Adapted from Matthew 21:28-32, The 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to one and said, ‘My son, go and work in my vineyard today.’ ‘I will not go,’ his son replied – but later he changed his mind and went. The man said the same thing to his other son, and the son replied, ‘Yes, I will’ – but he did not go. Which of the two sons did the will of their father?” “The first,” they said. Then Jesus said to them, “I tell you truly that those we consider outcasts are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God. Did not John the Baptist come to you, teaching what is right and true, and you did not believe him? Yet the outcasts believed him. And even then you did not change your minds and believe him.”
Attendance Award – Year 6 – 99% – Well done!
Whole School Attendance – 95.5%
Superstars of the Week!
Y1 – Rafael for his amazing story writing in English this week. “The Further Adventures of Naughty Bus!”
Y2 -Erid for being kind, helpful and thinking of others.
Y3 – Zeph for beginning Y3 with a positive attitude and aspiration towards his learning. Keep up the good work!
Y4 – Arlo for his responsible, mature and aspirational attitude, embodying the school values.
Y5 – Maria for her increasing independence.
Y6- All of Year 6 for your fantastic behaviour and effort during Residential last week!
Proud Work: 25/09/2026
Y1 – Jessica for her amazing Art work inspired by Piet Mondrian, using primary colours, black, white and geometric shapes! Well done Jessica! Mrs Curtis & Mrs Brooks
Y2 -Amelie for her introduction to a sequel to Goldilocks and the three bears. She used many different sentence starters to create her story.
Y3 – Ariana for her hard work and dedication to complete her story based on the book ‘Leon and the place between’ A role model for the rest of the class!
Y4 -Ameerah – well done for how you used different sources to gather and record so much information.
Y5 – Nuhan for his digital self portrait inspired by Andy Warhol
Y6 – Liz for demonstrating confidence and poise whilst reading during Mass. well done
Spelling Shed Certificate of Achievement
Y1 –
Y2 – Sophie
Y3 – Riley
Y4 – Elsa
Y5 – Evelyn
Y6 – Eden
Numbots
Kevlar:
Steel:
Brass:
Carbon Fibre : Aaron A
Titanium :
Copper : Lila T
Rust: Freyja W
Chrome:
Bronze:
Iron: Amelia T
Glass:
Times Tables Rockstars
Breakthrough Artist: Zephaniah A
Gigger : Ariana F
Wannabe: Toby M
Unsigned Act : Erin G
Busker: Riley O
Headliner : Nellie N
2026/27 Term Dates and key info!
Monday 28 September: Individual and Sibling School Photos (full, smart uniform)
Wednesday 30 September: Year 6 National Child Measurement Programme
Thursday 1 October: Flu Vaccinations 1-3pm (please see MCAS message to provide consent)
Wednesday 7 October: 9:15am – Open Morning for September 2027 starters
Thursday 8 October: World Mental Health Day – all children to wear green and/or yellow to school instead of uniform
Friday 9 October: INSET day
Tuesday 13 October: 9:15am – Open Morning for September 2027 starters
Wednesday 14 October: Harvest Festival – more info to follow
Monday 26 – Friday 30 October: Half-term
Wednesday 4 November, Thursday 5 November: Parent’s Evenings 3.45 – 6pm
Thursday 12 November: Dress Down for Resources Day – more info to follow
Sunday 15 November: PTA refreshments sale after the 9:15am Mass at church
Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 December: 2pm KS1 Christmas Play
Thursday 10 December: 10am KS1 Christmas Play
Thursday 17 December: KS2 Advent Service at church 2pm
Friday 18 December: end of term
To keep up to date with future school events, please visit the school calendar which can be found on the parents page on our website.
Hot Lunches Update
Please note that bookings are now open on FEED app from Thursday 1 October.
Census day is coming soon — and your choice really matters. The government calculates some of our funding using the number of school meals taken on that single day, so when your child has a school lunch it directly supports resources and opportunities for every pupil at St John’s. Our school menus are designed to be appetising and child-friendly, with healthy options and alternatives for dietary needs, to encourage uptake. Please help us by ordering a school meal for your child on census day; orders need to be placed the day before. If you’re unsure how to order, contact the school office and we’ll be happy to help.
Thank you — your support helps us live out our caring values and make the most of every pound for our pupils.
Please sponsor our wonderful Mrs Curtis as she runs her first HALF-MARATHON!
This Sunday, Mrs Curtis will be attempting her first ever Half Marathon at Barns Green! She has been training all summer, in the heat and it has been tough! But it is for a very good cause: she has donated funds to St Catherine’s Hospice with her entry fee. And Mrs Curtis would also like to fundraise for our wonderful school as we are suffering yet more cuts to our already over stretched budget.
If you can kindly donate any amount, however small, to Mrs Curtis’ Just Giving link, we would be extremely grateful.
School Photos – Monday 2 October 8:45am
School Photos will be taking place first thing on Monday morning. Please ensure your children arrive on time to school and in full, smart school uniform. For anyone who has PE on Monday, please could they bring their PE kit in a suitable bag and then they’ll get changed in school.
Join the Friends Association
Help make school life even richer for our children
Our warmest thanks to the Friends Association committee who have just stepped down after a hugely successful tenure. Their energy and commitment have made a genuine difference to life at St John’s — from the new climbing frame and SEND resources to the Children’s Parade, the new Hut and contributions towards school trips and many more contributions . These wonderful, visible improvements for our pupils were only possible because parents and carers gave a time to lead, plan and raise funds.
Why we need a new committee now
The Friends cannot operate without a committee. With the current group standing down, we urgently need new volunteers to step forward so that events and fundraising can continue. If no committee is formed, many of the activities our children love — discos, movie nights, summer and Christmas fairs, and the small but vital financial contributions to school life — simply cannot happen.
What the Friends do (and why it matters)
- Organise child-centred events that build memories and school spirit — discos, movie nights, fairs, seasonal events.
- Raise funds that buy resources and experiences schools cannot always afford from the budget: last year’s donations supported the climbing frame, SEND resources, the Children’s Parade, the new Hut and helped with school trip costs.
- Create connections between families and staff so parents get to know one another and feel part of the school community.
- Support the school’s vision and values — joyful, aspirational, confident and caring — by bringing families together in a practical, positive way.
A friendly ask — not a big commitment
We know families are busy. Committee roles can be flexible and shared so no one carries the load alone. Typical roles and time commitments might include:
- Chair or co-chairs — guide the team, one or two hours a week (more around event time).
- Treasurer — oversee income and expenditure; a few hours a month.
- Events lead(s) — plan and coordinate specific events (can be shared by a small team).
- Class reps — help with communication and small tasks; often just a few hours per term.
We welcome small regular contributions of time (help on a stall, set-up/clear-up on event days) as well as people who can take a committee role.
Why you should consider it
- You’ll see the direct impact of your time and ideas on children’s school days.
- It’s a brilliant way to meet other parents — especially helpful in a school like ours where families move in and out frequently.
- It strengthens the sense of community between home, school and parish and supports our mission of ‘moving forward together’.
- The outgoing committee members are still at school and are happy to support, share templates and their experience of events and planning. You would not be on your own taking it on.
How to get involved
If you’d like to find out more or offer your time — even a small amount — please contact your class rep. Alternatively, speak to Mrs Farr on the gate before or after school and she will happily share more information. If you’d prefer to start by helping at one event, say so — every hand helps.
Thank you
St John’s is a stronger, kinder and more joyful place because parents make it so. If you can spare even a little time, please do step forward — for our children, for our community, and for the next generation of school memories.
With thanks from the school leadership and the whole school community.
Many thanks
Mrs Farr
