Nine children from St Joseph’s (Years 4 and 5) celebrated their First Holy Communion on 28th June, alongside pupils from St Bede’s and St George’s schools. It was a truly special and joyful occasion, shared with family and friends at St Bede’s Church. The celebrations continued the following day during Sunday Mass, where the children proudly presented themselves to the parish community and received their certificates from Father Maridas. On Monday, the children enjoyed a special Communion breakfast at school, giving them another opportunity to celebrate together and reflect on this important milestone. First Holy Communion is a significant moment in a Catholic child’s faith journey. It involves careful preparation within both the Church and school community throughout the academic year. At St Joseph’s, children begin preparing for the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Year 4. We warmly congratulate all the children and wish them every blessing as they continue their journey with Christ, guided by His love. Prayer Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of your presence.May the grace they have received strengthen them to live your love. Amen

Our Year 6 pupils were privileged to lead their final St Joseph’s Mass. Despite it being the hottest day ever, every child and adult did us proud. Well done St Joseph’s!

Year Six experienced a fantastic day at the Newcastle United Foundation on Tuesday 3oth June. The children took part in a range of exciting and thought provoking activities including; virtual reality (HADO) games, multi-sports team games, health and well-being activities and basic first-aid (re-start a heart).

The Youth Ministry Trust put on a great day for hundreds of Year 6 children from across the region. We explored activities around the youth village, met pupils from other schools and reflected on the central theme of ‘Behold’. Being in the Durham countryside on a beautiful day was such a treat.

Year 2 enjoyed a fantastic visit to Scotswood Nature Garden, where they learned all about bees. The children discovered the different roles within a hive and how worker bees collect pollen. To bring this learning to life, the children took part in a fun activity using sticky paper bees to collect “pollen” themselves. They also completed a Bee Trail around the woods, searching for ten interesting bee facts hidden along the way. The day continued with two engaging bee-themed stories, which the children listened to with great enthusiasm. To finish their visit, each child planted sunflower seeds to take home, encouraging bees to visit their own gardens. It was a wonderful hands-on learning experience that the children thoroughly enjoyed!

Year 2 pupils, alongside the rest of the school, recently took part in an engaging and interactive online assembly focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and online safety. The session encouraged curiosity and discussion, with children asking thoughtful questions and developing their understanding of how AI is used in everyday life. During the assembly, pupils explored key principles to help them use technology safely and responsibly. They learned about: Safe – understanding how to stay secure and protect their information when using AI tools. Smart – developing a basic understanding of how AI works and how it can be used. Creative – using AI as a tool to support imagination, creativity, and innovation. Responsible – recognising the importance of using AI in an ethical and thoughtful way. Future – building confidence in preparing for a world where AI will play an important role. The session was a valuable opportunity for pupils to build awareness of digital safety while exploring exciting new technologies in a safe and supportive environment.

Children in Year 2 practised their jumping skills by using a mat to measure how far they could jump. Their classmates helped by measuring each jump. The children had several attempts, giving them the opportunity to improve both their technique and the distance they could achieve.

Year 2 children have been learning about the different types of animals around us and were excited to have a special visitor come into school. During the visit, they had the opportunity to learn lots about tortoises, including their habitats, diets, and how they are cared for. The children were very curious and asked lots of thoughtful questions, showing great enthusiasm for their learning. It was a fantastic hands-on experience that brought their topic to life and helped deepen their understanding of animals.

We are delighted to announce that we have made formal links with our local community library. Throughout June, each of our Key Stage 2 classes will be visiting the library. During these visits, the children will have the valuable opportunity to become library members. We highly encourage you to return to the library with your children over the summer holidays to keep up their reading habits. In addition, Sarah from the library will be visiting us here at school. She will be hosting a special assembly to talk about the fantastic services on offer, as well as introducing the Summer Reading Challenge 2026. Keep an eye out for library membership forms coming home!

Our nursery children have been busy exploring our outdoor areas and searching for minibeasts! 🌿🔍 We had lots of fun learning interesting facts and investigating natural habitats to discover a range of fascinating creatures. 🕷️🍃 We discussed how to handle minibeasts safely and respectfully, as well as what they need to survive in their environments. 🏡💚 The children showed great curiosity and enthusiasm as they became little nature explorers! 🌎✨

St Joseph’s School is proud to have achieved the Live Simply Award, recognising the school’s commitment to living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with communities around the world experiencing poverty. The award, championed by the international aid charity CAFOD, was presented to the school after pupils and staff successfully planned and carried out faith-inspired actions that highlighted the importance of caring for both people and the planet. These actions have had a positive impact across the whole school, within the local community and globally, as St Joseph’s reached out to make a meaningful difference. A quote from the assessor. I was very impressed by all I heard this afternoon. I believe the actions carried out by the school fully meet the criteria of the Live Simply scheme. But, you also carry out other activities beyond those necessary for the Live Simply scheme, which is the mark of a school in which the spirit of living simply is embedded in the ethos of the school. You are demonstrating a whole-hearted commitment to the principle of Catholic Social Teaching now and into the future. The emphasis you put on engaging with parents as well as outside organisations is good see. Also, it is gratifying to note that you collect money for CAFOD as well as other charities. As ever, it was good speaking to the pupils. They were a credit to the school. I was impressed that they had such a good understanding of Live Simply and CST as well as why they were participating in the scheme. They eloquently and confidently demonstrated that they were fully engaged in and enthusiastic about living simply. I am pleased to recommend the award of a Live Simply Award. We continue to stand by our Catholic Social Teachings, supporting our school, local and global neighbours, and striving to show Love, Trust and Respect to everyone. Well done to the children, staff, family and friends of St Joseph’s. We can make a difference!

Year 2 children have been exploring the artwork of Martin Bulinya, focusing on his African-inspired paintings of the Maasai tribe. His work often depicts Maasai people in a variety of poses and groupings, with particular attention to the intricate patterns and detailed designs of their traditional clothing. Inspired by his style, the children used iPads to create their own patterns digitally. They then applied these designs to felt, producing their own unique pieces of clothing inspired by Bulinya’s artwork.