Author Visit/Book Sale

Next week, we are lucky enough to be visited by award winning children’s author - Pippa Goodhart (she also writes under the name Laura Owen).

Pippa is probably most famous for writing the Winnie the Witch early readers (under the name Laura Owen).  Her best known picture book is probably the million-selling ‘You Choose’ which has won various awards including Mumsnet’s Book of the Year 2011. She has also written some hugely popular novels for older children including ‘Raven Boy’ and ‘Finding Fortune’.

On Tuesday 22^nd September, she will visit every class to lead some story inspired workshops.

After school (from 3.30pm): she will be selling some of her books in the hall and there will be an opportunity to get them signed by Pippa. If you would like to purchase any books - please bring some change on the day (unfortunately she is unable to take payments by cheque or credit card).

To find out more about Pippa’s work - please visit her website:

http://www.pippagoodhart.co.uk/

School Website

Please visit our website for lots of updated information for this academic year.

At the foot of the homepage you will find ‘Quicklinks’ to our:

·         Weekly Newsletter

·         Term Dates

·         Photo Gallery (keep a look out for new photos after our author visit next Tuesday)!

To the right of this box, you will find a link to our school calendar under the ‘Upcoming Events’ banner.

We have changed aspects of our curriculum, this year, as a result of new government policy and recent educational research. If you would like to find out more about the work covered in each class - please click on ‘Key Information’ followed by ‘Curriculum’. You can also visit your child’s class page to find specific information including end of year Pupil Targets for Mathematics, Reading and Writing (click on ‘Children’ followed by ‘Our Classes’).

Website: http://www.st-marys.hillingdon.sch.uk/

School Website: Language Translation

By clicking on the flag (at the top right of our school website) you can translate all information on our school website (including this Newsletter) into different languages.

Teaching School Status

As mentioned in previous letters, we were awarded our ‘Teaching School’ status at the beginning of last year (by the National College for Teaching and Leadership). As a part of this role we have provided support to other local schools and hosted a range of courses for teachers and teaching assistants. We are offering the following courses this term:

·         Mathematics: Mastery and Depth in the revised National Curriculum

·         Literacy: FFT Wave 3 Reading and Writing Programme

·         Computing: a series of courses on Creating Apps, Developing Websites and Blogging

·         Early Years: Outstanding Lessons in the EYFS

·         SEN: Occupational Therapy Support

·         Leadership: Ofsted – Preparation for Middle Leaders

To find out more about the work we are doing - please visit our Teaching School website:

http://www.primarytsalliance.org/

Parents’ Evenings

Thank you to everybody who attended our parents’ meetings this week – hopefully you found the information useful. If you have any other questions, please arrange a follow up appointment with your child’s class teacher.

Donations of Tissue Boxes

Thank you so much to those parents who have donated boxes of tissues.  We are so grateful as this means that the money that would have been used can go towards purchasing learning resources for the pupils.

Diary Dates – Autumn Term 2015

See below for the main events taking place this term. For a complete list - please refer to the calendar on our school website.

Date	Time	Event
Tuesday 22nd September	All day 3.30pm	Author visit (Pippa Goodhart) Author Book Sale/Signing in the School Hall
Wednesday 7th October	9.30 – 10.30am	Years 1 and 6 Mass (Church)
Friday 16th October	All day	School Photographer Visit: Individual Photographs
Monday 19th October	All day	Start of One World Week
Tuesday 20th October	All day	Hinduism Workshops
Wednesday 21st October	Morning	Passport Morning
Thursday 22nd October	All day	Small Earth Games
Friday 23rd October	All day	SCHOOL CLOSED: TEACHER INSET DAY
Monday 26th to Friday 30th October		School Closed: Half Term Holiday
Monday 2nd November	8.40am	All pupils back to school
	10am	Groundwork Trust Assembly
Tuesday 3rd November	All day	Years 4 and 5 Victorian Brick Making Workshops
Wednesday 4th November	9.30 – 10.30am	Years 2 and 5 Mass (Church)
Wednesday 11th November	9.30 – 10.30am	Years 3 and 4 Mass (Church)
Monday 16th November	All day	Start of Friendship and E-Safety Week
Monday 23rd November	3.30 – 4.30pm	Last Week of Chelsea Football Clubs
Wednesday 25th November		Year 5 – Last Swimming Lesson
Monday 30th November	All day	Test Week (all pupils)
Wednesday 2nd December		Year 6 Carol Concert – Westminster Cathedral
Tuesday 8th December	5.30 – 6.30pm	Pavilion’s Carol Concert
Wednesday 9th December	2 – 3pm and 6 – 7pm	Early Years and Key Stage 1 Christmas Productions
Friday 11th December	8.30am	Last Kent and Early Bird Maths Group takes place
Wednesday 16th December	2 – 3pm and 6 – 7pm	Key Stage 2 Christmas Productions (Years 3 to 5)
Thursday 17th December	9.30 – 11.30am 6 – 7pm	Mother Goose Pantomime (Whole School) Year 6 Carol Service (Church)
Friday 18th December	9.15 – 10.30am	End of Term Mass
	1.30pm	School finishes for Christmas
Monday 4th January	8.30am	All pupils return to school