St Joseph's News and Events

• Nursery and Reception Graduation assemblies

  Fri 10 Jul 2026

  Today we celebrated our youngest pupils achievements as they complete their year in Nursery & Reception, and prepare to move on up to Reception and Year 1. The children were very excited to wear their graduation hats, receive their certificates, and celebrate by enjoying sharing cakes and juice with their family. Thank you to all of our EYFS parents who came to celebrate such a happy occasion...we are very proud of our youngest pupils and the progress they have made this year!

  

• Cultural Day 2026

  Thu 09 Jul 2026

  What a brilliant day we had at St Joseph’s celebrating our wonderful Cultural Day! It was fantastic to see our children proudly representing their cultures through beautiful traditional outfits and clothing, with many wearing colours and symbols inspired by their national flags. The vibrant display of cultures from around the world highlighted the diversity, pride and unity that make our school community so special. A huge thank you to all the parents and families who generously contributed to our Cultural Food Tasting Session. The delicious variety of foods provided a wonderful opportunity for everyone to explore and celebrate the tastes, flavours and traditions of the many countries represented within our school. It was truly a joyful way to bring our community together and learn more about one another’s heritage.

  

• Gascoigne Consortium Arts Festival

  Tue 07 Jul 2026

  Our choir and EYFS children performed beautifully at our annual festival at Greatfields secondary school yesterday afternoon - the children sang, played the African drums and danced with such enthusiasm to celebrate the diverse cultures and communities across the four Consortium schools.

  Our EYFS children performed a Twi drumming song 'Key, Key, Kule' and the choir sang ' Wave your flag', 'The best day of my life' and 'Count on me'. It was such a special event and the children thoroughly enjoyed being on stage and sharing their love for music! Thank you to all of the parents who came along to support this special celebration of music and culture.

  

• Rocksteady school concert

  Tue 07 Jul 2026

  This week our talented Rocksteady musicians treated the school and their parents to a fantastic concert to share their learning this term! We have four bands in the school - all of the children have made fantastic progress learning to play instruments and sing to perform a song in their band! It was wonderful to see them performing so confidently, it is clear to see that they are enjoying their weekly band sessions in school! We can't wait for more Rocksteady opportunities next term with our Rocksteady teacher Jasper! 

  

• Reception trip to Chalkwell Beach

  Fri 03 Jul 2026

  Reception had a wonderful day at Chalkwell as part of our topic 'On the beach'! The weather was fantastic and the children were so well behaved throughout the day. Once we arrived we enjoyed exploring the beach and the rock pool. Lot's of fun was had and special memories were made while the children paddled, made sandcastles and collected treasures in their seaside bags. Before we travelled back to school everyone enjoyed a lovely Ice lolly treat! 

  

• Art & DT Exhibition

  Wed 01 Jul 2026

  Thank you to our families for coming to our annual exhibition on Tuesday, the children were so proud to share their Art and DT work with their parents! It was so lovely to bring the school community together to celebrate the skills that the children have explored across our curriculum topics this year. Our talented children also worked together to create an impressionist style canvas painting to display in school.

  

• Barking Workhouse Plaque Launch

  Mon 22 Jun 2026

  Our students had the wonderful opportunity to attend the unveiling of a restored fragment of Barking’s 18th-century workhouse at Abbey Green. The plaque, the only surviving remnant of the Georgian workhouse, gave pupils a fascinating insight into Barking’s history. At St. Joseph’s, we are proud to help children learn about the people who came before us and the importance of preserving our local heritage.

   

  

• Year 3 Educational Visit to The Soanes Centre

  Fri 19 Jun 2026

  This week, Year 3 were lucky enough to visit the Soanes Centre in Mile End, where they had an immersive experience learning about the habitats and ecosystems that exist around us in urban areas. They learned about plants, made botanical sketches linked to their art topic, and discovered the farm-adjacent smell of hogsweed, the sweet drink potential of elderflower, and the delicious fragrance of wild garlic. The saw how important wild spaces are for mini beasts and pollinators, and enjoyed walking through the woodland areas and meadows. It was a wonderful experience!

  

• First Holy Communion

  Mon 15 Jun 2026

  We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the children who made their First Holy Communion on Saturday at St. Mary and St. Ethelburga Church. As a school community, we are so proud of each and every one of you. This beautiful milestone reflects your commitment, reverence, and growing relationship with God. May this important step inspire you to continue walking in faith, guided by love, kindness, and compassion.

  

• World Ocean Day

  Mon 08 Jun 2026

  The children took part in a special learning experience for World Ocean Day (8th June), exploring the fascinating theme “Dive into the World of Manta Rays.” They discovered different types of manta rays and learnt about their unique features, including how each manta ray has its own special pattern and spots, much like a fingerprint. These markings help scientists to recognise and track individual manta rays in the wild.

  The children also explored how scientists study and protect manta rays, understanding the important work being done to keep these gentle giants safe in our oceans. They learnt about the challenges manta rays face and why conservation is so important.

  In addition, the children gained knowledge about how manta rays survive in the ocean, including what they eat, how they move gracefully through the water, and the environments they live in. They were amazed to learn about the impressive size manta rays can grow to, and how these incredible creatures are perfectly adapted to life in the sea.

  Overall, it was an engaging and eye-opening experience that helped the children develop a deeper appreciation for marine life and the importance of protecting our oceans.