--- title: "Starting School Guide" url: "https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/starting-school-guide" school: "St. John Bosco Catholic Primary, Sunderland" --- # Starting School Guide starting school guide # St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School Caring for each other. ## Welcome ![Welcome to St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/images/banners/4.png) Welcome to St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School. The purpose of this prospectus is to provide you with some general information about our school which we hope will be useful to you and help make your child’s stay with us happy and fulfilling. St. John Bosco School is a Catholic primary day school for boys and girls of all abilities from 4 to 11 years of age. The school also has Bosco Bears Nursery for children aged 3 to 4 years. We are always very happy to see parents in school. If you would like to organise a visit, please get in touch. We are part of [Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust](https://www.bccet.org.uk). ## Bosco Bears - Our Nursery ![Bosco Bears Nursery at St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/images/Screenshot_2026-02-24_at_09.10.08.png) Our wonderful 26 place Nursery offers children aged 3 to 4 the perfect start to their learning journey and a place where they can flourish under the guidance of our experienced and nurturing Nursery staff. We work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage children to develop into happy, independent, resilient, life-long learners. We recognise that every child is unique at Bosco Bears Nursery and aim to foster their love of learning by building on their individual interests, knowledge and skills. **15 Hours** Monday to Friday, 8.45am – 11.45am or 12.15pm – 3.15pm. **30 Hours** Available for families who meet the eligibility criteria. **Lunch Option** Lunch can be provided for a small fee. We have an engaging indoor and outdoor environment that is safe and secure for your child to explore their learning. Please come and visit us at any time. ## Our School Day **Main School Day** 9.00am – 3.15pm. **Doors Open** Doors open at 8.40am. **Registers Close** Registers close at 9.15am. Key Stage Liturgies are held weekly, with a class Liturgy/Celebration of the Word held on a Friday. We serve the parish of Sacred Heart and St. John Bosco. There is a very strong Catholic ethos throughout the whole school community, and we welcome pupils of all faiths and beliefs. Our Breakfast Club runs every morning from 8am, providing pupils with a nutritious breakfast followed by a fun fitness session. We charge £2.00 per child per day and welcome all year groups from Reception to Year 6. **Update:** improved breakfast club offer coming in September 2026 ## Our Curriculum ![Curriculum learning at St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/images/banners/8.png) The curriculum is divided into three stages: - Early Years Foundation Stage: from ages 0–5 years - Key Stage 1: from ages 5–7 years - Key Stage 2: from ages 7–11 years ### Early Years Foundation Stage - Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Communication and Language - Physical Development - Literacy - Mathematics - Understanding the World - Expressive Arts and Design ### Key Stages 1 and 2 **Core Learning** Mathematics, Literacy, Science and Religious Education. **Foundation Subjects** Information and Design Technology, History, Geography, Art and Music (violin & clarinet). **Wider Curriculum** Physical Education, Personal and Social Education and Modern Foreign Language. ## Pastoral Support ### SEND At St. John Bosco, we believe that every child matters and every teacher is able to support special educational needs. Children who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs have their statement reviewed annually with all parties involved. ### Safeguarding We have designated personnel in school responsible for matters related to Child Protection. Parents should be aware that the school will take reasonable action to ensure the safety of pupils. Where there are concerns that a pupil may be subject to ill-treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, staff follow safeguarding procedures and inform social care of their concern. We want all of our children to feel welcomed, happy and fulfilled. We recognise that all children are different and that these differences create opportunities for adults and children alike to learn more about ourselves and each other. ## Our Uniform ![School uniform at St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/images/banners/1.png) **Girls** Royal blue sweatshirt, white polo shirt, grey skirt, pinafore or trousers and black school shoes. **Boys** Royal blue sweatshirt, white polo shirt, grey school trousers and black school shoes. **PE Kit** White T-shirt, navy or royal blue shorts, royal blue jogging bottoms and black gym shoes. Our suggested supplier for uniform with the school logo is [**The School Outfit**](https://theschooloutfit.co.uk/collections/st-john-bosco-r-c-primary-school). Preloved uniform is available. Please [contact](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/contact) the school office if you need any support to provide uniform for your child. ## [Chadwick’s Kitchen](https://bccet.org.uk/our-schools/chadwick-s-kitchen) ![Chadwick's Kitchen school meals](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/images/Screenshot-2024-10-24-at-12.15.07_(1).webp) Our award-winning in-house catering team, [Chadwick’s Kitchen](https://bccet.org.uk/our-schools/chadwick-s-kitchen), provides catering services across the Trust. - Fresh ingredients prepared daily - Healthy and nutritionally balanced meals - Medical diets accommodated in partnership with parents - ParentPay available for payments - Packed lunches permitted, but nuts and nut-based products are not allowed - Food waste and sustainability regularly reviewed ## Our Trust We are proud to be part of [Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust](https://www.bccet.org.uk). The Trust covers the east part of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, with schools in East Durham, South Tyneside and Sunderland. Our family of schools work closely together so pupils can flourish, supported by effective transition, close relationships and shared expectations. 31 Schools in our Trust 11,553 Pupils in our family of schools 1,415 Staff in our Trust ## Get in touch **St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School** Sunderland SR5 4JW Telephone: [0191 536 8090](tel:01915368090) Email: Website: [www.stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk](https://www.stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk) Facebook: SJBSunderland ### Parents - [Childcare Provision ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/childcare-provision) - [Mental Health & Wellbeing](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/mental-health-wellbeing) - [Online Safety ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/online-safety) - [Parents](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/parents) - [School Letters ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/school-letters) - [School Meals ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/school-meals) - [School Uniform ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/school-uniform) - [Starting School Guide](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/starting-school-guide) - [Term Dates ](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/term-dates) - [Transition](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/transition) ![St. John Bosco Catholic Primary, Sunderland](https://files.schudio.com/st-john-bosco-catholic-primary/images/logo/logo-footer-with-diocese-02.png) ### St. John Bosco Catholic Primary, Sunderland Bradford Avenue Sunderland SR5 4JW 0191 536 8090 ### Useful Links - [Website Terms ](https://bccet.org.uk/website-terms) - [Accessibility Statement](https://bccet.org.uk/accessibility-statement) - [Privacy Notice](https://bccet.org.uk/privacy-policy) - [FOI](https://bccet.org.uk/freedom-of-information) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SJBSunderland) © Copyright 2025–2026 St. John Bosco Catholic Primary, Sunderland School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://stjohnboscosunderland.org.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)