Dear Parents/Carers,
Strike Day next week Wednesday 1st February – School Closed
This is to confirm that our school will be closing next week Wednesday (1st February) as a result of the NEU teachers’ strike. As explained to you in a recent letter, we do not take the decision to close our school lightly and will only do so once a risk assessment is undertaken to assess the levels of staff that I would have left to cover the school. As the numbers of staff available would be so significantly low, this would jeopardise the health and safety of the children in our care. It is for this reason that we have had to make the difficult decision to close. I will keep you updated about the situation for the additional series of planned strike days later in the term.
Coffee Mornings
Thank you if you came along in recent weeks to our Reading Coffee mornings, held both at Church Lane and Rectory Gardens. This was an opportunity for you to gain a better understanding about how we teach reading at St Mary’s and what you can do at home to support your child’s reading further. On Monday, Mrs Peacock will be holding a music Coffee morning at Rectory Gardens at 9am. Do come along to find out what your children are learning in music and all about our school’s ambitions for music provision going forward.
Safer Internet Day – Tuesday 7th February
You are also warmly invited to attend one of two parent meetings held on Tuesday 7th February (9am and 6pm at Rectory Gardens) where Mr Cummins, our computing lead will give advice to parents about what you can do to help ensure that your child stays safe when using the internet at home. He will also tell you about some of the key things that we are doing in school to promote E-Safety awareness. Click here for full details
School Trips
It is truly wonderful to again be able to offer a full range of class trips across the school, particularly trips that enhance children’s classroom learning. We are so very lucky to be able to access such a wide variety of experiences for children in this wonderful city of ours. There is no doubt that your children gain much from such opportunities. Every other day, we also seem to be out and about performing in sporting events across Haringey and London – our thanks again to Mr Oakley and Mr Allison for all that they do to positively promote sport and the importance of physical fitness. Even better, we also tend to win or are well-placed in the many competitions that we enter into! (click here for Mr Oakley’s Spring 1 Round-Up)
Dreams and Goals
As part of the children’s Dreams and Goals unit in their PSHE lessons, the children will be placed into groups and tasked with creating their own fairground stall or game such as ‘hook-a-duck’ or ‘tin can alley’. This is to be a part of a fundraising day for a charity of the children’s choice. This year, in response to the sad recent passing of Mrs Hutchings, the children have kindly chosen ‘The Brain Charity’, who help people with all forms of neurological conditions to lead longer, healthier, happier lives.
This occasion will take place on Thursday 9th February in school during the children’s afternoon lessons. We kindly ask that your child is allowed to bring in a donation on the day which they can trade for tickets to spend in order to play one another’s fairground games.
When I Grow Up Day
Later in the term, we will also be once again holding ‘When I Grow Up Day’ on Thursday 9th March – details here. This is a special event in the life of our school, an event where children get the opportunity to meet other professionals and people in the workplace and learn about their journey to become the professional person that they have become. It is hoped that this event will inspire our children to work hard and see that they too can achieve equally wonderful positions in adulthood. If you would like to be involved please email swalker@stmarysn8.co.uk.
Wishing you a very restful weekend,
Calvin Henry
Headteacher
