Dear Parents,

I hope that you have had a good term so far, I'm sure that you are looking forward to the break next week.

As we come to the half way point in the academic year, it's important to take stock of school attendance. It is clearly shown that children that attend school regularly have higher attainment. We have been affected recently by all the winter bugs, including scarlet fever.

Our current attendance across the school for the year to date is 93.6%. this is much lower than our usual 96%, although we do reflect the national picture.

Persistent Absentees

1 in 5 of our pupils is currently classified as a persistent absentee:

• 89 students have attendance below 90% - on track to miss a month of school.
• 18 students have attendance below 80% - on track to miss half a term.
• 6 students have attendance below 75% - on track to miss 9 weeks of school.

You can really help the learning process for all the children in class by making sure that your child attends school as much as possible. We understand that sickness affects attendance, however we are still getting requests for leave in term time. When we combine absence for holiday with sickness it can mean that a child becomes a "persistent absentee."

You can see your child's current attendance rate on the Pupil Asset App. We will also be sending out an attendance, Reading, Writing and Maths assessment report just after the half term break, in time for the Parent Teacher Meetings.

Lateness

Please don't forget that the school gates close at 08:50. Attendance after this time will be recorded as late, we have currently recorded 7573 minutes of lateness on the attendance system.

We ask that if you are one of those parents who push the children in after the gates have closed each day that you put some plans in place to improve the situation for the new half term. Late minutes are clearly shown on the children's reports.

Mission Weeks

Years 5 and 6 have recently completed their Mission Weeks. Thanks to Year 6 for reminding us of the plight of the homeless, they really have come to a greater understanding of the issues that can face people, the causes of people living on the streets. Thanks to their efforts and parent generosity we have been able to send £613.74 to the Cardinal Hume Centre for the Homeless in London.

Year 5's Mission Week focussed on Wellbeing, it has been lovely to see all of their ideas flowing out to our classes for little activities throughout the week, including laughing Yoga today. We hope that you managed to take part in Thoughtful Thursday and that someone special in the family will be getting a lovely letter or picture over the coming days. Thank you Year 5!

Best wishes for a lovely half term break,

Vince Burke

Head Teacher

It has long been a tradition for Girlguiding members to be allowed to wear their uniform to school to celebrate World Thinking Day on 22nd February, when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts everywhere throughout the world, remember each other and reaffirm their commitment to international friendship and understanding.

World Thinking Day remains one of the most important dates in the guiding calendar, and every year the theme of the event encourages members to think about the big issues affecting them and their global community. Previous World Thinking Days have tackled the subjects of poverty, gender inequality, environmental sustainability and access to education.

We look forward to seeing all our Brownies and Rainbows in their uniforms, celebrating friendship and understanding.

From Mr Caulfield, our subject leader for Geography.

"It's been another busy half term of fantastic Geography at St Cecilia's, and it was brilliant to round it off with a Geography quiz on Wednesday afternoon. Students who took part were tested on rebuilding a cut-up map of the UK, general knowledge, flag matching, and were even tasked with building their own mini river!

Students throughout the school are also becoming familiar with DIGI maps; our school's online mapping system. From accurately measuring their route to school, to locating mountain ranges, it's been an eye-opening way for students to make comparisons and explore our world digitally.

It's been great to chat with students' about their Geography learning this half term, and it's been so impressive to hear them confidently use new technical vocabulary from their lessons. I had a lovely time joining the Year 2s as they impressively mapped out our school site. Our students rightly enjoy hands-on Geography, and I'm sure all year groups will have plenty of opportunities for even more fieldwork in their school grounds and local area as our weather (hopefully) begins to warm again!

Parents of children registered on our Special Educational Needs system will be receiving the first of our new SEND newsletters. With the arrival of Mrs. Harrison as Assistant SENDCo, it's great to have some additional capacity to enable us to bring to fruition some new initiatives.

We have the next in our parent workhops - this one focuses on children's behaviour. Please RSVP using the link below.

This workshop costs £10 per person, it is free to those who attend on the day, cancellation is possible up to 24hrs before the event otherwise we do need to pass the cost on to you.

In our Big Assembly today we focussed on friendliness, one of our core values. With hundreds of children in the building we are a very friendly school but there are times when we need to remind pairs or small groups of children to show more friendliness to one another.

We support the children in their friendships by talking about how to be a good friend in class time, in our curriculum and through our class and whole school assemblies. We shared two videos with the children today which discussed different aspects of friendships. I also interviewed some Y5 students on what friendship means to them. I've included the videos below in case you would like to view them with your child.

