Over breakfast this morning, I pointed out to anyone that was listening that today is the shortest day of the year. “Yeah obviously, Dad - it’s a half day”. If you asked all the members of staff to write down all of the wonderful different comments and anecdotes that they’d heard this term, you’d be able to fill a book pretty quickly!

In these last two weeks of term there has been so much cause for joy in the way that our children have prepared for Christmas. The children sang to members of the parish community for a coffee morning last week - they were pretty stunned to learn that one of the guests was 100 years old! The two nativities were both very different, but what was common to both was the energy and enthusiasm which the children brought to these productions. Of course there were nerves; one parent told me about her child’s anxiety ahead of the choir’s performance at the Rotary Carol Service - we are never more proud of our children than we are when they overcome difficulty. The child in question was positively beaming after the concert - what a wonderful feeling it is to perform (really well) in front of a large group of people.

Every day, we ask our children to overcome difficulties ranging from how to use an expanded noun phrase to how to resolve a disagreement in the playground. The staff at St Cuthbert Mayne are totally committed to helping your children to building their resilience and achieving the highest standards both in the classroom and as members of our school community and I’d like to thank them for their hard work throughout 2023. We are also very grateful to parents for the steady flow of biscuits and other goodies that have appeared in the staff room over the last week - they have really helped as the reserves of energy dip towards the end of term!

It has been a privilege to guide the children almost to the end of Advent. We wish all of the children and their families a very happy and blessed Christmas.                                      

God bless,

Thomas Hall, Head of School

Liturgy

Every once in while we find ourselves stuck in a situation which we are powerless to change. As I was sitting in stationary traffic on a coach full of Year 1 and 2 children this week I was reminded of a sticker that my father in law used to display in the rear windscreen of his car - "Don't just sit there doing nothing - meditate!" At the St Peter's Carol Service this week, Mr Miller spoke of how carol services and nativities provide us with a rare opportunity to press pause and simply wait, perhaps even meditate. There is much commotion in the build up to Christmas, so a chance to catch one's breath and remind ourselves of the hope the Jesus' birth brings is so important.

Thank you to Father Alistair for leading our whole school mass this morning in our school hall. it was a beautiful service to end our term. Thank you also to the Faith Council for leading us in our prayers and to the Choir who performed for us at the start and again at the end of our mass.

Positive Parking

We continue to be very grateful to all our parents that park and stride/cycle/walk to school, and to those that park safely and respectfully around the neighbouring roads.

We are aware that some people continue to park on the yellow zig-zag lines outside the school and the church car park. Rule 243 of the Highway Code states that road users must not park near a school entrance; for the safety of all the children at St Cuthbert Mayne, we would ask that all members of our community adhere to this rule and do not park on the yellow zig-zag lines.

We must also ensure that we are polite and respectful to local residents at all times.

Please show your children, by your actions, that positive and respectful parking is a way to show that you care about other pedestrians, neighbours and road users. Be a good role model!

For helpful information about road safety please visit: https://www.think.gov.uk/

CURRENT VACANCY AT OUR SCHOOL. 

We currently have a vacancy for a Learning Support Assistant. 

Please find details here.

Congratulations to WALSINGHAM HOUSE who won the cup for the most House Points this term!

Classlist

Classlist is the most effective way of staying touch with other parents. Please click this link in order to sign up.

READY - RESPECTFUL - SAFE

This year children have been introduced to three important principles that we follow at St Cuthbert Mayne. Why not start to use the same language at home - we want all our children to be...

Safeguarding

We know this time of year can put pressure on families and loved ones. For that reason we just wanted to draw your attention to some websites and resources that may come in helpful now and in the future:

Family Lives – very useful parental information website, provides lots of links and resources - they also have a telephone support line for parents/carers. Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus)

Mental Health support – suitable for lots of families, especially at this time of year. Mental health support - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

NHS Talking Therapies – it may be helpful for any parents to be able to talk to someone and this is a self referral service Home Mind Matters Surrey - NHS Talking Therapies (mindmattersnhs.co.uk)

Family Conflict – SCC pages for parents. Our resources for reducing conflict between parents - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

Your Sanctuary – Domestic Abuse Support Services. YS Home (yoursanctuary.org.uk)

Relate – resources for relationships –

Get Help | Relate

Find your online centre Relate

Drug and Alcohol Support Services

i-access Drug & Alcohol Service : Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (surreydrugandalcohol.com)

Catalyst – substance and mental health support

Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Service in Surrey (catalystsupport.org.uk)

Citizens Advice – another more general link but useful for newsletters at this time of year

Citizens Advice

Family Information Service – Families can search for services near to them

Family Information Service - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

Online Understanding your child guides – Free for all Surrey residents – use access code ACORN.

Online Learning (heiapply.com)

Our Safeguarding Team: Mr Hall (DSL), Miss Wilkin (DDSL), Mrs Chalstrey (DDSL)

As a team we are always here to support, to be a listening ear, and guide in anyway you feel appropriate. Do get in touch with any member of the team via phone 01483 274961 or email DSL@stcuthbert-mayne.surrey.sch.uk

You are not on your own and many individuals or families do come and ask. 

Mary’s Meals would like to invite you to collect all your foreign currency* no matter how old or obscure.  Clear out your drawers and have a look under the sofa.  Currently, the charity feeds over 2.4 million young children one good meal every day in their place of education – by giving Mary’s Meals your foreign coins and notes, you can help feed the next hungry child.

Mary’s Meals feeds in over 18 countries.  Because of our low costs, we can do this for as little as £19.15 per child per year!  *We will also take UK coins/notes that aren’t legal tender

Donations can be left in the Cranleigh Parish Office, which is outside the SCM green school gates - double white patio doors - on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday mornings.   With thanks from Tracy in the parish office.

Our calendar for the term can be found here. We are beginning to populate this - a slow process initially as we learn to navigate our new website!