Newsletter 1 Spring Term
8th January 2025
Embedded Files
St Andrew’s and St Mark’s
Church of England Junior School
“I have come in order that you might have life - life in all its fullness.” John 10:10
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-School News-
Forgiveness
This term we’ll be thinking about the Christian value of forgiveness. To be honest, much of the time in our collective worships in the morning, that will involve trying to get the children to deal with quite ground level stuff. Pushing in front of someone in the queue for lunch, tripping someone up in the playground, saying something nasty or rude to someone in class: all of these are real but somewhat mundane sins in a typical school day for which forgiveness needs to be sought and given. And a good community needs people to forgive each other to thrive.
In the adult world, things get more complicated. I was struck by this in watching Justin Welby lay down his crozier in Lambeth Palace before heading into retirement from having been Archbishop of Canterbury. I understand his resignation and overall support it; there had been too many abuse scandals in the Church from which no one has resigned and this aggravated victims and survivors as they saw a total lack of accountability. His resignation signalled some accountability for the Church’s disastrous failure to stop John Smyth’s abuse.
So far, so reasonable. But when do we get to a point of forgiveness and rehabilitation for Welby himself? At what point is he allowed back to play some part in church life or public life? And who makes the decision to do so?
Remember, in this case for which he resigned, Welby didn’t do any abuse himself. His failure (and this gets quite detailed) was in not following up on stopping the abuser John Smyth’s ongoing ministry once his abusive past became known to Welby in 2013. (Smyth by this stage lived in South Africa. So there may have been children in South Africa abused between 2013 and 2017 and Welby didn’t do enough to stop them from becoming victims.) But he isn’t alone in not doing enough; and the link to Welby is obscure. There were so many people who failed during this whole issue; Welby is far from the central figure: rather, he’s just the most prominent name.
If it is the victims who decide when forgiveness for Welby should happen, it would logically mean that the decision goes with the South African abuse victims of Smyth (from between 2013 and 2017)? But we don’t know who they are, or indeed for certain if there are any people who fall into this category anyway.
Amid this vacuum, at present, the decision seems to lie somewhere between media ‘influencers’, certain people in positions of authority, and the hinterland of people who engage forcefully on X (formerly Twitter). The ostracism is real, but it isn’t clear who takes the decision. From pop culture, think of Phillip Schofield, Huw Edwards, Martin Bashir… the point at which they are forced out of their jobs seems reasonably obvious; the point at which they may have the chance to say sorry and rehabilitated is less clear. When or where is forgiveness for them?
We teach our children to forgive others; that’s right and important. But as a culture we aren’t quite sure how to do it as grown-ups.
Message from
Rev’d Robert Stanier
New STEM learning lessons begin in Year 6
We are always looking for innovative ways to teach the curriculum and this year we will be joining our learning across computing, science and design & technology to create a new 'STEM learning' unit of work. Year 6 begin their STEM unit of work this week called, 'All the Fun of the Fair'. In STEM DT, pupils will be designing and creating a scale model of their own fairground ride. In STEM science, Year 6 will be learning about electricity and circuits, resulting in a motorised circuit being added to their fairground ride. In STEM computing, we will be programming the BBC Micro:Bit to add computer-controlled elements to the ride. We are really excitied to see pupils' completed STEM projects at the end of the term.
For Years 3, 4 and 5, STEM learning will begin after half term.
We need donations of empty 500ml bottles!
To help get the shop up-and-running in the most environmentally-friendly way possible, we need donations of empty (cleaned) 500ml bottles, to use if a customer forgets to bring their own bottle!
Please save your old shower gel, shampoo, washing-up liquid and handwash containers and give them to our office team. Thank you!
So far the ECO shop has saved 72 plastics bottles!
Our eco-refill shop, SASM Eco-Refill, opens next Friday, 31st January before and after school - bring an empty bottle and some spare change! So far the ECO shop has saved 72 plastics bottles!
