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

• House Saints Afternoon

  Fri 09 May 2025

  House Saint Afternoon

   

  We will be having our next House Saint afternoon on Monday 12^th May. At 2.50pm the school will be on the playground to pray and sing together. You and your families are all very welcome to join us in the celebration. You may wish to join in us in saying the same house prayer verse as you child. 

   

  Loving God,

  Thank You for our school,
  A place of faith, learning and friendship.

  Guided by the example of St. Francis,
  May we be instruments of peace, caring for all creation.

  Inspired by St. Mother Teresa,
  Teach us to serve with love,
  Seeing You in everyone we meet.

  Following St. Don Bosco,
  Help us to live with joy and kindness,
  Always encouraging and supporting one another.

  Like Blessed Carlo Acutis,
  May we seek You in all we do,
  Using our gifts to share Your light with the world.

  Bless our school community,
  That we may grow in faith, wisdom, and love,
  Becoming Pilgrims of Hope, people You call us to be.

  Amen.

   

  We will be singing 'Hope' if you would like to join 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_t5xitQjIc 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Letter From Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 25 Apr 2025

  Dear Families,

  A very warm welcome back to the summer term! I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful and joyful Easter break with your loved ones. It has been a delight to see the children return to school so smartly dressed and full of enthusiasm – thank you for ensuring they were so well prepared for the term ahead. Their pride in their appearance reflects their readiness to learn and be part of our wonderful school community.

  As we return to school, we do so with heavy hearts following the sad passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Each class has taken part in a special time of reflection and prayer, and we have come together as a school to honour his life, his leadership, and his deep commitment to love, peace and compassion. The children are inspired to become Pope Francis’s pilgrims of hope. We invite all members of our school community to join us for a Mass this evening at 6pm in St John the Baptist Catholic Church, where we will continue to pray for his soul and give thanks for his wonderful service to the Catholic Church and Catholic education.

  As part of our commitment to continued professional development, our staff team took part in a Training and Development Day on Tuesday 22^nd April focused on deepening our faith and teaching of Religious Education during this Jubilee year. During the day we were fortunate to hear an inspirational talk from James Shone, founder of the I Can & I Am charity. James shared powerful insights about self-belief and resilience, and we are excited to welcome him back in June, when he will be working directly with our Year 5 and 6 pupils.

  I would also like to express heartfelt thanks for your generous support of our Easter Raffle and Penny Challenge organised by the Friends of St John’s. Together, we raised over £700 with some of the money   supporting Dorothy House, a local charity close to our heart that provides compassionate care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses. Your contributions will help make a real difference – thank you.

  Before the break, we were blessed to share some very special moments as a school community. Thank you to all the mothers and motherly figures who joined us for the EYFS Mother’s Day service – your presence made the occasion truly memorable for the children, and it was a beautiful celebration of the love and care you give every day.

  We also want to commend our Year 5 and 6 pupils who led the Stations of the Cross reflection with such  reverence, maturity, and thoughtfulness. Their leadership and reflection during this important part of our Lenten journey helped the whole school community prepare our hearts for Easter in a truly meaningful way.

  As we look ahead to the summer term, we are excited to continue our weekly Book Club Fridays supported by the Friends of St John’s Catholic Primary School. These sessions provide a wonderful opportunity for  children to explore a love of reading, select a book alongside their friends, and build confidence in their literacy skills. We encourage all pupils to bring in a few pennies to save towards a book of their choice and enjoy the joy of reading!

  As ever, we step into this new term with hope, joy, and a shared commitment to growing together in faith, learning, and love.

  With every blessing,

  Mrs O’Rourke

   

   

   

• Desert to Garden – Wednesday 2nd April 2025

  Fri 25 Apr 2025

  Desert to Garden – Wednesday 2^nd April 2025

   

  To celebrate Lent, on Wednesday 2nd April, our Years 5 and 6 pupils led prayerful reflections for the whole school, focusing on Jesus’ final week on Earth – Holy Week. With clear Gospel readings, confident voices, and thoughtful leadership, the children guided the younger children through meaningful activities that brought the Easter story to life. Younger pupils commented on how brave, helpful, and inspiring the older pupils were. A huge well done to Years 5 and 6 for being such wonderful role models!

   

  

• EYFS Mother’s Day Celebration

  Fri 25 Apr 2025

  EYFS Mother’s Day Celebration

   

  On Friday 28^th March Foundation Stage had a wonderful Mother's Day Celebration. The children showed their appreciation and love through song and prayer. There were not many dry eyes in the house!

   

  

• Summer Uniform

  Fri 25 Apr 2025

  Summer Uniform

   

  During the summer term pupils are invited to wear the summer uniform.

   

  A gold polo shirt with a logo and brown shorts should be worn with shoes or sandals (3/4 length shorts and Bermuda or surfing shorts are not acceptable).  Socks must be worn at all times.

   

  A yellow and white checked dress may be worn (white shorts may be worn under dress) with either white or dark shoes or sandals. Again socks must be worn at all times.

   

  No children are allowed to wear trainers unless they are taking part in a PE lesson.  Jewellery must not be worn with the exception of a watch and one small pair of stud earrings. Nail varnish and dyed hair is not allowed and fashion or extreme hairstyles are not permissible, long hair to be tied back.

