Message from the Headteacher

As we reach another half-term break, I am filled with pride at the enthusiasm and achievements of our wonderful pupils. It has been fantastic to see their hard work, creativity, and kindness shining through in all aspects of school life.

This term has been packed with exciting learning opportunities, from engaging classroom projects to fun-filled extracurricular activities. Our teachers have been working tirelessly to inspire and challenge our children.

Please scroll through our newsletter below, in which you’ll find updates on upcoming events, important school news, and a celebration of some fantastic achievements from our pupils. Thank you for your ongoing support—it truly makes a difference in helping our school community flourish.

Dont forget our Eisteddfod is Monday 3rd March. Children can come to school dressed in their house colours, Welsh rugby/football kits or traditional Welsh costumes.

Don’t forget World Book Day is Thursday 6th March. Children can come to school dressed as their favourite Book Character.

Attendance and Punctuality

Thank you for working with us on improving Attendance and Punctuality. You can see in the graph above that 19.5% of our 703 children have excellent attendance which is above 99%!

We are still concerned at the number of persistently absent pupils.

Good attendance is so important for the following reasons:

1. Consistent Learning
Each school day builds on the previous one, and missing lessons can lead to gaps in understanding. Regular attendance ensures that children stay on track with their learning and develop essential skills in subjects like reading, writing, and maths.

2. Improved Academic Performance
Studies show that children who attend school regularly tend to perform better in assessments and develop a stronger foundation for future learning. Missing school can make it harder to catch up, leading to lower confidence and achievement.

3. Social Development
School is not just about academics; it’s where children learn to interact with peers, make friends, and develop teamwork and communication skills. Regular attendance helps them build these important social skills.

4. Good Habits for the Future
Attending school every day teaches responsibility, time management, and perseverance—skills that are vital for success in later education and future careers.

5. Emotional Well-being
Children who attend school consistently feel more connected to their teachers and classmates, reducing feelings of anxiety or isolation. It also helps them establish a daily routine, which is beneficial for their well-being.

6. Parental and Community Support
When parents prioritise school attendance, it sends a message that education is important. Schools and families working together create a strong support system that benefits children’s overall success.

Encouraging regular attendance sets children up for a brighter future. If there are any barriers preventing a child from attending school, it’s always best to speak with us as soon as possible.

Bikes, Scooters and Dogs

Could we politely remind parents that No Dogs are allowed on site at the start of end of the school day, unless they are assistance dogs which have been authorised by the school. Scooters and Bikes are also not allowed to be ridden whilst on site. They should be walked to the school gates when leaving at the end of the school day.

No Mobile Phones

Children should not bring mobile phones to school. We’ve had a few occasions where children have brought their phones to school, and taken and uploaded photos of other children on the playground at the start of the school day. This is considered a safeguarding risk. Only in some exceptional circumstances do we allow mobile phones to be brought to school and permission from school leaders is required. You can find out more here.

Online Office

We’ve created a page on our website with links to some of the most used forms and information pages on our website. From this page, you can request/report a child’s absence, register for breakfast club and lots more. Take a look and you may want to bookmark it.

Need Help?

Mrs Walshe, our Family Support Worker, is always happy to do what she can to help our families with whatever situation they’re facing. Click here to find out more about what Mrs Walshe can support you with.

Class Dojo – Main Communication Platform

We want to remind all parents and carers that Class Dojo is our main communication tool for sharing important school updates and class news. Through the app, you can receive whole school announcements, as well as specific updates from your child’s class teacher. It’s a great way to stay informed about events, learning activities, and key reminders. We have also started using the online calendar which notifies parents of upcoming events. You can control the notification settings in the app to increase the number of reminders or reduce them.

If you haven’t already, please make sure you have the app and are connected to your child’s class.

Curriculum Information Evening for Parents

A huge thank you to all the parents and carers who joined us for our Curriculum Information Evening. It was wonderful to share insights into our REAL Curriculum—a carefully designed approach that makes learning Relevant, Engaging & Equitable, Authentic & Aspirational, and Lifelong for our pupils.

During the evening, we explained how our curriculum was developed to provide meaningful learning experiences, ensuring children build essential knowledge and skills as they progress through the school. We also discussed how we track and support each child’s development, ensuring they are challenged and supported at every stage of their learning journey.

PTA Discos

Last week’s school discos were a fantastic success, with pupils enjoying an evening of dancing, music, and fun with their friends! It was wonderful to see so many happy faces on the dance floor.

A huge thank you to our amazing PTA members for their hard work in organising and staffing the event. Your dedication and support made it all possible! We are thrilled to share that we raised just over £1,000, which the PTA will use to fund exciting resources and experiences for our children.

Frozen The Musical

Rougemont School won the rights to stage a performance of Frozen the musical this half-term. They invited a range of local primary schools to take part and we were iuncluded! Sixteen of our pupils volunteered to join the show and some of the Rougemont staff came into school to practise with them throughout Novemeber and December. There were also a few Sunday afternoon rehearsals. The show was performed several times over the last week of this half-term, with St Julian’s Primary children performing on the Tuesday evening. Mr Jones and Mr Mansfield attended and were absolutely blown away and beyond proud of our children! The PTA also paid for the whole of Year 6 to attend to watch the dress rehearsal on Monday!

Support for Uganda

Back in June, we led a visit for 15 teachers from across Newport to visit Uganda with us. When we were out there, we took some school spare school uniform. We received this picture this week of three children looking very smart on their way to school!

Thank you and Goodbye to Miss Thomas!

We are sad to say goodbye to Miss Thomas, who has been at St Julian’s Primary for 17 years and had an impact on so many little lives! She has accepted a promotion at a new school in Blaenau Gwent. We wish her all the best in her new role.

