Next week’s value is Respect

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour. “Romans 13:7”

Dear parents/carers

I hope you all had a lovely Easter holiday and a restful break.

We welcome you and your children back to St Mary’s School as we look forward to yet another busy and productive term. We are pleased to welcome back Mrs Lawrence following her maternity leave. Mrs Lawrence will be based in Key Stage 1. Finally, a big welcome to two new children, Alex and Christian, who have joined us in Years 4 and 6 respectively, this week.

Children returned on Tuesday and have settled quickly back into school routines. Term began a little earlier for teachers who had a training day and meetings on Monday. Teachers spent the day discussing the term ahead, tidying and preparing classrooms and engaging in some important professional development activities, including learning more about the principles of ‘continuous provision’, with a view to incorporating ideas in class, to further enhance our already full, rich and exciting curriculum.  

Our curriculum is much more than simply maths, literacy, sport and the arts; it incorporates spiritual, moral, social and economic aspects as well as promoting positive values and attitudes, supporting the growth of children’s confidence and resilience and, most importantly, developing critical thinking skills.

In this era of fast-growing technological development, misleading advertising and fake news, it is ever more important for children to learn to question the validity of information they receive, be it from the TV, via the internet, Email or links sent to them on mobile phones. We are encouraging children to ask more questions of their teachers. Parents can help at home by encouraging children to question and challenge the accuracy and veracity of information from various sources (e.g. TV adverts) and to consider the likelihood that all may not be as it seems; in short, we are developing a healthy scepticism. This can lead to some interesting debate and there is no better place to have such productive discussions than around the dinner table at family mealtimes!  

As we approach the summer months, and in anticipation of some warmer weather, our thoughts may turn to the summer holidays. May I remind you that children are expected to be in attendance every day of the school term, unless they are unwell or there is another acceptable reason, such as an unavoidable medical appointment. Our school term dates are published well in advance and holidays are not an acceptable reason for absence. Please see below our attendance information for the year to date. We would love to have 100% attendance for all year groups in the summer term!

May I wish you all a very happy and healthy summer term!

Janis Radcliffe

Headteacher

Critical thinking starter question:

If a man drinks orange juice every day and his wife does not and the man grows hairs on his chest and the woman does not, does that mean that drinking orange juice puts hairs on your chest?