Newsletter : 1st March 2024

A Message from Mrs Murphy

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been great to see all the children return to school with such a positive attitude this last week. All the staff team are well rested and ready for the exciting half term ahead.

Thank you to all parents and carers who have been patient with our communication challenges this week. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. We hope that Arbor will have repaired the link so that we can resume normal communication next week.

World book day next week

As outlined in the communication this week, we do have our World Book Day celebrations on Thursday . We do have a visiting author who will be happy to sign books if the children have them already. There will not be an opportunity to buy Abie Longstaff's books but children can bring these in from home for signing.

As we have explained, children do not need to dress up of they do not want to and can come in normal mufti clothes. The staff are busy planning their costumes. As a team we have decided on a Fairy Tales and Traditional Tales theme so keep and eye out for the 'Three little pigs', 'Goldilocks and the three bears', 'Sleeping Beauty's fairy godmothers' and many more.

Parent consultation reminder

Please remember that our parents consultations are now available to book using the link. Bookings are open until the 9th March. This is a valuable opportunity to talk through the progress with your child's class teacher so please do book in for your meeting. We would like to have 100% of parents attend this year please.

Open Afternoon - come and celebrate the learning

As is outlined in the letter sent on 20th February, we are opening our doors to parents on the 8th March from 2.55pm to come and have a look at the books. Following the success of these in 2023, we will be asking all parents and carers to collect from the classrooms on these days. Please do remember that the safe dismissal of the children will always need to come first.

Red Nose Day!

On the Friday 15th March it is Red Nose Day. As part our our support of charities, we will be inviting the children to wear red mufti for the day. Any donations will go to Red Nose Day. This can be donated in the buckets on the gates on that morning or online (link to follow).

Reading Shed on KS1

We were very excited to open our new reading shed on the KS1 playground this week. Complete with lights and beanbags, this is a popular addition to playtimes and lunchtimes for EYFS and KS1. Thank you to the Friends who have paid for this.

Our KS1 librarians have written something to share with you:

"We have loved our role as KS1 librarians! We open the Infant Library every Wednesday lunchtime and really enjoy reading to the children in Reception and Year 1. Last week we had a very exciting delivery - our new reading shed in the playground. It was our job to choose the books and we keep it tidy every playtime- we all love being able to read at every playtime!

Asha, Elara, Adan, Finley, Hannah and Sasha"

Whole School Writing Task

Last week, the whole school completed the whole school writing task to aid us in tracking progression and celebrating our writing across the school. The focus of this term's writing was poetry and was based on the book Change Sings by Loren Long. All the teaching team were thrilled with this thoughtful writing from Reception to Year 6 . Here are a few wonderful examples!

Save the Date:

At St James we aim for all children to have the opportunity to perform to an audience and our Summer term Celebration of Learning assemblies are an opportunity for the whole school to 'let their lights shine' as they share the highlights of the year.

These are being set:

Year R - TBC

Year 1 - 18th July at 9.15am

Year 2 - 5th July at 9.15am

Year 3 - 26th June at 9.15am

Year 4 - Trombone Performance - 27th March at 10.30am

Year 5 - TBC

Year 6 - Leavers Service at St James' Church - 17th July at 9am

Surrey Youth Games

The Specsavers Surrey Youth Games programme is a unique opportunity to give your son or daughter a break from their screens and help them develop new skills.

Parents of young people aged 7 to 16 can register them to train with approved, friendly coaches, courtesy of their local council, before seeing them in action at a celebratory event in June. And the best part? It's all completely free. To sign your child up, visit the Active Surrey website.

Road Safety

And finally, as you know we have been working hard here at St James to improve the signage outside our school to improve the safety of the roads for our pupils. Surrey have now launched their own Road Safety . Have Your Say Today - Vision Zero Surrey - Commonplace

Best wishes,

Mrs Murphy

World Book Day Menu

To celebrate World Book Day week, we are having a special school lunch on Thursday 7th March. Please see the menu below.

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, they are entitled to receive a free school meal under the Universal Infant Free School Meals Scheme.

If your KS2 child already has school lunches, please go to SCOPAY and order a meal for that day, as usual.

If your child usually has packed lunches from home, but would like to have the special lunch on Thursday 7th March, you can order your child's lunch by signing into SCOPAY going to Balances, Dinner Money, Top up balance, Calendar and then select the correct day. If you are entitled to free school meals you do not need to select top up balance, just go straight to Calendar.

Reading

We took a total sales of £2,172.06 at our book fair last week, which means we have an amazing

£1,303.24 to spend on books for St James.