Strengthening coping mechanisms

In the video from CBC the boy describes how he has a friend who is a "sore loser" who never wants to be "it" in chasing games. We discussed that issue in assembly today as it is a very common problem in our playtimes, some children want to make their own rules, want the games to run their way and refuse to be it. The chiildren work around this personality type and rarely involve staff, it would be good however if we can strengthen the resolve of our children to be "good losers" and to follow the rules of games fairly. This is something that you can help us with at home, through card games, board games and family sports. It's best to make sure that your child loses, don't always let them win, it's strengthens their coping mechanism!

Book Week is always a fun and exciting time of the year when we can celebrate our love of books and reading.

As part of Book Week, we will be celebrating World Book Day on March 1st, this will help us to avoid possible industrial action by teaching staff and will help us to ensure that all classes can enjoy our activities on the day.

Mrs Jack, our Subject Leader for Writing will be in touch with you via Class Dojo with more news about what is happening on the day.

As we start the season of Lent just after half term here is a special message from Canon Victor, the new Episcopal Vicar for Education.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Wednesday 22nd of this month is Ash Wednesday. On that day we begin the Holy Season of Lent. This is a time of penance and preparation. The first reading of the Mass of Ash Wednesday is a call from Prophet Joel (Chapter 2: 12-18) inviting us all to come back to the Lord with all our hearts, fasting, weeping, and mourning. Prophet Joel encourages us to focus on having a change of heart and our merciful God will forgive us.

In his Lenten message for Lent last year, Pope Francis encouraged us in these words: "Let us not grow tired of uprooting evil from our lives. May the corporal fasting to which Lent calls us to fortify our spirit for the battle against sin.” Through these words, our Holy Father set the tone for this season.

Time and again we must have heard people say: “what are you giving up from Lent.” Rightly so, we should make every effort to practice the spiritual disciplines of lent by praying a bit more, giving a bit more and fasting and abstaining a bit more than we used to do. This year, in addition to all these, I would like to encourage you to do something slightly different. Why not consider what you will take up for Lent? We can choose to take up some new good habits, we can take up reading the bible, or we can take up being more kind and supportive of others. Most of all: We can take up attending Mass this season of Lent.

Whatever we choose to give up, or take up this Lent, may the Lord sustain us for the 40 days and may his abiding love and mercy continue to be with us this season. Amen.

May God bless you

Canon Victor Darlington,

Episcopal Vicar for Education

London Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM3 9DL

Email: office@stcecilias.school
Website: www.stcecilias.school
Phone: 020 8337 4566

We have set up our Final community walk in- catch up clinic for children ( Reception- year9 only) who have missed the nasal flu vaccine at school.

The details are as follows-

Date-Tuesday, 14th February 2023

Time- 10:00am-12:00pm

Address-Minor Hall

Trinity Church

Cheam road, Sutton SM1 1DZ

Just for queries-

• This is a walk in clinic for Sutton & Merton schools for Reception to year 9.
• No appointments are needed
• Parents can consent on the day

February

22nd - Ash Wednesday

22nd World Thinking Day for Brownies

24th - Attendance, Reading, Writing and Maths assessment reports published

24th PTA Disco for Years 2 and 3 from 6.30pm.

March

2nd - Parent-Teacher Meeting

8th - Lenten Mass for Y3-6 with Father Sean

9th - Parent-Teacher Meeting

14th - Parent Teacher Meeting

14th - Emotion Coaching Workshop for Parents, 0900-1030, with our Educational Psychologists.

16th - Y5 to the Royal Philharmonia

20th - ECAs end this week

30th March - End of term for Nursery

31st - End of Term for Easter at midday.

April

17th - Start of Summer Term

17th - Y6 workshop with Young Shakespeare Company

17th - Reception Offer Day

20th - Y4 at a Music concert at St Andrew's Church, Cheam

22nd - Y6 Netball Rally at Overton Grange

24th - Eco Schools "Get Loud on Litter" Week.

24th - Summer ECAs start this week

May

1st - Bank Holiday Monday - School Closed

8th - Coronation of King Charles II - School Closed

9th - 12th Y6 SATs Week

17th - Y1 to The Look Out Centre

18th - Ascension Day Mass Years 3-6

23rd - Y5 trip to Greenwich Observatory

23rd - Y3 Assembly - Crowning of Our Lady's Statue

29th May - 2nd June - May half-term holiday

June

5th - INSET Day - School Closed

15th - Y1-6 Sports Day at David Weir Centre (Children go straight to the Centre)

16th - Borough Sports Afternoon

23rd - Reports published

27th and 29th Parent-Teacher Meetings

29th - Mass for Ss Peter and Paul Y3-6

July

3rd - ECAs end this week

10th-14th Y6 Residential in Dorset

12th Reception Class Visit to Bocketts Farm

19th End of Academic Year for Nursery

20th End of Academic Year Y1-6 at Midday

September

4th - Start for academic year for Y1-6 (EYFS start dates vary)