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St James Primary School

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St James E-News 

25th March 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,

As we approach the end of the term I am delighted to share with you all the lovely events that the PTA have put in place for us all.  These begin with the opportunity for the children to buy Mothers' Day gifts after school today.  Unfortunately the Covid rate here has meant that the Mothers' Day Tea has been postponed until next week but I know that the combination of the children's Pyjama Day and the Tea will provide a wonderful celebration on the last day of the term.

Please check the PTA News page for details of the Easter Bunny Trail on Easter Sunday and the Jubilee Disco later next term.

I am very grateful to Kayte Burns, Clare Slightam, Justin Radford and all the PTA team who work so hard behind the scenes to arrange these events for our entertainment and to raise funds to enhance the school experience for all the children at St James Primary. 

Best wishes for a lovely weekend,

Valerie Elliott

School Notices

  •  Red Nose Day Fundraising Results - Thank you for your generosity, our St James Primary Just Giving Page has raised an amazing £478!  This includes the cash donations made on the day.  It's not too late to donate via the link if you still wish to! Just click on the link Red Nose Day Just Giving 
  • Lost Property - we have a huge amount of un-named or incorrectly named lost property in school.  Mrs Lowry will put it out on display next week in The Gazebo.  Any items left at the end of the week will be disposed of.  It is our policy to return named items to children straightaway.  We would be very grateful if you took the opportunity over the Easter holiday to ensure that every item your child brings into school is clearly named. 
  • Elstead Sharks U7's - Do you have a 6 year old who loves football? Or maybe a 6 year old who thinks he/she may like to play the beautiful game?  Elstead Sharks are recruiting players for next season's u7 team.  Elstead Sharks emphasise the fun of playing football -  we do not select players, instead we take everyone who wants to play and ensure that they get an equal opportunity to play and train.  We are looking for both Boys and Girls at this age group to play in a mixed team.  We also run independent girls teams at later ages. For more information please click here or see the poster on the Parent Portal.  
  • Freya's Amazing Fundraiser for WWF Update - Freya has completed a whopping 97 miles so far, only 3 miles to go until she hits her target of 100 miles to raise funds for WWF.
    Will I or won’t I complete the challenge? Please follow my progress on my Just Giving page and donate if you can. Every penny I raise will inspire me to keep walking!  Thank you so much, From Freya R ( Eagles) 
  • Additional Financial Support for Families - We are aware that some families may be experiencing additional financial challenges at the moment.  If you are in this situation, we may be able to help you access some financial support.  You can email our Home School Link Worker Helen Owen - hslw@st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk with regards to this. 
  • 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
  • Robins
  • Kingfishers
  • Eagles
  • Whole school  

Covid-19 Information

Please remember; if your child has Covid-19 symptoms please do not send your them to school - Please immediately arrange a PCR test for your child and inform the school office as soon as possible.  Please do not send your child to school at least until you receive the test result and not before they are well. 

In the light of the recent Government announcement the following guidance from Surrey LEA takes effect from Thursday 24th February;

  • Pupils/Students and staff should attend if they are well
  • Pupils/Students and staff should stay at home if they are unwell – schools/settings should refuse entry to those that are symptomatic or unwell
  • Have a PCR test if you have COVID-19 symptoms and stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you test positive for at least 5 full days and then continue to follow the guidance (tests will remain available until the end of March 2022)
  • Get vaccinated
  • Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside
  • Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where coming into contact with people you do not usually meet and when rates of transmission are high
  • Wash your hands and follow advice to “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it”

Weekend Results: It is very important that you continue to notify us of Covid-19 test results over the weekend by using the email address below. 

 results@st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk 

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 â€¯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. 

PTA News

Lots of exciting events planned starting with the Mothers Day Gift Sale after school today.  Click on the link to see more on the PTA News page.

View The Latest PTA News  

News Blogs

Blog of the Week: Click on the picture below to see which class has been learning about Morse Code and why.

 

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