Issuu

Issue 2

Spring Term

16th January 2026

Dear Parents, The Spring Term is such a fast-moving progress making time. It appears to start slow with not too many events built into the weeks, but this is excellent for girls familiar with staff and learning practices to jump right back into their lessons and make good progress. Already I am seeing maturity in some of my Year 5’s which was not there pre-Christmas. A keenness and focus, a desire to learn, grow and develop. Reading gaining fluency, a greater resilience and effort to attempt challenging problems more resourcefully themselves first. This week demonstrated those qualities with feedback from the Senior Head Girl Team praising the confidence of our Prep School Council reps in the Whole School meeting on Monday. It showed in the Interhouse Hockey games; in the friendly Chess Meet against Cranmore; in the way Year 6 took to the introduction of LifeLab this Wednesday, and since then in overheard conversations as they huddle in their newly formed project groups to excitedly discuss next steps in product selection and design; and in the way the girls represented the school in the Wimbledon High School gala. Next week, we look forward to Wintershall actors leading our Chapel Assembly on Monday and we are especially excited for the Young Voices Choir in the O2 arena on Friday! Before then, may I wish you all a happy weekend ahead. Gareth Tindall

Year 6 Science Reminder Don’t Forget to bring in a cereal box to school to make a periscope in Science on Monday 27th January.

Pastoral Pause This coming week in the Random Act of Kindness calendar we are challenged to: • write down one thing we have done that made us feel proud – perhaps while blasting out Heather Small’s hit from May 2000! • Write, or even draw or paint, one act of kindness you have done. • Take a break (for yourself – I know – daring) without feeling guilty! • Read that last one again – without dismissing it as fairytale… • Look for three “tiny treasures” in your day — something pretty, something funny, and something that makes you feel safe. • Leave a kind note for yourself – somewhere where when you next see it you’ll be thankful, remember the truth of it, smile. As the picture says: “It’s ok not to be ok.” Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me…” God Bless You, Gareth

Spring Term, 2026 Key Diary Dates: Mon 19th Jan Fri 23rd Jan

Wed 28th Jan Wed 4th Feb Fri 6th Feb Mon 9th Feb Tues 10th Feb Wed 11th Feb Tue 10th Feb Wed 11th Feb Fri 13th Feb Mon 23rd Feb Tues 24th Feb Wed 25th Feb Mon 2nd Mar Thu 5th Mar Mon 9th Mar Wed 11th Mar Thu 12th Mar Wed 18th Mar

Fri 20th Mar Wed 25th Mar Thurs 26th Mar Fri 27th Mar

Wintershall Assembly Year 6 & 7 Quiz Year 5 Primary Maths challenge Young Voices Choir at the O2 Arena Young Voices Concert at the O2 Arena Year 5 Open Book Morning, Prep Classrooms Year 6 Open Book Morning, Prep Classrooms FOST Prep Valentine Dance, Dining Hall Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week Safer Internet Day Year 5, French Breakfast, Cranmore Parents’ Evening - Online Parents’ Evening - In Person, John Bosco Classrooms Half Term begins School resumes IAPS Swimming Qualifiers 6MK Class Assembly World Book Week Visiting Author - Ally Sherrick Prep School Dress up for World Book Day Visiting Author - Joel Arcanjo Year 5, Parent Meeting for Osmington Bay Trip, Year 5 Classrooms Spring Concert Year 6 Onatti French Production At Cranmore Year 5 Trip to Hampton Court Palace Year 6 Trip to France, Parent Meeting, Year 6 Classrooms Year 6 LifeLab, The Perfect Pitch LifeLab Enterprise Fair 65AB Class Assembly FOST Egg Hunt Hop Skip & Jump

08:35 08:55 13:45 PM 19:00 08:15 - 09:00 08:15 - 09:00 18:00 - 20:00 All Week Al Day 09.30 - 10:30 17:00 - 20:00 16:30 - 19:00 End of day 13:30 - 16:30 08.15 - 09.00 All Week All Day All Day Afternoon 16.30 - 17.00 18.30 - 19.30 08:45 - 11:00 09.00 - 15.00 16.30 - 17.00 09.00 13.00 08.15 - 09.00 TBC 08.45 - 09.30

This week you have received the following communications on SchoolPost: Year 6: Year 5:

Year 5 Hampton Court Trip, Wednesday 18th March 2026

Whole School:

