Around our school

As all the displays start to come down for the end of the academic year, there reains a few snapshots of the things we have studied and celebrated this year. As well as a few reminders about some of our assembly themes.

A rainbow community

A time to celebrate and reflect.

This week as part of our assembly theme we have been focusing on the things that we would wish to celebrate, that have been part of our journey this year. Taking the time to stop and think and mark something special is very important and in KS1 assembly on Monday we considered the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. It's a great story of God calling one man to follow his desire to make a difference by returning from exile and organising the people to restore the walls of Jerusalem. The rebuilding of the walls was a very challenging undertaking but it was achieved in 52 days. 

Once complete, Nehemiah gathered all the people together to celebrate their achievement, it was one great party!

As we look back over this school year there are many things to celebrate, success and personal achievements right across the curriculum and beyond. For some, these final weeks will be their last at St John's and for those children the reflecting will cover a far greater time span. Stopping to reflect and to celebrate is a very important part of our school life. We do this every Friday in assembly when we celebrate individual and team success. The pride and joy that this brings is really important and it is a key part of establishing individual confidence.

This Celebration though is not only about success in terms of individual achievement it is also done within the context of who we are as a school community. Part of the celebration of the people of Israel was that the rebuilding of the wall, reinstated their identity, their sense of belonging and their sense of pride in their community. It was a corporate and community celebration of what was important to them.

This celebration of identity and community is in complete contrast to the number of incidents that have happened across the country and even outside our school this week. Such incidents do not celebrate diversity, instead they seek to undermine it. Racial intolerance is not part of the community that we all believe in and is not part of the diversity and culture that brings something so special to the life of St John's and the city of Leicester. Our celebration is about the fact that diversity is at the heart of what makes us special, it is as Nelson Mandela once said the heart beat of what makes a 'rainbow nation' so beautiful. 

As we draw to the end of this summer term, may we take the time to reflect and celebrate, but also to remember together what we value as a school and wider community. Over the next few weeks let us be thankful for and celebrate together, our rainbow community! 

Summer music concert

Last night we once again enjoyed our summer music concert, with a packed church at St Johns.

The evening saw a range of solos, duets and whole group performances on a wide range of instruments as well as contributions from our school choir.

It always makes me immensely proud to observe the standard, commitment and sheer joy that the children involved get from taking part in such an event. We have been very fortunate to have performed at many different venues over the year, we have even been invited to play at the Lord Mayor's Christmas concert this year. But the time when we gather together to perform to parents and other family members are always the most special.

Congratulations to every child who took part in the concert. It was a great way to bring to an end our musical journey this year.

Hopes and dreams

This week in assemblies we have been thinking about what our hopes and dreams might be for the future as we face a new school or a new term after the holidays.

I talked again in assembly on Monday about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah. A task that was completed in 52 days, through an incredible amount of team work. At the end there was a great celebration, with Nehemiah bringing the people up onto the walls to survey what they had achieved.

Standing there, I wonder what they thought about? Maybe they focused on what they had achieved, but maybe also what they hoped to achieve.

In our moments reflection we considered the same - something we were proud of for this year and something that we wanted to achieve in the future.

Our hopes and dreams brought together in silence as a school community.


As we left assembly I played 'Hall of fame' by the Script - a song about being aspirational in your  hopes and dreams, seeking to put them into practice and making a difference in the world we live in.

A new frontier

Great to watch Mrs P's classes assembly today all about the seeds that Tim Peake took into space to see what the effect of zero gravity would be.

The scientists in 4V dressed up for the ocassion, delivered their lines with real authority and shared their learning and experiences from conducting an experiment with two different types of seeds. One from space, the other kept on earth.

Their findings were inconclusive and they are all keen to know which colour seeds were the ones that ventured into space. A great experiment to have taken part in.

Thanks 4V for a great assembly - you clearly enjoyed it!