Year 2 have been lucky enough to enjoy photography sessions with expert, local Mumbles photographer Mr Jack Moyse!
We began by taking portrait images of each other using a camera on a tripod and then explored using healthy and unhealthy foods for some still-life shots!
We enjoyed learning about and using the different equipment that Jack had brought.
We look forward to working with Jack regularly and creating a Cynefin project during after school clubs!
Diolch Mr Moyse!
We are very excited and proud to be part of Neath Port Talbot Council Child Development Funding Programme of Activities.
NPT Council has created this programme to bring opportunities to children under 5 and their families who have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. And we at Tiny Toes Ballet are so very happy to be offering free sessions throughout March to those children from 6 months to 5 years in Port Talbot, Alltwen, Skewen and Longford.
We hope to bring the fun and magic of tiny toes ballet along with the social interaction of our classes for the children and parents, that have lacked just that throughout the pandemic.
Bookings are open NOW for our March session in the NPT district.
Year 2 celebrated a wonderful St. David’s Day Mass on Tuesday with Father Andrzej.
It was a special Mass where were able to take part by reading the Bidding Prayers.
We look forward to returning to Mass in Church in the future! We are very grateful that Father Andrzej brought the Mass to us in our classroom. What a special celebration to mark the Feast of Saint David.
This week is Children’s Mental Health Week (7-13 February 2022).
Here are a recommended list of books to explore with your child if they are experience any worries or anxieties.
Wherever Jenny goes, her worries follow her — in a big blue bag. They are there when she goes swimming, when she is watching TV, and even when she is in the toilet. Jenny decides they will have to go. But who can help her? A great book to use with anxious children as it helps sort worries through and make them seem more manageable. It emphasizes that we all have worries and what to do about them.
Little Bear is a worrier. He worries about everything! But with Mama Bear’s help, he soon learns his worries are not so big after all.
Through this engaging and beautifully illustrated story, children will learn that everyday worries and fears can be overcome. It just takes a willingness to share with a helpful listener, and an understanding that making mistakes is how we learn.
Also included are helpful Discussion Questions for parents, caregivers and educators, and extra hints to help children manage anxiety.
A fantastic book to help children understand what actually happens in their brain when they experience anxiety. Kids can do amazing things with the right information. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does, and where the physical symptoms come from, is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. This book is an amazing resource for kids 5 years and above who feel anxious and overwhelmed by those feelings.
We have completed our filming for the Easter Passion Play! The year 2 children have led the play beautifully using our outdoor area. Reception and Year 1 classes have also worked exceptionally hard to learn songs for the play.
D.V.Ds are available to purchase for £5. Please return the envelopes provided as soon as possible. If for some reason the DVD does not work, if you bring a USB stick to school, Miss Wellington can put the film onto it for you.
Please see below a letter from Aled Evans, Director of Education.
All classes, Nursery – Year 2 will return on Monday 22nd February 2021.
Please see letter from Director of Education
Dear Parent / Carer,
You will be aware that the Welsh Government has agreed that all schools should
move to online learning until January 18th.
Schools will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners;
our special schools will also remain open, subject to risk assessment, as will our
Learning Support Centres. Please discuss individual circumstances with relevant
head teachers.
Schools remain safe settings. They operate under scrutinised risk assessments and
apply robust control measures based on the four key protective behaviours of
hand washing, social distancing, ventilation and the wearing of face coverings.
These behaviours remain effective in reducing the spread of the new variant of
the Covid-19 virus if adhered to correctly.
However, we also know that education settings being open can contribute to
wider social mixing and given that infection rates remain high in NPT, we
welcome the decision to migrate to online learning.
Our schools have prepared well for online delivery and we are confident that the
provision will be stimulating and relevant, building on your children’s previous
learning.
We would strongly urge all parents / carers to engage with schools in order that
their children fully benefit from home provision or, where applicable, access
learning at their school setting.
Educational provision will continue and learning will be scheduled on a daily basis
modelled on normal practice. We strongly advise that all pupils prepare for their
school day as they would normally and to attend their remote learning provision
in the exact same way as they on a school day.
We expect the Welsh Government to review its decision over the next week or so
and in light of decisions already taken by other UK governments, it is reasonable
to expect that this arrangement could be extended. It is therefore vitally
important that remote learning is not viewed as a short gap arrangement and all
pupils should participate in this provision in order to continue with and progress
their education.
