Welcome back! We hope you had a good Christmas and a restful break. We have a busy half term ahead with our upcoming Parents’ Evenings, various assemblies, internet safety events and our first Pupil Voice Day. Please read below for further details.

 

Christmas Fair – Funds Raised

Thank you to everybody who attended our Christmas Carol Service and Fair before the school holiday. It was a lovely evening and had a fantastic community atmosphere. We’re pleased to announce that our Friends’ Committee raised a fantastic £345. A big thank to all of the parents who helped and to Alice, Anna and Kate (past pupils) who counted, checked and triple checked the funds (alongside Mrs Gallahue – Friends’ Treasurer).

 

Parents’ Evenings

Our parents’ evenings will take place next Tuesday 12^th and Thursday 14^th January 2016, from 3.35pm until 6pm. A separate letter was sent home at the start of this week inviting parents/carers to request a convenient appointment time. This will be an opportunity to discuss your child’s latest assessment results and areas for development.

 

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision

A child needs extra SEN help when it is clear that they require intervention which is “additional to” or “different from” the well-differentiated curriculum on offer for all pupils in our school. If a pupil shows that they have a significantly greater difficult in learning, than the majority of other pupils of the same age, they will be included on the school SEN List and appropriate support will be planned.

If you have concerns about your child’s level of development you should speak to your child’s class teacher or alternatively you can contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) – Mr Ellis.

If a child is identified as having an additional need: an Individual Education Programme (IEP) will be planned, every term, which will include targets and support. New IEPs will be shared with parents at the start of each term (during Parents’ Evenings) and then reviewed at the end of the term. For more information about the SEN provision we provide at St. Mary’s, please visit the following page on our school website:

http://www.st-marys.hillingdon.sch.uk/page/?title=School+SEN+Offer&pid=33

The local authority has produced a Local Offer website that provides parents/carers (of pupils with SEN) with information about what services are available to them in the Hillingdon area. The local offer provides details of the following:

• Educational provision
• Health and social care
• Training and parent workshops

    For more information please visit:

http://search3.openobjects.com/kb5/hillingdon/fsd/localoffer.page

SENDIASS also provides free confidential and impartial support to Hillingdon parents and carers who have children with special educational needs. The service also offers all parents advice with secondary transfer. They can be contacted by phoning 01895 277001 or by emailing sendiass@hillingdon.gov.uk

 

FREE Guitar Taster Sessions

This term, pupils have the opportunity to sign up for guitar lessons in school. Next Tuesday 12^th January we are offering some FREE taster sessions. To book a session for your child please text Mariela on 07782 503260 stating:

Your child’s name + Class + Instrument (Guitar)

 

Early Bird RM Easimaths and Kent Groups

Mrs Owen’s Year 6 Kent Group will resume next Monday 11^th January – at 8.30am.

Mrs Sullivan’s revised RM Easimaths Group will also start back at this time (you will have received a separate letter if your child has been invited to join this new group).

 

Start of Term Mass

Next Tuesday 12^th January, the whole school will walk to Church to celebrate the 9.30am Mass. If you are able to accompany your child’s class, to and from Church, please let their teacher know as soon as possible. Thank you.

 

Class Assemblies

The following class assemblies will take place this term, at 3pm, in the school hall. All parents, carers and family members are most welcome to attend:

Date	Class
Tuesday 26th January	Year 5
Tuesday 2nd February	Year 1
Tuesday 9th February	Year 3
Tuesday 1st March	Year 2
Tuesday 15th March	Lower and Upper Early Years
Tuesday 22nd March	Year 4 (Way of the Cross Assembly)

 

Diary Dates – Spring Term 2016 (First Half)

Please see below, for a summary of upcoming events:

Date	Time	Event
Mon 11th Jan	8.30am 8.30am 3.30pm	Mrs Owen’s Yr6 Kent group resumes Mrs Sullivan’s new Early Bird Maths group starts Chelsea Football (after school club) starts again
Tues 12th Jan	9.30am 3.35-6pm	Start of Term Mass (Church) Parents’ Evening (1)
Thurs 14th Jan	3.35-6pm	Parents’ Evening (2)
Tues 26th Jan	3pm	Year 5 Class Assembly
Fri 29th Jan	11am & 2.45pm	Early Years: Muffins with Mums & Dads
Mon 1st Feb	All day	Pupil Voice Day
Tues 2nd Feb	3pm	Year 1 Class Assembly
Tues 9th Feb	All day 3pm	Safer Internet Day Year 3 Class Assembly
Thur 11th Feb	1.30pm 2.30pm	Years 3 & 4 Internet Safety Assembly Years 5 & 6 Internet Safety Assembly
Fri 12th Feb	3.30pm	Finish for Half Term break
Mon 22nd Feb	8.40am	All pupils return to school