Powered by Pupils Profit and a grant from Kingston Council, SASM has successfully bid to open a new eco-refill shop on-site once a month. On Friday 31st January from 8:30-9:00am and from 3:00-3:30pm, parents, carers and pupils will be able to bring a bottle and purchase body wash, washing-up liquid and hand soap. At present, this is a cash-only business.
Our new Environment MPs have spent time with Mr Gates and Mrs Miller, producing a business plan and learning how to set up their own business. From creating a business name, identifying and controlling risks to ordering stock, our pupils will be completely in charge of the business.
Here is a message from the pupils running SASM Eco-Refill
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are the SASM Eco Refill team and we've created a business to help you Shop And Save More!
We'd like to make a big difference to plastic waste by introducing a refill shop that we run at school. Please help us to help our planet by refilling for your household whenever you can.
Reusing and refiling containers reduces waste and prevents all the emissions that go into making more plastic containers. We hope by having a convenient refill shop at school, you'll find it easier to refill and reuse.
SASM Eco Refill sells refills of washing up liquid, body wash and hand wash with our gorgeous range of eco friendly, vegan, cruelty free products that are made here in the UK.
500ml washing up liquid costs £1.50
500ml hand soap costs £2.25
500ml body wash costs £2.75
Our business is fully circular and even our big bulk containers are returned to be refilled and reused, so we're working hard to protect our planet.
We hope you'll be able to help us reduce plastic waste by refilling with us. If we all do this together we'll make a big difference - please help us to make a difference for our planet and the future.
SASM Eco-Refill will be open on Friday 31st January from 8:30am-9:00am and 3:00-3:30pm in the school playground. We hope to see you there and don't forget your container and cash!
Kind regards,
SASM Eco-Refill
Shop And Save More!
Road safety on Maple Road
We would like to remind everyone of the importance of road safety on Maple Road, particularly during pick-up and drop-off times, following a near miss this morning involving a member of the public and their child.
To ensure everyone’s safety, please observe speed limits, do not park illegally, use the designated crossing. It is particularly important to refrain from stopping or parking on yellow lines and near junctions, as these areas are designed to protect pedestrians and maintain clear visibility. We also ask for patience and courtesy to make this busy time safer for everyone and ensure our school is a positive force in our local community.
Drop-in Coffee Morning @ Kingston Library Tuesday 14 January @ 10.30am (Organised by SEN team of AFC)
We would like to inform you of our upcoming Coffee Morning for parents taking place at Kingston Library on Tuesday 14 January at 10.30am.
This coffee morning is a great opportunity to find out more about our services and meet members of our team. Join us for a cuppa and find out how we can support you, as well as meet and connect with other parents and carers.
Parents can book their free places here.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact with Laura Ercolani for more information.
Assessment results will be available on the SIMS Parent App from next Monday
We share the results of assessments termly with parents and carers. The outcomes of pupils' autumn term assessments will be available to view via the SIMS Parent App on Monday. You will have received an invitation to join the SIMS Parent App via the email addresses you have provided when registering with the school. More information about the assessment results are included within the report. If your child was absent during the day of the assessment no result will be shown.
Summative assessment results explained:
Towards the end of each term, pupils sit standardised assessments in reading, maths and GPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling). In Years 3, 4 and 5, we use tests developed by Rising Stars, which have been standardised against thousands of pupils nationally. In Year 6, past SATs papers are used. The results help inform our practice and gives some indication of a pupils’ progress.
A score between 90-99 means that your child is currently projected to be ‘working towards the expected standard’ at the end of Key Stage 2.
A score of 100-109 means that your child is currently projected to ‘achieve the expected standard’ at the end of Key Stage 2.
A score of 110 or over means that your child is currently projected to be ‘working at greater depth’ at the end of Key Stage 2.
Please note that these tests reflect a snapshot in time and many factors can influence a test result. Year 6 past SATs papers test pupils on content they have learned across their time at SASM.
