St Michael's C.E. Primary School Parent Portal - St Michael's CE Primary School January Newsletter 25

March 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Father Stephen. He has been a pillar of our community—truly irreplaceable. The close relationship between our school and the church is something rare and special, and we have been truly blessed by his presence.

Our weekly interactions with Father Stephen have enriched the lives of our children. They speak so fondly of his collective worship, his guidance, and the warmth he brings to our school. His calm and unwavering presence has been a source of strength, helping us to deepen our Christian values.

Today, we had the privilege of sharing a staff breakfast with him. He also led his final collective worship with the children, a truly special moment for all. This was followed by a heartfelt Thanksgiving service from the staff, a small token of appreciation for all he has given to our community for (17 years).

No words can fully express our gratitude for all he has done. We encourage everyone to attend a service before his departure on 20th April and to join us in sending him prayers and well wishes. May his retirement be filled with joy and all the things he loves.

Father Stephen, you will be deeply missed.

Bacon Bar Week

All Day

from 31 Mar until 04 Apr

from 05 Apr until 20 Apr

First Day Back For Children

Pre Loved Uniform Sale

from 28 Apr until 07 May

Dear Parents and Carers,

This month we welcome back our famous Bacon Bars! These will be on sale after school from Monday 31st March until Thursday 3rd April so grab yours for a chance to find a golden ticket and win some great prizes.

The PTA AGM will be held on Monday 28th April at 7:30pm at school so please do come along to hear the final total raised this past year and future plans for the PTA. You can also apply for one of our PTA Committee positions using the form emailed out earlier this week and shared on class WhatsApp chats. Come and chat to one of us if you’d like to hear more before applying.

We are incredibly grateful for all the money you have helped raise and this is being used for various projects throughout the school.

1. New fencing in the playground to enclose the trim trail in the front playground making a secure play area for SEN and younger year groups plus some fencing in the rear playground to make a growing area for all year groups to grow plants and veggies.

2. Parenting in the Digital Age presentation for PTA Coffee morning and children workshops.

3. The Year 5 drumming lessons, Christmas pantomime theatre trip and Year 6 Bibles

4. The big project for this year is to revamp the outdated equipment in the main hall including AV equipment. . Over the Easter holidays work will start on the AV equipment for the hall which will benefit the whole school.

On Friday 16th May we have our fantastic Talent Show! If you have an act you would like to present please complete a form via this link

Talent Show

We are also busy planning the Summer Fayre which will be on Saturday June 21st. If you know a local business that would like a stall, or could sponsor a stall or would be able to donate a fantastic raffle prize please do let us know via your Class Rep or by emailing us at ptastmichaels@hotmail.com

Wishing you all a lovely Easter Break.

St.Michael’s PTA

Reading for Pleasure Excellence Award

On Thursday, 20th March, the Local Authority conducted a review of our reading approaches. As you know, reading lessons take place across the school from 9 AM, and during the review, pupils had the opportunity to share their reading experiences at St Michael’s. We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious Reading for Pleasure Excellence Award! This recognition reflects the enthusiasm and commitment of both our pupils and staff in fostering a love of reading. Well done, everyone.

The Meaning of Easter

This half-term, all classes have been exploring the meaning of Easter. In EYFS, children have been reflecting on why Easter is so special. KS1 has been learning about the significance of Easter, including the symbols that represent it. KS2 has engaged in deeper discussions about key figures in the Easter story, Holy Communion, the meaning of Ash Wednesday and Lent, and, in Year 6, how Easter offers hope.

This learning has beautifully connected with our collective worship theme of forgiveness, linking to the Easter story, where Jesus’ resurrection symbolizes a fresh start and the promise of forgiveness for all. It has also reinforced the broader reflection on hope during Lent.

Monday’s collective worship has focused on Living Hope from the Church of England, encouraging us to deepen our trust in God and be part of His work in bringing hope to the world. This focus on hope and renewal continues to inspire us as we journey through Lent and towards Easter.

