Welcome from the Head Teacher
As a practising Roman Catholic, I am extremely proud to be the HeadTeacher at St Ethelbert's Catholic Primary School and Nursery. Since starting in September 2020, I lead an experienced, hardworking, outward looking and committed team who look forward to developing the school further for the children and local community. I have worked in Thanet throughout my whole career so know the area very well.
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16th October 2026
Latest Newsletter from Mr Marshall Heavenly Father, we entrust our beloved Pope Leo XIV into your loving hands. Please bless him with good health, renewed strength, peace of mind, and a swift recovery. Surround him with your healing grace, protect him from all harm, and sustain him in his mission to lead your Church with wisdom, faith, and love. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, may he be comforted and strengthened each day. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Dear St Ethelbert's Community, Thank you all for your patience this week while Dane Park Road was urgently closed. However, it has shown just how much quieter and safer the road can be when cars are parked elsewhere. As the road reopens, please do consider continuing to park a little further away where possible and maybe fall into new habits, helping to keep the road safer for everyone. As you know, we recently had a brand new boiler installed in the junior building. Unfortunately, the pipe connecting our new gas meter to the main gas supply beneath the road was too narrow to provide sufficient pressure for our new boilers. This meant we had to turn off the gas and urgently arrange for the pipe to be replaced with a wider, modern pipe capable of supplying the required gas pressure. SGN worked tirelessly throughout Saturday, Sunday and Monday to complete the work, prioritising us as a school. A huge thank you to the team for their hard work and for ensuring we now have the correct gas supply in place for the future. Thankfully, the weather has been mild, so we haven't needed the heating just yet. However, we are now all set and ready for when the colder weather arrives! The road is being repaired today and should soon be reopening. It may even be back open by the time you receive this newsletter! Thank you again for your patience, understanding and support throughout the week. Kent Test Results 2026 We'd also like to send a special message to all of our Year 6 children and families who received their Kent Test results yesterday. Congratulations to those who achieved a passwe're very proud of your accomplishment. As a school we received our best results. But to those who did not, please know that we are equally proud of you. You approached a challenging test with courage and determination, and that in itself is something to be celebrated. Well done to each and every one of you. To our current Year 5 children/parents, I normally send a letter out around May/June time in regards to Kent Test applications for 2027. The rosary with Archbishop John Wilson Yesterday, we enjoyed a truly lovely morning joining many other Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Southwark online, alongside Archbishop John Wilson. All children from Years 2 to 5 took part in the Rosary with the Archbishop while Year 6 were in mass, coming together in prayer and reflection. We finished this special session by singing Ave Maria, creating a beautiful and peaceful end to the morning. October is traditionally dedicated to Our Lady Mary, making this a particularly meaningful opportunity for our children to deepen their faith and devotion. All the children showed wonderful respect, reverence and calmness throughout, making us incredibly proud of the way they participated in this special occasion. Share the Learning Invitation We warmly invite all parents to join us on Monday at 2:30 pm to share in the children's learning. You can come into the classroom through the usual gates and see first hand some of the exciting work your child has been doing. Please note that phones should not be used while on school premises during this time to safeguard the children and create a respectful environment. Parents' Evening Reminder The first Parents' Evening of the year will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday after school. You should have received a form to sign up for your appointment slot. If you encounter any issues booking your time, please don't hesitate to contact the school office for assistance. All parents are kindly asked to enter the school through the Dane Park Road entrance. Wishing you all a relaxing weekend. God Bless Mr Marshall Headteacher KCC Consultation on Admission Arrangements in Kent 2028 Kent County Council are consulting on the admission arrangements for all Community & Voluntary Controlled primary, infant and junior schools for September 2028 intake and this will run until Wednesday 25 November 2026. All information can be found in the attached leaflets and on our website. Nursery and Reception - Virtual Tours Experience our nursery space first-hand with our immersive virtual tour. Sharing the Learning Monday 19th October at 2.30pm will be our first 'Sharing the Learning' of this academic year. All parents from Nursery to Year 6 will be invited into class to share the learning of this term. Children will be dismissed at normal time. Parents can go between classes if they have more than one child. Please come to normal gates for entry. Gates will only be open for five minutes so please arrive on time. Thank you. Parents Evening Parents' evening is due to take place Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st October from 3.20pm – 6.00pm. You will receive a link to sign up. Appointments last 10 minutes. This will be a chance to speak to the teacher about how your child has settled into the new year, progress made, targets and view books. Data Collection In order to keep all information accurate and up to date we will be asking parents to complete a data collection form on parents evening. Blank forms will be available outside the classrooms and we would ask all parents to complete a form and hand it to the class teacher at the start of your appointment. This information will be kept strictly confidential and used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Multiplication Tables Check On Monday 19th October there will be a Year 4 parent information meeting about the multiplication tables check. The meeting will be at 3.20pm after Sharing the Learning. Multiplication tables check: information for parents A Huge Thank You to Our Year 6 Families! 