St Paul’s C of E Primary School Parent Portal - Newsletter Issue 01/23-24, 8 September 2023

ISSUE No. 01/23-24

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Welcome to new members of staff

A warm welcome to our new Spanish teacher Ms Mortola and to our new sports coaches from Elms Sport in School. We look forward to working with them all over the academic year.

Year 6

As part of their growing independence and in preparation for secondary school we know that Year 6 children begin walking to and from school by themselves. If you are encouraging your child to do so please could you let the school office and your child’s class teacher know as we will not let children walk home alone without parental consent.

Children in Year 6 who walk to and from school unaccompanied are allowed to bring their mobile phone into school. Phones must be turned off during the school day and handed in to their class teacher first thing in the morning. Please ensure that you inform the school office that you have given your child permission to bring their phone to school. We will not accept responsibility for lost or damaged mobile phones.

Reception

From Monday, Reception children should walk to their classroom by themselves, once they have come through the pedestrian gate. Well done to all the children who have settled in to school life so well this week. Children should arrive at school between 8.45 and 9.00am.

Uniform

It has been lovely to compliment the children on how smart they have looked this week. Uniform is an integral part of our school and when our children look smart and wear the correct uniform it sends a message to everyone that they are proud to belong to St Paul’s. Please ensure your child’s uniform is correct and their clothes are clearly named.

A few reminders...

Earrings: Small, plain, flat stud earrings are the only earrings to be worn. Hoop earrings should not be worn. Earrings need to be covered for PE lessons.

Hair should be securely fastened so that it does not fall across / cover the face.

Shirts should be tucked in and the top button fastened.

Please refer to our uniform policy on the school web site which provides further guidance.

Parking

Please can all parents/carers make sure they park with consideration for our neighbours. I have already received a complaint this week from a local resident where a member of our school community has parked over their drive. Inconsiderate and dangerous parking is increasingly causing problems around our school, putting the safety of children and others at risk and causing inconvenience for local residents. Please make sure you park in an appropriate place and walk the final part of the journey if necessary.

Attendance and Punctuality

As per the Home School Agreement parents agree to ”ensure that my child is dropped off and picked up from school on time…”. In all aspects of life these are valuable qualities that as a school we believe should always be upheld and taught from an early age. A lack of punctuality impacts on both a child’s learning and the subsequent disruption affects the child’s class and teaching.

All absence requests need to be approved by Mrs Cresswell, please complete the Leave of Absence Request Form which can be found in the Parents' section of the website, and they will only be approved in exceptional circumstances. Please try to ensure that all appointments are made outside the school day as it is our duty to ensure that your child is in school and learning at all times.

Any families with consistent lateness and/or poor attendance will be referred to the Educational Welfare Officer.

If you have any concerns please contact the school.

Home School Agreement

Please could all parents/carers ensure that they have read the Home School Agreement with their child(ren) and complete the Google Form to confirm by Monday 11 September 2023 at the latest.

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete)

You will have seen in the news recently that the government has asked some schools to close or partially close due to the type of concrete that was used in their construction. The concrete is called Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), which is best described as a lightweight concrete.

This news has caused widespread concern and we understand that it may naturally lead to questions about the safety of our own school buildings.

I am writing to tell you that our school has been surveyed and no RAAC has been found. This means that the building is fully safe to open, and we are looking forward to an excellent term ahead in our safe and secure learning environment.

Social media

We are very excited to announce that our new social media channels will be going live soon. Until all consents have been received, it is important to note that children's faces and full names will not be posted. The channels are to solely show the fantastic learning going on around the school with every year group posting each week. There will also be updates regarding special events plus information about online safety. We will not be responding to comments and messages sent via these channels.

As you are aware, a Google consent form was sent out yesterday. Please ensure that this is completed by 12 noon on Monday 11 September. If you do not complete the form we will assume that consent has been withheld. If you would only like your child's name or image (rather than name and/or image) to be shared on social media please email help@st-pauls.enfield.sch.uk to advise.

To follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram - @stpaulsn21

For Facebook, please follow our page - St Paul's CE Primary School

Reminder – Information sessions for parents

Parents of children in KS2 are welcome to come and meet their child’s class teacher on Monday 11 September at 2.30pm, where information will be shared about the academic year. There will be a PowerPoint available to anyone who can not attend.

Parents of children in Year 1 and 2 are invited to come into school on Tuesday 12 September at 2.30pm.

Both sessions will be finished in time for the end of the school day.

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Wraparound care

We understand that due to the waiting list for Breakfast and Extra Club, some parents will still need wraparound care.

When looking at alternative wraparound care facilities, please ensure you use registered childminders and registered after school clubs so that all legal requirements are met.

Garden news

During the spring term 4L (then 3HP) planted tomato seeds. Today, they shared a lovely crop of tomatoes from the plants that grew.

Children in 4D planted pepper seeds whilst in 3B. They have successfully grown bell pepper plants that are producing peppers, these should be ready to eat in a few weeks.

It’s seed collecting time! Over the next couple of weeks we will be busy collecting seeds from this year’s plants so that we can sew them in the spring.

Thank you to yr 5 children who are watering our garden each day.

We need volunteers to help in the garden. If you are able to spare an hour or so each week please contact Mrs Groves via the school office.