Headteacher's Newsletter

Friday 23rd January 2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

This week has been a wonderful reminder of the many ways our children live out our school values.

Thank you to Class 3A for their thoughtful and prayerful Class Liturgy on Mother Teresa. The children spoke beautifully about her life of service, kindness and love for others. It was a powerful reminder that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Thank you also to the families who were able to join us - your presence always adds something very special to these moments of shared worship.

Our Year 5 pupils had an excellent time on their STEMLink trip to Trinity School. The children were engaged, curious and a real credit to our school. Thank you to Trinity School for welcoming our pupils so warmly and for providing such an inspiring and well-organised experience.

We were also incredibly proud of our school choir, who travelled to rehearse for the Choir Schools Music Festival and took part in the Wicked Worldwide Sing-a-long. Their enthusiasm, confidence and teamwork were a joy to see, and we look forward to hearing them perform very soon.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear about Jesus being a light for the world, bringing hope and guidance to people who needed it most. This week, we have seen that light reflected in the kindness, curiosity and joy shown by our children: in worship, in learning and in song.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

A Message from Dr Andrew Brown (CEO of Croydon BME Forum)

On behalf of the Croydon BME Forum, I wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to the St Mary’s Catholic Junior School community for your generosity and dedication in support of the Hurricane Melissa Jamaica relief effort. The commitment shown by your leadership team, staff, pupils, parents and carers is truly admirable. Your school’s contributions have played a significant role in assisting families and communities in Jamaica as they recover from the impact of Hurricane Melissa. Beyond the practical support, your involvement highlights the compassion, empathy, and strong sense of responsibility present within your school community. Our team travelled to Jamaica in the week commencing 5th January 2026 to begin the distribution phase of the relief effort. Knowing that schools such as yours contributed to this work has been both motivating and inspiring for everyone involved. Please share our sincere gratitude with everyone who helped organise and support this initiative. The collective effort of your school has made a meaningful difference, and we are truly grateful for your support. You can follow our ongoing work and updates at www.cbmeforum.org

With warm regards and appreciation.

Goodbye and Good Luck to Miss Gengan

At the end of this month, we will be saying goodbye to Miss Gengan, who will be moving across the Trust to take up a new role in the Nursery at St Mary’s Infant School. We would like to thank Miss Gengan for her hard work, dedication and commitment to the children during her time at St Mary’s Junior School. She has made a positive difference to many pupils and has been a valued member of our school community.

We wish her every success and happiness in her new role and know she will be a wonderful addition to the Infant School team.

Nut-Free School Reminder

We would like to remind families that we are a nut-free school. This means that no products containing nuts (including peanuts and tree nuts) should be brought into school at any time. This includes snacks, packed lunches and treats.

We also ask that parents remind their children that food and medication should not be shared with others. While this may seem kind, it can be unsafe for some children due to allergies and medical needs.

These measures are in place to help keep all children safe, and we appreciate your support and cooperation.

Thank you for helping us look after one another.

Achievement Certificates

The achievement certificates this week are awarded to:

James & Mikhael in 3A
Isabella in 3E
Aaliyah in 4D
Rachael in 4T
Eliza in 5B
Ezinna in 5C
Anabelle in 6G
Aleksandra in 6P

The Headteacher’s award goes to Lula in 3E

The Kindness Award goes to Julianna

The Swimming Award goes to Kivine in 6P

Yours faithfully,

Sarah Fizul

Acting Headteacher