St Paul’s C of E Primary School Parent Portal - Newsletter Issue 35/25-26, 3 July 2026

ISSUE No. 35/25-26
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Hot Temperatures

Thank you for your support during last week's hot weather. It certainly made for some very warm and challenging days in the classrooms, but the children and staff were fantastic, continuing to learn and work so well despite temperatures exceeding 32°C.

With periods of hot weather becoming increasingly common, we are establishing a Governors' Working Party to explore what more can be done to help keep our school cool and comfortable. The group will consider both practical short-term measures and longer-term solutions to help us manage rising temperatures and provide the best possible learning environment for everyone.

Unfortunately, whilst we recognise that air conditioning would make a significant difference, we do not currently have the funding available to install it.

FOSPS

I wanted to say a huge thank you to the FOSPS for the incredible support they continue to provide to the school.

An amazing £18,000 plus was raised at the Summer Fete, which is a fantastic achievement. It takes an enormous amount of time, dedication and hard work to organise events, attend meetings and work closely with the school. Without the continued support of the FOSPS, projects such as the new playground equipment simply wouldn't be possible.

A special thank you as well to the FOSPS for purchasing 18 new fans for the school to help make classrooms a little more comfortable during hot weather. It would only be possible for the FOSPS to make these purchases because of everyone's generosity, it is hugely appreciated.

Celebrating Cultures Day

A big thank you to all the parents who came into school to help make our Celebrating Cultures Day so special. The children had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed learning about and celebrating the many different cultures within our school community. It was lovely to see some of the children dressed in their traditional cultural clothing, making the day even more colourful and memorable.

Anti-Racism Statement

I would be grateful if all parents could sign our Anti-Racism Statement by completing the Anti-Racism Statement Google Form.

Sports Day

Well done to all the children for their fantastic effort at our Sports Days last week, especially those in Sherbrook House. Special congratulations on winning both the Reception/KS1 and KS2 events. You should all be very proud of your achievements.

Crazy Hair Day

Friday 10 July will be a Crazy Hair and Non-Uniform Day to support the refurbishment of St Paul’s Church Hall, in celebration of the church’s bicentenary in 2028.

Children can come into school wearing their own clothes and are kindly encouraged to bring their most imaginative hair designs to school. Hair gel, vibrant colours, and incorporating toys into their hairstyles are allowed. There is no requirement for parents to purchase anything new for this event.

Please help the church raise £2 million by DONATING HERE.

For further information regarding the refurbishment of St Paul’s Church Hall and additional ways to contribute to the project, please visit https://www.project200.co.uk/ .

UKMT – Maths Challenge 2026

Congratulations to all the Year 5 and 6 children who took part in the UKMT Maths Challenge 2026!

The UKMT Maths Challenge is a national competition designed to stretch and challenge the problem-solving skills of young mathematicians. We’re so proud of all your achievements.

A special mention goes to Peter (6BT), Luke (6BT) and Christopher (5HP) who made it through to the follow-on round, the Junior Kangaroo – well done!

6BT: Milo, Peter, Ezekiel, Isabelle, Iris, Katie, Luke, Otto

6R: Isabelle, Ruby, Samuel, Hamish, Beatrice, Raffaello, Oliver

5HP: Cece, Julianna, Jonah, Christopher, Jacob, Esme, Jenson, Luke, Elliot, Max, Vheer

5L: William, Darcey, Oliver, Lucas, James, Jack, Joelle

Reception

Reception have had a wonderful time celebrating Culture Day! Throughout the week, we explored and celebrated the rich diversity of cultures from around the world and within our own classroom.

The children learnt about Afro hair, discovered different languages, and enjoyed taking part in a variety of traditional dances. We also travelled around the world through our learning, finding out about France, where we explored the artwork of Henri Matisse, and Australia, learning about its climate, weather, unique animals, famous landmarks, and where it is located on a map.

To finish our celebrations, we enjoyed a special class cultural picnic, where the children had the opportunity to taste foods from different cultures, including those linked to their own family backgrounds. It was a fantastic way to celebrate our similarities and differences, helping the children to develop curiosity, respect, and appreciation for the diverse world around them.

Children enjoying their cultural picnic.

Children cutting out 2D shapes to create their artwork inspired by Henri Matisse.

Children decorating their own boomerangs.

Year 1

Smoothies

As part of the D&T unit, the children in Year 1 have been learning about healthy eating. They planned, designed and made their own smoothies. First, they learnt about different fruits and vegetables, how to identify them, and where they grow. Next, they researched which flavour combinations they preferred in a smoothie and took part in a tasting session. Finally, they selected, chopped and blended their own ingredients to create their smoothies. They thoroughly enjoyed tasting their finished creations.

Comparing smoothies

Enjoying the different flavours

Preparing ingredients

Chopping strawberries

Cheers!

Yum!

Year 3

Cultures Week

During Culture Week, Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed researching their class countries, Italy and Spain. The children explored the geography, traditions and landmarks of each country, and loved sharing foods from their own heritage with their classmates. They also created beautiful mosaic picture frames inspired by the intricate mosaics designed by the Ancient Romans, linking their artwork to their learning about Italy’s rich history.

Year 4

KS2 Production

Year 4 children reading their books as they wait between performances to practice their dance finale.

Year 5

HYMB Residential

Our Year 5 children had an unforgettable time on their residential trip to the Herts Young Mariners Base! Over two action-packed days, they challenged themselves with exciting activities including raft building, climbing, kayaking and bell boating.

Throughout the trip, the children demonstrated fantastic teamwork, encouraged one another to step outside their comfort zones, built new friendships and created memories that will last a lifetime. They even rounded off the adventure by dancing the night away at the disco!

It was a wonderful experience filled with fun, laughter and achievement. Well done, Year 5 – we are so proud of you all!