1. family and parenting
2. children

St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School
Headteacher
Mrs G Somes
Assistant Heads
Mrs J Newman
Mrs A Webb
Mrs S Neate
School Newsletter February 2015
Rotheram Avenue Luton.
Tel: 01582 723430
Fax: 01582 481289
E-Mail:
admin@stmargarets.luton.sch.uk
www.margaretofscotland.org.uk
St. Alban
Catholic
Schools’
Partnership
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to our second newsletter of 2015 and the Lent Term. During this season
of Lent we are preparing the children and ourselves for Holy Week and Easter.
Lent is a special time when you can share the concepts of prayer and giving
with your children. Try to take some family time each day to offer devotional
prayers, remembering Our Lord in the desert and his commitment to prayer, this
will help us too, to become closer to him on our Lenten journey. Also maybe
consider as a family how you might help others in need by giving of your time
or resources.
The children have taken part in the Lent Reconciliation service and made their Lenten Promises
which are hanging on a tree in our KS2 Hall. Our chaplaincy team have prepared our prayer
room and the KS2 Hall so we can all pray the Stations of the Cross. Clive from CAFOD came in
to school and told us all about “Cutting it Out” their Lenten Appeal and with your help we raised
£528.47 for CAFOD last Friday by taking part in our non-uniform day. For more information on
how you can help CAFOD please log onto their website cafod.org.uk/greatgeneration for every
£1 donated to CAFOD the UK Government will match the donation £1 for £1.
Welcome to our new members of staff Mrs Chowdhry, Miss Begum, Miss Beasley, Miss Granger,
Mrs Kilpatrick, Miss Choudry and Mrs Azia.
Lenten Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I know that every journey
begins with a first step.
Be with me today
as I take another step
in my Lenten journey.
I began this journey
with the sign of ashes
on my forehead reminding me
that this is no ordinary walk.
Today, I move one step nearer
to the promise of your light.
Well-Being Week
Today, with your help
I will find new meaning in
the Easter that awaits us all.
Thank your Lord.
Amen.
A very big thank you to
Mrs Newman who organised our Well-Being
Week. Every day began with Park and Stride
followed by Wake and Shake on the KS2
playground with all our children and staff.
During the week the children took part in the
following workshops: Healthy Eating, Drug and
Alcohol Awareness, First Aid,
Road Safety and E Safety. A
parent
workshop
offering
lots
of
information was also
very well attended. We look
forward to our next Well-Being
Week in the near future.
Maths Parents Workshop
There are some Parents Maths Workshops coming up on:
Monday 23rd March for KS2 Parents from 6pm – 7pm in the KS2 Hall
Tuesday 24th March for KS1 Parents from 8.30am – 9.30am & 6pm – 7pm in the KS1 Hall.
Thursday 26th March for KS2 Parents from 8.30am – 9.30am in the KS1 Hall
Please come along and receive a goodie bag with some free gifts.
13th – 22nd March Science Week
We are planning an exciting week filled with science activities and
experiments watch this space for further information…
Please see Mrs Webb if you are an avid scientist and would like to help during
this week!!
Tasty Treats 17th March 2015 at 2pm
Congratulations to Ellianna in Year 5 for winning the Invitation Design competition
for Tasty Treats a copy of the invitation was sent home last week. Our Tasty Treats
Day is on 17th March 2015 and the invitation is for relatives or Grandparents over
the age of 65. It starts at 2pm in our KS2 Hall and our senior guests will be served
a hot cross bun and a cup of tea/coffee by our Year 6 children. If you have any aunties, uncles,
Grandparents or other relatives over the age of 65 who would like to join us, please complete
the slip on the letter that you have received and return it to school with your child by 11th March.
Lent Reconciliation
We would like to thank Monsignor Kevin McGinnell for coming into school to offer
the children Reconciliation. If your child missed the reconciliation service then
Reconciliations are available every week in your Parishes so please check out the
Parish newsletter for times etc.
Bikability for Year 5
Not letting the weather spoil their fun, our Year 5 children had a fantastic week
taking part in the Bikability riding course. Thank you to the Bikability Team and
to everyone involved.
Reminder for Start and End of the School
Day:
Stations of the Cross During
Lent
All children up to and including Year 4 must
be escorted by an adult in the morning,
through the gates into the playground. All
KS1 children (Early Years, Year 1 & Year 2 ) must
be brought to their classroom doors and not left
unattended until their classroom door is
opened. Please also make sure that children
are collected promptly at the end of the day.
All children should be collected by an adult
from the playground in the afternoon at 3pm
and 2.50pm for EYFS.
During the season of Lent
we are using our prayer
room and KS2 Hall for
praying the Stations of the
Cross. The Stations of the
Cross show us how much
Jesus loved us and praying
The Stations of the Cross is a
Lenten tradition.
