Call us: 0 1922 682583

Email us: postbox@st-francis-p.walsall.sch.uk

Parent Meetings: Tuesday 30th September

BRYNTYSILIO MEETING: 3.30pm As you know, there will be a meeting for the

parents of any pupils from Year 5 or Year 6 who would like to go to Bryntysilio in the summer.

This will take place at 3.30pm on Tuesday in the

hall.

It will be followed immediately by the: ‘TRANSFERRING TO A SECONDARY SCHOOL’

MEETING 3.45pm This is for parents of Year 6 pupils and will guide you through the Local Authority’s processes for

applying to secondary schools.

Holiday Dates 2014

School closes for the half term holiday on Friday 24th

October 2014 at 3.15pm. School re-opens for pupils on Monday 3

rd

November 2014.

Term Dates 2014/15 Mon 1

st Sept and Tues 2

nd Sept – Training Days

Weds 3rd

Sept: school re-opens for pupils Fri 24

th Oct –Fri 31

st Oct 2014 Half Term

Fri 19th

Dec 2014 – Fri 2nd

Jan 2015 Christmas Holiday Fri 13

th Feb – Fri 20th Feb 2015 Half Term

Fri 27th

Mar –Fri 10th

Apr 2015 Easter Holiday Mon 4

th May 2015 Bank Holiday

Fri 23rd

May – Fri 29th

May 2015 Half Term

School closes for Summer Holiday - Mon 20 Jul 2015.

26th September 2014

Diary Dates

PARENTS’ DROP IN EVENING – Thursday 23rd

October 3.45 – 5.15 pm

YEAR 4/Rec/Nursery MASS – Thursday 2nd October

1.30 pm

YEAR 6 – Vocations Mass Tues 7th October 1.30 pm

Holy Cross Church.

YEAR 1 – Audiology Visit Wed 8th October 1.30 pm

Letters to follow

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS – Wed 15th Oct 1.15 pm

Message from the Acting Head Teacher

Free School Meals

As you know, a new system has come into effect nationally and all children in Key Stage 1 now get free school meals.

An unfortunate side-effect of this might be that parents

who would have applied for free school meals previously, might no longer feel the need to do this – since they get

free school meals anyway now.

This is unfortunate because the school still has a duty to provide extra support for children who are on the free

school meals register, so that they can begin to achieve as well as other children.

If those who are entitled to this status do not claim it, then

the children lose out and school funding is reduced.

As a result, it is crucial that everyone across the whole school who is entitled to FSM take care to claim this.

In that way, everyone benefits and people get their full

entitlements.

If you are entitled to this benefit, we warmly encourage you to claim it as soon as possible.

Thank you for your on-going support.

PLEASE SEE OVER

NUT ALLERGIES

As you know, St Francis is a nut-free school. We must stick to this fully because of the severity of the

allergy of one child, and the allergies of a small group of other children.

If anyone brings a nut-based product into school

and is in contact with the child who suffers from the extreme allergy, this child could become very ill

indeed.

Please read the letter that I sent you about nut allergies this week: it gives more details and

explains why we must maintain a nut-free site.

Thank you for your on-going patience as we protect and safeguard our children.

MULTI SKILLS

We still have spaces for Multi Skills after school every

Wednesday from 3.15 – 4.15pm - £2.50 per session.

Please ask at School Office for more details.

Junior Leadership Team Jemimah Hatooho (Year 5), Religious

Education Leader, advertised, short-listed,

and interviewed for her new team this week.

The ‘Liturgy Group’ is a sub-committee of the

JLT, and will form a decision-making and

active team that promotes all aspects of

Catholic Life at the school.

Four pupils were interviewed on Wednesday

and all were successful:

Alexia Ayyamala

Keira Carless

Lacey Price

Sam Whittern

Sam was also appointed to the post of

Deputy Religious Education Leader this week,

and he will lead any meetings if Jemimah is

away from school.

All of the pupils, above, will have specific

duties and responsibilities, based on their

interests and areas of expertise.

Jemimah’s interviewing skills are exemplary.

SCHOOL FUND/BUILDINGS FUND

School fund of £5 per family is now

payable at the School Office. If you have a

child in the Early Years then it is £5 per

term (£15 in total). This enables us to

support the curriculum with extra

resources for all the children.

Governors’ Building Fund contributions of

£20 per family are also due. Envelopes are

available from the School Office. As a

Catholic voluntary aided school, any

building projects/improvements are

funded through the Birmingham Diocese

and not the Local Authority. This money

has enabled us to refurbish the roof,

improve the verandah area, new kitchen

flooring, resources and new dining tables.

We need your help to fund our 10%

contribution.

TOAST

Thank you to the parents who have kindly

volunteered every morning to help with

the toast. We very much appreciate their

help and support.

HARVEST MASS

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful response to our

Harvest Mass collection on Wednesday. Over 200 items

of food have been donated and will be sent today to the

Thomas Project in Aldridge.