St Paul's Newsletter
Friday 7th February 2025
Message from Mrs Evans
We have had an incredibly busy couple of weeks. Our RE week was a huge success and it has been wonderful watching our 'St Paul' themed displays going up. I really enjoyed sharing these with the other local primary church school headteachers today.
This week has been children's mental health week and we have been focusing on 'bucket filling' looking at positive things that we can be doing to share positivity across our community. A number of children have already been awarded a certificate for 'bucket filling' and I hope that they have been sharing these with you at home.
I have spent some time in the classrooms this week and have enjoyed particularly seeing how engaged our Reception and Year 1 pupils have been in their phonics lessons. We know that some of our families have been busy practising at home too - thank you for the effort that you are putting in to support the children.
We had a really productive Class Reps meeting on Tuesday; the minutes from this will be circulated soon. I was saying at the meeting that we are so fortunate to be able to gather regular feedback in this way which helps us to track not only areas that we could develop in further but also successes that we are seeing across the school. Thank you to all of our parents/carers who provided some feedback to their Class Rep to share.
I have no doubt that I will see many of you before half-term, but for those that I won't, I hope that you have a happy and restful break.
PSA Update
Over the last few months, the PSA have committed £21,500 to projects and experiences for the pupils at St Paul's. This spend includes: the new libraries and the mural in the KS1 library, new playground equipment for KS1 and KS2, science workshops for all classes and they will also be funding author visits for the children in March.
Our focus now turns back to the outdoor area where we would like to have the football pitch on the KS2 playground resurfaced and over the next 18 months would like to raise enough funds to replace the surfacing around the trim trail.
A huge thank you to all of our families who have donated through PSA events over the last few years - your generosity really does make as significant difference to the children here.
Attendance Overview
Classes - since last newsletter
| Reception | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
|
96.67% |
95.21% | 98.06% | 95.47% | 96.65% | 94.42% | 96.39% |
Whole School - since the start of the year
| Our Target | Current Attendance | National |
| 97% | 95.35% | 94.3% |
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 on how we can show acts of kindness to one another and in doping so feel the sense of achievement in this.
A Look: This week our Positive Relationship Mentors have read the story that we have used to support us with this year's Children Mental Health week theme... 'Know Yourself and to Grow Yourself'. The children have really enjoyed handing out certificates and look forward to doing this more next week too.
A Hook: Have you filled a bucket today?
Book..
Look...
//www.youtube.com/embed/T0f6VZtXnx8#t=0.5
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
- 'Break the Rules' day - 14th February
- KS1 Disco and KS2 Movie Night - 14th March
- KS2 Disco - 21st March
- Adults Social - 22nd March
- Summer Fair - 7th June
- London to Brighton Cycle Ride - 15th June
- Picnic in the Playground - 4th July
Along with the improvements outside, here are some other examples of the fabulous resources that have been purchased for the school through last year's fundraising:
PSA Purchases
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, our focus book was 'Hair Love' where we looked at each other's hair and discussed how our hair is different but everyone's hair is still beautiful. We got to create some different hair styles/types using a dice to choose for us. In our writing we have been writing about why we love our hair and drew a picture of our hair too. We have also been trying really hard to write our names independently and practising everyday. In Maths, we have been rolling dice then colouring in the number on the sheet. We have also been practising writing our numbers by playing some bingo and we have been using our fine motor skills to become builders using nails and shapes to make different pictures. This week in Reception our focus book is 'See What I Can Do!'. This book has helped us celebrate all of our differences and look deeper into some of the stories in the book. In our Art we have been looking at the artist Piet Mondrian and creating our own versions of his art. Carrying on from our work last week, we have had a lucky dip but for our names where we have to identify them.
Reception 2024 Newsletter
Year 1
Year 1 Newsletter 2024
Year 2
Time has flown by and we are nearing our first half term break of 2025. In English we have been busy preparing our newspaper reports for our St. Paul’s board in the school hall. Photos attached of the proud reporters! PE is very important to us, please see some photos of us all enjoying indoor games on a very chilly morning. Somehow, we have managed to fit in writing division expressions and learning more about the weather, including the weather in other parts of the UK. In collective worship we are working on emotional learning, or how to fill or dip in our own and other people’s buckets. Please ask us about this if you want to know more!
