Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been another productive week in school, with the children continuing to settle into their new classes, routines and expectations.  It is lovely to see them becoming increasingly confident and familiar with their new surroundings, teachers and classmates. Thank you to parents and carers for your continued support as we establish the routines for the new academic year.  These first few weeks are an important time for setting expectations and helping children to develop the independence and resilience they need to have a successful year.  Behind the scenes, we are also transferring some systems into the Mitre Trust way of working as we adopt their policies and procedures moving forwards.

Important Dates

Last week, you received an attachment containing as many dates for the year as we are currently able to provide.  We will, of course, endeavour to keep to these dates wherever possible.  However, as you will appreciate, school life can sometimes require us to make changes due to circumstances beyond our control.  Where dates do need to change, we will always try to give you as much notice as possible.  Please continue to use the dates provided as a guide and keep an eye on our communications for any updates.  As always, we have planned for a busy and exciting year ahead for the children in our care.

Changes to Free School Meal Entitlements

From September 2026, the Government has introduced substantial changes to Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility.

Under the new National criteria, all families in receipt of Universal Credit will qualify your child for a free school dinner, meaning that more students will become eligible.

Therefore, from September 2026, there will be two categories of benefit-related FSM.

1. Targeted Free School Meals:

This category continues to be based on the existing income threshold. Students will be eligible if their household;

• Is in receipt of Universal Credit, and
• Has an annual household income of £7,400 or less

Only students eligible for Targeted FSM will:

• Qualify for Pupil Premium funding
• Free school trips (residentials 50% of the cost)
• Free music lessons
• One set of uniform each year
• Free breakfast club

2. Expanded Free School Meals:

This category applies to school meals only and covers pupils who:

• Live in households receiving Universal Credit, and
• Do not meet the income threshold for Targeted FSM (i.e. the annual household income is above £7,400).

Pupils eligible for Expanded FSM will be eligible to a free school dinner only.

Please do not miss out on support that you may be entitled to for your child please seek further guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.

A Word About Allergies and Intolerances

We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the important distinction between food preferences, intolerances and allergies.  We completely understand that children may dislike particular foods or have foods that do not agree with them. However, a food intolerance is very different from a diagnosed allergy where a child may be at risk of a serious allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.

We have children in school with significant allergies, including allergies to nuts, milk and certain fruits, and it is essential that we take these conditions extremely seriously.  St Anne’s is a nut-free school, and we ask everyone to help us maintain a safe environment for all our pupils.  For children who have school dinners, it is particularly important that parents/carers provide the meal provider (Innovate) with accurate and up-to-date information about any diagnosed allergies or intolerances.  This can be completed on their app, via www.schoolgrid.co.uk.  This enables the catering provider to put the appropriate measures in place.  Additionally, the school requires sight of any health care plans that illustrate how to respond to an allergic reaction for a particular child - each child is different.  Thank you for helping us to keep all our children safe.

Are You a Pond Expert?

We have been very excited to see our new decking area taking shape, but we think our pond may have developed a little problem!  Despite recognising how warm and dry the weather has been, we feel that the pond is losing rather more water than it should.  We suspect that we may have a leaky pond liner.  Is there anyone in our school community who is a bit of a pond expert or knows someone who might be able to help us identify the problem and rectify it?  If you can help, please get in touch with the school office.  We would be very grateful!

Collective Worship at St Anne’s

As a Church of England school, collective worship is an important part of life at St Anne’s.  It is also important to us that our worship reflects the diversity of our school community.  Our themes are rooted in the Anglican and Christian tradition, but we also explore how these themes relate directly to our school vision and the values that help us to live well together.  Our vision, “Let all that you do be done in love,” encourages us to consider how we treat others and how we can develop as whole people — spiritually, mentally and physically — within our caring Christian environment. Throughout the year, we explore themes such as honesty, trust, forgiveness, kindness, courage, respect and compassion, using stories and examples in the world we live , Bible passages, discussion, music, reflection and prayer.  Collective worship is carefully structured so that it is invitational, inclusive and inspirational.  Children are encouraged to listen, reflect, question and consider how the theme might influence their own choices and actions.  We celebrate what we have in common while respecting and valuing the different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences within our school community.

Roald Dahl Day – 13 September

Roald Dahl Day takes place on Sunday 13 September.  Roald Dahl remains one of the world's most loved children's authors, with characters and stories that continue to inspire children's imaginations.  Why not build on the class work today and mark the occasion at home by sharing a favourite Roald Dahl story together?  Whether it is The BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or one of his many other wonderful stories, reading together is always time well spent.

New Starter Open Evenings for Admission 2027

We are looking forward to welcoming our new families to our New Starter Open Evenings.  These evenings provide an opportunity to meet members of staff, find out more about starting school and ask any questions you may have.  We will continue to offer individual family visits during school hours too.  Our first one will be on Wednesday 7 October 2026 between 4-5.30pm.

