St Paul's Newsletter
Friday 21st March 2025
Message from Mrs Evans
It has been a busy few weeks here! It was lovely to see the KS1 pupils having such a great time at the disco last week and we are looking forward to the KS2 disco this evening! Thank you to the PSA for organising these and for the KS2 Movie Night too.
The children all benefited from the money that has been raised when they took part in a Science Assembly and workshops for each class this week. It was lovely to hear so many of them telling parents/carers about it on their way out of school! Thank you to the PSA for paying for this enriching experience!
There has been a lot of fabulous DT work taking place across the school with slingshot cars, appliqued Easter eggs and mini playgrounds all being created. The children have been so engaged in this work and excited to share this with one another and home too.
We have had our assessment weeks here too, with children completing maths and reading assessments and we have decided here at St Paul's that this should be rebranded as 'showing off' week! We have been talking to the children about the opportunity that they have in these weeks to show us what they have learnt and what they can do and to also help us to know what we can do to further support them. I know that some of our teachers have shared information from these assessments during parent/carer meetings and we hope that this has been helpful.
PSA London to Brighton Cycle
On Sunday 15th June, a group of our parents/carers will be cycling from London to Brighton. This is a fantastic community event which will raise money for our school. Further details about the event can be found here: Go Fund Me: PSA Pedallers and you can also use the QR code below to donate:
A huge thank you to the parents/carers taking part!
| Parent/Carer | Year Group/s Represented |
| Mark Bottell | Reception and Year 3 |
| Mick Edwards | Reception and Year 3 |
| James Elvy | Year 3 and Year 4 |
| Ian Curd | Year 3 |
| Dave Holdaway | Year 3 and Year 5 |
| Antony Baxter | Year 1 and Year 4 |
| Aron Sibley | Year 3 and Year 6 |
| Bea Wlodarczyk | Year 2 and Year 4 |
| Alannah Sandham | Year 1 and Year 2 |
| Tom Harvey | Year 3 and Year 6 |
| Ed Sillars | Year 2 |
| Simon Erith | Year 4 and Year 6 |
| Mike Underwood | Reception and Year 1 |
Attendance Overview
Classes - since last newsletter
| Reception | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
|
98.54% |
99.17% | 99.17% | 99.17% | 96.55% | 96.65% | 94.47% |
Whole School - since the start of the year
| Our Target | Current Attendance | National |
| 97% | 95.57% | 93.4% |
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 synched 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.
With Me in Mind - Mental Health and Wellbeing Support for Families
This newsletter is a place where we can share with you: resources, strategies and thoughts to consider. We are keen to reach more families with messages and resources that we use with your children at school. We look forward to receiving feedback on this new venture for us.
- So what do you want to know more about?
- Are there challenges that you are facing that you would like to consider differently? Please let us know your thoughts on this Google Form
In this issue:
A Book: A book reflecting on how we can us language differently when speaking to a child who struggles to be flexible.
A Look: How to be a good active listener.
A Hook: How do you expand your thinking and perspectives?
Book..
Look...
Hook...
Our Mental Health Team...
Sharon Griffin Lianne Cook Fahmida Wadud
Mental Health Lead Emotional Support Mental Health Support
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. We are so excited that we will soon be having our new libraries fitted which we have been raising money for.
Upcoming PSA Events
- Summer Fair - 7th June
- London to Brighton Cycle Ride - 15th June (see details below)
- Picnic in the Playground - 4th July
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 maps and what they are used for. We had a map of Chessington to look at and we found where our school is. We also talked about how to stay healthy by looking after our teeth and where we might go to get our teeth checked. This week in Reception, we have been looking at road safety. We discussed all the ways to keep safe when near a road and then went out onto the playground to practise pretending to cross a road. We have had a lot of fun junk modelling making cars and lots of other things and in PE we have been completing our superhero training by practising our jumping, balancing, climbing and target practice.
Reception 2024 Newsletter
Year 1
Year 1 Newsletter 2024
Year 2
Year 2 have had an exciting time researching recent history. We asked adults around our school questions, we searched Google and we looked in books from the new KS2 library. We have learnt a lot about the similarities and differences between our holidays today and those in the recent past. In Art we have constructed our aerial view islands and on Friday we will begin painting. Papier Mache was very messy but great fun! Thank you parents for your contributions. We have also had an inspiring visit from Kieran the scientist; he helped us to recognise what great scientists we are!