Year 2 Newsletter 2024
Year 3
Year 3 have had an exciting few weeks. We particularly enjoyed our trip to the Natural History Museum to learn more about rocks and fossils. We have also been reflecting on the meaning of the armour of God since learning more about St Paul in RE week. In Maths, we have been measuring mass and liquids and reading scales. We are also learning how to identify angles and right angles within shapes and have used this knowledge to draw quadrilaterals and triangles. In English, we are retelling the story of 'Into the Forest' in our own words, with a particular focus on effective description and speech.
Year 3 Newsletter 2024
Year 4
This week Year 4 had our trip to the British Museum, completing our booklets by looking for different facts in the museum in our groups. In Science, we have moved onto learning about our teeth and what damages them (specifically the enamel). We did an experiment using eggshells to represent our teeth and different substances to see how they affect our teeth. We are waiting anxiously to see the results next week! In English, we have drawn our own mythical creatures and used different fronted adverbs, expanded noun phrases, similes and personification to describe them. In Maths, we have started looking at the three different angles: obtuse, right angle and acute. We got to use the geo boards to create our own shapes and identify the angles within them.
Year 4 Newsletter 2024
Year 5
We have had a brilliant week in Year 5. We have started learning about area in Maths. We started our topic by considering the difference between area and perimeter and next week we are going to be comparing areas of different shapes. In English, we have written a leaflet which is trying to convince readers to do their bit to save the rainforest. Last week, we enjoyed our RE week and we celebrated the life of St Paul. It was really interesting to find out about his life and then later we used drama to recreate different events. Finally, in Geography, we have identified different parts of the rainforest and compared these.
Year 5 Newsletter 2024
Year 6
Year 6 have been working hard on their measuring angles work in Maths. We've practised protractor work together and have been discussing properties of angles and shapes together. We've had fun making actions and testing each other on them. In History, we've looked at Athens and Sparta and how they operated like different countries! We considered which was more effective and concluded that whilst Sparta was stronger, Athens had more allies due to their more collaborative nature. Finally, we've been finalising our work on St Paul - we have really thought about how his messages are still relevant today and what we might add for ourselves. This has included reading letters from the Bible and modern interpretations too while working with with INSIGHT.
Year 6 Newsletter 2024
Team Points
Congratulations to Year 3 and Sapphires who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 27th January and to Year 4 and Rubies who were the Team Points winners for the week beginning 3rd February.
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
- Fri 14th Feb: PSA 'Break the Rules' Event
- Fri 14th Feb: Last day of half-term - 3:15pm finish
- Mon 24th Feb: Children Return to School
- Tues 25th Feb: iRock Catch Up Sessions
- Fri 28th Feb: Mental Health Support Team (MHST) coffee morning for parents/carers at 9:30am (change of date)
- Fri 28th Feb: Rec, Year 1 and Year 2 Author Visit
- Tues 4th March: Year 6 Parents/Carers' Transition Meeting
- Fri 7th Mar: St Paul's World Book Day - Dress Up as a Book Character
- Weds 12th Mar: Year 5 at 'The Easter Experience'
- Fri 14th March: PSA KS1 Disco
- Fri 14th March: PSA KS2 Movie Night
- Mon 17th Mar: Year 5 Rivers Trip
- Tues 18th Mar: Year 4 Rivers Trip
- Weds 19th March: Rec - Year 4 Science Workshops
- Thurs 20th March: Year 5 and Year 6 Science Workshops
- Thurs 20th Mar: Parent/Carer Meetings - 4:00pm - 6:30pm
- Fri 21st March: Comic Relief Day
- Fri 21st March: PSA KS2 Disco
- Sat 22nd March: PSA Adults Social
- Mon 24th March: Reception and Year 6 Height and Weight Check
- Weds 26th Mar: Early Finish - 2:30pm
- Weds 26th Mar: Parent/Carer Meetings - 3:00pm - 6:00pm
- Mon 31st March: iRock Concert for Parents/Carers at 2:45pm
- Fri 4th Apr: Last day of term - 2:00pm finish
- Tues 22nd April: Children Return
- Sat 26th April: London Schools Mini Marathon Event (children must be signed up through school to take part) - subject to confirmation of successful application
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.
