Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Letter from Mrs O'Rourke

  Tue 25 Nov 2025

  Dear Families and Friends of St John’s,

  This has been a hugely successful Term 2, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every member of our school community. Your support, encouragement and partnership have been deeply appreciated, and they continue to make St John’s the vibrant, faith-filled community we are so proud to be.

  This term has been marked by many successes across the school. Most notably, we welcomed our Section 48 inspection team last week. I am incredibly grateful to everyone—staff, pupils governors and families—for the warmth, honesty and openness shown throughout the process. The inspectors spoke highly of the ethos and spirit within our school, and we look forward to sharing the full report with you as soon as it is released in the coming days.

  I would also like to thank the large group of parents who took the time to complete the questionnaire. Your responses were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of Catholic education at St John’s, and your affirming comments mean a great deal to us. They strengthen our resolve to continue placing Christ at the centre of all we do.

  Across the school, the children have worked with enthusiasm, creativity and determination. I am especially proud of our Year 6 pupils, who represented St John’s so brilliantly on their residential visit to Skern Lodge. Their maturity, teamwork and joyful spirit were noted by everyone who worked with them, and they were exemplary ambassadors for our school. It was also noted by the instructors that the children’s den building was very impressive – thank you OPAL!

  This Friday our whole staff team will be taking part in a dedicated yearly RE Training and Development Day with Sr Judith Russi. This will be a valuable opportunity to reflect together on our mission and to deepen our understanding of how we continue to shape and strengthen Catholic education for every child entrusted to our care. Please note school is closed all day this Friday.

  As we approach the sacred season of Advent—our time of waiting, hope and joyful expectation—I would like to end with a prayer:

   

  Advent Prayer

   

  Loving God,

  As we enter this season of light and promise,

  Open our hearts to welcome Your presence anew.

  Guide our preparations, calm our busy minds,

  And help us to recognise You in one another.

  May our school community grow in faith, hope and love,

  And may the peace of Christ fill our homes this Advent.

  Amen.

   

  Wishing you and your families a peaceful and hope-filled Advent season.

  With every blessing,

  Mrs O’Rourke

• Year 5 and 6 Singing

  Tue 25 Nov 2025

  Year 5 and 6 Singing

   

  Our Year 5 and 6 pupils have been busy developing their singing with the generous support of members from our parish. Together, they have been practising a range of beautiful hymns in preparation for our Children’s Mass, which was celebrated on Sunday 16th November.

   

  The children sang with confidence, clarity, and joy, and their hard work truly shone through. We are grateful to our parish volunteers for sharing their time and musical talents.

  

• First Holy Communion Enrolment

  Tue 25 Nov 2025

  First Holy Communion Enrolment

   

  The next First Holy Communion and First Confession preparation programme at St John the Baptist will start on 29^th January and run on certain Thursday evenings at St. John’s Parish Centre until June (dates will be given to parents upon registration).

   

  If your child has been Baptised and is in school year 3 and above you can enrol them by filling in the online form: First Holy Communion Registration 2026 Alternatively, the form can be found on the St John the Baptist parish website: www.stjohnthebaptisttrowbridge.co.uk

   

  Deadline for registration is 5^th December. There will be no registrations past this date. Baptism certificate’s need to be emailed to Eve in the Parish Office to complete your registration: trowbridge.stjohnthebaptist@cliftondiocese.com

• Rise Theatre Visit

  Tue 25 Nov 2025

  Rise Theatre Visit

   

  On Wednesday 12th November St John's were treated to a visit from a Catholic theatre company called Rise Theatre. They were here to help the children learn about the Catholic Social Teaching themes that are embedded in the teaching and learning of the school.

  Through performance which used puppetry, film, theatre and song the children followed the journey of a fictional school child as he looked for hidden gems through interactions with characters such as Ivor Bigbrain, a junk shop owner, a trawler fisherman and the Saint, Oscar Romero.

