13 February 2021

We’ve finally made it to the end of term and it certainly has been a rollercoaster ride!

A big thank you to all parents and carers for your commitment to remote learning and your patience with technical issues. I think you have been fantastic and worked with us to review and improve provision. Staff have been amazing; learning new skills to support creative teaching and learning to benefit all pupils. We are excited about the future and how we can build on the many positives of remote learning, particularly when all children return to school. I’m delighted with the improved level of parental engagement and feel it epitomises our motto, ‘Together We Can’.

On the topic of celebration, we have a new addition to our school community. I am pleased to inform you that Mrs Miscia had a baby boy called Tate. They are both well and Mrs Misca and her family are enjoying their latest family member. I’m sure in months to come they will visit and her class will be able to meet Tate. Wonderful news to end our half term.

 

Parent / staff contact meetings

The zoom meetings were successful with over 90% of parents signing up. Please do contact the school office to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet if you missed your previous meeting.

 

‘Write stuff’ – new writing initiative

‘Time to write’ exercise books have been distributed. We have included a copy of Miss Bickmore’s letter and an outline of this week’s task, ‘How to train your dragon’, together with writing prompts. We would like children to compete this week’s writing task by 22nd February 2021. Please ensure you read through your child’s work, write a positive comment and a target to work on. These books are important to showcase your child’s independent writing. A new writing task will be set for Friday, 26th February and will be uploaded onto Google Classrooms the week commencing 22nd February 2021.

Click here for Miss Bickmore’s letter
Click here for the writing prompt for Juniors
Click here for the writing prompt for Year 1
Click here for the writing prompt for Year 2

 

 

CGP study books

The school has placed our main order, as well as a second late order, and deliveries permitting, the books will be available for collection after half term. Should you now wish to purchase further copies please visit the CGP website. Unfortunately, the discounted rate previously offered to schools is no longer available.

 

Lent

Ash Wednesday is on the 17th of February 2021 and attached to this newsletter is a Lenten calendar to follow as a family. Easter is one of the most important celebrations in our Liturgical year. Encourage your child to think about carrying out an act of kindness each day in Lent, it could be helping tidying up, sending a happy message to a friend or family member, or any act that will help someone else.

Click here to download our Lent 2021 Family Calendar

 

Year of St Joseph

In December 2020, Pope Francis declared this to be the Year of St Joseph, which will end in December 2021. We would like to commemorate the year with a special Mass and a celebration when all the children return to school and hope to hold an outdoor Mass in the summer term.

In this year dedicated to St. Joseph, the Mill Hill Missionaries are preparing for the Feast of St Joseph, their patron, with a special Novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their society’s missionary outreach, and for the intentions of all those who support their work.

The National Novena to St Joseph will take place from 10th- 18th March 2021 at St Joseph’s Church in Maidenhead. Please see the following link to their website, where you will also find the Novena prayer leaflet.

 

PTA

Our PTA continue to work in the background, organising distribution of second hand uniform and maintaining contact with our school community via their Whatsapp group. Please support them and do volunteer your help with future events when we return to school. A form will be sent out next term asking for you to sign up to having an estate agent’s board outside your home. The boards advertise school events and promote the school in the wider community. The estate agent pays the school for boards hosted by families. It can generate a big income if lots of you sign up. Further details will be in the next newsletter.

 

Support with devices

I would like to thank all the companies and individuals who have donated devices to the school to help us meet the needs of families struggling to access remote learning. It has been an enormous help and we look forward to welcoming those involved into school when we open, so they can meet our children.

Our thanks to the following people and their companies:

Return to school

Term will begin on Monday, the 22nd February and school will continue to be open to pupils of critical workers and other groups. Please do not send your child in unless you have been previously offered a place. The Nursery school is open for all Nursery children as normal. The Government will be announcing their plans on the 22nd of February regarding the wider opening of schools. Once I have details, I will write to you with further information. Until then, teachers will continue with remote learning via zoom for all pupils not in school.

 

Half-term support

Supermarket vouchers from the National Voucher Scheme, for FSM-eligible pupils , were sent on Wednesday, the 10th of February. This is to cover the school week ending 12 February. We have also ordered supermarket vouchers to cover the February half-term and they should arrive by email early next week. This is from the Government’s Winter Grant Scheme.

If you are struggling and need any help, do remember we are always here for anything you need. Email me on [email protected] and I will respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for you supportive comments, which we greatly appreciate. Our children’s wellbeing and learning will always be our priority and we will not compromise on safety and doing the best for them. I would like to thank staff for their commitment, and Governors for their input. Mrs Bailey (Chair of Governors) works closely with us and her support and encouragement has been invaluable.

We have made it through a term facing snow, storms, remote learning and Covid-19, but continue to remain positive, resilient and optimistic for the future. The day will come when school will be open to everyone and our past experiences will make us stronger.

 

Remote learning

Thank you to all the children who have sent photos of their home learning.

Click here to see examples of this week’s home learning

 

Have a restful half term, enjoy your time together. Let us look forward to the day school will be open to everyone. Our children are amazing, talented and I have every confidence they will thrive when they return. A quote to end the term on:

“A story is what we have and will always have. It is something for us to own; are we good enough? Yes, of course we are and we should know we are never alone.”

Michelle Obama

Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher

 

Merit awards for the week

  • Nursery – Khali, Reyansh & Marley-Rose
  • Reception – Noah & Anthony
  • Year 1 – Foma, Zachary, Nikaila & Sidona
  • Year 2 – Gianluca, Bella, Kimone & Diego
  • Year 3 – Aiyla, Michael N, Neveah, Malachi & Aaren
  • Year 4 – Nathaniel, Victoria, Holly & Kyla
  • Year 5  – Daniel, Zuri, Orianna & Vanessa
  • Year 6  – Clara, Shekinah, Amelia M, Michael
  • Star classes of the week – 1S and 4U