Prep Swimming Sessions Prep School, Tennis Team Trials 2026

St Teresa’s SchoolPost Communication System Go to: https://stteresas.schoolpost.co.uk/ Please remember to check your inbox, including your junk/spam, as the email may go to your junk box the first time it is sent. If you have any questions please email prepinfo@st-teresas.com

Golden Book Well done to all of the girls in our Golden Books this week: 5AB Florence D for her demonstration of her excellent fraction knowledge and quick times table recall when adding and subtracting fractions with different denominators. Ava B for her enthusiasm and engagement in our new topic and for her informative factsheet about King Henry VIII. Lily J for making a particular effort to write neatly, consistently. Well done! 5HT Leila A for her enthusiasm for our new topic and an excellent recall of the key events at The Battle of Bosworth. Hollie G for her determination to master addition and subtraction of fractions with different denominators and not only providing the answers but also simplifying them. Chioma N for an excellent start at St Teresa's, where you have demonstrated confidence across all our learning and developed some strong, new friendships. 6RG Liberty C for her fantastic effort to get into character of an evacuated child shown in her narrative writing. Well done. Amelia H for her enthusiasm to develop her understanding of what it was like to be an evacuee and her use of this knowledge to show emotions in her narrative writing. Well done. 6MK Daisy B and Rosalind D for their excellent engagement and use of empathy to imagine what it might have been like to be a chid being evacuated in 1939. Ellie BS for being a super speller and achieving a high mark in the Year 6 statutory spelling test.

Drama Stars Year 5:

Vivian WS for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm about Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre.

Year 6:

Harper AS for her use of physicality to show a character responding to different types of weather.

Scientist of the Week Year 5:

Chioma N and Lulu D for their excellent scientific predictions.

Year 6:

Jessica A and Ania S for their wonderful light diagrams.

Artist Star Year 5:

Beatrice S-G for her particular effort to create a 3D effect on her Bridget Riley-inspired pop art piece, in Art club.

MESSAGE FOR YEAR 6 PARENTS Please remember to confirm your decision regarding your Senior School offer by completing the relevant section in your Applicaa parent account by the deadline date of Friday 30th January 2026.

Key Dates 2025 - 26 As outlined in the Parent Handbook, and reiterated at the Parent Welcome Reception, there are three key dates in the school calendar that are compulsory for all the girls to attend. This is to help them understand the importance of team work and collaborative responsibility as these are events where they are all involved and need to support each other. These dates are as follows: Spring Concert Thursday 12th March, 18.30 to 19.30 Prep School Prize Giving Thursday 2nd July, 19.00 to 20.00 We would be grateful if you could keep these dates free so that all girls can be present at these important community events.

Open Book Dates 2025 - 26 We will be holding Open Book Mornings for each Year Group starting in the Spring Term. This is an opportunity for your daughters to show you their books and their classrooms. Year 5 - 28/01/26 Year 6 - 04/02/26 Refreshments will be served from 8.15am 08.30 - 08.55am in the Year Group Classrooms

Class Assembly Dates 2025 - 26 25/02/26 - 6MK 25/03/26 - 5AB 29/04/26 - 5HT At 8.30am in the Library Refreshments will be served from 8.15am

FOST 2nd HAND UNIFORM SHOP Submission forms are under FOST 2nd hand uniform on the St Ts website: Second-hand Uniform Shop REMINDER: CASH or CHEQUE only please for the foreseeable future. Open Fridays 8.30am-9am and First Saturday of every month 10:30am — 11.00am by appointment only: Please contact Wendy or Camilla: Fostuniform@gmail.com

Year 6 Evacuation Day On Monday, the girls in Year 6 arrived at school with something different: a suitcase! They were being evacuated. Having packed a suitcase, bag or pillowcase, located their hats, caps, gas masks and even a sandwich or two, the girls wrote their names on their name label and were taken to their workshop, run by Mrs Gibson. Taking on the role of an evacuee, the girls travelled to the train station where they were met by a rather stern teacher, then evacuated to Devon, imagining the train ride and identifying the new experiences that the children would have had. Once there, they were greeted by their hosts and sorted into groups. All through the session, the girls considered emotions and experiences of the children that they were role playing.

“My favourite part of the workshop was going on the train, because it was when the adventure began”. Olivia I think that if I was evacuated in WWII, I would feel different emotions: sad - that I was leaving my family; worried that I didn't know where I was going; excited - that I was going on an adventure”. Rosie

Chess Club From Mrs Choudhry: The chess meet‑up on Tuesday was a great success. All the pupils thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and there were some excellent matches that offered plenty of challenge for the girls. Cranmore’s Chess Club joined us for an hour of exciting games, and the pupils rose to the occasion brilliantly. We are very proud of them all!

