St Andrew's CofE School and Nursery Parent Portal

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Celebrating Success and Achievement

Today’s assembly was a wonderful celebration of the many accomplishments across our school. Pupils from every class were recognised for their effort, enthusiasm and dedication to their learning.

We would also like to extend a special congratulations to those children who have achieved their Platinum Times Table Award and reached 500 Class Dojo points.

Our weekly assemblies continue to shine a light on the wide range of talents within our school community. It is always a pleasure to hear how pupils demonstrate our school values, not only in the classroom but also through opportunities beyond school, including activities such as karate, swimming and chess.

This week, alongside our usual certificates, we were delighted to celebrate our Year 4 pupils who submitted poems to Young Writers. Some of their work has been selected for publication in the book I Have a Dream – Imagination Station, which is a fantastic achievement.

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A Phenomenal Performance: Bringing Bible Stories to Life

The recent visit from The Saltmine Theatre Company to St Andrew’s CE School was a truly phenomenal experience for all involved. From beginning to end, the performance was captivating, bringing well-known Bible stories to life in a way that immediately engaged and inspired the children.

Through a dynamic blend of acting, storytelling and lively songs, the team created an interactive atmosphere that encouraged pupils to participate and connect with the messages being shared. The energy and creativity of the performers shone throughout, ensuring that every child was fully involved and thoroughly entertained.

This visit provided a valuable opportunity to deepen the children’s understanding of key biblical themes in a memorable and meaningful way. We are extremely grateful to The Saltmine Theatre Company for delivering such a high-quality and uplifting experience for our school community.

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A Fond Farewell to Mrs Simpson

At the end of the Easter term, we said a heartfelt goodbye to Mrs Simpson, who left St Andrew’s after nearly ten years of dedicated service to our school community.

Throughout her time with us, Mrs Simpson made a lasting impact on both pupils and staff alike. Her commitment, warmth and enthusiasm have been greatly valued, and she will be deeply missed by everyone at St Andrew’s.

While we are sad to see her go, we are delighted to know that she is thoroughly enjoying her new role in outdoor teaching. This exciting opportunity is a wonderful next step, and we have no doubt she will continue to inspire and make a difference in her new setting.

We thank Mrs Simpson for all she has contributed over the years and wish her every happiness and success in this new chapter.

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Value Champion Tea Party

Last week, we were delighted to celebrate our Values Champions with a special Tea Party. This was a wonderful opportunity to recognise those pupils and staff who consistently demonstrate forgiveness in their daily actions, whether that’s showing kindness, letting go of disagreements, or offering others a fresh start.

The children enjoyed a well-deserved treat of hot chocolate, biscuits, and ice lollies, creating a relaxed and joyful atmosphere where they could celebrate together. It was lovely to see so many smiling faces and to hear the children chatting proudly about how they try to live out this important value.

We are incredibly proud of our Values Champions. Their ability to show forgiveness helps to create a caring, respectful, and supportive school community for everyone. This tea party was a small token of our appreciation for the big difference they make every day.

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This Week in Pears

In the forest this week, the children had a wonderful time digging and exploring the natural environment. They confidently used a range of real gardening tools, including spades, shovels, trowels and forks, to support their digging. The ground was very hard and dry, so the children discussed what might help and decided to add water to soften the soil. They worked together to pour water onto the earth and noticed how this changed its texture, making it easier to dig. The children also used wheelbarrows to transport the soil to different areas, showing great physical effort, coordination and teamwork. This experience supported their problem‑solving skills, physical development and understanding of cause and effect, as well as encouraging cooperation and perseverance.

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This Week in Apples

This week in Apples, our focus text has been Sam Plants a Sunflower. The children have been learning all about sunflowers and how they grow.

On Monday, we enjoyed a sunny Forest School session, where the children took part in a fun outdoor activity, searching the forest to find ten hidden sunflowers. Back in the classroom, the children have engaged enthusiastically in a range of creative tasks. They used bubble wrap and recycled materials such as cardboard tubes to print sunflower patterns with paint, and also explored a variety of loose parts to create their own sunflower collages.

Well done to Apples for their enthusiasm and creativity this week.

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Forest School Fun: Viking Flatbread Adventure

On Thursday last week, 4ET enjoyed an afternoon in the Forest. They did some outdoor cooking, making Viking flatbreads linked to this term's topic of Viking Invaders! The children also enjoyed measuring and mixing the ingredients before rolling and cooking them on the fire! Harrison said his favourite part was rolling the dough!

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