Maths at Cambridge Science Festival
The Cambridge Science Festival is a great way to have fun with maths and science. For more information see their website but you may enjoy these free events on Saturday 24th March.
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‘A mathematician, like a poet or a painter, is a maker of patterns’. Find out what patterns you can discover, explore your creative and critical thinking and develop your problem-solving skills with hands-on mathematical activities and games for all ages from 5 to adult.
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Come and be inspired to work mathematically! Have your curiosity piqued, your competence coached, and revel in the feel-good factor of being challenged to persevere. Join Fran Watson from NRICH for this highly interactive workshop-style session focusing on problem solving through paper folding – no previous experience required!
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Mathematicians are not only good at answering questions – they are good at asking questions too. Join Charlie Gilderdale from our NRICH project on a journey of discovery as he encourages you to unleash your curiosity, ask interesting questions, and set off to explore the unknown. Come to this highly interactive talk prepared to explore, discuss, investigate, take risks, and try something new!Fairtrade Ambassadors
We were delighted to join the parish Young at Heart group this morning to share our recent work on Feed the World 2050 and Fairtrade.
Eight children from Y6 represented St John’s and were able to clearly articulate their understanding of why we need to support Fairtrade in light of Catholic Social Teaching and how this should influence our thinking about food production in 2050.
They explained the seven principles which make up Catholic Social Teaching as shown above. These seven keywords have made our responsibility as Catholics much clearer and helped the pupils to explain The Common Good in their own words. The pupils then mingled with the parishioners to answer questions about their work.
Fairtrade has some excellent ambassadors.
Even better was the Fairtrade cake we enjoyed afterwards!
School Newsletter February 2018
Please enjoy reading our February Newsletter.
RE Newsletters Spring 2 2018
We are now in the season of Lent. Please see below for further information about what the children will learn in this half term.
RE Parent Questionnaire Feedback.
Thank you very much to all those who took the time to respond to our recent questionnaire about RE and the Catholic Life of the School. This was a Diocesan model and so the option to respond neutrally was missing at their discretion.
The results were very positive as can be see below:
| Religious education | Positive responses |
| 1. The school keeps me informed of what is taught in religious education lessons | 97% |
| 2. My child is making good progress in religious education | 97% |
| 3. There is regular and appropriate homework for my child’s age and ability in religious education | 88% |
| 4. Religious education is challenging and exciting | 87% |
| The Catholic life of the school | |
| 5. The school offers a distinctively Catholic education | 98% |
| 6. The school provides clear moral teaching | 98% |
| 7. The school provides opportunities for spiritual growth and development | 97% |
| 8. There are regular sacramental celebrations of Mass and Reconciliation | 100% |
| 9. The school ensures that there are opportunities for daily prayer | 92% |
| 10. There are opportunities for my child to serve others and support those in need | 95% |
| 11. The school actively promotes strong partnership with parents | 95% |
| 12. There are strong links between the school and our local parish(es) | 90% |
| 13. The school invites parents to attend school assemblies and liturgies. | 93% |
Thank also for the positive statements about your and your children’s experience at school. Thank you also for the feedback about what you feel could be improved – this has been a useful starting point for our plans going forward.
With regard to some of the concerns raised:
- Following recent pupil voice feedback, we have included more art, drama and other prayer forms in our RE lessons to make them more pupil friendly and plan to do more, but RE is a challenging subject with a strong level of scriptural teaching and considerable expectations for written work.
- Homework in RE is in line with whole school policy.
- Children say prayers three times a day as well as additional prayers in RE / Assembly. All school prayers are on the school website under Spiritual Life if you wish to continue these at home.
- Father Denis is always happy to meet new parents and following on from this feedback is going to call into EY2 to ensure the younger children are familiar with him. We are planning for some of the children to attend a Young At Heart session in the parish in February to share their recent work on Feed The World 2050 and Fairtrade.
- Whole school mass times are published on the website and all parents, grandparents and parish are welcome to attend.
- We have plans to invite grandparents to join us at the beginning of March to find out more about our Feed the World 2050 work and to act as a living library about their own food experiences.
It has been really helpful for us to see what we are doing well and what we need to do next. Thank you again for the support. Please feel free to keep us informed about how we are doing.
School Newsletter January 2018
Please enjoy our first St John’s newsletter of 2018.School Newsletter – January 2018
RE Newsletters
We will begin this term with a week of a looking at the life and example of St Lucy, one of our House Saints. The second full week of term will be the beginning of our topic of Jesus at Prayer for Years 1-6 and Being a Sacramental People for Early Years.
RE Newsletter – Spring 1 2018 – Jesus at Prayer
RE Newsletter EYFS – Being A Sacramental People – Spring 1 2018
End of Term Advent Mass
Reverse Advent Calendar and Christmas Jumper Success
We have been overwhelmed by the generous response to the Reverse Advent Calendar.
The incentive of wearing a Christmas Jumper has inspired a fantastic level of generosity.
The contributions were gratefully received by the Food Bank when Mrs Hales delivered them.
It has been heart-warming to see the level of compassion for others amongst our school community. One lovely young lady in Year 2, even donated her birthday money.
Many thanks to you all.