Music News

Orchestra We were delighted to welcome Kimberley (violin) and Chioma (double bass) to orchestra and Sophia H tried her hand at a little conducting. This week we made a start on Yesterday (The Beatles). The first read through of a new piece is always a little tricky but by the end of lunchtime it was starting to take shape.

Music-Makers Club A super first meeting of our new Music-Makers Club this week, working out performing groups, instrument combinations, repertoire selections and rehearsal schedules.

Chamber Choir Wow! What a huge turnout for our first choir rehearsal., and what a ‘joyful’ rehearsal as we watched Joyful, Joyful (featured in Sister Act II) and then explored the origins and different interpretations of this uplifting song.

Musician of the Week Year 5 Year 6

Maddie J Thank you for your unwavering and infectious enthusiasm in all our music lessons Maggie M and Cecily P Well done for adding singing and a sense of performance to your keyboard duet

Year 5 This week Year 5 learned a new song in three-part harmony, identifying and learning each voice and then putting it together as a cannon (or round), each group taking it in turn to lead. We video-recorded a short performance, watched it back to evaluate the overall effect, the balance and how the parts fit together and made suggestions for improvements before making a second recording for the class teachers. In ukulele groups we have learned new chords D7 and Dm, along with different strumming patterns.

Year 6 Huge excitement from Year 6 as we announced the chosen production, listened to all the musical tracks and considered songs to use for auditions. In our keyboard groups we have introduced the bass clef, playing in 3-time and 4-time and performing in pairs and in a round.

Sport News

It has been great to see the girls back in school and especially back to sports clubs! If you daughter still wants to join a sports club, it is not too late! Just let Mrs Hitchman know and she can add them to the register. On Wednesday lunchtime @ 12:45pm there is prep football club and it was great to see so many girls attending!

Water bottles Please make sure your daughter is coming into school with a water bottle even in these colder months!

Interhouse Competitions We have interhouse hockey and netball coming up this term. Please make sure that for interhouse hockey your daughter has her shin pads and mouth guard, without these items they will be not able to take part.

Pupil News If your daughter has completed any sporting achievements outside of school, the PE department would love to hear about them. Please email Mrs Hitchman with a short description and photo to a.hitchman@st-teresas.com.

Fixtures (week commencing 19th January) •

Tuesday 20th January—U10A Football V Manor House (H) 2:30pm

You will be able to access fixtures for the day, alongside the Sports Calendar which can provide you with all the sports fixtures weeks and months in advance. If a team sheet has been published for a particular fixture, the blue ‘person’ symbol will be available to click on. simply click on the blue symbol next to the fixture to access the team sheet. St Teresa's Effingham | Sports Home

This Week This week we focus on the Baptism of Jesus. A reading from the Gospel of Matthew Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Reflection The story of Jesus reminds us that each of us has a divine vocation. A calling if you will. At Jesus’ Baptism we see that the Trinity is present: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Baptsim of Jesus also reminds us that we are beloved by God. We bare the image of the Trinity within us. Let us this year seek to work and move within God’s Spirit.

Prayer Eternal Father, who at the baptism of Jesus revealed Him to be Your Son, anointing Him with the Holy Spirit: grant that we may be faithful to our call as Children of God, listening to you, guided by Your Spirit, to fulfil our unique and definite purpose. Amen.

Prep Clubs, Spring Term 2026 MORNING

LUNCH

END OF SCHOOL

EARLY EVENING

12.45-13.15

16.15 – 17.00

17.00-18.00

Years 5, Forest School Years 6, Forest School Equestrian Riding (16.00 – 19.15) Orchestra, by invitation Grade 1+ standard)

MON

Year 6, ESTA Tennis Coaching (16.15 17.15)

Years 5 & 6, Hockey Goal Keeping Club Young Voices Choir (until 20th January) Years 5 & 6, Netball Shooting Club TUE

Years 5 & 6, Netball Club (7.50 - 8.20, Sp. H)

Year 5, Tennis Squad practice (Invitational only, after half term)

Years 5 & 6, Lego Club (from 27th January) Years 5 & 6, Art Club (16.15 - 17.00) Years 5 & 6, Drama Club (16.15 - 17.00)

Equestrian Riding (16.00 – 19.15) Pony Stars (16.30 – 17.30) Years 5 & 6, Hockey Club (16.15 17.30)

