May 2025

Well, considering this was such a short half term, we’ve certainly packed in quite a lot! I think I’ve used the word proud at least 100 times in this newsletter—but rightly so. There have been so many moments worth celebrating.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you for the warm and congratulatory messages following the announcement of my Executive Headship. To those of you I’ve already spoken with—thank you for your openness and thoughtful questions. I truly hope you’re beginning to see how this move can bring real benefits to St Michael’s.

One of the most immediate and visible positives, especially for the children, will be that this new structure allows us to access funding and opportunities that wouldn't have been possible before. Already, we have some exciting projects lined up for next year that will directly enrich our pupils' experiences. 

I know there’s been some concern or confusion around whether this signals a move toward becoming an academy. I want to reassure you clearly—that is not the case.

Looking ahead, I’ll be at both summer discos on 6th June and would love the chance to chat informally. I’ll be around for the first half hour of each disco in the trim trail/ festival area, so do come say hello and have a chat before I head off to the dance floor with the children.

I can’t quite believe we’re heading into our final half term of the year. I hope you all have a restful break—and let’s cross our fingers that the weather decides to be summery. See you all on Tuesday 3rd June.

Half Term
All Day
from 24 May until 01 Jun
24
May
INSET DAY
All Day
02
June
First Day Back
All Day
03
June
PTA Summer Disco Rec,1,2,3,4,5,6
5:00pm – 8:00pm
06
June
Pentecost in School
9:15am – 10:15am
09
June
PTA Reception Cake Sale
3:30pm – 4:00pm
11
June
PTA Non Uniform Day
All Day
13
June
Year 6 Residential
All Day
from 16 Jun until 20 Jun
16
June
PTA Summer Fayre
12:00pm – 4:00pm
21
June
Year 2 Sleepover
All Day
from 26 Jun until 27 Jun
26
June

Staffing Update – A Fond Farewell (for now!)

We say a heartfelt goodbye and good luck to Ms O’Brien as she begins her maternity leave in preparation for the arrival of her baby. What a special and exciting time ahead!

We wish her all the very best as she gets ready to welcome her little one, and we’re looking forward to hearing how she’s getting on—seeing some adorable photos and, of course, finding out the baby’s name!

It’s such a blessing to bring a new life into the world, and we hope both Ms O’Brien and Mr Smith enjoy every precious moment of this beautiful journey… though maybe not the sleepless nights!

With love and best wishes from all of us at St Michael’s.

Micah Award Spring 2025

VE Day

The EYFS children have been learning all about VE Day and proudly took part in commemorating the 80th anniversary of this historic moment.

To mark the occasion, they made their own party food, including delicious sandwiches, and created colourful party hats to wear during their classroom celebrations. They also got crafty making bunting to decorate the playground.

A very special highlight was receiving a letter from Sergeant Hussain, a World War II veteran, who shared his memories and told the children all about his role in the war. Inspired by his bravery, each child wrote back to thank him for keeping us safe and asked thoughtful questions to learn even more.'


Well Done, Year 5GMB!

A huge well done to Year 5GMB who visited the Monday Meet for the elderly at Enfield Community Church as part of their "Seek Joy in Service" contribution. The children helped set up for a special VE Day celebration tea party—laying tables, serving refreshments, and most importantly, spending time socialising with the guests.

We were touched to receive a lovely card from the organisers, praising our pupils for their kindness, politeness, and helpfulness. It’s always wonderful to hear such positive feedback, but what made it even more special was how much the children themselves said they enjoyed the experience.

We’re incredibly proud of them for living out our school’s vision and values so beautifully within the wider community.

The church is already looking forward to the date they have arranged with 5RG—another opportunity to share joy, service, and connection.

London Mini Marathon – A Morning to Remember!

This was my first time taking part in the London Mini Marathon, and I had no idea what an incredible experience it would be! Running alongside some of our fantastic KS2 pupils through the heart of London—and past Buckingham Palace on a Saturday morning—was genuinely one of the highlights of my year.

Let’s just say I use the word “running” quite loosely… I was straight to the nearest chemist afterwards for Deep Heat and painkillers! Lesson learned—I’ll definitely be training next time.

We’ll absolutely be signing up again next year, and I hope even more of you will join us. It’s a brilliant way to celebrate fitness, resilience, and community spirit. Matching t-shirts next time? I think so! Thanks for organising Ms Smith

Year 6 SATs Week – A Celebration of Effort and Community

What a beautiful week SATs turned out to be for our Year 6 pupils. Each morning, thanks to our PTA and year 6 parents for providing a delicious breakfast—setting the children up to feel calm, well-fed, and ready to face the day.

We began the week with a special whole-school assembly where we reflected, prayed, and sent positive thoughts and good luck to Year 6. It was a powerful moment of unity, and it reminded us all how much we believe in and support them.

Throughout the week, Year 6 were simply amazing. They showed such focus, resilience, and determination, giving their absolute best in every test. We couldn’t be prouder.

As I always remind them, while SATs are important, they don’t measure everything that makes our children truly special—qualities like kindness, creativity, empathy, humour, and the way they lift each other up.

Well done, Year 6—you’ve done yourselves and our school proud.

Musical Extravaganza – A Celebration of Talent and Togetherness

Our summer concert: what a Musical Extravaganza—an extraordinary celebration of music, culture, and community. It was a truly special opportunity for our children to flourish in their musical talents, and they rose to the occasion with confidence and joy.

Under the theme “Music from Around the World”, pupils sang their hearts out with songs from England, Jamaica, Israel, Japan, and more. The energy, pride, and passion they brought to the stage was inspiring.

Even more special was the chance for some of our children to showcase their personal musical passions—performing solos, sharing original songs, and playing instruments. These moments beautifully captured our school’s values of inclusion, and belonging.

