 8’s time with us at St John’s before they leave and head off to High School. There is a lot that pupils can look forward to this year!

Year 8 is also your child’s final year at St John’s so it is important that you begin planning your child’s next steps for High School. You should have now received an application pack from school detailing what you must do going forward. Please ensure that you apply before the deadline to avoid any disappointment or disruption to your child’s learning. As the year progresses, your child will participate in a range of activities both here at St John’s and at their chosen schools to ensure their transitions are smooth. If you have any issues regarding this topic, please feel free to contact me via Epraise.

I am very excited about this year and really hope we can all work together effectively to ensure that a great year is had by all and all pupils leave fully ready for their next adventures. If you require any support at all throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me or anyone else in the Year 8 team who will be more than happy to help.

Yours sincerely

Mr Boyd – Head of Year 8

Dear Parents/Guardians

Firstly I would like to welcome all pupils into Year 7 and to introduce to you our dedicated team of Year 7 teachers :

Head of Year 7 Ms R Bourne
Class Teacher 7JD Dr J Dowler
Class Teacher 7WW Mr W Warwick
Class Teacher 7JAB Mrs J Braby
Class Teacher 7PM Mr. P Marsh
Class Teacher 7MH Mr. M Hackett

This year is an important one for the pupils, particularly the transition to Key Stage 3 and expectations are high with regard to both behaviour and schoolwork (including homework).

If you have any concerns regarding your child please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor via Epraise in the first instance. Please do be aware that staff teach a full timetable and are not always available to respond immediately but we always do our very best.

During their introductory time with their form class we have been reminding the pupils of the importance of arriving promptly and fully equipped. A pencil case with a blue handwriting pen, a HB pencil, a ruler, a rubber, a glue stick and a general notebook.

We are proposing to take the pupils on a range of educational visits this year and we will notify you of the specific details as soon as we have finalised them. I would like to draw your attention to our Oakerwood Leisure Residential Trip in late April, our proposed Christmas Disco, an Outdoor Education trip in June for pupils who haven’t attended our residential trip, an outing to Worcester Cathedral in April and our final Funfest event in July. Please look out for these via Parentmail and be ready to express an interest if your child would like to attend.

It does not seem a minute since our pupils were coming into Year 5 with oversized jumpers and laden down with pencil cases and PE kits but as they progress through Key Stage 3 we will continue to support them so they feel ready for that next big step to High School.

We look forward to an exciting year ahead for our pupils and their families.

Yours sincerely

Ms R Bourne - Head of Year 7

Dear Parents/Guardians

As Head of Year I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and all pupils into Year 6 and introduce you to our fantastic team of Year 6 teachers:

Head of Year 6 Mrs. C Hirons
Class Teacher 6GM Mr. G Monaghan
Class Teacher 6KD Miss. K Devey
Class Teacher 6BC Mr. B Clements
Class Teacher 6RSE Miss. R Sedgwick
Class Teacher 6ALK Miss. A Kendall
Class Teacher 6CSS Mrs. C Stables

I know the Year 6 staff have been really looking forward to welcoming the pupils back into school and have been planning lots of activities to help your child settle confidently back into school life. If you have any concerns regarding your child please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor via Epraise in the first instance and the will respond as soon as they can.

This year is an important one for the children as we will start preparing them for their KS2 SATs in May, whilst still delivering a broad and balanced curriculum. In Year 6 we strive to ensure pupils engage, have fun and become even more independent and resilient learners. We want every pupil to make progress in their learning at whatever level that might be. As a team of experienced staff, we acknowledge that every pupil will find different things challenging at times and want them to feel supported and be able to offer encouragement to their peers if necessary.

At St John’s we have high expectations of all our pupils and expect them to arrive at school on time and be ready for lessons with the correct equipment and with homework completed.

We are proposing to take the pupils on a range of educational visits this year and we will notify you of the specific details as soon as we have finalised them. This includes a trip to Witley Court for an Art day, our proposed Christmas Disco, Oakerwood Leisure Residential Trip, an Outdoor Education trip in June for pupils who haven’t attended our residential and finally our end of year reward event. Please look out for these via Parentmail and be ready to express an interest if your child would like to attend.

All the Year 6 staff are thoroughly looking forward to the year ahead. We have a lot of hard work to do but also lots of fun to be had and memories to be made!

We look forward to an exciting year ahead for our pupils and their families.

