St Paul's Newsletter
Friday 30th January 2026
Message from Mrs Evans
We have had a busy few weeks at St Paul's. We had some fantastic Lego workshops for Year 3, Year 4 and Year 6 last week and all enjoyed our RE focused sessions with INSIGHT this week. It has been wonderful to see some of the exciting learning that has been taking place across our wider curriculum - peeling and chopping vegetables in Year 3, recording cooking shows in Year 1 and creating print designs ready for lino printing in Year 5. We welcomed Transport for London into school today to lead a workshop for Year 6 and have been really enjoying our worships led by Rev. Jen on Tuesdays. It is hard to believe that we are almost at half-term already but we have certainly got a lot done!
Mobile Phone 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. Please can we also remind parent helpers that mobile phones must not be used during school trips. A reminder will also be given to parent helpers before leaving school. A huge thank you to the community for your positive support in this change of policy.
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 |
|
96.37% |
96.11% | 95.82% | 95.40% | 96.29% | 96.44% | 96.12% |
Whole School - since the start of the year
| Our Target | Current Attendance | National |
| 97% | 96.08% | 94.78% |
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 were learning all about dentists and the importance of looking after our teeth and we got to create our own set of teeth using card and paper. We also completed some puzzles relating to our topic 'People Who Help Us'. Our writing focus was writing step by step instructions on how to brush our teeth using our phonics knowledge to spell the words. In Maths we were learning all about composition and our activity was to match the die pattern to the right amount of fingers. Using our fine motor skills we got to work on cutting out pictures of how to brush your teeth and then stick them in the correct order. We had a special visit from Noah's Dad who came to speak to us about his job. Reception had lots of questions ready to ask. This week in Reception it is all about 'Road Safety'. We have discussed how we can stay safe when near a road - we looked at different road signs and their meanings and we have created our own ones. To put our new skills to the test, we went onto the play ground and pretended we had to cross a road, remembering what we had learnt. In our outdoor area we have enjoyed getting a little bit muddy and using our gross motor skills to jump into tyres seeing the best way to jump inside them.
Reception Newsletter 2025-26
Year 1
This week in Year 1 in English, we have been looking at wanted posters and creating our own. We explored lots of different adjectives to describe our wanted alien so that people could recognise him and help to find him. The children worked hard to choose interesting describing words and produced some fantastic posters. In Maths, we have been learning about different 2D and 3D shapes. We investigated which 3D shapes can roll, slide and stack. Did you know that some shapes can do more than one of these? We really enjoyed exploring shapes and sharing our discoveries. In Computing, we have been learning about algorithms and why clear instructions are so important. We made jam sandwiches to show how each small instruction matters. We loved this - especially eating them! We then used the Chromebooks to video ourselves and create our own cooking programmes. It was very exciting and we loved seeing ourselves on the screen.
Year 1 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 2
Year 2 have had a very busy and enjoyable week in the classroom! In English, we have been learning about inverted commas. We particularly enjoyed using drama activities to help us understand how speech is used in writing, showing enthusiasm and confidence when acting out conversations. In Maths, we have been learning about multiplication equations where 2 is a factor, linking this to doubles. We used practical equipment and worked in pairs to explore our ideas and solve problems together. In Geography, our learning has centred on weather and climate, which we are thoroughly enjoying. We have been keen to share our knowledge, and Miss Leigh is receiving regular weather updates and warnings throughout the week from all across the world! In RE, we have been taking part in thoughtful, reflective conversations and have shared mature and considered ideas. We were also lucky to welcome INSIGHT into our classroom this week who taught us about The Fruit of the Spirit through the lens of peace. We thoroughly enjoyed the session and produced some fantastic work.
Year 2 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 3
Year 3 are enjoying learning about seasonal food in DT. In preparation for making tarts in a few weeks, we have practised cutting and peeling skills and are able to demonstrate these skills safely. We are continuing to read 'Into the Forest' and are writing playscripts in English based on the story. In Science, we have used experiments to test the hardness of rocks and work out if they are permeable or impermeable. We have also learned about fossil formation and can describe how fossils are formed over many years.
