Thanks to all parents and carers for your support at today's sports day. We hope you had as much fun as we had.
Have a lovely weekend!
Have a lovely weekend!
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The debut performance of our Year 3 and 4 choir took place at the Mansion House last week. Children performed their favourite songs to the Lady Mayoress and spouses of ambassadors residing in London. The audience was thoroughly entertained and even joined in with the actions to LOVE.
We'd love your views on our autumn menus. What do you think?     LEGACY – A service of commemoration on the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir John Cass
LJ :The Lord be with you All: and also with you This is the anniversary of John Cass’s death - which we remember with a red feather. We remember his death because we remember what he achieved in his life, the legacy he left - legacy means the good things that we do that stay behind us when we move on - whether that is in this life, as Mr Wilson moves to Australia, we might talk about his legacy to this school, or the year 6 as they move to secondary school. Legacy is also another word for a will, the document left behind when someone dies - as we know JC died signing his, which caused great confusion. But the legacy we remember is the good deeds during his lifetime, and the way his fortune is used for the people who live here in Portsoken Ward and round London. Let’s look at the word ‘legacy’ - L - YEAR 1 Voice 1: L is for life, which John Cass lived to the full. Voice 2: L is also for love, which John Cass shared with the people of this ward Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] E - YEAR 2 Voice 1: E is for enthusiasm, which John Cass gave to our school Voice 2: E is also for education, which John Cass has given to thousands of children over three centuries Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] G - YEAR 3 Voice 1: G is for generosity, which John Cass demonstrated in his life and in his death Voice 2: G is also for gift, John Cass’s gift to us is this school Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] A - YEAR 4 Voice 1: A is for age, because John Cass wanted to help young and old. Voice 2: A is also for Almshouses, built by John Cass for the poor people of this ward to have somewhere to live. Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] C- YEAR 5 Voice 1: C is for charity, the example John Cass has set us to share what we have with others Voice 2: C is also, of course, for Cass, and all the places of education which share his name Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] Y - YEAR 6 Voice 1: Y is for youth, John Cass wanted to give people the best chance as they started out in life. Voice 2: Y is also for YOU - how are you going to live your life with John Cass as your example? Voice 3: [A sentence about why he/she loves the school] Let us pray. Parent: Loving God, as we remember John Cass today on the anniversary of his death, we give you thanks for his life. Reception: Loving God, thank you for every child who has come to this school. Year 1: Loving God, we pray for our school, for the children, the parents and the staff. Year 2: Loving God, thank you for all you have given us, help us to give what we can in return. Year 3: Loving God, we pray for everyone in need, help us to help them. Year 4: Loving God, we pray for this Ward, and for all who live in it. Year 5: Loving God, we pray for people who are ill, or whose lives are drawing to a close. Year 6: Loving God, we commend to your loving care for those who have died, and particularly today we pray for our founder, John Cass. Staff: Loving God, we ask that you help us to use our time on earth wisely, that we may live lives full of love and service. Let us pray in the words Jesus gave us. The Lord’s Prayer The Blessing May God give you his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen. Let us bless the Lord Thanks be to God
​Thank you for attending our information meeting about secondary schools last week. We aim to support you in whatever way we can with the transfer process. On the one hand it can be quite difficult to evaluate the different schools around the local area. However, in central London you do have many excellent options for secondary schooling.
We will shortly be updating our website for the coming year when Tower Hamlets and the City have produced their secondary school guides- but you will still be able to find lots of useful information and links about secondary schools: http://www.sirjohncassprimary.org/starting-secondary-school.html For all applications in the state sector you will need to make an online application via eadmissions portal for them to transfer to secondary school in September 2019. This portal is not yet open- it usually goes live in live in September for the Year 6 cohort. Having time out of school It is important for your child to be as involved in the process of choosing a secondary school as possible. Requests for time out to visit schools will typically only be approved in year 5 or 6. It’s best to visit schools when they are working normally, rather than in the evening when the children have gone home. However, you must balance this with the need for your child to have as least disruption as possible to their learning in school. We suggest your child attends up to 2 or 3 of your top choice schools- the ones with a high likelihood of admission. You must ask for permission for your child to be absent from schools for visits. We will not authorise visits if we think you are visiting too many and their education is being disruptive. Other links Guidance to help you find out more about the outcomes and achievements in different schools: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/ The Good Schools Guide: https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/ With thanks, Mr T Wilson | Headteacher It’s almost 300 years since Sir John Cass died. In one version of the events of the evening of July 5th, 1718 Cass had just managed to initial two pages of his Will when the end came. The haemorrhage covered his quill. This blood-stained feather is a symbol of his benevolence we still use today- but what is the legacy of his gift in relation to the school he set up?
