Every day is Open Day at St Joseph's - please email the Admin Team if you would like to book a tour of our school.
Login

PTA

Autumn 2 2025

Week commencing 15th December 2025

What a lively and memorable end to the term in Year 6! This week has been full of learning, creativity, celebration, and reflection, all guided by the values of faith, hope and love.

 

Monday

We began the week with DT, bringing our interactive game boards to life based on designs from previous weeks. The children showed real enthusiasm and creativity as they constructed and began coding their projects. In the afternoon, we practised for the Carol Service, preparing songs and readings and reflecting on the message of faith at the heart of Christmas.

 

Tuesday

Tuesday was a special day as we made Christingles, and it was a real success! The children were focused and thoughtful as they learned about the symbolism of each part. Even without our Reception buddies, they approached the activity with care and positivity. Later, we had our Carol Service dress rehearsal and live performance. Despite being a small class, most children sang beautifully, and everyone read clearly and confidently, showing real hope and courage.

 

Wednesday

Wednesday brought festive cheer with Christmas lunch, followed by the pantomime Sleeping Beauty. While some children enjoyed the performance more than others, the K-pop Demon Hunters references didn’t appeal to everyone. Even so, the day was full of shared laughter and festive spirit, giving plenty of opportunities to show love and patience for different tastes.

 

Thursday

Thursday was a day of determination as we completed our DT projects. Many groups encountered coding issues, which tested our resilience, but the children persevered, supported one another, and kept trying. Their perseverance and teamwork were fantastic examples of hope in action.

 

Friday

We ended the term on a joyful note with Christmas Jumper Day. The morning began with a lively Santa Breakfast, filling the classroom with excitement and smiles. We then came together for the Celebration Assembly, recognising achievements from across the term and reflecting on how far the children have come. Later, we evaluated our finished DT projects, thinking carefully about what worked well and what could be improved. The day finished with a well-earned class Reach treat—watching Man vs Baby with snacks—rounding off the week with laughter, love, and a strong sense of togetherness.

 

As we come to the end of the term, we would like to wish all our families a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for your continued support throughout the term. We hope you enjoy a peaceful and joyful break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the New Year, refreshed and ready for the exciting learning ahead. 

Week commencing 8th December 2025

It’s been an incredibly busy but exciting week in Year 6 as we edge closer to Christmas. The children have thrown themselves into every activity with enthusiasm, resilience and plenty of festive cheer.

 

One of the highlights of the week was watching the KS1 Nativity. It’s always a pleasure to see the younger children shining on stage, and Year 6 loved supporting them and reminiscing about their own performances from years gone by.

 

In DT, we prepared detailed, step-by-step instructions for our Micro:bit game boards. The class worked carefully and thoughtfully to plan out their builds, ready to make and evaluate them next week.

 

In History, Year 6 completed their evacuation letters, showing deep empathy and understanding of the experiences of evacuees during the Second World War. Their writing was heartfelt and incredibly impressive.

 

We also headed over to the church to practise for our Carol Service. Despite being a small class, the singing was fabulous—beautifully clear, confident and full of warmth.

 

In RE, we explored the O Antiphons, discussing their symbolism and significance during Advent. The children showed wonderful insight as they reflected on the meaning behind each one.

 

In English, we finished our flashback stories, and the children had the joy of sharing them with their Reception buddies. It was lovely to see the younger children so engaged and the older ones reading with such confidence.

 

In Maths, we focused on accurate drawing, using protractors, rulers and precise measurements. Year 6 showed great resilience as they tackled tricky angles and technical drawing skills.

 

Finally, this week was Assessment Week. The class approached their English and Maths tests with determination and a really positive attitude. We are extremely proud of their aspirations and delighted to see so many children improve on their previous scores.

 

As part of our whole-school “Look Who’s Talking” project, Year 6 pupils took part in class heats where they delivered speeches on a wide range of exciting topics, from Why Football is Maths, Komodo Dragons, and The Red Baron, to modern interests like Roblox and the Wednesday character. They explored careers such as Vets, debated Animal Rights, and shared insights on Dogs as Pets. Nature and science featured too, with talks on Puffins, Wood, and Crocodiles, while creativity shone through in speeches about Hairspray and the sport of Fencing. Every topic reflected curiosity, confidence, and individuality—making this project a truly enjoyable celebration of speaking and listening skills.

 

Well done, Year 6—what a fantastic week!

Week commencing 1st December 2025

This week has been full of exciting learning experiences for Year 6! In PE, we worked on developing our hockey skills through small-sided games. These games helped us focus on moving the stick smoothly, passing accurately to teammates, and blocking shots by positioning ourselves well. Playing in smaller groups made it easier to practice these skills while having fun and working as a team.

In RE, we explored Psalm 23, written by David, who later became a joyful king. We reflected on how David trusted God completely, even in difficult times, and how his joy came from faith and gratitude rather than riches or power. This reminded us that God cares for us like a shepherd cares for his sheep, and we thought about how we can find joy in our own lives.

