Newsletter 8 Week ending 2nd November 2018

Believe

you can

achieve!

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the second half of the Autumn Term. I hope that you all had a wonderful half term break,

the children have returned refreshed and with renewed enthusiasm.

This eight weeks is always an exciting and busy time as we move towards Advent and Christmas. This week

we have had several sporting events which have taken place alongside excellent learning. In our liturgies this

week we have been focusing on being Saint like. Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of All Saints, thank you to

Father David and the Parish of Jesus Christ Redeemer of Mankind for inviting us to join them for Mass.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend.

Natalie McCarthy (Headteacher)

Teaching and Learning

On my visits to classrooms this week I have seen a range of teaching and learning opportunities as children

continue with their cross curricular learning. Reception St David’s Class have made the most of the new

outdoor classroom. This has encouraged more active play and independent learning. In Year One, St

Andrew’s Class began the week by hunting for a mysterious egg left by an alien as they blasted off into

space. They also have a new space station in their classroom complete with rocket and launch pad! Year

Two have been number detectives and done some marvellous addition in maths. They also showed a

growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe online during their half termly internet safety

lesson. Year Three have been enjoying a range of learning including learning how to subtract using the

exchanging method. They have also learnt about the human skeleton. Year Four St Bernadette’s Class have

been been delving deeper into Ancient Egypt as they learn about the boy king Tutankhamun. Year 5 St

Catherine’s Class have been immersed in World War Two through their cross curricular learning. Year 6 St

Teresa’s Class have been learning to write playscripts and have been using Wind in the Willows as a stimulus

for a courtroom scene involving Mr Toad. They have been learning the correct legal vocabulary such as

postulate and misdemeanor. I look forward to seeing these being acted out next week.

Academisation Update

As of the 1st November, we are now officially an academy and a member of the Xavier

C.E.T. We are excited by the increased opportunities that this will bring for our school in

terms of teaching and learning and the opportunity to work closely in partnership with 10

other Catholic Schools in our diocese.

For further information please look at the website. https://xaviercet.org.uk/index.html

Year One St Andrew’s make an Egg-citing discovery

On Monday we noticed a mysterious object had landed in a tree in our playground. After a bit of climbing and lots of

teamwork we retrieved the extra-terrestrial item and took it back to our classroom. We had lots of questions about it:

Where did it come from? Why has it come to our planet? What is inside it? The next day we noticed a crack in the egg

and a hand poking out! Inside we discovered….E.T! We are excited to have a new alien friend to join us in our learning

about space and have written some descriptions of him in our writing.

Report by Year One

Year One are also able to fly into space, courtesy of their new space station, rocket and astronaut equipment.

Thank you to the Year One team led by Miss Rowe for planning these exciting learning opportunities.

Celebration of Arts in Cranleigh

‘A Celebration of the Arts in Cranleigh’s Schools’ which is being held by the Cranleigh Arts Society.

The evening concert will be held at Cranleigh Arts Centre on Friday 9th November from 7pm. The concert will observe the Centenary of the Armistice which brought WW1 to an end and look ahead to the role the Arts can play in uniting future generations. Free tickets are to be allocated to the school so that families can enjoy the evening too. The children have also been asked to attend a rehearsal at the Arts Centre on Wednesday the 7th November from 3.30 - 5.00. Staff will take the children to the Arts Centre from where they can be collected at 5pm.

Thank you to Mrs Woodhams for co-ordinating this event and thank you to all of the children who have supplied the fantastic art work and will be attending the event.

Talented Artists

Well done to everyone for completing your art work for the

Christmas cards. Thank you to the Friends for organising this.

More information to follow about how to purchase these handmade

cards designed by the children which will be available in time for the

Christmas post.

Reception Refurbishment

Over the half term holiday the Reception area was transformed and extended and the old sandpit and

platform have been removed. Children in St David’s Class love the artificial grass, complete with mound and

tunnel and also the additional space to learn and play in.

The area will be further developed when the new equipment including a purpose built mud kitchen, sand

and water play space and a waterwall.

If any parents are clearing out in the run up to the festive seasons, then please consider donating any fancy

dress or dressing up outfits to Reception St David’s Class.

World War One memorial garden in Cranleigh

The children in Key Stage Two have also been very busy designing and making poppies to go in the Cranleigh

Centenary memorial garden at Snoxhall which commemorates the 415 soldiers from Cranleigh who have lost

their lives over the last 100 years through conflict. Each of our poppies will have the name of one of these

soldiers on them and we will pray especially for them during the month of November.

The poppies will be on display in the garden from next weekend.

We also have poppies in school which will be on sale for the children during the school day to enable us to

once again support the poppy appeal.

Beebots in Year Two

Well done to Year Two who are learning how to

program the Beebots to follow instructions. It was

interesting to hear all of your ideas about how to keep

safe on the internet during your half termly E Safety

lesson this week.

Amazing home learning

Once again there has been a huge range of home learning projects being shared by the children.

Thank you to talented parents and carers who have supported the children with this extended

learning.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance

figures for w.e.

19th October

2018

Congratulations

to Year 2 and

Year 3 for 100%

attendance

School Target

96.5%

Diary Dates

NOVEMBER

6th November NO Netball Club

8th 2.45pm CYE meeting for Year 6 St Teresa’s parents

9th 11am Cranleigh Peace Walk Year 6

9th School Discos-see poster

9th 7pm Cranleigh celebration of Arts

10th Children’s artwork on display in Cranleigh centenary

memorial garden

12-16th National Anti-bullying week

13th 2.45 pm Year 4 Class assembly. Parents invited.

16th Christmas Fair donations

19th Romanian shoe boxes to be returned to school

23rd Christmas Fair donations Mufti day

22nd 10am Open Morning for prospective parents

25th 12.15-2.15pm St Cuthbert Mayne Christmas Fayre

29th St Cuthbert Mayne Feast Day and Mass

DECEMBER

3rd School Closed

6th 9.30am EYFS/Key Stage One Nativity to parents

6th 3.15-3.45pm Open Classrooms

6th Friends wreath making event

7th Parent Forum 2

7th 1.30pm EYFS/Key Stage One Nativity to parents

13th 9.30am Key Stage Two Nativity to parents

Class %

Reception 98.4%

Year 1 92.9%

Year 2 100%

Year 3 100%

Year 4 98.8%

Year 5 95.2%

Year 6 99.6%

Whole School 98.0%

A book for my birthday

Please can I thank parents and carers for

their generosity around children’s birthdays.

However, in line with Healthy Schools and

concerns raised by our parents, it is our

policy not to give out sweets at birthday

times.

Please can I encourage you to buy a book for

the class library instead.

NO MORE NUTS PLEASE

Thank you for supporting this and ensuring that only

fruit and vegetables are allowed for break time snacks.

Children in St David’s, St Andrew’s and St Patrick’s class

are provided with a fruit snack and do not need to bring

anything in addition with them to school. Children in Key

Stage Two should only bring in fruit or vegetables as a

snack.

New baby

Congratulations to Harry in Year One (who is now a big,

big brother) after the birth of baby brother Max. Good bye and Welcome

This week we said a fond farewell to Mrs

Clarke our business manager of 12 years. Mrs

Clarke has been a huge support to the school

as both a parent and then staff member. Her

final day with us marked her 7000th day of

involvement with the school. We wish her all

the best for the future and look forward to

her staying in close contact with us.

We welcome Mrs Clare Benbow, who joins us

as our new Business Manager. Welcome also

to Ms Kirsty Jimmison who joins our

administration team as Office Manager and

Headteacher’s P.A. We are delighted to have

you both on the team.