A word about parking...again!

The Church carpark does not belong to the school.  It is at the discretion of the Church committee that our parent community can access this at the beginning and the end of the day.  All we ask is that parents park within the designated spaces only. Please don't double park or park across two spaces.  We don't want to lose this facility.

Vegetables galore!

Last week we talked about the 'harvest' from the grow beds. Thank you to those parents who have made a donation for the produce on offer today.

Macmillan Coffee Afternoon

We will be hosting our Annual Macmillan Coffee Afternoon on Friday 25^th September at 2.30pm. Please join us if you can in the school hall.  We would be grateful as always for donations of cakes and raffle prizes.  Thank you

School Reminders

A few reminders as we begin the new term:

• School logo uniform for the cardigan/sweatshirt, polo shirt and PE t-shirt
• Grey trousers, skirt or pinafore
• Blue shorts for PE
• Black school shoes
• No jewellery other than stud earrings - to be removed on swimming days

Branded uniform is available online from www.logoleisurewear.co.uk or 'preloved' can be found at The Uniform Bank – located at The Basement at the Golden Ball, 3 Victoria Square, Worksop, S80 1DX (open Tuesday and Wednesdays 10.00-12.00.  Many of the local supermarkets have a number of deals at the moment.

• Snacks at break - fruit only. We are a nut free school.
• We will reintroduce 'snacks' as soon as possible through our provider.
• The school day begins at 8.50am and ends at 3.20pm.  Please ensure your child arrives at school and is ready to enter by 08:50am. If arriving after 08:50am, please use the Harrington entrance and sign in with the iPad by the door.  The iPad records the number of minutes late on the register.  Any child arriving after 09:05am will be marked with a U code for unauthorised absence. 
• We encourage where possible, appointments to be made outside of the school day but recognise that this is not always possible.

🌈 Wraparound Care

Week Commencing: Monday 14^th September 2026

Contact: 01909 473 223 Option 2

💌 Welcome to another lovely week at wraparound care!  Our team are so happy to be spending time with your children. Here’s a peek at all the fun, food, and special activities that we have planned.

🍎 Food & Tasty Treats

🥣 Breakfast Options

Day	Cereals (Low Sugar Options)	Toast Options	Drinks	Fruit Option	Optional Extra	Allergens
Monday	Weetabix Cornflakes Shredded Wheat Rice Krispies Oats (porridge)	50/50 toast with flora buttery and jam	Milk / Water / Apple juice / Orange juice	Banana	Low sugar yogurt or fromage frais	Milk, Gluten
Tuesday				Tinned peaches in fruit juice		Milk, Gluten
Wednesday				Tinned pears in fruit juice		Milk, Gluten
Thursday				Frozen mango		Milk, Gluten
Friday				Tinned oranges in fruit juice		Milk, Gluten

Breakfast is either cereal or toast with yoghurt and fruit as optional extras.

🍌 After School Snacks

Day	Snack	Allergens
Monday	Cheese toastie, raisins, apple	Milk, Gluten
Tuesday	Beans on toast, banana	Gluten
Wednesday	Cheese wrap, sweetcorn, pear	Milk, Gluten
Thursday	Pasta in a tomato sauce, veg sticks, orange	Gluten
Friday	Scrambled egg on toast, fruit salad	Egg, Gluten

 

🎨 Next Week’s Afterschool Activities – Autumn Explorers

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
3:20–3:40	Snack & Social	Snack & Social	Snack & Social	Snack & Social	Snack & Social
3:40–4:00	Reading	Reading	Reading	Reading	Reading
4:00–4:30	Leaf rubbing art	Nature treasure hunt	Conker games	Autumn collage	Apple bobbing

News from the Classes

Class Reception

Class Reception have amazed everyone in their first full week at school, showing just how well they have settled into their new environment.  This week, the children enjoyed reading It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr, which encouraged them to think about what makes each of them unique and special.  During circle time, they confidently shared their names, as well as some of their likes and dislikes, helping them to get to know one another better.  The children have also been enjoying their school dinners and have loved spending time with their Year 6 buddies, who have helped them settle into school life with kindness and support.  Well done, Class Reception, on such a fantastic start to the year.  We are all very proud of you!

Class One

This week, Class 1 have been busy settling into their new classroom and learning the routines and expectations of Class 1.  Miss DeCouto and Miss Howarth have been incredibly proud of how well the children have settled, and have already noticed lots of sensible behaviour, positive attitudes and hard work.

One of the highlights of the week has been using the iPads to explore digital maps.   The children enjoyed finding different places and learning how map symbols can help us locate important features.  They were especially excited when they discovered familiar places, and some children were even able to find their own homes on the map! It has been wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they begin their Class 1 learning journey.

