St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletterst-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/... · 2015-04-24 · St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletter

St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletter

Volume 5

Friday

24 April 2015

Letter from the Principal

Dear Families and Friends

The summer term got off to a busy start. Last week our Resurrection Liturgy was a joyous

occasion with Alleluia being let out of the box! Alleluia is not sung

during Lent and to help our learners remember this, it is shut up in a

chest and a great ceremony is made of letting it out, much to the

appreciation of the learners, who sang heartily. Just this week I came

across a copy of the resolution all at St. Joseph’s learned by heart at the

Millennium. I was struck by how appropriate it was for the beginning of

the church year and our summer term. Here it is:

Let there be …

Respect for the earth

Peace for its people

Love in our lives

Delight in the good

Forgiveness for past wrongs

and from now on a new start.

The weather has been so glorious over the past two weeks that the Bluebells have rushed out.

The woods around the school are a carpet of blue. If you get the chance try to get out to visit a

Bluebell wood over the weekend – you will not be disappointed –

they are only with us for a very few weeks.

The Family Learning Coffee morning this

Wednesday looked at Positive Behaviour

Support strategies that are useful to use at

home. Friends and families found the

information really useful. If you weren’t able to

get there but would like further support with this

please contact Sarah Kennedy, our Home School Link Worker.

As you will see from the article inside we have again been

shortlisted for not one but two categories in the TES Award.

Jan and Magda, the teachers who put together the entries, are

very excited already about attending the Gala Dinner in

Mayfair, London, when the winners will be announced.

With our love and best wishes,

Amlets Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7DH

Tel: 01483 272449 Fax: 01483 276003

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.st-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk

St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletter Page 2

Contents

Page 2 Staff News

Page 3 More Staff News; TES Schools Awards

Page 4 Big Schools’ Birdwatch; Autism & Nature; Bilbo and Bambam join St. Joseph’s

Page 5 Staff Profile: David Purcell

Page 6 St David’s class enjoy a game of Badminton; Resurrection Liturgy

Page 7 App of the Week; Sainsbury’s Active Vouchers Reminder

Page 8 Goodwood Race Report; Wild Science Visit

Page 9 Staff Consultation on changing the school year; Reminder from the Surgery Team; Play it

again, Jaden!

Page 10 & 11 St Joseph’s Flames, First International Football Match - Report and Photos

Page 12 Dates for the Diary

David Purcell, new Head of RE and Drama

David joined St. Joseph’s last week as the new Head of Religious Education and Drama. He says he has been

made to feel very welcome by everyone; learners and staff alike.

David’s background has been largely in Catholic education, both as a class teacher and as a head teacher. He

has worked in schools within this Diocese and also in London. His subject specialisms, and indeed his passions,

are in RE, English and Drama. He enjoys music and singing too and plays the guitar. He hopes to combine this

with his work in RE and Drama. After receiving such a warm and welcoming start, David says he feels sure that

he will love being part of such a wonderful community.

David has completed the Staff Profile this week, see page 5 to find out what his favourite biscuit is.

Emma Bush

Teaching Assistant

Ventura Romero

52 Week Care Worker

Huw Powell

Teaching Assistant Joe Kettell

Teaching Assistant

Congratulations go out to Elizabeth Paoli

(pictured right) for passing her Masters degree

with distinction! The Masters course Elizabeth

undertook was on Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviour which teaches

a scientific approach for supporting learners who may present with socially

significant behaviour. The course looked at effective ways to reduce

challenging behaviours as well as effective ways of teaching new skills.

Elizabeth is the school’s Senior Learning Support Mentor and ABA Supervisor.

Elizabeth will be running an ABA Workshop at the Family Coffee Morning on

Wednesday 17th June, if you would like to find out more about the principles of

ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) do come along.


Claire Main, pictured left has just completed 10

years’ service at St. Joseph’s. Claire is a

member of the Domestic Team and helps keep

the School clean and tidy.

Today we say au revoir to Occupational Therapist, Briony Moore (picture left). After 19 months at St. Joseph’s Briony is moving on to a role working for the East Surrey Community Team. She will be working with people with Learning Disabilities as a Specialist Occupational Therapist.

