Well done another fantastic week has passed us by!:

Another fabulous week together at St Matthew's, and I am delighted to share some wonderful celebrations with you all. I never take for granted the wonderful achievements and events that take place at our school and as always, thank you for all of your support. This week, it had a sporty and mathematical feel to it. Let’s see why!

On Wednesday afternoon, a group of our children represented the school at Victoria Park Juniors in a football tournament for the North Trafford Primary Schools. We went with such high expectations, knowing that other schools had much bigger teams to rely on and did not phase us, even though being in such a small school means our children have much more work to do with fewer players to call upon. Mr Glinka and Miss Bradburn asked the boys to simply believe in themselves, enjoy the experience and respect the other schools. This year, we had a real chance of winning the league, as we were in second place on the table. We won all of our matches but sadly so did Gorse Hill Primary, which meant they had won the league and we came in a very close second place! 

It was an impressive team effort, with the children playing strategically throughout. I am so proud of how the boys played and how well they managed themselves throughout, coming a very close second is never an easy one to take but you all did it, showing great sportsman ship! Well done to Finley, Blake, Mason M, Mayson, Laithe and Rio from Year 6  and Bobby and Jacob in Year 5– your performance was outstanding and you should be incredibly proud of what you achieved this year. A huge thank you also goes to Mr Glinka and Miss Bradburn for organising this event and ensuring our children had the best possible preparation.

Year 6 Transition

On Thursday, our Year 6 children had a visit from a School Nurse Team who delivered a session on Transition. This service has been offered to Year 6 children across all Trafford Primary schools, and exploring the impact of Transition as we prepare our children for the changes that they face as they prepare to leave us and move onto Year 7 and start their adventures in higher education. Transitioning from primary to secondary school is a landmark step in a child’s journey towards maturity and independence. In addition, moving from a smaller school like St Matthew’s, where everyone knows each other, to a larger environment in which children are taught by several different teachers and in several different rooms can also bring its challenges.

These sessions are so important and over the next few months we believe that it is important to prepare children carefully for these changes. To ensure that they have the best chance of making a smooth and confident transition. In upper Key Stage 2 (Year 5 and 6), the children are encouraged to become much more self-reliant in their learning, to think about how to organise their learning and manage their time. We teach them how to research, how to evaluate their work and to identify the next steps in their learning journey. This helps them to prepare for the greater demands for independent learning and of managing their time that secondary school makes.

Timetables Rockstar Day

On Friday,  we celebrated our Mathematical sides, with Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) Day which is designed to make learning multiplication fun and high-energy. These days are often filled with activities that turn maths into a celebration, helping our children build confidence and fluency in their skills. This year we had so many epic  costumes;:so many of our staff and children came to "rock up" in outfits complete with wigs, inflatable guitars, microphones and face paint.

It was an absolute blast! Times Tables Rock Stars Day turned the whole school into a high-energy concert venue where math was the headlining act. From the moment the "rockstars" walked through the gates, the atmosphere was electric.

Here is a recap of why the day was such a hit for everyone involved:

🎸 The Atmosphere was Electric

The playground looked more like a festival than a school. Seeing everyone—from the youngest children to the headteacher—decked out in leather jackets, neon wigs, and face paint set a tone of pure fun. It wasn’t just about the maths; it was about the shared excitement of being part of a "band."

⚡ The Thrill of the Battle

The Battle of the Bands was easily the highlight. The classrooms were buzzing with the sound of tapping screens and clicking mice as children raced to boost their class scores. That friendly competition set by Mrs Cropper brought out a level of focus and determination that was incredible to see. Even those who usually find maths a bit tricky were swept up in the mission to help their team win.

🏆 Personal Bests and "Rock Status"

There were cheers echoing around the courtyard every time someone reached a new Rock Status. Whether it was someone finally becoming a "Rock Legend" or a beginner hitting their first "Gigger" milestone, the sense of personal achievement was huge. The look of pride on children' faces when they beat their own high score was the best part of the day.

