News - 15th May 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
It’s been another busy and eventful fortnight here at St Mary’s, and I’m delighted to share just a few of the highlights with you.
First and foremost, I would like to say how incredibly proud we are of our Year 6 pupils, who have taken their SATs this week. Whatever the results may be, we are so impressed with the calm, mature and focused way they have approached the assessments. Their effort and resilience have been exemplary – well done to each and every one of them. With that behind them, they can now look forward to the exciting events and opportunities that lie ahead this term.
Last week, we marked VE Day with a very special visitor. Tony Ward, who was six years old at the time of the original VE Day, shared his moving memories with the whole school during an assembly. The children were captivated by his stories and particularly enjoyed hearing about his recent interview for The One Show, where he presented Britain’s oldest veteran with a cap badge. The day ended with a celebratory cake in each class – a lovely way to reflect on history and community.
Our children have also been enjoying the great outdoors. Reception and Year 1 classes visited Inbhams Farm in Haslemere to meet the lambs – the same farm visited recently by our Young Carers group. These visits are always such valuable opportunities for learning through experience and connection with nature.
There was plenty of energy and enthusiasm from Years 3 and 4, who took part in the TCS Mini London Marathon within our school grounds. This nationwide initiative encourages young people to get active and complete two miles by running, jogging, walking or wheeling. Our pupils embraced the challenge with huge smiles, and it was fantastic to see such joy in movement.
On the topic of sport, a special mention must go to four Year 3 pupils – Ted, Will, Coco and George – who represented St Mary’s at the Charterhouse Triathlon last weekend. They ran, swam and cycled to raise money for Restless Development and Starfish Malawi, raising over £400 in sponsorship and a further £85 through a sweetie stall. A huge well done to them – a tremendous effort for great causes.
This week also saw a visit from Chiddingfold Horticultural Society, who launched our exciting sunflower-growing initiative to celebrate their 175th anniversary. Every child has received a pot and seeds, and classes have been busy planting them this week. The children will take their sunflowers home at half term, and we look forward to seeing how they grow over the summer – with prizes awarded at the Autumn Show for the tallest and the sunflower closest to 175cm!
We were also pleased to welcome Joanna Wright and Simon Fitch from King Edward’s School last week, who toured our library and other PTA-funded areas. We’re grateful for their ongoing support, including generous sponsorship of events such as the school pantomime, and we’re excited about the installation of our new Sensory Garden next week.
Finally, we want to share our thanks and very best wishes to our lollipop lady and cleaner, Mrs Swift, who has been off on long-term sick leave and will not be returning to St Mary’s. We wish her continued strength and a full recovery.
Please remember, class photos will take place next Tuesday, and we’ll be announcing our half-termly house point winners next week – they will enjoy a mufti day on Friday 6th June.
Wishing you all a restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Alison Evans Headteacher
SCHOOL PHOTOS
A reminder we have class photos on Tuesday 20th May so please ensure your children are wearing full school uniform. If they have PE on that day, then please send bring their PE kit in a bag.
SWIMMING GALA
On Thursday 5th June, St Marys Key Stage 2 children (years 3,4,5,6) have been invited to take part in the first confederation swimming gala at the Haslemere Leisure Centre.
Please complete the form below by Wednesday 21st May if you think your child would be interested in attending.
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/DaZxxbZnVU
This is just for us to gauge interest at this stage. If we do get enough children wanting to take part, we will then send out further information.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
This term, children can wear summer uniform if they choose to:
This includes plain white polo shirts, grey shorts, pale blue and white check dress, white socks and black or dark blue low-heeled shoes.
Children should be wearing royal blue sweatshirt or cardigan with logo. Children should not be wearing unbranded jumpers (plain jumpers) or blue cardigans.
https://www.yourschooluniform.com/
Children should not be wearing jewellery, large earrings, or colourful hair ties/bands. Trainers are only to be worn on PE days.
Long hair must be tied back for practical and hygiene reasons. Blue, black or white or hair coloured hair bands, slides and ribbons of a modest size are acceptable.
ATTENDANCE
We need to remind you that there are new Department for Education regulations in place regarding children’s absences. These took effect from 19th August 2024 which affect penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence from school.
The ‘National Threshold’, when it is appropriate to consider issuing a penalty notice, is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks. A school week means any week in which there is at least one school session. This can be met with any combination of unauthorised absence (e.g. 4 sessions of holiday taken in term time plus 6 sessions of arriving late after the register closes all within 10 school weeks). These sessions can be consecutive (e.g. 10 sessions of holiday in one week) or not (e.g. 6 sessions of unauthorised absence taken in 1 week and 1 per week for the next 4 weeks). The period of 10 school weeks can also span different terms or school years (e.g. 2 sessions of unauthorised absence in the summer term and a further 8 within the autumn term).
From autumn term 2024, only 2 penalty notices will be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within a 3-year rolling period and any second notice within that period is charged at a higher rate:
1. The first penalty notice issued to a parent in respect of a particular pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
2. A second penalty notice issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
3. A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action will be taken instead, which will often include considering prosecution.
If you would like any further information regarding these changes, full details can be found here:
Working together to improve school attendance (Gov.uk)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
https://www.stmaryschidd.org/key-information/parent-information/school-attendance/
| Week Commencing 9th May 2025 | |
| Reception | 96.1% |
| Year 1 | 98.7% |
| Year 2 | 100% |
| Year 3 | 99.1% |
| Year 4 | 94.5% |
| Year 5 | 98.9% |
| Year 6 | 96.5% |
ST. MARY’S SCHOOL VISION
Wisdom
Wisdom is a core Christian value in our school because we believe through wisdom good choices are made, that it encourages us to learn from our mistakes and encourages us to live our lives wisely for the benefit of all.
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’’ John 8:32
Hope
Hope is a core Christian value in our school because hope gives us energy and supports us through difficult times.
"Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.’’ Romans 12:12
To act with hope is to aspire to greater things, to promote positivity and courageous advocacy.
Respect
Respect is a core Christian value in our school because we believe that all life is precious within the image of God and deserves to be valued.
"Do to others as you would have them do unto you." Luke 6:31
Our Christian value of respect means living up to the image of God with our school, our community and ourselves.
Community
Community is a core Christian value in our school because we know that together we are stronger and can achieve more.
"Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud but be willing to be friends with people who are not important to others. Don’t think of yourself as smarter than everyone else.’’ Romans 12:16
Everyone in our school, local and global community are needed and valued.
