Saxton Newsletter 20.10.23

Remember to be kind to all people in school

Don’t forget that children should only bring healthy snacks for playtimes. Packed lunches should also be healthy in nature – see our guidance below on creating a healthy lunchbox.

Thank you so much for your recent harvest donation. As a foodbank, we have been overwhelmed by the support of local schools and their families. We head towards another uncertain winter, where many people are struggling to purchase nutritious food. Again we are seeing fuel prices rise, as universal state support has been withdrawn. Your donation of 47.1kg will help to support people who face a difficult winter.

Thank you once again for your continued support.

Cheryl Whitton

Project Coordinator

Selby & District Foodbank

Sadly, Mrs Clubbs leaves us next Wednesday. Sadie has been a real asset to our school and will be greatly missed. We would all like to wish her well in her new role. We will temporarily cover her absence internally using existing federation staff. As you know, we have a combined phone system across the federation so that if the Saxton office is unmanned at any time, the phone will be answered by the Monk Fryston office.

We are holding an open evening next Tuesday from 4.30pm – 6pm for any families who have a child due to start in Reception next September. Please do share this with anyone who might be interested.

FOSS are inviting all children to come to school dressed in (appropriate!) Halloween costumes next Friday in return for a donation towards FOSS. Please make any donations via ParentPay.

There is a FOSS meeting on 9th November at 7pm when we will be planning the Christmas Fair. This will be held in the church again, on Friday 1st December. Please bring any contributions of raffle prizes and for a chocolate tombola. These can be brought into school at any time from now on – please give generously.

Thank you to everyone who has very kindly donated towards the cost of the pantomime coaches. As you will imagine, these costs have risen sharply in the last couple of years and are really stretching the funding that is provided by the FOSS, so contributions are greatly received. If you would still like to make a donation, please do so via ParentPay.

Please see the menu below for our special Bonfire Menu for Monday 6th November. If your child would like to order this, please pre-select via ParentPay.

Children can decide daily whether they are having a school dinner or packed lunch.

Please ensure you use our new meal selector to order lunches for your child for up to 3 weeks in advance, see the link below.

Each day there are 4 choices, either the hot dinner, hot vegetarian option, jacket potato with a choice of toppings or a sandwich. The sandwich and jacket potato always come with a selection of vegetables/salad on the side and have the full pudding choice for that day.

Packed Lunches - if you are sending grapes in your child's packed lunch, can you please ensure that these are cut in half.

Now available to book

Various sessions are running throughout the October holidays from Bishop Wood Tuesdays – Thursdays 9.00am – 3.00pm. Lots of free-play opportunities, rope swings, den building, fire

lighting, games, tool use, campfire treats and much more. For more information visit www.treetopsforestschool.co.uk or book a place via www.bookwhen/treetopsforestschool. If you have any questions, please contact Siobhan Bamforth treetopsforestschool@gmail.com

If you are in receipt of certain benefits, your child could also qualify for free school meals during all school years. To qualify you must be receiving:

• Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods (£616.67 per month)

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• The guarantee element of Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit, provided you are also not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual household gross income that does not exceed £16,190 (as assessed by HMRC)

• Working Tax Credit run-on, paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Please note that contributions-based benefits, including contribution-related Jobseekers' Allowance do not entitle you to claim free school meals.

Apply for free school meals

You will receive an instant decision on whether your application is successful. If it is, we will fully process the application in 5 working days and notify the school. Once the school has received this your child can begin enjoying free school meals. You should continue to pay until confirmation comes through. Schools may be able to arrange reimbursement of payment made while your entitlement is being confirmed.

Free school meals claims cannot be backdated. They are awarded from the date we receive the application, once eligibility is confirmed. This is because there is a legal requirement for a request to be made, before a free school meal can be provided. If you are not entitled to free school meals, you will be notified in writing.

We are delighted to be able to have volunteers into schools again, and would welcome parents to help us. If you are able to give any time to us, either on an ad-hoc or regular basis, you will need to complete a DBS application. Please contact the office for more information.

Help raise money for FOSS and label your children's school items. The soft plastic labels can be stuck on machine wash-care labels of clothes, but can also be used on shoes, dishwasher items and general school items.

Please order via the website www.stikins.co.uk and quote Saxton school number 17524

Please be considerate when parking near the school crossing. If parked too close it can be very difficult to see if it is safe to cross, particularly at pick up time-thank you.

Please click here to be re-directed to ParentPay, where you can pay for lunches and other school related items.

Email: admin@sp.starmat.uk
Website: http://www.sp.starmat.uk/
Location: Dam Lane, Saxton, United Kingdom
Phone: 01937 557396
Twitter: @SaxtonCE

The STAR MAT website links and twitter page.

Website: web.starmat.uk
Twitter: @CEOTheSTARMAT