  The children went further in the workshops in their classrooms which focused on Dignity of the Person and Rights and Responsibilities. Thanks to the Friends of St John's who provided the funds for the day's activities.

  

• Chaplaincy Day at Clifton Cathedral

  Tue 25 Nov 2025

  Chaplaincy Day at Clifton Cathedral

   

  On Thursday 20th November, our Chapel Champions enjoyed a very special trip to Clifton Cathedral.

   

  Bishop Bosco celebrated Mass with us and then commissioned our new leaders for the year ahead.

   

  The children were wonderful ambassadors for our school - respectful, prayerful and joyful throughout the day. We are incredibly proud of them.

   

  Thank you to the governors who attended and supported the children on this memorable occasion.

  

• Letter from Mrs O'Rourke

  Wed 22 Oct 2025

  Dear Families,

  As we come to the end of our first autumn term, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the many blessings we have shared together over these past weeks. It has been a truly joyful and enriching start to the academic year, filled with vibrant learning, deepening faith, and a real sense of community.

  Our classrooms have been alive with curiosity and creativity. From exploring new books to solving tricky maths problems, our children have embraced every opportunity to learn and grow. We’ve seen children flourish in all areas of the curriculum, supported by dedicated staff who continually go above and beyond to provide a broad, engaging, and nurturing education.

  Faith continues to be at the heart of everything we do. Our prayer life this term has been especially rich, with children leading beautiful reflections and acts of worship. Whether it has been through classroom prayer, whole-school liturgies, or our weekly assemblies, we have seen our pupils grow in confidence and spirituality.

  It has also been wonderful to witness the many leadership opportunities our children have embraced — from school council members to eco champions and house captains — showing maturity, responsibility, and a real desire to make a difference in our school community.

  Our wider curriculum has been buzzing with activity. Year 2 have enjoyed weekly swimming sessions, showing fantastic progress and resilience. Forest School continues to thrive, running twice a week and offering children the chance to connect with nature and build valuable life skills. Our Year 3 and 4 pupils in Love Class have been developing their musical talents by learning the violin, which has been a delight to hear drifting down the corridors.

  We’ve also had some wonderful local visits and experiences — from tasting new cuisines at local restaurants to inspiring support from the Ramsbury Hub and local authority to enhance our reading and phonics provision. These partnerships have had a real impact on our children’s learning, and we are deeply grateful.

   

  We are also blessed with the ongoing support from our fantastic parent community and dedicated governors. Your engagement and encouragement are felt in so many ways — through your attendance at events such as the House Saint afternoon, the Year 5 Reading Breakfast, the EYFS Parent Pilgrimage and Welcome Service, and the Upper Key Stage 2 class Masses. Thank you for walking alongside us in the formation and growth of your children.

  This term, we also say farewell to a few much-loved members of staff.

  Mr Coleman retired after 12 years of service to St John’s Catholic Primary School. Mr Coleman supported children across the lunchtimes ensuring every child could enjoy a hot meal or packed lunch alongside their friends. He also supported the play and looked after our grounds. We are blessed with the support and service he has shared with the school community. We wish him well on his retirement and look forward to hearing about his travel plans and adventures!

  Mr Miller, who has been a part of the St John’s family for an incredible 22 years, will be retiring at the end of this term. His commitment, kindness, and unwavering support for the children and staff have made a lasting impact, and he leaves behind a legacy of care and service that we will always remember with gratitude. We wish Mr Miller every happiness in the years ahead and hope he enjoys his new adventures and travel plans.

  Ms Byrne, who has worked tirelessly in the school office for the past five years, is also moving on. Her role has been vital in ensuring the school runs smoothly every day. From organising trips and first aid to being a friendly face to parents and staff alike, she has kept the wheels of the school turning and the children safe. We wish her every happiness in the future.

  We also say goodbye and thank you to Miss Williams, who has completed her maternity cover with us. Her dedication and warmth have helped ensure our youngest children had the very best start to school life. We wish her well as she moves on to a new role in another school.

