St Paul's Newsletter
Friday 10th July 2026
Message from Mrs Evans
It has been a very busy two weeks at our school. As you know, we recently had our Ofsted inspection. I am writing to share how the new inspection process works and what happens next.
The New Ofsted Report Card
Ofsted has changed how they grade schools. They no longer give a single overall grade like "Good" or "Outstanding." Instead, we will receive a new Report Card in September or early October.
The inspectors looked closely at 8 different areas of our school:
- Safeguarding (which will be judged as met or not met)
- Inclusion
- Attendance and behaviour
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Curriculum and teaching
- Achievement
- Early Years
- Leadership and Governance
For each area, the school will receive one of 5 ratings:
- Urgent improvement
- Needs attention
- Expected Standard
- Strong Standard
- Exceptional
Understanding the New Ratings
While the names of the grades have changed, the expectations are very high. In reality, the new Expected Standard is a higher bar than the old "Good" rating. The Strong Standard is higher than the old "Outstanding" rating.
It was a very thorough and rigorous process. Our final report will not be published until the middle of the autumn term, however, I am delighted to share that the inspectors made many positive observations. They spoke highly of our pupils, our dedicated staff, the quality of what our school offers, and our wonderful school community as a whole.
We look forward to sharing the full report with you later this year and feel very hopeful that it will truly reflect who we are as a school.
Finally, I want to say a huge thank you for all your support, good wishes, treats and prayers. They meant a great deal to all of us and truly helped our staff through a demanding few days.
For more information on the changes to how Ofsted report on schools, you can watch the Ofsted video for parents explaining the new report card.
Attendance Overview
Attendance Overview
Next week you will be receiving an overview of your child's attendance. Please come and see the school office team if you have any queries about this.
Classes - since last newsletter
| Reception | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
|
99.8% |
96.8% | 95.3% | 92% | 97.3% | 92.2% | 96% |
Whole School - since the start of the year
| Our Target | Current Attendance | National |
| 97% | 95.8% | 95.12% |
Regular Reminders
Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Policy
A polite reminder that mobile phones are not allowed to be used on the school site - we ask that they are away in a bag or pocket during drop off and pick up times.
Smart watches are also not allowed to be worn to school by pupils in any year group.
Fidget Toys
Please ensure that children are not bringing any fidget toys into school. We have seen a number of children bringing these into school and using them in the playground. We are concerned about these getting lost or broken and causing a distraction within the classroom. If they are brought into school, we will remove them and keep them in the office until the end of the school day.
Holidays in Term Time
I would like to remind all parents that holidays during term time will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. These absences cause disruption not only to children's learning, but can also have an impact on their social interactions within the class.
Absences in term-time should only be taken for 'exceptional circumstances' which are 'unavoidable and unplanned'. The Educational Welfare Service recommends to schools that any absences that do not meet this criteria must be marked as 'unauthorised'.
Where families do apply for an absence during term-time, they may be invited in for a meeting and will receive a letter to confirm how the absence will be marked on the register.
Birthday Treats
A reminder that we do not allow cake or sweets to be given out on children's birthdays. If you are keen for your child to be able to share a treat with their class to mark the day, please provide a platter of fruit to be shared by the class or a new book to be added to the class library.
Developing Healthy Online Habits
We are aware that even our youngest pupils have regular access to devices such as iPads and phones to access activities online. We wanted to share some top tips with families to support them in helping their children to develop a healthy relationship with this technology. Parents and carers can do this by:
- Setting clear limits on the amount of time that these are being used daily
- Ensuring that devices are being used in an area that allows adult supervision at all times
- Discussing with children how to respond if they see something online that they do not like or if they are contacted by someone that they do not know
- Having regular conversations about what they are accessing
- Setting boundaries around online device use and bedtime – ensuring that there is a period of time when children are not using these before going to bed.
- Creating healthy habits, open discussion and clear boundaries early in children's lives is extremely important as it is much harder to put these in place once unhealthy habits have been formed. The following guide gives some suggestion
If you would like any further support with this please see the information on our school website here: Online Safety Advice for Parents
Alternatively, please contact Mrs Evans or Mrs Griffin to arrange a time to discuss this with them further.
PSA Updates
St Paul's PSA: ‘Bringing our school community together to create lifelong memories’
The PSA have done such a fantastic job in their fundraising over the last year which has made a visible difference to a variety of areas around the school. This year they have funded brand new libraries for both KS1 and KS2 which have made significant difference for our children. They have provided author visits, science and maths workshops and we are looking forward to having our astro turf repaired thanks to their fundraising efforts too.
Big Target: A new music room - look out for further information about this to come soon.
Second Hand Uniform
We have a large amount of good quality second hand uniform available, please use the link below and follow these instructions:
- Once on the website click on the three lines to the right.