Year 5 Easter Story
Year 5 has been very busy with rehearsals for
the Easter Story production
which will be performed for
the Year 5 parents on
Tuesday 24th March at
1.15pm and at 6.30pm. I
am looking forward to
seeing the children act out
Our Lord’s final week from
Palm Sunday. Good Luck
Year 5 and a big thank you to Mrs Quince and
the Year 5 Team for all their hard work in
preparing the children for this occasion.
Ink Jet Cartridges and Used Postage
Stamps
Mrs Rosonovski is collecting the following items
for charity:
 Used Ink Jet Cartridges for
the Disability Resource
Centre in Dunstable
 Used postage stamps for
the Hearing Dogs
Charity to help towards
the cost of training the
dogs.
Please can you start collecting
the postage stamps from your post every day
and if you have any used ink jet cartridges
please send them into school for
Mrs Rosonovski.
Thank you!
Late Arrivals
Road Safety News
Please can we remind all parents to park
considerably and safely when dropping off
and collecting your children. Do not park on
the kerb, on the zigzags, in the bus stops or
across the driveways of the residents of
Rotheram Avenue. Remember it is not safe to
block the school entrances for any reason.
For the safety of our children,
please do not walk across the
car park, please keep to the
paths.
There are a growing number of children arriving late to school on regular
occasions, 107 children this week! If you are late (after 8.25 am) you will need to
bring your child to the main office and sign them in the late book. Please do not
be rude or unkind to our reception staff, it is not their fault if you are late! Please
make every effort to arrive promptly before 8.25am when the gates close.
Easter Egg Swap
Once again this year we will have our Easter Egg Swap. The idea is that
the children will each bring an Easter egg into school and then we will
gather all the eggs together and your child will bring home an egg to
enjoy on Easter Sunday. Tesco’s Sainsbury’s and Asda have many
Easter Eggs for only £1. Please could you start sending eggs into school
from Monday 23rd March.
Parents Consultation Evenings
Letters were sent out last week with all the details for our Parent Consultation
Evenings. Apart from EYFS St Clare the evenings are Wednesday 25th March
from 3.30pm – 7.30pm and on Thursday 26th March from 3.30pm - 6.30pm.
Please complete the reply slip on the letter and return it to school as soon as
possible. Please also note on your slip if you would like a translator and if you
would like to see Mrs Cox SENDCo.
Sainsbury Active Kids Vouchers
So far we have collected lots of vouchers. Please keep them
coming, also remember to ask your friends, neighbours and
grandparents to collect the vouchers for you too.
World Book Day
Wednesday 4th March 2015
This week we celebrated World Book Day. Our children and staff looked fantastic in
their costumes. Have a look at our photographs on the website. The children enjoyed all the
fun activities the staff prepared for them. A big thank you to Mrs Webb for
organising this for us.
End of Term Discos
End of term Discos have been booked for Wednesday 18th March and Thursday 19th March
2015, please see below for the times and dates for each class. A separate letter has been sent
home, please complete the replyslip and return it to school along with £2.00 to cover the cost
of the Disco and refreshments. Please note that on the evenings of the Discos there will be no
after school clubs.
Day & Date
Wednesday 18th March
Thursday 19th March
Time
Class
2.00pm – 2.45pm
EYFS
3.00pm – 4.15pm
Year 1
4.30pm – 5.45pm
Year 3
6.00pm - 7.15pm
Year 5
3.00pm - 4.15pm
Year 2
4.30pm – 5.45pm
Year 4
6.00pm – 7.15pm
Year 6
Reporting your Child Sick or Absent
Parents and Carers are required to report their child absent to the attendance office each day
they are unable to attend. Please ensure that you contact the school by 8.30 am to report your
child absent.
Please call the school on 723430 & select option 3. Please tell us your child’s name, class and
reason for absence.
Please also remember if your child has been sick or had diarrhoea then they must NOT
return to school until 48 hours have passed since their last bout of sickness/diarrhoea.
Saturday School
Our Saturday School is continuing and we are now only a few weeks
away from SATs. Well done to all our children, parents and staff for this
extra commitment on a Saturday.
Sports Report
Throughout this term our children have been making fantastic achievements in P.E. lessons,
after school clubs and intra-school competitions. Year 5 and 6 children demonstrated
outstanding strength, balance and coordination when creating partner balance routines in
gymnastics. The Year 6 football team have played their first game of 2015, winning 6-5 in an
end to end game against Ferrars Junior School. The Year 6 netball team reached the semifinals of the Luton schools netball tournament and are playing in the first division. They recently
lost 11-6 to a very strong St Joseph’s team. The highlight of the year so far has been finishing 2nd
at the Luton Sports hall athletics competition and then coming 3rd in the Bedfordshire County
finals. Year 5 have been learning Gaelic Football which has been a really fun and exciting
opportunity as it’s a completely new sport for most of our children.
