Last week, Year 3 took part in an exciting First Aid Training session where they learned a range of important life skills that could help them in an emergency. Throughout the session, the children were introduced to CPR and learned how this life-saving technique can help someone who is not breathing. The pupils also practised tying bandages correctly and discovered how to help treat minor injuries safely. Another important part of the training focused on what to do if someone is choking. The children learned how to recognise the signs of choking and the steps they should take to get help quickly and safely. The session was both engaging and informative, helping the children to develop confidence, responsibility and an understanding of how they can help others in an emergency. We are very proud of how enthusiastically Year 3 participated and embraced these valuable skills.

On Tuesday 6th October, Year 6 visited the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle to take part in a watercolour session based on local art and artists. Year 6 had the opportunity to practise colour mixing and were inspired by the paintings in the gallery to produce their own masterpieces!

Stick Man and Autumn What a busy and exciting week we have had in Nursery! Our focus story this week has been Stick Man, which has inspired lots of learning, exploring and creativity. 🍁 Exploring Autumn We have been learning all about the changes we can see in Autumn. Thank you to all the children who brought in their lovely Autumn treasures from home! We used these to create our own Autumn investigation tray, giving the children opportunities to explore, touch, compare and talk about the different natural objects they had collected. We talked about colours, textures, sizes and the changes we notice in our environment during Autumn. We have also been getting creative with Autumn, making beautiful Autumn leaf artwork and creating our very own clay hedgehogs. The children enjoyed exploring the natural colours and textures of the season while developing their creativity and fine motor skills. 🔢 Autumn Maths Our Autumn treasures have also provided lots of opportunities for mathematical learning. We: · Ordered Stick Men by size, from smallest to biggest. · Ordered numbered conkers and matched them to the correct Numicon. · Used sticks to make and explore different 2D shapes. · Talked about size, number, shape and how we can compare objects. ✝️ RE – God’s Wonderful Creation In RE, we have been thinking about the Christian belief that God created everything and that the world is full of beautiful things that God has made. We went on our own creation hunt, looking carefully at the natural world around us and collecting some of God’s beautiful creations. We then worked together to create a collaborative Autumn collage, using the natural items we had found. It was lovely to see the children working together and talking about the things they noticed. 🕺 Squiggle While You Wiggle We have also started our Squiggle While You Wiggle sessions! This is a fun, movement-based programme that helps children develop the physical skills needed for early writing. Through music, dance and large arm movements, children practise making different movements and patterns, helping to develop their gross motor skills, coordination, shoulder strength and control. These are all important foundations for later pencil control and handwriting. 📖 Our Story – Stick Man Throughout the week, we have enjoyed listening to and talking about Stick Man, joining in with repeated phrases and exploring the different adventures Stick Man gets himself into. The story has provided lots of opportunities for developing vocabulary, imagination and communication skills. We have loved seeing the children become little Autumn explorers this week and watching them learn through play, stories, movement and the wonderful natural materials around us! 🍂🌳🪵🦔

