St Mary's Weekly
Aspiring, nurturing, flourishing;
together shining a light
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"Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Colossians 3.12
Compassion
Compassion
This half term, we are focusing on 'Compassion', and this week has been filled with heartfelt moments that reflect this value, beginning with our Remembrance Collective Worship. It was a meaningful way to start the week, honouring those who served, with gratitude and unity.
To embody compassion further, we celebrated Anti-Bullying Week with activities that highlighted the importance of kindness, respect, and inclusion. We kicked things off with Odd Socks Day, where everyone wore mismatched socks to show that it’s okay to be different — just like the unique and wonderful individuals in our school community.
Throughout the week, our children participated in activities based around the theme ‘Choose Respect’. We also explored the STOP acronym - Several Times On Purpose - to better understand what bullying is. The activities offered children an opportunity to learn, reflect, and make positive pledges to treat each other with kindness and respect every day.
To put these lessons into action, we challenged our pupils to create posters promoting respect and anti-bullying, which will be displayed around the school.
It has truly been a week filled with compassion, reminding us of the importance of empathy and respect in creating a safe and supportive school environment.
Slides from our Anti-Bullying Collective Worship
Anti-Bullying Week 2024 - 13th November 2024.pptxA few example of posters from different year groups
Key Dates
Key Dates
There are lots more dates to add to the calendar but we wanted to get these to you as soon as possible to put into your dairies...
Autumn term (second half term)...
Week 11
Tuesday 19th November - KS2 target report sent to parents in preparation for parent consultations
Tuesday 19th November - whole school assembly on visual impairment- Dress Down Day to support a worthy cause
Thursday 21st November - am - Year 5 - Christmas workshop with Watford Schools Trust
Friday 22nd November - 13:45 - Parent Rep meeting
Week 12
Monday 25th November - Year 2 class trip - Golden Hind
Monday 25th November - evening - Wreath Making session - FoSMS - more details shortly
Tuesday 26th November - KS2 parent consultations
Wednesday 27th November - KS2 parent consultations
Friday 29th November - 14:00 - 15:00 - St Andrews House celebration
Saturday 30th November - 12:00 - 15:00 - Christmas Fair - FoSMS
Week 13
Friday 6th December - 09:00 - Parent Workshop on Writing
Week 14
Monday 9th December - KS1 Nativity dress rehearsal to school
Tuesday 10th December - KS1 Nativity performances to parents x 2 performances - 9:30am & 2pm
Wednesday 11th December - Reception Nativity dress rehearsal to school
Wednesday 11th December - Christmas jumper day and Christmas lunch
Thursday 12th December - morning - Reception Nativity performance for parents - 10am
Thursday 12th December - afternoon - Whole school - Watersmeet Panto - Jack and the Beanstalk (no JD Club afterschool)
Week 15 (No enrichment clubs)
Tuesday 17th December - KS2 Carol Service rehearsal at church - pm
Tuesday 17th December - 15:15 - 17:00 - Years 1 to 3 - Christmas Disco
Wednesday 18th December - KS2 Carol Service - evening - St Mary's Church
Thursday 19th December - afternoon - Reception Disco (in school time)
Thursday 19th December - 15:15 - 17:00 - Years 4 to 6 - Christmas Disco
Friday 20th December - Diversity of Christmas - Family groups carousel of activities
Friday 20th December - term finishes at 13:15 - No JD Club
Spring Term...