We all wish her well.

TES School Awards 2015

As already mentioned by Mary in her Principal’s Letter we heard last week that we had

been shortlisted in two categories in the prestigious TES Schools Awards. Jan Durrant

has been shortlisted in the Community and Collaboration Award category and Magda

Diuczko in the Healthy School of the Year Award category.

For the Community Award the judges were looking for schools that demonstrate real

enterprise and work hand-in-hand with its local community and businesses. Jan’s entry

focussed on last year’s Cranleigh in Bloom initiative. For the Healthy School award the judges were looking

for an individual teacher or school with clear evidence of the value of adopting a

healthy food and physical activity culture. Magda had to demonstrate the link between

physical activity, food education and the food that is served within the school, as well

as any benefits and links to other curricular areas.

This year the awards ceremony is an evening event and will be held at the Grosvenor

House Hotel, Park Lane. After a champagne reception and dinner, the awards

presentations will start. This year’s Master of Ceremonies is yet to be announced.

So it is fingers crossed for the Friday 19th June.


Big Schools’ Birdwatch

Back in February we took part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch, an initiative organised by the RSPB. Over 90,000 pupils and teachers braved the cold and took part in counting the birds in their school grounds for an hour during the first half-term of 2015. Our most frequent visitor was the Sparrow but learners were also very lucky to see a Buzzard flying around the trees.

The results of the survey are now in, coming in at Number 1 was the Blackbird, followed by the Starling and the House Sparrow. Everyone enjoyed taking part in this project.

In the last newsletter we ran an article about

our involvement in a project with Autism and

Nature. The A5 booklet has now been

published - Visiting the Surrey Countryside - a

guide for parents and teachers of children with

autism.

As a thank you for taking part the author has

kindly given us enough copies for every family.

They will be distributed shortly.

Have fun exploring!

Bilbo and Bambam join St. Joseph’s

Bilbo and Bambam were rescued by Hydestile Resident Animal Hospital and have been adopted by Francesca Arocas as pets for the learners at St Joseph's. They are brother and sister and are very friendly and enjoy being handled. Learners have been playing with them and learning about how to care for them and what they eat.

If learners or staff want to borrow the rabbits for a weekend, either at home or in group please contact Francesca - they have a fully portable cage & run.

A couple of learners have already volunteered, Anila is having them this weekend and Jasmine next weekend. Staff have also started to volunteer, Hannah a TA in St. Christopher’s class is looking after Bilbo and Bambam the weekend after!


What type of person are

you?

Describe yourself in five words: Creative, funny, short, caring, musical

What’s top of your to-do list? See the pyramids in Egypt

What’s your favourite biscuit? Kitkat

What’s your top holiday destination? India

What wouldn’t you do for £1 million? I loathe snakes so anything involving snakes

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Alan Rickman

Complete the following sentences

The celebrity I’d most like to have as a teacher at my school is:

Victoria Wood

As a child I wanted to grow up to be: Any Egyptologist

My most embarrassing moment in school:

Getting caught by the deputy hitting my best friend over the knuckles with a ruler

If I’ve learned one thing, it is: God is indeed a God of surprises

I shouldn’t be telling you this, but …..

I used to like the group Bucks Fizz

Tell us your best Joke

Q What do you call a one-eyed dinosaur? A. A Doyouthinkhesaurus

David Purcell

Head of RE and Drama

creativecreativecreative

funny caring

short

musical


St. David’s class enjoy a game of Badminton

Last week St. David's class took part in a badminton event at Surrey Sports Park

in Guildford. Carol, our coach, showed us how to play the game starting us off

practicing some basic skills. All the learners were really engaged and none of

them wanted to stop playing. Nijan was the star of the day and he really enjoyed

having a go. Learners played against each other and against the pupils from the

other schools taking part. It was lovely to see the learners interacting well.

