SJS NEWSLETTER

JULY 2016

PARENTS OPEN EVENING

This was very well attended and we hope everyone was pleased with the

learning that has taken place, the standard of work in books and enjoyed the

opportunity to talk to Staff and all other agencies associated with St James’.

There was a lot of information on offer and plenty of delicious food.

Thanks to Emma Rawlinson (School Nurse), Andy Burns PCSO, Asda, Tesco, Matalan,

Marks and Spencer, Identity and the Furness Building Society for attending. Huge thanks to

Furness Academy Kitchens and the Ladies for serving up such delicious food that everyone

enjoyed. Welcome to our new Year 3 pupils and parents for September, hopefully all your

queries and questions were answered and we look forward to seeing you next term.

HOLIDAY LEARNING

We hope there is good weather during the school holidays and the children

can enjoy their break and make the most of their time off school. But six

weeks is a long time and we also want them to remember what they have

learnt so they can begin the new school year with knowledge and

confidence. Often a long break can make it harder for children to pick up

where they left off when the new school year begins. Card games and board games, reading

comics and magazines and fun days at the Dock Museum etc. are all ways to keep brains

active and ready to start off again in September 2016. Many different groups are running

Summer Schools and Activity Days (information has been put on the website and will be

sent home).

Discovery Education Espresso / SKOOLBO School has an online learning platform for the children to use at home. This is called

Discovery Education Espresso which we use at school. Children can now use

computers at home by logging on to the Pupil Home Access. Discovery Education Espresso has lots of fun activities for the school holidays but it also will help with

homework, projects and general school work during the school year. There is a link on the

school website or please enter

https://home.espresso.co.uk

Pupil user name - student9831

Pupil Password - summer2013

We also have SKOOLBO on the website for pupils to use, this focuses on reading and

maths.

Just to remind you that spellings are put on the school website

weekly and children can practice them online.

School website - Spellanywhere - your child’s Literacy Group

This is the same for times table practice.

School website - Mathsanywhere - tables 1 to 12

Learning phonics / letter sounds is another important aspect of school and to help we have

added Phonicsanywhere to the website.

School website - Phonicsanywhere - Login -

User name phonics_stjames

Password 64577

and then choose a phase to practice.

Or click onto BBC KS2 Bitesize and the free websites

We are also sending home the CGP Literacy and Numeracy Books to

be used over the holidays.

Barrow Library is also setting up a

reading project for the holidays called

THE BIG Friendly READ.

Information is attached and please look on the school website for

more details.

The Dock Museum

There is much to see at the Dock Museum with the following

exhibitions and events, children need to be accompanied by an

adult.

ART EXHIBITION LEGO LANDMARKS VICTORIAN HISTORY ANIMAL HANDLING

NORTHERN SKIES LEGO WORKSHOPS 23RD JULY 11am-4pm WORKSHOPS

BARROW AND BEYOND 16TH JULY 11am-4pm FREE 25TH AUGUST

UNTIL 29TH JULY FREE 10.30am onwards

11am-4pm FREE £2 per ticket

Please see the school website for more photographs of all school activities.

LOWER SCHOOL SPORTS DAY ON THE ALL

WEATHER PITCH.

A TASTE OF INDIA FOR LOWER SCHOOL– Bollywood dancing, cooking and eating an

Indian Banquet plus Mehndi hand patterns to end the Topic ‘LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION’.

YEAR 5 TRIP TO GOLF ZONE UPPER SCHOOL SPORTS DAY

(FOOT GOLF) ON THE ALL WEATHER PITCH.

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL SUMMER TERM 2016

•Yoga Sessions for Year 6 (weekly) – relaxation and meditation to help with SATs

•Cricket Coaching (Professional Cricket Coach) for Year 5 and Year 6

•Inter Schools Tennis Competition – School Team took part following coaching sessions last term

•Boys Football Competitions

•Girls Football Competitions

•Inter Schools Singing event (Matilda) with final performance at the Forum - Class 4B represented SJS

•Year 2 Transition - Infant Pupils visit to look around school and take part in lessons

•Queen’s Birthday Celebrations – repeat of celebrations when Queen was crowned in 1953

•Whole School Eucharist in School led by Father Jack and Father John

•Year 5 Transition Day at Furness Academy

•Assessment Week

•Athletics coaching for Year 3 and Year 4 pupils

•Assemblies led by Father Jack and Father John

•Inter Schools Orienteering Competition at Barrow Park – SJS Boys and Girls Teams competed

•Year 6 City Experience Residential

•Inter Schools Athletics Competition at Furness Academy

•Year 5 Mini Olympics at Furness Academy x 2 days

•Girls Cricket Competition

•English Writing Moderation for SATs by the LA

•Safeguarding Training – Level 2 Refresher Level 3 Refresher for Staff

•NHS Play ‘SICK’ at Forum - Lower School

•Junior Citizens Scheme - Year 6

•Musical event in church with ‘VOCE’ - School Choir guest singers

•Vue Cinema to see film ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ – Lower School

•Production of Aladdin at Furness Academy – Year 5

•Furness College visit (Career information) – Year 6

•Katrina Hall EFA visited SJS to discuss new school build

•Year Group Cluster Meetings (Yarlside Teaching School Alliance) – Staff CPD

•Year 5 Transition Day – St Bernard’s Secondary School

•Assessment Week

•‘BIG FIRST AID LESSON LIVE’ (online) – whole school took part

•‘A TASTE OF INDIA’ (Bollywood dancing, making/tasting Indian food, Mehndi hand designs) end of

Topic event for Lower School

•Final Year 6 Transition Days x 2

•Final Year 2 Transition Day

•Year 5 Enterprise Day at St Bernard’s Secondary School

•Year 5 trip to GOLF ZONE/ sporting activity afternoon for end of term

•Sports Day

•Online Safety Training Day – for all pupils, parents , staff and governors (Graham Lowe Lancashire

Local Authority)

•End of Year Reports sent out to Parents

•Parents Open Evening for existing and prospective pupils and parents (new Year 3 meeting)

•Celebration of Achievement Rehearsal - especially parents with ‘Little Ones’

•Celebration of Achievement in Church - adults only

•Year 6 Leavers Day

•PCSO Andy Burns weekly visits to school due to all the problems in the area and on the Urban Park.

Opportunity for pupils and parents to discuss issues (whole term).

SCHOOL DINNERS

DINNER MENUS

As always we try to review and update all aspects of

school so we are offering the very best for our pupils.

Please find attached a copy of our menus which

contain the recent changes and the 4 week cycle.

All our menus have to

comply with the new School Food Standards.

If your child does not like a particular meal during the week,

all you have to do is ring school before 9.30am

(dinner numbers are sent to the kitchen then)

and order an alternate meal:

· Baked potato with filling (tuna, cheese or beans)

· Sandwich (brown or white bread) – cheese, chicken,

ham, egg or tuna filling

We would respectfully ask that packed lunches also support our

Healthy Eating Policy and the New Food Standards. There is also

a pupil with a serious nut allergy and again would respectfully ask

that nuts / nut products are not sent in packed lunches.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Over the holidays the builders are coming back to carry out some

‘snagging work’ in the school and on the playground.

I know some parents are unhappy that the playground equipment has

not yet been installed and there will now be a further delay but this

is out of school’s hands and down to Carillion and the Education

Funding Agency organising this project.

When we come back after the holidays things will just be the same as

now to make it simple:

Children and Parents should wait outside school on the pavement

until 8.45am when the Main Doors will be open

Children only will then come into school

At 3.30pm children will leave the building whilst parents wait on

the pavement outside school

It is so congested when everyone enters/leaves through one door

that we would ask all parents who need to come to the Main Office

to do so either before or after school starts. This also complies

with our Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies.

NEW YEAR 3 CHILDREN SHOULD COME TO SCHOOL AT 8.30AM

ON THE FIRST DAY BACK (Mon 5th September) SO THEY CAN GET

SETTLED IN BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE. THIS IS FOR ONE DAY

ONLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING

St James’ CE Junior School

Cohort 2012 - 2016

Best wishes to all Year 6 who are leaving us.

SATs 2016

% pupils achieving the National Standard

SJS National Average

English Reading 76% 66%

73% + 3% appeal - Error in marking when checked so appealing X1

English Grammar 76% 72%

Punctuation and 70% + 6% appeal - Error in marking when checked so appealing X2

Spelling

Mathematics 83% 70%

English Writing (TA) 80% 74%

Reading Writing Maths 66% 53%

(all three combined) 57% + 9% appeal

DATES TO

REMEMBER Thursday 21st July - School breaks up for holidays at 1.20pm

AUTUMN TERM 2016

Thursday 1st September - Staff Training Day

Friday 2nd September - Staff Training Day

Monday 5th September - Children back to school

SATs WEEK 2016 Monday 8th - Friday 12th May 2017

School dinners are £2.25 each (£11.25 per week) and must be

paid for on a weekly basis (Monday) or else children will need to

bring a packed lunch.

Important Attendance News

Attendance up to this week is 96.35% and our target is 96% so

lets hope we can keep it over target and have an Icecream Van !!

Looking forward to seeing

everyone back in September

for another year !

Angela Rawlinson