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Important Note:
This is a text and image only webpage that can be used to easily translate important updates for those whose first language is not English.
Weekly Newsletter - 12th December 2025
“Excellent attendance is vital for children to flourish and achieve”
Something Mrs Wainwright has enjoyed this week was watching all the concerts and performances. We work hard to provide the best education we can at St Bart’s but we also want our children to explore different experiences and develop their talents and passions. Hopefully we have some future musicians, actors or singers within our school. I’m sure we do! A big thank you who came to support your children and cheer them on.
Worship – The children have been looking at Advent in worship this week in their classes.
The Worship Council reflected on our Big Question of this half term, ‘Do friends need to be trustworthy all the time?’ They agreed that friends are people we trust but sometimes they can make mistakes and we need to try to forgive them.
REMINDERS:
- After School Club - If you use after school club your child’s place maybe withdrawn and given to someone on the waiting list if they are regularly late for school or have unauthorised absences and holidays.
- On Friday the 19th of December we will be having our school Christmas dinner and we are allowing the children to wear non-uniform including their Christmas outfits. If your child usually has packed lunch, see the office by the end of Monday to order one.
- Staff Gifts – It is very kind of parents and children who want to buy their teachers a gift, though not necessary! However please be aware that we cannot accept cash or gift vouchers. All we want is for the children to enjoy their break from school and to stay safe.
- Christmas Raffle - Tickets are on sale for our raffle until the morning of Friday the 19th and we draw the winners in the afternoon. If your child has a winning ticket and there will be many they get to choose of one of the prizes.
We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the CRED Anti-Racist School Award – Bronze Status. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to promoting equality, celebrating diversity, and fostering an inclusive environment for all members of our school community.
Free School Meals – Children are all automatically entitled to a free school meal from Reception to Year 2. However, the sooner you apply for free school meals the better for you and for school. For example, children would be eligible for free milk from year 1, you may qualify for free play scheme places if the scheme is one which is funded through the government. For school it means we can access more funding to support children in school as it is one of the main ways the government allocates money to schools.
You can apply for free school meals as soon as your children come to school and we can help with this. If your older children receive free school meals or you think you may be entitled speak to Mrs Busby and she will be able to advise you. We really need your support with this. Thank you
Nursery Places – We have Nursery places available, if you have a child who is currently 3 years old or turning 3 between now and July 2026, please register them at the office in advance and we will contact you nearer the time they turn 3. If you need any further information, please see Mrs Drake.
Starting Primary School 2026 – Is your child due to start primary school in September 2026 if so you must Apply Now! Applications are open for Reception places to start in September 2026. You can apply online until Thursday 15th January 2026. If you need any help with applying, please see Mrs Drake. Please note that you must apply even if your child is attending our Nursery.
Milk - We will be providing children in Years 1-6 with the opportunity to have milk in school for the Winter term. Nursery and Reception children already receive it free of charge. For children entitled to benefit related free school meals this will be free but you must still complete a form for the winter term requesting this for your child, for all others it must be ordered and paid for in advance for the term. The cost for the winter term will be £18.00. Forms can be collected from the office from Monday 8th December. All forms must be completed and returned to the office by Monday 15th December. Payments can be made by ParentPay or card at the office, if you would like to pay by ParentPay, please call or message the office to let us know then we can add it to your account. We cannot accept late payments, as we need to order the milk in advance. Once this has been paid, we cannot provide refunds.
Attendance
We expect all children to be in school every day and on time. 8.30am for nursery, 12.30pm in the afternoon and by 8.50am for the rest of school. Thank you
Last week’s attendance (1st December – 5th December)
- Nursery: 85.9%
- Reception: 91.8%
- Years 1 to 6: 93.5%
Attendance Winners for last week:
- KS1 – Class 6 – 97.1%
- Years 3 & 4 – Class 9 – 97%
- Years 5 & 6 – Class 14 – 98.1%
Weekly Round Up
Nursery –This week we have had some unexpected visitors in our Nursery. When we opened the doors to our groups, we found a mess of flour and crumbled biscuits on the floor. Later we found out that the mess had been left by gingerbread men that ran away from our bakery. The children were really excited about the visitors and loved making little gingerbread men. We have opened little bakery too and the children really enjoyed being the baker and selling cookies, cakes and bread. Our story of the week has been 'The gingerbread man'. On Wednesday we had our Nativity. The children have sung beautifully and we are very proud of them. Thank you to all the adults who joined our concert.
Reception - This week in Reception we have been listening to the story The Christmas Pine. We have talked about how a long time ago Norway began a tradition of sending a pine tree to stand in Trafalgar Square in London. We have enjoyed decorating our class tree and drawn our own Christmas trees with baubles, lights and tinsel. We have been really busy this week making cards and calendars and Christmas decorations and are looking forward to sharing them with our families next week. All the teachers are so proud of the children for their amazing Christmas performance on Monday. It took such bravery to stand on stage, say lines, dance and sing! We are looking forward to our party next week.
