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St Mary's Weekly
Welcome Back
Dear St Mary's Community,
I hope this message finds you all well and in good spirits as we approach the end of the summer holidays, and that everyone has had a wonderful break filled with joy, relaxation, and precious moments with family and friends. As we look ahead to the new school year, I'm delighted to share a variety of exciting updates with you all.
While the school has been quieter, without the usual bustle of our pupils, St Mary's has been far from dormant. We have been busy with a variety of projects around the school. These initiatives have been undertaken with great care and enthusiasm, all aimed at enhancing our learning environment and creating even more opportunities for our children to thrive. Thank you to everyone that has been involved! We are looking forward to unveiling these developments and sharing more details with you next week after our children have had a good look around the school.
The start of a new school year is an exciting time, filled with potential and new beginnings. We are keen to see our pupils’ smiling faces, hear about their summer adventures, and begin another year of growth and learning. As a reminder, all pupils will return on Thursday, 5th September.
Please read the important information below to help prepare for the term ahead.
Wishing you all the very best for the remainder of the summer break.
Natasha Maxwell
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 (First half term)...
Autumn term (First half term)...
Week 1 (no Enrichment Clubs)
Thursday 5th September - Back to school
Week 2
Week 3
Monday 16th September - 09:00 - Meet the Teacher - Year 3
Monday 16th September - 19:30 - FoSMS EGM in the school hall
Tuesday 17th September - 09:00 - Meet the Teacher - Year 2
Wednesday 18th September - 09:00 - Meet the Teacher - Year 4
Wednesday 18th September - 14:00 - Reading meeting - Reception and Year 1
Thursday 19th September - 09:00 - Meet the Teacher - Year 5
Friday 20th September - 09:00 - Meet the Teacher - Year 6
Week 4
Monday 23rd September - 09:30 - Reception praying in service, Reception parents welcome
Tuesday 24th September - 09:00 - Parent Rep meeting
Thursday 26th September - 09:00 - Coffee morning - Speaker talking about Emotional Wellbeing
Week 5
Wednesday 2nd October - 09:15 - Harvest Festival for Years 1 to 6 at St Mary's Church (smart uniform)
Friday 4th October - 9:00 - 10:30 - Reception, Years 1 & 2 - perform workshop in school
Friday 4th October - Year 4 trip - Science Museum
Week 6
Monday 7th October - Individual photographs (smart uniform)
Tuesday 8th October - Choir - Harvest Festival at St Albans (smart uniform)
Wednesday 9th October - Year 5 trip - Matilda in London (workshop & matinee performance)
Friday 11th October - 09:00 - Parent workshop - How do we feedback/report to parents about children's progress
Week 7 - Black History Month focused week
Tuesday 15th October - KS1 target report sent to parents in preparation for parent consultations
Wednesday 16th October - 09:00 / 18:00 - Parent Coffee and Chat with Mrs Maxwell
Week 8
Tuesday 22nd October - Reception and Key Stage 1 parent consultations
Tuesday 22nd October - Year 3 trip - Stoneage trip to Chiltern Open Air Museum
Wednesday 23rd October - Reception and Key Stage 1 parent consultations
Thursday 24th October - Year 1 trip - Bekonscot Model Village
HALF TERM
Autumn term (second half term)...
Autumn term (second half term)...
Week 9
Thursday 7th November - morning - Archdeacon visiting school
Sunday 10th November - Remembrance Service at St Mary's Church
Week 10 - Anti-bullying Week
Monday 11th November - Remembrance Extended Collective Worship - children to wear their scouting uniform to school
Tuesday 12th November - Odd Socks Day (children to wear school uniform with odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique)
Wednesday 13th November - Reception Trip - Odds Farm
Thursday 14th November - 09:00 - Wellbeing coffee morning on 'Regulation' with Mrs Budd
Friday 15th November - Year 4 Trip - St Albans Verulamium
Week 11
Tuesday 19th November - KS2 target report sent to parents in preparation for parent consultations
Friday 22nd November - 13:45 - Parent Rep meeting
Week 12
Tuesday 24th November - KS2 parent consultations
Wednesday 25th November - KS2 parent consultations
Friday 27th November - 14:00 - 15:00 - St Andrews House celebration
Week 13
Wednesday 4th December - No Pens Day (children will be taking part in lots of oracy and active learning)
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
Wednesday 11th December - Reception Nativity dress rehearsal to school
Thursday 12th December - morning - Reception Nativity performance for parents
Thursday 12th December - afternoon - Whole school - Watersmeet Panto - Jack and the Beanstalk
Friday 13th December - Christmas Jumper Day
Week 15 (No enrichment clubs)
Tuesday 17th December - KS2 Carol Service - evening - St Mary's Church
Wednesday 18th December - 15:15 - 17:00 - Years 1 to 3 - Christmas Disco
Thursday 19th December - afternoon - Reception Disco
Thursday 19th December - 15:15 - 17:00 - Years 4 to 6 - Christmas Disco
Friday 20th December - term finishes at 13:15 - No JD Club
Spring Term...
