Epiphany

Happy New Year from all of us at St John's. We have been using art as a way to pray and began the year with some Visio Divina. 

Advent at St John's 

Our families have been enjoying the Advent Prayer Activities and Kindness Calendar. 

Mother Mary of God, Pray for us. 

The Cross Keys Choir 

Our school joined with pupils from St Edmund's to perform as the Music Hub's Cross Keys Choir for the Music for Youth Prom at the Royal Albert Hall. 

The singers put their faith into action by sharing a clear message: we must treat our world with respect; care for God's Creation and be the 'change makers'.

The children sang with complete conviction, their sound was full of spirit and hope. 

Two of our pupils signed the songs, making them accessible for all. 

We are so very proud of our current and past pupils. 

St John; pray for us. 

Worship leaders and some of our Year 6 children have been busy in the Prayer Garden, sprucing it up for this term and preparing it for winter. This is a quiet and peaceful area of our school that be enjoyed for prayer or quiet reflection. 

Year 2 led our Harvest Festival beautifully. Everyone enjoyed themselves and Father Thomas joined us for the first time.  He expressed his gratitude to Year 2 for doing such a wonderful job and he loved how expressive and spiritual the class were.  

Welcome Back!

We have already been busy at the Cathedral this month, singing as part of a special choir for the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain and then undertaking various ministries at the Cathedral for Education Sunday. We are always proud of our children and the way they represent our school. Thank you for all of the continued support you show the school community and parish. We were thrilled to see so many families and pupils wearing school uniform at the Education Sunday Mass and it was particularly joyful to witness the reception children process down the isle.  Thank you to all of the ex-St John's pupils that are always so willing to come and join in with the choir and readers. You are forever part of our school family. 

We also welcomed Year R into the hall for their first whole school assembly on behaviour and respect. The children always enjoy signing the new behaviour charter for the year and remembering that we want to be lights that shine out for all to see. 

The children from St John's and St Edmund's  have been busy at the Music for Youth National Festival in Birmingham, singing about Care for Creation and making positive change. They sang wonderfully and the festival mentors gave them excellent feedback about the theme of the songs. Two of our Year 6 pupils have also been supporting our musical community partners - Portsmouth Music Hub -  by stepping in at the last minute to compare a concert. It takes lots of courage and commitment to do this with little time to prepare. Well done St John's!

It was joyous to see some of our pupils from KS2 make their first Holy Communions during May. May God bless them on their spiritual journey. 

KS1 Celebration Assembly

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/8DL5yxuhCsJ3qp77?ref=Link

KS2 End of Term Assembly

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/z7c625ECDL2MaRBF?ref=email

This Lent, our school community is taking part in the CAFOD Big Lent Walk. Please join us in supporting our global brothers and sisters. 

Lent Big Walk Just Giving Fundraiser Page

One of our Year 1 pupils has been working on hard on getting sponsored and clocking up the kilometres!

This wonderful pair of siblings have been out on the seafront with their parents clocking up the kilometres for the Big Lent Walk. Super job!  

These fantastic sisters have been clocking up the kilometres at Staunton Country Park and Petersfield Heath. 

This super Year 2 pupil has been clocking up the miles along the Portchester coast path with his family. 

Some more group and sibling walks this Lent. 

Advent at St John's 

On the first Sunday of Advent, our children did a fantastic job of leading the music, readings and assisting in the Offertory during the 12 O'clock Mass. It was wonderful to see so many of our families there and we really do appreciate and value your commitment to your children's faith and to our Parish. We have been putting our faith into action at school and trying our very best to do some fundraising to support the Cathedral with the vital repairs it so desperately needs. The children put on a  bake sale and we had a successful raffle at the parents coffee morning. Key Stage 2 have also been out in the community singing carols to support the Rotary Charity with their fundraising efforts. 

We had a wonderful Advent Reconciliation Liturgy for Year 4, 5 and 6. The children were very thoughtful in their words, actions and reflections. 

Ahead of World Youth Sunday, we introduced St John's to World Youth Funday. Some of our pupils joined in with the live updates and we began the day by coming together as a whole school to talk about the event and celebrate the Youth within our Church. 

Year 6 Pupils led their Year R buddies in a celebration of the word about Remembrance.  The year 6 pupils focussed on the significance of the poppy and ways that we can remember loved ones lost and soldiers of war.  

Proud to be Pompey!

On the last day of Autumn 1, the whole school came together to celebrate: 'Proud to be Pompey'! The Lord Mayor visited us to look at all the wonderful Pompey themed activities the children took part in for the day. We reminded each other of the wonderful diverse city Portsmouth truly is and how our school and Parish should take pride in this. We started the day with worship through singing, giving thanks and looking at all of the wonderful blue outfits to mark this special occasion. We also raised £180 for the Lord Mayor's charities. 

The Behaviour Charter

As good disciples, the children at St. John’s will never hurt anybody with their words or actions. We will always treat other people as we would like to be treated. We remind one one another of this by sharing the St John's Behaviour Charter at the beginning of the school year and by celebrating our school values. 

“In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Advent Calendar Activities

This weekend we visited wylds farm. Sadie donated money to the choir who were raising funds for a charity supporting those with Parkinson’s as per her advent task.

Candice Y4 and Sherice Y2 worked hard on finding out facts about St. Nicholas. Well done girls!

Our first Big Voices project was a great success. Thank you so much for all your bird feeders. Your gardens are certainly going to be popular with our local birds this winter. You are truly showing care for God's creation.

Edith Stein blessing

The Edith Stein Partnership, which consists of the local Catholic primary and secondary schools, worked together during lockdown to produce this wonderful blessing. Thank you to Oaklands for organising the project and to all of the children, across all of the schools who have shared their gifts and talents so enthusiastically.

Please follow the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb7NyWQ7M_M

Here are pictures of our Brighten Up for Cafod Day.

We raise £203.45 to help achieve children's rights for water, food and education.

Each child decorated a T-Shirt to raise awareness of others in our world.