St Paul's Newsletter
Friday 14th November 2025
Message from Mrs Evans
We have had a brilliant start to this half-term. The children have come back to school ready for learning and it has been such a privilege to show around prospective parents. We have been given an attendance award for last year 2024/2025 - our attendance put us in the top 25% of schools nationally.
Now we are aiming to be within the top 10% - we will need your support with this!
The countdown to Christmas has started! Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are learning their Nativity songs and we cannot wait to see their production. Our Christmas theatre visits will begin soon and there is lots of preparation taking place for our Christmas Fair on Saturday 29th November.
We really enjoyed welcoming the new vicar for St Paul's Church, Rev Jen, to our school this week. We got the chance to find out more about her and had a chance to express the things that we are excited to share with her going forward. After Christmas we are looking forward to Jen visiting weekly to lead our worship.
Parking on the Road
We ask that our parents/carers are considerate when parking in the roads local to school. We have been receiving complaints again about cars parked on double yellow lines and across drives which has made these inaccessible to local residents. Please remember that double yellow lines have been put in place for safety reasons - in order to keep all of our pupils safe we ask that you do not park on these.
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 |
|
95.24% |
97.93% | 94.29% | 93.57% | 96.43% | 97.91% | 96.31% |
Whole School - since the start of the year
| Our Target | Current Attendance | National |
| 97% | 96.93% | 95.44% |
Holidays in Term Time
I would like to remind all parents that holidays during term time will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. These cause disruption within the class due to children missing parts of the learning in topics which will later be built upon and can lead to children being unsettled on their return to school.
Holidays in term-time should only be taken for 'exceptional circumstances' which means that this would not be a regular (including annual) occurrence.
We are currently reviewing our attendance strategy and are closely monitoring the link between term-time absence and an increase in support needed for some of our pupils and families in school.
If you are considering a term-time holiday, I would really ask that you reflect on the confusion in the messaging to the children when they are taken out of school for a holiday having been told up to that point (and after) that they 'must' attend school.
Please look out for further updates about the changes to our strategy in the coming year.
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.
School Website
Please remember to make use of the school's website and calendar (which can be synced to your phone) for reminders and updates.
Support with Behaviour Concerns
A plea to parents/carers that if they have concerns about an incident that has taken place at school, that they avoid directly contacting other parents as this can lead to both misunderstandings and upset. We ask that any concerns are brought directly to school staff and that school are then left to deal with these. We will always follow up any concerns brought forward and would always prefer to find out more and resolve these within the school day (wherever possible) as this makes it easier for the children to accurately recall what has taken place. One of our key priorities is developing positive relationships across our community and this is something that our families can do to support us with this.
School Trips/Visits Policy
At St Paul's we have developed a rich programme of trips and visits to support our curriculum. Whilst parents/carers will always be asked for permission for their child to attend, these experiences have been carefully chosen and planned to enrich our pupils' learning and therefore we are always keen to enable as many pupils as possible to attend.
We are always keen to hear from parents/carers if they have any concerns about a trip or visit and will then invite them to come in and meet with us to discuss this concern further in the hope that together we can create a plan of support which will enable their child to take part.
Please do not be surprised to be asked to come in if you have not given permission for a trip/visit - we really value these opportunities to have conversations about concerns and to consider what can be done to support.
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.
Remember to check out our events guide on the PSA page which is a guide for families about what our different events involve and how you can help:
Look out for upcoming events
PSA Store
Don't forget to head over to our PSA store to get involved in the latest events using the link below:
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 looked at why we celebrate fireworks night, learning about the story of Guy Fawkes. We also spoke about how we can keep safe around fire and fireworks. We looked at different patterns fireworks make and we then had a go at making them using glitter. In Maths, we were comparing counting bears, identifying what coloured bear there was more of or less than. Our writing task last week was to use our phonics knowledge to write words you might hear when you see fireworks which we then stuck onto our firework pictures. This week in Reception we have been learning about Diwali and Remembrance Day. We designed our own henna hands using different patterns. We have loved watching videos about how Rangoli patterns are made and then creating our own ones. We learnt about why Remembrance day is so important and created our own poppy pictures.
Reception Newsletter 2025-26
Year 1
This week in Year 1 in English we have started looking at the story of Beegu. We enjoyed reading the story and writing a character description making up a friend for Beegu. We used lots of adjectives to describe how Beegu's friend would look and what qualities her friend would have. In Maths, we have been looking at using a Gattegno chart to notice patterns within a decade counting forwards and backwards as well as counting crossing the tens boundary. We have also learnt about comparing length, height, mass and capacity. In Geography, we have started our new topic looking at different places around the world. We have really enjoyed looking at where these places are in the world and how they are different to where we live. In Science, we looked at different types of objects and what materials they are made of. We noticed that sometimes objects are made of more than one material! After lunch, we have been doing a sensory circuit to settle down. We do a few reading, writing, fine motor and maths activities. We have been really enjoying doing these activities in our circuit!
