Newsletter 38 11/07/25

It has been another busy week as we move closer to the end of this school year. Sports mornings have taken place for all but Reception, organised and managed superbly by the excellent Mr Jarvis and supported by teachers and parents. In lovely weather, it has been good to see the children competing and taking part with smiles on their faces and in support of each other.

After many visited their new schools last week, Year 6 resumed their final weeks in Primary school. As well as their own sports morning, they have just completed wonderful performances of Annie (Junior). Showcasing some very talented individual singers and actors, they have worked collectively over a number of weeks to produce an entertaining production for parents and fellow pupils alike. We have all been blown away, seeing many pupils reveal a new side to their personalities as they enter the spotlight of the stage. We hope that they continue to explore these gifts, as well as discovering new ones, as they move on in life's journey. Many thanks and congratulations go to the excellent staff in Year 6 and to the other adults who have supported the show's production.

You should be receiving your child's end of year report today, setting out how they have progressed in their current class. Encouraging a love of learning is key to shaping our children into life long learners, always striving to improve their knowledge and understanding, as well as the way that we can better love one another. I have read quite a number of this year's reports and it is pleasing to read about the effort and positive attitude that our pupils consistently show, and how they strive to reflect our school values.

As a school, we are constantly reflecting on how we can create the conditions for improved learning so have been making plans to continually adjust our practice in September. At that time, children will be in new classes, starting a new adventure and the next step in their learning and life journey. Year 6 will have moved on, taking with them memories of Sacred Heart and academic skills, reflected in excellent SATs results that show that they are ready for the next stage in their education.

As I mentioned previously, our numbers for the new Reception classes are low for September, reflecting a national and local trend around birth rate, should you know friends and relatives who may be considering schools.

I hope that we can all take the time to reflect on the past school year and live in the moment, enjoying the remaining week and a half of the term. These are the experiences and memories that will help to shape us as people and live with us forever.

May God bless and protect you in the coming week.

Mr Beazeley

Please follow the link to the Ten Ten collective Worship Newsletter this month www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/  

Here are our stars of the week who have represented our core values well through their actions of responsibility, achievement, compassion, equality, faith and respect.

• 14/07/25 – Reception Class Sports morning from 9.00am

15/07/25 - Dental workshop for Nursery-Year 2 and parent information stall after school

• 15/07/25 – Prize Giving Years 3-5 from 9.00am

• 16/07/25 – Prize Giving Years R, 1 & 2 from 9.00am

• 16/07/25 – Prize Giving Year 6 from 2.00pm

• 18/07/25 –  Sacred Heart Talent Show (pupils only)

• 21/07/25 – Leavers Mass at 2.00pm

• 23/07/25 – Leavers Assembly at 2.00pm

• 23/07/25 – Last Day of term

• 24/07/25 - 29/08/25 - SUMMER HOLIDAYS

• 01/09/25 - INSET DAY - NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

• 02/09/25 - INSET DAY - NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

• 03/09/25 – First Day of new academic year

Next year's term dates have been announced, please see below for the school calendar

Here is our new Summer Term dinner menu, which is now in effect.

In line with other schools we will be introducing a new policy where by any children not collected from school by 3.30pm will be placed in our after school tea club and a £6 fee will be applied to your School Money account.

We have seen an increase in the number of children not collected on time and we hope the new charges will ensure children are collected promptly.

Our Amazon Wishlist is live!! The idea is that friends and family of the school can donate directly to the school library. We’ll still accept preloved copies from home that you may also wish to donate. The selection of books are chosen by the staff as texts that may benefit the pupil's reading comprehension, engagement with the curriculum and foster an interest in reading. The current list is reflective of this and will update as and when donations come through.  The link to our Wishlist is here.

A big thank you to those that have bought books for the school, we truly appreciate it.

Annie the Musical

Year 6 put on an amazing performance for their end of year production and sung and acted their hearts out. We are all very proud of you. Here are a few photos, there are many more on our social media pages

Year 2 enjoyed a trip to the end of the pier and drew the landmarks of Southend they could see at the end.

