NEWSLETTER 22nd MAY 2026
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Congratulations to our Year 3 pupils in Cherry and Sycamore classes, who celebrated their First Holy Communion across two beautiful services. It was a joy to see the children take this important step in their faith journey, and we look forward to seeing you at church.
If your child is interested in becoming an altar server, please speak to Fr Anthony after Mass on any Sunday.
YEAR 6 SUCCESS
What a fortnight it's been for our Year 6 pupils! Whether sitting their KS2 SATs or heading off to Ghyll Head, they have shown wonderful maturity and enthusiasm throughout. We are so proud of every one of them.
A huge thank you to the staff who gave up their time to take the children on the residential.
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THE SPANISH EXCHANGE
This year marks a very special milestone: 20 years of our Spanish exchange and we're hosting a celebration at school on the 13th June 2026.
Tickets are now available for the 20 year celebration to which everyone is invited! They're completely free, but we do need to know numbers in advance, so please do book your place on the PTA website.
https://www.pta-events.co.uk/stjohnsprimaryschoolchorlton/index.cfm?event=Shop#.Yxjp8NPMK3A
We're also putting together a look back over the years so if you have any photos from the exchanges over the past two decades, whether your child went last year or twenty years ago, we would love to see them. Please send them to Mr Doohan at p.doohan@stjohnsrc.net and we'll do our best to feature as many as we can.
OPAL PLAY UPDATE
OPAL play is going really well! Mr Kelly has kindly built a wonderful new mud kitchen, which the children have absolutely loved playing with. After half term, we'll be adding a water play stage for KS2, and we're setting up Lego in the outdoor classroom. If you have any Lego at home that you're happy to part with, please do send it in for the children to enjoy.
A quick reminder: we've spoken to the children this week about not bringing in their own toys to play with. Donations are very welcome, as the children are loving playing with characters, cars and similar items, but please be aware that anything sent in becomes a shared resource for everyone to enjoy. So if you bring something in, it counts as a donation rather than a personal toy.
WE NEED LEGO!
THE BRICKWORKS CHORLTON ARTS FESTIVAL
Our Brickworks gallery has been home to some truly beautiful artwork! To mark the 20th anniversary of our Spanish exchange trip to Nigrán, children from Years 2, 3 and 5 worked with Mrs Law to create a wonderful collection of Spain themed pieces. Alongside the artwork, the photographs on display were fabulous, and we were proud to be part of this year's Chorlton Arts Festival.
If you didn't manage to catch it, there's still time. The children's work remains on display at Chorlton Bookshop, so do call in and have a look. Our thanks to everyone who visited The Brickworks, and once again to our hugely talented Mrs Law for making it all happen.
NEWSLETTER 8th MAY 2026
KEY DATES
Key Stage 2 SATs tests - Monday-Thursday Year 6 children invite in for 8.15am for breakfast.
12th May - Year 4 & 5 Big Sing singing rehearsal (pm at school)
12th May - Year 6 Inspire football competition
15th May - Year 4 trip to Blue John Mines
OPAL PLAY
What a brilliant week it's been! The launch of OPAL Play at St John's has been overwhelmingly positive, and the children have had a wonderful time.
It has been a joy to see them so happy, creative, and collaborative at lunchtimes. The feedback from children and parents alike has been fabulous.
A huge thank you to our amazing PTA, who funded so many of the resources that made this possible. We're thrilled they've also committed this week to funding even more for the children to enjoy. We're so grateful for their continued support.
Do take a look at the photos and videos below to see what play now looks like at lunchtime at St John's!
WELLIES
We have water out in KS1 (Year 1&2) every lunchtime (soon to be in KS2!) and have noticed that their feet are getting quite wet. If your child has a pair of wellies, please send them in a carrier bag they can keep in school. Please label each welly so they don't go missing! If children would like to bring in spare socks that would also work well.
OPAL RAINBOW DAY
To help keep this momentum going and continue to enrich our outdoor play provision, we are excited to be holding a Rainbow Day for OPAL Play on Friday 22nd May. On this day, children are invited to come to school wearing a colour of their choice. The brighter the better!
We kindly ask for a voluntary donation, whatever you feel able to contribute, which will go directly towards purchasing additional resources for the children to enjoy.
Please don’t worry if you are unable to donate at this time – all children are still very welcome to take part by wearing their chosen colours.
