Trust

• 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...

2025-2026 Academic Year

INSET Days and Trust Development Days

INSET and Trust Development Days (in red, blue and purple) are days children are not in school. These are important training days for staff to enhance their skills, knowledge, and collaboration across the school and Trust.  They ensure we deliver the best possible education for our children.

Come along to our Scholastic Book Fair from this Tuesday to Friday.  We will be open before and afterschool in the main reception area.

The children will be going around the book fair in their classes over the next couple of days. Card payments accepted.

A Reminder About Playground Equipment After School

For the safety of all our children, we kindly remind parents and carers that playground equipment should not be used after school. Our insurance only covers children when a member of staff is present to supervise, and as staff are not on duty after dismissal, we ask that children do not climb or play on the equipment at this time.

Thank you for your understanding and support in keeping everyone safe!

New Parking Restrictions

V is for Verification: To ensure accurate attendance records, please provide verification for absences when requested. This may include a note from a healthcare provider or other relevant documentation. Providing timely and appropriate verification helps maintain the integrity of our attendance system.

If your child's attendance falls below 93% (whether authorised or unauthorised), they will be placed on our monitoring list, and their attendance will be checked daily.

In all cases of absence, please ensure you phone the school office before 9am.

Exciting News: Matilda Jr. The Musical is Coming!

We are thrilled to announce that over 40 children from Key Stage Two will be performing in our production of Matilda Jr. The Musical this March! This exciting production brings Roald Dahl’s beloved story to life with vibrant music, incredible performances, and lots of heart. Our talented cast has been working hard, and we can’t wait for you to see their hard work come to fruition.

Tickets will go on sale on 28th February at 13:00, so be sure to get yours early! Ticket link 

We’re looking forward to celebrating this fantastic achievement with our whole school community. Stay tuned for more updates as the big day approaches!

Little Chalfont are delighted to be hosting a free session on Parenting in the Digital Age with a guest expert speaker, Nova Eden, on Wednesday 19th March - 18:00-19:30. 

There are limited places and we expect it to sell out quickly. We’d highly recommend joining in person, but if you can’t make it, you can sign up to join on zoom.

You can sign up here:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/parenting-in-the-digital-age-tickets-1248123654449/

About the speaker: 

Nova is from PAPAYA, Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents. She’s also the founder of 'Collective Power' and a Children's Mental Health Expert. She has done extensive work in helping children engage with technology and social media in a healthy way. And she led the recent efforts to make Barnet the first London Borough to get all schools to go smartphone free. You can hear more about her efforts in Barnet here: www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78wpy45ex3o

At St Mary's, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to ensuring that our children feel safe, supported, and cared for both in and out of school.

“Safeguarding... Everybody... Everyday” 

Car Seat Awareness

This article outlinesthe UK law on use of car seats and childsafety in cars as a reminderfor all parents/ guardians. At St Mary's, we are pleased to see many children walking, cycling and scooting to school. Nevertheless, there are many travel opportunitiesfor families, so we wanted to take the time to outline these key reminders. 

Did you know? 

“Seat belts did not become a legal requirement for  rear  passengers  until  1987?  Even  more  remarkably  the  use  of children’s car seats wasn’t made a legal requirement until 2006! Since then, all infants from birth until a certain age or height must be  in a specially designed car  seat. This is a legal requirement and failure to do so will likely result in you receiving a £500 fine but, of course, the threat of a cash fine pales into insignificance when compared to the realities and outcomes of an accident.” 

Main points of the law: 

1) Height based seats are required to used REAR FACING for a minimum of 15 months. 

2) A suitable* child car seat must be used until the child reaches a height of 135cms or 12 years old, whichever is reached first. *suitable = a seat that is intended for the child’s height, weight and the vehicle it is to be used in. 

The purpose of the regulations and the law is to improve levels of safety for children in vehicles. It is our responsibility to ensure our children are protected to the best of our ability. 

What are the legal requirements for rear-facing car seats? 

New laws dictate that children must travel in rear-facing car seats until they are 15 months old. Furthermore, you must never fit a rear-facing car seat in the front of your car where there is an active passenger airbag. 

What are the legal requirements for forward-facing car seats? 

From 15 months old onwards, it is believed that your child’s neck will be strong enough to more reasonably handle the impact of an accident and, therefore, forward-facing carseats may be used. However, it is recommended that rear-facing seats are used for as long as possible. 

When can a child legally travel without a car seat? 

In  the  UK,  children  must  be  restrained  in  a  car  seat  until  they  are  12  yearsold  or  at  least  135cm  tall.  From  that  point onwards, they must use a seat belt like all adults. 

There are a few exceptions to this: 

• •A child can travel in a taxi or mini-cab without a car seat if the driver doesn’t provide one however, they must wear a seat belt. •The same rule applies for coaches and minibuses –children must travel in rear seats and use seat belts. 

• •If you have to make a short, unexpected journey as an emergency, it is legally acceptable to restrain your child with just a seatbelt instead of a car seat providing your child is 3 years or older. 

• •Children  with  special  or  additional  needs  or  medical  conditions  will  have  bespoke  requirements  outside  of normal laws. Usually, they are required to be restrained by means designed for their needs. 

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• While these exceptions exist, it is advisable not to take any unnecessary risks. Accidents happen in buses and taxis too.

Online Safety – YouTube

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.

Above and Beyond

Attendance Class of the Week...

Art Week

Young Voices

Our Year Four pupils and choir members recently participated in the Young Voices 2025 concert series, an annual event that brings together thousands of young singers for a memorable musical experience.

The concert featured a diverse repertoire, including songs from various genres and collaborations with special guest artists. Our students had the opportunity to perform alongside other schools, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere.

This experience not only enhanced their musical skills but also fostered a sense of community and achievement. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and enthusiasm throughout the preparation and performance phases

We are excited for next year when our current Year 3's and the choir will be attending Young Voices 2026! 

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!