Our Mission: Learning Growing and Living with Jesus
St Anthony's is a voluntary aided Catholic Primary School in the Diocese of Northampton and Slough Local Authority.
We are a thriving school with just under 400 pupils between the ages of four to eleven.
Our aim is to help children grow emotionally spiritually and intellectually and we hope that everyone in the school community will work together to achieve the highest of standards.
We value our close links with the parish and our children have many opportunities to join in the life of the church.
We also strongly encourage the involvement of parents in the work of the school who are welcome to attend class assemblies and to come into school to help. If you would like to get more involved then please send an email to the office, give us a call or drop in to the office. |
Calendar
In this section you will find key school dates for each term of this school year as well as term dates for next academic year, 2008/09.
The school terms are named, Advent (September - December), Lent (January-March) and Pentecost (April - July) in line with major seasons and feasts of the Church's year.
You will also note that because Easter Sunday falls so early in 2008 (March 23rd) that the two week term break will NOT start until Friday 4th April. Please pay particular attention to this when planning holidays.
Click on the links to the left to access the various calendar options.
The Chain of Memory
During this academic year we join the Diocese and all Catholic schoold within it by focusing on the work of St. Paul as we investigate "The Chain of Memory". In the Advent term we look at how our children meet the Gospel . In Lent we will be concentrating on how they understand the Gospel and in the Pentecost term how they live the Gospel .
Information Pages
Admission
We welcome children from the ages of four to eleven. For more details of our admission criteria please contact the school office.Priority is given to children who are baptised Catholics but other children will be considered if there are spaces in the appropriate year group. We encourage all parents who would like to have their child attend St. Anthony's to contact us to register an interest as soon as possible even if your child not going to join the school for another two or three years.
In September 2007 there were around 395 children on the school roll.
School Hours
School starts every weekday at 8:50am though children may come in from 8:15. Breakfast is served in the canteen.
School finished at 3:30pm.
Absence
If your child is unable to attend school you are asked to ensure that you report this to the school office by 9:30am on the first day of absence. On your child's return to school please send them in with a note explaining the reason for their absence. |
Uniform
Boys
- Blue school jumper
- White shirt with tie in winter
- White polo shirt in summer
- Grey trousers /grey schoolshorts
- Grey or white socks
- Black shoes/sandals (No Trainers allowed)
P.E. Kit
- Sports shirt
- Black shorts
- Blue P.E. bag
- Plimsolls
- Track suit for winter PE
Girls
- Blue school jumper or cardigan
- White shirt with tie in winter
- Blue and White checked dress in summer
- White polo shirt in summer
- Grey pinafore dresses/skirts/trousers in winter
- Grey or white socks
- Black shoes/sandals (no open toed shoes allowed) (No Trainers allowed)
P.E. Kit
- Sports shirt
- Black shorts
- Blue P.E. bag
- Plimsolls
- Track suit for winter PE
School Clubs
Monday |
3:30 - 4:30pm |
Street Dance Sessions |
Monday |
3:30 - 4:30pm |
Tennis Club for Years 3 & 4 only: £2 per session |
Tuesday |
3:30 - 4:15pm |
Choir |
Wednesday |
Lunchtime |
Recorder Club |
Wednesday |
3:45 - 4:45 |
Basketball for Years 3-6: £3 per session |
Thursday |
3:30 -4:30pm |
Table Tennis - Cost £1.50 |
Are you interested in running a club at the school? Do you have a hobby you would like to share? Art? Model making? Chess?
Please contact the office if you could help us extend the range of activities available to our children
School Trips
We recognise that taking children on educational trips is exciting for them and greatly benefits their learning. All year groups from reception upwards will go on at least one off-site visit during the course of the academic year. In line with Government legislation we ask for a financial contribution to ensure that we can afford to run these trips. For parents who can't afford these trips we would encourage you to see the school secretary in complete confidence and we will find the money to ensure that you child does not miss out. On the letters we send out about all school trips this will be explained in more detial.
School Journey
Children in year 5 have the opportunity to attend an Adventure Training centre in Bude, Cornwall for a week in the Summer term. Information regarding this trip starts being send out the previous September and parents are invited to pay for the trip in a number of installments in order to spread the cost. As a guide, the cost of the June 2007 trip was £280.00.
The Loft
The pupils in year 6 are invited to attend a three day residential visit to 'The Loft' in the Autumn term. 'The Loft' is a retreat centre for yound people run by the Wesminster Diocese at London Colney in Hertfordshire. This trip started in 2006 but was a huge success and we would like all our youngsters to take part in this fun trip.