Yours sincerely

Mrs C Hirons - Head of Year 6

Dear Parents/Guardians

As Head of Year, I would like to welcome you to Year 5 and help to put your minds at rest in regards to the transition of your child to St John’s. It has been wonderful to see so many excited children over the first couple of weeks. I’m sure all the children are starting to feel a bit more confident with their new routines. The Year 5 team have enjoyed welcoming everybody into their classes and getting to know all the children a little bit better. Many of you may still have questions about what to expect over the year. If so, please do not hesitate to contact the Year 5 team or myself using Epraise.

Over the last few days, the children have received their planners and some new books. Here at St John’s we have high expectations of the children and we would like all children to try their very best to keep these books neat and presentable. It is expected that the children have their planners with them every day. The planners should have a record of the children’s reading (3 times a week) and should be signed by an adult every week. These will be checked by your child’s form tutor every Friday. House Points will be awarded to those children completing their reading homework.

It is also expected that each day the children arrive on time and ready for school. This includes wearing the correct uniform on the right days, have all the stationery that they need and a reading book. Both uniform and equipment lists can be found on the website.

Over the year we have some exciting trips and events to look forward to. The Year 5 Oakerwood residential trip takes place in the summer term. This is a fun packed weekend of adventurous activity. More information will be sent out about Oakerwood very soon. We visit St John’s Church regularly as part of Collective Worship. There are lots of sporting activities for the children to take part in and we will finish the year with our annual FunFest event!

We understand that you and your child may being feeling anxious about starting at a new school, please feel rest assured that I and the Year 5 team will provide whatever support we can for our Year 5 pupils to help them settle into school life and continue to strive as they move on in their educational journey.

If you need any further support, please use Epraise messenger in order to reach your child’s teacher in the first instance, all staff access this regularly and it is an essential tool in maintaining contact between home and school.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs K Hall – Head of Year 5

Dear Parents/Guardians

At St John's we are proud to offer a variety of different after school clubs and we encourage as many children as possible to sign up and participate. 
If your child does sign up for an after school club and for some reason, they are unable to attend a particular session, please can you contact the school office to make school aware that they won't be going. This helps support Safeguarding in school as we need to account for the whereabouts of all children who sign up for a club. 

Thank you for your support

Mrs K Gallinagh – Deputy Headteacher

Pupil Transfers to High School for September 2023

Just to let you know that you should have received a letter brought home from school by your child, informing you on how to apply for a High school for September 2023. I have attached a copy of this letter.

Please note that the closing date for applications is Monday 31st October 2022.

If you have any queries about the application process, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Yours

Jean Gagen

School Admissions Officer.

Dear Parents/Guardians

We are excited to inform you that our extensive Autumn extra-curricular sports programme will commence Monday 26th September 2022, and will include two ‘morning’ clubs added to this terms’ timetable.

Please find attached the club timetable to share with your child. If your child would like to attend one of the clubs, please sign them up, but only if they are sure they will attend each week. If they change their minds and decide they do not want to attend, this could prevent another child requesting a place as numbers are limited. Registers at these clubs are very important. If your child is not able to attend a session please let the office know before the club takes place. Should your child not attend, and the school has not been informed, we will be sending home text messages to inform you of their absence and asking for reasons why they are not attending. If your child no longer wishes to attend a club, please ask them to advise their class teacher, who will inform Mr Cowdery.

Letters will be sent out via Parentmail giving specific details for each club on Thursday 22nd September at 4.00pm. Please sign up via Parentmail, the deadline for signing up for each club is Sunday 25th September at midnight.

Please note that due to such a high number of pupils attending clubs, we cannot send individual confirmation for each place. If you have successfully signed up to a club via Parentmail, then your child has a place on that club. When the club reaches its limit, Parentmail will not allow any further sign ups. If you cannot sign up, it will be due to the club already having reached full capacity. Should your child be unsuccessful in signing up to a club, there will be waiting lists and you will be contacted should any places become available throughout the term.

As places are limited, we are asking parents to sign their child up to a maximum of two club’s only, ensuring as many children as possible have the opportunity to participate. If spaces remain unfilled, we will re-advertise the spaces.

Uniform/PE kit and after school clubs

Your child is expected to wear their uniform to school and get changed at the end of the day into their PE kit, unless your child has a PE lesson on that day. If they attend a morning club, they can take part in their uniform.

If you have any further queries regarding our extra-curricular clubs, please do not telephone the school office, but send an Epraise message to Mr Cowdery who will get back to you as soon as he can.

We are looking forward to a fantastic Autumn of Sport!

Mr M Cowdrey

Head of PE

KS2 Maths ‘Mathemagician’ Puzzle Club

We are excited to launch a new Mathematics club for KS2 based around solving Mathematical puzzles. The club will run for Years 5 and 6 each week on a Thursday from 3:15 – 4:00pm until Christmas and will be hosted by Miss North in Room 18. The first session will run on Thursday 29^th September.