🐟 COME DINE WITH ME! 🍟 We would like to say a massive thank you to all the Year 6 parents who joined us in the school hall today for our very first 'Come Dine with Me' event! It was wonderful to see so many families sitting down together to enjoy a fish and chip lunch with the children. A great time was had by all, and the entire lunchtime went incredibly well filled with great food and even better company. We are already looking forward to hosting our next one soon. Hope to see you there! 👋 More photos can be found on our website Super Saturday Football Festival On Saturday, our Year 5 and 6 pupils took part in the annual Super Saturday Football Festival. St Ethelbert's was one of 25 primary schools participating in the event. In the first round of matches, the children made a steady start, drawing two games and losing two. This left them with two points and placed them in Tier 5 for the next stage of the competition. The team was then grouped with schools of a similar ability, including St Peter's, Garlinge and St Gregory's. The children performed exceptionally well, winning two matches, drawing one and losing one. This gave them a total of seven points. It was a fantastic effort from the team, who demonstrated excellent defensive skills and scored some outstanding goals. The children won both of their victories convincingly, with score lines of 3-0 and 4-0. Overall, the team finished as runners-up and proudly returned with silver medals, coming so close to bringing home the trophy. All of the children represented the school brilliantly, showing great determination, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. From a coach's perspective, I am incredibly proud of the children's development and the progress they continue to make. Their hard work and commitment to improving their skills each day are clearly paying off in competitive fixtures. Well done to everyone involved! SEND Please click here for the latest Kent County Council Newsletter for SEND. Here you will find the latest news on Children's mental health, KCC SEND progress to date and further general advice, guidance and support. Kent Adult Education Please see attached information about the September Family Learning online courses, along with community workshops which are happening in Thanet, Canterbury and Dover. All courses are free to eligible learners and cover a range of topics designed to support family life, wellbeing and learning. For full information and to book your free place please visit : www.kentadulteducation.co.uk Raring2go! Raring2go! helps parents and families find local activities, events, clubs, and classes for children aged 0 to 12. For more information and to read the Autumn Magazine, please follow the link: https://magazines.raring2go.co.uk/canterbury/autumn2026/ Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal 2026 This year St Ethelbert's will again be selling poppies to raise money for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Mrs Cayley and our Year 6 Prefects will be selling poppies on the infant and junior school playgrounds at the end of the day. Poppies will be on sale from Monday 19th October until Wednesday morning 11th November. We will also have rulers, wristbands and reflective poppies for sale. We will also be having a 'wear something red' non-uniform day on Friday, 6th November for a £1 donation. Thank you for your continued support Poppy Run In addition to selling poppies, we will also be having a 'Poppy Run' this year to raise funds. If the children would like to participate it is a £1 donation. Permission slips will be sent home with the children shortly. The run will take place during the morning of their PE day week commencing 2nd November. All money received will go to the Royal British Legion. When the children have completed their run, they will receive a certificate of participation and a reflective clip-on poppy. Remembrance Day: World War I – Battle of the Somme On Wednesday, 11th November, our school will come together to observe Remembrance Day and mark a deeply significant milestone in world history. This year signifies the 110th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, which took place in 1916 and remains one of the most significant campaigns of the First World War. To honour the memory of those who served, our pupils will take part in a World War 1 learning day, exploring history through hands-on creative activities, stories, and age-appropriate reflection. To help bring history alive, we invite the children to come to school dressed in either a historical military uniform or civilian clothing from the 1910s era. Parents are highly encouraged to use simple items from home or everyday school clothes rather than purchasing pre-made costumes. Of course, this part is optional; as inclusion is one of our school values, if children do not wish to dress up, they can just wear school uniform as normal. To help carry the historical theme into lunchtime, that day's dessert will be a Victoria sponge, a traditional British teatime treat from that era. If you would like your child to have a school lunch on that day there is no need to pre-book just let the teacher know in the morning. This will be charged via SchoolMoney. Please find below simple ideas for costumes. Easy Civilian Costumes (1910s School Children) For Boys: Pair standard dark school trousers or shorts with a plain white or lightcoloured button-up shirt. Add a pair of clip-on braces and a traditional flat cap. For Girls: A dark school skirt or dress paired with a plain white long-sleeved shirt. A quick "pinafore apron" can be made by tying a plain white pillowcase, tea towel, or square of white