ROUNDUP OCTOBER 2026 Read on to see what St. Joseph's have been doing with On the Up Hope you are well.We're delighted to share some fantastic news about how On the Up is continuing to grow and support even more people across Newcastle. Through Pride in Place funding we are delivering a Community Jobs, Skills and Wellbeing fair in South Fawdon in January 2027. Please get in touch if you and your organisation is interested in exhibiting or getting involved. It’s also been amazing to welcome Jenny and Jane who will be facilitating more of our projects in schools and in women’s groups. Thanks to the continued support of our Board and partners we work with, who really help us create even more impact in the communities we serve. Hope to catch up soon :)Vicki & the On the Up team EVEN MORE DUCKS IN A ROW Thanks to funding for National Lottery Awards for All and Small Sparks Funding we have been able to expand our women’s Ducks in a Row skills and volunteering program into new groups in Throckley and Gosforth. A big thank you to Asda in Gosforth who have provided us with refreshments and biscuits for the sessions. We chose Gosforth Library as a location as it has good bus and metro links for women across Newcastle. Throckley Community Hall is also a great location for women who live in the West End / Outer West Newcastle. The groups are for women who are struggling with barriers like financial, lack of confidence which stop them from finding work. Everyone’s journey is different, and this program is designed to provide encouragement, practical support and a welcoming environment where women can grow at their own pace. If you know any women who are feeling a little lost and could benefit from joining one our groups please get in touch vicki@ontheup.uk St Joseph’s school gets off to a flying start We’ve kicked off our 7-week enterprise challenge with an amazing group of young people who are already showing us they have plenty of ideas and entrepreneurial spirit! Working in teams, the children picked everyday objects out of a mystery bag and were challenged to reimagine, improve and reinvent them to make life easier. Along the way, they explored ideation, creativity, AI, robotics and technology, thinking about how their ideas could solve real-life problems. But it’s not just about coming up with a great idea. Our enterprise programme is also about building confidence, communication, teamwork and the belief that their ideas are worth sharing. From a simple object pulled from a bag to an idea that could become a business… we’re already seeing some young entrepreneurs in the making! We can’t wait for the next 6 weeks as the teams develop their ideas, build their confidence and get ready to pitch their businesses to Newcastle Round Table who have supported our work in schools this Autumn. Watch this space. These young entrepreneurs are just getting started! READ MORE ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED Jobs, Skills and Wellbeing Fair | January 2027 We’re delighted to announce that On the Up has received funding from Pride in Place to support community engagement in South Fawdon. The funding will enable us to bring together local residents, employers, training providers and support organisations for a Jobs, Skills and Wellbeing Fair in January 2027. We’ve delivered similar events in the past, including Jobs and Skills Fairs in Fawdon and Throckley, working with local employers and organisations to connect people with opportunities, information and practical support. During the pandemic, we also adapted our approach and delivered some of our activity online. Our January event will build on that experience, creating a welcoming and accessible opportunity for local people to find out about jobs, training, volunteering, skills development, health and wellbeing support and other opportunities available in their community. We know that finding the right opportunity isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes it starts with simply having a conversation, meeting an employer, discovering a course or finding out about support that you didn’t know was available. Would you like to get involved? Our Vicki is still aching (but feeling a sense of achievement) from the Kielder Half Marathon - her first ever half Marathon with lots of hills! Thanks soooo much to those who sponsored Vicki (and the hills). You helped raise £175 for Search Newcastle and £236 for Pendower Good Neighbour Project Two fantastic charities in the West End of Newcastle and there's still time for last minute donations. You can donate to Pendower Good Neighbour Project here and Search Newcastle here

Year 4 have had a busy half term.

Year 4 Pocket Trumpets The ch ildren are enjoying their music lesson with Mr Rudkin.

Year 4 visited the Laing Art Gallery to take part in a drawing workshop. They took part in a number of activities as part of our art topic.

On the 10th September 2026 Year Six enjoyed a visit to Safety Works in Benwell. Year Six learned about fire safety in the home, Safety on and around the metro, staying safe around water and road safety.

This week, we have been learning about colours and emotions through our focus story, The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas. 📖✨ The children enjoyed a range of exciting activities, including colour mixing 🎨, creating their own Colour Monsters 👹, exploring and expressing their feelings 😊😢😡, identifying different colours 🌈, and sorting objects by colour 🔴🟡🔵🟢. These activities helped the children develop their understanding of emotions, build communication skills, and explore the wonderful world of colour through play and creativity. 🌟💬🎭

In RE, the children have been learning about Creation and Covenant. They explored the scripture of Restoring Hope and God's covenant to save all living things, developing their understanding of God's love and care for creation. As part of their learning, the children took part in a nature walk around our school prayer garden and grounds. They carefully observed the wonders of God's creation, including tiny creatures, plants, leaves, the clouds, and the sky. Through this experience, they reflected on the words from Genesis: "God saw that it was good." The children then created their own artistic responses to creation in creation. While listening to 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong, they used watercolour paints to express the beauty, diversity, and wonder of the world around them. Their artwork demonstrated thoughtful reflection on God's gift of creation and encouraged them to appreciate their responsibility as stewards of the Earth. Throughout these lessons, the children showed curiosity, creativity, and a sense of awe and wonder as they explored how God's covenant reminds us to care for all living things and the world He has entrusted to us.

We have been reading Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. The story helped us think about what makes a classroom a special place where everyone belongs, feels valued and is cared for. We explored the importance of friendship, kindness, respect and teamwork. We reflected on how we can support one another, celebrate our differences and work together as a class family. The children wrote about: What makes our class special. How we can be good friends to others. Ways we show kindness and respect every day. Their work shows that our classroom is a place where everyone belongs, everyone matters and together we can achieve great things. In our class, we are a family. We learn together, support one another and celebrate each other's successes.

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