🧠 Stealth Learning

While it felt like one big party, the amount of learning that happened was massive. By the end of the day, multiplication facts that used to be a struggle were being recalled in seconds. Everyone left with more confidence, a few sore "air guitar" muscles, and a brand new appreciation for how exciting math can be.

It was a day where every child felt like a star, proving that with the right rhythm, anyone can master their tables! Thank you so much for your support in making this day such a huge success with their fantastic costumes.

Attendance 

We had the best start to Summer 1, even with many children still on holiday after half term break. Well done everyone for this continued effort! Our children in Year 6 will be sitting their SATS on the week beginning 11th May, it is so important that they are in school every day! Our goal is to get all of our classes to 97-100%, and together, we can achieve this and beat the national figures. Come on St Matthew’s we can do this! 

Class	%
Nursery	98
Reception	95
Year 1	96
Year 2	98
Year 3	97
Year 4	97
Year 5	94
Year 6	92

House Point Success

 In our house news, Mandela won our houses again in assembly this morning. We love the way Mandela work together and let their light shine as they are absolutely smashing it week after week. However, the other houses are catching up and their real focus and teamwork from the other houses to catch up, but we know that working together is what makes the difference.

Malala

3692

Mandela

4180

Pankhurst

4091

Turing

4114

 

Rev. Kate’s final week with us

This will be Rev Kate’s final week with us. After 16 Years service to St Matthew’s we want to ensure we let her know how grateful we are for all she has achieved and led at St Matthew’s CE Primary. If you have any messages you would like to add to our whole school scrap book, please see the office as soon as possible. We cannot take any notes after Thursday of this week!

Events coming up!

 

Hope you have all had a fantastic bank holiday weekend with your loved ones! 

Miss Lynton

 

Amazing Attendance at the start of Summer 1, St Matthew's! :

Apologise for the delay in this news, unfortunately it has been sat in pending and I have only spotted it this morning! 

What a week we have had! As I sit down to write this, my heart is absolutely bursting with pride and gratitude for everything that is happening within our school walls. There is so much to celebrate, and I genuinely cannot wait to share it all with you.

Attendance – Starting off with some fantastic news!

This week we achieved our best ever attendance, which is truly something to celebrate. Four of our classes reached 100% attendance – Rising Threes (Woodlands), Reception, Willow and Year 3 – and this is a fantastic achievement that reflects the commitment of families across these year groups. Attendance really does matter, and when children are in school every single day, they are able to access all the learning opportunities we have carefully planned for them. Well done to everyone in these classes and their families.

Week beginning 20.4.2026

Class	%
Nursery	100
Reception	100
Year 1	91
Year 2	100
Year 3	100
Year 4	99
Year 5	96
Year 6	91

We regularly review our attendance online with the DFE. It may help for you to see this too as families. Below is the Autumn Term 20-26 compared to Autumn 24-25 and we can see some real improvement. Every percentage matters as it means more children are safe and in school learning! Your support with this really matters too, we cannot do this on our own.

Below is the Autumn 2025 Term Data:

Let’s make sure we continue to build on our baseline improvements and reach National Average. We have worked so hard to show the DFE how we can shine so brightly together! Most importantly, let keep fighting to get our attendance above Trafford. We know we can improve our data is showing that week after week, let's make that improvement so big we get a letter of recognition for it! 

Our expectations really have to rise at the top end of school!

However, I must also address a concern that continues to weigh on my mind. Our Year 6 attendance data, continues to be a serious concern. Their attendance has fallen below 90% some weeks and with the children now having just over three weeks until they sit their National Tests, this is incredibly worrying. The SATS tests are an important milestone in their primary school journey, and to give our Year 6 children the very best possible chance of success, they simply need to be in school every single day. Every absence means missed learning, missed revision time, and missed opportunities to consolidate the skills, gain confidence and the knowledge they will need. I know that some children and families in Year 6 do have 100% attendance, and I am grateful for their commitment and also feel for the children in this year group who raise that it can feel unfair, when they attend every day. To those families where attendance has dipped, I would urge you to prioritise getting your child into school each and every day between now and the tests. Additionally, being late can also hugely impact on our data, so please do make sure that all children arrive on time. Thank you for your understanding and support with this, it is something we are working incredibly hard on.  