Report by Magda Diuczko

Resurrection Liturgy - report by John Wright, Chaplain

Last week we gathered as a school to celebrate the highlight of the Christian year. The

Resurrection! Jesus rising from the dead is the most important part of the year for us

because it holds for us the promise of new life. Jesus defeated the oldest enemy of

man, death itself. By being the first person to cross this threshold, he opened the way for us too. Death is no

longer the end for us, when we live close to Jesus, eternal life and happiness can be ours. This is the good news,

this is His promise and this is why we sing ‘Alleluia!’ meaning ‘praise God!’ Because when we know this truth, it

gives us something to sing about.

For our liturgy, we gathered together, with the alter in our chapel

mysteriously covered with a purple cloth, representing the tomb

Jesus was laid in. As we sang Alleluia for the first time since

before Lent, we saw Jesus rise victoriously from his tomb! Jesus

was expertly played by John one of our TA’s. This concluded

our Easter story, reminding us that death is not the end. Jesus

promises us life and happiness.

Now we eagerly await the end of the Easter

season, Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit comes

down from heaven to live in the hearts of all

believers to lead us closer and closer to the God

who loves us.

Wishing you a Happy Easter!


App of the Week - Touch and Learn - Emotions

Claire d’Urban - Jackson, Speech & Language Therapist

Touch and Learn - Emotions

This free app is great for identifying and talking about emotions. It helps learners

to understand facial expressions and link them to feelings.

‘Touch and Learn Emotions’ is a brilliant way to engage learners in learning about

emotions. It allows you to introduce new emotional vocabulary in a fun and

exciting new way. This App focuses on helping Learners read body language and

understand emotions by looking at pictures and figuring out which person is

expressing a named emotion. You can also personalise the photos on the App

with familiar people’s facial expressions.

Active Kids vouchers are only available in store or online

at Sainsbury's until Tuesday 5 May 2015, so please

continue to collect them for us. Make sure you round up

all of the vouchers you’ve got at home, in the car or in

your bags and send them in to us so we can get

counting. Thank you


Goodwood Race Report by Fairley Allan

Last Sunday our motor racing team, Flaming St. Joe’s, took our Greenpower

electric car to the Goodwood motor circuit. The event was a pre-season test and

practice session before we compete in the IET Formula 24 Southern England

Regional Heat on Sunday 14th June.

The Goodwood circuit is a long one – a lap is 2.4 miles, and it takes our car a little

over 7 minutes to get around it. So, what does that make our speed in miles per

hour?

All our drivers did really well, with no major incidents. Our drivers were:

Hannah, Luke D, Jamie, Jaden and Terry.

A huge thank you to the staff who supported us, and the learners who took

part. Please come and support us when we are back at Goodwood on

Sunday 14th June. Entry is free.

Lucy from Wild Science came in with a few friends last week; a Madagascan

hissing cockroach, a tarantula, an Amazonian Frog, Toffey the Corn Snake and

Silver the Hamster.

The afternoon was to reinforce topics that we had been covering in recent

science lessons; animal care and adaptations.

Learners had the opportunity to touch and handle all of the animals, except for

the tarantula.

Everyone got involved and really enjoyed the experience. Although, Toffey did

manage to almost empty the room when he came out of his box the first time!

We even had time to squeeze in a last-minute visit from KS2.

Report by Reggie Raven


Staff consultation on changing the school year

In response to requests from some of our learner families, the school leadership team considered how we could more effectively support learners and their families during the long summer holiday. As a starting point, we carried out an on-line survey of our whole staff, asking for their views on the potential of changing the school year by reducing the length of the summer break with a corresponding increase in the May and October half terms.

This survey was taken very seriously by staff, with an impressive 113 of them taking time to give their views. Whilst a slight majority of our staff felt a reduced summer break would be beneficial to our learners, there was a similarly slight majority who felt that extended half terms would not be beneficial to our learners. Overall the amount of staff who could or would be able to adjust to a changed working year, and the amount that could not – was roughly equal. The most consistent challenge our staff were faced with when considering whether they would be able to alter their working arrangements was how they would support their own families when our school was open to learners, but their own children’s schools were not.

The school leadership team fully considered the very detailed responses made to the survey questions and concluded that at this point, with only around half of the staff able to consider a change to their working arrangements, that this is not something we are able to offer at this time. However, the whole school community are mindful of the challenges that face our learners and their families particularly during the extended summer break and are committed to continuing to research ways of providing support in any way feasible. We will continue to review the situation and keep everyone informed of progress.