Reception visited the beach and paddled their feet, whilst looking at all the interesting creatures and shells there.

Our Year 5 girls spent a day at St Bernards gaining an insight into what secondary school life is like.

Our Year 5 boys spent a day at St Thomas More gaining an insight into what secondary school life is like.

OUTSTANDING MONEY

Just a remind to all our families to ensure that all outstanding monies are paid for by the end of this school term.  Please log onto your School Money accounts to check for outstanding balances and ensure any outstanding clubs, trips, dinners are settled.

If you have any questions regarding this please email annemariedriscoll@sacredheart.southend.sch.uk

PUPIL ABSENCE

When a child is off sick, a phone call must be made daily to record their absence.  For sickness and diarrhea, the school has a 48 hours policy from the last episode before a child can return to school.

Any medical appointments need proof of the appointment for our records.

For any other absences a leave of absence form must be completed which can be obtained from the office.

LOST PROPERTY

Please can all parents check their child’s clothes -  All items should be clearly labelled and your child needs to ensure they can identify their own property.  Staff are wasting too much time searching for children’s clothing and dealing with frustrated parents.

Thank you for your co-operation.

We would like to remind all our families using breakfast club of the importance of booking in advance.  We have noticed an increase of children not booking in advance and this effects our staffing ratio.

Breakfast club (£3 per session) runs from 7:30 until the start of school and includes a light breakfast and childcare.  

We also run a tea club (£6 per session) from 3:15-5:30pm which includes a light tea and childcare - again all bookings must be booked and paid for in advance.  Failure to pay will result in the child not being able to attend future sessions.

All bookings must be made at the beginning of each week so we can ensure we have enough staff available.  Priority will be given to children who have booked in advance and those who have not booked may not be able to stay.

If you need assistance making a booking please email annemariedriscoll@sacredheart.southend.sch.uk

We would like to remind all our families that we are a nut free school to protect some of our pupils/staff and therefore request that no items of food containing nuts are brought in.  We have noticed an increasing number of children bringing in snacks and spreads containing nuts ie cereal bars, chocolate spread etc.  We hope you all understand the importance that some of our community have epi pens for their allergies and we need to ensure their safety at all times.  Thank you for your co-operation.

SEND Summer Term Update 

The last few days of the summer term, can be particularly challenging for children with SEND. As they often involve many changes to routines, unfamiliar events, and emotional goodbyes. These transitions can feel overwhelming, so it’s important to support children with calming strategies such as breathing exercises, quiet time with a favourite activity, using visual schedules to prepare for what’s coming next, or having a comfort object nearby. Reassurance, consistency, and allowing space to talk about their feelings can make a big difference during this time.

Over the past few weeks, teachers shared the summer Individual Support Plans (ISPs) with all families of children with special educational needs. I hope the plans reflected the children's progress and that they were actively involved in setting their own targets. Your input has been greatly appreciated, as we recognise that children with additional needs require consistent support both at school and at home. If you haven't yet had the chance to meet with your child's teacher or receive a new password, the ISPs are available online. Please log in at https://edukeyapp.com/parent/login to view the plans and share your feedback. If you need any assistance with this process, don’t hesitate to speak with your class teacher.

To find out further how we support children with special educational needs, at Sacred Heart Catholic school please click on this link: 

https://www.shcps.co.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/SEND%20Information%20report%20and%20policy%20Sacred%20Heart.pdf

Sleep workshop (virtual sessions)

These sessions are for children under the care of the Lighthouse Child Development Centre or who have a diagnosed neurodivergent condition. To book a place please email to book a place: epunft.Lighthouse.asd@nhs.net. Sessions run from 10am to 12pm.

2025 Dates: 3 July, 18 September and 16 October.

Click on the image below to read a workshop for parents of children who are anxious or worried about coming to school