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 [email protected] . (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