Puzzles will be accessible for all, supporting our inclusive Mathematical culture at St John’s. Each week children will be challenged to a variety of logic, strategy and Mathematical puzzles which may include Sudoku, cross numbers, code breakers, chess and more.

Places for the club will be limited to 30 and will be secured on a first come first served basis. If you wish for your child to attend, please complete the form in the 'Forms' section in Parentmail and indicate whether your child will be walking home from school or being collected.

Should places be filled quickly your child may join a waiting list and we will contact you should a place become available.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

Kind regards

Miss K North - Head of Maths

Eite Maths Club

We are pleased to inform you that your child has been invited to join St John’s ‘KS3 Elite Maths Club’. A small group of children have been selected based on exceptional Mathematical ability, attainment and performance in Maths lessons.

Elite Maths will be a weekly session using UK Maths Trust resources which aim to stretch and challenge the highest attaining Mathematicians. The club will run on a Tuesday after school until 4:00pm and the first session will commence on Tuesday 27^th September 2022.

If you are happy for your child to attend this club please complete the form in the 'Forms' section on Parentmail, also stating whether your child has permission to walk home or whether they will be collected.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

Miss K North - Head of Maths

Dear Parents/Guardians

I hope you have had a wonderful and restful break.

I have exciting news to share regarding your child’s Children’s University Graduation ceremony. As you may recall towards the end of last term, I sent a ParentMail outlining the postponement of our graduating pupils’ celebration ceremony. I am pleased to announce the University of Worcester have kindly rearranged the ceremony and have offered to host it on Wednesday 5^th October 2022 at their main Worcester campus. The celebration will include a formal ceremony, an opportunity to have a tour of the campus and play interactive games. I am sure this will prove to be a memorable day for all involved.

The children will travel by coach and will be picked up from school at 9.30am, spending the day on campus and returning to school for 2:30pm, in time for the end of the school day. 

Pupils are required to wear their school uniform and bring a packed lunch. If your child requires a school lunch, please advise the kitchen two days in advance.

Unfortunately, as the University has returned to their usual teaching hours, they do not have the capacity to host Parents/Guardians. However, we will ensure photographs are taken of the pupils' celebration and send them directly to Parents/Guardians as memories of the event. If you do not wish for your child to attend this event or you do not want your child's photograph to be taken please epraise Miss Kelly.

For this event to go ahead, we are asking parents to make a voluntary contribution of £9.95 using our secure ParentMail online payment system. Unfortunately, if not enough contributions are made the trip will have to be cancelled.

The deadline to pay for the event is Friday 23^rd September 2022 at 12 noon. Please note, if you do not meet this deadline, your child will not be able to attend. Once you have made payment, we will take this as a firm commitment to the event and will not be able to offer any refunds.

If you feel you are financially struggling and require financial support to pay for this trip, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Amanda Lloyd who will be able to see what support can be offered, alternatively email [email protected]

Children will have the opportunity to visit the University shop, therefore they are permitted to bring a maximum of £5 spending money.

If you do not wish for your child to participate in this trip, they can still receive their award at the end of term during the celebration assembly held at school.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to send me an epraise message.

Kind regards
Miss A Kelly - Children's University Coordinator

Dear Year 7 Parents/Guardians

We are aware that there are Head Lice in your child's year group and urge you to inspect your child's head thoroughly straight away. Please can you maintain regular inspections over the next few weeks and beyond.

Treatment is by 'wet combing' with a fine tooth comb (available from chemists) on several occasions until the hair is clear, or by special shampoo.

Only regular inspections of your child's hair will help to minimise their spread.

Thank you in advance.

The Office Team

North Bromsgrove High School Open Evening for Prospective Parents

Please see the attached letter from North Bromsgrove High School informing you of their open evening on Thursday 22nd September.

Yours

Jean Gagen - School Admissions Officer.

Dear Parents/Guardians

Just to keep you updated following the sad news about the Queen’s death last week, we have held a commemorative assembly in school focussing on celebrating the life and accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth II and looking to the future reign of King Charles III. I can confirm that we will observe the National holiday scheduled on Monday 19^th September 2022 for Her Majesty’s funeral. This means the school will be closed on this day as a mark of respect.

Catering

Having reviewed the break time snack provision we have identified the need to improve the speed of the service due to the large number of pupils purchasing snacks. Please could you therefore ensure your child is registered to use their fingerprint to purchase items at break time and lunch time. If you are unsure if you have given consent, a form will be available for you to complete. This will be located within the forms section of ParentMail from tomorrow (Thursday 15^th September).

