We celebrated the end of another very successful term with our End of Term 2 Easter Golden Awards for Years 1-3 and Years 4-7.

Today's assemblies allowed us to reflect on the importance of the events the important charity work which we had completed during the season of Lent for our chosen charity Trócaire.  We also had the presentation of our Term 2 subject awards, March Pupil of the Month certificates, Term 2 Principal Endeavour certificates and Accelerated Reading Certificates, Achievement in a variety of extra-curricular areas outside of school was also acknowledged and celebrated.  Mr. Traynor also spoke to us about the importance of staying safe during the Easter Break and wished all the pupils and staff a very Happy Easter.

Well done everyone - a super talented bunch of children we have here at St. Joseph's! 

Our nursery children enjoyed a lovely shared education visit to Crumlin Integrated Pre‑School. The visit provided a valuable opportunity for the children to meet, play and learn together, supporting positive relationships and shared experiences.

This week marked the conclusion of our Paired Numeracy Programme, a successful six‑week initiative that brought together our Year 4 pupils and Year 7 pupils in a supportive learning partnership.

Throughout the six week programme, each Year 4 pupil worked alongside a Year 7 buddy, exploring a wide range of numeracy concepts and developing confidence in their mathematical skills. Activities included work using the 100 square, tackling problem‑solving challenges, and reinforcing learning through numeracy board games and digital activities on Chromebooks.

Our Year 7 pupils embraced their leadership roles, providing encouragement, guidance and support to younger pupils, while our Year 4 children grew in confidence and enthusiasm for numeracy.

Well done to all the boys and girls who took part. It was wonderful to see such positive partnerships in action and to celebrate the impact of pupil leadership in supporting learning across the school.

Many congratulations to our Year 3 children on making their First Confession. The boys and girls were so reverent in the newly refurbished Mater Dei church. 

They celebrated the special occasion in school today with a cake party.  We are very proud of you all!

'One Family, One Flock'

March was a wonderfully busy and joy‑filled month in our Nursery Unit at St Joseph’s. We began by celebrating World Book Day, with children proudly bringing in their favourite stories to share. Together, we explored the different parts of a book—title, author, illustrator and blurb—and the boys and girls loved drawing the characters that captured their imaginations.

Our celebrations continued on Wear It Green Day, when the nursery was alive with Irish songs, jigs and plenty of laughter. A real highlight was the fabulous performance from our talented Primary Two pupils, which had all the little ones clapping along.

As spring arrived, the children turned their attention to new life on the farm, discovering how animals grow and change. This led beautifully into our Baby topic, inspired by the exciting arrival of several new babies within our nursery families—a lovely, real-life link for the children.

We were also delighted to welcome Antrim Play Ball, who delivered energetic and engaging sessions throughout the month. These activities helped the children develop their fundamental movement skills while learning to work cooperatively in pairs and small teams.

It has been a month bursting with curiosity, creativity and celebration—and we can’t wait for all that the next term will bring!

Thank you to everyone who sponsored our children for the Friends of St Joseph’s Annual Fun Run.  The atmosphere was brilliant, and all our boys and girls loved getting active as they lapped the playground to raise funds for new school resources.

A big thank‑you also to Shane and Catherine from Oaktree for kindly donating the juice and refreshments, and to the parents from the Friends of St. Joseph's who came along to help serve them.

Sponsorship money can be returned to school up to and including Thursday 2nd April.  Every penny helps and will go directly towards resources for all of our children.

Your support, as always, is very much appreciated.

Congratulations to our Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils who received the weekly Headteacher Award throughout March.

Each of these boys and girls has been recognised for showing wonderful qualities that brighten our school every day.

As we move towards the Easter break, it’s lovely to pause and celebrate those moments of kindness, effort and enthusiasm that make such a difference.

Everyone Matters, Every Moment Counts – and our March Superstars have shown exactly that.
We are very proud of them all!

Our Year 3 pupils enjoyed an unforgettable experience this week as Miss Anderson from Time Steps transported them back to the early 1900s. Arriving as a strict, no‑nonsense teacher from the past, she led the children through a school day very different from what they know today.

The boys and girls tried their hand at writing on slate boards, took part in traditional arithmetic and spelling drills, and learned about the expectations of school life long ago — including girls doing needlework and boys gathering coal and sticks to heat the classroom. These stories sparked plenty of curiosity (and some disbelief!) as pupils compared life then and now.

To fully embrace the theme, Year 3 pupils dressed up, and our teachers and classroom assistants joined in the fun too. We even edited our accompanying photos in black and white, just as they would have appeared in those days.

It was a wonderfully engaging and memorable session, and while everyone thoroughly enjoyed stepping back in time, the children were unanimous in saying they’re glad school isn’t quite so strict anymore!  A big thank‑you to Miss Anderson from Time Steps for bringing history to life in such a captivating way.

Many thanks to Stephanie from Time Steps for delivering a highly informative and enjoyable workshop to our Year 7 classes today.

The programme explored the background and key events surrounding the Titanic. Pupils examined life in 1912, discussing the social and economic factors that contributed to the building of the ship, as well as the major events and influential figures of the time. They also investigated popular theories and myths about the sinking, along with the wider impact of this maritime tragedy.

The session concluded with a hands‑on, competitive boat‑building challenge, which the pupils thoroughly enjoyed.

Our Year 5 pupils in Mr. McKenna’s class were delighted to take part in an exciting Creative Connections filming experience this week. A professional film crew visited our school to record the children in action, capturing the wonderful artwork, ideas, and reflections they have developed throughout their Creative Connections journey.

The pupils spoke confidently with the crew, sharing what they have learned, how their creativity has grown, and what the project has meant to them. Their enthusiasm, imagination and teamwork shone through, and we are incredibly proud of how brilliantly they represented our school.

These recordings will feature as part of the Creative Connections Celebration Day on Tuesday 12th May in the Guildhall, Derry/Londonderry. This special event brings schools together to showcase pupils’ achievements, celebrate their creative experiences, and highlight the joy and curiosity that the programme inspires.

We look forward to seeing our pupils’ work displayed and celebrated alongside other schools, and we are grateful for the ongoing opportunities Creative Connections provides to nurture creativity, confidence, and expressive learning in our children.

Well done, Year 5 — your creativity truly is something worth celebrating!