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

• Back to School

  Sun 07 Jan 2024

  Good afternoon

  I hope that you have all enjoyed a lovely holiday. I look forward to seeing everyone back at school tomorrow. 

   

  Unfortunately, over the new year weekend storm damage led to power disruptions in the Laund Nook area. Several neighbours had no power and emergency repair work needed to be carried out by the power company to restore electricity. Part of this work has left a large hole just outside the main school gates that blocks the pavement across the front of school and makes entering the school difficult. 

  We contacted the power company last week, letting them know of the problems that our community would face when school re-opened. The power company let us know that they planned on completing the work and filling in the hole by Friday 5th January. However they still had not done so by lunchtime on Sunday 7th and therefore I doubt that it will be done by tomorrow morning. 

   

  With this in mind can I please ask that parents make every effort not to drive along Laund Nook tomorrow. Please park further away and then walk with your child to school. When walking please take extra care outside of school, the pavement is blocked and there is no option but to walk on the road to get around the obstruction. 

   

  I apologise for the inconvenience that this creates. We will contact the power company again tomorrow and share any information about planned completion as soon as we have it. 

   

  Mr. Averis

  Sunday 7th January - 2.30pm

   

• Cinema trips Friday 22nd

  Fri 22 Dec 2023

  Published at 7.50am - Friday 22nd December

   

  We are still planning for both groups of children to walk to the cinema today. There are still some strong winds and we might get wet, so please come in coats, but, at time of writing, there are no weather warnings in place. 

   

  Year three children and Hartington class from year 2 will go this morning. 

   

  Year one children and Glossop class from year 2 will go this afternoon. 

• Weather update - cinema trip

  Thu 21 Dec 2023

  Weather update – published at 10am – Thursday 21^st December 2023

   

  Due to the strong winds and yellow weather warning in place today we have unfortunately postponed the cinema trip for this afternoon. Year 1 children were due to go with Glossop class from year 2. The safety of the children is always our first concern and in a yellow weather warning for wind the MET office advise that we stay indoors as much as possible.

   

  Many thanks to the staff at the Ritz cinema for helping us re-arrange the trip to tomorrow afternoon.

   

  Therefore, on Friday 22^nd December children in year 1 and Glossop class in year 2 will be able to go to the cinema for their PTFA funded Christmas treat. The times will be the same. The children will leave school at about 12.45pm to start watching the film at about 1.15pm. They will return to school before the end of the day at 3.30pm.

   

  If you were due to walk to the cinema this afternoon, we will assume that you are able to still help tomorrow unless you contact us otherwise. If you were not helping and are now able to please contact the school today and we’ll let you know as soon as possible if we need your support.

   

  We apologise for the changes in plans and appreciate your understanding in this.  

• Nativity tickets update

  Tue 12 Dec 2023

  Published on Tuesday 12th December 10.45am

   

  Nativity tickets update

   

  On Friday 1st December we shared that all children would be given two tickets to each performance. Tickets then went home on Friday 8th with a letter about ordering extra tickets. CLICK HERE. 

   

  All parents that ordered extra tickets online over the weekend will be able to have what they ordered. All extra tickets ordered will be going home today. No further tickets will be issued.

   

  All performances start at 2.30pm.

   

  Due to the number of tickets issued we will have to be strict with adults turning up without tickets. The doors will open for each performance at about 2.15pm. Adults in the queue without a ticket will not be allowed in until just before the play starts at 2.30pm, so that we can ensure that all ticket holders have a seat.

  If you are bringing any pre-school children with you, they do not need a ticket but will need to sit on your lap for the production. Pushchairs will need to be left outside as we will not have enough space in the hall.

   

  The nativity plays will finish at about 3pm. Children will then go back to classrooms to get changed and can be collected at 3.30pm as usual from the normal places on the playground. Children can not be collected at 3pm at the end of the nativity play.

   

  Our PTFA will be selling refreshments during the afternoon and adults are welcome to stay in the hall from 3pm to 3.30pm, enjoying a cuppa, before collecting their children from the playground. All funds raised go to the PTFA. Many thanks to the volunteer parents for organising this.

• Christmas at St. John's

  Fri 01 Dec 2023

  Christmas festivities at St. John’s

  Now it is December, and we move into the final three weeks of term it is appropriate to share how we will help the children enjoy this exciting time of year.

  • Today and next week Christmas decorations have and will go up at school.

  • St. John’s postal service. To help with the sending of Christmas cards we ask children to use the school postal service. These will be open from Monday 11^th December. Children need to deliver their cards in the post boxes with the name and class of the child that the card is going to written on the envelope. Using this service means that cards are given out at the best time of day for the teachers, our post office monitors learn how to manage this exciting role and we can keep any rubbish to a minimum as cards are opened in the classroom rather than on the playground.

  • Our infant, nursery and reception nativities begin on Wednesday 13^th December. All of the dates for the nativities are on our online calendar. CLICK HERE. Next week we will begin to distribute tickets for these, each child will be given two tickets for each event.

  • Thursday 14^th December 5.30pm. PTFA Christmas fair for all families, with Father Christmas.

  • Monday 18^th December 7pm. Our traditional carol service at St. Peter’s church, featuring our school choir and Heage brass band. All children, friends and families are welcome – no tickets are required.

