We're forever blowing bubbles!

Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that can bring the most pleasure!

a goodbye message from year 6

Wow! We will miss you too! Thank you all for the last 8 years and for a lovely message to your teachers.

Spring stride at St. John Vianney

After a year of interruption, lockdown and relative inactivity, our children joined the brilliant Haringey Public Health initiative 'The Spring Stride'. Designed to blow away the cobwebs of inactivity and to reclaim fitness leves of body and mind, our children threw themselves into it wholeheartedly. It could also be said that Mrs. Kavanagh 'threw' the children into wholeheartedly too, for her enthusiasm, dedication and borderline-obsessive competitiveness was the driving force behind this. 

It has been such a success, and such was the commitment, we finished 4th in the borough, winning £250 to spend on sport and PE equipment! Almost enough to buy the Headteacher the new Spurs shirt in the Summer! 

A serious well done to everyone who took part and, of course, to Mrs. Kavanagh. I think she has a taste for it now, and when it comes around again (and it will), she will be looking to improve on 4th. You have been warned.

Click Here to see our VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS.

Events Gallery

happy nursery!

 The children from Nursery show us how to be Happy and how to dance!

Nursery lead us in prayer!

It's never too early to start taking responsibility in our school. Brilliantly done girls!

Nursery sharing song

Nursery shared their 'Sharing Song', as you would expect!

Nursery Goodbye song

Closing the Assmebly in style!

assembly finale dance fest!

We always end our assemblies with an upbeat song, and today the children relbelled and politely requested that the Headteacher no be allowed to choose it...how can I argue when it gets them moving like this! Dynamite! 

rio de tottenham!

Year 1 in Carnival Mood....

world renowned musician visits sjv

Sheku Kanneh-Mason ZOOMS into SJV Year 3!!

World renowned musician Sheku Kanneh-Mason held a Q&A and a special performance for the children of Year 3 this week. We were privileged to spend time with this wonderfully inspirational person, who has, among many achievements, played in the London Symphony Orchestra and at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! Starved of class trips due to Covid, we must thank Sam from Aquinas for arranging for Sheku to come to US!

welcome back! We've missed you...

Contained within these seemingly simple 8 Zoom screens is everything we've missed over the last two months; our children, our staff...our school. Welcome back everyone - we're ALL in this TOGETHER!

World Book day song

A lovely tribute to a wonderful book by our girls and boys.

Happy christmas from the staff and children at sjv!

The great Lip Sync challenge - All I Want for Christmas...enjoy!

a christmas carol - an sjv production

This timeless tale is retold by the children of SJV!

What the staff and children get up to when the headteacher is not there!

Footage from my 'SpyCam'! Looks like they take full advantage!

what the head gets up to after the children go home!

Warning - very poor 'dad' dancing...

Musical christmas cards - number 3!

And...last but not least, here is the most beautiful show in town! Reception Class lead the way in our final Musical Christmas Card, supported (as ever) by the percussion and vocies of KS2! Just...lovely!

Musical christmas cards - number 2!

Keeping the spirits up and the smiles on our faces, please welcome Year 2 with 'I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day'!

Once again, the voices, percussion and brilliance of KS2 help our KS1 stars to shine - sing along, wherever you are!

Musical christmas cards - number 1!

Dear Parents and Carers, COVID has prevented us from gathering together at school for our traditional Christmas Production…but it hasn’t stopped us from celebrating in our traditional, joyous way!

Please sit back and let Year One, supported brilliantly the voices, percussion and sheer star quality of KS2, spread a little Christmas Cheer!

year 2 wish it could be christmas everyday!

Year 2 gave us a sneak preview of this year's Christmas performance at our celebration assembly this morning. Really gets you in the spirit!

deck the halls!

The children and staff have been busy making the hall look like it normally does this time of year - so Christmassy! Take a look at our wonderful hall boards!

performance poetry in year 4

These talented and brave boys and girls have shown the power of poetry in the classroom!

BHM - year 6: The bristol bus boycott monologues

Year 6 have been studying the actions of Paul Stephenson who, in 1963 Stephenson led a bycott of the Bristol Omnibus Company, protesting against its refusal to employ Black or Asian drivers or conductors. After a 60-day boycott supported by thousands of Bristolians, the company backed down. Stephenson is a Freeman of the City of Bristol and was awarded an OBE in 2009.