Year 1 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 2
We have had a fantastic week in Year 2! In English, we have been learning how to use exclamation marks and question marks. We have worked really hard on our circus work and have had some brilliant ideas about what we would like to see, hear and do at a circus. In Maths, we have been learning about decade numbers, and predicting what number is next. We have made up songs to help us and really enjoyed the process. Thank you for all of your support on' The Big Challenge', we are getting really good at our times tables! In Science, we have been learning about how animals and humans grow and change. We have had lots of thought provoking questions and this has led us to looking at the lifecycles of animals - we have loved this!
Year 2 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 3
Year 3 have been writing poems in English, thinking about the features, such as rhyme, metaphors and repetition. We performed some poems before having a go at writing some of our own. We have been exploring 3-digit numbers in maths and representing hundreds, tens and ones in different ways. In Geography, we have started learning about the Americas. We used compasses to locate states in America and grouped human and physical features found in North America. We have reflected on remembrance in our RE lessons and discussed the moral decisions around war and peace.
Year 3 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 4
In Year 4, we have enjoyed reading Varjak Paw. We made predictions about the book and have enjoyed rethinking these the more we read on. We have also been using the book to help us write speech, using inverted commas and punctuation correctly. In Science, we have started our topic learning all about electricity. We have really enjoyed building circuits and even conducted an experiment about insulators and conductors - we learnt which material conducts electricity the best. In RE, we have been learning about non religious world views. We thought carefully about humanism and utilitarianism, thinking about what makes these beliefs different but also similar.
Year 4 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 5
Year 5 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 6
In Year 6 we have been tackling some exciting new challenges across the curriculum. In Maths, we’ve been mastering long multiplication, carefully setting out our calculations and checking our answers using estimation and inverse operations. In Science, we began our new topic on Electricity by exploring the fascinating world of static electricity — discovering how charged particles can make balloons stick to walls and even lift small pieces of paper! Later in the week, we applied our learning by building simple electrical circuits, testing which materials act as conductors and insulators. As part of our History learning, we had the privilege of working with a local historian to research the names on the war memorial at St Paul’s Church, uncovering some of the personal stories behind them. This meaningful work helped us to deepen our understanding of remembrance, which we reflected on during our visit to St Paul’s Church for the Remembrance Service, where Year 6 represented our school with maturity and respect.
Year 6 Newsletter 2025-26
Team Points
Congratulations to Year 4 and Sapphires who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 20th October, to Year 2 and Diamonds who were the team points winners for the week beginning 3rd November and to Year Year 6 and Sapphires who were the team points winners for the week beginning 10th November.
Wider Community News and Events
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!
Miss C's Half-Marathon
Miss C is running the London Landmarks half-marathon on 12th April She is raising money for 'Hope and Homes for Children' who work to get children from orphanages back to their families. She is raising money through a just giving page - the link is here if you would like to support her:
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.
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
- Weds 19th Nov: Year 2 Christmas Journey
- Fri 21st Nov: Year 2 Polka Theatre Trip
- Mon 24th Nov: Year 5 Bikeability (all week)
- Tues 25th Nov: Year 4 Science Museum Trip
- Weds 26th Nov: KS2 Choir singing at John Lewis
- Weds 26th Nov: Parent/Carer Meetings 4pm - 6:30pm
- Fri 28th Nov: PSA Donation Day - wear Christmas themed outfit - colours or images - parents/carers bring in home made cakes and biscuits for cake stall at the fair (no nuts please)
- Sat 29th Nov: PSA Christmas Fair 12pm - 3pm
- Tues 2nd Dec: Early Finish at 2:30pm
- Tues 2nd Dec: Parent/Carer Meetings 3pm - 6pm
- Wed 3rd Dec: Class Reps at 10am
- Weds 3rd Dec: Year 5 Rose Theatre Trip
- Fri 5th Dec: Reception Postbox and Library Trip
- Fri 5th Dec: Year 3 and Year 4 Polka Theatre Trip
- Mon 8th Dec: iRock Parents/Carers Concert at 2:30pm
- Tues 9th Dec: KS1 Nativity at 9:15am (adults only)
- Tues 9th Dec: Year 6 Rose Theatre Trip
- Weds 10th Dec: PSA Children's Christmas Market
- Thurs 11th Dec: KS1 Nativity at 9:15am (siblings welcome)
- Thurs 11th Dec: Year 5 Hindleap Warren Parent/Carer Meeting at 2:30pm
- Fri 12th Dec: PSA Children's Christmas Market
- Mon 15th Dec: KS2 Christmas Concert at 9:15am (adults only)
- Mon 15th Dec: KS2 Choir singing at Trafalgar Square
- Tues 16th Dec: KS2 Christmas Concert at 9:15am (siblings welcome)
- Tues 16th Dec: Whole School Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day
- Thurs 18th Dec: Reception and Year 1 Christmas Film
- Fri 19th Dec: End of Term (2pm finish)
- Mon 5th Jan: INSET DAY (school closed to children)
- Tues 6th Jan: Children Return
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.
