Dear St John the Baptist Families,

Thank you to all families for the support over the last half term. It has been a great start to 2024 with so many enriching and exciting learning opportunities.

We are looking forward to longer days with more sunlight and lots more opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom.

Next term we will have a focus on looking smart. Our children look incredibly smart in their school uniform: it’s our identity and we are all very proud of this.

Please ensure that children are wearing school shoes during the day (plain black school shoes or all black trainers) and have trainers for PE.

Here is a link to our uniform page from our school website.

Any questions please ask! Also, please don’t forget we have a ‘nearly new’ uniform shop available in school. All well kept donations welcome.

From all the team here at St John the Baptist (Outstanding school) we wish all families a lovely break and look forward to seeing all children on Tuesday the 20th of February at 8:45am.

Have a wonderful break.

Best wishes, Toni Mason

Safer Internet Day

This Tuesday, we celebrated Safer Internet Day with thousands of people across the UK.  Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.

The purpose of the day is to inspire change, make a difference, and navigate change online. Children joined in online lessons, looked at how technology has changed over time, made andf ran quizzes and even learned about AI. It really was another great opportunity to look at how we can all work together to make the internet a great and safe place.

The more you know as parents and carers, the more you can help to make sure your child is safe. So please use Safer Internet Day as a great opportunity to focus on online safety. Follow this link for information for parents and carers. 

OPAL – Outdoor Play and Learning

Volunteers needed – Have you got carpentry skills and can help us build some planter boxes and other items from the sleepers we have collected? Please let us know!

As our OPAL journey continues, we are reaching out to our amazing community. We are looking for tyres, bread crates and wooden pallets. Do you work in construction? Do you know someone who owns a garage and would be willing to donate tyres? Do you or someone in your family work for a bakery or supermarket delivery company? If you are able to support our play in this way, please get in touch via the office email: office@st-john.hackney.sch.uk

Please also don’t forget to complete our parent survey – the more information we have, the better our play times can be! Thank you in advance.

Survey link (please click)

Great News – Early education and childcare for working parents are being extended to support more families.

By September 2025 eligible working parents of children aged from 9 months will be able to get up to 30 hours a week (taken term time) of Free Early Education and Childcare.  This entitlement will be rolled out in phases starting from April 2024.

• April 2024 – working parents of 2-years can get up to 15 hours a week of free education and childcare.
• September 2024 – working parents of 9 months – 3 years old can get up to 15 hours a week free education and childcare.
• September 2025 – working parents of 9 months – 3 years old can get up to 30 hours a week free education and childcare.

APRIL 2024 Expansion

Parents eligible from April 2024 will be able to apply for their eligibility code from January 2024 (NOW!).

Parents must receive their eligibility code before 31st March to be able to access this entitlement. 

We advise you to apply now for the 2 years old funding hours for working families if: 

• You currently have a 2 year old child and are paying for the childcare
• You have a child who will turn 3 years old after the 31st March

How can parents apply?

• Parents apply via the Gov.uk website here.
• Further information about eligibility criteria and other Early Years entitlements can be found on the government Childcare Choices website
• Please see below links for more detailed information
  • Education Hub
  • Free childcare for 2-4 year olds – Hackney Education

Nursery Places

We currently taking applications for the waiting list for both three-year-old and two-year-old Nursery. Please speak to School office more information.

Please share with your family and friends as places are limited!

Coffee mornings in the first week after half term

21st February 2024 – Coffee Morning for parents: Helping your child with Arithmetic for Years 3, 4, 5 & 6

In the news this week…