Year 6 put themselves into the characters of people who were around at that time - they wrote their monologues and performed them for the cameras. Brilliant work!

BHM - year 5 louis armstrong

In Drama we found out about the life and times of Louis Armstrong. We looked at fashion, culture and society in America from 20s – 60s and from this created short scenes containing fictional characters whose lives were directly impacted by Louis Armstrong.

BHM - year 2 on the bristol bus boycott 1963

BHM - year 4 on muhammad Ali

virgin mini london marathon

Our children kicked off their return to school with a real fitness burst! They trained for and took part in the Virgin Mini London Marathon. They clealy had a great time, as did their teachers who showed that they are up for anything!

welcome back to school!

September has arrived at last and we are back! Time to set that alarm again, dust off the old uniform / work clothes and get back where we belong...are you 'I Wanna Break Free' or 'I'm so Excited'??

year 6 leavers' show

What a performance. In very, very strange circumstances, Year 6 sign off in style!

vIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 17th july

Year 6s move on! The end of an odd year...

vIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 10th july

Transition week, plus the usual stars and birthdays!

vIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 19th june

Year 1 Return!

vIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 12th june

Featuring - The Return of the Magnificent 6!

VIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 5th june

Featuring Ms. Kavanagh's 'Top Tips' for returning Year 6s - so funny! Enjoy...

VIRTUAL ASSEMBLY! FRIDAY 22nd may

A special poem from the children this week - the storm will pass!

Virtual assembly! Friday 15th may 

Once again, a round up of the exciting things you are getting up to with your Home Learning, stars of the week and another e stormgreat Hymn!

Virtual assembly! Friday 8th may 

Join us to celebrate all that is good about our school! There's plenty to celebrate this week...

catch it! Kill it! bin it! 

Feel a sneeze coming on?

Virtual assembly! Friday 1st may 

Celebrate assembly, with stars of the week, 'what I miss about school, birthdays and...a singalong with Ms. Griffin!

Messages from lockdown!

Part II - this time thee Dogs join in. SJV Staff in 'Get Back Up Again'

Messages from lockdown!

A Rap for the NHS!

Messages from lockdown!

Thank you NHS!

Messages from lockdown!

A song - written for our hero NHS!

Messages from lockdown!

A 'Stop Motion' tribute to the NHS - wonderful IT skills! Well done Elisabetta and Alessandra

Messages from lockdown!

Using the Lockdown to learn how ro ride a bike! Time well spent, well done!

Messages from lockdown!

SJV staff flex their inner Shakkira in message to children and families - Try Everything!

Messages from lockdown!

Reception class reach out!

Messages from lockdown!

Class 1's message to their Teacher! 

Messages from lockdown!

Year 2 reach out to their teacher!

Messages from lockdown!

A song for world Peace!

Messages from lockdown!

Learning to Cha Cha Cha!

for 5 more minutes, we're...six!

The Six Wives of Henry VII take the spotlight!

year 2 in swashbuckling pirate adventure!

Year 2's assembly this week was a brilliant presentation of their learning, bookended with a fabulous Sea Shanty!

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived

The age-old rhyme to remember the fates of the wives of Henry VIII given a new twist by our year 5s...at Tower Hill station, in the shadow of THE Tower!

Christmas cheer 

A Christmas round-up from all at SJV - Happy Christmas!

Strike it like Sonny!

The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation came to SJV this week to celebrate the 'Wonder Goal' by Tottenham's Son Heung-Min. They wanted local primary school children to re-create the goal, and the natually they came to us - their 'favourite' local school (proabably!). COYS!! Here's a link to their Twitter feed and the clip:

https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/1205789526226067456

Reduce, Reuse, recycle

 Take a look at Year 3's wonderful Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Portfolio!

chirpy visits sjv

 SJV goes wild for the King of all Mascots, the one and only...Chirpy!

Autism awareness

Healthy Friday

jingle bells and happy christmas from sjv!

christmas lunch at sjv

This week, we enjoyed our whole school Christmas lunch; as is tradition, the children thanked their support staff with a gift before tucking into a delicious Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and crackers! Take a look at the montage to see just how much fun we had!

straw and order - another nativity triumph!