Things to celebrate!

I was absolutely delighted to celebrate two very special children in our assembly on Friday. Max Year 2 and Buruk in Year One have been impressing Miss Simester with their phonics knowledge, and I am thrilled to tell you that our phonics results are the strongest they have ever been. Both boys have made significant progress and, in Max's own words, said they are 'Smashing it'! We are incredibly proud of this special achievement, and I want to take a moment to recognise the time and effort that their families have invested in supporting them at home. It really does help us at school! Parents as partners really is the best way of moving our whole school forward, and Max and Burak are shining examples of what can be achieved when home and school work together. Both boys have let their lights shine so brightly, they could light up the whole of Stretford!

We also celebrated Angel's remarkable achievements in dance. Angel has become quite a regular visitor to our celebration assembly, and this week she shared two certificates and a sash with us, telling us all about what she had to do in her dance show to earn both of these wonderful rewards. We are so incredibly proud of Angel here at St Matthew's and her special achievements in dance. Who knows – one day in the future we might just get to see her on Broadway! Angel is definitely letting her light shine, and we are so pleased to celebrate her success with her.

Cake Sale Success!

I would also like to take this opportunity to celebrate Georgina in Year 5, who held a fantastic cake sale on her drive last Sunday during the Manchester Marathon. Georgina's generosity and entrepreneurial spirit resulted in raising a phenomenal amount of money – over £86 – and she has very kindly donated all of this to school. I would also like to extend my thanks to Caris, who helped sell the cakes on the day. We have decided to put Georgina's donation towards some new signage in the school, and we will ensure that Caris and Georgina's name are added to this sign so that their achievements and generosity are celebrated for years to come. This is a wonderful example of our school community coming together and making a real difference.

On another positive note, I am delighted to report on the fantastic progress we have made with our School Streets initiative. We have seen incredible support from families who are attending with their children to help block the road at the school street closure times, and many families are now parking well away from school, which is exactly what we hoped to see. A huge thank you must go to Arrow and his family for setting this up on Friday afternoon – their commitment to this additional safety aspect of our school has been instrumental in its success.

If you have not already done so and would like to help support School Streets, there are two ways you can get involved. You can sign up for either the morning or afternoon shifts on the barrier by popping into the office – we would love to have more volunteers. Additionally, we would ask that all families continue to park well away from the corner of Elm Drive that joins Poplar Road, as it is not safe for children to be dropped off or collected from this location.

Reverend Kate is Retiring 

Reverend Kate Burgess, known as Reverend Kate by the whole of the St Matthew’s school family. Is the Rector of St Matthew’s Church and as such has had the privilege of automatically being a Foundation Governor at St Matthew’s. She has been Rector and Governor for around 16 years since I moved to Stretford in 2010. I have to say, Reverend Kate has worked incredibly hard over the years at St Matthew's. It is a great privilege to have someone so passionate about St Matthew’s School and making it the best it can be. Her weekly assembilies have been a constant source of light and faith for our children. She has always ensured that the children in her care were given the best education and the best opportunities to grow, develop and make wise choices in the safest environment of our school family, so that they can live out our school values and be positive role models and inspiring members of our community. Reverend Kate has been the strong link between St Matthew’s School and Church we are so thankful to her for leading a weekly assembly, listening to children read and welcoming the school family into Church for special services and events throughout the year. On 12th May her term of Office at St Matthew's will end as she retires, she will be missed by so many of us at St Mattthew's!

Over the next two weeks the children will be preparing a scrap book of artwork and memories for Reverend Kate as she retires. Year One have been the first to complete this and their drawings are fantastic! If you would like to add a message to the scrapbook, please hand your message in at the office. 

