St John The Baptist
Newsletter

11.07.25

Dear Parents and Carers, What an amazing week it has been at SJB! I wanted to take a moment to share just how proud I am of our oldest children. Our Year 6 pupils received their SATs results – and they...

Dear Parents and Carers,

What an amazing week it has been at SJB! I wanted to take a moment to share just how proud I am of our oldest children.

Our Year 6 pupils received their SATs results – and they truly blew us all away! Their hard work, determination and resilience have been nothing short of inspiring. The results speak for themselves, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved. Please see below for a breakdown of how we performed and how we compare to the national averages.

A huge thank you and well done must also go to all the staff here at SJB who have supported and taught these children over the years. And of course, an especially big thank you to our fantastic Year 6 team, who have guided them every step of the way.

As if the SATs results weren’t impressive enough, Year 6 wowed us again yesterday with their end-of-year performance. Every child knew their lines, sang with energy, and delivered their parts with clarity and confidence. I know I was laughing out loud at all the jokes—we really do have some rising performing stars in this group!

Thank you as well to all the parents and carers who came to watch and support. It’s been such a pleasure to see the pride on everyone’s faces. After everything they’ve achieved this year—and especially this week—it’s clear that our Year 6 pupils are more than ready for the next exciting step: secondary school.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend,

Warm regards,
Ms Toni Mason

Transition Morning – Monday 14th July

On Monday, we held our annual Transition Morning – a key part of helping children feel confident and excited about the year ahead.

From 8:45 to 9:15am, parents and carers were invited into school to meet their child’s new class teacher, should they wish to do so. This was a great opportunity to say hello, put a face to a name, and begin building that all-important home–school relationship.

Following this, the children spent the morning with their new class teacher and classmates. The aim was to begin getting to know one another, build positive connections, and help reduce any nerves children may have about the transition. It was so lovely around the school to see children enjoying the morning. One child from year 2 told us “I liked it. We have a new classroom at the end of the corridor. I liked playing the games in class as well.Next year my friends are there as well inour classroom. It is going to be good!”

While we’ll be doing lots in school to support your child, there are a few things you can do at home to help too:

Talk positively about the new school year – share your own memories of moving up a year and reassure them it’s normal to feel a little nervous.
Focus on routines – re-establishing bedtime and morning routines early can help children feel settled and ready.
Encourage questions – let your child know it’s okay to ask about their new teacher, classroom or anything they’re unsure about. Talking things through can really ease worries.

We’re really looking forward to a calm and enjoyable transition morning and hope it helps every child feel more prepared for September.

Staffing News

As we look ahead to the new academic year beginning in September 2025, we would like to share some staffing updates and changes around the school.

First, we are delighted to congratulate Miss Katie Kilgallon on her successful appointment as Deputy Headteacher. Miss Kilgallon has been a valued member of our team for the past four years, contributing significantly to the school’s development as Assistant Head. Her excellent teaching and leadership skills have played a key role in raising standards, and we are thrilled she will be stepping into this new leadership role.

We are also excited to welcome Miss Asmaa Guled, who will be joining the Year 4 team as Class Teacher. Miss Guled brings with her strong teaching skills and a great deal of enthusiasm—she is very much looking forward to becoming part of our school community.

At the same time, we will be saying goodbye to several members of staff who are moving on to new adventures:

Mr Alex Kakou, after ten years with us, has secured a new position much closer to home—meaning the end of his long daily commute! His commitment to our school has been outstanding, he is always there to lend a hand and supports the staff team so well. We will miss his support and are deeply grateful for all he has given.
Mrs Rhiannon Rogers-Smith, who has been with us for three years, will be embarking on an exciting overseas adventure. We will miss her but also thank her for all her hard work in the Early Years and wish her the very best.
Miss Katy Dean, who has been with us for nearly three years, is relocating out of London as she takes the next steps in her career. We will miss her positivity and dedication. She has provided a positive welcome to the school, has helped in her many administrative duties and in her role as SEND assistant she has supported parents and children in a big way.
Miss Catherine Thomas, who has been with us for just under a year, provided invaluable support in the role of Deputy Headteacher. We are grateful for her contribution during this transitional period. She has had a huge impact in such a short time within the school for children, families and staff and we can’t thank her enough. We will miss her.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our departing staff members for their contributions to the school and wish them happiness and success in their next chapters.

Summer Fayre – Parent Volunteers Needed!

We’re looking forward to a fantastic Summer Fayre, but we need your help to make it a success! The more adult volunteers we have, the more stalls and activities we’ll be able to run – as staff numbers are limited. If you’re able to do so, it would make a huge difference. You’re welcome to partner with another parent and take turns running a stall. If you’re interested in helping out, please contact the school office. Thank you!

Important Online Safety Information…

Term Dates for Next School Year

Here are the dates again for the new school year.

A reminder about holidays in term time…

We do not authorise holidays in term time under any circumstances. Parents and Carers, please ensure that you do not book holidays or flights for before term ends or for after term has begun. {lease use these dates if you want to book ahead.

Every day in school matters. All requests for leave during term time are monitored by the Headteacher who may wish to meet with you to discuss your request further.