This week we mark the third week of advent, where we rejoice at the coming of Our Lord, with perhaps the most joyous event in our school year – the Christmas nativity production! Many weeks of preparation paid off in style over the last two days as the whole school community came together to celebrate. Tinsel – check, tea towels – check, sheep – check, some-of-the-cutest-Reception-Angels ever? Check. Everything was in place to ensure a wonderful time was had by all.  It really now does feel like Christmas is coming, and I’d like to thank you all for attending, supporting your children and for being part of this amazing community. Huge thanks again go to Ms. Griffin, who pulls off her own Christmas Miracle at this time ever year!

tottenham hotspur festival of football

Photos courtesy Tottenham Hotspur

I am warrior!

Greek Day in Class 3.

Class 3’s work on their topic ‘Warriors’ really went into overdrive as they dedicated a whole day to explore Greek myths, geography, politics, warfare, maths, history and food! The amount of learning crammed into this exciting day was incredible, and the visiting ‘Greek warrior’ said it was all the better because the children knew so much already, typified by Matilda knowing the names of Medusa’s two sisters – he was floored! Fabulous day class 3.

panto 2018 - jack and the beanstalk

On Tuesday, the hall was turned into ‘once-upon-a-time’ land, as we staged an exclusive production of Jack and Beanstalk.

Having the production in school proved to be a huge hit with the children; they were able to join in more, interact with the baddies more loudly, sing along and develop a real relationship with the characters. Many children enjoyed moments onstage with the characters, including a section involving the ‘fastest flosser’ one of the actors had ever seen! Also…there were no silly ‘adult’ jokes about Brexit, which was a relief! A panto ‘for the kids’ – at last!

Have a look at the clip below to see how MUCH they enjoyed it!

advent 2018

christmas boards 2018

oscar ceremony

Phonics success

fundraising - supporting global and Uk charity

'become your wish' day!

Today the children of SJV gave us a little peek into the future - their future! We had Doctors, Teachers, Police Officers, Firemen, Explorers, Archaeologists, Scientists, Racing Drivers and one or two footballers!

We will certainly be in good hands when this lot get going!

HUGE thanks to our parent volunteers, who gave up their time to come and inspire our children, and to give them an insight into what’s out there in the world of work.

You were amazing – thank you so much.

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Pendarren memories

Buddy ceremony welcomes reception class

Pendarren 2018

year 3 egyptian adventure

other faiths - year 3 explore judaism

pyjamas for cafod!

black history month

close, but not this time!

year 3 stone age assembly

y5 british museum egyptology adventure

NSPCC - stay safe, speak out

royal albery hall children's proms

Tottenham hotspur foundation curriculum day

Proof that we are ALL Tottenham fans here! Who do we all support?

olympian assembly from year 2

Faster, higher, stronger

Year 2 sing the Olympic motto!

dog safety

stone age party!

slimy science

a snapshot of sjv life!

What does an average, early Autumn lunchtime look like at SJV? A little bit like this...

Amazing egyptian-inspired artwork

SETTLING IN TO 2018!

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STAR KIERAN TRIPPIER VISITS SJV!

Year 6 bring the 'matilda story' alive in their leavers' assembly!

parent dining experience!

sun shines on glorious sports days!

food, glorious food!

circus skills fun

year 2 picnic

Ground control to major tom?

Reception Class this week shared their Journey Into Space topic - proud teachers, mums, dads and friends filled the hall!

Goodbye? Au revoir?

Year 6 celebrated the end of their time at primary school by attending a liturgical service for all of Haringey's Catholic and Church of England schools.

tomorrow's captains of induistry?

Year 6 take part in the young entrepreneur challenge - build a business on a fiver!

SJV launch the 'daily mile'

Fighting for fitness and energy giving activity, this week we started the Daily Mile programme, designed to get school children moving and fighting fit!

the 'one show'

healthy eating friday

a new era for sport at SJV

Year 6 football champions

reception music concert

moses - a musical!

go wild at the Royal albert hall!

ks1 play apparatus: launch!

fit minds, fit bodies

weird science!

you've got a friend in me!

royal party time!

year 3 at the science museum

Party time!

.Once the sun has come out of hibernation, we know it's time to get the glad-rags on and party! The Friends of SJV work hard to make sure that these wonderful parties are enjoyed by all - DJs, Foam Machines, Sweets and Drinks and dancing make for a great way to round the week off!

Year 6 golf

the league of champions!

gingerbread houses in year 1

the iron man - on his way?

Year 5 at the science museum & year 4 at Lord's cricket ground

Our enrichment trips continue, with two classes out this week enjoying what London has to offer! 

tunnels, towers and turrets in class 2

Some brilliant model making in class 2 - they are really getting into their new topic!

