Newsletters

Summer 1 Newsletter

Summer 1 Newsletter

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Dear All,

Wow, what a whirlwind of a term it’s been! It may have been short, but we’ve packed in so much fun! We’ve celebrated with amazing events like The Big Sing, VE Day celebrations, Year 2 assemblies, and the Year 1 trip to Daventry Country Park. Plus, Year 2 had a fantastic time with the Great Fire of London experience. Reception has their trip to the Butterfly Farm to look forward to next term, which will form the basis of all of next term's learning. All these exciting adventures not only enrich our children’s learning but also make each day full of joy and smiles! 

In the next half term, we will start preparing for the upcoming academic year. Our Move Up, Stay Up days are scheduled from July 16th to July 18th. During these days, the current Reception and Year 1 children will meet their new teachers, while Year 2 children will visit their new schools. This is a valuable opportunity for the children to meet new faces, get accustomed to new systems and routines, and explore their new classrooms. The aim is to support the children's transition, ensuring it is smooth and that they feel supported throughout the process.

This week, we had a safeguarding audit, and it went brilliantly! The auditor chatted with our Designated Safeguarding Leads, some staff members, and, most importantly, the children. She was so pleased to see that the well-being of our children is at the heart of everything we do—it truly shines through in our school community! Gardener Kit came up in the conversation too. Some of our children shared their thoughts on our values, how safe they feel here, and what to do if they ever feel uncomfortable. They also talked about friendships and behaviour. It’s wonderful to see those conversations happening!

Wishing you a wonderfully relaxing half-term holiday! Fingers crossed that the rain holds off this week—it just doesn’t seem fair to have gloomy weather during our break! Get ready, though, because the last half-term of the school year is just around the corner, and it’s bound to be a busy one. Enjoy your time off!

Mrs O'Shea

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The arrival of the ducklings sparked a sense of wonder and curiosity amongst the children, who eagerly observed the fascinating life cycle unfold before their eyes. From eggs to hatchlings, and as they grew into fluffy ducklings, each stage captivated the young observers.

The Reception classes have been engaging in a wonderfully creative and educational activity with "The Greedy Rainbow." By writing and recording news reports, the children are not only enhancing their understanding of the text but also developing important communication and collaboration skills.  The children have been extremely enthusiastic.

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The Year 1  trip to Daventry Country Park included experiences where the children got to explore nature, pond dipping to observe aquatic life, learning fire-lighting skills, bug hunting to discover different insects, and enjoying a picnic outdoors. It was a great way to connect with nature and enjoy time with classmates!

The children walked for miles on this day- I think they all slept well on Tuesday night!

Several of our Year 2 students took part in the Big Sing at the Derngate Theatre, performing in front of an audience in a theatre setting.

After months of dedicated practice, their hard work truly paid off. Their performance was confident and brought immense joy to the audience through music!

Our school had the amazing opportunity to take centre stage at the event and share the sign language version of "Can You Hear My Voice"! It was such an honour! The children showed incredible courage, performing in front of nearly 1,000 people. What a memorable experience for everyone involved!

Creepy Castle is a favourite, so we are going to teach it to the rest of the school.

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At St. James, we always focus on our school values, and this term, we’ve really focused on sharing those values in the lunch hall! We’re encouraging everyone to remember a few simple things: still sitting, use indoor voices, raise your hand when you're finished, enjoy your own food, and of course, don’t forget those magic words: "please" and "thank you." 

When children show these values during lunch, they have the chance to be invited to sit at the Top Table! Thanks to everyone's efforts, our lunch hall has been a lovely and peaceful place where friends can chat and enjoy their meals together. Keep up the great work, everyone!

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Next year's term dates are available. Term dates | West Northamptonshire Council

Please bear these in mind when booking holidays as the County is fining families for taking term-time holidays.

To have 'good' attendance, the children need to be in school for 96% of the school year. 

We’re excited to announce that Buttercups class is this term's Attendance Treasure Chest winners! You’ve done an amazing job, winning the attendance cup three times this half term—way to go, everyone! You'll get your pirate treats to enjoy next half term! Remember, good attendance means awesome learning! Keep it up! 🎉

 

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We’re looking forward to some fantastic fundraising events coming up this term: the sponsored bounce, the end-of-year disco, and Break the Rules Day! We can’t wait for all the fun our children will have while helping us raise money. With the funds we raise, we hope to buy more playground equipment. The children love the equipment we purchased last term, and they would be thrilled to have even more to enjoy! Thank you for your support!

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We rely heavily on donations. Please keep checking in with our Amazon Wishlist to see if you are able to help. We currently have a few playground items on the SJIS shopping list. Thank you. 

https://amzn.eu/7CjshUH

This is a great opportunity for you to be involved in the school's life. The Christmas and Easter Tombola's are our major fund-raisers, but smaller events are held throughout the year, such as discos, cake sales, sponsored events, and film nights. This enables the school to purchase various items to enhance the children’s education and experiences in school. We believe the children all really benefit from the money raised and always enjoy the events we run.

Phone: 01327 702783
Email: FOSJ@SJIS.inmat.org.uk

You would be very welcome if you would like to attend a committee meeting.

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Please remember to order school lunches by 9.30am. Dolce will send out charges if they are not ordered in advance. 

Our children look so smart in their school uniforms. We do have many items for sale so please ask us if you need anything. 

We talk about road and pavement safety with the children. Support them with getting to school safely by using the zebra crossings.

Our school have a FOSJ account with Skitkins. These labels are indestructible for labelling all items- water bottles, clothes, bags. Please use these details: School fundrasing number to add to orders is 19752, as we gain commission. 

The play equipment is not to be used before and after school.

If you know anyone who may be interested in joining our Poppies class in 2025 or 2026, please see the office for a form. We are already so busy for the coming years.

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