Dear Parents and Carers,

Happy New Year and welcome back to St Margaret's for the Spring term! It has been great to welcome everybody back in to school this week after the Christmas break and we are excited for the term ahead.  

This Week at St Margaret’s

- This term we are focusing on our school value of Aspire – enabling children to aim high, to try their best in everything that they do, to persevere, and to be ambitious and courageous. Our school vision, Created to Shine, is all about ensuring that all of our children can flourish and shine brightly – Aspiration is a big part of that. 

- It has been great to see the children settle so quickly back into class, their learning and the routines of the school day – always tricky after the Christmas break and these dark, cold mornings! 

Looking Ahead to Next Week

- Year 2 are looking forward to their Great Fire of London workshop on Tuesday afternoon. 

- Please ensure children come to school with suitable coats for the weather.  We try to get the children outside as much as we can, so a good coat is particularly important at this time of the year. 

- Thursday 15th January is the deadline for Reception 2026 admissions – see link if you have a children starting Reception in 2026.  https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/school-places/apply/starting-school-places/

- If you require a Supplementary Information Form to go with your Reception place admission, please see our website: https://stmargaretsprimary.ovw5.juniperwebsites.co.uk/page/?title=How+to+apply+and+when&pid=57 

Important Notices & Attachments

- You will have seen the letter I sent out this morning regarding the staffing update – the recruitment process for a Deputy Headteacher and a SENCo starts today and will be live on the WSCC website.

- Please remember to inform us if your child is unable to attend a club that they are signed up to attend.

- We are just finalising our dates for your diary document for the term ahead and will send this out to parents & carers as soon as possible. 

- Extra-curricular club sign up for the term will be live on MCAS from the end of the day tomorrow (Friday).

- Y6 SATS parents information meeting – either Tuesday 20th January at 6pm or Thursday 22nd January at 2:15pm in the school hall.

- Please can we ask that children bring water in a reusable plastic bottle to school and not those made of metal or glass.

- Please see the following link for helpful parent guidance from the Children's Commissioner about children's digital lives. This is a really good resource for parents in understanding the pressures and risks associated with children's exposure to the fast changing digital world: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/what-i-wish-my-parents-or-carers-knew-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers-on-managing-childrens-digital-lives/ 

Attachments:- Spring Term 2026 Clubs; Piano and Guitar Lessons Flyer

Best wishes,
Mr. Lumley
Headteacher