World book day 2018

stop press! pirate ahoy!

Class 5 assembly - the terrible tudors!

Science, history and writing from class 3

Year 6 dig for success!

Happy christmas...from the children of sjv!

champions - SJV win the aquinas cup!

Year 2 assembly

Mixed football

Anti-bullying: all different, all equal

All this week, the children have been reflecting on the theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week: All Different, All Equal. A simple, but powerful, sentiment.

We have about the most diverse set of pupils you could wish for, and it is our differences that make us so interesting, so unique, so special.

During a sharing assembly, the children were able to point out the ways in which we are different, and we all agreed that none of those things make us any better or inferior to anyone else.

We ARE all different, but we are indeed all equal.

Brilliant work everyone!

superheroes assemble!

Who you gonna call? Class 1 of course…

As I said when I introduced it, there was a bit of a ‘buzz’ about this assembly – staff were cancelling meetings to make sure that they were present. Ms Alfonso and Ms Cassidy were sneaking peaks throughout. And why not? This was a brilliant show from our very own Class 1 Superheroes; a show that had everything: impeccably learned lines, the coolest soundtrack ever, brilliant costumes, confident delivery, humour and…a quite heart-meltingly lovely central message. As Class 1 taught us today, you don’t have to put your pants on over your trousers to be a Superhero – just reach out to someone, show them kindness, help them. There were a number wobbly bottom lips towards the end, mine included!

tremors!

The History Boys and Girls!

Class 3’s trip to the Natural History Museum, as part of their topic about Volcanoes, was a real success. Their behaviour and attitude, again, was impeccable and as you can see, the learning that our children get from these trips is invaluable. And it looks like they had a great time to boot!

Disco inferno!

Over the last couple of weeks, the Friends of SJV have held their annual KS1 and KS2 parties. The aptly named ‘Captain Fantastic’ showed an immense amount of enthusiasm and bounce (for a Friday afternoon), and treated us all to fun, games, dancing and a (carefully controlled) pyrotechnic trick!

lennon Lives!

Class 4 took a trip down memory lane this week as they studied the times, lives and music of the greatest band of all time…The Beatles! I was particularly excited by this prospect, as my love for all things Tottenham is ONLY matched by my near obsession with the music of the Beatles. They are a brilliant topic for social and cultural history…and it gave Class 4 (and me) the chance to have a good old-fashioned sing-song! Education at its best in my book!

The highlight of the week was a special visit from John Lennon himself. Really? Well, sort of…

 ‘John’ spoke to the children of his post-war childhood, his family and his time as the world’s number one musical icon. He, as was I, was struck by the children’s interest and knowledge; clearly some good ‘cultural parenting’ going on in class 4! Special mention to Eduardo, who seemed to know more about ‘John’ than ‘John’ did!

miraculous buddies!

The SJV community today joined Class 4 and Reception in one of the most heart-warming ceremonies in the school calendar. Having been welcomed by their Class 4 buddies back in Autumn, Reception Class were reaffirmed as valued members of our school community as they were awarded the Miraculous Medal, in this  very special month dedicated to Mary, mother of Christ. From the beautiful singing of ‘Let It Be’ to Angelina’s barely-contained excitement in receiving her medal (we look forward to her Oscar acceptance speech in the future), it was clear that this meant so much to all concerned.

We are so very proud of our Reception class; they have settled into our school so well and have added their own special piece to the SJV jigsaw.

And, as for class 4….well, who could wish for better Buddies? Kind hearted, helpful and protective, they enjoy and revel in the responsibility given to them, and it’s a lovely thing to see.

A special mention to Lucas: his Buddy’s mother informed me that he has taken his promise SO seriously, that he takes the time, daily, to say hello, give advice and to just be a great friend to his Reception buddy. Well done Lucas – you encapsulate the spirit of this beautiful occasion.

Creativity at SJV

Topic Projects Reach New Heights (literally!)

The start of each half term now comes with the added excitement of reviewing and celebrating the brilliant topic projects that have now become part of life here at SJV. Feedback from the children (or even a short conversation) tells us that they LOVE their topic work – they immerse themselves in every aspect and go well beyond expectations when it comes to bringing that learning to life.