Across Years 3 and 4 children have become very competitive and have developed excellent
tactical awareness in dodgeball. The football, invasion games and netball clubs have all been
really well attended and there has been a noticeable progression in the children’s ability as
well as their understanding of the rules. There are football and netball competitions for Year
3/4 coming up soon which will be a great opportunity for them to showcase their talents.
Children in KS1 have been working on their football skills and some classes are currently being
taught by Luton Town FC football coaches - what an amazing opportunity! Children in Year 1
recently participated in an intra-family multi-skills sports festival which was organised by one of
the staff from Active Luton with the help of our brilliant Year 5 play leaders. It was a big success
with all children showing great agility, balance and co-ordination. Well Done everyone!
School Term Dates
Advent Term
2014
Thursday 4th Sept
to
Friday 19th Dec
Lent Term
2015
Tuesday 6th Jan
to
Friday 27th Mar
Pentecost Term
2015
Monday 13th Apr
to
Friday 17th July
Half Term
Week Commencing
Monday 27th Oct
Half Term
Week Commencing
Monday 16th Feb
Half Term
Week Commencing
Monday 25th May
Training Days
Wednesday 3rd Sept
Training Days
Monday 5th Jan
Training Days
Monday 20th July
Tuesday 21st July
Wednesday 22nd July
Dates for your Calendars
Please Note
190 Teaching Days
Easter Sunday 5th Apr
May Day 4th May
Bank Holiday 25th May
5 Training days
in total
March 7th 8.45am – 11.00am
9th 10.00am – 2.00pm
PM
10th 4.00pm – 6.00pm
12th 8.40am
9.00am – 12.30pm
13th – 22nd All Week
13th 2.15pm
14th 8.45am – 11.00am
15th All Day
17th 2.00pm
18th
12.15pm – 4.45pm
March 18th
2.00pm – 2.45pm
3.00pm – 4.15pm
4.30pm – 5.45pm
6.00pm – 7.15pm
19th
All Day
12.15pm – 3.00pm
20th
21st
23rd
3.00pm – 4.15pm
4.30pm – 5.45pm
6.00pm – 7.15pm
12.15pm – 4.45pm
1.30pm
8.45am – 11.00am
9.00am
1.15pm
6.00pm – 7.00pm
24th 8.30am – 9.30am
12.15pm – 3.15pm
th
24
1.15pm
6.00pm – 7.00pm
6.30pm
th
25
12.15pm – 4.45pm
3.30pm – 7.30pm
th
26
8.30am – 9.30am
8.40am
12.15pm – 5pm
3.30pm – 6.30pm
27th AM
PM
April 13th 8.15am
Year 6 Saturday School
Year 2 at Stockwood Park Life in the Garden
The Big Pedal Assemblies for KS1 & KS2
Year 6 Cross Country
5 St Clare Assembly
Netball for Years 5 & 6 at Putteridge
Science Week
EYFS Mother’s Day Assembly in the KS2 Hall
Year 6 Saturday School
Mother’s Day
Tasty Treats for over 65’s Grandparents, relatives
members of our Parishes
NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS because of the DISCOs
Years 3 & 4 Girls Football at Stopsley
End of Term DISCO
EYFS
Year 1
Year 3
Year 5
NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS because of the DISCOs
EYFS Zoo Lab visiting
Year 5 at Cardinal Newman School – Sports Festival
End of Term DISCO
Year 2
Year 4
Year 6
Year 3 & 4 Football at Stopsley
Year 4 D Day Party in the KS2 Hall
Year 6 Saturday School
Year 1 at Stockwood Discovery Centre
Year 5 Easter Story Performance Rehearsal
KS2 Parents Workshop in KS2 Hall more details to
follow
KS1 Parents Workshop in the KS2 Hall
Years 1 & 2 Football at Stopsley
Year 5 Easter Story Performance for Parents KS2 Hall
KS1 Parents Workshop in KS1 Hall
Year 5 Easter Story Performance to Parents KS2 Hall
Years 5 & 6 Girls Football at Stopsley
Parent’s Consultation
KS2 Parents Workshop in the KS1 Hall
1 St Clare Class Assembly KS2 Hall
Year 3 & Year 4 Football at Playfootbal.Net
Parent’s Consultation
Last Supper Assembly for the children
Big Easter Egg Swap
Break up for Easter
Children return to School
This is a very busy half term and our pupils and staff are all working very hard.
Keep up the good work! Many thanks for your continuing support.
Mrs G Somes
Headteacher