Welcome Back!
Dear Children, Parents and Carers,
A very warm welcome back to school! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break.
It has been a real pleasure to see our school filled with energy, smiles and enthusiasm once again. I’m delighted to say that the children have had a very positive start to the new term. They have returned with great attitudes, showing curiosity in their learning and kindness towards each other. Whether they are returning pupils or are new to our school community, they have settled in extremely well, and we are so proud of how quickly they have adapted back into our school systems and routines.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. We are looking forward to an exciting term ahead, filled with new learning opportunities, creativity and shared successes. To find out what is happening in your child’s class this half term, and what they will be learning about, please read your child’s class newsletter which has now been uploaded to google classroom.
Have a lovely weekend,
Miss Gladstone
Geography Fieldwork
This week, KS2 conducted fieldwork to explore the human and physical geographical features of the local area and make comparisons between Hackney and their geography topics.
Years 3 and 4 used their data to create maps and bar charts on land usage in the local area. Year 5 and 6 used their fieldwork data to create pie charts to show initiatives Hackney has implemented to protect the local environment and mitigate global warming.
By conducting this fieldwork, the children will be able to identify similarities and differences between geographical features in the UK and The Amazon, North and South America, Africa and The Arctic.
Spiritual Corner
This week in our spiritual corner, we focused on building the most complex, tallest tower using building blocks.
Our word of the week was determination and the children had to think of ways they could show determination each time their towers got knocked down.
We then had some reflection time and discussed what determination meant and how it was sometimes difficult to show determination.
We ended with all the children saying their own prayers.
Gardening Mornings
This week, we have launched our gardening mornings. Each morning, some children will help Mr Bartek to monitor and maintain the beautiful flowers and plants growing across our school grounds.
This week, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 had the opportunity to use our brand new watering cans to water and observe the growth of the plants that have recently been planted.
The children were incredibly excited to water the plants and found it was a calm, exciting way to start their day of learning!
Digital Wellbeing Resources
The Netflix show Adolescence has opened up the conversation within education and amongst parents to the digital pressures young people face every day and the impact on mental health and wellbeing. These topics are complex and difficult to navigate but ultimately as caregivers, it’s our responsibility to stay educated so we can guide our children safely through the ever-changing digital world.
Please find a link below to a resource page with practical advice, conversation starters, and useful insights to help parents navigate the various challenges the series brings to light. These resources will empower you to effectively support and nurture your child’s digital wellbeing.
If you have any questions, please speak to a member of the SJSJ Safeguarding Team.
Year 4 Writing Sample
For our writing topic last half term, we were writing a character description based on some of the characters we see in Arthur and the Golden Rope by Joe Todd-Stanton. We were describing the characters from Arthur’s point of view.
Have a look at some of the writing that Umut in Year 4 has created with lovely prepositional phrases and a range of figurative language.
I have succeeded my goal. My impossible and now possible goal. Above the clouds, sitting high is Odin. Odin is as helpful to me as all the Gods combined! Odin is as powerful as a superhero! I handed over the jars with loads of powerful things. Then I imagined all the villagers cheering me on for saving the town. Arthur! Arthur! Arthur! Yes, that is what I am thinking. Odin focused hard. More harder than I realise. Then I saw it. It was bright and gold. So so powerful. It was the golden rope.
OPaL Coffee Morning
We’d like to invite all parents and carers to join us for our OPaL Coffee Morning, where you’ll have the opportunity to find out more about the OPaL (Outdoor Play and Learning) strategy. Cath Prisk, who is our OPaL mentor, will be leading the session and sharing information about the background of OPAL, the importance of play and how the school is being supported through the programme.
Date: Tuesday 29th April 2025
Time: 9:00AM
Location: Multi Purpose Room – please come to the school office to sign in and Miss Nifa will take you through.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Punctuality
School starts promptly at 8:55am and we expect all children to arrive on time ready to learn. Punctuality is more than just being on time; its a vital life skill that fosters discipline and responsibility. Arriving late can disrupt the learning environment, and causes students to miss essential instructions. Persistent lateness may lead to a a referral being made to Hackney Education which may result in a possible fine being issued. If you are experiencing any difficulty please let us know.
School Uniform
As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a smart, inclusive and focused learning environment, we’d like to send a friendly reminder about the school uniform policy here at St John and St James.
Our school uniform consists of the following items:
- Grey trousers or black jogging bottoms
- Grey skirts or tunics
- Plain red, white, or grey socks or tights
- Red or white polo shirts, shirts, or blouses
- Red sweatshirts(with or without the school logo)
- Red cardigans(with or without the school logo)
- Sensible black shoes
- Plain black trainers
During the summer months, children are also permitted to wear:
- Grey school shorts
- Red and white gingham summer dresses
Please also be reminded of the following additional guidelines:
- Footwear must be black, either sensible shoes or plain black trainers.
- Jewellery should not be worn, except for small studs in the ears.
- Hair accessories should be simple and in keeping with the uniform (e.g., plain headbands, clips, or ties).
- Tights or socks should be plain red, grey or white.
We appreciate your support in helping ensure that your child arrives at school in the correct uniform each day. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.
Thank you for your continued cooperation in maintaining our school’s standards.
Best wishes,
SEND Coffee Morning – Supporting Communication And Social Skills
On Friday 9th May, 9.15 – 10.15, we will be hosting the second of our SEND Coffee Mornings. The theme for this Coffee Morning is – Supporting Communication and Social Skills.
This will be a brilliant space for us to share experiences, positive stories and also provide an insight into school strategies when supporting communication and social skills.
This is open to all parents, tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided!
Weekly Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for teaching us how to be determined. Please help us be more determined in times of need and continue guiding us onto the right path.
Amen
Keeping Our Children Safe at Home and In School
Mr Watson is our school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.

If Mr Watson is not available, you can always speak to one of our school’s Deputy Safeguarding Leads:
- Miss Gladstone
- Miss Bienias
- Miss Rees