History lessons took us back to World War II as we learned about the experiences of evacuees. We imagined what it would feel like to leave home and family behind to live with strangers in the countryside. Feelings of fear, uncertainty, and homesickness were common, but there was also excitement and gratitude for kindness. To help us use empathy, we wrote letters as if we were evacuees, describing our thoughts and feelings on the first day away from home.

In DT, we planned the final design for the product we’ll make in the last week of term. We created annotated drawings and thought carefully about shape, structure, materials, and the finish to make our designs neat and professional. We’re excited to bring our ideas to life soon!

Maths lessons continued with angles inside shapes and the properties of 2D shapes. We practiced calculating angles and spotting features like sides, vertices, and symmetry. Shapes are everywhere—so we challenged ourselves to look for them in everyday life, from road signs to windows and tiles.

In English, we wrote flashback stories inspired by a short clip called Monkey Symphony. Our focus was on making dialogue sound natural and creating interesting openers to grab the reader’s attention. Flashbacks helped us add depth to our characters and make our stories more engaging.

On Wednesday, we had an exciting assembly where we got to see the Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy up close! It was amazing to learn about what will be happening during tournament – especially in Bristol! Many of us felt inspired to try cricket ourselves and think about the dedication it takes to reach the top level in sport.

Finally, we also continued practising our Christmas carols and working on our class poem. The singing is sounding beautiful, and the poem reading is coming together wonderfully. We can’t wait to share these with everyone at the carol service.

Week commencing 24th November 2025

 

What a fantastic week it has been in Year 6! The children have shown empathy, enthusiasm and high expectations across all areas of their learning.

 

In English, we completed our Purple Assessment by writing a poem linked to World War II, focusing carefully on figurative language and poetic devices. We have also begun exploring a new genre: fictional flashback writing. The children particularly enjoyed retelling The Gas Mask, once again making meaningful links to our WWII topic.

 

In History, we deepened our understanding of life on the Home Front by examining a range of historical sources. The children asked thoughtful questions and demonstrated real curiosity about what life was like during this time.

 

On our Respectful Advent Retreat, we travelled between different rooms and took time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The children were wonderfully respectful and gained a deeper understanding of why this season is celebrated.

 

In Maths, we started the week working on fractions, decimals and percentages, tackling some tricky problem-solving questions — and the children even asked for more! We then moved on to angles, revisiting our sticky knowledge that angles at a point add up to 360° and angles on a straight line total 180°.

 

And finally… Christmas is on the horizon, which can only mean one thing: the carols have begun! The children are already bringing festive cheer to our classrooms and corridors.

 

Well done, Year 6, for another brilliant week of learning, kindness and curiosity. 

Week commencing 17th November 2025 

It’s been another brilliant week in Year 6, full of creativity, curiosity and thoughtful discussion, and of course we've been REACHing in all areas. I’m going to share a few of our afternoon sessions to give you a flavour of what we’ve been exploring together. On Monday, we began working with the micro:bits, experimenting with their features and learning how to program them in preparation for designing our own DT games in small groups. The children were full of ideas and enthusiasm as they started imagining how their coding skills could shape their final designs. We also had our first music lesson of the term considering celebrations - our improvised tunes at the end of the session actually sounded quite melodic!

 

In PE, we enjoyed our last netball session of the term. This final lesson brought together all the skills we’ve been practising, and the class took part in match play that showed real teamwork, control and communication. It was a great way to finish the unit.

 

Science saw us move into practical investigations after carefully planning our enquiries. The children explored what happens when more components are added to an electrical circuit, testing predictions, observing closely and drawing thoughtful conclusions from their results.

 

In history, we learned about the events leading up to the start of the Second World War, exploring why the conflict happened and how Neville Chamberlain came to announce that Britain was at war. We also learned a little about Hitler and how he managed to rise to power. The children made strong links to their recent work on Parliament during REACH, helping them understand how governments and political systems shape major world events.

 

During our REACH activity itself, we continued our work on Parliament, looking more closely at the powers the government holds. We also spent time considering issues that matter to us personally. The children wrote with real maturity about their concerns, showing strong awareness and empathy.

 

In RE, we continued following the story of David, moving from his life as a young shepherd to his role as king. We reflected on how his humble beginnings shaped him into a joyful and prayerful leader. The children explored scripture with sensitivity and insight, weaving these ideas beautifully into their work.

 

A fantastic week all round—well done, Year 6!

 

Week commencing 10th November 2025 - A Week of Reflection, Respect, and Learning

Monday

We started the week with a powerful live lesson linked to Anti-Bullying Week, focusing on our motto: “Use your power for good.” The children explored what this means in everyday life and shared ideas about how small actions can make a big difference. Inspired by these discussions, they wrote thoughtful poems about kindness and respect. In Maths, we began assessment tasks to check our understanding of different areas of the curriculum—an important step in seeing how far we’ve come and what we need to work on next.

