Headteacher's Newsletter
Friday 17 January 2025
Dear Parents,
Year of the Jubilee
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Pope Francis marked the beginning of the Year of Jubilee on Christmas Eve. In his Midnight Mass homily, he called us to “recover lost hope, to renew hope in our hearts and to sow seeds of hope”. The symbolism of the logo for this jubilee year underscores this call.
During the Jubilee year, the whole school community are invited to stand in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities, sharing hope that rooted in love, deepening faith, and taking action to build a better world for everyone. Through prayers, animations and activities, children will have the opportunity to explore and experience the vital role they have as agents of change.
During the year we will celebrate the Jubilee Year together. We will take part in the National Launch Day on 24 January. This is where we will embark on a shared journey and mark this Holy Year as a significant and memorable moment.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
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Next week our Year 3 children make their Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please pray for the children as they prepare for this special Sacrament.
Loving God,
Pour out your blessing Upon our beloved children,
That during this time of Sacramental preparation
They may grow closer to you,
And come to know your special love for them.
May this time of preparation be a time of blessing
For our families and our community,
And unite us all in your great love.
Amen.
Curriculum Highlights
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History Award Gold Standard
Following external assessment of our practice, we are delighted to have received The History Award. We met all the criteria for the gold award, the highest award. Our gold award recognises the excellence of history provision in our school. The external assessor reviewed our curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning and pupil work. The assessor spoke with pupils, staff, parents and governor representatives. We are delighted that our practice has been recognised.
Rights Respecting School Gold Award
We are also pleased to announce that St. Vincent’s has achieved Gold Rights Respecting School status. This prestigious accolade, awarded by UNICEF UK, represents the highest level of recognition for our unwavering commitment to children’s rights. The assessors highlighted that children’s rights are deeply embedded throughout the school and form the foundation of every aspect of school life. The award was presented to us after we evidenced that children are taught about rights, they learn through rights and are being ambassadors for the rights of others. Some of the highlights from the report include that we have ‘very articulate pupils who demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of rights and are confident in the concepts of rights.’ We also have ‘a strong focus on the health and wellbeing of students within the context of rights so that young people feel supported and protected.’
Attendance and Punctuality Reminders
School Values: Make a Difference Be Passionate about Learning Be Kind Be Respectful
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We know that excellent attendance and punctuality leads to better outcomes for pupils. This is also backed by research that shows pupils who have excellent attendance make better progress than those who do not. Please see attendance and punctuality reminders below: PunctualityArrival after the morning bells at 9am for infants and 8:55am for juniors will mean that your child is marked as being late for school. To facilitate a calm start to the day, please ensure children arrive to school in good time. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children can enter their classrooms from 8:45am Years 3-6 children can enter their classrooms from 8:40am. Medical appointmentsMedical appointments are recorded as an absence so still affect your child’s attendance record if they are not present for registration. Appointments must be supported by evidence which should be provided to the school office. Please make routine medical appointments for the dentist or opticians after school or during the school holidays whenever possible. Requests of absenceSchools are not permitted to authorise holidays in term time. All absences for a holiday in term time are recorded on your child’s attendance record as an unauthorised absence. Attendance MonitoringOur attendance target is 97% Please see the table below detailing the number of days off and attendance percentages. If you need any help with attendance, please contact school for a call back from our pastoral team. Below are the attendance percentages for last week.
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Term Dates
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Please refer to our term dates for 2024-25 and 2025-26 when considering booking holidays. Please note that holidays cannot be authorised in term time.
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School Trafford: Term Dates and Times of the School Day
Key School DatesSchool Values: Make a Difference Be Passionate about Learning Be Kind Be Respectful SPRING 1
We offer an open door to parents. If you have any questions about school life, please liaise with your class teacher. Mrs Farrell (infant deputy head), Mrs Sutton (junior deputy head), and I are also available to work in partnership with you. Yours sincerely, Mrs Harrop Headteacher
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14 February |
Maths Enrichment Day |
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