Week 1
Wednesday 8th January - Back to school
Wednesday 8th January - Writing Day
Week 2
Week 3
Wednesday 22nd January - 09:00- Parent Rep meeting
Week 4
Week 5 Art Week
Week 6
Monday 10th February - Young Voices - Year 4 and choir from Years 5 & 6
HALF TERM
Week 7
Thursday 27th February - 09:00 / 18:00 - Parent Coffee and Chat with Mrs Maxwell
Friday 28th February - 14:00 - 15:00 - St David's House Celebration
Week 8 Book Week
Thursday 6th March - World Book Day - dressing up
Week 9
Friday 14th March - 14:00 - 15:00 - St Patrick's House Celebration
Week 10
Monday 17th March - 13:45 - Parent Rep Meeting
Tuesday 18th March - Years 1 to 6 - Mini report to parents in preparation for parent consultations
Wednesday 19th March - evening - Matilda production performance
Thursday 20th March - afternoon & evening - Matilda production performance
Week 11
Tuesday 25th March - Parent consultations
Wednesday 26th March - Parent consultations
Week 12
Thursday 3rd April - Years 1 to 6 - Easter service at St Mary's Church at 18:00
Friday 4th April - term finishes at 13:15 - No JD Club
Summer Term...
Week 1
Thursday 24th April - Back to school
Friday 25th April - 14:00 - 15:00 - St George's House celebration
Week 2
Tuesday 29th April - Year 4 trip - Farmer Gows
Tuesday 29th April - Year 2 trip - Royal Academy of Arts
Week 3
Monday 5th May - Bank Holiday
Week 4 Year 6 - SATs Week
Thursday 16th May - 13:45 - Parent Rep meeting
Friday 17th May - afternoon - Year 6 - pizza and movie afternoon
Week 5 STEM Week
HALF TERM
Week 6
Monday 2nd June - INSET Day - no school
Week 7
Year 6 residential
Reception Phonics Screening
Year 4 Multiplication Check
Friday 13th June - 9am / 6pm - Parent Coffee and Chat with Mrs Maxwell
Week 8
Thursday 19th June - evening - Music Concert - Years 1 to 6
Week 9
Monday 23rd June - Neurodiversity Day
Week 10
Saturday 5th June - Summer Fair
Week 11 Sports Week
Monday 7th July - afternoon - Mini Class Marathon event at the Aquadrome
Thursday 10th July - Sports Day
Thursday 10th July - 15:15 - 17:00 - Year 6 Leavers activities
Week 12
Monday 14th July - Reports to parents
Monday 14th July - evening - Year 6 performance for parents
Tuesday 15th July - afternoon - Year 6 performance to parents
Thursday 17th July - afternoon - Year 6 Leaver's Assembly
Friday 18th July - 09:00 - Year 6 Leavers Service at St Mary's Church - all children in Years 1 to 6 to be dropped off at 08:50
Friday 18th July - term finishes at 13:15 - No JD Club
Shining a light on...
Shining a light on...
House Points
This year, children will continue to earn House Points to fill their house team's bucket. Each week, the house with the most points will be awarded four points, the second place will receive three points, and so on. At the end of each term, the winning house will enjoy a non-uniform day as a special reward for their efforts.
Effort & Progress in Learning Certificates
Congratulations to the children below who received a special certificate on Friday for 'Effort and Progress in Learning'.
Week 11
Year 1 - Fletcher
Year 2 - Cianna
Year 3 - Florence
Year 4 - (on a school trip)
Year 5 - Kieran
Year 6 - Charlie
All the children that received certificates will be celebrating with Mrs Maxwell over a hot chocolate and marshmallows this week.
Above and Beyond
A massive congratulations to the children below who achieved Above and Beyond on Friday!
Matthew, Savanna, Beau, Betty, Caleb, Fletcher, Dylan, Eliza, Aavani, Jagger, Erin, Ava, Charlie, Giana, Orla, Ilan, Jacob, Lennon, Millie, Spencer, Sylvie, Iris, Arthur, Zack, Jaiden, Jemimah, Lily, Kaiden, Scarlett, Aaryan, Austin, Tobias, Reggie, Esmée, Violet, Zainab, Zoya, Linden, Mary, Tilly, Jules, Shenya, Nic, Lilly
Attendance Class of the Week...