A World Book Day to Remember!

What an amazing World Book Day we had at St Michael’s

From creative costumes to exciting quizzes, the day was filled with storytelling and fun.

A special highlight was our whole-school assembly, where Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 captivated us with their retelling of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Three Little Pigs, and The Great Fire of London. Everyone was amazed by their confidence, eloquence, and storytelling skills.

Thank you to all the parents, staff, and children for making this celebration of reading such a success. You helped raise £281.76 reward from the travelling book fair for the school to purchase books.

We can’t wait to do it all again next year ???

However, why wait until next year to keep the reading fun going? Take on our Reading Easter Egg Challenge and keep the excitement alive.

________________________________________________________________________

Thank you to you all, we raised £404 for comic relief.

So Proud!!!!

Debating Team

Our magnificent debaters took on Enfield Schools in 'The ETSP Great Debate' at Chace Community School. They all spoke bravely and convincingly, one team reaching the final where they will be arguing that dogs should be kept on leads in public spaces. Be warned: do not get into an argument with these children - they are armed with facts, statistics and the art of persuasion.

Girl's Football Team

An undefeated season led to the St Michael’s girls football team winning the local league for a second consecutive season. After a brave victory on penalties, the girls are now also into the semi-final of the Enfield Cup.

Enfield Schools Dance Festival – One Night on Broadway

We are incredibly proud of our Year 6 dancers who took part in the Enfield Schools Dance Festival 2025 – One Night on Broadway! Their fantastic rendition of the Hairspray favourite- 'You can't stop the beat'-had the audience tapping their feet and clapping along, as their smiles and energetic performance lit up the stage. Thank you to NLSDA for your support. Well done, Year 6 dancers – we are so proud of you all!

Get Involved!!!!

St. George’s Day – 23rd April

On Wednesday, 23rd April, we will be celebrating St. George’s Day, a day dedicated to England’s patron saint. St. George is remembered for his bravery, faith, and courage, with the famous legend of him defeating a dragon symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. His story continues to inspire people today.

To mark the occasion, children are invited to wear red and white—the colours of the St. George’s Cross—or, if they belong to groups such as Rainbows, Brownies, Cubs, or Scouts, they are welcome to wear their uniforms.

We look forward to celebrating this special day together.

Mini Marathon Opportunity ??

We are delighted to announce that St Michael’s will once again be participating in the TCS Mini London Marathon this year.

We have secured 25 places for the 1-mile run for children in Reception to Year 3, and 15 places for the 2.6 km distance for Years 4 to 6, which will take place on Saturday, 26th April 2025.

The exact start time will be confirmed in the coming weeks, but for reference, last year our start time was 11:50am.

The Mini London Marathon is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to run, jog, walk, or wheel in the heart of the capital. Every finisher will cross the iconic London Marathon Finish Line, receive a medal, and earn £10 for the school to spend on PE equipment.

A Google Form will be sent out Today for parents to express interest. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and by signing up, you are committing to taking part in this event.

More details to follow. Please note that this is an out-of-school event.

Smartphone-Free Childhood Workshop

On Monday, 17th March, we had the privilege of hosting Nova Eden for her Smartphone-Free Childhood workshop for parents. The session was incredibly insightful, thought-provoking, and most importantly, non-judgmental. Nova shared some eye-opening statistics, highlighting the profound impact excessive smartphone use is having on young people today. She will be following up with a workshop for Yr 5 and 6 children on Thursday 24^th April.

It’s important to note that Nova is not anti-technology; rather, she sheds light on the challenges of modern childhood and how we can navigate them thoughtfully. We strongly encourage all parents to engage with this initiative. Many local authorities have already supported the project borough-wide, recognising its importance.

St Michael’s is proud to support this movement, and we encourage our school community to take part. Here’s the direct link for St Michael’s parents to sign the Smartphone-Free Childhood Parent Pact—which encourages families to wait until age 14 for smartphones and 16 for social media. After Nova’s talk, 40 families from our school have already signed up—fantastic news!