St Joseph's Catholic
Primary School
Following in the footsteps of Jesus, together we love live and learn.
3rd November 2025
Maple and Elm’s weekly round up.
Welcome back and I hope you all had a good half term break.
It was lovely to see all the children again and after only a week they seem taller and more mature.
We started our week continuing with the rhyme, Hickory Dickory Dock. Elm children had noticed that the Maple children had made mice and they wanted too, so before we started on our fire work pictures we completed a few more mice pictures.
Both Maple and Elm children have loved making fire pictures and rockets. We have used glitter, water colours, wet tissue paper, cardboard tubes, crepe paper and sequins and the children loved every minute creating their masterpieces.
We have been very fortunate with the weather this week so have made the most of the dry weather and have been on the bikes and scooters most days and into the outdoor classroom every day. It has been lovely seeing the children face their fears and either have a go on a balance bike, master the pedals or gain some strength and pedal a double trike and ride their friends around the playground.
Elm children read’Wow, said owl’ this week and enjoyed focusing on colours in their play.. They are really enjoying the new challenges in Elm and have taken on the responsibility of being the ‘big children’ with pride. Elm children have loved spending the afternoon in Holly class and It is lovely seeing them interact with Holly children but still welcome Maple children when they come down to Holly class for the end of the day.
Elm children also had their first Forest School session on Friday with Holly class and Mr Williamson. They were very excited changing into the waterproofs and were bursting to tell everyone what they had been up to, including having hot squash!!
During their Forest School session, they explored the site, swung on the tree swings, swept up some leaves and thoroughly enjoyed their time with Mr Williamson.
Starting on Monday, groups of Elm children will be having their lunch in the lunch hall with Holly children. They will be accompanied by either Becci, Rachel or Jo, who will be sat at the table with them. Once they have all finished their lunch they will return with their grown up to Maple and Elm room for a little quiet time and then afternoon fun. Eating in the hall will happen on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, there will be no more than eight in a group and the groups will change with each session to ensure everyone has time in the hall. The children are very excited about going to the hall with Holly children and I’m sure there will be lots of exciting tales to tell and how many of their friends and siblings they saw. The adult accompanying the children will stay with them the entire time, encourage the children to eat their ‘healthy food’ first and then their ‘treats’. The adult will help but also encourage the children to open their own food packets and open/close their own lunchboxes and will then escort them back to Elm room.
Hopefully by July, the Elm children will be completely independent at lunch time and ready for their lunches in the hall on a daily basis once in Holly class.
Have a lovely weekend and stay safe if watching or participating in a fire work display.
