Dear Parents and Carers,

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of our first half term! Thank you to the staff team who

have worked tirelessly for the last seven weeks and well done to the children for all that they have

achieved. Thank you also to you, all for all your support for school. We are constantly striving to

ensure that we do the best for the children that we can. Many of you have told me how much your

children enjoy school and how they have enjoyed their learning this term. The changes to

homework have proved successful and it has been great to celebrate the home learning projects

with the children this week.

Last Friday, we welcomed Mr Penson to our weekly

Celebration Liturgy. We thanked Mr Penson for all his

work as a Governor, as he retires from the Governing

Body after a service spanning 24 years. During the

assembly he shared with the children the important

role of the governor and also some of the history of

the school. Thank you once again to Mr Penson for all

that he has given to our school and also thank you to

him for agreeing to support us in his new role of Fire

Safety Inspector. Thank you to Mrs Penson for

supporting Mr Penson in this role, we know that they will remain an active part of our school

community for years to come.

Well done to our Year 6 St Teresa’s Class who led

our liturgy on Tuesday. Thank you for inspiring us

to think carefully about the Beatitudes and for

emphasising how we can be happy in our lives.

This was the first of our class led liturgies and you

set a very high standard with your singing, reading,

movement and prayerfulness. We are very proud

of you. Thank you to parents and carers who were

able to join us.

Newsletter 7 Week ending 20.10.17

Believe

you can

achieve!

Our School Values

We have now finalised our core values which will be known as the STCM7.These values encompass both

Christian and British values and have been chosen carefully. Over the last half term, the children and

staff have worked on these and the final decision was made at our School Council meeting this week. In

our liturgy today each class shared one of the values and what the word means to them. Over the next

half term we will be focusing on the values and how we live them out at school in our faith, our friend-

ships and our learning.

They are:

Achievement

Faithfulness

Happiness

Kindness

Love

Respect

Responsibility

School Development Plan 2017-2018

Continue to build an effective leadership team that supports accelerated school improvement.

To improve the quality of teaching and learning and assessment across the school to ensure that 100%

of teaching is at least good and some is better.

All pupils will be self-confident, self-assured learners with excellent attitudes to learning.

All pupils will progress well from their different starting points and achieve or exceed age related

expectation (ARE).

Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS) outcomes will reflect a provision that is responsive to pupils’ needs

and national expectations.

Playground update

We now have several quotes for our playground de-

velopment and are hoping that we will be able to

move this forward early in the New Year. We will

also be applying for additional funding for the play-

ground to enable us to complete all our plans. The

site for our proposed developments is at the far end

of the Infant Playground against the fence line. We

would also like to develop other areas around both

playground areas to include a climbing wall and oth-

er active and adventurous play opportunities. Par-

ents and pupils will be involved in the decisions for

this once our budget is finalised.

Outdoor learning through play

Children are encouraged to use the outdoor areas of

the school and take pride in keeping these areas tidy.

In Reception, mud is a key feature of their exploring,

whilst across the school pupils can access both the

area under the tree and also our prayerful Awe and

Wonder Garden.

Thank you to our Year 6 children who help to keep

the outside areas tidy and well done to Georgia and

friends who decided to help sweep up the leaves!

Home learning projects

Well done everyone on your excellent home learning

projects. We have been really impressed with your crea-

tivity and learning. Projects have included a range of ex-

cellent writing, the Giant’s Causeway, models of Stig’s

dump, mythical beasts and an even an alien queen! The

children have really enjoyed sharing each other’s learn-

ing and also talking about what they have achieved.

Feedback from parents has been that they have found

this learning to be meaningful and pupils have really en-

joyed extending learning beyond the classroom.

Year 5 trip to Henley Fort

On Monday 9th October, Year 5 spent an

amazing day at Henley Fort. We learnt about

the role of the ARP (Air Raid Precaution) and

Home Guard during World War II. We put on

authentic uniforms and immersed ourselves in

1940’s Britain.

