Welcome to our St Mary's Weekly Newsletter!
Let us pray...
This weekend, many of our children will be making their First Holy Communion in the cathedral. Let us pray for every blessing on the children on this very special and important day as they welcome Jesus into their hearts for the very first time.
Diocesan Year 6 Mass- Cathedral
Today, our Year 6 children and staff attended the annual Wrexham Diocesan Catholic primary school leavers' Mass at the cathedral. The theme this year was 'Alive with the love of Christ' on this the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Bishop Peter celebrated the Mass and it was a very beautiful occasion and a very special opportunity to come together in prayer to reflect on our journey through primary school and to look forward to the journey ahead in high school and beyond. Well done to everyone for participating so reverently. Diolch.
Own Clothes Day- Friday 23rd June in Memory of Callum Jones
On Friday 23rd May, I attended the funeral service of one of our lovely former pupils, 20 year old Callum Jones. In Callum's memory, his family and friends are raising money to support the work of two very important charities- Papyrus and Andy's Man Club.
All children are invited to come to school in their own clothes on Friday 23rd June and bring a £1 donation. Buckets will be on the gates for all donations. As a school family, we can come together to support Callum's family in their efforts at this very difficult time. Diolch pawb.
First Holy Communion Celebration Mass in School
On Thursday 29th June on the Feast of St Peter and St Paul, Father Nicholas will be coming to school to celebrate a special whole school Mass for all our children who have made their First Holy Communion in their own parishes this year. It is important that we mark this very special day and gather together in prayer as a whole school family. The children will be able to wear their First Holy Communion clothes to school on that day but will need to bring their school uniform to change into after Mass. In the afternoon, the children will have a little party with a special cake to celebrate this wonderful occasion. Year 6 children who will be attending St Joseph's transition rocket week, can still attend Mass in their First Holy Communion clothes. After Mass, they will be taken across to St Joseph's to re-join the transition activities. Any questions, please ask.
Da iawn Cadwyn!
RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX EDUCATION UPDATE
Please click on the LINK to access the school's Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) summary of the consultation process which provides links to the curriculum content and statutory codes. Teachers will provide parents with information about RSE content to be delivered in each class in advance. Any questions, please ask. Diolch
Pupil Voice- Friday Tuck Shop
Well done to our Pupil Voice groups for organising a weekly tuck shop to continue to raise funds to buy new PE and outdoor benches and tables.
Please see items below that we are raising funds for. PE benches cost £220 each (we need 4-6 new benches), picnic tables cost £475 each (we would like 3 more) and outdoor benches cost £ 316 each (we would like 3 more.)
Future Friends' Events for your diaries- raising money for school PE benches and outdoor benches/ tables
Discos- Thursday 22nd June
Important New arrangements- There will be 3 separate discos- Nursery & Reception (Infant hall) (4:30-5:30) , Years 1 and 2 (Junior Hall) (4:30-5:30) and Years 3-6 (5:45-7:00) Junior hall
Please note- Nursery parents MUST attend the disco with their child/ren. Reception - Year 6 children should attend the discos on their own. Diolch.
End of Term Family Picnic after school on Wednesday 12th July 15:30-17:30- bring your own picnic, blankets and enjoy an outdoor picnic as a St Mary's family! Music, face- painting, cake stall and bumper raffle
Further information to follow
New Nursery pupils 'Stay and Play Sessions'
It was lovely to welcome our first group of new Nursery children to our first 'Stay and Play' session in Nursery on Tuesday. We look forward to welcoming Group 2 next Tuesday 20th June between 13:45 and 14:30. It will be a lovely opportunity to meet our new children and their parents! The Teddy Bears' Picnic for all new Nursery children and parents will be held on Tuesday 27th June 13:45-14:30.
Parrots and Penguins- Xplore!
On Wednesday 14th June, our Parrots and Penguins' classes visited Xplore! They had a super fun day!
Attendance Matters
Please note school starts 08:55 and finishes at 15:15.
From September, please DO NOT book routine appointments or holidays within term-time. The governors of St Mary's will not authorise holidays taken within term-time.
Please support us to ensure all children are in school on time to receive their education as long as they are fit and well to do so.
Following the WCBC policy, arrivals after 09:15 when the registers close, should be marked as an absence.
St Mary's Attendance Race
Our Whole School Attendance target is 96%
Our whole school attendance figure is 94%- a big improvement!
Foundation Phase- Winners are ...Penguins with 97.4%
Puffins-90.6% Parrots-91.9% Penguins-97.4%
Robins-91.3% Owls-94% Wrens-96.7%
Key Stage 2- Winners are ...Gwaun with 96.4%
Clywedog-92.7% Conwy-95% Alyn-96%
Dovey-93.3% Gwenfro-92.6% Dyfrdwy-92.1% Gwaun-96.4%
Children should only attend school if they are fit and well enough to do so. Routine appointments, holidays during term-time, days off for birthdays however, are not valid reasons to stay off school.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding with this very important matter.
