Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Badminton Tournament

  Mon 25 Feb 2019

  On Monday, we sent two team to compete in the Basingstoke badminton tournament for the first time. We competed against two other schools in both doubles and singles matches. 

   

  Both teams really enjoyed the event and played well. Our A team did especially well -winning all of their matches and so were crowned Basingstoke champions! They will now compete against schools from the rest of Hampshire in two weeks time in Eastleigh. 

   

  Well done to everyone who represented the school. 

• Cross Country Competition

  Fri 15 Feb 2019

  Yesterday, 20 children from Year 3/4 and 19 children from Year 5/6 travelled to Down Grange to take part in the Basingstoke Cross Country Competition.

   

  There were boys and girls races for Year 3/4 and the children had to run 1,500m and then also girls and boys Year 5/6 races where the distance was increased to 2,000m. Each race had around 200 children from schools across Basingstoke.

   

  All the children managed to complete the distance and we were incredibly impressed by their determination and stamina! Well done to everyone who took part!

• Ali Sparkes - Author Visit

  Mon 11 Feb 2019

  To launch the start of our curriculum week - New Lives, New Places, New Adventures - we had the author Ali Sparkes visit St John's. 

   

  Ali led an assembly where she told us all about how she became an author. It was a journey that started with her being the worst reader and writer in her primary school and spanned working as a reporter for the Southampton Daily Echo, through to working on BBC Radio 4 and then finally making it as an author. Ali told us about all the rejection letters she has received over the years as she struggled to get her work published and how she always kept on trying and believing she could make it. She finished the assembly by reading an extract from one of her books and answering questions from the children. 

   

  During the rest of the day Ali worked with several classes on writing workshops and the children have gone away really enthused to continue their own stories. She was also on hand to sign copies of her books which were available to buy in the library thanks to P&G Wells Independent Bookshop. 

   

  It was a fantastic start to what promises to be a brilliant week! Keep your eye on the website for more pictures and updates throughout the week!

  

• Bishop of Basingstoke Visit

  Fri 08 Feb 2019

  On Wednesday the Bishop of Basingstoke, David Williams, visited St John's. He joined us for our worship theme around friendship and talked to us about the importance of looking after our friends during difficult times and then led the prayer at the end of worship. Bishop David also reflected back on his last visit to the school to open the eco-library and told us how he tells everyone about how energy efficient it is, including in a talk at Cambridge University! 

   

  After assembly the school council got a chance to ask the Bishop lots of questions about his role and he really enjoyed speaking to everyone. 

  

• Individual Table Tennis - County Finals

  Wed 06 Feb 2019

  On Sunday, Grace and Jake travelled to Southampton to compete in the county finals of the Individual Table Tennis Competition. 

   

  Both children were placed in a group with two other children, with the top two then qualifying for the knock out stages. Grace won both her group matches 3-0 and this meant she qualified in top spot from her group. She then again won 3-0 in the quarter finals. Grace lost in the semi-finals to the eventual winner of the competition and finished in 4th overall at the tournament. An excellent achievement!

   

  Jake also won both of his group matches 3-0 and won the quarter finals 3-0. In the semi-final Jake played the boy he had played in the final of the Basingstoke competition and although he won the first set eventually lost 3-1 in a thrilling match. Jake then won his 3rd/4th place play-off game meaning he finished 3rd overall. 

   

  Well done to both children on playing so well and representing St John's.

  

• KS1 Gymnastics

  Wed 06 Feb 2019
  St John’s entered new territory on Wednesday by entering the KS1 Gymnastics competition, which took place at Winklebury Junior School. The quartet consisting of Ellis, Felicity, Grace and Yan had been practising hard and each had to complete a floor and a body management routine in front of 3 judges. The children thoroughly enjoyed their experience, which for most was their first time representing St John’s in a sport – Well Done to all!