SEE BELOW FOR ST JOHN'S LATEST NEWS...

• Remembrance Parade

  Wed 15 Nov 2023

  Our Head Girl and Head Boy laid a wreath on behalf of the school at the Remembrance service in Wellington. Our House Captains carried our school banners and other children from the school were present representing the Wellington Majorettes, Scouts, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows.  Thank you and well done to all who took part, you made us extremely proud. 

  

• Helping the Environment

  Fri 03 Nov 2023

  This academic year, the school is concentrating on how we can help our environment, within the school, within our community and even globally. As a school some children, have already visited solar farms to find out why this is an important aspect for our world, others have planted bulbs at St John’s Church to promote suitable habitats to encourage wildlife. The school have also recently received a number of apple trees thanks to Wellington Town Council as part of their Tree Planting strategy to help tackle climate change.

  With this in mind, the school invited Exeter Science Centre into school to do an assembly. This assembly was very informative but also fun with the use of costumes, props and participation from the audience. Then throughout the day, workshops were held whereby the children learnt about biodiversity by finding wildlife within a field map, they also made their own plant pots from newspaper and planted seeds, used microscopes to investigate plant life, and wrote pledges to say how they would endeavour to help the planet. The most exciting part of the workshop was the use of VR sets, as the children were able to fully immerse themselves into the environment experience, exploring an area as a video played.

  The feedback from the day was so positive, with the children feeling really confident that they could help make some changes to improve our environment at school, home and within the community.

   

  

• Pupil Chaplains

  Tue 31 Oct 2023

  A special commissioning took place at St John’s Church, Wellington on Thursday 19^th October.

  Eight children from Year 5 at St John’s Church of England Primary school were commissioned as pupil chaplains for 2023-24 in a special ceremony during the school’s harvest festival. The children, who had volunteered for the role, made their promises in front of the whole school, families and friends, these promises were created during their training. Each chaplain was presented with an olive wood cross, badges and certificates. The previous pupil chaplains then ceremonially handed over their tabards and received a certificate thanking them for their service. Rev. Mike Haslam, chaplaincy adviser to the Diocese of Bath and Wells, led the celebration, praying for the new pupil chaplains and thanking the retiring ones for their dedication. The service was also blessed by our new Reverend Colin.

  Pupil chaplains have a special responsibility to care for the school and live by the school values showing respect, service, compassion, endurance and friendship, while having a lot of fun serving the local community and presenting Bible stories in assemblies. Pupil chaplains have now supported our school for a number of years and it is a very special and important role for our school. They strive to help all students and staff, and share joy and hope in our community.

  

• Y6 Visit to Rendy Solar Farm

  Fri 15 Sep 2023

  The new Year 6 children have already enjoyed a school trip within the first week of the new school year.

  Rashford Class visited New Rendy Solar Farm and were able to explore the grounds, and learn about how solar farms operate. The afternoon was all organised by Earth Energy Education, who want to help children understand and empower the sustainable future.

  The class split into two groups and had two different activities. One was to complete a solar farm challenge by finding out as much information possible about the number of panels, why they are positioned the way they are and the materials used to make them and how that generates power. The second group did a biodiversity study, where they investigated what plants, birds and insects they might find while on the farm. This was a very popular activity as the children enjoyed sweeping the long grass and hedgerows with nets and collecting the insects they found in containers.

  The children were very knowledgeable of how the solar panels worked, and others were very good at investigating and working out what insects and plants they had found in their surroundings.

  It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, and the children were very lucky to be able to appreciate the outdoors during the lovely weather

  

• Leavers' Service at St John's Church

  Fri 21 Jul 2023

  The Year 6 children of St John's C of E primary school were celebrated in style during their Celebration service.

  The service was held at St John's church, and everyone was welcomed by Reverend Andrew Norris. The whole school attended alongside family and friends of the Year 6 class and members of the school community . The children shared their personal memories of school which caused many laughs and a few tears. The service also included presentations of trophies, leavers scrolls and certificates, songs, teachers' poems and prayers. The children were highly praised by the headteacher, who personally thanked them for being such a superb class, excellent ambassadors of our school, and have proved to be such an amazing year group that have set the standards phenomenally high. The service was a huge success and was a perfect way to thank a brilliant class. Everyone at St John's wishes them all the best as they journey onto secondary school, and we cannot wait to see what lies ahead for them all. 

  

• Sport Festival

  Wed 19 Jul 2023

  Children in Year 5 & 6 at St John's Church of England primary school enjoyed a sports festival held at Court Fields Secondary School. The children joined others from local primary schools for a very sporty morning. The event was organised by PE staff at Court Fields and was led by their students with many different activities set up in a circuit. The children tested out their throwing, catching, and kicking skills as well as long jump, relay races and teamwork. The whole event was great fun, the children thoroughly enjoyed the variety of activities and every child gave it their all to compete. It was also a brilliant opportunity to meet new children especially those who will be moving up to secondary school in September. Despite the weather changing and shortening the morning slightly, the Sports Festival was a huge success. 

  

• Year 6 at Flip Out

  Wed 19 Jul 2023

  Year 6 have worked extremely hard this year, in particular with organising and running the summer fair.  As a treat they visited Flip Out for a fantastic morning of bouncing and giggles. 

  

• An entertaining week for St John's pupils

  Fri 14 Jul 2023

  The school choir which now contains 40 members, joined 3 other schools at Court Fields school and took part in a brilliant concert. Each school performed 2 of their own songs and then they all came together to perform in front of families and friends. "It was so lovely to hear the children perform again and this is the first concert our choir have been able to take part in since the pandemic. Thank you to Miss Wordley who coordinated the whole event," said Mr Priestley.

  Then on Tuesday the whole school was entertained by M&M theatre company, who put on a very musical performance of The Secret Garden. This was a brilliant version of a very loved story with lots of comedy value and songs that were well known by the children. 

  Then on Wednesday afternoon one of our parents volunteered to put on a magic act for the school. Magic Ben performed many tricks in front of each Key Stage and the children were thrilled and shocked by some of the tricks. "The looks on some of their faces was priceless and such a brilliant treat for the school." The school used this as a fundraising event asking families to donate for the school's chosen charity Fiennes House which they have been supporting all year.

  

• Y6 Leavers service

  Fri 14 Jul 2023

  Year 6 took part in a very special service at St Mary Magdalene church in Taunton.  They took park in songs and prayers, enjoyed watching a theatrical company, and lit candles while thinking about the journey we are all on and for them, the journey they make as they move to secondary school.

   

  

• Sports Day 2023

  Fri 16 Jun 2023

  Everyone at St John’s C of E Primary was feeling super sporty on Tuesday 13^th June. Throughout the day, the children took part in their sports day, luckily shaded by the trees on the school sports field.

   

  The event was organised by Mr Parsons, the PE coach, whose enthusiasm and passion for all things sporty fuelled the children despite the warm weather.

   

  Every child had the opportunity to take part in a sprint race, various team games involving passing a ball, or moving cones as well as a long distance run. Those coming 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd won points for their houses, and those showing amazing sportsmanship or demonstrating the school values (respect, service, compassion, friendship and endurance) earnt their houses extra points. The KS2 Sports day was then traditionally finished by the Year 6 children and staff completing a lap of honour as they completed their last sports day at primary school

   

  The whole event went very smoothly, and the children were impeccably behaved throughout the day.

   

  Mr Parsons said “A big thank you to everyone who supported the Sports Day. To the parents who cheered on all of the children, to the staff who supported the children, helped the day by scoring, giving out stickers, taking photos, selling refreshments and commentating on the event, and to the children who took part and helped each other throughout the races.”