Year 3 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 4
In Year 4 this week, we have started a new text 'The Story of Tutankhamun'. We have been working in groups to find out as much information about Ancient Egyptian life as possible and then compiling this into a non chronological report. We have worked hard to make our sentences multi-clause sentences by adding in conjunctions. In Maths, we have continued working on our times tables using the distributive law to partition unknown times tables to help us to solve them. In Science, we have continued experimenting with sound - this week looking at how distance affects volume. In Art, we enjoyed making our clay canopic jars and are looking forward to painting them next week.
Year 4 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 5
In Year 5 we have been really enjoying our Art topic. We have been exploring gestural lines and how these can be used to show movement within a picture. We have been studying the work of Charlie Mackesey carefully and have been creating our own sketches based on some of his images which we will be using to create prints soon. We have been exploring how to create depth in pictures and are looking forward to our visit to 'Frameless' soon. We also enjoyed our visit from INSIGHT. We heard the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den and explored 'Faithfulness'.
Year 5 Newsletter 2025-26
Year 6
In Year 6 we have been continuing our learning with lots of creativity, discussion and hands-on experiences. In Science, we developed our understanding of the circulatory system by building a model and then walking through it, imagining ourselves as blood travelling around the body. This helped us to think carefully about the role of the heart, lungs and blood vessels, and how oxygen and nutrients are transported to keep us healthy. In Maths, we revisited long division, focusing on the importance of following each step accurately. To help the process stick, we listened to a very catchy pop-hit that breaks down the method clearly, which made practising both memorable and fun. History lessons have seen us working with both primary and secondary sources to create detailed fact files about Ancient Greek gods. We used evidence carefully to check facts, compare information and decide what could be trusted, developing our historical enquiry skills along the way. We also enjoyed a fantastic Lego workshop where we were challenged to design and build mythical creatures inspired by Greek myths. This gave us the opportunity to combine creativity, problem-solving and teamwork while thinking about the features and symbolism of mythical beasts. In RE, we have continued to think deeply about the idea of commitment, discussing how our actions can show what we are truly committed to in our own lives, as well as how commitment is shown within different religions.
Year 6 Newsletter 2025-26
Team Points
Congratulations to Year 3 and Diamonds who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 19th January and to Year 6 and Rubies who were the team points winners for the week beginning 26th January.
News from St Paul's Church
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
- Thurs 5th Feb: Year 3 Natural History Museum Trip
- Fri 6th Feb: Year 1 Wisley Trip
- Fri 6th Feb: Parent Prayer Meeting at 9am
- Mon 9th Feb: Retirement Worship for Mrs Rob at 2:30pm
- Mon 9th Feb: Work Share 3:15pm - 4pm
- Tues 10th Feb: Safer Internet Day
- Tues 10th Feb: Year 5 'Frameless' Trip
- Fri 13th Feb: End of half-term (3:15pm finish)
- Mon 23rd Feb: Children Return
- Tues 24th Feb: PSA First Aid Course
- Fri 27th Feb: World Book Day Whole School Dress Up
- Fri 27th Feb: KS1 Author Visit
- Mon 2nd Mar: Class Reps Meeting at 10am
- Weds 4th Mar: Year 5 Easter Experience
- Thurs 5th Mar: KS2 Author Visit
- Thurs 12th Mar: Parent/Carer Meetings 4pm - 7pm
- Fri 13th Mar: PSA KS1 Disco
- Fri 13th Mar: PSA KS2 Movie Night
- Tues 17th Mar: Early Finish at 2:30pm
- Tues 17th Mar: Parent/Carer Meetings 3pm - 6:30pm
- Thurs 19th Mar: Choir at Star and Garter
- Fri 20th Mar: PSA KS2 Disco
- Mon 23rd Mar: Height and Weight Check for Reception and Year 6
- Mon 23rd Mar: iRock Parents/Carers' Concert at 2:30pm
- Weds 25th Mar: Year 4 River Trip
- Fri 27th Mar: Easter Service at St Paul's Church 9:15am
- Fri 27th Mar: End of Term 2pm Finish
- Mon 13th April: 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.