Visit from Poet, Alex Wharton

We were delighted to welcome poet Alex Wharton to our school, where he inspired our junior children with his lively performances of poems and raps. He shared his experiences of being a poet, sparking creativity and enthusiasm among our young writers. Year 3 pupils were especially lucky to take part in his engaging workshops, where they explored the power of words and created their own imaginative poetry. A huge thank you to Alex for an unforgettable visit!

Water, Energy and Weather

As part of our effort to become more environmentally friendly, our Eco Council want to us to be more aware of the energy we are using. Did you know that you can view our Electricity, Gas and Water usage each month, to see if we’ve used less that the same month in the previous year? Have a look with your child! You can also see how much solar energy we generate from our solar panels and also see our Weather Station Data here.

Safer Internet Day

On 11th February, we took part in Safer Internet day. Children in all classes considered how they use the internet and how they can stay safe online.

In today’s digital world, online safety is more important than ever. We encourage parents and carers to talk to their children about staying safe while using the internet, social media, and online games. Remind them to never share personal information, be kind to others online, and tell a trusted adult if something doesn’t feel right. At school, we continue to teach children about responsible online behaviour, and we appreciate your support in reinforcing these messages at home.

Please visit SaferInternet.org.uk or our own SJPS e-safety page for more information.

Panathlon Wales Final Bowling Tournament

Miss Welsh took a group of children to take part in the Panathlon Wales Final Bowling Event following our success in the previous tournament. We came fourth but were super proud of all the children who took part.

Holocaust Memorial Service

Mr Jones took two of our pupil  ambassadors to represent the school at the Newport Holocaust Memorial Service at Newport Cathedral.

Young Carers Visit to FunHQ Climbing Centre

A young carer is a child or young person who helps to look after a family member who has an illness, disability, mental health condition, or other struggles. Their responsibilities might include cooking, cleaning, providing emotional support, or helping with daily tasks. At our school, we recognise the incredible role that young carers play and are committed to supporting them. If you think your child may be a young carer, please don’t hesitate to contact us to let us know.

We enjoyed taking our group of young carers for a climbing session at FunHQ this half term!

RSPB Big Bird Watch

Children across the school have taken part in the RSPB Big Bird Watch. They tuned in to watch the interactive livestream and learnt how to differentiate between different garden birds and how best to spot them outside.

Adobe Newport

St Julian’s Primary hosted an Adobe AI workshop for teachers across the region this term. Staff from Adobe demonstrated how to use Generative AI to create images from words and then print them as posters.

Upcoming Dates and Events

March

• Monday 3rd March – School Eisteddfod. Children will take part in a range of competitions across the first part of the term. A large upper-school Eisteddfod will take place all day for children from Year 2 to Year 6 and a smaller ‘Mini-eisteddfod’ will take place during the afternoon for children from Nursery to Year 2. The large Eisteddfod will be live-streamed for parents to watch. Children in Morning Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will perform a song or poem at the large Eisteddfod.
• Thursday 6th March – World Book Day – Children can come to school dressed as a book character of their choice. We will share stories and favourite books with the children.
• Friday 7th March – Parents’ Writing Workshop – 14:15 – Hall – all parents are invited to join us to hear how we teach writing from early years up to the top of the school and hear about development milestones. Free resources provided for all who attend. Additional information and sign-up form will be shared soon.
• Tuesday 4th March – PTA Pancake Day Event – Donate £1 on ParentPay and all children will create their own pancake topping during the school day
• Tuesday 4th March – FACE (Family and Community Engagement) Event – Pancake Bake-Off. First-come, first-served – Families will be invited to take part in our Great St Julian’s Bake Off to make the best pancake ever. Look out for the registration form which will be shared soon.
• Thursday 13th March – Year 5 School visit to Cardiff Bay 
• Friday 14th March – Year 4 Adventurers and Explorers day – Climbing Wall activity on site.
• Friday 21st March – Red-Nose day. Non-Uniform Day to raise money for Comic Relief.
• Tuesday 25th March – PTA Pizza and Quiz Evening – 5pm – Tickets will be available to attend in person and a link will also be shared to take part in the quiz via livestream at home. £2 per person to attend in person which includes pizza. £1 per family to take part at home. (1st Prize – Takeaway voucher for £40. 2nd Prize – Takeaway voucher for £20)

April

• Tuesday 1st & Wednesday 2nd April – After School – Parents’ evening/Pupil Learning Reviews for Parents
• Monday 7th April – PTA Easter Egg Hunt – £3 per child – After School – Payment via ParentPay. Children will hunt for Easter Clues on the school site. When they find all the clues, they trade in their card for an Easter Egg.
• Friday 11th April – Easter Competition Day – Nursery to Year 2 can create an Easter Bonnet and wear it to school. Year 3 to Year 6 can decorate a hard-boiled egg. 
• Tuesday 8th April – FACE (Family and Community Engagement) Event – Easter Cake Bake-Off. First-come, first-served – Families will be invited to take part in our Great St Julian’s Bake Off to make the best Easter Cake ever. Look out for the registration form which will be shared soon.
• Friday 11th April – Last day of Spring Term
• Monday 28th April – Staff Training Day
• Tuesday 29th April – Children return to school after Easter Break

Wellbeing Virtual Pinboards

Earlier this half-term, we released these Wellbeing Pinboards to signpost services who can provide wellbeing support around Newport.

SJPS Welsh Cake Bake Off!

Thank you to all those who took part in our special Welsh Cake Bake Off! We were so impressed with your baking skills! We have a Pancake Bake Off after half-term and also an Easter Cake Bake off!

Updates from Each Year Group