  • Week beginning Monday 18^th December. Annual, PTFA funded, cinema trip for all children in year one to year six. The dates when your child will be going to the Ritz cinema in Belper are on the online calendar. CLICK HERE. If you can help us walk safely to the cinema, please let your child’s class teacher know your availability. The teacher will then let you know if this help is required.

  • Wednesday 20^th December. Christmas dinner day and Christmas jumper day. Children are invited to wear a festive jumper instead of their normal school jumper.

  • Thursday 21^st December. PTFA funded Christmas party for reception and nursery children, with Father Christmas.

  As we did last year, we ask parents and children not to purchase gifts for any staff at St. John’s. We have published a letter sharing why we ask for no gifts to be sent into school. CLICK HERE.

  Finally, during the last week of term we look forward to children wearing any Christmas themed accessories such as festive headbands and tinsel ponytails. However, until Monday 18^th December please help us keep excitement levels to a minimum by continuing to support our uniform policy.

• iSingpop - listen to the children

  Fri 24 Nov 2023

  iSing pop have allowed us to share links to the album that the children recorded last month. 

   

  To listen to or download your children's debut pop album CLICK HERE. 

  You will need the password BELPER23 to access the recording. 

   

  The children are really enjoying singing the songs in assemblies and will enjoy signing them at home as well. 

   

   

   

   

• New iSingpop date

  Mon 06 Nov 2023

  We are pleased to be able to share that the re-arranged iSingpop concert for children in year 1,3 5 and 6 will now take place on Monday 20th November. 

   

  The times and all other arrangements remain the same as the original plans and can be found on our website - CLICK HERE. 

   

  • 5pm to 5.45pm rehearsal at St. Peter's church. 
  • 6.15pm - 7pm concert. 

   

  No new tickets will be issued, please bring your tickets with you for the original October 20th concert. 

   

  Many thanks to the team at iSingpop who are providing this new date and concert at no extra charge. 

• Flu immunisation today - Tuesday 24th Oct

  Tue 24 Oct 2023

  The health team have delivered hundreds of flu immunisation sprays to children today, Tuesday 24th October 2023, at school. They have asked us to share two messages with families. 

   

  1) The picture below helps parents identify any of the potential side effects they may notice in children who have had the immunisation today. 

   

  2) If your child was away today and missed their immunisation, or if you have changed your mind and would now like your child to receive the immunisation please ring 03333583397 and go to option 5, to book an appointment with the team. 

   

  

• Weather update - Friday 20th October

  Fri 20 Oct 2023

  Weather update – 1.15pm – Friday 20^th October 2023

  School day

  We are aware that the heavy rain is causing disruption on local roads in and out of Belper. The roads in the immediate vicinity around school are still clear and your children will be safe in school until the end of the day. However, considering the disruption on roads such as the A6, parents that are concerned about travelling are able to collect children between 1.20pm and 3pm.

   

  Please come to the school office and we will bring your child to you as soon as possible. You do not need to ring school to come and collect your child.

  Your child's attendance will not be affected. This afternoon's attendance at school is being recorded as a partial closure which means that the few children that may be collected early today are still potentially able to get a 100% attendance score at the end of the year.

   

  All children in school at 3pm will be in school safe until the end of the day and can be collected as normal at 3.30pm

   

  iSingPOP

  We have made the very difficult decision to postpone tonight’s concert at St. Peter’s church. We realise that this will be upsetting for families, children and staff. It is important to us that we all enjoy the concert safely and happily and therefore have begun working with St. Peter’s to move the concert to an evening during the week beginning November 20^th. We will share more information about the re-arranged event as soon as we are able. Please keep all tickets as they will be transferred to the new concert.

  We have postponed the event due to concerns over weather conditions and the safety of staff and families travelling in difficult and potentially dangerous conditions this evening.

   

  Thank you for your support in both of these matters.  

• iSing pop concerts - tonight and tomorrow

  Thu 19 Oct 2023

  iSingpop concert help – published 9.45am -  Thursday 19^th October

   

  As we share this information our children are in the ‘recording studio’ recording their own CD that parents can purchase from iSingpop. Details of how to purchase this CD are on a letter that came home in September. CLICK HERE.

   

  Two other letters came home in September with details about times for the two concerts.

  • Thursday 19^th concert letter for children in reception, year 2, year 4 and year 6 – CLICK HERE

  • Friday 20^th concert letter for children in year 1, year 3, year 5 and year 6 – CLICK HERE

   

  A couple of parents have asked us to help with a few questions that we are pleased to answer.

   

  • Children can bring a water bottle with them. Each class will have a box to safely store them in.

  • Children are to wear their school uniforms.

  • When dropping your child off for the rehearsal, please take their coat with you and then bring it back when you pick them up.

  • Please don’t get to the church early.

    • We will only be able to let children into the church from 4.50pm for the rehearsal.

    • Families won’t be able to come into church for the concert until 6pm at the earliest.

  • Children will stay in the church between the rehearsal and the concert with staff. When parents and families arrive, you’ll go straight to find a  seat, your children will be on stage ready to start performing at 6.15pm.

  • Free parking is a 5 minute walk away at the Coppice Car park – DE56 1FZ.

  • At the end of the concert children will be dismissed one class at a time. Please can parents stay in their seats until we call their child’s class. Children and parents can then meet each other in the church entrance area. Children will only be able to leave church with an adult.