Newsletter 6 Autumn Term

11th October 2023

St Andrew’s and St Mark’s 

Church of England Junior School

“I have come in order that you might have life - life in all its fullness.” John 10:10 

-School News- 

Our Instagram feed displays photos of school events. Click or tap on a photo to find out more:

If you would like your child to have the opportunity to be featured on our Instagram page, please update the parental consent on the SIMs Parent App and ensure permission to be posted on social media is ticked.

Talking with children about traumatic world events


The thoughts and prayers of our school community are with all the families and communities affected by the attacks in Israel and ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine. Pupils can always share their worries at school with their trusted adults by speaking with them or using their check-ins. There are many sources of advice available for how to have conversations with children about traumatic world events; one useful guide can be found here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/articles/talking-children-about-scary-world-events 


We are hiring!

We have vacancies for an After School Care Playleader and Teaching Assistant. If you are interested in learning more about joining our incredible staff team click on the links below:

Post: Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant including lunchtime supervision 

Post: After School Care - Playleader 


Closing date for applications: 12.00pm, Monday 16th October 2023


'Hello Yellow' Mufti Day

 

Next week on Wednesday 18th October we will have a mufti day with the theme ‘Hello Yellow’ to celebrate Wellbeing Week. We are asking both staff and children to wear something yellow to raise awareness of the importance of Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing. Children can wear one piece of yellow clothing or even a whole outfit!  Something yellow can be as little as a pair of socks,  a hair bobble or a headband (please do not go out and buy something yellow!)

 

We are asking for a £1 Mufti Day donation to raise funds for the Grace Dear Trust, a charity that has enabled us to have a counsellor who supports the wellbeing of children across the school.

Collection for Harvest Festival: Kingston Foodbank

As the season changes and we approach our Harvest festival, we are excited to announce that this year, we have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in our local area. We are proud to support Kingston Food Bank again this year by collecting donations. The Kingston Food Bank works tirelessly to provide essential support to individuals and families in our community who are in need. Please click here to see a list of the items that the food back is particularly looking for. 

Your generosity can help us make this Harvest festival a time of giving, sharing, and compassion. If you are able participate we are collecting donations in the school office from now until the Harvest Service on Friday 20th October.

Thank you to everyone who has already bought donations to the office so far!

Sport News!

Last week eight boys in year 4 boys took part in a football tournament against seven other schools in the borough. They were fantastic! Not only did they draw two of their games but they managed to WIN their very first game! Miss Moore and Miss Skinner were extremely impressed by their talent and their great sportsmanship - well done boys! 

This week children from all year groups had an opportunity to attend a hockey tournament at Surbiton Hockey Club which they thoroughly enjoyed.  The children in Year 3 and 4 played fantastically, winning 3 of their 4 games.  All the children represented our school amazingly with their brilliant team work and sportsmanship. Well done to everyone involved! 

Our first Christian Value Points (CVPs) draw is next week! 

Since our new reward system was introduced in September, pupils have been hard at work demonstrating the Christian Values. At the time of writing, 592 CVPs have been awarded to pupils. Trust and friendship have been the most rewarded Christian values so far. 

Next Friday, we will be putting the names of all pupils with at least 5 CVPs into our first half-termly draw to win a book from our book vending machine. All pupils who have attended 100% of their lessons this half term will also receive 5 CVPs for perseverance and will be entered into the draw. 

Road safety 

Maple Road is a busy place before and after school. Please ensure your child is using the pedestrian crossing outside the school. Despite a 20mph speed limit, running across the road is dangerous. We would also like to remind parents and carers that parking on junctions and on zig-zag lines is not permitted. Thank you for helping us to be good neighbours in our community. 

Is your child a Young Carer?

Kingston Carers' Network - Young Carers' Project is the only organisation in the borough with a team dedicated to supporting the needs of young carers (aged 5-18) and as such, have a wealth of experience and expertise in issues which affect their lives. They provide: information and advice, including 1-to-1 support; opportunities to meet other young carers; fun activities, outings and breaks away from home; regular drop-ins, as well as advocacy and whole family support.


What is a young carer and who do young carers look after?

A young carer is someone aged 18 or under who helps to look after someone at home who needs extra support or care. A child might help to look after their mum, dad, brother, sister, grandparent or someone else who lives at home with them. The person they look after might have: a sensory impairment; a long-term illness; a physical or learning disability; a drug or alcohol problem or mental ill health.

 

What caring duties might a young carer have?

Each young carer and their family are different which means that each young carer's caring role is likely to be different. Some responsibilities might be:

Young carers might not do many of these practical tasks, but they might do lots of worrying about someone at home. Sometimes, young carers can also feel like they are missing out on things that their friends are doing because they have to help to look after someone.