ATTENDANCE RACE LEADER BOARD UPDATE
THE FOUNDATION PHASE WINNERS SO FAR...
Robins
KEY STAGE 2 WINNERS SO FAR...
Conwy
Rainbow ticket winners- drawn in last week's assembly
Well done to Mia, Melvin, Matthew and Zoe!
St Mary's Cathedral Parish Events
'St Mary's Cathedral is looking to develop their choir. On the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, there will be a choir practice from 11 am- 12 in the cathedral.All children are welcome to come and join in. It will be lovely to have a variety of voices singing in Mass.'
National Personalised Assessments Year 2-6
Over the coming weeks, pupils in Years 2 - 6 will be undertaking mandatory national assessments in reading, procedural maths and numerical reasoning. The assessments are now administered on-line and adapt to how children respond to the questions presented, adjusting the level and type of question accordingly. As always, no pressure is put on the children. The data and information gathered is only one small part of the jigsaw of assessments we use in school to build a picture of how children are progressing in their learning.
Free School Meals- Are you eligible?
May I remind all families who are eligible for free school meals to make an application via the link ‘Free school meals | Wrexham County Borough Council. This will not only provide your child with a daily free meal in school but will also allow parents the opportunity to apply for a Pupil Development Grant (PDG) | Wrexham County Borough Council to help with the cost of uniforms, resources, equipment and devices etc. By making your application, school will also receive the correct amount of funding from Welsh Government.
Please note:-
Your child is eligible to receive free school meals if you or your child receive the following...
• Income Support (IS)*
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)*
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance (IR)
• Child Tax Credit - providing you’re not entitled to Working Tax Credit with an annual total income below the HMRC set limit
• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you are working you must be earning less than £7,400 per year (£616.67 per month) to qualify for free school meal
From September 1st, all Reception children in Wrexham can have a free school meal as part of the WG universal offer. However, if you are in receipt of the above benefits, please remember to make an application via the links above as well to ensure access to the PDG and to enable school to receive the additional funding.
I urge all families to take up this wonderful universal offer. Diolch
School Dinner orders
Please ensure that school dinners are pre-ordered at home. Teachers should not be ordering meals in school, as previously advised by WCBC. Thank you
Criw Cymraeg's Brawddeg Yr Wythnos
The Criw Cymraeg’s ‘Patrwm yr Wythnos’ (Phrase of the week) this week is: Sut mae'r tywydd? What's the weather like?
See VIDEO LINK
Makaton Signs of the Week is hot
Click on the LINK
Good news!
Early Years-
Year 1 & 2-Rene passed Wave 3, Abigail is leaving Rainbows and is going to Brownies soon and Vanessa is rehearsing for a show with her dance class. Okedinachi has become a big brother, Maya has moved up to Wave 2 and Melvin has moved up to Wave 3. Daniela and Amelia received a certificate in gymnastics and Georgie is going to the caravan for the weekend.
Years 1 and 2 are going on a Town Trail next week- enjoy!
Years 3 and 4- Grace has moved up to Wave 7.
Year 5-Matthew's team came second in a football tournament and Zoe coloured in the clock she won in the Rainbow ticket draw- beautiful! More children are making their first Holy communion this weekend, Noble joined a football club and Violet's nana broke her ankle while they were on holiday in Portugal during half term. Amelia K has a gymnastics competition this week in Bolton,
Year 6-Maja, Victoria and Emilia have a swimming gala this weekend.
WCBC SCHOOL TERM DATES
Local Support for Families
At this difficult time of austerity, please see some information about local services that are available to provide support to families in need.
Please contact school if you find yourself in a difficult situation and need some help/ support to signpost you to an appropriate service. Your requests will be handled in confidence and with sensitivity. Diolch. Mrs Acton.
If you need help from our foodbank there are a few simple steps to follow. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IS TO GET A FOODBANK VOUCHER.
In order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation we work with local agencies. If they feel you are struggling to put food on the table, they will issue you with a foodbank voucher. The local agency can also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis. Agencies we work with include: Citizens Advice, housing support officers, children’s centres, health visitors, social services and some local charities.
1. GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
If you call or email our foodbank we can talk through your situation and put you in touch with a relevant local agency.
2. ARRANGE A VISIT TO THE REFERRAL AGENCY.
They will discuss your situation and supply you with a foodbank voucher where appropriate.
If you can’t afford food, you can call 0808 2082138 (freephone) to speak to a trained and independent Citizens Advice agent (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm). Please note this number is for people who do not have enough money for food – if you are a local organisation or charity that works with people who might need the food bank, please contact us directly.