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...
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
Information
Information
This is a reminder that the government and Department for Education has changed the Attendance requirements for all schools and pupils across the country. A letter was sent out during the last week of term. Below is some key information taken from our updated Attendance policy.
"St Mary's recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance are essential in order for pupils to get the most of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing and wider life chances.
The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.
The Department for Education (DfE) has produced statutory guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools, and local authorities. It is called “Working together to improve school attendance” and it includes a National Framework in relation to absence and the use of legal sanctions. Our School Attendance Policy reflects the requirements and principles of that guidance.
Our policy is written with the above guidance in mind and underpins our school ethos to:
• promote children’s welfare and safeguarding
• ensure every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled
• ensure that pupils succeed whilst at school
• ensure that pupils have access to the widest possible range of opportunities at school, and when they leave school
To help us all to focus on this, we will:
• Submit a daily attendance return to the Department of Education, in line with the legal expectations placed on all schools
• Build strong relationships and work jointly with families
• Give parents/carers details on attendance in our newsletters
• Promote the benefits of high attendance
• Accurately complete admission and attendance registers and have effective day to day processes in place to follow-up absence as required by law
• Celebrate excellent attendance by displaying and reporting individual and class achievements
• Reward good or improving attendance
• Report to parents/carers regularly on their child’s attendance and the impact on their progress
• Contact parents/carers should their child’s attendance fall below the school’s target for attendance
Start of the day
Last term, Reception, Years 1 & 2 successfully trialed a 'soft start,' allowing parents to drop off their children between 8:35 and 8:45, with children going directly into their classrooms. We are pleased to continue this approach for the Autumn Term and extend it to Key Stage 2 as well.
Sport Kit Reminder and Timetable
As we settle into the new academic year, please take note of your child's PE days. On these days, children should come to school dressed in their Sports kit.
Uniform Requirements:
PE Polo Shirt: St. Mary’s Yellow PE polo shirt
Bottoms: Black shorts or black skort
Top Layer: St. Mary’s Black zipped hoodie with the school emblem OR a plain black zipped top (If you already have a logo black hoodie, please continue to use it)
Tracksuit: Black tracksuit bottoms
Footwear: Plain white or black trainers (velcro if your child is unable to tie laces)
Socks: White ankle socks
A reminder that uniform guidelines are being strictly enforced. Let's ensure all children are dressed
appropriately everyday as this is an important life skill which will help children as they progress through
their school life and out into the wider world.
Timetabled Sports lessons:
Reception - Wednesday
Year One - Tuesday and Thursday
Year Two - Monday and Wednesday
Year Three - Monday and Friday
Year Four - Friday (Thursday swimming at Merchant Taylors - see letter from Mrs Palmer)
Year Five - Wednesday and Thursday
Year Six - Wednesday and Thursday
Fingers crossed this beautiful weather is here to stay. Please remember to suncream your child before coming into school and a hat is packed for playtimes. Children without a hat on sunny days will need to stay in the shade.
JD Club Updates
We have some exciting changes to JD Club this year. To start, the children will have the opportunity to rename the club during the first couple of weeks.
If you plan on using our wrap-around care, please make sure to read and sign the 'Code of Conduct', which can be accessed via the link below.
The wrap-around provision will now be based within the main school building, specifically in our newly designed Hub and library area. To collect your child, please use the main reception door. 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.
With these changes, it is essential that you book by 3pm on Friday for the following week. This will help us prepare the necessary resources and staffing for the week.
Be sure to check out all the fantastic activities planned for the 16:15 - 17:15 slot below!
Enrichment Clubs
We are excited to announce that our Enrichment Clubs will be back in full swing starting Monday, 9th September. These clubs are open to children in Years 1 to 6, while Reception children are welcome to join JD Club. Reception pupils will be able to participate in Enrichment Clubs starting from the Spring Term.
Each term, we offer a variety of clubs to give children the chance to explore different activities, potentially sparking a new interest that you may wish to pursue further outside of school.
Booking for these clubs is available through SchoolComms as usual. Please note that our external Monday clubs, Street Dance and Playball, require payment directly to the respective providers.
More detailed information on these clubs, along with booking instructions, will be provided next week. Some of the clubs will have a limit so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Matilda Production
Upgraded Breakfast Club
Summer Library Challenge
If your child completed the Summer Reading Challenge, please send in their certificate so we can celebrate their achievement during our Celebration Assembly on Friday.
Doodle Learning Summer Challenge
If your child completed the Doodle Learning Summer Challenges, please send in their badges so we can celebrate their achievement during our Celebration Assembly on Friday.
Social Media
We have such an amazing school and are looking at ways to promote ourselves in the wider community. To do this, we will be developing our use of social media.
We've added an Instagram account - check it out!
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