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Tag: Chipping Norton Music Festival

Headteacher’s Newsletter – 20th March 2026

Dear Parents/carers,

iRock Children Raise the Roof!

What an incredible morning we had at the iRock concert! Our talented students showcased their musical abilities, bringing the school community together in a celebration of creativity. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the sounds of various bands performing a delightful mix of genres. Our children truly raised the roof!

Music Festival Winners

We are thrilled to announce that our Year 4 students have won the prestigious Catherine Harrison memorial award for Speech and Drama. This accolade recognises their hard work and talent in the performing arts. The competition was fierce, and our students stood out with their exceptional performances.

One pupil shared, “Winning this award made me feel like a real actor!” This recognition reflects our school’s commitment to fostering determination across all areas of learning. These experiences build resilience and show hard work can bring good rewards.

Holiday Club at The Treehouse

This is now open! If you would like your child to attend but may need support financially, we may be able to help you with this. Contact the school office for support.

Multi-skills

Year 2/3 worked hard on a number of activities relating to fundamental PE skills. They were exceptionally well behaved and participated brilliantly alongside children from other schools in the partnership.

Year 4 Assembly

What a fantastic assembly we had from Year 4, where students took us on an exciting journey into the world of volcanoes! Their creative presentations integrated geography and the arts, allowing them to express complex ideas engagingly. The assembly was filled with enthusiasm, and the catchy song they performed entertained while reinforcing their learning.

Students shared key points about how volcanoes are formed and their impact on the environment, impressing parents with their depth of knowledge. Assemblies like this are vital for developing public speaking skills and confidence. We encourage families to explore further topics related to volcanoes at home.

Absolutely Astounding Attendance

We are delighted to recognise our students for their outstanding attendance this term! Consistent attendance is crucial for academic success, and we commend those who have made it a priority. This commitment reflects their dedication to learning.

To celebrate this achievement, we have compiled attendance statistics highlighting impressive trends within our school community. Recognising these efforts fosters a culture of responsibility among our pupils. As we continue to promote a culture of attendance, we encourage parents to share strategies that help maintain good attendance at home.

Attendance

Whole school attendance this week95.25%
Class with the highest attendance this weekYear 3 – 98%
Whole school attendance (year to date)95.9%
National average94.6%

The last day of term is next Friday 27th March 2026 we finish at 2pm – After school clubs will not be running but Night Owls will be on as usual until 5pm, there will be no extra charge for the hour 2-3pm.

We return to school on Monday 13th April 2026 at 8.25am (Early birds will be open at 8am).

Have a lovely weekend and we look forward to welcoming you back on Monday.

Kind regards,

Mrs McQueen

Headteacher’s Newsletter – 21st March 2025

Dear Parents and Carers

Chipping Norton Music Festival

All our children in Years 1 to 6 took part in the Chipping Norton Music Festival this week. They performed class poems and the feedback from the judges was excellent.

CNS Multi-ball skills

Great fun was had by all children in Year 2 and Year 3 on Wednesday afternoon. As always the children were polite and really positive when playing with others.

The Branch

Parent Drop-In EVERY MONDAY MORNING 8.20am – 9.30am

Every Monday there is a Parent Drop-In, in the library run by Emma Kennedy from The Branch. If you have any questions about benefits, arrears, housing, debt support, parenting, or if you need help filling in forms please do come to reception, and you will be shown up to the library. Many families are struggling at the moment, and there is lots of help and support available that people often do not know about. Rather than have sleepless nights worrying about things, do drop in on a Monday and we will help signpost you to support for you and your family.

The Branch also runs Connect Café every Tuesday afternoon 1.00pm – 2.30pm, where you can go along for coffee, cake and craft – and there is also a help desk and Citizens Advice.

This term they also have the No Limits Programme on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. This programme provides laptops, mobile phones, Wifi and Data packages for those who need a devise to access training or employment. If you would like support with this, then please either call in on a Monday morning when you drop the children off at school or go along to Connect Café on a Tuesday at The Branch.

All appointments are confidential.

Financial news for September 2025

After sending out the recent parental survey, every parent agreed that the after-school clubs on offer were varied and great value for money. 100% of parents who responded, stated they would agree to pay more. As we manage rising costs in school, we have made the decision to increase the cost of clubs to £2 per session in September. This is still much cheaper than schools in the locality that offer clubs at an average of £5 or more per hour.

School lunches will also rise to £2.50 per meal in September 2025 (this is the first rise in several years).

Nursery in September 2025

We are now taking enquiries for nursery places in September 2025. We already have several parents interested in joining us. Please contact Mrs Taylor for further information. We will take children after their 3rd birthday.

Non-uniform day Friday 4April 2025 – wear your favourite clothes for a £1 donation to the PTA funds

Attendance

Class with overall best attendance98.08% Year 3
Overall school attendance94.20%
Unauthorised attendance1.07%

Kind regards

Mrs McQueen

st mary's school credentials