Tuesday

Tuesday was a day of reflection and pride as we held a Remembrance Service. Parents and carers from Year 6 and Reception joined us for this special occasion. Every child spoke beautifully, and the service truly showcased the values of our school. Father Philip’s words during Thursday’s Mass—“We remember because we care”—echoed throughout the day. In Maths, we continued with assessment tasks, giving us another chance to show what we’ve learned so far.

Wednesday

Midweek brought a mix of subjects and skills. In Science, we prepared for an investigation involving bulbs, thinking carefully about what we would need and predicting outcomes. In English, we focused on VCOP grammar, learning how cohesion helps our writing flow smoothly. Meanwhile, Maths reintroduced us to factors—a concept we must remember as it forms the foundation for many future topics.

Thursday

Thursday was all about making connections across the curriculum. Our grammar lesson introduced semi-colons in lists, and it was fantastic to see pupils applying this new skill in their RE work later in the day. In History, we began our first lesson on World War II, considering chronology and setting the stage for this important topic. In Maths, we shifted our focus to multiples, building on the work we did with factors earlier in the week.

Friday

We ended the week with energy, teamwork and a cake sale with our reception buddies! Our Anti-Bullying Week activities included team games designed to build trust and reinforce our week’s motto: “Using our power for good.” During Outdoor Learning (which was indoors as it was rather wet!), we reflected on the impact of litter and took action by considering the rubbish that we collected last week —showing that small steps can make a big difference to our environment.

Well done, Year 6! It’s been a week full of learning, respect, and teamwork. We’re proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by everyone.

Week commencing 3rd November 2025

This week in Year 6 has been brilliant. With so many exciting learning opportunities, creative moments, and meaningful reflections, our classroom has been a hive of activity. Through it all, our values—high expectations, resilience, confidence, aspirations, and empathy—have guided us every step of the way.

English: Persuasion and Purple Writes

This week, we’ve just begun exploring persuasive writing, and the ideas have already started flowing! Inspired by Room 101, we’ve been thinking about what we’d love to banish forever—so far, suggestions have included rain, litter, mobile phones, and even Labubus (a class favourite!).

We’ve been learning how to use persuasive techniques like emotive language, rhetorical questions, and strong arguments to make our case. It’s been brilliant to see the children showing confidence in sharing their opinions and building their skills with such enthusiasm.

Later, we completed our Purple Write, retelling suspenseful stories filled with tension and atmosphere. These stories were a culmination of weeks of planning and drafting, and some children even shared theirs aloud during our residential trip—an act of true resilience and bravery!

Maths: Coordinates and Transformations

In Maths, we explored coordinates and the fascinating world of translating and reflecting shapes. The children tackled challenges with determination, showing high expectations for their own learning and supporting one another through tricky problems. Their aspirations to master these concepts were clear in every lesson.

RE: Exploring the Book of Samuel

Our RE lessons took us deep into the Old Testament, focusing on the Book of Samuel. We started to explore the lives and leadership of Samuel, King Saul, and King David. Through discussion and reflection, the children showed great empathy.

Science: Electricity Sparks Excitement

Our electricity unit is off to a bright start! This week, we’ve been learning how to draw circuits using the correct scientific symbols, and the children have shown great attention to detail and resilience as they practised representing components like bulbs, switches, and batteries. Understanding how circuits work and how to communicate them clearly is a key part of our learning, and the excitement in the room as we began using real equipment was fantastic. The children’s curiosity and confidence in exploring these new concepts have really shone through.

Remembrance: Honouring with Heart

As Remembrance Day approaches, our class has been deeply engaged in preparing for this important event. We’ve worked alongside our Reception buddies to create meaningful artwork, and we’ve been practising poems and songs that honour those who served. The empathy and care shown by our Year 6 pupils—especially in supporting the younger children—has been truly heartwarming.

We’re looking forward to welcoming families and friends to our Remembrance event. It promises to be a moving and memorable occasion.

Eco-Event Friday!

This week, Year 6 took part in a special eco activity focused on stewardship and caring for God’s creation. We began with an assembly reflecting on the importance of looking after our planet, inspired by the idea that the Earth is a gift from God and it’s our responsibility to protect it. Afterwards, we put our words into action by taking part in a litter-picking task around the school grounds and the local area. Armed with litter pickers, we worked together to make our environment cleaner and more beautiful. It was a great reminder that small actions can make a big difference, and that we all have a role to play in looking after the world around us.

Author Visits: Inspiration from Sian Hughes and Roger McGough

We were incredibly fortunate to host two inspiring book events this week:

  • Sian Hughes visited to read from her book, share her journey as a writer, and lead a hot-seating interview activity. The children asked insightful questions and showed great confidence in engaging with her ideas.
  • Roger McGough, the legendary poet, gave a one-hour session that left us all inspired. His wit, wisdom, and wordplay were unforgettable. To see such an incredible poet in action was a moment of true aspiration for our budding writers.

Here’s to another week of learning, growing, and making memories together!