Thank you all for your continued support of St Matthew's. It is the commitment and dedication of our families that helps us to thrive as a school community.

Have a fantastic weekend and stay safe.

Miss Lynton

Another action packed week, St Matthew's! :

What a week it has been! As I sit down to write this piece, I'm filled with such gratitude for the incredible team we have here at St Matthew's CE. I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge just how exceptional our staff and supply staff have been, particularly over these past few days.

We've navigated an extremely busy week, and if I'm being honest, it's been one of those stretches where everything seems to happen at once. What's made all the difference is the unwavering commitment and flexibility of our team. Right now, we're managing with a significant number of our regular staff absent, which means those who are here have had to go above and beyond in ways that don't always get the recognition they deserve. Whether it's covering classes, supporting colleagues, or simply maintaining the warm, nurturing environment that makes St Matthew's special, they've done it all with such grace and professionalism.

Supply staff deserve a particular mention too. They've stepped in offering support, often with little notice, and have become such an integral part of keeping our school running smoothly. They've brought energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine care for our children, and we're truly grateful for their contribution during this demanding period.

It's at times like these that you really see the heart of a school. It's not just about the systems and structures we have in place – though of course those matter – it's about the people. It's about individuals who care deeply about the children in their care and who are willing to adapt and support one another when things get challenging. That's what I see every single day here at St Matthew's, and I wanted to make sure our community knows just how much that means.

Let's celebrate another wonderful week!

On Monday, we were absolutely delighted to welcome families into our hall for our Eid Arts and Crafts Event. It was such a joy to see so many of you joining us to celebrate this important occasion with our school community. The children were utterly engaged and beaming with happiness, and it was a beautiful opportunity to share in the traditions and customs that are so meaningful to our families. In EYFS, our youngest learners had a particularly memorable experience as they learned about using prayer mats, dressed in traditional clothes and jewellery, and immersed themselves in the celebration of Eid. I must take a moment to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to our staff who so kindly provided all of the snacks and treats on the day. This generous gesture ensured that every child had the full experience of the celebration and really brought the day to life. These moments of cultural celebration are truly at the heart of what we do at St Matthew's, and it is wonderful to see our community coming together to honour and learn from one another.

On Tuesday, our Year 6 children took centre stage as we held our Parents as Partners event. This is always such a special occasion in the school calendar, giving parents and carers the opportunity to step into their child's learning environment and experience what a typical day looks like in Year 6. Ms Charles had thoughtfully prepared a variety of activities that we use at this time of year to help support the children's understanding of the types of questions they may encounter in their upcoming SATS assessments. What I particularly loved about this event was seeing the children confidently and proudly share how they learn with their grown-ups, demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the strategies and approaches we use in the classroom. The children then treated their parents to tea and biscuits – such a lovely touch that showed their genuine appreciation for their families taking the time to be part of their learning journey. These partnerships between home and school are so valuable, and events like this really strengthen the bonds between us all.

On Thursday morning, Class Willows and Year 4 delivered a fantastic Easter performance in St Matthew's Church. The children shared their performance with parents, carers, and children from Years 5 and 6, and it was truly a special and moving occasion. The children demonstrated remarkable confidence as they sang and acted their way through the performance, delivering their lines with such assurance, joy, and genuine warmth. It was wonderful to see them shine so brightly, and you could feel the pride and love radiating from everyone who was there to support them.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mrs Gilani, Mr Wilkes, and Mrs Kavanagh for their outstanding and dedicated leadership of the rehearsals with the children in school. The time, dedication, care, and passion they invested in preparing the children for this performance was evident in every moment on stage. I would also like to thank our EYFS and Year 1 team for pulling together the outfits and costumes that helped bring the performance to life. These behind-the-scenes efforts are so important and often go unnoticed, but they make such a difference to the children's experience, confidence, and happiness.