Year 2 Newsletter 2024
Year 3
Year 3 have been learning column addition in Maths over the last week. We have worked hard to line up the hundreds, tens and ones into columns and are getting used to adding the ones first. In English, we have started reading 'Stone Age Boy' and are continuing to work hard to include fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses in our writing. We have been learning about the Neolithic period of the Stone Age and enjoyed thinking about which period we would have liked to have lived in and why.
Year 3 Newsletter 2024
Year 4
Year 4 had a busy week this week! We had the author visits, we had a scientist come in to see us and we had our River Thames trip which was all very exciting! In DT, we are creating a slingshot car and we have created the chassis and launch mechanism so far. Next week, we will be creating the body of our car. We are very excited to race our cars by the end of the unit! In RE we have been learning about the values that Jesus showed during the Last Supper and considering how Christians can show these values too.
Year 4 Newsletter 2024
Year 5
We have had a fantastic two weeks in Year 5! Excitingly, we have had two visitors and two trips during this time. The visit by David Owen about his books and how he became an author was very inspiring. We had a visit from the NSPCC which was highly informative an we went to the King’s Centre for our Easter Experience. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to ask questions about different parts of the Easter story. We also travelled to Teddington Lock to take part in School on the River, where we were tested on some of our learning from our Year 4 rivers topic. Back in school, we have continued our writing on the Mayans and have now started working on The Hero Twins story. We have used both art and writing to retell this myth. In Science, we have begun planning an experiment involving friction, considering what needs to be done to ensure it is a fair test. In Maths, we have continued our unit on multiplying and dividing by 10, 100, and 1,000, explaining the effects we have observed and finally, in PE, we have been working on designing our own circuits. Next week, we will begin incorporating equipment into these.
Year 5 Newsletter 2024
Year 6
Year 6 have been working hard on their practice assessments and core skills this week. We have been working on our core arithmetic skills and have become so efficient! We are now getting more confident experimenting with different methods too. As part of our Easter Story learning- we have been thinking about the role of forgiveness through the story of Zacchaeus. We discussed that forgiveness has a pivotal role in our relationships as it helps us to bond, move on and repair. We also spoke about how it offers us the chance to try again and therefore evolve to be better rather than to be defined by our mistakes. In Science, we have loved learning about classification and how sometimes scientists have difficulties classifying creatures which do not fit the category and how they decide on where they would go - the platypus being a great example of a mammal who lays eggs! In our Geography, we have been looking at our carbon cycle and the ways in which we contribute to carbon emissions but also how whales are carbon sinks in the ocean!
Year 6 Newsletter 2024
Team Points
Congratulations to Year 6 and Diamonds who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 10th March and to Year 5 and Diamonds who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 17th March.
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!
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
- Mon 24th March: Reception and Year 6 Height and Weight Check
- Weds 26th March: Year 2 Drama Workshop
- Weds 26th March: Early Finish - 2:30pm
- Weds 26th March: Parent/Carer Meetings - 3:00pm - 6:00pm
- Fri 28th March: Parent Prayer Group at 8:45am
- Mon 31st March: iRock Concert for Parents/Carers at 2:45pm
- Mon 31st March: Year 6 Parents/Carers' Secondary Transition Meeting at 6pm
- Thurs 3rd April: Year 6 Science Museum Trip
- Fri 4th April: Last day of term - 2:00pm finish
- Tues 22nd April: Children Return
- Tues 22nd April: Launch of St Paul's Wraparound Care
- Sat 26th April: London Schools Mini Marathon Event (children must be signed up through school to take part)
- Mon 28th April: Year 1 Chessington Trip
- Fri 2nd May: PSA Donation Day (Bottles) - 'Wear the Rainbow': Brightly coloured outfits - how many different colours can you wear?
- Mon 5th May: Bank Holiday Monday (school closed)
- Fri 9th May: PSA Donation Day (Sweets) - 'Show Your Style': Wear non-school shoes with your uniform.
- Fri 9th May: Class Reps Meeting at 10am
- Mon 12th May: Year 6 SATs Week
- Fri 16th May: Class Photos
- Fri 16th May: Year 6 Bowling Trip
- Mon 19th May: Year 2 Mosque Trip
- Tues 20th May: Year 1 Synangogue Trip
- Fri 23rd May: End of half-term
- Mon 2nd June: INSET DAY (school closed to children)
- Tues 3rd June: Children Return
- Sat 7th June: PSA Summer Fair
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.
