St Mary’s Catholic Primary School
Newsletter
9th September 2014
Headteacher: Mr Lee Talbot
Tel: 01423 864631
Email: admin@stmarys.n-yorks.sch.uk headteacher@stmarys.n-yorks.sch.uk
Website: www.st-marys.n-yorks.sch.uk
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to everyone! After a hectic first week, the pupils and staff are all well into the swing of things and school is buzzing
with the excitement of a new year.
We welcome Mrs Holliday as Year 6 class teacher, who has already endeared herself to the staff by making some delicious
chocolate and coffee cakes and also to her pupils, by treating them to some delicious dried bugs as part of their bush-tucker trial
last week! We also welcome Mrs Munro, who will be working as a teaching assistant in Year 4 – she brings a wealth of experience
and has already settled well into life at St.Mary’s.
Behind the scenes, we have finally had wi-fi installed in school and our IT technicians are busy readying the laptops and iPads,
ready to be used by the children in lessons. Whilst there has (for a change) been no major building work in school, I can report
that the classrooms and working walls are starting to look great and both myself the teachers are committed to ensuring that the
children learn in vibrant, tidy and exciting learning environments.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the coming year and look forward to working together as we
continue to make great strides at St.Mary’s.
Year 6 pupils picking fruit from our orchard…
Mrs Laycock
It is with great happiness that I can report that Mrs Laycock underwent successful treatment for her illness during the summer break and
is now recuperating at home with her family. She is under strict instructions (from her doctors and I) not to return to work until she is
ready to do so and therefore Mrs Hunt and Mrs Delahay will continue to teach Swale class in the same arrangement as currently exists.
She asked me to pass on her sincere thanks for all the messages of support and love she has received from parents.
Walk The Walls
Please keep the date of 20th October free in your diary as we try something new at St.Mary’s. The end of half-term this year will see
parents being given the opportunity to come in and explore school between 3 and 6.30pm as it is my intention to give you the chance to
look at what is on the walls around school – something that you don’t always get the chance to do at parents’ evenings. This is not
intended to replace parents’ evening (which will take place the week commencing 18th November) but as an additional opportunity to see
the place where the children spend the majority of their week!
Free School Meals
As I’m sure you are aware, the new universal offer of free school meals for all Key Stage 1 pupils began last week. Whilst the
impact of serving to greater numbers of pupils meant some reorganisation, I’m pleased to report that Mrs Glennon and our kitchen
staff coped admirably and we now have a smooth routine established at lunchtimes.
Family Mass
There will be a family Mass in church on Sunday 19th October. This is another wonderful opportunity for the school and parish to show
unity and it would be lovely to see as many families there as possible on this date.