Class Two

This week in Class 2 the children have been hard at work getting to grips with our first maths topic of place value, recognising tens and ones and writing them and representing them in different ways.  We have looked at common nouns and proper nouns in English as well starting to explore the book Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine.  In our Computing lessons children have been immersed into technology, what it is, where we can find it and why it is useful.  In History over the last week, children have been introduced to the Victorians, learning about Queen Victoria and why she was important and answering the question from the age of 42, why did she wear black for the rest of her life?  Children have explored fundamental skills in PE, and looking at ball games, practising a variety of skills.  A busy but successful week for all of the children in Class 2.

Class Three

 

Class 3 have made a fantastic start to the new school year and have worked incredibly hard during their first full week back. It has been wonderful to see the children settling into their new routines, showing enthusiasm for their learning and beginning to develop their independence as Class 3 learners.  In English, the children have been revisiting the basics of writing, focusing on constructing perfect sentences using capital letters, full stops and finger spaces.  They have also had a very exciting visitor arrive in the classroom – a woolly mammoth!  The children worked together to wash and clean the mammoth, ready to use their experience as inspiration for their upcoming instruction writing.  

In Maths, Class 3 have been developing their understanding of place value, focusing on numbers up to 100. They have been identifying the value of each digit and practising placing numbers accurately on number lines. In History, the children have begun their new Stone Age to Iron Age topic. They have explored the chronology of the period and created timelines showing key events, helping them to understand how Britain changed over thousands of years. In PE, Class 3 have been developing their gymnastics skills by linking different movements together to create sequences.  They have also started their invasion games unit, focusing on dodging and developing their ability to move effectively around opponents.  In RE, the children have been exploring the question, “How do Christians around the world celebrate key festivals?” They have looked at important stories from the Bible and discussed why these stories and celebrations are significant to Christians. The children have enjoyed making connections between Bible stories, Christian beliefs and the ways in which Christians celebrate important festivals around the world. It has been a wonderful first full week together, and Class 3 should be very proud of the positive start they have made!

Class Four

Class Four have settled in really well and have made a positive start to the new school year.  The children have been working hard and are becoming increasingly familiar with their new routines and expectations.

The class have also begun their first Art topic, developing their skills in using watercolour effectively.  They have been exploring the importance of water control and pigment, experimenting with how these can be used to create different effects. The children have explored secondary and tertiary colours and have used their new knowledge to create their own colour wheels.

Throughout the term, the children will continue to develop their watercolour techniques and will work towards replicating a selection of Monet’s paintings, applying the skills they have learned to create their own artwork.

Class Five

This week, the children have had a fantastic start to their new learning.  In English, they have begun an exciting narrative writing unit based on the book Cosmic by Frank Cottrell-Boyce.  The children have enjoyed getting to know the characters and have created detailed character descriptions using ambitious vocabulary and a range of descriptive techniques.  In maths, they have been developing their understanding of place value, building confidence when reading, comparing and ordering larger numbers.  In geography, the children have started learning how to use six-figure grid references to locate places more precisely on maps.  Meanwhile, in PE, they have been exploring the key skills and rules of netball, demonstrating great teamwork and enthusiasm.

Class Six

What a fantastic start to the year Class 6 have made!  All of the children have embraced the privilege of being the oldest pupils in the school and have impressed every adult with their maturity, enthusiasm and positive attitude.  They have risen to the challenges and responsibilities of Class 6 brilliantly and are already setting an excellent example for younger pupils.

In Maths, the children have been busy consolidating their place value knowledge, building a secure understanding of numbers and preparing for future learning.  In English, they have been reviewing different types of nouns, including common, proper, collective, partitive and abstract nouns, helping to strengthen their grammatical understanding and writing skills.

Our new class text, Goodnight Mister Tom, has already captured the children's interest and complements our exciting World War II topic.  The class has enjoyed discussing the characters and making links to the historical period being studied.

In PE, Class 6 have begun their Tag Rugby unit and have demonstrated great teamwork, determination and sportsmanship.  Meanwhile, in science, they have immersed themselves in creating working electrical circuits, using a range of components and investigating how they function together.

To support their history learning, the children have also begun researching the Holocaust Centre and exploring why it is such an important place for remembering and learning from the past. We look forward to seeing their knowledge and understanding develop further throughout the term.

We are incredibly proud of the excellent start Class 6 has made and are excited for the many opportunities and achievements that lie ahead this year.

Congratulations to our Stars of the Week this week

Class Reception – No star this week

Class One – Erin and Christian

Class Two - Harry

Class Three – Hansel

Class Four – Joshua and Kitty

Class Five – Eliza

Class Six – Annie

A prayer for the week ahead from Sonia and Alexander (6):

Dear God,

I hope that everyone had a great first week in their new classes and settled in.