Most importantly, a huge well done to the children themselves – you were absolutely brilliant! Your hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment to the performance was truly inspiring. Thank you also to everyone who came to watch and support the children. The presence of our families and the wider school community means so very much to our learners, and it is wonderful to see you celebrating their achievements alongside them. As Miss Tyrer said yesterday, Lillie beautifully expressed at the close of our performance that we hope you all have a wonderful Easter when it arrives!

We are so proud of the achievements of our children, both in the classroom and in special events like. these. Whether it is children earning their Star of the Week awards or achieving special accomplishments at home, every child has something to celebrate. These moments, big and small, are what make St Matthew's such a truly special place to learn and grow.

House Points

Malala

3458

Mandela

4207

Pankhurst

3827

Turing

3988

I'm delighted to offer another huge congratulations to Mandela House for winning this week's house points – and for an impressive few weeks in a row! The team spirit across our school community is absolutely amazing, and it's wonderful to see such positive competition bringing everyone together.

Attendance

This week has been the lowest in terms of attendance. I cannot express enough how important it is that the children are in school every day! Please support our school family by making sure your child is in school and on time every day.

A huge well done goes to Year 1 class as they worked so hard to improve their attendance. As you all know, the goal is to get our classes to 97% - 100%, as you can see, we have had no classes meet this week ☹

Come on St Matthew’s, let’s see if we can get all classes to 97%, that would be just amazing!

 

StretFest -Bringing the spring love to Stretford 

This weekend is Stretfest! Please see the following link for all the planned events and activities taking place in Stretford this weekend. There's day and night activities planned including music, culture and community across different venues and spaces. https://thestretfest.co.uk/#schedule 

Looking forward to next week

Now, I'm delighted to share something much more fun and creative! Our Easter Egg Decorating Competition is opening on Monday, and I couldn't be more excited about it. This is such a wonderful opportunity for our children to let their imaginations run wild and get creative as we approach the Easter holidays.

Whether your child is thinking of a traditional, beautifully decorated Easter egg or something completely wild and imaginative, we want to see it all. There's something really special about this time of year when creativity flourishes, and I know our children will come up with some absolutely brilliant designs. It's the perfect activity to do at home together – a chance for families to sit down, perhaps with some paints, markers, or whatever creative materials you have to hand, and work on something together. These moments matter. They're the ones children remember.

The competition opens on Monday, so that gives everyone a few days to plan and create. We're closing entries on Wednesday at 3pm, so there's a nice window for families to get involved without it feeling rushed. I'd encourage every child in the school to have a go. It doesn't matter if you think you're artistic or not – that's not what this is about. It's about having fun, being creative, and celebrating the season together.

I do hope you'll encourage your child to participate. We'll be showcasing all the entries, and there's something really special about seeing the school community come together around these kinds of activities. It brings colour, literally and figuratively, into our school, and it gives every child a chance to shine in their own way.

As we head towards the Easter holidays soon, I'm reflecting on how important these moments of celebration and creativity are, particularly after weeks like the one we've just had. They remind us that school is about so much more than academics – though of course we're committed to that too. It's about fostering a love of learning, encouraging self-expression, and creating memories that will stay with our children long after they leave St Matthew's.

Thank you once again to every member of our staff team for their dedication and hard work. And thank you to our families for your continued support and trust in what we're doing here. It means everything.

I hope you'll join us in celebrating the creativity that's about to burst forth with our Easter Egg Decorating Competition. Get those eggs ready, gather your materials, and let's see what wonderful creations our children can come up with!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone,

Miss Lynton

Peace Matters - Our Trip to Parliament!:

What an extraordinary privilege it has been to witness our children take their passion for peace onto one of the most important stages in our country this week. On Wednesday, our Junior Peace Mala Ambassadors from Year 5 and Year 6 travelled to Parliament to lead a workshop on how we teach peace here at St Matthew's, and I can honestly say it was a day that will stay with us all for many years to come.