Years 5 & 6, Swim Squad (7.45 - 8.30)

Years 5 & 6, Football Club (12.45– 13.15)

WED

Years 5 & 6, LAMDA Lessons (16.15 16.45) Equestrian Riding (16.00 – 19.15)

Years 5 & 6, Prayer Group (10.55 – 11.15)

Schola Cantorum (by invitation)

Years 5 & 6, Ballet Dance (16.15 17.15) Year 5, ESTA Tennis Coaching (16.15 17.15)

THU

Years 5 & 6, Hockey Club (7.50 - 8.20, Sp. H)

Years 5 & 6, Running Club (12.15-12.45)

Years 5 & 6, Beginners (7.45 8.30)

Years 5 & 6, Art Club (16.15 - 17.00)

String Group

Year 5, Swim Squad (15.45 - 16.45) Year 6, Swim Squad (16.45 - 17.30)

Years 5 & 6, Chess Club

Equestrian Riding (16.00 – 19.15)

Chamber Choir, by invitation FRI

Year 5 & 6, LAMDA Lessons (16.45 17.45)

Touch Typing Year 6, Tennis Squad practice (Invitational only, after half term)

Years 5 & 6 Loom knitting (16.15 17.00) Years 5 & 6, Netball Club (16.15 17.30) Equestrian Riding (16.00 – 19.15) Pony Stars (16.00 – 17.00) Schola Cantorum (16.30 – 17.30, by invitation)

Years 5 & 6, Street Dance (17.15 18.15)

Advanced skills touch-typing club Friday lunchtimes 12:45 – 1:15 pm Typing’s Cool teaches touch typing to 40+ words per minute with 95% accuracy, using correct fingers and posture. Typing proficiency significantly boosts school and exam attainment in today's digital world. Beginners, improvers and advanced typists are warmly welcome. We mix formal technique with the latest app games to make learning to type effective and fun.

Flip flying skateboards, zap aliens and collect cool movie outfits while learning an amazing skill. Club fee: £146.00 per term. Save 25% by paying with childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare. Contact us for details. To book a place email: sarah.holt@typingscool.co.uk Prior to setting up Typing’s Cool, Sarah Holt worked as a teacher at Weston Green School and Nick Holt was a secondary Head of English. We are both passionate about helping all pupils fulfil their learning potential. Nick and Sarah Holt, Typing’s Cool Ltd, School House, St Joseph’s Primary School, Kingston KT1 2UP 07812 632238; sarah.holt@typingscool.co.uk; OFSTED reg no. EY473171; www.typingscool.co.uk

INDOOR BEACH DAY

Prep enjoyed a feast yesterday with an indoor beach day theme. They tucked into delicious tropical-themed pulled chicken burgers, followed by an array of mouth-watering desserts. A lovely spread of cakes and biscuits completed the feast. What a wonderful way to raise spirits, especially given the rather grey weather this week!

Menu—w/c Monday 19th January 2026 Hot lunches include a selection of family favourites and suitable alternatives for children with allergies and intolerances.

Week 3

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Soup

Soup of the day

Mild Beef Chilli Con Carne served in a taco & dips

Piri Piri Turkey with Pitta Bread, Baby Gem and Homemade Sauces

Locally Sourced Oven Baked Pork Sausages with Onion Gravy

Creamy Chicken and Leek Pie

Freshly Battered Fish, Breaded Fishcake or Jumbo Fish Finger

Main

Vegetarian

Mixed Bean & Quorn Chilli

Cheesy Vegetable Enchilada

Vegan Sausages with Onion Gravy

Feta & Spinach Filo Pie

Macaroni Cheese with a Crispy Onion Topping

Pasta Bar

Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Pesto Prawn Sauce

Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bacon Carbonara Sauce

Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bolognaise Sauce

Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce or Braised Lentil Ragout

Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce

Sides

Spicy Basmati Rice Steamed Sweetcorn

Potato Wedges Macho Peas Rainbow Slaw

Mashed Potatoes Panache of Mixed Vegetables

Steamed New Potatoes Broccoli

Skinny Chips Garden Peas

Additional

Jacket Potato & Baked Beans Freshly Baked Bread Salad bar

Dessert

Rice Pudding with a Selection of Toppings and Sauces

Fruity Flapjack

Apple Filo Pie with Custard

Chocolate Brownie

Fresh Fruit Friday

Items in Italic - Sourced from F Conisbee’s, our local butcher