Summer Term Issue 27: 25th April 2025
Flourishing in the love of God, love of life, love of learning
Dear Families,
A very warm welcome back after the Easter break! We are all set and excited to dive into the Summer term—it really does come around so quickly!
This half term, we are looking forward to some fantastic learning, as well as a few fun events like the School Disco and the Parent’s Prayer Group.
Just a quick note:
The Eco March will now take place on Friday 13th June, 2:15 on Goose Green.
The Headteacher’s Parent Café has been rescheduled to Friday, 6th June at 9:15 am. This session will focus on gathering your thoughts and ideas for the next school year. If there are any areas of school life you'd like to discuss or learn more about, please feel free to reach out and let me know!
Looking forward to a great term ahead!
Best wishes,
Alli
Upcoming Diary Dates
Reception
What a brilliant start to the summer term Reception have had! A splendid trip to Bocketts Farm in Surrey, where we saw week-old Shetland pony foals, met alpacas, got to feed sheep and cows, stroke small animals, went on a tractor ride found the farm, and even watch pigs racing! We had plenty of time to challenge ourselves on the giant soft play at the end, which wore everyone out for the coach journey home.
Thanks to the PTA for providing the coach for our trip, we had an “awesome” day out on the farm!
Dates for your diary: Forest School (9.00-11.30am)
Himid Class Thursday 15th May
Stik Class Friday 16th May
***Parent volunteers needed please.
Year 1
This week Year 1 have delved into our Big Idea for this term, which is ‘Democracy’. We discussed what democracy means and how it is important for everyone to have a voice. We thought about our enquiry question: ‘Should everyone have to follow the rules?’. The children discussed what they know about rules and considered why we have them. We came up with a mind map of our discussion.
Year 2
The Year 2’s have been learning about wolves in their non-fiction unit during English lessons. We have been learning lots of interesting facts about wolves and have taken lots of notes. This week the children have started writing their own reports. They have included information on appearance, habitat, diet and interesting facts, as well as diagrams and maps. Everyone has done an excellent job and are now wolve experts so if you want to know anything, make sure to ask them!
Year 3
Summer term has started with lots of joy and exploration in Year 3. As such, we have decided to give you a broader snapshot of the week. Children began their first of their lacrosse sessions in PE. In Geography, we continued to delve into our topic of Africa, focusing on the River Nile and its importance for the Continent. In English, children developed sentences based on inference and fact comparisons whilst exploring our new book “Cinderella of the Nile”.
Year 4
Last term, both year 4 classes completed a field trip focusing on sustainability in our local area. The children analysed their findings and we all wrote to our local MP to share the positives and negatives of our discoveries. We were thrilled this week when we received a letter back from Ellie Reeves MP, sharing her thoughts on our findings and thanking us.
Go Year 4!
Year 5
This week in Year 5, we have been excited to begin our new topic ‘Ancient Greece’. In our history lesson, we examined replicas of Ancient Greek artifacts. We looked closely to see the materials they were made from and analysed key features or decorations that could tell us more about the period. We are also really enjoying learning more about the Ancient Greek gods and beginning our new English book Odysseus.
Year 6
Year 6 have been getting creative in their English lessons, diving deep into the world of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Inspired by the iconic masked ball scene, children put their artistic skills to the test, designing and crafting their very own magnificent masks. From intricate feathers to shimmering details, each mask tells a story. Take a peek at the fantastic creations that brought a touch of Renaissance drama to our classrooms!
Music this week…
To celebrate Earth Day this week, KS2 listened to the world-famous film composer Hans Zimmer talk about his composition for BBC 10 Pieces which is called Earth. You can find a link below to this piece of music which was specially commissioned to make us all thing about the fragility of our planet.
Hans Zimmer – Earth - BBC Bitesize
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/articles/zh4k382
In Year 6, children were listening to Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Focusing on The Promenade, children considered how they might move around an exhibition and examine the artwork based on the Tempo, Pitch and Dynamics of this piece.