Sir John Cass’s School was originally established to provide an education to the poor children of Portsoken- a ward in the once populous City of London. This Independent Charity School split in the 1960s when Sir John Cass’s Foundation and Red Coat Church of England Secondary School was established. Both schools have flourished in the last twenty years. The secondary school is consistently one of the best performing schools in Tower Hamlets with a diverse programme of sports, arts and curriculum enrichment. The school is graded as outstanding by Ofsted and was also graded outstanding in its recent SIAMS inspection which considers how effective it is as a church school. It is an incredibly popular school with 1310 applications for 208 places for this coming September of which over half are 1st and 2nd choice preferences. The school regularly works with a range of local primary schools and is involved in a wider family of partnerships with other bodies. Our own primary school nestled underneath the corporate towers of the square mile is among the top performing schools in London, if not the country. Our Nursery provides an exceptional environment for babies to 4 year olds and a range of family and children’s services to support child development and develop parent skills and understanding. We are consistently in the top 10% of schools nationally for pupil achievement. But much much more than that we offer an exceptionally rich curriculum featuring science, art, PE and music of excellent quality. The great shame of the English Education system is that the most money is spent on those who need it the least. Did you know approximately three times more money is spent at independent day-schools per pupil than in state secondary schools? For all the talk of widening access, Independent sector schools are typically woeful at getting truly vulnerable or disadvantaged children through the door. The talk of money may be vulgar but it’s the assets Sir John left 300 years ago which still make the difference in 2018. Money– in the right hands– has a transformational effect on the lives of the young people in the Cass schools. The purpose of the Charity set up in Sir John’s name is to maintain these two remarkable schools- to invest in and support their work so that they flourish. Sir John’s money– through the Cass Foundation - adds a premium to every child who attends a Cass institution. Spent well, it provides opportunity and the chance for excellence in various areas of the curriculum. Lets name just two recent projects supported by Sir John Cass’s Foundation which have truly made an exceptional difference in my school. Our partnership with the inspirational Hampshire Cass Mountain Centre– funded by Sir John Cass’s Foundation enables children to fully immerse themselves in exceptional quality outdoor education. I think Roger and his team are here today. Second- our interactive whiteboards, science lab and technology project funded by Sir John Cass’s Foundation have helped to improve teaching and learning in the classroom so that lessons are well resourced and teaching makes very good use of the latest approaches. Money makes the difference and it is right and good to invest it in the each child at a Cass school for that was Sir John’s wish. The final part of Cass’s legacy worth reflecting on is the idea of ourselves as independent schools. As a Head leaving the school- and the Country- at the end of this academic year I think it’s worth thinking about how successful schools are governed. The independence of voluntary aided schools is a real strength. Unlike academies we’re not stymied by contract law and new layers of bureaucracy. Voluntary aided schools are the original- and I would argue- best way to manage a school. The freedoms available offer Headteachers, governors and trustees an opportunity to forge their own way, drawing on what’s best from the local area but creating a school with true character. Our schools today- the fact they are thriving, successful institutions is informed by the thread of history which can be traced back to their foundations. This provides energy, life and ethos to our institution. Nor is it by accident that our two schools- as with most voluntary schools across the country - were provided by Christian charities, Churches or people of the Church. The very act of providing a school for those who were without education was a gift of enormous Christian benevolence. We’re both schools which proudly aim to develop children’s understanding of God, their spirituality and place in the world. Or to put it like Sir John- to provide instruction in the principles and practices of the Church of England. This independence informed by our Christian character is something to treasure. With that I want to commend the life, the works and legacy of Sir John Cass to God. Let’s be thankful for the thriving schools we have today, be grateful for the money at our disposal and let us make the most of the opportunities offered through our independence. Thank you This year's art week had a fashion show theme. This is a short video of Class 6's creations. |
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