This week we bid a fond farewell to Mrs Holloway who leaves us to join Collyer’s Sixth Form College as a French language assistant. Mrs Holloway has worked at St Cuthbert Mayne as a Learning Support Assistant for the last 6 years and has helped countless children with their learning, particularly in recent years with their Phonics. We wish her every success in her new rule, teaching slightly bigger children! 

Calling all ornithologists! This weekend is the Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the RSPB. It’s the UK's biggest citizen science wildlife survey – last year over half a million people took part. It helps the RSPB to understand how our garden birds are doing right now. It’s also a great opportunity for an hour of calm over the weekend when the children can take some time to appreciate the natural world around them. For more information on how to participate head to the Big Garden Birdwatch website where you can download a printable guide. 

Have a lovely weekend, and good luck with the binoculars! 

God bless,

Thomas Hall, Head of School

Liturgy

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus is out recruiting. Simon, Andrew, James and John were all asked to down tools (or fishing nets to be precise) so that they could follow Jesus and become ‘fishers of men’ by sharing the Good News. The children considered how they too might follow Jesus and shared the fruits of their labour in their spiritual journals. I was struck by one child’s entry who said that they would try to love people who don’t love them; a challenging proposition for us all! 

Christ Jesus, you call us all to follow you. Help us to answer that call and live our lives as you have asked us to. Amen.

Positive Parking

We continue to be very grateful to all our parents that park and stride/cycle/walk to school, and to those that park safely and respectfully around the neighbouring roads.

We are aware that some people continue to park on the yellow zig-zag lines outside the school and the church car park. Rule 243 of the Highway Code states that road users must not park near a school entrance; for the safety of all the children at St Cuthbert Mayne, we would ask that all members of our community adhere to this rule and do not park on the yellow zig-zag lines.

We must also ensure that we are polite and respectful to local residents at all times.

Please show your children, by your actions, that positive and respectful parking is a way to show that you care about other pedestrians, neighbours and road users. Be a good role model!

For helpful information about road safety please visit: https://www.think.gov.uk/

CURRENT VACANCY AT OUR SCHOOL. 

We currently have a vacancy for a Learning Support Assistant. 

Please find details here.

ATTENDANCE

Last week Mr Hall wrote about attendance in the newsletter and made reference to a letter which outlined guidance that we are required to share with parents by the Department for Education. Pupils who have missed more than 10% of school sessions are considered persistently absent. Please take a look at the image below which neatly outlines the reality of pupil absenteeism, particularly for those for whom absence creeps over the 10% mark. We recognise that there are often multiple different reasons for children not attending school and we are committed to working with families in order to support in this area whenever we can.

Classlist

Classlist is the most effective way of staying touch with other parents. Please click this link in order to sign up.

Safeguarding

We know this time of year can put pressure on families and loved ones. For that reason we just wanted to draw your attention to some websites and resources that may come in helpful now and in the future:

Family Lives – very useful parental information website, provides lots of links and resources - they also have a telephone support line for parents/carers. Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus)

Mental Health support – suitable for lots of families, especially at this time of year. Mental health support - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

NHS Talking Therapies – it may be helpful for any parents to be able to talk to someone and this is a self referral service Home Mind Matters Surrey - NHS Talking Therapies (mindmattersnhs.co.uk)

Family Conflict – SCC pages for parents. Our resources for reducing conflict between parents - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

Your Sanctuary – Domestic Abuse Support Services. YS Home (yoursanctuary.org.uk)

Relate – resources for relationships –

Get Help | Relate

Find your online centre Relate

Drug and Alcohol Support Services

i-access Drug & Alcohol Service : Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (surreydrugandalcohol.com)

Catalyst – substance and mental health support

Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Service in Surrey (catalystsupport.org.uk)

Citizens Advice – another more general link but useful for newsletters at this time of year

Citizens Advice

Family Information Service – Families can search for services near to them

Family Information Service - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

Online Understanding your child guides – Free for all Surrey residents – use access code ACORN.

Online Learning (heiapply.com)

Our Safeguarding Team: Mr Hall (DSL), Miss Wilkin (DDSL), Mrs Chalstrey (DDSL)

As a team we are always here to support, to be a listening ear, and guide in anyway you feel appropriate. Do get in touch with any member of the team via phone 01483 274961 or email DSL@stcuthbert-mayne.surrey.sch.uk

You are not on your own and many individuals or families do come and ask. 

Mary’s Meals would like to invite you to collect all your foreign currency* no matter how old or obscure.  Clear out your drawers and have a look under the sofa.  Currently, the charity feeds over 2.4 million young children one good meal every day in their place of education – by giving Mary’s Meals your foreign coins and notes, you can help feed the next hungry child.

Mary’s Meals feeds in over 18 countries.  Because of our low costs, we can do this for as little as £19.15 per child per year!  *We will also take UK coins/notes that aren’t legal tender

Donations can be left in the Cranleigh Parish Office, which is outside the SCM green school gates - double white patio doors - on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday mornings.   With thanks from Tracy in the parish office.

Our calendar for the term can be found here.