In Year 5, children were listening to Stravinsky’s music from the ballet, The Firebird. They had to imagine how the Firebird might move around the stage in a way which represented the shimmering, soaring music which they heard. Year 5 Walker were also composing sinister music based on the opening scene from the Ballet where Prince Ivan creeps around King Kastchei’s magical but ominous garden.
News from the Art Studio…
This week in the Art studio, year 6B learned how to mount and display their artwork, ready for our Arts Festival in a couple of weeks time.
ARTS FESTIVAL
This year’s Arts Festival will be held at SJSC on Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th May 1.45pm – 3pm, in the top hall and Art & Music studios.
Our theme for our creative works follows one of our Big Ideas – Innovation.
The children have created individual and collaborate artworks inspired by a wide range of artist from Leonardo da Vinci to installation artist, Chiaru Shiota.
There will be video recordings and soundscapes of the children’s musical response to Innovation and the artwork they have created.
Adults can collect their children from their classrooms on the afternoon of the exhibition at anytime during the given time slot. All children are to return to their classrooms at 3pm to be dismissed by their class teacher.
Tuesday 6th May – Reception/ Years 2/ 4/ 6
Wednesday 7th May - Years 1/ 3/ 5
We look forward to seeing you all there!
ECO Team
On Tuesday The Eco Team led the school assembly to celebrate Earth Day. The focus was to promote the importance of pollination. Well done Eco Team, you were very informative and did a great job.
Every child has had the opportunity to plant a seed this week. We are planning for a pollinators friendly playground this year.
Thank you for your support with the Salvation Army recycling clothes project. We collected 148 bags during the campaign and the winning year group was Year 2.
Values Awards
Stars are celebrated because they have demonstrated the school values, or gone above and beyond.
Well done to all our stars this week …
Friends of SJSC
We are looking forward to another busy term of events. On Wednesday 21st May is the SJSC School Disco!
Timings and details will be confirmed soon.
We still need some volunteers to help out on the day (especially if you are Southwark DBS checked). Please email Nina: nmguni@me.com if you would like to volunteer, its really fun to see the kids having a great time on the dance floor!
Thank you for all your support.
Notices
Notice for adults with girls in Year 6 who are interested in an exciting opportunity to sing with a choir at Westminster Abbey
We are pleased to share an exciting opportunity from Westminster Abbey.
St Margaret's Choristers, the first girls' choir of Westminster Abbey, offers exceptional training, a paid scholarship, and a uniquely enriching experience.
We are now recruiting for girls currently in Years 6, 9 and 11, to join from September when in Yr7, 10 and 12.
We welcome interested girls Yrs 6, 9 & 11 to our Chorister Experience Day 27th April 2025.
(The choir is complete in other year groups)
Although we are too busy to offer another Sunday for potential applicants to join in with the choir, any girls interested are welcome to come along to one of services - Sunday 6pm in term-time in St Margaret's Church, and Wednesday Evensong (arrive by 4.40pm for 5.00pm service - I can give you access to the Quire which is not available to the public) on Weds 23rd April and 14th May.
For talented girls who love singing, and willing to make a big commitment, this is a potentially life-changing opportunity.
Previous voice training not necessary - we audition for the sound of the voice and the musical potential to develop.
Applications open to end May - details and application form here.
Leaflet attached, links below.
Being a chorister means
gaining exceptional training in singing and musicianship
individual vocal lessons
singing in St Margaret's, Westminster Abbey and Parliament
learning wide repertoire across 500 years of music
making long-term friends in close bonding
from Yrs 8-12 receiving a scholarship payment of £500 a term plus £1,000 per year held for the girls when they leave in Yr 12.
The 24 girls in the choir, from schools across London, come together at St Margaret’s three times a week, Sunday afternoons and after school, to rehearse and sing at the weekly 6pm Sunday service in the church.
Hear the girls talk about what it is like to be a chorister, in our three films:
St Margaret's Choristers: 1. Our achievements , 2. Our musicality 3. Our experiences
See you next week!