Dropping off children by car

If you drop off, or collect, children by car at the beginning or end of the school day you risk being given parking a ticket. In the past we have given parents a note from the school (if requested) and the parking wardens would allow a little leeway. Westminster has now formalised this arrangement and produced their own ‘Drop Off and Pick Up Concession Card.’ This ‘allows’ you to stop on a single or double yellow line close to the school for a maximum of 10 minutes at the start and end of the school day.

You can collect the new concession card from the school office if you need one.

Parking compliance around the school is enforced by CCTV cameras (there are a couple on a pole outside the school) as well as wardens patrolling the streets.

May I remind you that you are not allowed to park on the zig-zag lines at the school entrance and the concession card will not protect you from being given a ticket if you do.

Cookery Club

We started a cookery club this term. It’s being run after school by our school cook, Ellen. There are some photos and a little information on the Westminster website:

http://www.myschoollunch.co.uk/westminster/parents/news/detail_106.asp

 

Great Ormond Street

You may remember we collected money over the Christmas period for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital; one of our pupils in the Foundation Stage was, and still is, being treated by the hospital. We received a letter last week thanking us (you!) for our donation. In the end, our donation totalled £924.41, which (I think) is the most we’ve raised for a single cause without some sort of sponsorship event. Thank you!

Friends of St Mary’s

Our ‘Friends’ association is beginning to plan for our Summer Fair and would appreciate as much support as possible. They will be holding a planning meeting at 9.00 am this Friday in the school hall. If you can help, please come along.

Headship Post

Some of our governors, supported by officers from the Local Authority and London Diocesan Board for Schools, met last week to short-list for the post of headteacher. There was a strong field and they short-listed three candidates. The interview process will be long and consist of a number of different activities, as well as a formal interview. All of this will be taking place in school next week on Monday and Wednesday. Wednesday will be particularly busy and there will be disruption to our usual timetable on both days. Hopefully, all of the disruption will be worth it in the end; I’m feeling quite confident!

Year 6 SATs

This week our Year 6 pupils will be taking the government’s SATs. These are tests in Reading, Writing and Maths. This year it includes a new ‘Spelling and Grammar’ test (the grammar test is the new part). We’re confident that our children will do well!

What’s On This Week

· Today: Year 5 to the British Museum

· Tuesday: Year 1 Design and Technology Day

· Wednesday: Year 3 and Year 4 to the library

· Thursday: F2 to the library

· Friday: Friends meeting at 9.00 am

· Friday: F1 class assembly at 2.30 pm