Dear Parents and Carers,
It was lovely to see the children return to school on Wednesday – the school was very quiet and empty without them! Thank you for being so prompt to arrive and to those of you who ensured your children were in school for the start of the term.
Over the summer holidays the hall floor received a makeover and some TLC. I think I have bored everyone who has stepped foot into the school by drawing their attention to how lovely it looks (including my family and friends with photos). The children were quick to spot it on Wednesday when we went in the hall for the first time for collective worship. Now it’s your turn to see photos!
Despite some teething issues with the booking system and food deliveries, the new caterers have made a great first impression. They provided lunch for the staff on our INSET day – we all felt like we were in a restaurant, rather than the school hall! The children’s comments have included: “It is like being at a spa!”, “Is our school rich now? This is so posh!” and “This is the fullest I have felt having school lunch!”
With warmest wishes,
Mrs. Amy O’Donovan
Headteacher
Collective Worship
In Collective Worship on Wednesday, we shared the Gospel from Sunday – Luke 14:1, 7-14. This was a tricky reading for us to reflect on together but we thought about how it links to the first part of our mission statement – Everyone Belonging. In the Gospel, Jesus talks about not taking the most important place at the table – we linked this to things that happen in school and how we are not more important than each other.
RE learning
In school, we follow an RE curriculum set out by the Bishop’s Conference. This curriculum is called Day by Day and was written by Arundel and Brighton, our diocese. This has been gradually introduced over the last 3 years and now every year group in school is following it. The curriculum has 6 branches (that roughly work out to be half terms) and is a spiral curriculum which means topics are revisited each year but each year they go into more depth and have a slightly different focus. You can find out more on our website. https://www.stcuthbertmayne.co.uk/page/?title=Religious+Education&pid=51
Opening Mass
Our opening Mass of the new school year will be on Monday 15th September at 10am in the Church. Parents and families, we would love for you to join us in celebrating Mass if you are able to. As Reception are still settling into their school routines, they won’t be joining the rest of the school for Mass just yet, but they will have a Class Liturgy at the Church, which you will be invited to join – watch this space!
Uniform
Although children may wear summer uniform until the end of October, the weather is certainly cooling down and it can be quite chilly in the mornings - it was 3.5°C this morning as I drove in! It is hard for children to concentrate and learn if they are cold, so do consider moving to winter uniform.
Thank you for your support in ensuring the children are smart and in the correct uniform – we will continue to focus on this, and it supports a real sense of belonging and equality in school. We are currently focusing on making sure our shirts (school shirt or polo shirt) are tucked in – especially at the start and end of the day and for assemblies.
Bikes and scooters
To keep everyone safe as they come into school in the morning and leave at the end of the day, please remember that bikes and scooters need to be pushed onto the school playground and out again rather than ridden. Thank you for your support with this.
Class teacher meetings
We will share the dates of the meet the teacher meetings with you early next week. These are a great opportunity to find out about the curriculum in your child’s year group for Years 1-6.
Online Safety
Group chats are a hugely popular way for children to stay in touch with their friends, whether via messaging apps, social platforms or games. These online groups can help them feel connected, strengthen relationships and encourage creativity – but they also come with certain risks.
From teasing and exclusion to privacy worries and inappropriate content, children can experience a wide range of challenges in group chats. This guide helps parents and educators recognise the signs of trouble and offers simple ways to support children in using group chats safely and respectfully.
Reception 2025
We have just settled our Reception intake, but it is already time to think about 2026’s new intake! If your child is due to start school in September 2026 and you would like to find out more about St. Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Primary School, we will be running tours of the school so that you can see us in action and have the opportunity to meet with Mrs. O’Donovan, Headteacher on the following dates:
To book a place, please complete this form.