It is also delightful to see that parents are rolling their sleeves up and helping – this is NOT cheating! It is lovely to think that these projects are alive in your homes, and that you obviously spend a great deal of time discussing them, while assisting with the odd bit of papier mache, cutting, gluing and even carpentry! Beautiful work all round – keep it up!

Is it a bird? is it a plane?

Superhero Friday: This week saw the start of another set of exciting topics here at SJV! With titles such as ‘Tremors’, ‘Towers, Turrets and Tunnels’, ‘Beast Creator’ and ‘Superheroes’, it promises to be an amazing half term. Year 1 kicked off their topic in style by holding a Superhero Day!

 They came as an array of masked characters and enjoyed in imaginative activities, such as the ‘Superhero Hunt’ and ‘Superhero PE’!

 We are all looking forward to the work they will produce on the back of all this excitement!

Resurrection Rock!

On Wednesday this week, the cast and crew of Resurrection Rock, SJV’s Easter Liturgy this year, wowed the audience with an uplifting and moving performance. All present were treated to some outstanding performances – brilliant acting, narration and singing from the choir and the ‘angry crowd’ (the audience). Well done to all for preparing us so well for the great feast of Easter. Special mention to Ms. Griffin for single-handedly pulling the whole production together!

Have a look at the 'highlights' film and the picture gallery below.

If music be the food of love...Play on!

“The beautiful thing about learning music, is that no one can take it away from you…” BB King

Music really is a growing force in this school at the moment. This week we had a wonderful showcase where our fledgling instrumentalists showed just how far they had come. 

The most established of the groups, the pianists, were confident, assured and note perfect; brilliant progress under the expert guidance of Anne Molony and our own Ms. Griffin. 

Our super little band of guitarists have only been playing for a term, yet they had enough skill, musicality and courage to perform to the whole school…and they sounded great! A big ‘thank you’ to Dominic, their teacher and leader, for adding the sound of Spanish guitars twanging in our corridors. Just lovely. 

Last, and never least, our ever-improving choir! They wowed us this week with their confident and immersive four-part singing, really showing us all how much progress they have been making with all those early Tuesday mornings paying dividends! Ms. Griffin has not only done a great job in teaching them, but she is always on the lookout for new ‘gigs’ (next stop – the Tower of London; watch this space). They have as hectic a tour schedule as Little Mix!

Bunny Sighting!

Nursery children shocked!

This week, Nursery had a very special visitor indeed! Halfway through the morning, the phone rang and a ‘tip-off’ was received by Nursery staff that an unusual character was in town…

The first indication was a grainy photograph of what appeared to be ‘long ears’ peeping over the fence!

Choir - on tour!

Class 4 Westminster Cathedral Choir Concert
As the culmination of Class 4’s work with Westminster Cathedral, they visited Cathedral Hall last week to perform in front of an audience of their peers.
Ms. Ali and Ms. Griffin were full of praise for their behaviour, effort and, of course, their singing! Special mention to Jaymes for his solo – what courage and skill! Special mention, too, to Hari the Bear. Hari is encouraging our children to walk and exercise, and he reportedly enjoyed the day out (he was very well looked after, as you can see).

Red nose day - put a nose on it!

The children of SJV burst into colour this Friday as they marked Comic Relief 2017 with a splash of vibrant red! They looked fantastic in assembly, all gathered together like a beautiful poppy field! As well as having fun and looking cool, we also raised money to support our twin school in Chinziri, Malawi. It is lovely for the children to actually see where their money is going to and we look forward to presenting Fr. Henry with the fruits of our efforts in the Autumn. A big ‘well done’ to our Year 5 Poets, Christian, Alana, Stephanie, Ola, Cristiano and Kyro for some outstanding Red Nose poetry!

class 3 time travellers - next stop ancient greece!

Year 3 have been travelling in the History Time Machine this week, when Ms. Burry transformed the hall, the class and the children into all things Ancient Greek! An endlessly fascinating topic, which allows the children to draw on almost every aspect of learning: history, geography, writing, reading, art, design, PE…even maths! Their visiting ‘Greek’ warrior was a brilliant and knowledgeable travelling companion and, as you can see, the children really love their work being brought to life in this way – well done to Ms. Burry and team for going that extra mile again!

class 1 vs. Storm doris!

Bright Lights, Big City – Class 1’s London Adventure

Class 1 braved the best that Storm Doris could throw at them when they visited the City this week. They were visiting the Tower of London as part of their ‘Bright Lights, Big City, topic, and what a wonderful day they had!