Now that the weather is getting warmer,

please can you send in bottles of sun cream

(clearly labelled and placed in a sandwich

bag) and a sun hat for your child to wear

when going outside.

Thank you.

Reminder from the Surgery Team

Play it again, Jaden!

Last Tuesday, Jaden (pictured) performed on the grand piano belonging to Nymans House at Handcross. He had an audience of the many visitors to this National Trust property who found his playing extraordinary, inspiring and moving (quotes from his audience). Jaden has been asked to make a return visit next Tuesday and he was more than delighted to agree.

The house itself resembles half of a medieval ruined monastery (due to a disastrous fire in 1947), but the part of the house which is still intact is full of ancient character and atmosphere, and further enhanced by how Jaden filled it with resonance from the beautiful piano in the darkly mysterious and reputedly haunted old family lounge.


Yesterday four players from our football team, the Flames, journeyed to Henin-Beaumont in Northern France to take part in a ‘Tournoi de Foot’ – a football tournament.

Travelling via the Eurotunnel, the four intrepid players plus teachers ‘Cesca Arocas and Fairley Allan arrived at the French sports centre in time for lunch with their hosts.

They then played two matches, with our side reinforced by players borrowed from the other teams. Although our side lost both games, the team was honoured with a handsome trophy acknowledging St. Joseph’s participation, plus individual medals, presented by the mayor of then town.

After a tour of a local special school to meet and speak to French children (the most common question was “have you met the Queen?”)! we ended the trip at a French Burger King – strangely similar to the English version!

Joey Bear accompanied us on our trip and he is now on secondment, he is pictured on the next page sitting on the school’s trophy cabinet.

Having left St. Joseph’s at 6.00 in the morning we were glad to get back, even though it was 10.30 in the evening!

St. Joseph’s Flames:

First International Football Match


Page 12 St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletter

Dates for the Diary

Summer Term

29th April Cross-Country @ St Nicholas’s School, Merstham

1st May Choices & Decisions Day for KS 5

4th May May Bank Holiday (school closed except for 38 week and 52 week learners)

6th May 2.45-3.15pm - Mary the Mother of Jesus Celebration (KS 4/5)

w/c 11th May Christian Aid Week

11th May 9.45-10.15 am - Mary the Mother of Jesus Celebration (KS 1/2/3)

14th May Surrey Girl’s Football Tournament at St. Joseph’s

20th May 10.30am - 12.00 noon - Family Coffee Morning - Numicon Workshop

2.45pm - Ascension & Pentecost Liturgy (All Key Stages)

22nd May Last Day of Term - Learners finish at 1.00pm

1st June Learners return to school between 10.15-10.30am

w/c 8th June Activity Week for KS 4/5

14th June Motor Sport (Kitcar) - IET Formula 24 Southern England Regional Heat @ Goodwood, Chichester, West Sussex

17th June 10.30am - 12.00 noon - Family Coffee Morning - ABA Workshop

20th June Motor Sport (Kitcar) @ RAF Merryfield, Ilton, Somerset (fixture to be confirmed)

21st June Cranleigh Show

29th June International Mud Day

27th June Cranleigh Carnival

30th June - 2nd July Autism Accreditation Review

3rd July Sports & Fun Day (including Transition Event KS 3 KS 4)

5th July Diocesan Golden Jubilee Celebrations @ Amex Stadium Brighton

9th July 7.00pm - Full Governing Body Meeting

14th July Bastille Day

6.00 - 7.30pm KS 1/2/3 Presentation Evening

15th July 10.30am - 12.00 noon - Family Coffee Morning - Theme to be confirmed

16th July 2.00pm - Leavers’ Mass followed by tea

20th July 6.30 - 9.00pm - Leavers’ Presentation Evening

21st July Last Day of Term - Learners finish at 1.00pm

The next newsletter will be published

on 8th May 2015

Documents

St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletterst-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/... · 2015-04-24 · St. Joseph’s Specialist School & College Newsletter