Working together
At St. Anthony’s we would like all families to feel welcome and a part of our community. Sometimes a parent has time to spare and is able to help in school time. Other parents who work, find this difficult but all parents can be part of our community by participating in many of the events that happen through the school year. You will be given a calendar of dates at the beginning of term. You will notice that there are events both during the day and in the evening. Try to join us for Mass, for the family disco, for the target setting evenings. Please remember the school, its staff and children in your daily prayers.
Every week you will receive a newsletter. This will inform you either of events that have taken place or of events still to come. We try to keep you up to date with the many activities that happen in all the classes so that you can have an understanding of the breadth of opportunity we offer your child e.g. outings, residential trips, visiting theatres, taking part in concerts and performances, participating in clubs, representing the school in sports, playing a musical instrument, singing in the choir etc.
Each term you will be given a curriculum information sheet together with an R.E.information sheet. This is to enable you to work with your child in developing their knowledge at home alongside us as at school. Partnership is the key to success for your child. It will also inform you of the homework schedule so that you can monitor your child’s work. Every child in the school is expected to read daily. In Reception we ask that you share a book with your child - one will be sent home in the book bag. As your child progresses up the school we ask that at first you hear your child read and then as they go into Key Stage 2 you sign their reading record book to say that your child has read.
Problems
Life is complicated and there will be times when you will be faced with issues that may affect the well being and happiness of your child. What ever the problem please be reassured that you may ask for a confidential meeting with me at any time. I may not have the answer but I may know of someone who has or if a matter can not be resolved satisfactorily I will give you the necessary information of whom to contact
Holidays in Term Time
While I appreciate that it is often tempting to take children out of school during term time, please do not do this as it disrupts not just your own child's education but also the progress of all other children in their class.
Mrs Maggie Stacey
Headteacher
School Documents
Monday Newsletter
The most regular communication you will receive from the school is the Monday Newsletter which will give you details of events coming up in the next couple of weeks and a brief letter from the headteacher. The newsletter is usually produced on bright coloured paper but we realise hat this is no guarantee that your child will pass it on to you. So you might like to ask then each monday eveing or look in their school bag if it doesn't appear!
Other Documents
The school also issues a range of more formal school documents. Here you will see a number of the school's policy statements, which may be of particular interest to parents. Click on any of these of interest and it will launch in a new window.
Behaviour Policy
Charging and Remissions Policy
General Complaints Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Health & Safety Policy into Practice
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Policy
Learning and Teaching Policy
Learning and Teaching Policy into Practice
Liturgy Prayer & Collective Worship Policy
Personal Social Health & Relationship and Citizenship Policy
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy
SEN Policy into Practice Policy
Learning and Teaching Policy
The Building Fund
Current Position
We are pleased to tell you that since launching the building fund in January 2003 we have raised a little over
£11,000.
Thank you to all parents who have contributed thus far which has been spent on a variety of projects. Last year were able to refurbish toilets, paint and decorate three classrooms and to paint the Farnham Hall. This year we intend redocarting the Stafford Hall and upgrade the main entrance to the school by installing a ramp. For this we need to raise a further £3,000.
The Voluntary Contribution
If you have one child in the school we are asking for a contribution of £15 per term. If you have more than one child in the school we are asking for £20 per term.
Background
In January 2003 the Governors introduced a building fund. The following is an extract of the letter sent out to parents.
Voluntary Aided schools such as St Anthony's have to pay a percentage of the cost of all external building work themselves. Until now, our contribution has been funded by the parish, that is to say money paid into the collection at Mass. The parish has now reached the stage where it no longer has funds to support this continued level of spending on the school. In addition, we cannot expect parishoners to provide extra money when the majority of school parents are not making any financial contribution to the church. Therefore, in agreement with the Diocese, we are asking parents to make a contribution to a specific building fund. Attached to this letter is a leaflet from the Diocese giving more information about how our schools are funded and about the need for money. Contributing to this fund is voluntary but we must stress that unless the money comes from parents we cannot look elsewhere expecting others to pay. To give you some measure of spending on capital work in St. Anthony's, in the last five years we have spent around £400,000 to repair roofs, extensively refurbishing toilet & washroom facilities, replacing windows and re-surfacing the Stafford playground. Our share of this cost has been £60,000. It is clear that with the site and buildings we own, there will always be money required to maintain a suitable environment for our children and all the staff working in the school. Your suport is greatly appreciated. |