 They visited one of the most iconic and interesting places in the world – people travel huge distances to do this, but our lot were lucky enough to just hop on the tube!

community spirit

The Development of the ‘Red House’ and Stanley Culross Park This week, the school was delighted to host a public consultation for these local developments.  Cllr Blake invited the architects of the proposed development in to present their plans for the site, and for parents, school staff and the local community to have their say about what is needed to make this a successful project for the community, one that adds value to the area and, in particular, reclaims the Stanley Culross open space for families and children.  Thank you to those parents that took the time to speak with the architects and Cllr Blake – we have been very clear about what we want and require from the development and that is such an important first step. Watch this space.

Party like a roman!

Having fought off a Dinosaur infestation last Friday, this week my office was besieged by a legion of Romans!

Class 4 have been studying Romans this half term, and celebrated in style with an end-of-topic ‘wrap’ party – I was invited to review some amazing writing, some jaw-droppingly good models of Roman villas, some informative and well organised ‘mind-maps’, models of Roman coins and shields. Best of all, I was invited to ‘Feast Like a Roman’ – fresh baked bread dipped in honey, served with a special ‘grape-based’ drink! Delicious, and lots of fun!

Well done Class 4 and Ms. Ali – you have clearly worked hard this half term and you deserved your party! See below for sneak preview of ‘Party Like a Roman’ by class 4!

Dino infestation!

Something quite unusual happened on Friday afternoon. I was in my office, quietly getting on with my work, when I ‘sensed’ a commotion in the corridor outside. In a moment of quick thinking, I grabbed an iPad to record ‘evidence’ of what I might find. I did NOT expect to be greeted with this! A whole herd (Pack? Gaggle?) of Dinosaurs from Class 1 scared the life out of me with a mighty roar!

 If you only watch one clip this weekend, watch this one. If ever we (the DfE, the council, Headteachers, staff, parents and even pupils) lose context of what we are here for – this clip is a heart warming reminder: happy, smiling children proudly showing off the results of their hard work.

SJV Means business!

We sent a crack team of Year 6 pupils up the Enabling Enterprise Education headquarters in Smithfield, in the heart of the City, this week to give them a glimpse of what it might be like to be successful at business! They were up against 6 other schools, and the process that they went through was described as a cross between Dragon’s Den and The Apprentice (in a good way).

Looking at these future Business Titans, you will NOT be surprised to learn that they CAME FIRST!

Their pitches for investment projects were judged to be the soundest, best thought through and best delivered on the day. Huge congratulations to the ‘SJV Fair Traders’!

If that were not enough, we were also delighted to get feedback from the organisers about our boys and girls: polite, well behaved ambassadors for our school, who were praised for their humour and hard work.

creative art day

You could be forgiven for thinking that the pupils at this school were being employed as (unpaid) glorified decorators! We are running out of wall space to show off their incredible artwork and writing. This week’s assembly showcased their latest masterpieces and was a delight to behold. Colour, imagination and enthusiasm abounded as the children all shared their work. I continue to be impressed and proud in equal measure with the efforts of the staff and pupils at this school.

During Creative Art Day, each class chose a famous masterpiece and used to create our own works, inspired by the Masters’ techniques and genius!

Jermaine Jenas inspires!

We were extremely fortunate this week to receive a visit from former Tottenham (and a few other clubs) legend Jermaine Jenas! Jermain kindly agreed to come to the school to speak with our Year 5 and 6 classes about their topic of Aspirations this half term - what can we be in life? What do we need to do to get there? Now, given the press Premiership players get, you might think: what does he know? Overpaid, selfish and living in a world of privilege.  Not a bit of it. Jermaine Jenas, as well as being a successful international footballer and TV pundit, has become involved in the Aquinas Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping schools and young people get the most from their education opportunity.  He spoke eloquently to our children about aspirations; going the extra mile in everything you do; not leaving anything to luck; dedication; hard work and always challenging yourself to improve, no matter what your stage in life. It was a truly inspirational session, and our 5s and 6s (and some of the teachers!) enjoyed the Q&A session. Best question / answer: Alana: if you could go back in time to meet your younger self, what advice would you give him?  Jermaine: I would go back to the time to where I thought I had 'made it', and I would tell myself - set yourself some new goals. How are you going to get better? A great message from one of the game's gentlemen.