Kingston Carers' Network's - Young Carers' Project is open to all young carers living in, or caring for someone living in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. 

How can I refer my child?

To refer your child to the Young Carers' Project, visit this link to download a referral form. Completed forms should then be emailed to admin@kingstoncarers.org.uk . It is also helpful if you can let the school office know if you have made a referral so that we can provide appropriate support for your child in school. 

Free Advice Clinic sessions to help support your child

1:1 Family Support sessions are free to residents of Richmond and Kingston Boroughs. They are bookable online with ADHD Embrace Family Support for parents who want to discuss their children and ideas for specific support in more detail.  Please follow this link for further details and to book an Advice Clinic Session. 

Emotion Regulation Parent/Carer Workshop at Maple Infants’ School

 

On Friday 24th November, Abigail Southall (EWP and Systemic Practitioner) will be holding a parent/carer workshop on Emotion Regulation at 9.00am in Maple Infants’ School. Maple has extended the invitation to all SASM parents and carers; if you would like to attend, please click here to complete the Google Form. 


Mental Health Support Team


As a school, we are fortunate to have a link with a local mental health support team (MHST). This team consists of Education Wellbeing Practitioners who work with families, delivering interventions to support children who struggle with anxiety and low mood. They also deliver an intervention supporting parents and carers when managing children’s challenging behaviour at home. If you would like more information about how you could get support, please make an appointment with Miss Woodward through the school office.

 

The MHST are also delivering a series of webinars for parents of primary aged children. The ‘Helping Children with …’ series will cover a range of common difficulties experienced by children and will aim to share evidence-based strategies to help parents and carers support their children with these difficulties. If you are interested in any of these, you can sign up via the links below:  


Helping children with...Resilience

The ‘Helping children with resilience’ webinar will support you in understanding how children develop resilience, while exploring a variety of helpful coping skills and what you can do as a parent or carer to help them be their most confident self. 


SASM EXPLAINS

SASM explains: theme weeks

Each week we will be diving into a different aspect of SASM life in more detail. 

This week, we explain our theme weeks

What is a theme week?


The final week of each half term is themed at SASM. These 'theme weeks' give pupils a chance to study a wide range of topics that complement and exceed the national curriculum and help deliver a holistic approach to education. The subject of each week varies but has previously included: Sense of Place Week; Careers and Aspirations Week; Christmas Week; Easter Week; Energy Week; Languages Week; Speaking and Listening Week; Courageous Advocacy Week; Artist Week; Sports Week and Community and Wellbeing Week. This is all part of the school vision, to give pupils opportunities to experience 'life in all its fullness.' 


What do pupils do in a theme week?


Theme weeks give teachers more flexibility to plan activities beyond a typical lesson that fit the theme. In the past this has included charity challenges; visiting Kingston Museum; launching water rockets and taking part in a karate workshop. However, it is also an opportunity to make sure that pupils have completed their units of study; lessons that may have been missed for other events (such as bank holidays and educational visits) can be rescheduled into theme weeks. 


When is the next theme week?


Next week is Wellbeing Week across the school. The aim of the week is to promote pupil wellbeing by teaching how to recognise and manage our emotions. Lessons will include topics such as about how to understand and manage difficult emotions; how to be courageous and resilient and managing 'worries'.  Alongside lessons there will be opportunities such as yoga sessions with Faye Rettie, author talks, a choir visit to a local care home and our Harvest Festival. In addition, we will be hosting our parent/carer consultations with a clear focus on pastoral and wellbeing updates.


-This Week's Notices- 

The River Thames Boat Project has recently launched a school holiday programme ‘Venturer Club’ for primary school children. The club offers games, challenges, art and craft activities on board Thames Venturer and makes use of surrounding areas. Venturer Club helps children and parents/guardians enjoy quality-time together; building confidence levels and interpersonal skills whilst having fun.

Timings:  Sessions are 2 hours long (10:15 -12:15 and 13:00-15:00)

Half term dates: Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th October

Price: £20 per child, per session

Location: Thames Venturer, Canbury Gardens, Kingston

Please click here for further details.  




Please click here for the latest edition - Creative Skills & Wellbeing Newsletter.


New for this half term Kingston Adult Education are offering Skills to manage your Stress, Anxiety and Emotions.  This is a 7 week course that looks at ways to deal with stress and anxiety.  

 

The next dates for their popular workshops are:-

 

Help your child to be a good friend  - 15th November 2023

Support Your Child Through Exam Stress - 6th December 2023.