fabric around the waist. Hair can be tied back with a simple ribbon. Easy Military & Wartime Costumes The Soldier: Use khaki, brown, or olive-green school trousers paired with a matching polo shirt or button-up shirt. Fastening a brown or green belt tightly over a tucked-in shirt instantly recreates the look of a wartime tunic. The Red Cross Nurse: Start with a standard school dress or a plain white or blue dress. Safely pin a red paper or felt cross to the front of a plain white apron or white t-shirt. A white tea towel or pillowcase folded over the head makes a perfect nurse's headscarf. Kent Family Hub Kent Family Hub offers a range of FREE Family Learning courses and activities taking place across Thanet Family Hubs over the coming months. These sessions offer practical advice, support, and fun learning opportunities for families with children aged 2 years and over. Please see poster for details. This information can also be found on our website Children showing our school values this week Year Group Class Name/Saint Name Child Value Reason for Value Nursery United Kingdom Saint George All of Nursery Inclusion Representing the school well with their amazing behaviour on our trip to see the animals. Well Done! Reception Poland Saint Jadwiga Rio Knowledge Showing fantastic phonic knowledge and blending skills! Selena Inclusion Always wanting to help others and checking that her friends have someone to play with Year 1 Romania Saint Andrew Eliots Knowledge His understanding of number bonds to five using manipulatives to create a systematic order Jozef Knowledge His careful and thoughtful approach to prayer during the virtual rosary Year 2 Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary Kaviyan Knowledge His continued progress with his phonics Charley Thoughtfulness Being polite and respectful to a number of adults Year 3 Japan Paulo Miki Rose Inclusion Always including others at playtime Leo Thoughtfulness Always being well-behaved and polite around the school Year 4 Italy Catherine of Siena Betty Inclusion Including others in her games on the playground Noah Knowledge Working hard to practise his recall of times tables Year 5 India Saint Mother of Teresa Toby Knowledge Always thinking deeply about every task given to him Zuzanna Thoughtfulness Helping other children around her without being asked Year 6 France Saint Vincent de Paul & Saint Therese of Lisieux Lucy Knowledge Completing fantastic research for her biography Amily Knowledge Recalling music vocab and perfectly describing dynamics Well done! Class Masses If you would like to join us for a class Mass, then you are very welcome. Children lead the Mass with readings and bidding prayers. Date Year Group attending Mass 22 October Year 5 Half Term 5 November Year 4 12 November Year 3 19 November Year 2 26 November Year 6 3 December Year 5 10 December Year 4 15 December KS2 Carol Service Christmas Holiday Mass will be on Thursday mornings at 9.30am in St Ethelbert's church Attendance this academic year... Our attendance policy states that we aim for a 100% attendance Reception 89.6% Year 1 93.1% Year 2 90.3% Year 3 96.7% Year 4 96.4% Year 5 99.2% Year 6 94.8% Whole School this week 94.2% Whole School academic year to date 95.4% National Average academic year to date 95.9% PLEASE NOTE – IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE WRAPAROUND CARE STAFF AFTER 4PM THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 07400 170519 DIARY DATES 2026-27 October 2026 18th Feast of Saint Luke 19th Sharing the Learning - parents invited in from 2.30pm - thrive focus 19th Multiplication Table Check parent's info meeting 3.20pm 20th/21st Parents evening - 3:20 - 6:00pm 22nd END OF TERM 1 23rd INSET DAY (3 of 5) November 2026 2ND TERM 2 STARTS FOR CHILDREN Poppy sale 2nd Flu Vaccinations 2nd Poppy Run - £1 donation for Poppy Appeal - 6th 'Wear Something Red Day' for Poppy Appeal - £1 donation 9th Reception parent information evening for EY Profile 3.30-4pm 11th Remembrance – 2 minutes silence - dress up day 16th - 20th Anti-bullying week 17th Times Table Rockstars Day - dress up 18th SEN Parents Evening 20th Children in Need – Non-uniform 23rd UK Parliament Week 30th St Andrew's Day December 2026 1st Christmas Tree and hoops up 2nd PTFA Gift Wrap 2nd PTFA Disco and infant Party (3.10-4.35pm) 9th Panto –Marlowe Canterbury Years 3-6 - Peter Pan 11th PTFA Christmas Fair (outside) 14th Nursery Christmas Concert 11:00am 14th Nativity Play (Reception) 2.15pm 15th Carol Concert (Juniors) 2.15pm & 6.30pm 15th Stay and Play - Spring Starters - Nursery 3.30-4.30pm 16th Christmas Dinner Day & Christmas Jumpers 16th Nativity Play (Y1 & Y2) 9.15am & 2:15pm 17th Granville Theatre Panto for YN- Y2 - Jack & the Beanstalk 18th Benediction - 1.15pm 18th END OF TERM 2
16th October 2026
Nursery were invited to Life Skills Manor Autism School to visit the animals in their amazing 'Therapy Garden'. The children loved seeing and feeding the ducks, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises and African land snails! The chickens housed here are the same chicks the children hatched from eggs last year in our Nursery and Reception class, so it was lovely to see them fully grown and thriving! A massive thank you to Life Skills Manor for welcoming us and inviting us back again, the children thoroughly enjoyed it!
16th October 2026
16th October 2026
15th October 2026
Kent County Council are consulting on the admission arrangements for all Community & Voluntary Controlled primary, infant and junior schools for September 2028 intake and the consultation will run until Wednesday 25 November 2026. https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/243797/Proposed-Primary-Arrangements-for-Community-and-voluntary-controlled-2028-29.pdf All information can be found on our website https://www.stethelbertsschool.co.uk/parent-information
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‘Every child at St Ethelbert’s is to fulfil their academic, social, behavioural and emotional potential in the surroundings of a Catholic community, and in which each individual shares or respects the Catholic Church and Christian way of Life.’