Latest news
Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
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End of Term Scoop
Fri 27 Oct 2023Please open this link for an insight into our school life this term
https://sway.office.com/Lu6BWKjr6bI6mngf?ref=email
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End of Autumn term 2023
Thu 26 Oct 202326th October 2023
Dear Parents
Thank you for your ongoing support this half term. It has been a busy half term and we have more events to come after half term in the run up to Christmas! The school calendar below will give you an insight into some of the events and activities that we have planned at St Mary’s. Some event details need finalising, and as soon as that is done, I will let you know. The school calendar is also available on the school website and updated regularly https://stmarysllanelli.org . Photos from many of our school activities and events can be found on our school Instagram and Twitter (X) pages @stmarysllanelli and @stmarysllanell1 respectively.
We break up on Friday for the October half term and return to school on Monday November 6th, 2023. Below is some information regarding upcoming events including:
The PTA Autumn Disco 26th October. The Foundation Phase disco (pupils in Nursery, Reception Years 1 and 2) is between 5 and 6pm. Parents are to stay to supervise their children at this disco. The Key Stage 2 disco is from 6:15pm to 7:30pm. Parents are not required to stay for this disco but are more than welcome to if you’d like to stay. Thank you to our parent volunteers who have organised this event. You should have received an electronic PTA information newsletter soon which has lots of information relating to how you can help.
After School Clubs will continue after half term. Parent Pay will be activated tomorrow for you to book and pay for your child’s places. Clubs listed below. If your child does not attend a club currently but is interested, please contact the school office to check availability and parent pay. There will not be any school led clubs week commencing 13/11/23 due to parents evenings. School led clubs will end on the 7th of December.
Monday French Y2,3,4 Sports Y4,5,6
Tuesday Jujitsu R-Y6 Drama Y3,4,5,6
Wednesday Cookery Y1,2,3
Thursday Sports Y1,2,3 Gardening Y3,4,5,6
Parents Evening letters are coming home with your child today. Parents Evenings are scheduled for week commencing 13th November (2nd week back after half term). In light of parents evening appointments, there will be no school led after school clubs running for the week. (Jujitsu and drama will continue as they are run by external providers).
School calendar November 2023 onwards:
26/10/23
PTA Autumn Disco – Foundation Phase (Nursery – Y2 @ 5-6pm, KS2 (Y3-6) @ 6:15-7:30pm
All
27/10/23
Techno Camps ICT Sessions
Y,3 Y4, Y5,Y6
27/10/23
Last day of half term. Own clothes day
All
WC 30/10/23-05/11/23
October Half term – school closed to pupils
All
06/11/23
All back to school (St John Lloyd have INSET, St Mary’s is open)
All
WC 06/11/23
Y6 Cycle proficiency training
Y6
10/11/23
Rembemberance Service at school
All
WC 13/11/23
Odd Socks Day 13/11/23, Antibullying Week 14/11/23
All
WC 13/11/23
Parents Evening Week (letters detail when)
All
15/11/23
African Drum session Y3 and Y4
Y3&4
17/11/23
Children in Need day
All
24/11/23
Dafen Forum Christmas Fayre 6pm Dafen Park
29/11/23
Advent Reconciliation Service at school
All
03/12/23
Advent Mass at OLQP
All
10/12/23
First Holy Communion Group Mass at OLQP
Y4
WC 11/12/23
Scholastic Book Fayre at school all week
All
12/12/23
Christmas Concert * time to be confirmed
All
13/12/23
Christmas Concert * time to be confirmed
All
14/12/23
Christmas Dinner Day
All
19/12/23
PTA Christmas Disco and Fayre
All
20/12/23
End of term mass at school
All
21/12/23
Celebration Assembly
All
21/12/23
Last day of Autumn Term
All
22/12/23
Inset day – school closed to pupils
All
23/12/23 – 07/01/24
Christmas holidays
All
08/01/24
All back to school
All
09/02/24
Inset Day – school closed to pupils
All
WC 12/02/24
February Half term
All
19/02/24
Inset Day – school closed to pupils
All
20/02/24
Y5 three-week daily swimming block starts
Y5
21-23/02/23
Y6 Manor Residential trip
Y6
28/02/23
Sticks 2 Cymru music sessions
KS2
WC 25/03/24 – 07/04/24
Easter Holidays
All
08/04/24
All return to school
Y6 three-week daily swimming block starts
All
Y6
06/05/24
Spring May Day Bank Holiday
All
WC 27/05/24
Whitsun Half Term
All
24/06/24
Inset Day – school closed to pupils
All
19/07/24
Last day of academic year
All
One more INSET day is to be determined. Further dates will be added.
