St Mary's Weekly

Aspiring, nurturing, flourishing;  

together shining a light

'Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive others.'  Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness

This half term we will be focusing in school on the value 'Forgiveness'. 

Last week, we started to explore this value in Collective Worship.  On Monday, we introduced the value by Shining a Light on Nelson Mandela as well as giving children scenarios at school where we can forgive others as well as receive forgiveness. This links with empathy and standing in someone else's shoes to understand a situation from someone else's perspective.

On Wednesday, Gary talked to us about things that were broken and how they could be fixed. Using a series of photos he ended with a picture of a broken relationship. He encouraged us that just as God forgives us every time we say sorry, so He wants us to treat others in a similar way. 

Below are some ideas on exploring this value further at home. 

Key Dates

This week...

Tuesday 5th March - 13:00 - 14:30 - Year 5 will taking part in a seven week Mini Policing course



Monday 4th to Friday 8th March - Book Week - the children will be immersed in a variety of activities each day



Monday 4th March - Year 3 - class trip to Celtic Harmony - Stone Age



Thursday 7th March - World Book Day - Dress up



Sunday 10th March - Mothering Sunday service at the Church - Choir will be singing and selected Year 6's will be reading a poem


This half term...

Wednesday 13th March - 09:00 - 10:00 - Parent workshop on Reading Fluency



Thursday 14th March - all day - Year 4  - Sound workshop at school



Friday 15th March - 14:00 - 14:45 - St Patrick's House celebration 



Monday 18th March - Year 5 - class trip to Lego Land for 'Science of Rollercoasters' workshop



Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th March - Year 1 to 6 - Parent Consultations



Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st March - Reception - Parent Consultations



Thursday 21st March - all day - Year 6 - Greek day in school



Friday 22nd March - Non-uniform day for Cardiomynopathy & end of day cake/biscuit sale



Tuesday 26th March - Easter Egg hunt



Wednesday 27th March - 18:00 - 19:00 - Easter Service at St Mary's Church - Years 1 to 6



Thursday 28th March - Easter activities. Last day of term - finish at 13:15. NO JD Club

Shining a light on... 

House Points this week...

House Points so far this term...

Effort & Progress in Learning Certificates

Congratulations to the children below who received a special certificate on Friday for 'Effort and Progress in Learning'.

Reception - Betty 

Year 1 - Harper

Year 2 - Toby

Year 3 - Marly

Year 4 - Willow

Year 5 -  Saskia

Year 6 - James W

All the children that received certificates will be celebrating with Mrs Maxwell over a hot chocolate and marshmallows on Wednesday next week.

Above & Beyond 

Week 8:

Norah, Lily, Suri, Jeremy, Harry H, Harry B, Jaiden, Iris, Florence, Henry, Eddie, Dillon, Jemimah, Archie, Lucy, Tom, Anabelle, Simran, Paul-John, Quinn, Reggie, Poppy, Violet, Darcie, Tilly, Victor, Amelie, Dolly, Amber, Anna, Ella, Henry, Krysten, Lottie, James, Oscar, Pato

 Weekly Class Attendance

M&M Productions: Oliver Twist

We launched our Book Week celebrations a day early with an enthralling whole school production of Oliver Twist. Our students dove deep into the classic story, filling the school with a buzz of excitement and anticipation. This special event set the perfect tone for a week dedicated to exploring the wonders of literature and sparking a love of reading in every child.

Grand Unveiling of the Secret Garden Delights Parents!

Despite the rain, our school community united on Wednesday for the Grand Opening of the Secret Garden. Parents, grandparents, aunties, and uncles embraced the event, infusing the school with a vibrant atmosphere. 

Secret Garden - 2.mp4

A big shoutout to our resilient Eco Council for their engaging open-air presentation—a true test of their abilities! A heartfelt thank you to our Year 6 students who not only faced the weather but also served tea and coffee in the hall, connecting with many parents. The enthusiasm was contagious, and we're excited to witness the ongoing development of this captivating area. Special thanks to all the staff who dedicated hours to make this event memorable, and a shoutout to everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this garden to life!

Year 4: This Week's Mountainous Adventure

In Year 4 this week we were introduced  to our new topic, on the subject of mountains, by researching a different mountain range and creating a page for a class book based upon the style of ‘Atlas of Adventures’ by Lucy Leatherland. The children worked in pairs to research, write an introduction and design their page. They were instructed to make it colourful and bright with lots of interesting facts. We found out about mountains from five different continents and had a lot of fun being creative. We are now going to hone in on the Alps and compare that location with ours here in Rickmansworth. 

🌟 Club of the Week: Gymnastics! 🌟

This week we are spotlighting our Gymnastics Club. We run two sessions on a Tuesday afterschool.  Last week, our gymnasts showcased their teamwork, devising balances that required a unique combination of body parts to touch the ground— a test of coordination and cooperation, ensuring every member was interconnected in some way.

This week, we have two teams entered into the Three Rivers Key Steps competition.  This competition is for children who train less than two hours outside of school.  They have been working really hard with sessions before and afterschool since half term.  Good luck!

Alessandro and Francesco Shine in Ski Race Success!

Check out the proud smiles on Alessandro and Francesco's faces as they bask in the glory of their ski race achievements over half term! 🎿🏅

Information

2024 - 2025 Term Dates

Autumn Term

Autumn Term 

Thursday 5th September 2024 - Autumn term starts

Monday 28th October to Friday 3rd November - Half Term

Friday 20th December 2024 - Autumn term finishes

Spring Term

Wednesday 8th January 2025 -  Spring term starts

Monday 17th to Friday 21st February - Half Term

Friday 4th April - Spring term finishes

Summer Term

Thursday 24th April - Summer term starts

Monday 26th to Friday 30th May - Half Term

Friday 18th July - Summer term finishes

Attendance at school is the foundation to a child's future success and happiness. Over the coming weeks, we will be taking a letter from the alphabet, in turn, in order to highlight the importance of being at school and advice for parents and carers.

Consistent and regular attendance ensures that children benefit from continuous learning, build a strong academic foundation, and actively contribute to the classroom community. It fosters a collective educational journey, allowing for uninterrupted progress and shared experiences. Furthermore, consistent attendance minimises disruptions, as children missing learning need support to catch up, which can impact the flow of lessons and others' learning. Therefore, consistency in school attendance not only benefits the individual learner but also significantly enhances the collective experience of the classroom, ensuring a cohesive and supportive learning environment for all.

Reading in School

Please keep Wednesday 13th March - 09:00 - 10:00 free to find out why reading fluency is an important aspect for all children to master.

Community

Community News

We would love to hear and share news regarding the activities and accomplishments of our children outside of the school environment, as well as updates on noteworthy contributions or events within our parent body and the broader local community.

Please submit all relevant information to Mrs Palmer at admin@stmarys698.herts.sch.uk. Your contributions will not only serve to highlight the diverse talents within our community but will also contribute to the collective narrative that shapes the identity of St Mary's.

St Mary's Church

Mothering Sunday 

This year, Mothering Sunday falls on 10 March.

You are warmly invited to join us at our 10.00am service when we will be celebrating this special festival in the Christian calendar. The service is suitable for all ages and will be followed by refreshments and treats.

The choir will be singing along with children reciting a poem.

Lent, Holy Week and Easter 2024

Click here to find out more.

Two fabulous Dance companies in the local community

Facebook

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.  Please like our new Facebook page and any posts that you enjoy. 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550863361303

Facebook