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St James Primary School

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St James E-News 

6th January 2023

Welcome to the St James Primary School's E-News, a weekly roundup of the latest news and events at the school

Latest Headteachers Blog

Dear Parents, 

Happy New Year! I hope that you had a wonderful break and a good rest. 

We look forward to what the new term has to offer.  Kestrels will begin their term of ukulele lessons and Kingfishers will begin Forest School.  There are also a number of class visits planned. 

All the classes will be participating in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) projects to start the term. Little Ducks are looking at Transport.  Puffins are thinking about how they can help The Gingerbread Man by designing him a bridge so that he doesn't need to ask The Fox for help.  Owls are off in space. Robins and Key Stage 2 are looking at farming, under the heading of 'Farmvention'.  Do ask your children about the work they are doing in these lessons; some are already under way and some are starting next week.

We also welcome a number of new children to Little Ducks and look forward to getting to know them and their families. 

Best wishes for a lovely weekend,

Valerie Elliott

School Notices 

  • Applications for Reception 2023 - the closing date for Reception applications for September 2023 entry is 15th January 2023. Please apply online via https://www.eadmissions.org.uk/eAdmissions/app.  Parents can also request a paper application form or seek impartial help in completing an application via the Surrey Schools & Childcare Service (0300 200 1004, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).  Full information is available on Surrey's website at www.surreycc.gov.uk/primaryadmissions
  • Sickness in School - Please help us to minimise the spread of illness by only sending your child to school if they are well.   If your child has a stomach bug, please ensure that they do not return to school until 48 hours (2 days) after the last episode of either sickness or diarrhoea as they will still be infectious. Eg, if a child is sick at 11am on Tuesday, they can return to school at 11am on Thursday.
  • 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.  Parents can also check to see if their children have become entitled to Free School Meals, this not only means that school meals are free for qualifying children in KS2 (Years 3-6), it can also provide additional funding for the school to support those children until they move to Secondary School.  Please speak to the school office, in confidence, if you think you may qualify, regardless of which year your child is in. FSM claim forms can be found here.
  • Keeping Children Safe Online - The online world changes so quickly it's hard to keep up. The NSPCC online safety guides help you navigate online risks – whether your kids are gaming, chatting, posting or streaming. Find them here.
  • Active Surrey Parent Survey - Complete Active Surrey’s survey on physical activity for a chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher. Active Surrey would like to hear from parents and children about how we can improve physical activity opportunities and the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games. Click here for the survey link. Active Surrey have asked Magenta Research to run this survey on their behalf to; explore families preferences for taking part in physical activity; how parents/children find out about activities in their area; and how Active Surrey could provide improved ways for children to be more physically active. 
    We really want to hear your views if you haven’t heard of the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games, which offers children the chance to try sports and activities they haven’t done before, for FREE!
  • 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.

  • Puffins
  • Kingfishers
  • Eagles
  • Whole school  

PTA News

Please click on the link below to find out about activities planned for this term.

View the latest PTA News  

News Blogs

Blog of the Week: Click below to view all the latest News Blogs:

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Dates For Your Diary

 View the school calendar for the latest information

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School Meals

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Safeguarding Information

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School Policy on Granting Leave of Absence

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