Your children’s teacher will still be guiding their learning at this time. Please
follow what the school is setting. You should speak to your children’s school first
if you want additional help and advice about how to support their learning. Your
children’s teachers know them well and will want to help, for example with advice
about:
• the best way to support your children’s learning
• how to access help for their specific needs
• what to do if you or your children have questions about their work
• what to do if you or your children are feeling overwhelmed about school
work
• what to do if you do not have access to a suitable internet-connected
device to access online learning activities from home (help is available to
support families via your school or local authority).
Your children’s school should always be your first point of contact and if you are
contacting your children’s school or teacher you should use the communication
channels your school has set up for this.
We expect schools to be delivering a mix of learning opportunities, which will
include where relevant, recorded and / or live lessons, a range of digital
communication and sign-posting to learning resources. We expect schools to
contact pupils individually where this is deemed necessary and to discuss progress
in learning with both pupils and parents / carers.
The effectiveness of this provision will be measured, in significant part, by the
extent pupils engage with it. Pupils have a key part to play in making this
experience meaningful.
We acknowledge that these are challenging times in our lives. However, learning
must continue to be a key priority for children and young people. These
arrangements can be made to work effectively and can benefit our pupils – your
children.
Whilst we all have a responsibility to stay at home wherever possible and adhere
to the restrictions placed by Welsh Government to suppress infection rates, we
also have a responsibility to ensure that learning continues to light even our
darkest of days.
Yours sincerely,
Aled Evans
Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning,
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
A letter from Ms B.
Re: REVISED ARRANGEMENTS FOR JANUARY AT ST JOSEPH’S INFANT SCHOOL
31st December 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Following discussions with Welsh Government officials, the Local Authority has decided that all schools in Neath Port Talbot will not return to school for face-to-face teaching until Monday 11th January. Therefore, we will be providing online learning for our pupils. However, face to face learning will be provided for vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers from Wednesday 6th January 2021. If you child falls into either of these categories, please text reply CRITICAL WORKER COVER.
Therefore, to ascertain numbers of pupils attending/ bubble formation, from Wednesday 6th January 2021, could you please contact me by 3pm on Monday 4th January 2021. Please take into consideration when making your decision that every child that can be safely cared for at home should be.
As 2020 comes to an end; I would like to take this opportunity to once again, to thank you all for your support, in what has been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone. I wish you all a happier, healthier, and more positive 2021.
Take care, stay safe!
Yours sincerely,
Ms J Beaumont
Dear parent / carer
Please see letter below
Letter re change start date 2021
Re: BEGINNING OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS AT ST JOSEPH’S INFANT SCHOOL
Dear Parent / Carer
Following advice from Welsh Government and Neath Port Talbot Local Authority, schools are to be closed to all pupils for 2 days immediately after the Christmas break to assess staffing levels and prepare for the new term in light of ongoing concerns surrounding COVID 19. As such St Joseph’s Infants will be closed for all pupils on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th January. All pupils will return to school on Wednesday 6th January following the same arrangements as was carried out in the Autumn Term.
N.B. If there is a change in this date we will inform you on the 4th January. However, the school will still be open to vulnerable learners and children of critical workers on Wednesday January 6th and we emphasize that it is important for them to attend.
Please be alert for symptoms of COVID-19 in your child. If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild.
Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus
Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing
For general information on COVID-19 https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus
The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help
With best wishes,
Ms. J. Beaumont – Headteacher
Dear parents,
Please see the letter below explaining an extension to isolation period for Year 2 children and staff.
Dear Parent or Carer,
Re: Contact of confirmed case of COVID-19 in Saint Joseph’s Infant School.
NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect trace everyone who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
Your child has been identified as a contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and will now need to self-isolate for 10 days from 8th – 18th December 2020. By identifying contacts and asking them to self-isolate for 10 days, we will reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 from those contacts to their family, friends and the wider community.
Self-isolation advice requires your child to stay at home, not to go outdoors to exercise, to visit shops, family or friends, or to other public spaces. Please do not invite people to your house. Further information on self-isolation can be found in the link at the bottom of this letter.
If your child remains well then the other members of the household do not need to isolate and can continue with their normal activities. If your child is still well at the end of the 10-day period of self-isolation, they can return their other usual activities.
To reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading, there are things that everyone in your family can do to help. These include:
Please be alert for symptoms of COVID-19 in your child, which are:
If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild:
Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus
Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing
For general information on COVID-19 https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus
The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help
With best wishes,
Ms. J. Beaumont – Headteacher