Dear Parents,
I hope you are well and enjoyed your Christmas break. As you will no doubt be aware, this is a very short half-term with only five school weeks-and only three more until half-term. We are very pleased with the way the children have settled back into their teaching and learning and building on the success of the Autumn term. As you will have seen from the email last week, the astroturf is up and running. Thank you once again for all your support with this; a significant achievement when all the money raised came via the PSA and not using our school central budget.
We have other outside areas to develop over the coming years-immediately the woodland trail and then in the future- the surface on the Orchard and the cage area. As mentioned previously, our main project this year will be to turn the old IT suite (all the Chrome boxes are now either in corridors or spread around the school) into a whole class Well-being room. There is nothing structural to be carried out, so this can be achieved by September 2024.
School Purpose
You may recall we consulted all stakeholders over delivering a new school purpose-parents, pupils and staff. Thank you for all those that contributed and we have sought to capture the main themes.
After a shortlisting process and several discussions at Governing board level, the school together with the governors have settled on the below. We anticipate using this in various ways across the website and communication channels. As well of course, as living and breathing this day in day out at school.
Together we create a community committed to educating and nurturing children, so they may grow towards confident, curious and empowered citizens
Class assemblies
A reminder from the beginning of the school year, these now begin this term. Reception and Key Stage 1 have one per class, KS2 have one per year group with Year 6s being their end of year production. Please see the attached document.
Celebration assembly comments
Each week, every class teacher nominates a child from their class to be in the celebration book in our celebration assembly. I read the child's name out and they come and stand at the front and the comment is read out followed by a sticker given by a nominated Year 6 child. We then give a round of applause to all those in the book at the end. They are a joy for me to read out and we thought it would be useful to share these comments with you each week. The office will send out personal emails. The comments could be related to something specific or a general comment.
Spring singing assemblies-R/KS1
We do have Spring term singing assemblies at the end of this term for Reception and then a joint one for Year 1 and Year 2. Apologies we hadn't set these dates until recently.
The concerts will last approximately 20 minutes and you may take your children home after-but not siblings from other classes until their usual time.
Reception-Friday 22nd March 2.30pm
Year 1 + Year 2. Wednesday 27th March 2.30pm.
Science at Sheen Mount Open Morning-Thursday 25th January
A reminder of this event as sent via email last week. It is an exciting opportunity to see some science lessons, workshops by our Y6 children and hear from our science lead, Mrs Adams. She is also the schools-based advisor for science in all schools in Richmond and Kingston.
We do have a limit on places, but we hope to be able to accommodate everyone that wants to attend. Please line up outside the small studio hall outside after drop off, ready for a 9am start.
Please sign up on the form below if you would like to attend, so we can plan accordingly.
https://forms.gle/gcfeiKKuAm1WowZB7
It is also the turn of our Science ambassadors this week in our newsletter update.
We are the science ambassadors!
Ali: I love science because you can find out how to solve problems and make new things that can blow people’s minds. I am particularly interested in the study of space, especially supernovas.
Isabella: I enjoy all science but I am especially interested in chemistry. I am interested in acids and alkalis and what happens when they are combined. I like thinking about the big questions in science, especially what would happen if the world were different.
Maria: I am interested in science because, when conducting experiments, you never know what will happen, and there’s always something new to learn. I am particularly interested in the universe and what is beyond our planet.
Oliver: I like science because no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn. I am particularly interested in astrophysics, especially the outer solar system.
Throughout this year, we have been very busy promoting science across the school.
In September, we gave practical science demonstrations in KS1, LKS2 and UKS2 assemblies. The children were wowed by our friction book, hand boiler, inflating balloon and mystery boxes. When Mrs Teeling asked the Year 3 and 4 children afterwards who would like to be a science ambassador, nearly all of them put their hands up!
We have also helped Mrs Adams and Mrs Hay to organise and refill the science bags and delivered them to all the classrooms, so they can be enjoyed by the whole school. Have you taken the science bag home yet?
We are currently working with the English ambassadors to read and judge the shortlisted books in the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize. We will let you know our favourites once we’ve read them all.
Next week, we are looking forward to welcoming you at our ‘Science at Sheen Mount’ open morning!
Low numbers in some clubs
There are a number of clubs with low numbers in that we will have to consider whether to run in the future. These are:
Drawing matters on a Tuesday morning
Richmond Dance club on a Wednesday afternoon
Girls football (Y3 + Y4) with Mr Brown on a Thursday afternoon
Please contact the providers themselves or the sign up via Arbor for Mr Brown's club on a Thursday afternoon.
Year 5 Young Voices
All of Year 5 attended this whole day event at the O2 on Monday. It is a spectacular event and many thanks to all the staff that gave up their time to attend this with the children. It is a very late return back to Sheen on public transport around 11pm and special well done to those who were at clubs at 8am the next morning!
Staff panto
Thank you to the staff who performed the panto on the last day of term for the children. After weeks of practice (oh no there wasn't...!) we performed on the last morning of term to the whole school. Particular thanks to Mrs Sparkes, Mrs Chevassut and Miss Fosh for their writing of the panto and organisation. 
Staffing
Our School Business Manager, Louise Dear, has found a new role nearer her home and departed last Friday. We welcome our new business manager to start after February half term-Debbie Canner. She was previously Headteacher at East Sheen Primary School and prior to that worked in finance.
Survey from AfC
AfC have asked us to share this link and QR code so that they can meet the guidance by Government for requirements of Local Authorities for wraparound care. It is a very short 5 minute form. -so that we can capture parent's likely requirements for wraparound care, to support our planning for September 2024. .
Please share this link
100 club
Congratulations to our winner from this month's draw.
Community news
New Richmond Food Bank location in Mortlake available now
Richmond Food Bank provides families with long life food items such as canned goods, flour, washing powder, hygiene and baby products such as nappies.
The food bank operates on a voucher referral system, where referral partners, such as Help Through Hardship (0808 208 2138) and Citizens Advice Richmond (0808 278 7873), issue guests with e-vouchers to use at their local food bank. Each voucher is valid for one food parcel, so guests must receive a new voucher code for each visit. Food parcels can be received once a month.
No time to obtain a voucher, no problem! Come and talk to us and we will help.
Click here for more information.
Click here for flyer.
A reminder of some items from the previous newsletter.
Message from Mrs Sroka, Enrichment lead
We are organising a Careers Week from 17th to 21st June 2024 and would love your support. We would like parents to talk about their jobs and inspire our children to think about what they may want to do in the future. This may involve talking in assembly or visiting classes for them to ask questions. We will also be holding a careers fair in the school hall for pupils in Years 5 and 6, where they can talk to parents and members of the local community to hear what opportunities there are for them. Pupils will be able to learn about different professions and gain an understanding of what the jobs entail, the range of roles available and the skills that are needed to be successful.
If you are interested in participating in this event, or have any suggestions about how we can make it a success, please complete our Skills Share Google Form. Many thanks to the parents who have already done so. The form has now been updated to allow you to record your availability so we would be grateful if you could return to the form and add this to your response.
Skills Share Form
Book box for the playground
The school council have made a request for a book box to go in the playground so that they can look at some books at play/lunch times. If anyone is willing to construct something suitable, please contact me.
Library-donation list
The below has been set up by our parent volunteers in the library. If anyone wishes to buy any for the library, they would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/XZM329G5YH9R?ref_=wl_share7
Have a good weekend
Tom Holmes - Headteacher
Maria O'Brien - Deputy Headteacher