   

• Letter from Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 28 Mar 2025

  Dear Families,

  I hope this newsletter finds you well. Term 4 continues to bring us new opportunities and we are thrilled with the progress the children are making in their faith journey, learning and of course play! Over the past few days  we have been delighted to welcome three external visitors to work with the school team to monitor our outcomes and provide challenge. We make know apology of being highly ambitious for all children. The feedback from the visits included: 

  'Thank you for a great day working with your team at St John’s Catholic Primary School. You are such a strong team and are always so reflective on how you can make learning the most effective for your  children'. Ramsbury Hub Specialist Literacy Group, Department  for Education 

   'Across all areas seen during my visit, there were clear threads that are building consistency in teaching and pedagogy. As a result, progress can be evidenced and pupils are enjoying their learning. The school is to be commended on the   success of the implementation of OPAL. 'Wiltshire Local Authority School Advisor

  It goes without saying  we are blessed with our dedicated and talented team of adults who constantly strive to improve outcomes for all children and develop the change makers and leaders of the future that our world so desperately needs.  

  As part of our ongoing commitment to the safety and well-being of all our pupils, I would like to take this opportunity to share some important updates and reminders regarding safeguarding at St John's Catholic School.

  Keeping Our Children Safe

  Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We work hard to ensure that our school remains a safe and supportive environment where all children feel protected and valued. Our staff receive     regular training on safeguarding procedures, and we encourage all members of our school community to be vigilant and proactive in promoting child welfare.

  Online Safety

  This week we have added additional information to the newsletter in connection to Online Safety - please do take the time to read. With children spending increasing amounts of time online, it is essential to remain aware of potential risks. We encourage parents to:

  · Regularly check privacy settings on devices and social media platforms.

  · Have open discussions about online safety and responsible internet use.

  Monitor the apps and websites children access to ensure they are age-appropriate.

  We also teach online safety as part of our curriculum, empowering children to navigate the digital world safely.

  Mental Health and Well-being

  Supporting the emotional well-being of our pupils is a priority. We have a dedicated team that provides support to children who may need help managing their emotions, stress, or any concerns they may have. If you feel your child needs additional support, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  Reporting Concerns

  We all have a responsibility to safeguard children. If you have any concerns about a child’s safety or well-being, please speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Mrs O'Mahony. Concerns can also be reported anonymously via our school safeguarding email address

  Preventing Absenteeism and Promoting Attendance

  Regular school attendance is crucial for a child's education and overall well-being. We kindly remind parents to inform the school immediately if their child is absent and to work with us to address any attendance concerns.

  Holidays and long weekends away during term time can not be authorised, please continue to support our ambition for all children to achieve a minimum of 96% attendance rate.

  Working Together

  Safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and we appreciate the role parents and carers play in keeping children safe. By working together, we can ensure that our school remains a secure and nurturing place for all.

  Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our team.

  Best wishes,

  Mrs O'Rourke

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Easter Raffle

  Fri 28 Mar 2025

  Easter Raffle

  St. John's Catholic Primary School is hosting an Easter Raffle to support Dorothy House. The raffle will be drawn on Friday 4^th April during Celebration Assembly. Year 5 and 6 Leaders will sell tickets near the outdoor classroom during break and  lunchtimes throughout the week leading up to the raffle. Tickets are priced at 50p each or £2.00 for a strip.  Prizes include   Easter eggs, toys, and cuddly teddies. ​

  Dorothy House is a wonderful local charity offering compassionate care and support for individuals with life-limiting illnesses, focusing on enhancing quality of life and providing comfort to patients and their families.​ The care the hospice provided for our dear friend and colleague Mr Smith will be forever remembered. 

  If any family would like to donate an Easter prize we would be delighted to receive them, please drop into the office Team before Friday 4^th April.

  We invite all pupils and parents to participate in this meaningful event to support a very worthy cause.

   

  

• Lent Penitential Service

  Fri 28 Mar 2025

  Lent Penitential Service

  Today the children and adults gathered together for our Penitential Celebration.  The choir once again sang beautifully and the psalm was sung by four of our Year 5/6 girls. At this time during Lent we gather and together and listen more closely to God’s word, and reflect on our lives in the light of that word. It is also a time for contemplation, for being attentive to those things that at other times we cannot find time to focus on. The children showed great reverence throughout.  

   

   

  

• Mass and Liturgy

  Fri 14 Mar 2025

  Mass and Liturgy

  As a school family we gathered together for our Ash Wednesday Service in the school hall led by Fr Richard. It was a powerful start to our Lenten journey.

  On Friday 7th March we celebrated our Feast Day Mass in the Parish Church alongside parents and parishioners. The children sang and responded so reverently to the celebration and during the day enjoyed an extra long morning break.

  Thank you Fr Richard for your continued support and guidance in the prayer life of our school.

   

• KS1 Geography Showcase – Tuesday, 1st April

  Fri 14 Mar 2025

  KS1 Geography Showcase – Tuesday, 1st April

  We are excited to invite KS1 parents into the classrooms at 2:45 pm on Tuesday, 1st April for a special Geography showcase! The children will be sharing their learning about animals around the world and exploring the important work of ‘The Pangolin Man’ in Uganda as part of our CST stewardship project. This is a fantastic opportunity to see their work and celebrate their learning—hope to see you there!

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   KS1 Geography Showcase – Tuesday, 1st April

  We are excited to invite KS1 parents into the classrooms at 2:45 pm on Tuesday, 1st April for a special Geography showcase! The children will be sharing their learning about animals around the world and exploring the important work of ‘The Pangolin Man’ in Uganda as part of our CST stewardship project. This is a fantastic opportunity to see their work and celebrate their learning—hope to see you there!