- Scroll down to ‘find your school’
- Select Kingston upon Thames as our Local authority.
- Select St Paul’s C of E KT9 1AJ
Please carefully read the instructions on when to collect your items.
Easyfundraising
Easyfundraising turns your daily shopping into every day magic!
Easyfundraising partners with over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won't cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.
Brands pay Easyfundraising a commission because when you start your shop from the Easyfundraising website or app, they can see we sent you to them. If you make a purchase, a commission is generated, and we turn that into a donation - magic!
Click the link above to register to use Easyfundraising - remember to search 'St Paul's Primary School, Chessington' when searching for your cause and turn on the donation reminder. Every little bit helps!
Class News
Reception
Last week in Reception we focused on animals we would find in the jungle/rainforest, we looked at the different layers of a rainforest and where each lives. We learnt about what 'endangered' means, and why some animals become endangered. We spoke about Tony the tiger, and why he is part of our class as he is on the endangered list. We did some role playing in the sand with our animals, making up stories about each animal. In the water tray we were saving the bears using boats, we even made our own boats out of foil. In maths we looked at repeating patterns, we used multilink cubes to create our own ones. This week in Reception our focus has been 'Arctic animals', we discussed about what sort of weather we think the Arctic has and what animals might live there. We then spoke about the importance of keeping the earth 'cool', we all had a turn of holding ice to see what happens to it. We looked at ways how we can keep the earth cooler, and how small things like turning off lights can make such a big difference. In our tuff tray outside we had an Arctic scene set up, where we let our imaginations tell stories. In maths we have been looking at our number bonds to 10, we use different resources to help us with this e.g. tens frame.
Reception Newsletter 2025-26
Year 1
What a wonderfully busy, active week we have had in Year 1! In maths, we took our learning outside to explore position, direction, and turns, creating brilliant mazes and guiding our partners through them using clear instructions. In science we investigated animal habitats, collected natural materials and built our own mini animal homes, and tested them to see if they were waterproof. In art, we showed incredible focus and fine motor skills as we finished stitching our stunning 'Save the Planet' banners. We are so proud of all our hard work and teamwork this week!
Year 1 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 2
Year 2 have had an amazing week! In science, we have been testing materials to make a new plant pot. In English, we continued writing our leaflets to persuade others to visit The Tin Forest. In Maths, we have moved on to measurement, and the children thoroughly enjoyed measuring in meters out in the playground. Finally, in DT we have finished our clay tiles, and the children had a wonderful time creating them. The children are continuing to work hard, despite the hot weather. Thank you for your continued support with reading!
Year 2 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 3
In Year 3, we have enjoyed learning about non-unit fractions and representing fractions in different ways. We are continuing to use the story of Beowulf to create our own narratives, thinking particularly about the vocabulary we are using in expanded noun phrases and using a variety of fronted adverbials to start sentences. We have used card to create 3D sculptures in Art and enjoyed experimenting with different ways to join the card together. In RE, we have learned creeds from a variety of faiths and had a go at writing our own creed, reflecting on what we believe in and what is important to us. We have reflected on our year in Year 3 and discussed our goals for Year 4 in PSHE.
Year 3 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 4
Year 4 have worked so hard this week and are incredibly proud of everything they’ve achieved. We spent some time looking back at all the different religions we’ve learned about throughout our school career and had some fantastic conversations about what values religions share. In science, we’ve been experimenting with liquids with different densities and exploring how substances separate. We’ve also worked on our arithmetic and solidifying our practise.
Year 4 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 5
Year 5 have been working hard this week, focusing on dialogue writing for our dragon narratives. We've enjoyed acting out a scene from 'How to train your dragon', focusing on physical action to support our 'show not tell' writing. In maths, we've used clocks to look at duration and finding duration across the hour. We are thrilled with our production and incredibly proud of everything we've achieved. We loved getting to show our adults everything we've learned and it's made us very keen for next year!
Year 5 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 6
In Year 6, last Friday we were delighted to visit Southwark Cathedral for the Year 6 Leavers’ Service, led by the Bishop of Southwark. It was a special opportunity to reflect on our time at primary school, celebrate all that we have achieved and look ahead with confidence and hope as we prepare for the next stage of our journey.
We also enjoyed an exciting animal handling session as a reward for winning an e-waste recycling competition. It was a fantastic experience to meet a variety of animals up close while celebrating our commitment to helping the environment through recycling.
In RE, we have been reflecting on what it means to live a good life. We have explored our own values and considered how the things we have learned throughout primary school, both in and beyond RE, can help to guide the choices we make as we move on to secondary school.
In English, we have begun exploring limericks by reading a range of examples and identifying their key features. We have focused on the distinctive rhyme scheme and rhythm pattern that make limericks so enjoyable to read, preparing us to write our own humorous poems in the coming lessons.