I feel so proud to be part of a school that creates spaces like this for children to shine and feel truly included.

A huge thank you to Mr. Barnardo, Ms John and Mrs. Jones for the incredible work and dedication that went into bringing this performance to life. Thank you also to all the staff who supported behind the scenes, managing classes and helping with logistics to make the show such a success.

 

 

Phonics Screening Check in Year 1

As part of our commitment to ensuring every pupil becomes a confident reader, Year 1 students will participate in the Phonics Screening Check this term. This assessment helps us identify how well pupils can decode words using their phonics knowledge. To support your child at home, we encourage parents to visit the parent section of the Little Wandle website (https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/). Here, you will find valuable resources, including tips for reading together, phonics games, and guidance on how to reinforce the phonics skills your child is learning in school. Together, we can help our pupils build a strong foundation in reading.

WalkThrus

We are excited to share with you a valuable resource that can enhance our pupils' learning experiences! As part of our commitment to continuous improvement in teaching and learning, we encourage you to explore the WalkThrus initiative. This innovative approach provides practical strategies for effective teaching, helping our staff deliver engaging lessons that cater to all learners.

To learn more about WalkThrus and how it benefits our school community, please watch this informative video: Introduction to WalkThrus .

 

 

Smartphone-Free Childhood: Getting that Balance

Following on from the recent adult workshop that many of you attended, our Year 5 and 6 pupils took part in sessions exploring the pros and cons of mobile phone and internet use. The workshops shared eye-opening statistics—such as the average teenager spending 7 hours and 40 minutes a day on their phone, including 5 hours on social media. That’s the equivalent of 30 years over a lifetime!

The children were fully engaged, offering thoughtful questions and reflections throughout. It’s clear this is a topic that resonates with them, and with us all. We know making big changes isn’t easy, but we were genuinely shocked by how much precious time is lost to devices. As a school community, we are striving to find better balance.

With this in mind, we’re taking a firm step forward: from next year, we will become a Smartphone-Free School. Children who need a phone for their journey to school will still be able to carry one, but smart phones will not be allowed on site. This policy will be in most Enfield schools, and we are proud to join them in prioritising our children’s focus, wellbeing, and real-life connection.

Dear Parents & Carers,

As we move into the brighter days of May, we’re excited to reflect on the recent PTA events and share what’s coming up next.

We’re thrilled to report that the Bacon Bars fundraiser was a sizzling success! Thank you to everyone who supported it – they were incredibly popular, and it was heart-warming to see so many smiling faces hoping for a Golden Ticket. We hope the lucky winners enjoy their prizes!

A huge thank you also goes out to everyone who joined us for the Talent Show. The night was filled with laughter, confidence, and inspiring performances. We are so proud of our talented children and grateful to the families who cheered them on.

 

 St Michael’s Summer Fayre – Around the World!

 Saturday 21st June

This will be a fun-packed day for the whole family, with:

  • Games and activities for all ages
  • Delicious food and drink
  • Stalls run by local businesses and school groups
  • Live entertainment
  • And of course, our amazing raffle draw

To help make the Fayre a big success, we are still looking for:

  • Volunteers to help run stalls
  • Sponsorship or stallholders from local businesses
  • Information on prize donations will follow in the coming weeks

If you can support in any way, please reach out to your Class Rep or email us at ptastmichaels@hotmail.com.

 Raffle Tickets are now on sale! Don’t miss your chance to win some fantastic prizes generously donated by local businesses and school families. Tickets have been sent home with the children this week and the draw will take place at 4pm on 21st June.

 Summer Disco

Let’s dance into summer

Tickets available on ParentPay until Friday 30th May:

£7 per child (Reception to Year 6)

Glow sticks, live DJ, and a tuck shop for juniors!

The PTA held their AGM meeting, and we’d like to share that we welcomed some new faces to the team and said goodbye to a few wonderful members who have stepped down.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Nicky Baldwin, Sammy Shaw and Victora Mundy for your time, energy, and dedication have made a lasting difference to our school community, and we’re so grateful for everything you’ve done.

To our new members – welcome aboard! We’re so excited to have you with us and look forward to all the fresh ideas and enthusiasm you bring.

  • Chair - Phil Wren
  • Deputy Chair - Carly Taylor
  • Treasurer - Craig Scott
  • Vice Treasurer - David Russell & Rachel Nicholls
  • Events Co-ordinator - Kate Olive
  • Secretary - Sarah Hayes
  • Vice Secretary - Sarah Tsermular

Due to your incredible generosity and ongoing support, we’re thrilled to announce that the PTA has recently funded a brand-new projector for the main hall, along with beautiful new wall art that’s already brightening up the school environment for everyone. These upgrades will benefit assemblies, performances, and day-to-day learning across the school – a huge step forward that we couldn’t have achieved without your help.

As always, thank you for your continued support – your time, donations, and enthusiasm help make these events a joy for our children and a success for the school.

Wishing you all a restful half term,

St. Michael’s PTA

A Little May Moan…

As we look ahead to the final half term of the year, we’ll be carrying out a uniform check to ensure consistency across the school. This includes a reminder that jewellery is not permitted. We’ll be sending out a copy of the full uniform list.

We completely understand that it’s the last half term and we’re not expecting families to purchase new uniform items at this stage. We’re always happy to support where there are valid reasons. However, it is well proven that when standards around uniform and structure start to slip, other things – like behaviour – often follow. So, we’re asking for your support in helping us stick to the rules.

Also, a gentle reminder about snack choices. Please be mindful of what your child is bringing in – sweets, chocolate, and crisps are not appropriate for school snacks. A piece of fruit or a healthy option is ideal and helps keep energy and focus levels up during the day.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support in helping us create the best environment for our children to learn and thrive.