Alternatively, please call 0300 330 1178 to speak to Wrexham’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau, who will be able to issue you with a food bank voucher if necessary.
3. BRING YOUR FOODBANK VOUCHER TO YOUR NEAREST FOODBANK CENTRE.
You can find a list of our local centres and opening times here. When you arrive, we’ll welcome you with a warm drink and our trained volunteers will chat with you about your situation. We’ll also discuss any dietary needs you may have and exchange your foodbank voucher for a parcel of three days of emergency food. We’ll also help to support you in any other ways that we can. Most of our foodbank centres offer a cafe style environment and our aim is to provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis.
If you have any further questions our FAQ’s page may help, or feel free to give us a call.
Yellow and blue (YaB group ltd) is a social enterprise non profit project. Underpinning community projects including positive pathways, food provision and social isolation beating events and activities. With a digital vision within the community - we aim to support vulnerable groups whilst creating a vibrant, supportive and uplifting experience. Creating moments, chances and smiles when people need it most.
Please get in touch by emailing:- info@yellowandblue.org
Pupil Development Grant
The Welsh Government funded Pupil Development Grant is available to help towards the costs of a child’s school uniform and equipment, for those on a low income. Any child eligible for free school meals in the year groups listed below are eligible. However, those receiving free school meals due to transitional protection arrangement would not be eligible.
Depending on the school year your child will be entering in September 2021 you could receive a grant of £125 or £200. Link
Anyone eligible for free school meals and in the following year groups will qualify for the grant: Entering reception class in primary school, Entering school years 1 to 11, In a special school, special needs resource base or pupil referral unit and are aged 4 to 15.For any looked after children of compulsory school age who are not receiving free school meals, please email uniformgrant@wrexham.gov.uk for an application form.
Welsh Courses for Parents
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer in school?
Here at St Mary’s we are very keen to involve parents, grandparents and family members in the life of the school. We are always looking for volunteers to help out a wide range of activities such as school trips and walking the children to sporting events. We are also very happy to invite volunteers to share special skills, interests or experiences to enhance the children’s opportunities or provision e.g. gardening, sewing, sharing job skills/ experiences etc.
If you would like to be involved in any volunteer work for the school, please click on the link and complete and return the forms attached.https://stmarys-wxm.co.uk/about-us/forms/volunteer-form-2/
Please note:- All volunteers will be subject to DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance. Thank you
Many thanks.
Welsh Government Announcement
Physical punishment of children is now illegal in Wales. Children have the same protection from assault as adults. This is to protect children and their rights. To find out more visit: http://gov.wales/EndPhysicalPunishment
Support the Friends of St Mary’s
to raise much needed funds for the benefit of all our children Friends of St. Mary’s School are now registered with easyfundraising, which means you can raise FREE donations for us every time you shop online. Over 4,000 shops and sites will donate to us when you use easyfundraising to shop with them – at no extra cost to yourself!
These donations really mount up and make a BIG difference to us, so we’d really appreciate it if you could take a moment to sign up and support us. It’s completely FREE and only takes a moment.
Do it today- Sign up by clicking on the link below
Please encourage your family and friends to do the same.
Keeping everyone safe- Covid 19
Local Authority advice remains that all children and staff who are displaying symptoms of illness or testing positive on an LFT or PCR test should not come to school and continue to isolate.
In addition to the 3 classic symptoms of a cough, high temperature and loss of taste or smell, we are noticing that many children who are testing positive are also displaying some of the following symptoms :- vomiting, headaches, runny nose, sore throat (symptoms similar to the common cold)
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @stmaryswxm
Credits:
Created with images by Sebastian Duda - "Bible, Eucharist, sacrament of communion background" • GVictoria - "Mirror disco ball" • wavebreak3 - "Happy family having picnic in the park" • adrian_ilie825 - "Little baby hand playing with colorful toys and cubes" • vegefox.com - "danger risk" • phonlamaiphoto - "Gold star trophy" • Kenishirotie - "Checklist on clipboard" • eskay lim - "megaphone" • pongmoji - "Blue sky with rainbow" • enterlinedesign - "Choir Letterpress Concept on Dark Background" • WavebreakmediaMicro - "Children having lunch during break time in school cafeteria" • coco - "fleur de jonquille sur fond jardin" • TinPong - "Young boy feel hot" • Maya Kruchancova - "cupcake with sparkler on old wooden background" • Li Ding - "Decoration for the party" • nito - "coffe and news" • Rawpixel.com - "Children Friendship Togetherness Playful Happiness Concept" • Irina Schmidt - "Adoralbe little toddler girl with rainbow and heart painted with colorful window color during pandemic coronavirus quarantine. Child painting rainbows around the world with the words Let's all be well"