Additionally, to assist in speeding the service up:

• From Thursday 15^th September, each child will be limited to purchase a maximum of 2 items at break time
• From Tuesday 20^th September, drinks will not be available to purchase at break time. Each child should use their water bottle as fresh water is available from our water coolers that are located around school. Drinks will still be on sale at lunchtime if required.

Parents Evening Drop in sessions

On Monday 26^th September we will be holding a drop in Parents Evening, 3.30pm-5pm. This is an informal drop in session where you are invited to come into school and visit your child’s form classroom. The Form Tutor will be available for an informal chat and English and Maths books will be accessible. No appointment is required, however if you have specific concerns or enquires please contact the Form Tutor directly through epraise as this will not be an individual Parents Evening.

Positive Communication

Please can I remind Parents/Guardians that aggressive and/or abusive language and behaviour in person or on the phone to ANY member of staff will not be tolerated. We will address these behaviours on an a case by case basis, which could result in individuals being prohibited access to the school site and staff. We are available to discuss concerns in a calm and mutually respectful manner.

Thank you for your continued support

Mrs A Elwell – Head of School

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

Dear Parents/Guardians

We hope you have had an enjoyable summer break and that the children are settling into a new academic year with renewed energy and readiness to learn.

Queen Elizabeth II

You will be aware that yesterday Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away and we express our deepest sympathies. Her dedication to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to her other realms and territories is unparalleled and we thank her for her service.

Our School will observe the mourning period but continue to support our pupils, families and staff. Unless otherwise stated, please assume any scheduled activities and events will continue as planned. At midday today the school community observed a one-minute silence, joined together in a prayer and completed a reflection activity whilst the church bells were ringing out across Bromsgrove. Children will also be attending assemblies next week in remembrance of Her Majesty.

We will observe the national holiday scheduled for Her Majesty’s funeral which means schools will be closed that day, but outside of this, school hours will continue as normal.

Our school will be keeping children informed of news about events as part of assemblies and class activities. Social media and other communication forums will go quiet during the mourning period and will be limited to essential communication only.

If you feel your child may be experiencing particular upset due to the passing of the Queen, please do let us know so we can provide additional support if needed.

Should there be anything further we can support you with, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Parking

Unfortunately, due to the size of the staff car park and the danger to children we ask that parents do not drive down or park on Watt Close to drop off or pick up children. Please can we ask that parents make arrangements for collection with their children, prior to the children coming to school.

Epraise

Links for the Parent epraise accounts have been sent out by email, please check your spam/junk folders. Please click the link and create a password. This is a parent account which will be used for teaching staff to send confidential messages, therefore please can we ask that children are not given passwords to access the parent account. Children will be issued their own epraise account over the next couple of weeks.

Photographs

School photographs will be taking place on Friday 16^th September 2022. Please can all children come to school wearing normal full school uniform, there will no PE lessons taking place on this day.

HPV Vaccinations

Reminder, the HPV Vaccinations for Year 8 children ONLY will be taking place on Monday 12^th September. Please could Year 8 children attend school in a short sleeved shirt or PE top. We have been advised that children will need to eat before they receive their vaccination therefore please remind children they will need to eat a substantial breakfast.

Hygiene

We will continue to follow strict hygiene procedures within school, encouraging regular handwashing and sanitising and reminding children to ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’. Enhanced cleaning will remain in place throughout the school, provided by our own onsite cleaning team.

Snacks

We encourage the children to have a healthy snack during morning break. These include fruit and vegetables e.g. carrot sticks, low sugar cereal bars, low fat string cheese, rice cakes, and whole grain muffins or bagels. Processed, less-healthy snack foods such as crisps, sugary drinks, sweets and cake are able to be eaten occasionally but should not be offered every day. We ask that you save these treats as ones you give at home and not at school. If you would like your child to have a small chocolate bar and/or crisps, these should only be eaten as part of their lunch meal.

Mobile phones

We understand that many of our children bring a mobile phone to school and would like to remind you of the expectations that come with this:

• Mobile phones must be switched off and out of sight for the duration of the school day
• If you need to get an urgent message to your child throughout the school day, please call the school office and do not message or attempt to call your child’s phone. If there is a need for contact to be made with you, the call will be made by a member of staff.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to another exciting academic year.

Yours sincerely

Mrs A Elwell - Head of School

New EmailArchiveForwardView Recipients

Dear Parents/Guardians

Just a gentle reminder Year 5 start school on Wednesday 7th September 2022 and Years 6, 7 & 8 all return on Thursday 8th September.

We look forward to welcoming all the children back after the summer break.

Please find attached a letter with regard to the school attendance policy and how to report an absence to the school.

Kind regards

The Office Team