St Mary's High Standards recognised by County Advisor
As part of our School Development Plan, we invite a county effectiveness advisor to visit our school and immerse herself in our teaching and learning culture. This is all part of us delivering an excellent educational experience for all our children. Please see below the links to the full reports as well as some highlights below.
"Personal Development, Behaviour and Attitudes and EYFS provision are observed through various visits to be of a high standard."
"There is rigour around all self-evaluation processes and a clear view of priorities going forward. There is creativity and clarity in the development of a high quality curriculum offer."
"This is a school that has been on a rapid improvement track since the appointment of the current headteacher."
"There are strong, effective and purposeful leaders."
"Governance provides high accountability as the school’s critical friend."
"Becoming a part of the Chess Valley Learning Partnership has provided additional layers of support and accountability."
Last week, Linda returned to delve into our Writing Curriculum, and we’re excited to share her observations and feedback as soon as the report is ready. Stay tuned for more updates on how we continue to shine and grow as a school!
Year Six
On Monday, Yesr Six attended the Remembrance Day reading of the names at St. Mary's Church. It was a beautifully reflective service in which we listened to all the names read on the memorial of soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. We then explored the display of poppies inside the church, which had all been made by different groups from the community. We particularly liked the knitted scenes of war memorials.
In Science, we have been learning how light is reflected and how we are able to see reflected light. We made our own periscopes to demonstrate how light rays can be reflected by mirrors. The angle of the reflected ray is equal to the incidence ray, meaning our mirrors had to be at a 45 degree angle. We enjoyed testing them out!
🎶 Soundbox Music Teachers Introduce Instruments to Our School! 🎶
Today, our students were treated to a fantastic assembly, where Soundbox Music teachers showcased the wide range of instruments available for lessons at our school! 🎸🥁🎹
We were thrilled to listen as some of our talented pupils played the guitar, drums, and piano, giving everyone a glimpse of the incredible music opportunities we have. 🎶✨
If your child is interested in learning an instrument, don’t miss out on the chance to sign up for lessons with our amazing Soundbox team. 🎼🎤
Our Street Dancers in Action
Our fantastic street dancers, who rehearse every Monday after school, had an exciting opportunity to showcase their talent at Watersmeet! They joined many other young performers from JK Dance, sharing the stage and dazzling the audience with their energy and skill. We’re so proud of their hard work and dedication—it truly paid off in an amazing performance!
Day of Discovery: Year 4’s Roman Adventure!
Our Year 4s had an incredible day out at the Verulamium Museum and Roman Theatre! The children loved stepping back in time to explore the fascinating world of the Romans. They were captivated by the museum’s exhibits, the artefact workshop and had an amazing time exploring the ancient Roman Theatre.
A real highlight of the trip was getting the chance to see the hypocaust—an ancient Roman underfloor heating system! It was so cool to learn about how the Romans kept their buildings warm all those centuries ago.
It’s safe to say, Year 4 left with plenty of knowledge and excitement about Roman history!
After-School Club Adventures!
Our after-school club has been buzzing with creativity and fun! The children have been busy taking part in a range of engaging activities that sparked their imaginations and kept them entertained.
Recently, they made and enjoyed delicious pizza toast, perfecting their cooking skills while savouring their tasty creations. To celebrate World Kindness Day, they crafted beautiful origami hearts, spreading the message of kindness and care. The children also tapped into their artistic side by creating a stunning fireworks scene and 3D poppies to mark significant occasions.
Board games brought plenty of laughter and friendly competition, while Hama bead creations allowed the children to express their individual designs with colourful, detailed patterns. And that’s just the beginning - there has been so much more happening, ensuring there’s always something new and exciting for everyone to enjoy.
After-school club gives our children the opportunities to explore new interests, build friendships across year groups and have fun after the school day ends!
Amber's Baking for BBC Children
Amber decided to bake this year to raise money for Children in Need. By making a donation in exchange for a cupcake, everyone contributed to transforming the lives of children and young people across the UK.
Thank you for giving generously and enjoying the handmade, freshly baked cupcakes specially designed by Amber!
