Dear Parents,

It's half term already, let's hope that the weather improves a little for next week.

It's a great shame that our Sports Day at David Weir has been cancelled, it is always a lovely event towards the end of term. I understand that the field is being completely dug up and returfed due to drainage issues, it's unfortunate that they are doing it during the peak sporting season for schools.

Borough Sports is continuing for those pupils who were successful in the run offs in school, for pupils in Years 5 and 6 only. They have needed to cancel the places for Years 3 and 4. Miss Fry will be in touch with the parents of children who have been successful.

Our Year 6 pupils threw themselves into their SATs exams this year with great gusto and tremendous focus. I was so proud of how they approached the tests, thanks to all those staff involved for their support and thanks to the Year 6 parents for their support during the week. We look forward to the results arriving on July 9th, we will get them out to parents as soon as we can. We wish them well as they prepare for their end of term performance of Aladdin.

I hope that you have a lovely half term break. Don't forget that we have a training day on Monday 3rd June, we look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Tuesday 4th.

Vince Burke

Headteacher

Many thanks for all of your flowers which were presented during the Crowning of Our Lady, a lovely and important part of our spiritual journey. After we crowned Our Lady's statue, they were warmly welcomed at St Raphael's Hospice.

Mrs Jack has started her maternity leave, we are all waiting for news! Until the end of the summer Mrs Kane, Mrs Harrison and Mrs Martin will cover the class.

Mrs Marshall, who has served the school community for 22 years and is currently a Year 5 teaching assistant, will be retiring in July. I think after such a long time with us this is a well deserved retirement!

In order to cope with the reduction in school budget and rising costs, we have made a number of changes for the coming year. Mrs Harrison is leaving her role in SEND and returning to class teaching in Year 1, she has already started covering for Mrs Jack. Mrs Lewins and Miss Deering (learning support assistants) have reached the end of the contract and will be leaving us at the end of term. We wish them both well in their new schools.

With only a few weeks to go until our annual Y6 residential visit to Dorset I thought it best to remind parents of our younger students that we now have 2 residential visits at the end of Key Stage 2.

Year 6 have a residential to Dorset, 4 nights, probably close to £500 from 2026.

Year 5 have a bushcraft camping residential in September / October for two nights from £180.

We offer a payment scheme for both these visits and a discount for children in receipt of Pupil Premium.

For more information please see the links below.

As part of our work in the performing arts and PSHE we were pleased to welcome the iCanDance group to the school for a day of workshops with Year 4. The group enables young people with disabilities to lead dance workshops in schools across London, breaking down barriers between the able bodied and those with a disability, helping children to see disability in a positive light.

Key Stage 1 pupils recently represented the school at the Sutton Panathlon. With many schools participating they took part in a range of physical activities against the clock and in competition with the other schools.

The good news is that we came first and along with certificates for all of our competitors we have a lovely new glass trophy for our awards cabinet.

In April, Year Two celebrated their Mission Week. The theme was ‘Caring for God’s Planet’ and was taken from Pope Francis’ letter Laudato Si’ and the importance of caring for ‘Our Common Home’.

The children across the school have been busy learning how to protect our planet. They have learned about the devastating effects of climate change and what we can do to help look after the Earth. From Nursery to Year Six, the children have created beautiful artwork to showcase their creativity while conveying such an important message.

We would like to invite you to our art exhibition on Friday 7th June. The school hall will be open between 8.30 and 9.00 am and again between 2.30 and 3.30 pm. We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Congratulations to all of our children who have made their First Holy Communion in recent weeks. it has been great weather so far, we have been blessed! There are a few children to go. We will be hosting our Going Forth Mass in school just after 9am on Wednesday 26 June.

We continue to work with the Sancta Familia Catholic Academy Trust. A Board of Directors is now in place and the Trust is registered at Companies House and with the DFE. The first phase of schools have received Academy Orders (permission to transfer from voluntary aided status to academy status) and will be entering the Trust later this year. We have been placed in a later phase and will consult with parents on aspects of our academisation closer to our planned entry to the Trust, it looks like this will not be before September 2025.

School leaders are meeting regularly and sharing best practice to ensure the best outcomes for our school communities. We are fortunate to be working with great schools and at a time of financial strain across the education community it's good to be able to be able to gain from economies of scale and mutual support.

Thank you parents for the investment in classroom games which are used during wet breaktimes to keep the children entertained. Every few years it is good to have a refresh, the donation is much appreciated!

London Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM3 9DL

Contact us:

General queries - office@stcecilias.school

Report an absence - absence@stcecilias.school

Anything finance - finance@stcecilias.school

Extra Curricular Activity booking - eca@stcecilias.school

Childcare - childcare@stcecilias.school

Special educational needs - send@stcecilias.school

Admissions - admissions@stcecilias.school

Website www.stcecilias.school

Phone: 020 8337 4566

May

Mon 27th - Fri 31 May - Spring Half Term holiday

June

Mon 3rd - School Closed Training Day

Tues 4th - Y4 Multiplication Check Week

Thurs 6th - Y1 visit to the Lookout, Bracknell

Thurs 6th - Summer Concert - invites sent to parents of those performing

Thurs 13th June - Sports Day has been cancelled due to building works at David Weir.

Friday 14th - Sutton Catholic Schools Alliance Athletics event (change of date)

Mon 13th - Y3 Swimming begins

Thurs 20th - Egyptian Workshop

Fri 21st - Borough Sports at David Weir Centre for selected athletes in Years 5&6 only

Fri 21st - Annual Academic Reports published via Arbor to all classes

Weds 26th - First Holy Communion Going Forth Mass with Father Rob

July

Mon 1st - Y6 Adventure to Dorset

Mon 1st - ECAs end this week

Fri 5th - Y3 visit to the British Museum

Mon 8th - 0900 Y4 St Catherine Assembly

Tues 9th and Thurs 11th - Y6 Performance for their parents.

Thurs 18th - Final day of term for Nursery

Friday 19th - Final day of term for Years R to 6, school closes at Midday. No after school childcare.

You can find our term dates for this year and next on our website, link for you below.