The amazing science dome!

A huge thank you to Miss Burry for organising this unique and genuinely mind-blowing experience. The ‘Science Dome’ is an immersive, 360 degree experience that transports you to amazing places and experiences: the land of the dinosaurs, under the sea, the world of the pirates and ancient Egypt! These photos can only hint at what an incredible experience this was! The children were seated in the centre as whole landscapes opened up above their heads. Our guide, Giuseppe, expertly led the children through this wondrous adventure.

Nativity triumph!

This year’s Nativity performance was held recently to two packed full houses. The children have been busy rehearsing over the last few weeks, and slowly something special began to emerge. Brilliant acting, dancing and singing combined to make a moving, fun and festive celebration. I am sure that you are as proud of your children as I am!

The performance this year was very special and it was fantastic to see so many parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and friends over the two performances,  supporting our talented children! A special 'thank you' to Ms. Griffin - we are fortunate to have a member of staff so talented, patient and generous with her time to guide the children in reaching their considerable best. Thanks, also to Mr. Mr. Rutkiewicz, who kindly gave permission to use some of his fantastic photos of the occasion. 

End-of-term musical performance

Our Junior Choir and budding musicians gave an wonderful ‘end-of-half-term’ performance this week – Ms. Griffin has introduced this lovely event to give a real sense of purpose and pride to the children’s development as musicians. There’s nothing like an audience to focus the efforts!

Christmas Community cheer

The combined forces, and voices, of St. John Vianney, St. Mary's Priory, North Harringay Juniors, West Green Primary and Chestnuts Primary gave a brilliant community concert, live and outdoors in Chestnuts Park, to really warm the hearts and to kick start the Christmas Season. There are very few sounds on earth better than a couple of hundred children singing Silent Night. Thank you to all who participated; pupils, parents and teachers - what a joyous occasion!

Musical maestros!

Parents, pupils and staff were treated to an impressive end-of-term from those that have been busy learning piano. This group have been studying hard and practicing all term, and are progressing brilliantly. Many thanks to Ms. Moloney for teaching them and preparing them so well.

Class 1 in 'grrrrreat' assembly

Class 1 have been learning about all things that have Paws, Claws or Whiskers this half term. They have really immersed themselves in their topic, creating some beautiful writing and learning about some of the world’s most fascinating animals. They presented their learning beautifully at their class assembly, and dressed to impress too!

class 1 send their healing powers to poorly teacher!

Class 1's teacher, having put in all the hard work in preparation, had to miss the assembly as she was feeling poorly. However, to cheer her up and speed recovery, the big hearted class sent their message and some highlights to enjoy! 

Mr. quin and class 6 win the 'primary class of the year' award at the haringey outstanding for all awards!

Huge congratulations to our very own Mr. Quin and his 2015/16 class of superstars! The Haringey Outstanding for All awards is a prestigious event designed to celebrate the very best the Borough has to offer in education. There are awards for outstanding leaders, teachers, support staff, pupils, community stars, governors and all those that knit the fabric of schools in Haringey together. Mr. Quin and his class was nominated for achieving a "brilliant atmosphere and an academic environment that was exemplary, with excellent results." All of this in what was, arguably, the most challenging year in Primary Education for many years. Tougher curriculum and tougher tests were taken on with focus, determination and enthusiasm. I would like to congratulate each and every pupil in the class of 2015/16 and Mr. Quin, who was ably supported by Ms. Giltinan, Ms. Kennedy and Ms. Hulbert. Congratulations to all on an amazing achievement!

mega-Cake sale

Another HUGE thank you to our brilliant ‘Friends of SJV’! This afternoon, they laid on a lavish spread of cakes and bakes, provided plenty of festive cheer and raised money to fund treats for the children at Christmas. A great way to end another busy week at school! STOP PRESS!!!!!! This amazing event raised a whopping £730! Not only will this (comfortably) fund crackers for the Christmas lunch, we will use it to fund a special treat for all in the new year.

ROad safety

Class 5 and Class 6 led the way during Road Safety Week, when they met with representatives from Brake and Donovan’s to discuss ways of keeping safe on the road, particularly when cycling and sharing the road with monster trucks like the one that visited the school.

Everyone was impressed with their knowledge and politeness and we all even managed a turn in the driver’s seat!

The story made it to the local newspapers (as far as Enfield, meaning I could read about our brilliant children over my cornflakes this morning!), so keep an eye out.