Gymnastics Success
Last weekend Marly and Rosalind competed at the London Regional Acrobatics League.
Marly achieved a fantastic silver place in her women's group finishing with a fantastic score so early on in the competition season!
Rosalind competed for the first time and came sixth. She was over a year younger than any other competitor.
Swimming Success
A couple of weeks ago, Miles took part in his first club championships and won 3 medals!
50m backstroke - silver
50m freestyle - silver
100m breastroke - bronze
St Mary’s Highlights: Don’t Miss a Moment!
Stay connected and dive into the excitement at St Mary’s! Our social media pages are buzzing with all the amazing activities our children have been involved in over the past couple of weeks. From vibrant class projects and special assemblies to heartwarming community events, there’s so much to see and celebrate!
Click on our social media links to catch up on all the fun, unforgettable moments, and proud achievements. Don’t miss out—follow us and be part of the joy that makes our school community shine!
Information
Information
Share your St Mary’s Experience with New Families
On Tuesday, each child will be bringing home a leaflet designed for prospective Reception parents. We would love your help in sharing the wonderful opportunities at St Mary’s. If you know a family who would benefit from learning more about our nurturing and inspiring school environment, please pass the leaflet on to them. Your support can help new families become part of our school community.
Please note that collection times are set, similar to our enrichment clubs: 16:15, 17:15, or any time after 17:15.
JD Club Timetable:
15:15 - 15:30: Please provide your child with a small, healthy snack
15:30 - 16:15: Free play outside and inside
16:15 - 17:15: *High Tea (provided by school) and themed activities
17:15 - 18:00: Homework, reading and free play
*High Tea will vary depending on the season. Please note, this is not their main evening meal.
Examples include - selection of sandwiches with a variety of fillings; pasta and sauce; pizza; soup and bread roll; hot dogs. There will be fruit and crudites available everyday.
We are excited that Christmas Lunch is being held on Wednesday 11th December along with Christmas Jumper day.
If you would like your child to have a Christmas Lunch, please order on the school grid by Saturday 30th November.
Attendance at school is the foundation of a child's future success and happiness. Over the coming weeks, we will be focusing on a letter from the alphabet in each newsletter to highlight the importance of regular attendance, along with helpful advice for parents and carers. In this newsletter, we are reviewing the A to Z of Attendance so far, emphasising how each aspect contributes to your child’s overall well-being and progress in school.
P is for Persistent Absence (PA) - If your child misses 10% of the possible number of days they could attend, they are considered to be PA. If they miss 40%, they are considered severely absent. We will try to work with you in both cases to improve things. When attendance is this low, legal action is always possible.
Please have a look at our website for more information on what Persistent Absence looks like each half term in the academic year.
🎄✨ Getting Festive: Our Christmas Fair! ✨🎄
We’re so excited as we prepare for our annual Christmas Fair, taking place from 12-3pm. It's going to be an afternoon filled with festive cheer and fun for the whole family!
Come and soak in the holiday spirit as we enjoy live singing performances by a variety of talented groups from our school, including the choir, our fantastic Matilda group, and a special showcase by KS1 and KS2 students. Don’t miss out on a surprise visit from Santa himself - ready to spread holiday joy and maybe even check if you’re on the nice list!
To make this event even more magical, we’ve sent everyone home with an envelope containing raffle tickets. Please try your best to sell as many as possible! If you need more, you can buy additional tickets through this link:
Keep an eye out for more details soon, and get ready to jingle all the way to the fair!
🎄✨ Getting Festive: Christmas Tree Creations! ✨🎄
Over the next couple of weeks, all of our children will be busy spreading holiday cheer by creating beautiful Christmas decorations for our school’s tree, which will be showcased at St Mary’s Church during their annual Christmas Tree Festival. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our children to express their creativity and contribute to this special community tradition. We can’t wait to see their amazing work light up the festival and bring smiles to everyone who visits!
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