10th July 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
Woodlands
The Year 6 pupils have returned safely from a fantastic three-day camping trip at Woodlands, full of stories, smiles and memories that will stay with them for many years to come. Thank you to Mr Hughes, Mrs Armstrong and Miss Walsh, who kindly gave up their time to make the trip such a special experience for the children. Thank you also to our Year 6 parents for their support in preparing pupils for the trip. Residential visits like these are about so much more than time away from school – they help children grow in confidence and independence, strengthen friendships, develop resilience and create lifelong memories. We hope the children have a restful weekend after all their forest fun, ready to return on Monday for their final week at St George’s.
Hot Weather
We will continue with our temporary adjustments to help keep everyone as comfortable as possible next week with continued hot weather forecast. Pupils may wear their PE kit throughout the week, along with cooler footwear such as sandals, provided they are secure and suitable for running and playing during the morning play, when the temperatures are cooler.
Pupils will swim in their PE slots next week, so please ensure you send swimming kits in on the appropriate days.
As always during hot weather, please ensure your child comes to school with a named water bottle, a sun hat and sunscreen already applied before the start of the school day. Thank you for your support as we work together to keep everyone safe in the heat.
Summer Fete
What a wonderful Summer Fete! A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make this year's Summer Fete such a fantastic success. It was wonderful to see our school environment filled with families enjoying the stalls, games, refreshments and performances, creating such a lovely sense of community.
We are incredibly grateful to our amazing Parents' Support Group, whose hard work, organisation and dedication made the event possible. Months of planning went into the afternoon, and we are so fortunate to have such a committed team of volunteers supporting our school.
Thank you also to everyone who donated cakes, prizes, pre-loved uniform, craft creations and raffle items, and to all those who gave up their time to help set up, run stalls and clear away afterwards. Every contribution made a real difference.
We are delighted to announce that the Summer Fete raised a pleasing £1150 for the school. Thank you for your generosity and support in helping to provide wonderful opportunities and experiences for our children.
September 2026
We would like to provide a brief update on staffing for September.
EYFS: Mrs Goode and Mrs McNamara will continue to teach in Reception class, providing an excellent start our pupils’ learning journey at St George’s.
Year 1: Mrs Crocker and Mrs Godfrey will continue to teach the Year 1 curriculum in September.
Year 2: Mrs Carpenter will teach the Year 2 curriculum, supported by Mrs Farthing who is completing her PGCE.
Year 3: Miss Droba will teach Year 3 full-time from September.
Year 4: Mrs Potter will continue to deliver the Year 4 curriculum in the next academic year.
Year 5: Mrs Bernard, who is an experienced upper Key Stage 2 teacher, will deliver the Year 5 curriculum for two terms, full-time, while Mrs Chidgey is on maternity leave. We are pleased to welcome her to our school.
Year 6: Mr Hughes will continue to teach the Year 6 curriculum in September.
Farewell and Thank You
At the end of this academic year, we say goodbye to two much-valued members of our teaching team.
After 13 years at St George's, Mr Lake has decided that the time is right for a new chapter in his career. Throughout his time here, he has shown great dedication to the children and families of St George's, and we are incredibly grateful for the positive contribution he has made to our school community. We wish him every happiness and success in the future. For any parent looking for home tutoring, we would highly recommend Mr Lake, as he grows his tutoring service. Please get in touch with the school office or Mr Lake directly if you would like to discuss anything further.
We also say farewell to Mrs Earp who is moving to London with her family. During her 15 years at St George's, she has inspired countless children through her enthusiasm, expertise and unwavering commitment to providing the very best education. She has also played a significant role in developing Religious Education across the school, and we are thankful that she has kindly offered to continue supporting us during the handover of the RE Lead role.
For two members of staff who have so positively impacted our school community over the years, the words ‘thank you’ do not seem enough. But on behalf of everyone at St George's, we thank both teachers for their years of service, care and commitment. They will both be greatly missed, and we wish them every success and happiness in the future. Mr Lake and Mrs Earp, you will always have a family at St George’s, and you are welcome back any time!
Best wishes,
Edwina McDonnell
Headteacher
Upcoming Dates:
Wednesday 15th July – Year 6 Leaver’s Mass in Church – 9.30am. Parents welcome.
Friday 17th July – Year 6 Leaver’s Party 3pm – 5pm
Friday 17th July – Last day of term
Thursday 3rd September – FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL
