St John’s Newsletter Keeping Our Parents In Touch October 2014

St John’s Newsletter
Keeping Our Parents In Touch
Friday 17th October 2014
Dear Parents/Carers
School News
Classes have been busy carrying out their assessments of the children reading, writing and mathematics this week to
see what progress they have made in the first part of the school year. The results will be collated and analysed before
the half-term break. We had a strong hint from HMI, in my phone conversation in September, that she wants to see this
data when she next visits us. Mr Akaly and Ms Lilly took a group of children to Morpeth school as part of their training
for the Tower Hamlets Cross Country competition.
On Tuesday we had a visit from Alanna of the NSPCC. She came to see how the children have been doing with
their sponsorship and was amazed to find that they had already raised over £700! Keep collecting and please bring in
any outstanding money by Tuesday. Alanna will be back on Wednesday to do another assembly and announce the final
total. In other charity news, the Community Action Team raised £67.16 at the parents’ MacMillan Coffee Morning.
There was a governing body committee meeting on Thursday evening (see below).
Federation Governing Body: Pupil & Curriculum Committee (P&CC)
St John’s’ P&CC met last evening. This committee scrutinises the school’s standards and its curriculum, in many ways
continuing the duties of the Interim Executive Board (IEB). It is chaired by Nicola Thomas, a former member of the IEB.
The committee received updates from Mrs Taylor and Mr Bennett on the quality of teaching, the school improvement
plan and our self-evaluation. Following this Ms McNally gave an instructive presentation on how the school meets its
social, moral, spiritual and cultural obligations through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
Federation Governing Body Pen Pictures
Ian Graham, (nominated by the local authority and Chair of the Governing Body): "I am a partner in a firm of
solicitors, Trowers & Hamlins, based close to Moorgate. Our office was, until the summer of 2012, next to Tower Hill.
When we moved there 15 years ago we established a partnership with St Paul's. We ran a reading support scheme for
about 12 years. I participated in that project from the beginning and read with many children, including two
generations of the same family. I became a governor at St Paul's a year or so after we had started the reading scheme
and then became the chair of governors a year later. I have really enjoyed working with the staff, children, parents and
governors at St Paul's over the years. Now that we have formed the federation with St John's I am looking forward to
getting to know the school, its staff, children and parents."
Nicola Thomas (appointed by the London Diocesan Board or Schools): Nicola is a PhD researcher and teacher at the
University of Nottingham. Before returning to academia, she worked in the Private Office of the Chief Inspector of
Ofsted. She lives in north London.
Dr Robin Precey (appointed by the Deanery Synod): Former headteacher, Part time Principal Lecturer in Education at
Canterbury Christ Church University and Education Consultant, father and grand-father.
Giles Smith (appointed by the LDBS): Giles is a civil servant in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. He
was a governor of St Paul’s for around 10 years, including a period as Vice Chair.
Simon Thompson (elected by the staff of both schools): I currently teach year two but have experience of teaching
across both key stages. Outside of the classroom I am part of the senior leadership team and responsible for Literacy
and the Kitchen Garden project.
Jonathan Baum (appointed by St John’s Parochial Church Council): A Bethnal Green resident for more than 30 years,
Jonathan was Chief Executive of the FDA, a trade union and professional association for senior public sector managers
for 16 years until 2012, having joined the civil service after graduating from university. He is now a Civil Service
Commissioner and serves as a non-executive director on a number of public bodies".
Website and Parentview
We are making changes to the school website to make it brighter and easier to find information on. In the meantime
have at a look at the current website and, if you have a moment, follow the link to Parent View at the bottom of the
home page. When Ofsted visit St John’s, possibly soon after half term, they will look at your responses and use the
information to help form an opinion on the school.
Consultation on extending the School Day to 3:30 p.m.
Last call for your views handwritten and handed in to the school office, or emailed to consultation@stjohns.towerhamlets.sch.uk . (see previous newsletters for details).
Best wishes, Mr Bennett
St John’s Newsletter
Keeping Our Parents In Touch
Friday 17th October 2014
SOME IMPORTANT DATES
Monday 20th October
Thursday 23rd October
27th – 31st October
Tuesday 4th November
Thursday 6th November
Mondays 10th & 17th Nov
Monday 10th November
Tuesday 12th November
Friday 19th December
Tuesday 6th January
9:00 am Parent Council Meeting
Year 3 class coffee morning, 9:00 – 9:45
Harvest Assembly – donations of food requested
Half-term holiday
9:00 – 10:00 Minor Ailments in Children – workshop led by School Nurse Team
Individual class photos
9:00 – 9:30 am: Year 1 parents, Bead String workshops
1:30 – 3:00 pm: SEN reforms session for parents RESCHEDULED
Speakeasy course for parents starts
Last day of term
Children return to school
HARVEST ASSEMBLY
We will be collecting Harvest gifts at our special assembly
on Thursday 23rd October. Please bring non-perishable
items any day next week such as tins of food, pasta etc.
Your gifts will be donated to the Salvation Army who are
supporting local people in need.
Many thanks.
There will be no TAEKWONDO or CRICKET
After-School Clubs the first week back after halfterm. They will resume w/b 10th November.
The meeting about the new SEN process has
been rescheduled to:
Become a Healthy Family Parent
Ambassador!
Would you like to be trained on:
 Diet and nutrition
 The benefits of physical activity
 How to run sessions for other parents?
If so, or you want to find out more, please
speak to Alison by Monday 20th October.
MacMillan Coffee Morning
Thank you to all who made,
brought or ate cakes!
We raised a magnificent £67.16!
Monday 10th November, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
The Gold Book: 13th October 2014
The following children received merit certificates in assembly:
Year 1: Hannah Richards
Ismaeel Ali
Year 2: Natalie Steel
Jayden Azille-Matthews
Year 3: Ryan Moss
Joseph Mortley
Year 4: Chloe Bruce
Yousra Ali
Year 5: Ajifatou Sillah
James Trower-Johnson
Year 6: Samuel Mortley
Alice Chaney
Elle Jacob
Attendance And Lates
Week Beginning 6.10.14
Attendance
Class
st
1
2nd
3rd
Lates
Sessions Missed
Class 3
Class 6
Class 1
Class 2
Class 5
Class 4
Nursery
Reception
1st
2nd
3rd
Class 3
Reception
Nursery
Class 1
Class 4
Class 6
Class 5
Class 2
1
4
6
8
11
12
18
22
1
2
3
3
5
5
6
11