Closing date for Secondary school applications


If your child is starting secondary school in September 2024, please follow this link to Kingston's admissions brochure and find out how to apply for a place. The closing date to submit applications is on Tuesday 31st October 2023.


Secondary school open days:

                                                        -Repeat notices-

Autism and Sleep

For an information booklet about autism and sleep, please click here.   

Home learning support


With the academic year well-underway, pupils are now expected to complete their home learning. Our home learning webpage includes step-by-step guides to signing into each app as well as answers to frequently-asked questions.

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.

Measles cases are rising in London. Make sure your child is up to date with their Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccinations


The Local Authority and NHS are urging parents to check that their children are fully vaccinated with two MMR doses by checking their red book or with their GP practice. Anyone not up-to-date should make an appointment with their GP to receive vaccination as soon as possible. 

Routine vaccinations are free and an appointment can be made with your GP to catch up on any that have been missed. For more information visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/ . 

If you would like more information on MMR vaccination, the NHS in South West London are hosting a webinar aimed at South West London parents. The online MMR webinar is taking place on Wednesday 13 th September, 6-7:30pm. This webinar will provide you with information about the MMR vaccine. You will also have the opportunity to get your questions answered by local healthcare professionals. The webinar is free to join. You can book your place by visiting: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nhs-swl-measles-mumps-and-rubella-webinar-tickets-709381026747?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can lead to serious and, on rare occasions, fatal complications. 

Anyone with symptoms that could be measles is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice, rather than visiting their GP surgery or A&E. 


Find out more about MMR vaccination on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/

Click here for more information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12zVMhj2jHq-d6hC1akD7VvFRG2tfTai9/view?usp=sharing 

Safer Schools App

We would encourage all parents/carers to download the Safer Schools app for free push notifications about online safety and helpful advice. You can download the app using the instructions here. 


Safeguarding Hub  

 This week the Safeguarding Hub are discussing how a popular YouTube content creator was the face of an extremely convincing Deepfake scam on TikTok and much more!

Do you have concerns about a child?

Adults - you can contact the Single Point of Access to request support, or to report a concern about a child or young person. Click here to make a referral.  You can also call for advice. Opening hours: From 8am to 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8am to 5pm on Friday call 020 8547 5008  (Out of hours, phone 020 8770 5000). If you think a child or young person is in immediate danger call 999. Referrals are not limited to safeguarding: the Single Point of Access acts as a signposting service to other services, including mental health. Matt Gates is our Designated Safeguarding Lead.

-What's New? Community Groups-

Click the 'Community Groups' button to see all community notices:

-School reminders-

Pupil Premimum Grants

For the first time, all pupils at SASM are entitled to receive a free school lunch. To enable your child to access this, you must book your child's lunch via ParentPay.com. 


If you were previously eligible for means tested free school meals or are in receipt of any of the following benefits...  


...your child maybe eligible for a Pupil Premium Grant. This will gives your child access to: 


This gives your child access to:



... and much more!


In order to make this possible, our school receives funding for every pupil signed up. If you think you might be eligible please sign up as soon as possible here.


Please contact the school office if you have any issues with activating an account.   

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. 

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



Jewellery

Children can wear watches to school but the wearing of jewellery and earrings of all types is not permitted on safety grounds.  Any child wearing earrings to school will be asked to remove them.  If they are unable to remove them they will be required to stay inside during break and lunch times and will not be able to participate in any PE or physical activities. 

Hair and shoes!  

Please remember that all shoulder length hair needs to be tied back for school, even on mufti days. Having your child’s hair tied back, is one of the most effective ways of keeping the nits and lice at bay.  With the hair tied back, it makes it more difficult for the lice to hold on to  the hair. Please note that pupils are required to wear black shoes  (no trainers, boots or footwear displaying a logo).

Smart Watches

Fitness trackers without smart watch capability are permitted but St Andrew’s and St Mark’s accept no responsibility for the loss or damage of these items. Smart watches , including iWatches- are not permitted due to their messaging capabilities. 


Lost Property

Please remember to label your child’s uniform, lunch box and water bottle.  All named lost property will be returned to your child by the next school day.  Unlabelled property will be kept for one week only in the school office. 

 

Road safety for children

If your child walks to school on their own, it is important they know how to cross roads, including  zebra crossings safely. Please click here for more information about Road Safety for children.

 

Unwell and absent children 

If your child is unwell and absent from school please contact the school office before 10am. If you need to leave a message on the answerphone please explain the symptoms of your child’s illness. Siblings of unwell children should attend school.


Diarrhoea and vomiting 

PHE recommends that children are kept off school until 48 hours after the last symptoms have passed. Whilst this is not enforced by us it is responsible practice by parents/carers.