Dear Parents and Carers,

This week in school

Y5 Sayers Croft residential

Our Y5 children could not have hoped for better weather for their residential visit to Sayers Croft this week.  They have had an amazing time, taking part in many fantastic activities while developing their resilience, confidence and problem solving skills.  For many children this is their first experience of being away from home and they have all been brilliant!

The Sayers Croft visit could not take place without the willingness of school staff to give their own time to look after the children.  Huge thanks go to the team, Mrs Mottram, Mrs Diver, Mrs Meade, Mrs Laird and Mrs Donaldson, who, like the Y5 children, should sleep very well this weekend!                                                          

Y6 Junior Citizen

This week, our Y6 children took part in the Junior Citizen event in Richmond Park.  This event is run by Richmond Safety teams, TfL and the police, and aims to equip the children with the skills they need as they move on to secondary school.  The children take part in a number of real life scenarios which teach them how to stay safe and seek help at home, on transport and online. 

Y3 Chiltern Open Air Museum Visit

On Wednesday our Y3 children visited the Chiltern Open Air Museum.  This forms part of their History study on the Stone Age and Iron Age and is a wonderful way to experience first-hand what Stone Age and Iron Age life was like.  Amongst other things, they visited an Iron Age round house, made clay pots, made fire using flint and threw spears at mammoths! 

Eco-Warriors local area litter pick

Each week this term, Mrs Sheridan and a group of keen Eco-Warriors, armed with litter-pickers, bin-bags and gloves, have been carrying out litter-picks in the area around school.  This is a great example of how children can make a difference, making our local community cleaner and safer for humans and animals.  The children have already picked up 700 pieces of litter this term.  Thank you Eco-Warriors!

Our Journey through Lent

Foodbank Donations

As part of our Lenten Challenge 'Pray, Act, Give', the Pupil Chaplains are organising a food collection during the week commencing 24th March.  There is a lot of concern about the cost of living in the news at the moment. Many families are struggling to find enough money to buy food for a nutritious meal.  The food collection will take place each morning next week at the front and back gates. 

Please can you bring in: 

Tinned foods, Tea, Coffee, Rice, Pasta, Biscuits, Custard, Coffee, Spreads, Toothbrushes, Deodorant, Crisps and snacks, Sweets, Easter eggs etc

At the end of the week the food donations will be given to Richmond Foodbank.  Thank you.

No RE and Catholic Life Newsletter this week

There will not be an RE and Catholic Life Newsletter this week, however you can still access the Wednesday Word on this link  https://www.paperturn-view.com/wednesday-word/good-news?pid=MTA101634&v=163.4

Next week in school

Parent – Teacher meetings

We are looking forward to Parent - Teacher meetings which are taking place on Tuesday 25^th March and Thursday 27^th March from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.  Meetings for Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y5 will take place in the school hall and meetings for Reception, Y4 and Y6 will take place in the classrooms.  Please be advised that these meetings are 10 minutes long and your child’s books will be out on tables for you to look at before or after your Parent - Teacher meeting. 

Sponsored Spell for the Catholic Children’s Society

Your child will have received their spelling list for the Sponsored Spell taking place on Wednesday 26^th March.  Please help them to practise the words and collect sponsors.  All monies collected will be going to the Catholic Children’s Society.

The school staff are also practising their own list of spellings, which was devised for them by the Pupil Chaplains as they will be taking part in a Staff Spelling Bee on Wednesday. 

Y4 Passion Play

The Y4 children will be performing the Passion Play on Friday 28^th March at 9:30am and Y3 children will be singing in the choir. The Passion Play is a re-telling of the events of Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  It is a beautiful and moving combination of drama, prayer and music and parents in all classes are invited to attend.  Entry to the hall will be at 9:15am – no tickets required.

Information for Parents

PTA Pre-loved / second hand uniform sale

We will have our next pre-loved uniform sale on Tuesday 1st April at morning drop off.  Please can you donate any good quality uniform items to the school office between now and Friday 28th March (no white shirts/blouse/tops or any grey trousers or shorts please).  Please can all items donated be washed and in a good condition and if you can donate clothing hangers or put donations on hangers where possible we would be so grateful. 

Thank you to Mrs McElroy, Y5 and Y6 parents for organising!

Upcoming Events

MARCH

24th  Last full week of clubs

25th  3:30 – 6:30 p.m.  Parents-Teacher Meetings

27^th  pm  Richmond Borough Orchestral Concert

27th  3:30 – 6:30 p.m.  Parent – Teacher Meetings

28th  9:30 a.m.  Y4 Passion Play – parents invited

APRIL

2nd  p.m.  Richmond Music Trust Singing Festival

3rd  p.m.  Stations of the Cross in school – children only

                   Individual Confessions for Y5 and Y6 in school

3rd  10:30 a.m.  Y4 & Y3 last swimming session

4^th  All Day  Non-Uniform and Crazy Hair Day for the Catholic Children’s Charity

4th  2:00 p.m.  Term ends. Children to be collected at 2pm

22^nd  8:45 a.m  Children return to school

Save the dates!

Tuesday 29^th April – Hair braiding evening workshop

Friday 16^th to Sunday 18^th May – PTA and Friends of St Elizabeth’s Bike Ride to Guernsey

Sunday 18^th May – PTA May Fair

The PTA will be sending our information about all these events soon.

Values Awards this week

Congratulations to the following children who have been noticed living our School Values this week.

Reception  – Grace

Y1 – Ellen

Y2 – Brandon

Y3 – Dylan

Y4 – Pavle

Y6 - Annabel

Million Word Readers

Congratulations to Elise, Emmeline and Annabelle in Y3; Lucja and Charles in Y4; and Patrick in Y6 for reading 1 million words!  Such fantastic achievements!

Attendance and Punctuality this week

Congratulations to Y4 for having the highest attendance this week with 98.7%.  This is closely followed by Y2 and Y6 both with 98.3%.

Well done to Y6 for having the highest punctuality this week.  This is an excellent achievement as many of our Y6 children make their way to school independently, walking or on public transport.  Well done Y6!

For more information about the importance of attendance and the impact that persistent absence has on a child’s education, please read this government report, published last week. https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/03/why-school-attendance-matters-and-what-were-doing-to-improve-it/

Wishing you a lovely weekend,

Jane Hines and the staff of St Elizabeth’s