Anti-bullying week 2016

The children and staff at SJV marked this important event in the national educational calendar impressively with their thoughts, feelings and ideas around this challenging issue. Friday’s assembly showcased our children’s ability to show responsibility, care for each other and to understand the causes of, and remedies for, bullying in all its forms.

 Class 6 presented a moving film, utilising the topical craze for ‘Mannequins’ (holding a pose still while being filmed, giving the effect of a ‘3d photograph’) to sensitively explore this topic. 

Class 5 - Walk like an egyptian

This week class 5 demonstrated the power of Topic Based Learning. They have been studying ancient Egypt, and their presentation at Friday's assembly was a joyous mixture of History, Literacy, Religion, Drama, Science and Music (that song is still banging around my head!). Congratulations to Ms Milonas and her team, and of course the children in class 5 - a thoroughly enjoyable end to the week! All together now, "Tutankhamun, Pharaoh! Pharaoh! Tutankhamun, he ruled Egypt long ago..."

Animals' Tea party

This week, Class 1 brought their class book, The Tiger That Came to Tea, to full and thrilling life, when a small herd of Serengeti beasts (and a pig) made a visit. It was very good of the predators not to eat the pig, and it was very good of them not to eat the children too! A lovely time was had by all, and it is brilliant to see the lengths to which teachers go to bring learning alive. The squeals of delight and the smiling faces were a sight to behold! Who wouldn't want to be in Class 1?

Fancy Dress disco - friends of SJV

Last Friday saw the return of the ever-popular Friends of SJV Fancy Dress Disco! We were treated to some fabulous costumes,   from both the young and old, some yummy things to eat, a good old dance and...Captain Fantastic on the decks! A great time was had by all, and a HUGE thank you to the hard working 'Friends' team who made all of this possible. The children had a blast, and that's the aim!

A celebration of British values - 24th JUNE 2016

This  week’s assembly was always meant to be a culmination of the hard work each class has been undertaking  in order to reflect on what it means to be a positive member of British society. Timed, as it was, for the day after the referendum, it was always going to be topical! While the news was sinking in, and clearly not the news that the majority expected or wanted, it was a good time to reflect on what it all meant. The children have been superb in this topic: open, sensible, considerate and passionate. Some were disappointed and confused, worried even, but we at St. John Vianney are a diverse bunch, with a strong sense of community, and we are a shining example of how British Values can work for the good of all!

Year 6 voluntary aided schools leavers' service - 23rd June 2016

On Thursday this week, our Year 6 Class began their series of ‘goodbyes’ to St. John Vianney and Primary Education! We gathered together at St. Paul’s in Wood Green, along with other local Catholic and Church of England schools, to celebrate the passing of another fantastic group of Year 6s from this school (this is my first: are they ALWAYS this good? This sensible? This polite? This hard working? I hope so…). The ‘Peacefully Forward’ service was a beautiful way of giving thanks for our time together and to look forward to the future—they are ready for it, I can assure you.

But…we didn’t just turn up and to make up numbers! Our  boys and girls took centre stage and kicked the service off with in rousing style with their superlative rendition of ‘Our Time’ (my favourite ‘show tune’ - yes I have a favourite show tune!). Mrs. Griffin’s arrangement, enthusiasm and good old fashioned talent, coupled with our children’s angelic voices, made for a rousing and emotional moment— “It’s Our Time, breathe it in, worlds to change and worlds to win, our turn coming through, you and me, yes, me and you.”

KS2 Choir rehearse for their big date at the royal albert hall!

Mrs. Griffin took the KS2 Choir down to Chestnuts school recently so that they could practise their songs for the Royal Albert Hall concert in June. They were joined by a cluster of local schools, and the sound they all make together is beautiful. It promises to be a fantastic event. Our children were impeccably behaved as usual!

Class 1 visit the natural history museum

To kick off their topic 'Dinosaur Planet' in real style, our Class 1 made the intrepid journey to the Natural History Museum. A brilliant time was had by all, and the children were really in awe of this wonderful first hand experience. There were some tired faces on the tube on the way back, and some even took the opportunity to have a quick nap! Well done Class 1: you were a credit to us all, as usual, with your behaviour, courtesy and your thirst for knowledge.

St George's Day 

The whole school was awash with red and white in April as the pupils and staff celebrated St. George's Day.

Next event - coming soon