1. Let’s Sail Away to Greece
Primary Newsletter – Friday 5th January 2018
WELCOME BACK!
Welcome back and a very happy new year to you all. I very much hope that you have been able to enjoy some relaxing moments with friends and families over the Christmas break, and now as we begin this new year we look forward to the many exciting opportunities it will provide for our children to continue to learn and grow. Thank you for taking the time to get your children ready for the new term, they looked so smart and happy to come in to school this week.
NEW TOPICS
Every half term, each year group starts an exciting new topic through which all of their learning is linked Please see below for the topic titles for each year group for this half term.
I look forward to sharing news of outstanding learning related to our topics throughout the half term.
Spring 1
Lower Phase 1
My Amazing Body
Upper Phase 1
My Super Body
Year 2
Down in the Deep Blue
Year 3
Around the UK in 30 Days
Year 4
Let’s Sail Away to Greece
Year 5
Mission to Mars
Year 6
The Amazon
Meet the Teacher Session – Monday 8th January 2018
As part of our commitment to work in partnership with you,
I would like to invite you to the Spring Term ‘Meet the Teacher’
session on Monday 8th January at 3.30pm.
Each class teacher from Reception to Year 6 (apart from Year 1 who will have their meeting on Wednesday 10th January) will be holding an open session where they will talk with you about the topics the children will be learning about this term, behavioural and uniform expectations, homework and how you can support your child’s learning. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask general questions (please note for more specific questions about your child and their learning, please make a separate individual appointment to see your child’s class teacher, or wait for our Parents’ Evenings which will take place in March).
We have scheduled these meetings at 3.30pm to coincide with the times that you collect your children from school. Parents have told us how useful they find these sessions, we hope you are able to come along. Please indicate if you are able to attend on the letters sent home yesterday, and we will keep your child in the classroom at the end of the day to wait for your arrival. If for any reason you are unable to make the meetings, the class teacher will send details of what was covered at the meeting home with your child.

2. Bumblebee, Frog and Dragonfly
Let Your Light Shine
YEAR 6 PARENTS’ EVENINGS 
We will be holding an extra parents’ meeting
for the parents of our Year 6 children on
Monday 15th January and
Friday 19th January 3.45pm – 6.30pm.
This meeting is vital at this stage of the year
to look at the individual progress of your child
and what they still need to learn to be
successful in their SATs tests in May. The
meetings will take place in the Nurture Room
(old nursery) and a letter regarding
appointment times will be given to Year 6 parents on Monday. 
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Monday 8th January
Parent Curriculum Meetings with Class teachers 3.30pm (Reception and Year 2 – 6)
Wednesday 10th January
Parent Curriculum Meetings with Class teachers 3.30pm
(Year 1)
Year 5 trip to the Science Museum
Friday 12th January
4W Class Assembly 2pm
Monday 15th January
Year 6 Parents Evening
Thursday 18th January
Year 3 and 4 Basketball Tournament
Friday 19th January
3W Class Assembly 2pm
Wednesday 24th January
Year 5 trip to the British Museum
Friday 26th January
2W Class Assembly 2pm
Friday 2nd February
Frog Class Assembly 2pm
Monday 12th – Friday 16th February
Half term – school closed
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Physical education is a really important subject within the primary curriculum in all schools, and for reasons related to fitness, health and wellbeing, it is vital that all children fully take part in the excellent physical education provision that is on offer at St Matthew Academy. For children to do this it is really important that they have their PE kit in school at all times. We suggest that children bring their PE kits into school at the beginning of each half term and leave it in their box until the next holiday, when it can be taken home to wash. If you would prefer to wash your child’s PE kit more regularly or it has become dirty for some reason, then please ensure that your child remembers to bring their PE kit into school on the correct day. Please see below a grid to show when each year group must have their PE kit in school.
Year Group
PE Days
Bumblebee, Frog and Dragonfly
Wednesday
Year 2
Monday and Friday
Year 3
Thursday and Friday
Year 4
Tuesday and Thursday
Year 5
Year 6
Tuesday and Friday
The following items are compulsory to every PE lesson:
• St Matthew Academy Primary PE top (white with coloured stripes on the
collar which reflects the house the child is in).
• St Matthew Academy navy school shorts or navy jogging bottoms (both
with the St Matthew Academy logo on)
• Black plimsolls
Year 4 also go swimming, so they will need their swimming kit in school on
the following days:
Year Group
Swimming Days
Class 4E
Monday
Class 4W
Thursday
A NEW MEMBER OF THE TEAM We would like to say a warm welcome to Mr Barrrie who has joined our Year 6 team. The Year 6 parents will get an opportunity to meet him on Monday at the Meet the Teacher session at 3.30pm.
Have a lovely weekend
Mrs Beckley