November is a special month dedicated to the Holy Souls where we pray for and remember those who have passed away. Each Parish has a dedicated lists of Holy Souls. We would like to mirror this at school, and ask that if you would like a dearly departed loved one or friend to be added to our prayers, please send their names on a slip of paper to your class teacher.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Howells
Headeacher
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RE Autumn Newsletter 2023 Dates
Tue 24 Oct 2023IMPORTANT DATES THIS TERM
ALL SAINTS
(celebrated Sunday 31 October)
We celebrate the lives of special and ordinary people who have responded to God’s invitation to love.
THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS)
(2nd November)
Today and throughout the rest of November we pray for those who have died.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
(26th November)
ADVENT
(Begins 3rd December)
Advent means ‘coming’. We think of the coming of Jesus when he was born but we
also think of his promise that he would come again at the end of time. It is a time of waiting and preparing. It is only in the last week of Advent that we focus upon the events to be celebrated at Christmas.
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
(8th December)
This feast marks the first stage of the existence of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
She was ‘full of grace’ from the very beginning & co-operated with God throughout her life.
CHRISTMAS DAY, THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
(25th December)
On this day we begin our celebration of the birth of Christ.
THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
(31st December)
Important School Dates this Term
Start of Term Mass – September 7th
Advent Family Mass - 26th at Our Lady Queen of Peace 10 AM
Reconciliation Service (KS2) – November 29th
End of Term Mass - 20th December
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Welcome Back Letter Autumn Term 2023
Sun 10 Sep 20236th September 2023
Dear Parents
A warm welcome back to our pupils, parents, and staff. I hope you all enjoyed your summer holidays. As we begin the new school year, you will be given the annual consent and medical questionnaires as well as a data checking sheet. Please complete both forms and return to school signed and dated (please do this at the bottom of the data sheet) by MONDAY September 11th 2023. These forms are personal to your child and need to be completed to update all our records. If your child is new to the school, you will already have received this pack and if you haven’t done so already, please return it by Monday also.
It is extremely important that you keep us up to date of any changes in circumstances throughout the year e.g., change of home address, new telephone numbers or any medical conditions. Our data privacy notice is available upon request and on our school website. Thank you in advance for your cooperation on this matter.
Some general information:
Access to school: Both the bottom gate and the main parent gate will be open each morning and afternoon for drop off and pick up. Please use the walkway around the car park for safety.
School start: School starts at 9:10am when class teachers take the register. This means that your child needs to be in school before or by 9:10am to avoid a late mark being given. We noticed a rise in persistent lateness last term and ask that every effort is made for children to arrive at school on time to not miss out on their learning time and minimise the disruption for those who are in school in time and already learning.
Hot weather: During this period of extended summer, please make sure your children have sun cream on and hats as you would during the summer term. Water bottles: Pupils are to bring their own water bottles to school on a daily basis which can be filled up at our cold-water dispensers to stay hydrated. Please write your child’s name on their bottle.
Snacks: We actively encourage children to bring in healthy snacks such as fruit and water, instead of fizzy drinks, sweets, crisps. This will help with your child’s health and their development and goes hand in hand with the Healthy Schools Award Scheme. We are a nut free school. We have some individuals at school who suffer with severe nut allergies. Considering the severity of these allergies, our school needs to be nut free. We ask for everyone’s cooperation on this matter. Please do not send your child in with any food that contain nuts e.g., tracker bars, snickers, granola bars, snack packs etc.
Uniform is to be worn for all children (Nursery to Year 6). We still have some pre-worn uniform available in the main entrance if you’d like to pop in and take whatever you need. Uniform consists of white polo t-shirt, blue jumper or cardigan with school logo, grey or black bottoms – trousers, skirts/pinafores, black school shoes or black trainers. New uniform can be bought at Picton Sports, Heol Aur, Dafen Industrial Estate. Book bags can be purchased at Picton or at school. Please write your child/ren’s names on ALL uniform (and reapply after washes) to help reduce the amount of lost and found and to make it easier to return to the correct owner if lost.
P.E forms part of the curriculum. Pupils are to wear their school PE kits to school on their allocated days (below). This consists of a blue round neck t-shirt with school logo and blue or dark shorts. We are awaiting a delivery of PE t-shirts at school for you to purchase directly from us (or go to Picton Sports). In the interests of health and safety children are discouraged from wearing jewellery at school. If jewellery is worn, it must be removed during PE sessions. The school will accept no responsibility for the loss or damage of items of jewellery.