This remarkable opportunity would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our MP, Andrew Weston, who has been such a constant champion of our work and our values. Andrew recognised the power of what our children are doing and helped us share our peace message far beyond the walls of St Matthew's. He brought together MPs from across the country to join us for this fabulous event, including Caroline Nokes, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, and their genuine interest in what our children had to say was truly moving and for staff quite emotional at times.

Our children stood with such confidence and purpose, sharing the profound message of peace that runs through every religious scripture. They taught the visiting MPs about our Peace Mala initiative and what it means to us as a school family. With each bracelet they gifted to every MP who visited us, our children were sharing far more than a beautiful piece of jewellery. They were teaching a powerful message about treating others with love and care, about our shared humanity, and about the fundamental right that every single person has to peace. To see our young people articulate these values so eloquently, and to watch the MPs listen with such genuine attention, was deeply moving.

The children and staff were then given a tour of the Houses of Parliament, and what a tour it was! Walking through the great hall and into the House of Commons and House of Lords, seeing the very spaces where decisions are made that affect each and every one of us, brought home the significance of the day. We were then given the special privilege of visiting the King's Robing Room, seeing the many special places within Parliament where the work of governance happens with Andrew leading the tour. For our children to stand in these historic spaces and understand that their voice, their message, and their passion for peace matters, was truly special.

But the day did not end there. We celebrated the success of the event and tour with a picnic in St James's Park, where the children could reflect on all they had experienced and share their excitement with one another in glorious sunshine. The weather could not have been better! Then we walked up to Buckingham Palace, that most famous building in London, bringing our day to a close in a way that felt both joyful and fitting. What a day to remember indeed.

What strikes me most profoundly about this experience is the reminder it gives us all about the importance of the message our children were sharing. In every religious scripture, across every faith and belief system, there is a call for peace. There is a call to treat others with love and care, to recognise the dignity in every person, and to work towards a world where peace is not just an ideal but a lived reality. The importance of sharing this message has never been more vital than it is right now. Our children understood this instinctively. They did not need to be told that peace matters; they felt it, they believed it, and they were eager to share it with the most senior figures in our country. That is the spirit of St Matthew's. That is what we stand for as a school community.

I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the MPs who joined us and who took the time to listen to what our children had to say. Your presence, your attention, and your willingness to receive the peace message from our young people meant more than words can express. Thank you for recognising that our children have something important to teach us all.

To our children and staff on the day, including Mr Thornley and Ms Derrick (both fabulous parents who supported our trip), who represented St Matthew's with such grace, such enthusiasm, and such heart, I am immensely proud of you. You carried our values with you to Parliament, and you shared them with generosity and conviction and most definitely let your light shine. You have shown that age is no barrier to making a difference, and that young voices matter.

An extra special thank you must also go to Miss Bennett, from our Admin Team who organised this trip with MP Andrew Weston’s Personal Assistant. From booking our train tickets and minibuses to gathering the many things that we need to ensure a safe trip for all, such as first aid kits, risk assessments, plans and times for the day, contact details for each child in case of delays. Her planning was meticulous and to have both her and her fabulous husband give up their non-working days to ensure the trip was seamless from beginning to end was beyond kind. We cannot thank them both enough!

As we move forward, let us carry the spirit of this day with us. Let us continue to teach Peace Mala, to live peace, and to share the message that every person deserves to be treated with love and respect. Our children have shown us that this message can reach the highest levels of Government. Now it is our responsibility to ensure it continues in every corner of our school community and beyond Greater Manchester.

What a wonderful way to let our lights shine!

Another Wonderful Week has passed us by! :

What a wonderful week we have had at St Matthew's! As reflect on all that has happened, I am filled with such pride and joy at the way our school community continues to come together to celebrate, learn, and support one another.

We started the week with St Patrick's Day, and what a fantastic opportunity this provided for us to learn all about this important festival for the Irish community. The children embraced the day with enthusiasm, wearing green to mark the occasion and to feel a part of the celebrations. It was lovely to see our school so vibrant and colourful, and it reminded me of one of the things I love most about St Matthew's – our commitment to understanding and celebrating the diverse cultures and traditions that make up our wider community. These moments of shared celebration help us all to grow in empathy and respect for one another.