To reduce anxiety surrounding assessments, all tests are conducted in a ‘low stakes’ environment and we request your support in helping children understand that assessments are used to help target and support classroom teaching.
In order to ensure the integrity and reliability of our assessments, we are unable to provide copies of Years 3, 4 and 5 test papers to parents and carers. Thank you for your understanding.
WANTED
Donations of board games for our new 'Lunchtime board games Club'
Please check that there are no missing pieces and that the game is in good condition.
The SASM Smartphone Parent/Carer Pledge is growing!
We have a growing number of parents and carers who have signed the pledge to delay giving their child a smartphone. Knowing other parents are delaying helps alleviate the pressure to expose children to the risks of smart devices and social media.
This pledge is optional and anonymous but we will share the number of pupils whose parents have completed this pledge in our newsletter. You can take the pledge by clicking here.
Looking for more information?
SASM Parents/Carers Smartphone Free WhatsApp Group - this is a parent-led group for any SASM parents to connect as part of the Smartphone Free Childhood Movement; it is not created nor regulated by the school. You can join the group here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LaR5fqDTbmy6p3VOkFn4Tt
Advance notice: changes to school uniform from September
Thank you to the parents and carers who responded to our uniform survey. We have been carefully considering how to ensure our school uniform creates a sense of belonging, prepares pupils for the expectations of secondary school whilst keeping branded items to a minimum. From September 2025, there will be the following changes to our school uniform:
All pupils will be required to wear a shirt and school tie in the Autumn and Spring terms- this ensures consistency across all pupils and applies whether your child is wearing trousers, shorts, a skirt or a pinafore. It also represents the transition from the polo shirts of Infant School and prepares pupils for Year 7 and beyond, where they will be expected to wear a shirt, tie and blazer. In the Summer term only, polo shirts and summer dresses will be permitted.
Black trainers (without logos) will be permitted instead of smart black school shoes - we encourage our pupils to be active, from the Daily Mile to lunchtime activities. As a result, pupils will be able to attend from September with black trainers everyday; these must not display a logo. This also means that the same shoes can be used for PE and school uniform, making uniform for comfortable and affordable.
With flu and norovirus cases on the rise, here are some simple steps to help keep your child healthy this winter.
1. Teach good hygiene habits: Encourage children to wash their hands regularly and use a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes to stop the spread of germs.
2. Know when to keep your child at home: Children can still attend school with symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or slight cough, but should stay home if they have a high temperature, diarrhea and vomiting. Read NHS guidance to help you decide. Click here to read more.
Additional Funding for low-income households
The Department of Work and Pensions has made additional funding available for low-income households in Kingston who meet the criteria and are struggling to afford food, fuel, utility bills and other essentials. The expectation is that the fund should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for other government cost-of-living support. For more details click here.
If your household has received help through any of the previous rounds of the Household Support Fund, we may not be able to issue any further funding.
However, we may be able to provide you with information about other support
available so please email: householdsupportfund@kingston.gov.uk
Kingston Young Carers' Project
Who is a young carer?
A young carer is someone aged 18 or under who helps to look after someone at home who needs extra support or care. This may be a sibling, parent/carer or other relative that lives at home with you.
We are the only organisation in the borough with a team dedicated to supporting the needs of young carers (aged 5-18) and as such have a wealth of experience and expertise in issues which affect their lives.
We provide:
information and advice, including 1-to-1 support
opportunities to meet other young carers
fun activities, outings and breaks away from home
regular drop ins
awareness raising of the needs of young carers, particularly in schools
advocacy and whole family support
quarterly newsletter
If you would like to know more information, please contact the School office and ask to speak to Mrs. Miller - School Community Worker.
Repeat notice: Online Parenting Courses - Family Lives
Family life and parenting is more complex than ever. Family Lives has produced a series of online parenting courses, to support parents and carers. If interested please follow the link below:
https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/online-parenting-courses
Family Lives offers a confidential and free* helpline service for families in England and Wales (previously known as Parentline). They can be contacted on 0808 800 2222 for emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life. Their website is also a rich source of useful support and advice.