As Air Raid Wardens, we experienced what it was like dur-

ing an air raid in both an Anderson shelter and Morrison

shelter. We learnt about gas masks, blackout and how to

fight fires using a stirrup pump. This is Alexa in action with

the stirrup pump.

We were drilled by Captain Paul and learnt

about how the Home Guard was set up.

We practised setting up road blocks and

checking identity cards. We undertook bayonet

and hand grenade practice!

Here we are in front of an original Home

Guard hut.

This is Elliott looking at

an original air raid rattle

that they would have

used for gas attack

practices.

Uniform Reminder

Please take the time over half term to check that your child has their own uniform and

that it is labelled and has their name on it. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 do

not need a rucksack or large bag for school. They do not fit on their pegs or in their

cloakrooms. Our tidy classroom competition is re-launching after half term and the

cloakrooms cannot be kept tidy with the current size of bags that some children are

bringing to school.

School Discos

A huge thank you to the Friends’ team for organising and running last week’s very successful School Discos. The events were really well attended and the children had a fantastic time. £504 was raised by the discos and also the sale of second hand uniform. Money raised will be going towards our playground development project. Thank you to Miss Longmire, Mrs Woodhams, Mrs Morrison and Mrs Trawber for giving up their Friday evening to help run the discos (and teach the children some new moves)!

Sports’ Committee Meeting

Our next Sports’ Committee Meeting will be held on Monday 6th November 2.30-3.05pm in Year 3 classroom. Please come along if you would like play an active part in the organisation of Sport at our school. Mr Kemp will lead this meeting and is looking forward to many volunteers attending! Please confirm your attendance via the school office if you wish to attend.

Attendance

figures for w/e

20th October

School Target

96.5%

Well done to

Reception class for

achieving 98.8%

Diary Dates

October

23rd-27th HALF TERM BREAK

30th Pupils return for 2nd half Autumn Term

November

1st Bags of Support Collection

2nd 4.30-7.00pm Parent consultation evenings

6th 2.30-3.05pm Sports’ Committee Meeting

7th 4.00-6.30pm Parent consultation evenings

9th 9.30am Year 6 Measurements

11th 10am District Schools’ Cross Country

16th 9.30 am Open Morning for Reception 2018 intake

17th 9-10am SENCO Open door session

19th 4pm Cranleigh Schools’ Swimming Gala

20th 9.30am Open Morning for Reception 2018 intake

20th Shoe Box Appeal—Boxes to be collected.

23rd 9.30am Open Morning for Reception 2018 intake

26th Christmas Fayre (Friends’ fundraising event)

28th Year 5 to Pizza Express

29th 1.45pm St Cuthbert Mayne Feast Day Mass

29th 3.15-4pm Open Classrooms

December

1st 9am Parent Forum

7th Wreath making (Friends’ fundraising event)

7th 9am Key Stage One Nativity to parents

8th 2pm Key Stage One Nativity to parents

14th 9.30am and 6.30pm Key Stage Two Nativity to parents

18th 1.45pm Advent Mass

19th 2pm End of Term

Thank you for your continued support. I hope that you

enjoy the half term break.

Mrs Natalie McCarthy

Headteacher

Open mornings

Open mornings for prospective parents for

our Reception 2018 intake will be held on:

November 16th 9.30 am

November 20th 9.30am

November 23rd 9.30am

All information regarding admissions is on

our school website. Our admissions officer

Mrs Morrison is also available to answer

questions.

Parent forum

Thank you to those parents who attended this

meeting. The minutes from this meeting will be

available through our school website.

Class %

Reception 98.8%

Year 1 97.2%

Year 2 97.9%

Year 3 98.7%

Year 4 96.8%

Year 5 98.1%

Year 6 97.3%

NOTICE BOARD

Would you be willing to have a Burns & Webber advertising board outside your house

for 3 weeks promoting the School Christmas Fair?

Burns & Webber have agreed to pay £10 for each board which can be put up in the next

few weeks to a maximum of 50 boards. Once they have received the artwork and the con-

sent forms the boards will arrive at your property and be taken away after the event.

This is a wonderful income for the school and The Friends ask for your help.

Thank you