Team Points
Congratulations to Year 1 and Diamonds who were the team points winners for the week beginning 29th June.
News from St Paul's Church
St Paul’s Church hold an all-age service every first Sunday of the month. It is a great introduction to Church with an interactive service lasting around 50 minutes with refreshments afterwards. Our children’s group (from age 3+) is run on the other Sundays of the month with an experienced team of leaders; babies and younger children are very welcome to stay in Church with their parents.
Wider Community News and Events
Mental Heath Support Team at a Glance
Further information about the services provided by the Mental Health Support Team to support families can be found here: MHST Information
Junior Parkrun comes to Chessington
The Junior Parkrun is a 2k fun run which takes place weekly at many different locations across the country. We are excited to announce that they have launched a weekly event at Lovelace Primary School on Sundays at 9am. It is a free event, but you do need to register in advance using the link here:
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/lovelaceprimaryschool-juniors/
It would brilliant to hear about some of our families taking part!
Family Support Workshops
Achieving for Children’s Mental Health Support Teams are delivering a series of webinars for parents of primary-aged children. The ‘Helping Children with …’ series of webinars will cover a range of common difficulties experienced by children and will aim to share evidence-based strategies to help parents and carers support their children with these difficulties. Please use the link below to find further information.
New Swimming Company at our Pool!
Aqua Babies & Kiddies Surrey are excited to share that swimming lessons are returning to St Paul’s C of E Primary School! We are a 5.0 star swim school that has proudly served families across Surrey for over 8 years, and we’re excited to now welcome families back to our newly opened and refurbished pool!
For primary school-aged children, our lessons focus on building confidence and water safety, whilst also progressing swimmers through structured stages that build strong technique across all strokes. Children develop the confidence and competency expected at each level while fostering a lifelong love of swimming.
Aqua Babies & Kiddies lessons are supportive and conducted in a small-group environment - helping children feel calm, capable and happy in the water.
For further details, or to enrol in our March launch lessons, please visit: www.aquababiessurrey.com/swimming-lessons-chessington or send us a WhatsApp on 07766 242 572.
We can’t wait to welcome St Paul’s families back to the pool and see it thriving again at the heart of the school community.
Safeguarding Information
What if I have a Safeguarding Concern?
A reminder to parents and carers that if you have a safeguarding concern about a child this should be brought to Mrs Evans (Designated Safeguarding Lead) or Mrs Griffin (Deputy DSL).
There is lots of information on the school’s website to support parents in keeping their children safe (particularly linked to online safety) which can be found by clicking on the link below:
Road Safety Around Our School
We ask that parents and carers are considerate of the other members of both our school and local community when parking for drop off and collection. Please do not park on yellow lines or on the corners of local roads - markings have been placed on the road in spots where it will become dangerous if a vehicle stops. Parking in these places makes it very difficult for families to check that roads are safe for crossing and we are aware that this also applies to our Year 6 pupils who are walking home alone. Please leave time to find a suitable place to park safely and work with us to make the local roads as safe as possible for our pupils and families.
Key School Policies
Please take some time to familiarise yourself with our School Policies: 'Separated Parents Policy' and 'Communication and Conduct Policy'. These have been put together in consultation with the governing body who have now adopted these. Click on the links below to access them; they can also be accessed on the 'policies' page of the school's website.
Separated Parents Policy Communication and Conduct Policy
Key Dates for Your Diary
New or changes to dates shown in blue:
- Mon 13th July: Year 6 Dough Shack Pizza Treat
- Mon 13th July: Year 6 Shirt Signing
- Tues 14th July: KS1 Sports Festival (Reception only at 9:15am) - postponed from Friday 26th June
- Tues 14th July: Year 6 Water Fight
- Fri 17th July: End of Term at 2pm
- Thurs 3rd Sept: INSET DAY (school closed to children)
- Fri 4th Sept: INSET DAY (school closed to children)
- Mon 7th Sept: Children Return (Year 1 - Year 6)
- Mon 14th Sept: New Reception Class Day 1 (9:00am - 1:15pm)
- Mon 14th Sept: Year 1 and Year 2: Meet the Teacher at 5pm
- Tues 15th Sept: New Reception Class Day 2 (9:00am - 1:15pm)
- Tues 15th Sept: Year 3 and Year 4: Meet the Teacher at 5pm
- Weds 16th Sept: New Reception Class Day 3 (8:45am - 3:15pm)
- Weds 16th Sept: Year 5 and Year 6: Meet the Teacher at 5pm
- Tues 22nd Sept: New Reception Parent/Carer Welcome Meeting
Remember to visit the calendar page using the link above and to link our school calendar to the calendar no your phone for automatic updates.