(* Free from landlines and most mobiles)
Safer Schools App
We would encourage all parents/carers to download the Safer Schools app for free push notifications about online safety and helpful advice. You can download the app using the instructions here.
Do you have concerns about a child?
Adults - you can contact the Single Point of Access to request support, or to report a concern about a child or young person. Click here to make a referral. You can also call for advice. Opening hours: From 8.00am to 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8.00am to 5.00pm on Friday - call 020 8547 5008 (Out of hours, phone 020 8770 5000). If you think a child or young person is in immediate danger call 999. Referrals are not limited to safeguarding: the Single Point of Access acts as a signposting service to other services, including mental health. Matt Gates is our Designated Safeguarding Lead.
-What's New? Community News-
Activities and Opportunities
Skylarks is an independent charity that are expanding their outreach. We recommend parents and carers of pupils on the SEND register to sign up with the charity to stay up-to-date on a range of fun activities and opportunities. For more details and to register, please click here.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS
If your child is eligible for free school meals but you prefer to provide them with packed lunches, it's still important to register. By doing so, the school receives additional funding called Pupil Premium which helps support your child in other ways.
Once you have registered for free school meals and we have received confirmation that you are eligible, your child will then be able to attend an enrichment club after school free of charge, as well as one session at our after school club. They will also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme, this is also known as FUEL (which stands for ‘Feed Ur Everyday Lives’) This programme offers free places at holiday clubs during the Easter, summer and Christmas breaks.
Children can enjoy 4 sessions during Easter, 16 sessions over the summer and 4 in winter, with lunch provided at the club. There are lots of clubs and activities to choose from across a range of dates, time and locations. Some activities include: cycling; film-making; yoga; technology and coding; skateboarding; art and crafts; cooking; indoor climbing; and lots of sports such as cricket, football, netball and rugby.
If you think you may be eligible and would like further information please contact the office and ask for Mrs Miller, our School Community Worker.
Supporting Our Families with Kingston Foodbank
We don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry. That is why we are pleased to be able to offer our families support in partnership with Kingston Foodbank.
Kingston Foodbank provide three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis. They are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.
Foodbank clients bring their vouchers to a foodbank centre where they can be redeemed for three days of emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal, and are able to signpost people to other agencies that may able to them solve the longer-term problems.
Vouchers can be issued any day and at any time during the school week. These can be either printed or sent to you electronically via your mobile phone. This is a confidential service and vouchers are only allocated by Mrs Miller - School Community Worker.
Our nearest food collection points are listed below - please note the opening times.
Monday (6.00pm - 7.00pm)
Surbiton New Life Baptist Church
1 Balaclava Road
Surbiton
KT6 5PW
Tuesday and Friday (11.00am - 12.30pm)
Kingston Everyday Church
46 Union St, Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1RP
Click the 'Community Groups' button to see all community notices:
-School reminders-
Uniform - pupils must now wear their winter uniform
Winter uniform is coming! From after half term, until the start of the summer term, children will be required to wear winter uniform.
Winter uniform includes:
Grey pinafore or skirt
Long or short grey school trousers
White long/ short sleeved school shirt or blouse
St. Andrew’s and St Mark’s tie (does not need to be worn with open neck/ revere collar blouses without a top button)
Red jumper or cardigan
White or grey socks or tights and black shoes
Trainers, boots and leggings are not permitted. Should your child come to school not wearing the correct uniform, they may be asked to wear items from our nearly new stock - this is at no cost to parents/carers.
Please remember that pupils need to wear a coat to school.
For further information regarding our school uniform please follow this link to our school website and our school uniform supplier.
New PE days from January
Please check below for the days your child needs to come to school in their PE kit in the spring term. Pupils in all year groups have 2 PE lessons a week. One takes place in the school hall (indoor PE) and the other takes place on the school's Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) or playground. A guide to our school uniform for PE can be found here. On your child's PE days, they need to come to school in their PE kit (pupils remain in their PE kit all day).