Amen

Dear God,

Thank you for everything you have given us. Thank you for the food we eat and the drinks we drink.

Amen

 

Out of School Achievements:

Worksop Town U11, Medal for Charity walk for Man Tor: Flynn (6)

Theory exam with Distinction in Music: Eliza (5)

20m Swim Award, Gymnastics Apparatus Level 1: Lily H (2) 

Dojo belt, another strip: Wilf (2)     .

Summer Reading Challenge, 800m swim, Stage 8, 9 10 Swimming Award,1 mile Swim Certificate: Florence      (4)      

Running Medal – 1 mile race 7 mins 8 seconds. 36th out of 160: Teddy (4)

Annual Clumber Park Cricket Presentation, Best Bowler U9 and U11 Teams: Harriet R (6)        

Lunchtime Awards: Tobias, Vicky and Sonia (Y6) – helping in the hall

Well done to all!

Church Services

10:00am StA@ HC with SS led by Rev Dave

1pm Holy Baptism

6:00pm StA@6, led by Sayta

2026-2027 Attendance

Please use your Arbor App to check your child's current attendance. You can find this by scrolling up on your home page to see this year’s attendance.

Class	Attendance
R	91.1%
1	97.33%
2	98.35%
3	95.4%
4	96.77%
5	94.7%
6	92.14%
ALL:   96.06%

Finally…

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.  The start of a new academic year is always a busy time, but it is wonderful to see the children settling so positively and beginning to embrace the opportunities and expectations of their new classes.  I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Middleton & the St Anne’s Team

KEY DATES 2026-2027

Please ensure your children are in school during these times as their data will count even when absent.

Class 6 SATS – Monday 10th May 2027 – Thursday 13th May 2027

Class 4 Multiplication Test W/c 7th June 2027 – 2 weeks

Class 2 in school assessments May 2027 and w/c 7th June 2027

Class 1 Phonics Screening 14th June 2027 -2 weeks

Inset Days Tuesday 1st September 2026 Monday 4th January 2027 Friday 12th February 2027 Monday 26th July 2027 Tuesday 27th July 2027 Wednesday 28th July 2027

 

 

Date	Time	Class	Event	Location
			September
14		4	Swimming	Valley Leisure Centre
15		3	Accelerated Reader Parent Information Session
18	14:30	Parents	Kerry Macadam from Bassetlaw Behaviour Partnership – Parent support meeting if you want to attend
21		? 4	Islam Visitor in school Swimming	In School Valley Leisure Centre
24	14:45	Parents of Class 1	Phonics Early Reader Workshop	School Hall
25	14:30	All	MacMillan Coffee Morning	School Hall
28		All	Black History Month Starts
28	AM	4	Swimming	Valley Leisure Centre
29	14:00	All	Harvest Festival Service	Church
30-2		5	Residential	Hathersage

 

			October
5		All	Bookfair in Reception Area Swimming	All Valley
5	15:30-18:15	All	Parents Evening	School
6	15:30-17:00	All	Parents Evening
7	16:00-17:30		New Starters Open Evening – for starters 2027/28
9	All day	4	Trip River Study	Perlethorpe
12	AM	4	Swimming	Valley
14	All day	2	Trip to the Victorian School Room	Newstead Abbey
14-16		6	Residential to PGL	Caythorpe Court
16		All	Red Card to Racism – wear something red	School
19-30		All	Half Term

 

			November
2	AM	4	Swimming	Valley Leisure Centre
2-3	All day	Reception	Balance Bikes	School
9	AM	All	School Photos Individuals (siblings in the morning)	School
10	15:20-17:00		Open Event for New Parents for Sept 27	School
11	10:30	All	School Remembrance Day Service	Church
12	14:45	All	Class Assembly	School Hall
13	All day	All 1	Children in Need Class trip Emergency Services Museum
17	14:30	All Welcome	Maths Parent Workshop	School Hall
19	All day	6	Trip Holocaust Centre
23	All day	All	Flu Jabs	School
24	All day	Reception and 1	Perlethorpe Nativity Trail	Perlethorpe
25	All day	3	Class Trip to Creswell Crags	Creswell Crags
26	14:30	2	Class Assembly	School Hall

 

			December
3	15:30- 16:45 17:00-18:15	KS1     KS2	Christmas Disco – KS1     Christmas Disco – KS2	School Hall
7			Nativity Week – days TBC
10		All	Christmas Fair – Provisional date	School
11		All	Christmas Craft Afternoon	School
15		Choir	Portland Carols	St Anne’s Church
16		All	Christmas Dinner Day	School
18	14:30	All	Christingle	St Anne’s Church