Summer Term Issue 36: 3rd July 2026
Flourishing in the love of God, love of life, love of learning
Dear Families,
We are very proud to share some wonderful news this week. We have been awarded Flagship School Status by Literacy Tree!
Being recognised as a Literacy Tree Flagship School means that our school has demonstrated a highly successful and innovative approach to teaching English through high-quality children's literature. Flagship Schools are recognised for immersing pupils in significant and inspiring books that develop reading, writing and vocabulary, while achieving high standards and excellent outcomes.
This is a fantastic achievement for our whole school community and reflects the hard work, dedication and passion of our staff and pupils. A special thank you goes to Miss Cosby and Mrs Laidlaw-Shaw, who lead English across the school so brilliantly. We are incredibly proud of this recognition and all that it represents.
Looking ahead to next week, we are excited for our Year 1–6 Sports Day. To help everyone enjoy the coolest part of the day, we have brought the start time slightly forward to 10:00am. We are looking forward to welcoming you and hope you will join us for what is always a wonderful community event. Don't forget to bring your picnic!
We are also keeping a close eye on the forecast temperatures for next week. Our aim is to keep school open as normal every day, and we are putting a range of measures in place to ensure children remain comfortable and safe. This includes making the best use of cooler areas around the school, ensuring classrooms are kept as cool as possible, and adapting activities where necessary.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Alli
Reception
In Reception this week- we started off with a POW! Super hero day- we had an amazing Superhero Workshop and found out about the power of friendship and teamwork. Then we have been reading the story of Super Milly who saves the day at her school on superhero day- we have been talking about what our real super powers are- being a goof friend, being super kind, super smart, super funny…
On Jobs Day we had wonderful guest speakers and found out all about some of the amazing and interesting jobs our grown-ups do. From midwives to teachers, police officers to chefs, from neurologists to architects, from professors to film producers, journalists and story tellers. We loved how everyone made links between their fields, and the children asked some great questions. Thank you all so much for giving up your valuable time and sending us in great photos for our slide show too!
Reception Sports Day next week on Wednesday morning. See you there.
Year 1
We have had another exciting week of learning in Year 1! On Monday morning, we arrived to find mysterious paw prints leading through our classroom and a letter addressed to us from a very unexpected visitor... The children were full of excitement and curiosity as we introduced our new text, Yeti and the Bird. In English, the children have continued to amaze us with their growing confidence as writers. We have been exploring the suffix -est, learning the different spelling rules that apply, before using modal verbs to write thoughtful letters of advice. It has been wonderful to see the children confidently using ambitious vocabulary and drawing upon all of the grammar they have learnt throughout the year. Both Miss Regaard and Ms Hare are incredibly proud of every child's writing journey- it has been such a privilege to watch their confidence, creativity and independence flourish.
In Maths, we have started our new topic of time, exploring the days of the week, months of the year, and the vocabulary of before and after. The children have loved applying this knowledge to practical activities and word problems, showcasing their learning.
In RE, we have been comparing the Jewish festival of Tu B’Shevat with the Christian festival of Harvest. We explored how both festivals celebrate the natural world while recognising the different ways they are celebrated.
Year 2
This week in Science, Year 2 have been learning about different materials and their properties. We explored the classroom to identify objects made from materials such as wood, plastic, metal and glass. The children carefully drew different objects, labelled them and described their properties using scientific vocabulary such as hard, soft, smooth, rough, waterproof and transparent. It was wonderful to see the children using their observation skills to think about why different materials are suitable for different purposes. Well done, Year 2!
Year 3
In Year 3, we have continued to enjoy learning about sound. This week, we made our own cup telephones using two paper cups connected by string. We discovered that when the string was pulled tight, sound waves travelled through the vibrations more clearly, making voices easier to hear. We investigated how changing the length of the string affected the sound and discussed why longer or looser strings sometimes made the sound quieter or less clear. Excellent work!
Year 4
Yesterday, Year 4 welcomed Erik Eriksson, a Viking who had travelled all the way from Derby to visit us! We spent the morning discovering what life was like in a Viking village, learning about Viking names, and examining fascinating artefacts, including real animal hides and a range of tools used in everyday Viking life.
In the afternoon, we explored Viking justice and court systems. We all agreed that many of the rules and punishments seemed far from fair by today's standards! To finish the day, we investigated Viking armour and battle equipment before creating and performing our own fearsome Viking battle chants. It was an exciting and memorable day that brought our history learning to life.
Year 5
Yesterday, Year 5 performed the 2026 Samba concert excellently! After a lot of practice and hard work from Nuno their teacher, the children kept in time well and were able to show off their new skills! Thank you to all those who were able to come and watch under the canopy of Goose Green. In class, we’ve been using cubes to help us work out the volume of shapes and in both English and Guided Reading, we’ve reached the climax of our stories – we’re on tenterhooks to know how they end now! Next week, we are looking forward to sports day and all the fun that will bring.
Year 6
Year 6 took a well‑earned break from their rehearsals last week and headed outside to enjoy the sunshine. With the hot weather in full swing, everyone cooled down with the hose — plenty of laughter, splashes, and joyful moments were had! We relaxed together in the shade, played a few light games, and enjoyed some calm time as a group. Full of fun and exactly what was needed
Music this week…
Year 4 were given the opportunity this week to think about the staging of an opera using a website called GoClassical. Whilst listening to the music from the Opera, Hansel and Gretel they were able to choose costumes, props and sets for the stage. I am attaching the link in case children want to look at this website again.
https://goclassical.org/for-teachers-hansel-gretel
Year 5 children were practising playing rhythms and pulses in preparation for their Samba performance on Thursday. Using claves, they were accompanying a piece called Rosewood Gratitude. The Samba performance was a huge success and well done to all year 5 students for their focus, teamwork and spirit. It was a lovely afternoon.
Children in Year 2 were thinking about Conductors and took it in turns to lead a body percussion performance of a rainy soundscape. You can see examples in the videos attached.
Friends of SJSC
Given the extreme weather conditions we are all facing, we are launching a ‘climate resilience fundraiser’ to help the school investigate and purchase measures that will help the school better cope with the effects of climate change. There is no obligation, but if you are able to, please donate via this link: https://st-johns-and-st-clements-ptfa.square.site/
Thanks for your support.
Stars of the Week
Well done to all of our stars who have demonstrated our school values brilliantly this week!
Enjoy the weekend!