Year 1 & 2- Thank you to all the families that came to watch our Christmas performance - it was fantastic to see you all there. This week has been very busy with lots of exciting activities happening. Class 4 had a fantastic time at their treasure hunt on Wednesday where they used their orienteering skills and enjoyed a warm hot chocolate as a treat for doing so well. The children have worked very hard designing and constructing in Design Technology this week. Year 1 have made moving picture books in the style of Axel Sheffler. They have constructed moving parts using levers and pivots.
In Year 2 the children have started to design and construct their own castles. They have looked at the architect Joseph Paxton from the Victorian era and evaluated his work. They have looked at the different 3D shapes required to build their castles and thought about ways to join sections together.
Year 3 & 4 –Year 3 - This week, in English, we have been writing our own fact files about Mary Anning, including all the knowledge we have about her life. In DT, we have been putting the finishing touches to our photo frames. In Science lessons, we have been learning about the fossilisation process, which builds on our existing knowledge from our trip to the coal mining museum. We have also looked at ways to help people if they were being bullied in PSHE.
Year 4 - This week, we have enjoyed putting the final steps into our light houses in DT, including adding the circuits. We have enjoyed playing rugby in PE and have been writing diaries in English lessons. In PSHE we have looked at ways to be kind to others, including at celebration times like Christmas or Eid.
It is Year 3 and 4's party afternoon next Thursday. Children are free to wear Christmas clothing, or their own clothes for the day.
Year 5 & 6 – Lessons - Click on the following links below to catch-up on the latest news in Years 5 & 6:
https://www.st-bartholomews.leeds.sch.uk/blog/category/year-5
https://www.st-bartholomews.leeds.sch.uk/blog/category/year-6
Swimming - The last swimming lessons of this term have taken place.
Please note: there will be no swimming lessons next week (Week beginning 15th December). Swimming lessons will resume in the second week of the Spring Term (week beginning 12th January). Thank you to all the children for their fantastic efforts in the pool this term!
Year 6 SATs Week - Year 6 SATs week will begin on Monday 11th May 2025. It is vital that all children in Year 6 attend school that week. The test timetable will be as follows:
- Monday 11th May: Grammar, punctuation & spelling
- Tuesday 12th May: Reading
- Wednesday 13th May: Arithmetic & Reasoning
- Thursday 14th May: Reasoning
The Deep - We will be visiting The Deep in January and letters will be handed out on Monday.
The Deep Trip dates:
- Thursday 15th January – Class 15
- Monday 19th January – Class 16
- Thursday 22nd January – Class 13
- Monday 26th January – Class 12
- Thursday 29th January – Class 14
School Dates 2025 -2026:
- Monday 15th December 2025 Reception Christmas Party
- Tuesday 16th December 2025 Years 1 & 2 Christmas Party
- Wednesday 17th December 2025 Nursery Christmas Party
- Thursday 18th December 2025 Years 3 & 4 Christmas Party
- Thursday 18th December 2025 Years 5 & 6 Christmas Party
- Friday 19th December 2025 School Closes at 3.30pm
- Monday 5th January 2026 School Opens at 8.30am
- Tuesday 3rd February 2025 Year 2 -Classes 5 and 6 Great Fire of London Workshops
- Friday 13th February 2026 School Closes at 3.30pm
- Monday 23rd February 2026 School Opens at 8.30am
- Friday 20th March 2026 Training Day – No Children in School
- Wednesday 1st April 2025 Year 1 farm visits
- Thursday 2nd April 2025 Year 1 farm visits
- Thursday 2nd April 2026 School Closes at 3.30pm
- Monday 20th April 2026 School Opens at 8.30am
- Monday 4th May 2026 School Closed May Bank Holiday
- Monday 11th May 2026 Year 6 SATs Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling
- Tuesday 12th May 2026 Year 6 SATs Reading
- Wednesday 13th May 2026 Year 6 SATs Arithmetic & Reasoning
- Thursday 14th May 2026 Year 6 SATs Reasoning
- Friday 22nd May 2026 School Closes at 3.30pm
- Monday 1st June 2026 School Opens at 8.30am
- Friday 12th June 2026 Training Day – No Children in School
- Monday 15th June 2025 Seaside visit - Class 5
- Thursday 18th June 2025 Seaside visit - Class 6
- Friday 17th July 2026 School Closes at 3.30pm
FAO Families - Reception Places 2026
For parents who are making enquiries about applications for Reception places, please follow the link below to a video guide on how to apply for a Reception place:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRU1SrS7iJE
There is also a detailed page on our website with information:
https://st-bartholomew-s-cofe-primary-school.schudio.com/parents/admissions-attendance