  Looking ahead, we are delighted to welcome back Miss Fallows, who will be working in Understanding Class every Thursday and Friday. We are also pleased to announce that Mr Mike Brown has been appointed as our new caretaker and will begin his role at the start of Term 2. We warmly welcome him to our St John’s family.

  As we now look forward to a restful half-term break, I want to thank each and every one of you — staff, parents, governors, and most of all, our wonderful children — for making this first term such a special one.

  May God bless you and your families with peace, rest, and joy this holiday.

  With every good wish,

  Mrs O’Rourke

• EYFS Welcome Service

  Wed 22 Oct 2025

  EYFS Welcome Service

   

  Foundation Stage children and parents had their EYFS parent pilgrimage and Welcome Service. It was a wonderful occasion full of singing, prayers and smiles! It was fantastic to be joined by Fr Richard and many of our older siblings who helped lead us in our worship.

  

• Toasting Mr Miller

  Wed 22 Oct 2025

  Toasting Mr Miller

   

  Pupils took part in toasting marshmallows with Mr Miller on his last day as caretaker of St. John’s.

  

• Letter from Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 10 Oct 2025

  Dear Families,

  It has been a fantastic start to the term, filled with learning, celebration, and a real sense of community. We’ve been delighted to welcome a number of visitors into school, including Fr Richard, representatives from CAFOD, Fairtrade, Wiltshire Local Authority, and our School Governors. Each visit has enriched our pupils’ understanding of the wider world and strengthened the important links between our school, the Church, and our local community. We are blessed with the team who go over and above in their work to ensure every child has opportunities above and beyond the statutory curriculum. I know you will share this view,

  We are also thrilled to share some wonderful news! This week we heard that our school has been awarded the National Silver Healthy Schools Award – a recognition of our ongoing commitment to promoting children’s wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, and positive choices. This achievement has been driven by the dedication and leadership of Mrs Warren, and we are incredibly proud of all that we do to be guardians of children’s childhood, wellbeing, and health.

  In addition, we are delighted to have achieved the National Music Mark, celebrating the richness and quality of our music curriculum. This success reflects the passion, creativity, and commitment of Miss O’Mahony, whose leadership has inspired our pupils to develop their musical talents and confidence.

  As we move through October, we also celebrate this special month dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. On the Feast of the Living Rosary, all of our children took part in the Aid in Church Challenge, joining together in a moving and beautiful act of collective prayer. It was a moment of great faith and reflection, as the whole school prayed the Rosary together. Children in Key Stage 2 were gifted their own set of rosary beads to take home, encouraging them to continue praying and reflecting with their families. Moments like this remind us of the deep spiritual life that underpins everything we do as a Catholic school community.

  As we celebrate these successes, we also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of keeping our children safe at the start and end of the school day. Our school is situated on a very busy main road, and it can be extremely dangerous when drivers make U-turns or take short cuts outside the school premises. Please help us to keep all our children safe by driving and parking considerately — a few extra minutes can make a huge difference to everyone’s safety.

  Please take note of the dates for your diary including our first ‘Reading Breakfast’ for Year 5 children and their families on Wednesday 15^th October from 8.40am – 9.30am in the school hall. We also look forward to seeing as many families as possible at our first Children’s Mass on Sunday 12^th October at 10.30am at St John the Baptist Catholic Church – everyone is very welcome.

  Wishing you a peaceful weekend with your loved ones.

  With best wishes

  Mrs O’Rourke

• Harvest Service

  Fri 10 Oct 2025

  Harvest Service

   

  This week, our school community gathered for a joyful Harvest Service, led by members of our Chaplaincy Team. Together we gave thanks for God’s wonderful creation and the blessings we share. Our school choir led the hymns beautifully, helping everyone to join in with enthusiasm and joy. The whole school community participated wonderfully, reflecting on how we can show generosity and bring hope to others in our everyday lives. Thank you to the families who have donated boxes of cereal, which will be shared with the Trowbridge Storehouse to support local families in need — a true reflection of the harvest spirit in action.