Your child's PE days are (changes for spring are shown in red):
3CR - Monday (outdoor PE), Thursday (indoor PE)
3J - Tuesday (indoor PE), Friday (outdoor PE)
3M - Monday (outdoor PE), Friday (indoor PE)
4B - Monday (indoor PE), Wednesday (outdoor PE)
4H - Monday (indoor PE), Wednesday (outdoor PE)
4R - Thursday (indoor PE), Friday (outdoor PE)
5J - Tuesday (outdoor PE), Friday (indoor PE)
5L - Thursday (outdoor PE), Friday (indoor PE)
5M - Tuesday (indoor PE), Friday (outdoor PE)
6G - Thursday (outdoor PE), Friday (indoor PE)
6M - Wednesday (indoor PE), Friday (outdoor PE)
6S - Tuesday (outdoor PE), Wednesday (indoor PE)
Uniform reminder
Everyone is now looking very smart in their winter uniform. We would like to remind parents and carers that smart black shoes (no trainers, boots or football boots) are required on non-PE days. Smart shoes are widely available and we do have a limited free supply in our nearly-new store, in our school office.
Uniform donations warmly welcomes
If your child has outgrown their school uniform over the summer break (including shoes, plimsolls or trainers) and they are still in good condition, please consider donating them to our uniform shop. You can drop off any unwanted school shoes at the office.
Thank you for your continued support and generosity.
Pupil Premium Grants
For the first time, all pupils at SASM are entitled to receive a free school lunch. To enable your child to access this, you must book your child's lunch via ParentPay.com.
If you were previously eligible for means tested free school meals or are in receipt of any of the following benefits...
income support
income-based job seeker's allowance
income-related employment and support allowance
the guarantee element of state pension credit
support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
child tax credit (but not working tax credit) and have an annual income of less than £16,190
working tax credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit
Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
...your child maybe eligible for a Pupil Premium Grant. This will gives your child access to:
This gives your child access to:
A free after school club every half term
A free 'stay and play' session in our Wrap Around Care each week
A free place at Breakfast Club every day
A discount on school residential visits
... and much more!
Please contact the school office if you have any issues with activating an account.
Please send a water bottle with your child
Its important to ensure that our pupils stay hydrated throughout the day. Please remember to send your child to school with a water bottle. To avoid any mix-ups, kindly label the bottle with your child's name. Thank you.
Parking outside SASM
If you are driving to drop your children off or pick them up from school, please park considerately on the surrounding roads. Please don't park over driveways or over the zig zag lines. This helps keep everyone safe.
Whilst the school is not responsible for enforcing street parking, we have advised our local community to report all instances of poor parking or behaviour to the police.
No toys in school, please!
We would like to remind parents and carers that pupils are not permitted to bring their own toys or collectables into school. Not only do toys provide a distraction from pupils' learning, there is a potential for personal items to be misplaced. Please be aware that any lost toys, collectible cards or other play items are beyond the responsibility of the school.
Jewellery
Children can wear watches to school but the wearing of jewellery and earrings of all types is not permitted on safety grounds. Any child wearing earrings to school will be asked to remove them. If they are unable to remove them they will be required to stay inside during break and lunch times and will not be able to participate in any PE or physical activities.
Smart Watches
Fitness trackers without smart watch capability are permitted but St Andrew’s and St Mark’s accept no responsibility for the loss or damage of these items. Smart watches, including iWatches- are not permitted due to their messaging capabilities.
Lost Property
Please remember to label your child’s uniform, lunch box and water bottle. All named lost property will be returned to your child by the next school day. Unlabelled property will be kept for one week only in the school office.
Road safety for children
If your child walks to school on their own, it is important they know how to cross roads, including zebra crossings safely. Please click here for more information about Road Safety for children.
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