Newsletter 1 Autumn Term

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)

Following news reports of a number of schools being closed due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), we would like to reassure you that we have received confirmation from Southwark Diocese that SASM does not have any RAAC in its buildings. 

We need 2 emergency contacts for every child

This week, you will be invited to join or refresh your details for our SIMS Parent App. The app allows you to submit changes to your child's profile, such as contact details and permissions for photos. It is vital that you submit 2 contacts for your child so that we are able to contact someone in case of an emergency. Please make sure you submit your photo permissions to enable your child's photo to be used in our displays, newsletters and social media.

Warm weather this week

Temperatures this week are due to exceed 30 degrees.  We encourage children playing outdoors to stay in the shade as much as possible and wear sun hats with wide brims to avoid sunburn. Please do make sure your child has a water bottle (each classroom has access to a water tap and there is a fountain in the playground) and we encourage pupils to drink more water than usual when conditions are hot.

We also encourage suncream with high sun protection factors (at least SPF15) to protect skin. Whilst we remind pupils to apply this, they must put it on themselves. There is some ambiguity about whether Nivea-branded suncream may be harmful to nut allergy sufferers. Therefore we would advise parents/carers not to use this brand for pupils when at school, please follow this link for further details.  

A 'new-look' School Parliament

Having the opportunity to develop leadership and oracy skills is an important part of becoming a lifelong learner. This year, we have expanded our School Parliament to include 5 pupils from each class, one pupil for each of our parliamentary committees, which include:

• a Wellbeing MP -  these MPs are peer mediators, attend wellbeing conferences, promote online safety and will help to run a whole-school wellbeing week, 

• a Learning MP -  these MPs will help to run sports events (including sports day), conduct pupil voice, interview members of our school community and promote World Book Day

• an Environment MP  - these MPs will lead environmental matters at SASM including recycling, our spiritual garden, planting and sustainability projects

• an Advocacy MP- these MPs lead fund raising as well as promote diversity, inclusion and other community events (e.g. police speed trapping). They will also help with our 'Headteacher for a Day election' this year

• a Faith MP - these MPs will work with Miss G on faith matters including church services, looking after Spiritual Journals and working with our link school in Sri Lanka

Your children will be introduced to the different roles this week and every child will choose one role they would like to run for. They will be given time to write speeches and practise them (even children who have previously been an MP can run again!)

Over the next 2 weeks, pupils will deliver their speeches to their class, who will vote for them using a Google Form. Each person's vote is private.

Changes to school rewards

After reviewing feedback from across our school community, we have a new system for school rewards this year. As a result, we no longer have houses nor housepoints at SASM. This, along with our old system of VIPs, has been replaced with our new school reward system: Christian Value Points (CVPs). 

What are Christian Value Points (CVPs)?

Pupils can be awarded a CVP by any member of school staff for displaying one of our 12 Christian Values, which they will post in their class box. Each week our Faith and Learning MPs will log the CVPs collected in each class. 

What are CVPs replacing?

This year, there will be no houses, house points or VIPs at SASM. 

What will my child receive for earning CVPs?

Across the academic year, pupils' CVPs will begin to add up. When a child reaches each of the following milestones, their achievement will be logged (parents and carers can view this on the SIMS Parent App):

• 5 CVPs earned - entered into every half-termly draw for a book token from the machine (the book token machine will soon be arriving at SASM!)

• 15 CVPs earned - postcard home from Mr Gates

• 30 CVPs earned - book token/voucher

• 40 CVPs earned - invited to a pizza lunch with a friend

• 50 CVPs earned - phone call home from Mr Gates and one mufti day for you and a friend

Which other rewards are available at SASM?

Pupils will still be awarded:

• SASM Star - each class teacher awards 2 SASM Stars each week in Friday's Celebration Collective Worship. 

• Good Work Bags (GWBs) - awarded for exceptional effort or quality learning. Pupils take their work to show a member of the Senior Leadership Team and get to take their work home to share. These are logged on the SIMS Parent App

• The Tidy Shield - the tidiest class in the upper and lower school is awarded a 'Tidy Shield' each week. If a class receives 4 Tidy Shields in a term they are rewarded with a non-uniform day

• Gold Star Badge - awarded to pupils who learned and can recall their times tables up to 12 X 12

• Reading Certificate - these are awarded to pupils who have completed a reading challenge - these can be found here

Home learning 

This year, our home learning will be issued each Monday and will be due the following Monday. All pupils follow the same schedule of weekly learning:

• MyMaths - pupils are given tasks to complete on MyMaths, which is related to what has been taught in class (this will only be set in Year 3 from after the October half term).

• Reading Eggs - pupils will be given one reading comprehension lesson on Reading Eggspress (via Reading Eggs). Pupils must attempt the first task (a baseline assessment) without adult support; this ensures work is set at an appropriate level.  If your child wants to explore the other parts of the site (such as the library), they can. This can only be done once the home learning task is completed. Please note, a few children may be directed to a platform called IDL instead of Reading Eggs.

• Spelling Shed - a new platform for this year, pupils will have one task to complete each week, which is linked to the spelling rule they are studying in class. This year, we have a new approach to spelling and there will no longer be a weekly spelling test, instead children will learn their new words and apply them in a lower stakes dictation.

In addition, pupils are expected to read daily and record this in their planner. TTRockstars is also available for regular practice as pupils work towards their Gold Star Badge. However, there are no 'lessons' set on TTRockstars. 

Pupils' login information will be added to the front pages of their planner. Our first home learning tasks will be set on Monday 11th September.

Our school gates close at 8:45am

The school gate on Maple Road opens at 8:30am and closes promptly at 8:45am, when registration begins. If pupils are late to school, they must arrive via the school office and log the reason for being late to school. 

Clubs and Wrap-Around Care

We have a fantastic offer of after-school clubs, Breakfast Club and After-School Care. On Friday, our club offer for the Autumn Term will be sent via ParentMail. Please remember to book your child into Breakfast Club and After-School Care in advance of them attending.

Summer uniform

From now until the end of the October half term, pupils may come to school in their summer uniform, which includes a white long/short sleeved school shirt or blouse, white polo shirt or red checked dress. 

For further information regarding our school uniform please follow this link to our school website  and our school uniform supplier.  

Alternatively, is a second hand uniform sale in the office foyer