We’ve reached the end of the school year – we hope it’s been a happy and healthy one at St James’ CE Primary for you and your child. Our message this week is a long one:
- Our first message is some early news about assessment outcomes
- Our next message is about swimming – it’s especially important for parents of children moving into Year 3 next year
- We’ve a uniform update – this is for everyone
- A short, but very grateful, thank you to our wonderful PTA
- Also for everyone are some links for holiday ideas
- After this, we’ve an array of celebrations of our happy and healthy school!
Well done!
At the end of the school year, there are different statutory assessments for children in different year groups. With assessments still coming in or yet to be confirmed, it’s early days to look too closely at the results, but here’s a quick first look:
- The vast majority of our Year 1 children reached national expectations in the Phonics Screening Check – 86.2% compared to the national figure of 80.1%
- Our Year 4 children’s average score in the Multiplication Tables Check was 23.0 out of 25 – we don’t know the 2025 national average, but that’s comfortably above last year’s figure of 20.6
- In the Key Stage 2 tests (the SATs) in Reading, Maths and Grammar and Punctuation, the outcomes for Year 6 match the national figures
Well done to all the pupils for doing so well.
Swimming lessons
In September, your child will start swimming lessons as part of the PE National Curriculum. Lessons will take place at Wetherby Leisure Centre.
- boys: swim shorts under PE kit
- girls: bring their swimming costume to school, ready to get changed at school before walking down to the leisure centre
- towel
- goggles (if needed)
- underwear for afterwards
If your child needs arm bands, they’ll be provided at the centre.
Uniform update
Please remind yourself of our Uniform Policy so you and your child can be ready for September. We’ve made a couple of minor changes: nothing major, mainly making the guidance around additional items hopefully a bit clearly.
Thank you to our PTA…
What a wonderful year packed full of fun events courtesy of our PTA. Thank you to everyone who’s helped or taken part in PTA events this year. Read the 2024-25 annual report from PTA.
Happy and healthy in the holidays
Breeze is back and heading to a park near you this summer! Read more about the series of local and low-cost days out. Fancy something even more active? Check out the range of events from Active Leeds.
Why not balance this with some reading? The reading challenge from Leeds Libraries this year is all about getting outside and enjoying a bit of fresh air. The Summer Reading Challenge theme is Story Garden and is all about the outdoors, which is full of enchanting words, all kinds of creatures and plants, and fascinating facts – get ready for a book-borrowing adventure! Children will be able to find new reads linked to nature, and access activities at the library – and best of all, it is completely FREE!
A happy and healthy end of year
Last week, we embraced all things active and healthy in our Being Healthy themed week. Children enjoyed sports that we don’t normally learn at school: tri-golf, archery and fencing! ‘Fencing was fun because we got to experience new things like the step techniques and to jab, not swing.’ (Freddie, Year 5)
Some of the girls in Year 5 and 6 took part in a football tournament against other schools and represented Germany!
All classes across school had an online session with the Leeds Health and Wellbeing Team to learn more about healthy eating.
‘I learnt that smoothies have a lot of sugar in and that surprised me.’ (Woody, Year 2)
Sports Day was a definite highlight. ‘My favourite part of the week was sports day because we were doing lots of physical activity and it made me feel joyful and a bit tired.’ (Kupa, Year 2)
Yesterday, we visited St James’ Church for the Year 6 leavers’ service. It was wonderful to listen to so many memories and reflections. They have come so far in their school journey and we wish all our Year 6 pupils the best as they move on to high school.
It’s been a successful year with many highlights. Our Ofsted inspection in January made our whole school community very proud; the progress our children have made has been great, particularly in phonics and times tables; all the wonderful and engaging topics that have been taught; and seeing every child flourish in their own way.
We wish everybody a wonderful summer and we look forward to welcoming our children back on Tuesday 02 September.