On behalf of all the staff at St Peter’s, thank you very much indeed for the kind words, appreciative cards and generous gifts that have been given to staff to mark the end of a school year like no other.

At the end of this term, we say farewell to just 3 colleagues from St Peter’s.

Mrs Halliday has worked in the school kitchen for 23 years, starting at the old St Peter’s site just 4 months after Tony Blair came to power in 1997!  Having prepared meals for countless children, and served plenty of lunches to staff as well along the way, Mrs Halliday is reading for a well-deserved retirement.  Such great service to one school is a rare thing nowadays and has been much valued.

Mrs Sumba has worked across Years 3 and 2 over the past two years in a capacity of covering maternity leave, and has also provided PPA lessons to pupils in several other year groups.  Mrs Sumba has led music, and been instrumental in arranging for the school choir to sing at local events and in our parish church.

Mrs Gissing has worked with us for a year as a Learning Support Assistant in Years 4 and 3, as well as providing valuable work in our breakfast and after-school clubs.  Mrs Gissing has been relentlessly enthusiastic over the school year, taking on many new tasks with initiative and good humour.

We wish Mrs Halliday, Mrs Sumba and Mrs Gissing well as they move on to pastures new.

We also welcome back from maternity leave Mrs Stewart, who will be teaching in Year 3 next year.

I hope that all families are able to have a restful summer break over the weeks ahead.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

CONGRATULATIONS to our annual award winners.

The awards were presented after the socially distanced Year 6 Leavers’ Mass by Liz Holford, Chair of Governors.

Key Stage 2 Governors’ Award – Hayden, class 6P

Key Stage 1 Governors’ Award – Adam, class 2OS

Olympic Values Award – Faith, class 6L (with 100% attendance since the start of Year R!)

Mrs Daley Reading Award – Tilly, class 6P

Sportswoman of the Year – Phoebe, class 6P

Sportsman of the Year – Leon, class 6L

Best wishes to all of our Year 6 pupils as they leave St Peter’s and prepare for secondary school in September.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

When we reach the end of this summer term, the impact of coronavirus and Covid-19 will have been felt for 18 school weeks.  It was upon returning to school after the February half-term, Monday 24^th February, that the first suspected cases of coronavirus were reported in schools elsewhere in the country where pupils had returned from February school ski trips.  For 7 of those 18 weeks we were only allowed to open our doors to the children of key workers and those children categorised as vulnerable, and we did this also over the Easter and summer half-term holidays.  Then, for another 7 of those weeks, in June and July, we have been permitted to (but restricted to in my opinion!) open more widely to pupils in Years R, 1 and 6.  Attendance averages across these year groups has climbed from 60% of eligible pupils in the first week to 84% of eligible pupils in this the sixth week of the wider re-opening phase.

During the past term and a half, I must bring to everyone’s attention the formidable and inspirational work done by the staff members at St Peter’s who work in a variety of logistical and practical roles to keep the school running smoothly.  Worthy of mention and merit are the office team of Mrs Phillips, Mrs Burrows, Mrs Pope, Mrs Brown and Mrs Woolston.  These ‘front line’ colleagues have been the face of the school for much of the communication that has come into the school, and arrange for the distribution of letters, messages and home learning documents.  Mr Chapman and Mr Mack, our caretakers, have done sterling work to maintain and then enhance the site standards, as well as directing traffic for our new drop-off and pick-up arrangements.  Mrs Gray leads the catering team of Mrs Crockford, Mrs Halliday and Mrs Carter-Hall.  They provided high quality midday meals throughout the closure period, as well as breakfast during the full closure and breakfast and lunch over the Easter break.  And finally, we have a team of midday supervisors who come in to supervise the dining hall and playground lunchtime play.  This team has responded wonderfully to new roles such as sanitising each seating place and table between every diner at lunch, and then covering the school site when the rooms are empty at lunchtime to do a round of sterilising wipes over handles, taps and light switches.  Thanks go to Mrs Stan, Mrs Kirby, Mrs McHugh, Mrs Merret, Mrs Underdown, Mrs Dicaprio and Miss Andrews for their contribution.

Believe me when I say that, as Headteacher at St Peter’s, the only person prouder than me of the team that they lead in 2020 is Jurgen Klopp and his victorious Liverpool side (sorry, I couldn’t resist!).

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

The Government guidance issued on 2^nd July relating to the full re-opening of schools for the autumn term in 2020 was an eagerly anticipated document.  Having read the material on the afternoon of its release, I was more reassured and optimistic about September opening to all pupils than the popular press and media may portray the education profession.  Yes, there will be a lot of work to do over July and into August to prepare for all the pupils to be in school, but for St Peter’s this work will be building upon the existing and effective structures that we have in place already.  Whilst I know that those year groups who have not been allowed back into school by the government have been left frustrated in June, we have with Years R, 1 and 6 plus key worker and vulnerable children operated 16 pods (or bubbles) of pupils in the school with staggered timings for all parts of the day.  Our challenge is to adapt this success to full classes, full year groups and so the full school, all the time operating within the guidance given by the Department for Education.  Over the coming weeks, when plans have been developed and put in place, I will send out fuller details to families about how St Peter’s will run from September onwards.  Below is a list of the term dates for 2020/2021, which remain unchanged, as a reminder for your family calendars.

It has been great to see pupils in Years 3 and 5 attend school this week for their “Keeping in Touch” meetings with teachers.  The children arrived taller, more tanned and with longer hair than I remember, and colleagues reported that after a while in the meeting they simply had to sit back whilst the children chattered eagerly amongst themselves.  Next week, it is the turn of children in Years 2 and 4 for their “Keeping in Touch” session with staff, and I am looking forward to welcoming them back to St Peter’s.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School  Term dates 2020 – 2021

Autumn Term

Thursday 3^rd September 2020 to Friday 18^th December 2020

NB: Pupils’ first day of the autumn term is Monday 7^th September 2020

Year R transition and induction dates are different and will be communicated separately.

Half term holiday Monday 26^th October to Friday 30^th October 2020

Inset days this term (school closed to pupils):

Thursday 3^rd September 2020
Friday 4^th September 2020
Friday 2^nd October 2020
Friday 18^th December 2020

Spring term

Monday 4^th January 2021 to Thursday 1^st April 2021

Half term holiday Monday 15^th February to Friday 19^th February 2021

Inset day this term (school closed to pupils):

Friday 12^th February 2021

Summer Term

Monday 19^th April 2021 to Friday 23^rd July 2021

NB: Pupils’ school day ends at 1:30pm on Friday 23^rd July 2021.
There will be no after school club provision on Friday 23^rd July 2021

Half term holiday Monday 31^st May to Friday 4^th June 2021

Bank Holiday school closure

Monday 3^rd May 2021 (Early May Bank Holiday)

NB: St Peter’s term dates are aligned to those set out by Hampshire Local Authority.
St Peter’s term dates and Inset days will not necessarily be the same as other local secondary or primary schools.

Full attendance to the final teaching day of each term is expected by every pupil at St Peter’s.