St Matthew's Peace Keepers

I must take a moment to share something truly remarkable that happened this week. Our Junior Peace Mala Ambassadors travelled to London to hold a workshop on the importance of the Peace Mala with Members of Parliament in the Houses of Parliament. I cannot tell you how incredibly proud I am of these children. They demonstrated such courage, passion, and eloquence in sharing their message about peace with such important figures. What struck me most was that these children understood something really significant – that no matter your age and size, if your message is an important one, people will listen. This is such a powerful lesson for all of us. Our Peace Mala Ambassadors have shown that young voices matter, and that when we have something meaningful to say about making our world a better place, we have the power to be heard. They are an absolute credit to themselves, their families, and St Matthew's.

Easter Preparation

Behind the scenes, our Willow class and Year 4 have been working incredibly hard rehearsing the Easter Story as we prepare for our performance at Church next week. The dedication and commitment shown by these children has been wonderful to witness. There is something quite special about watching children bring a story to life through drama and performance, and I know that our Church performance is going to be a truly memorable occasion. I do hope you will be able to join us to celebrate their hard work and talent.

Supporting Kickstart

This week we also supported Kick Starts' fundraising Cake Sale for Red Nose Day. It was heartwarming to see our school community come together to support such an important cause. Whether it was through baking, buying, or simply spreading the word, everyone played a part in making a difference. These are the moments that remind me why our school is so special – we don't just focus on academic achievement, important as that is, but we also nurture in our children a sense of responsibility and compassion towards others.

As I always say, our children let their lights shine. This week has been no exception. Whether it has been through their enthusiasm for learning about different cultures, their bravery in standing up for what they believe in, their dedication to rehearsing for our Easter performance, or their generosity in supporting charitable causes – every single child in this school has something special to offer. I am constantly amazed by their resilience, their kindness, and their willingness to embrace new experiences and challenges

Star of the Week

As always, we look forward to hearing all about the special achievements of our children in our Star of the Week Assembly. Listening to each of our wonderful teachers speak so highly of a child in their class, who has let their light shine so brightly it has impacted on everyone’s week, is why this assembly is the best way to end the week! Please see the attached table to see which children have been awarded this special recognition this week.

House Points

Malala

3399

Mandela

4121

Pankhurst

3745

Turing

3969

 

I'm delighted to offer another huge congratulations to Mandela House for winning this week's house points – and for an impressive few weeks in a row! The team spirit across our school community is absolutely amazing, and it's wonderful to see such positive competition bringing everyone together.

Well done to everyone for embodying the very best of Our St Matthew's Way.

Attendance

This week has been one of our lowest in terms of attendance. I cannot express enough how important it is that the children are in school every day! Please support our school family by making sure your child is in school and on time every day.

A huge well done goes to Year 2 class as they worked so hard to improve their attendance. As you all know, the goal is to get our classes to 97% - 100%, as you can see, we have only one class reach this, this week ☹

Come on St Matthew’s, let’s see if we can get all classes to 97%, that would be just amazing!

Class	%
Nursery	95
Reception	95
Year 1	96
Year 2	97
Year 3	89
Year 4	89
Year 5	93
Year 6	91

 

Future Events

As we move forward into the final weeks of this term, there are a couple of important dates and events I would like to remind you about. We have an Eid Mubarak Arts and Crafts session after school on Monday 23rd March at 3:00pm in the main hall. This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to engage in creative activities whilst learning about and celebrating the festival of Eid. I do hope many of you will be able to take part.

Our Easter Performance at St Matthew's Church will take place on Thursday 26th March at 9:45am. This is always such a special occasion in our calendar, and I would love to see as many of you there as possible to support our children and celebrate the hard work they have put in.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of St Matthew's. It is through working together as a community that we create such a positive and nurturing environment for our children to learn and grow.

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School reopens on Monday 8th June

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School reopens for children on Wednesday 2nd September