Nursery/Reception Monday
Years 1 and 2 Thursday
Year 3 Tuesday and Friday
Year 4 Monday and Friday
Year 5 Wednesday and Thursday
Year 6 Tuesday and Wednesday
School Meals: Meals can be pre booked and paid for on the school meal website www.parentpay.com . Parent Pay is also used for school trips. If you have not received your log in, please let us know. Any pupils new to the school will have their log ins soon as it takes a few days for the system to set up. Universal Free School Meals are currently available for all full-time pupils in Nursery, Reception, Years 1,2,3 and 4. The Welsh Government Universal Free School Meals will be rolled out to Years 5 and 6 soon.
Some pupils may be eligible for Free School Meals which also allows access to other grants. If you think you qualify, please visit https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-services/education-schools/school-meals/free-school-meals/
The Car Park since our return to school has been extremely busy and occasionally gridlocked. If the car park is full, please do not double park, find an alternative parking spot outside the school premises. Please do not park on the drive and please do not park on the entry way to the staff car park. In case of an emergency, this is the route that emergency vehicles will take and must not be blocked. Many parents are turning up very early to park to collect their child who may not finish until 3:40pm. This then takes up spaces that the 3:20/3:30 parents need. If it helps, if you have a children across the school who finish at different times, you may collect all children at the later time of 3:40pm. All we ask is that you let us know if you plan to do this.
After school clubs letter is attached to this pack. Clubs will start the week after next on Monday September 18th 2023. Payment is to be made via Parent Pay. Please await further information and return the full consent forms to successfully book your child’s place at the club of their choice.
Our school Website is live and is being updated regularly. It is a work in progress so please bear with us if some content is not available yet. The new website much more user-friendly with options for translation to multiple languages. https://www.stmarysllanelli.org/
Own clothes days will continue the last Friday of every month. We kindly ask for a donation of £1 per child on these days. See the school calendar below for dates.
We will celebrate Roald Dahl Day next week on Wednesday 13th September. Pupils are invited to dress up as their favourite Roald Dahl character (or wear school uniform). We will have a theatre group at school on Monday 11th September undertaking Roald Dahl workshops with all classes. We kindly ask for £1 from each pupil to go towards the cost of the session.
Thank you for taking the time to read this rather detailed letter. Please remember to return your completed data forms by Monday so that we can update your child’s records.
Wishing you all a warm welcome at the beginning of a new school year.
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End of Term Parent Letter December 2022
Thu 22 Dec 2022Dear Parents/Guardian,
It has certainly been a busy few weeks at St Mary’s with all our Christmas preparations and events. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support, not only over the past few weeks, but throughout the year. It does not go un-noticed and I thank you on behalf of all our school staff and pupils.
Today, Thursday 22nd of December 2022, is the last day of the term as we break up for Christmas. We will reopen for the spring term on Monday the 9th of January 2023.
Today is also the last day for Mrs Rachel Phillips who has been working as a teaching assistant at school for the past two years. Mrs Phillips has been predominantly with the Year 6 class but is a familiar face to many pupils. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her all the best for her future and her new job. Pob lwc Mrs Phillips!
This term has been a charitable term with fundraising days and foodbank collections which has been picked up by the Trussell Trust Myrtle Food Bank today. They would like to pass their thanks on to you for your kind donations and will be distributing food parcels to those that need them over the coming weeks.
Fundraising totals this term include:
£250 - Cafod “Brighten Up” campaign in October
£133.50 – Children in Need
£77.50 – Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day
A little over £800 was raised at the PTA Discos and Christmas Fayre.
£580 was raised by pupils at this week’s bag packing and singing at Morrisons. Thank you to Morrisons customers for their kind donations.
Some dates to note for next year:
23/12/2022
Inset day – school closed to pupils
24/12/2022-08/01/2023
Christmas holidays – school closed
09/01/2023
Spring term begins – all pupils and staff back to school
16/01/2023
Robotics Session – Y6
23/01/2023
Inset Day – school closed to pupils
17/02/2023
Diocesan Inset day – school closed to pupils
WC 20/02/2023
February half term – school closed
27/02/2023
All pupils and staff return to school
20-22/03/23
Y6 residential trip to Manor Adventure
31/03/2023
Last day of Spring term
03/04/2023-16/04/2023
Easter holidays – school closed
17/04/2023
All pupils and staff return to school – start of Summer term
WC 29/05/2023
May half term – school closed
05/06/2023
Back to school
21/07/2023
Last day of school year
More dates will follow in due course.
If you have any queries or require any assistance with any of the information above, please contact me. Wishing you all a happy, holy and blessed Christmas and a prosperous new year.
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New Website Launched
Tue 29 Nov 2022Welcome to our brand new school website! We have created the website to keep parents up to date with school news and notices, and to showcase some of the great things our pupils are achieving. The website is extremely easy to edit by all staff at the school, so check back soon for new updates!
