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St James Primary School

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St James E-News 

20th May 2022

Welcome to the St James Primary School's E-News, a weekly roundup of the latest goings on at the school.

Latest Headteachers Blog

Dear Parents,

Next week we will be celebrating HM The Queen's Jubilee on Thursday with the children by looking at each decade of her reign.  The PTA have purchased a small commemorative gift for each child, so many thanks to them for their generosity.  I know Elstead have arranged a number of fantastic events to celebrate the ​Platinum Jubilee and are running a couple of competitions, a Painting Competition open to all children under 16 years,  and a Baking Competition open to adults and children.  There will also be a Fancy Dress Competition that will be judged during the Platinum Picnic at The Pavilion on Sunday 5th June.  Click here for details and entry forms, do join in if you can!
 
We are also welcoming three Ukranian families into the school next week, and I know we will all make them feel very welcome. They have only been in the UK for a short period of time, so have a lot to take onboard very quickly, in particular learning English. Thank you to those parents who have been helping the families settle into their new lives. 

 Best wishes for a lovely weekend,

Valerie Elliott

School Notices

  •  Platinum Jubilee Celebrations - we will be celebrating The Platinum Jubilee in school on Thursday 26th May.  Most classes will be focusing on a decade from the past 70 years as shown in the table below.  Please remember to come in to school at 2.55pm on Thursday so that the children can perform their Jubilee song for you all.

  • Amber's Amazing Success at Royal Windsor Horse Show - Originally Amber and Lucky were entered into the First Ridden Class but unfortunately a few weeks ago, Windsor contacted Amber's mum because Lucky was 1cm too big for that class.  The secretary very kindly agreed to move Amber to the Under 13 Novice Show Pony class, this meant however she was up against 13 year-olds instead of under 10s. Without hesitation Amber and Lucky took to the arena and managed a very respectable 2nd place! This also meant they were entered into the championship and rode against all age-group categories.  Well done Amber and Lucky!

  •  INSET Day - Our final INSET day of the year is next Friday, 27th May.  School closes for the half-term break at 3.10pm on Thursday 27th May and we look forward to seeing the children back in school on Monday 6th June.
  • PTA TREASURER NEEDED - Justin Radford writes; 'Due to unforeseen circumstances we will be moving away in September which means I will have to step down as Treasurer of the PTA.  Although I’ve only been doing the role for barely a year, it’s been tremendously fulfilling.  But, we NEED a replacement, the PTA can’t operate if it doesn’t have a Treasurer. Please contact me for further info at justindjr@gmail.com  …..Your PTA needs you!' 
  • Nursery Consultation - St James Primary are now in Stage 2 of the Nursery Consultation.  The consultation document on the Parent Portal contains a list of FAQs which parents may find helpful.  We will hold an online public meeting for parents and any other interested parties to discuss the proposal and to hear the views that people have. As a public meeting, anyone who wishes to, may attend. The online event will be held on the 24 May 2022 at 17:00, there will be a short presentation followed by questions and answers. Please join on this link to share your views and ask questions. You do not need to have a child at the school to join the meeting. 
  • Drop in sessions with our Home School Link Worker, Helen Owen - The role of the Home School Link Worker (HSLW) is to support families with a range of issues at home or at school. 1:1 sessions are available on Wednesdays. To book an  appointment, email Helen on hslw@st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk or ring the school office to request a call back.

Letters This Week 

The following classes have had letters uploaded to the Parent Portal this week.  Note: You will need to login to view this area.

  • Penguins  

PTA News

The next PTA Meeting takes place next Tuesday 24th May at 8pm.  The Zoom link  is available on the PTA News page, please click on the link below.  

View the latest PTA News  

News Blogs

Blog of the Week: Please click on the photograph below to see how Eagles celebrated VE Day last week.

 

Click below to view all the latest News Blogs:

View recent blogs  

Dates For Your Diary

 View the school calendar for the latest information

View Full Website Calendar  

School Meals

View this week's school menu

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Safeguarding Information

Keeping our children safe is a partnership between school and home, so if we have any worries or concerns about your child we will always speak to you first to see what we can do to help.  If you would like to speak to a member of staff, in confidence, about a safeguarding concern about a child at St James Primary, or seek help or advice, please contact either Mr McArthur or Mrs Elliott via the office, they are the school’s Senior Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL). 

If you would like to speak directly to Surrey Children’s Safeguarding Services, their contact details are 0300 470 9100 cspa@surreycc.gov.uk 

There is also plenty of support and advice that parents, carers and families can access for further help and we’ve listed the main ones below. 

Helen Owen, our Home/School Link Worker, can signpost to further agencies who can support with a range of issues including financial hardship, housing issues or offer practical support with problems at school.  

The Surrey Family Information Service offer a free impartial information and signposting service on all aspects of family life for parents, including parenting advice and courses. https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/children/families 

Mental Health 

The Surrey website Mindworks offers a huge amount of advice for young adults and parents on a range of mental health issues. 

https://www.mindworks-surrey.org/ 

Online Safety 

The NSPCC website contains information and advice on many safeguarding issues, including keeping your child safe online. Information includes talking to your child about online safety, looking after your child’s online wellbeing and how to set up and manage parental controls.  

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/  

School Policy on Granting Leave of Absence

 Absences will be authorised for illness, and parents are requested not to send their child to school when they are unwell.  Apart from illness, absence will be authorised for medical appointments; attendance at religious festivals; visits to other schools at the age of transfer or when moving; and for exceptional circumstances.  

Absence will not be authorised for such reasons as looking after others at home, visiting friends or relatives, birthday treats or shopping trips. Unauthorised absence is also recorded if the child arrives after the close of registration at 9.15am unless for exceptional reasons. Parents are requested to arrange medical appointments out of school hours whenever possible.  

Parents should be aware that due to the pressure on the curriculum, absences may mean that children miss vital learning activities that will not be repeated.

Family Holidays 
There is a clear link between attendance at school and good progress.  

Children do not have a right to be withdrawn from school for holidays. School holiday dates are published a year in advance and parents should arrange their family holidays during these times. If an absence in term time is unavoidable, an Absence Authorisation form must be completed well in advance to gain prior authorisation. Forms are available from the school office and website.  

On submission of the form, the Headteacher will decide whether or not to authorise the absence having considered:  

· the child’s record of attendance  

· the ability of the child to catch up the work that they have missed  

· the reason why they are taking the time off during term time  

· the timing of the holiday, ensuring that it would not prevent the child from taking any important examinations or assessments.  

Leave may be requested in advance for attendance at religious festivals, visits to other schools at the age of transfer and for exceptional circumstances. Please note that Year 6 will not be granted leave of absence during the Key Stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) week.  

The Headteacher reserves the right to issue parents with a Penalty Notice for unauthorised absence This can include parents who take their children on holiday during term time without getting authorisation from the school. The penalty is £60, rising to £120 if not paid within 28 days.   

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