Weekly Update from Mr Meehan

As we go into our first half-term week of the year, thank you for all your support over these first eight weeks of the school year. We have been establishing norms for the new year, and already we have seen some wonderful achievements, as the year has started. As we approach remembrance celebrations, we have had some of our younger children doing art work and our older ones writing some excellent remembrance poetry. One of the best I have read is this poem, written by Esme in Antelope class. 

In relation to school uniform, the children have been looking so smart! One reminder: please do be aware that your child’s black shoes must have a black sole too, not a white one or any other colour. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

After half term, the children will be helping us choose the three charities we would like to support this year, through Christmas Jumper Day and the Charity Tuesdays in the spring and summer. Our Pupil Leadership Team at the juniors are already thinking about this. Please do feel free to discuss with your children any charities that are close to your hearts, especially if you have any personal links with them. We will be finalising this soon, and we will announce our chosen charities in November. 

We have a bit of sad staff news to share this week, as we will shortly be saying goodbye to two valued staff; they will be with us for a couple of weeks after half term, but then will be moving on to new things. We will be saying a big goodbye and thank you to Su Johnson, who has been part of our team since 2015. Su has been a TA and lunchtime supervisor, as well as working at Connect. Also, we will be bidding farewell to Rita da Silva, who has been an invaluable HLTA in the school, and has been a wonderful maths teacher in the juniors. With this news in mind, there are links to adverts below. If you or anyone you know may be interested in some possible opportunities, or if you’d like an informal conversation about any of these, please speak to myself or Mr Burkinshaw.

We hope that you found the parents consultation appointments helpful. Don’t forget we also have our Learning Look coming up next month, on 21st November. 

With half term now here, I pray that you and your family have a great week, and maybe enjoy some Autumnal fun together.

Our School Updates for Parents

Nursery News

We are proud of our school nursery and how it provides the smoothest start to school. However, we are working hard to develop our nursery offering to better support parents’ needs. From September 2025 our nursery will offer:

• An extended day - from 7:30am to 6:15pm 
• Flexible days, e.g. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning 

In addition, starting immediately, children can join nursery school from the term after they turn three. So, if your child will have turned three by Christmas, they can join this January.  

For more information, please click here. Please pass this information on to anyone you know who has, or will soon have nursery aged children. 

Opportunities to Work Here  

If you know anyone who would like to join the team, please direct them to our vacancies page on Eteach. 

OPAL Update Do see the latest video from the OPAL project, which we hope will transform our playtimes. We will regularly ask you for any unwanted items that we can use at school:

• Pots, Pans and Spoons - children should bring in any old pots, pans and spoons that can be used in a mud kitchen to school and give it to their teacher the week after half-term.
• Kitchen Units - if you, or anyone you know, is replacing their kitchen we would love your old base units and sinks. Please contact opal@ccnm.uk to arrange collection or delivery.        

New Lunch Menu

Please see attached the new Nourish lunch menu for after half term.

PTA Christmas Card Design Winner

Christmas has already come to our school in these last couple of weeks with children busily designing Christmas cards. We have also taken one of these designs for our attached poster advertising our PTA Christmas Fair on Saturday 30th November, so congratulations to Jimin Hwang in Macaw Class on this wonderful design, who will win a £10 WHSmith voucher.

Secondary School Application Deadline

A reminder to Year 6 parents/carers that the deadline for secondary school applications is Thursday, 31st October.  Please complete the online application if you haven't already done so at eAdmissions.

Wider Community Updates

HENRY Newsletter

Please find attached the October HENRY newsletter. This includes details of a new Understanding Fussy Eating workshop for parents running online in November and an 8-week online HENRY programme starting in January. The programmes and workshops are for parents with children aged 5-12. 

Rugbytots Twickenham and Kingston

Rugbytots offers a fun, structured play sessions to children aged 2 to 7 years old. Their classes provide a fun and encouraging environment for children to learn new skills, meet new friends and have an exciting introduction to rugby. They run classes Saturday mornings at St Joseph Catholic Primary School (Kingston Upon Thames) and also have many other classes in the area. Please see the attached poster for more information on how to book and details of a free trial session. 

Half Term Swimming Crash Course

The Grand Avenue swimming teacher will be running his own Swimming Crash Course this October half term, at Grand Avenue Primary School for children aged 4 - 12 years of age. If you would like your child/children to have extra swimming over the October Half Term, please see the attached flyer for more details or email him at Higgins Aquatics:info@higginsaquatics.co.uk 

Key School Dates 

• Monday 28th October - Friday 1st November - Half Term
• Tuesday 5th November - Y1 and 2 Outer Space Drama Workshops
• Wednesday 6th November - Y5 Trip to Hampton Court
• Wednesday 6th November - Reception Little Wandle Phonics Talk @ 2:30-3:00pm 
• Thursday 7th November - Leopard Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Thursday 7th November - Y1 Little Wandle Phonics Talk @ 2:30-3:00pm 
• Monday 11th - Friday 15th November - Anti-Bullying Week
• Monday 11th November - Y1 Visit from Pollock's Toy Museum (pm) (new)
• Tuesday 12th November - Odd Socks Day (new)
• Tuesday 12th November - Nursery Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Tuesday 12th November - Y2 Little Wandle Phonics Talk @ 2:30-3:00pm 
• Wednesday 13th November - Reception to Y6 Individual & Sibling Photographs
• Friday 15th November - Reception Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Monday 18th - Friday 22nd November - Y4 Learn to Ride Bikeability
• Monday 18th November - Nasal Flu Immunisations
• Wednesday 19th - Thursday 20th November - Y5 Junior Roadwatch
• Wednesday 20th November - Reception Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Wednesday 20th November - Y2 Diwali Workshop (rearranged)
• Thursday 21st November - Learning Look @ 3:30-4:30pm 
• Friday 22nd November - PTA Mufti day(£1)
• Friday 22nd November - PTA School disco for Infants @ 3.30-5 (Junior hall) 
• Friday 22nd November - PTA School disco for Juniors @ 5.30-7 (Junior hall) 
• Tuesday 26th November - Y2 Christmas Journey at The Baptist Church (new)
• Wednesday 27th November - Y3 Rainbow Theatre Greek Workshop (new)
• Thursday 28th November - Antelope Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Saturday 30th November - Christmas Fair
• Monday 9th - Friday 13th December - Chums Week
• Tuesday 10th December - Junior Christmas Production @ 4:00pm
• Wednesday 11th December - Christmas Lunch
• Wednesday 11th December - Junior Christmas Production @ 6:00pm
• Thursday 12th December - Nursery & Reception Joint Nativity @ 9:00am
• Thursday 19th December - Church Service @ 9:30am
• Thursday 19th December - Term finishes early at 1.05pm (infants) and 1.20pm (juniors). Connect will finish at 5:15pm
• Friday 20th December - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Monday 23rd December - Friday 3rd January - Christmas Holidays
• Monday 6th January - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Tuesday 7th January - Spring Term starts