PTA
Our PTA is doing a brilliant job raising much-needed funds for the school and they would love more of you to join them!
• Meetings are friendly and incredibly welcoming
• You don't need to volunteer for events to take part in the meetings. They are mainly for sharing ideas and the PTA group LOVE new ideas.
• It's a great way to meet other parents and feel part of our community
• Everyone is genuinely welcome!
The PTA would love to hear what would work for you to get involved; whether it's the timing of meetings, ways to help from home, or anything else you could offer.
We'd really appreciate you filling in this form and tell us what you want from your PTA. ST. JOHN'S PTA – Fill in form
WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK
From Monday 18th May - Friday 22nd May, we're gearing up for a brilliant week of fresh air, exercise and climate-friendly choices! Please walk, cycle or wheel to school wherever possible.
Why join in?
Less traffic and congestion near school
Better fitness and wellbeing for the children
Cleaner air
Shows our children that small actions make a big difference
Year 5 are currently exploring how we can all help tackle climate change, and they'll be cheering everyone on as our "Eco Champions" throughout the week.
UNIFORM UPDATE
Our active uniform is working well, and it's been lovely to see the children making the most of it this week.
Just a quick reminder that shorts and tracksuit bottoms must be school PE shorts only. Please no cycle shorts or branded clothing.
The clothing below are the only items that should be worn if choosing PE kit each day. Children are welcome to wear our regular uniform too.
NEWSLETTER - 1st MAY 2026
KEY DATES
HIGHLIGHTS FOR NEXT WEEK
4TH May - BANK HOLIDAY (school closed)
8th May - Reception trip to Smithills farm
15th May - Year 4 trip to Blue John mines
For up to date information, please go onto the calendar part of our website.
SPANISH EXCHANGE
Year 5 had an amazing trip to Nigrán last week with parents. It was a wonderful experience filled with opportunities, breathtaking scenery, and the chance to strengthen friendships both old and new. A huge thank you to the staff who gave their time to accompany the children, and to everyone who helped make it such a memorable and special trip.
To mark a very special milestone, we will be holding a celebration of the Spanish Exchange. It has been 20 years since it first began! This is a wonderful achievement and a true testament to the lasting friendships and connections built over two decades. The celebration will take place on Saturday 13th June from 4 to 7pm, and everyone is warmly invited. Whether you've been part of the exchange yourself, have family members who have, or simply want to join in the celebrations, all are welcome.
PTA meeting
Our next PTA meeting will be held on Thursday 7th May at 8pm in Lloyds on Wilbraham Road. All are warmly welcome and it would be lovely to see you there.
Come and join us for a friendly chat, share your ideas, and help support our wonderful school community. We look forward to seeing you!
MONTH OF MARY
On Wednesday 6th May, during the school day, we will be holding our Crowning of Our Mother, Mary. Children are warmly invited to bring in a flower (or flowers) to place beside Mary as part of a beautiful shared display.
In addition, Mary will also be crowned at Mass this Sunday at 12 o’clock, and families are very welcome to attend if they wish to join in this celebration.
Throughout the month of May, we will also be running a Lunchtime Rosary Club at 12:15pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All children are welcome to take part in this quiet time of prayer.
A Prayer for the Month of May
Loving Mary, Mother of Jesus, during this special month dedicated to you, we come together as a school family to honour your love and kindness.
Help us to follow your example; to be gentle in our words, patient with one another, and kind in all that we do.
May we always turn to you in times of joy and in times of need, knowing that you hold us close in your loving care.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
pray for us.
Amen.
OPAL PLAY LAUNCHING NEXT WEEK
OPAL play launches next week. The children are so excited! Please continue to send in donations. We are still in need of dolls, action figures and Lego. If you're not sure what we need please look at the video of the donations from this week.
Donations this week....
TARPS
Tarps of all shapes, sizes, and colours are incredibly useful for our activities. Whether the children are spreading them out for picnic-style sitting spots, rigging them up between trees to build dens and shelters, or using them for messy play and outdoor adventures. Big or small, bright or muted, brand new or gently used. If you have any tarps tucked away in the shed, garage, or loft that you no longer need, please do bring them along.
Donations next week...
BUCKETS, SPADES and SAND TOYS
We're on the lookout for beach buckets and spades for our sand play! If you have any at home that are no longer being used. All shapes, sizes, and colours are welcome. Please pop them into us.