Thank you for supporting the book fair.

Safeguarding

Support for parentsWhatever family life brings, we're here to help with advice and support for parents and carers.

Support poster.pdf

E-bikes and e-scooters – Fire safety adviceSurrey Fire and Rescue have recognised an upward trend associated with attending fires from lithium-ion battery powered e-bikes and e-scooters and reports a 50% increase in the number of fires

Information from

Surrey County Council

Get Surrey’s latest children’s Additional Needs and Disabilities updatesWe will be launching a new termly update for families of children and young people with additional needs and disabilities, and the practitioners who help them. Updates will provide news and

Friends of St James

Family Support

Family Support Referral Form

https://forms.gle/3cg3S7rCiLCbDSJ77

The Foodbank are offering food bags for Easter for families in need.

Food4Lunch provides a bag of groceries as a replacement lunch over the two week Easter holiday for children who would normally receive a free school lunch, or whose families might be experiencing financial difficulty. Each bag contains dry and tinned foods such as pasta, rice, meatballs, tuna, fruit, custard, sponge pudding, squash and biscuits.

If you do want to request one, please do contact us confidentially on office@stjames-weybridge.surrey.sch.uk by Monday 4th March 2024.

Foodbank referral request

https://forms.gle/sU1L1ZcMX8MU9eYN8

Collective Worship at St James

Week beginning: 19th February 2024

Monday : Recognising Trusted Adults: Safeguarding Assembly

Tuesday: Father Damian

Wednesday: Singing

Thursday: Picture News

Friday: Celebration

Week beginning: 26th February 2024

Monday : Reading

Tuesday: Father Damian

Wednesday: Singing

Thursday: Picture News

Friday: No Assembly

Celebration Awards

Y1 Wrens: Nikolas

Robins: Erik

Y2 Woodpeckers: Alice

Kingfishers: Denise

Y3 Barn Owls: Maddison

Snowy Owls: Toby H.

Y4 Kestrels: Thomas

Merlins: Isabel

Y5 Falcons: Fajar

Kites: Katie

Y6 Eagles: Jem

Hawks: Olivia G.

Values Certificates and Counter Collection

This week we awarded:

LOVE: Eva R. / Olivia P.

RESPECT:

UNITY: Alena / Oscar / Mithan / Daisy R. / Evelyn / Felix

COURAGE: Abdul

Diary Dates

DIARY DATES:

Tues 5 March Y3 Kew Gardens day trip

6, 13 March Y5 Swimming

Thurs 7 March World Book Day ( optional - dress up as your favourite book character)

Fri 8 March Open afternoon from 2.55pm

Mon 11 March Y5 Legoland day trip

12 / 13 / 14 March Parent meetings

Friday 15 March Red Nose Day - Mufti / wear anything red.

18 - 20 March Year 4 Residential 'Hindleap Warren'

Thurs 21 March Y3 Hampton Court day trip

Wed 27 March Easter Bonnet Competition

Wed 27 March Year 4 Assembly - Trombones Performance - 10.30am

Thurs 28 March Last day of Term (Easter) - Normal 3:15pm finish (no After-School Club)

Mon 15 April START OF SUMMER TERM

Tues 16 April Y6 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' workshop. 9 - 11.30am

Wed 17, 24 April Y4 Swimming

Wed 24 April Y1 Wisley Gardens day trip

Wed 1, 8, 15, 22 May Y4 Swimming

Thurs 2 May Y5 Dorking Halls Primary Music Festival

w/c Mon 13 May Y6 SATS

Tues 21 May Reception - Painshill Park day trip

Thurs 23 May Mufti Day - 'Break The Rules'

Fri 24 May Inset Day - (School closed)

W/C 27 May Half Term.

Mon 3 June Back to School.

Fri 7 June Someone Special stall

Mon 10 - Fri 14 June Y6 Residential - Isle Of Wight

Tues 18 June Y6 - Leavers Service at Guildford Cathedral

Wed 26 June Year 3 Assembly - 9.15am

Thurs 27 June Y1 Cake sale

Fri 28 June Sports Day

Fri 5 July Year 2 Assembly - 9.15am

Tues 9 July Y6 Leavers Production (4.15 - 7pm)

Wed 10 July Y6 Leavers Production (4.30 - 7pm)

Fri 12 July Friends Mufti Day

Sat 13 July Summer Fair

Tues 16 July 'Moving Up' Morning

Wed 17 July Y6 Leavers Service at St James Church

Thurs 18 July Year 1 Assembly - 9.15am

Friday 19 July End of Summer Term - 1.30pm finish (no After-School Club)

Health

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