Friday 18th September 2015

Next Tuesday: Author Visit, Book Sale and Signing
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 22nd 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 |