Latest News

Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment via our X page @st_swinton

All staff post weekly to our X page. Please follow us!

• Please help our school. Funding has almost gone!

  Mon 20 Nov 2017

  Please help the school in a final round of voting for our worthy cause in sustaining and improving the allotment and the Forest School area. The Salford Council funding for worthy causes has almost run out and as the old saying goes; ‘When it’s gone, it’s gone!’

   

  Please vote for the school which is quick and simple and hopefully we will receive some much needed funds to really improve the environmental areas in the school grounds. These areas are used by ALL the children and with each class now enjoying Forest School activities, equipment is vital to make these the best possible sessions.

   

  Please vote for the school by 10 December by following this link:

  https://www.salford.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/recycle-and-reward/vote-for-a-good-cause-in-your-area/swinton-and-pendlebury/

   

  How to vote

  To vote you’ll just need a working email address and follow these three steps:

   

  1. Choose the school (which is down near the bottom of the list) and click ‘Vote’
  2. Enter your email address
  3. Open the email you’ll be sent and click the confirm vote link.

   

  Please pass on the details via social media and get friends and family members to vote and hopefully we will have an early christmas present!

• Brake Road Safety Campaign

  Mon 13 Nov 2017

  Here at St Mary’s we are passionate about the welfare of our children. This is not only on school grounds but on the very busy roads around. The roads around school are already a designated 20mph zone and we have the speed width restrictions on roads close to the school. We are all aware that drop off and pick up times get very congested around school which is why we have already set up the Park & Stride scheme with Aldi supermarket.

   

  As the days get shorter and the sky darkens a lot earlier we must be very careful around school. Please think about your child, their friends and all the other children at the school, keep your speed down to 20mph (or less) and please do use the Park & Stride scheme.

   

  Parents can test their knowledge and try the official Brake campaign quiz: http://www.brake.org.uk/go20quiz/story_html5.html

• Year 5 – Basketball & Netball

  Wed 08 Nov 2017

  Even with the weather turning slightly colder, the children are desperate to get outside and practise those passing and moving skills they have been learning.

   

  Mr Worrall and Mrs Millward have been combining the skills of basketball and then will be moving onto Netball. Both sports are similar with those subtle differences.

   

  Both requite teamwork, communication, passing and movement. By the end of the term the children will also have had the chance to try some handball and really build those skills.

   

  Please can parents make sure that children have sturdy trainers in school on Mondays so the children can enjoy the lessons outside.

• Salford School Cross Country Championships – Race 1

  Sun 05 Nov 2017

  What a morning. It was wet and muddy and there were slips and slides galore. We also had close to twenty athletes braving the conditions and recording some fantastic places across all four year groups. Ashlee, Gabriel, Oscar and Sophie recorded brilliant times and really spurred on the rest of the runners.

   

  for Years 5 & 6 they had to face the stern test of the muddy hill going up and then the slippy hill going down but what was great to see was the smiles of enjoyment as they reached the top of the hill and then sprinted off. What’s a bit of mud!

   

  For more information regarding the rest of the events and to view the current standings (updated every monday/tuesday after each race) and for directions to the two venues please use the link below which will provide all details.

   

  http://www.jamesbrindleyprimary.com/salford-schools-xc-mini-site/

   

• St Mary’s Forest School

  Fri 03 Nov 2017

  Year 6 enjoyed the first Forest School Session at school. After scavenging and collecting twigs and branches, they then created their template for their own Christmas tree.

   

  Part of the requirement within forest schools is using tools. Therefore, we had saws and drills as well as pure brawn! After a demonstration in safe use of tools, where to put hands and feet, the children cut the branches to the correct size and shapes for the trees.

   

  We had our central stem using reclaimed wood and a metal rod and had to drill small holes into the wood to fit them through. Each child had their turn and created some fantastic trees which can then be decorated in time for Christmas!

• Safe4Autumn

  Thu 02 Nov 2017

  Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service visited our school to discuss the campaign Treacle/Safe4Autumn with our Year 6 pupils.

   

  Treacle/Safe4Autumn – supports the campaign to promote safety through the Autumn and raises awareness of the common dangers faced by children.  This visit was particularly beneficial for Year 6 pupils as we discussed bonfire night, firework safety and Halloween as well as general fire safety.  Each year the fire service attend an increased number of incidents involving children.  Children often place themselves in danger without realising the potential consequences.  These session lasted approximately one hour and the children a better insight in how they can keep safe – not just through autumn but all year long.

   

   

• Dance Nation

  Mon 30 Oct 2017

  Year 6 enjoyed their first dance lesson instructed by our dance coach Jayne. During the session they worked on mirroring, unison and canon techniques.

• World War 1 Dance

  Mon 30 Oct 2017

  Year 4 are learning some great dance moves based on the First World War.  They discussed how dance was a good way for people to enjoy themselves during the difficult times in the war.  All the children gave 100% effort into their dancing and were all breathless at the end of the session.

• Terrific Scientific

  Thu 19 Oct 2017

  Year 5 are taking part in the Terrific Scientific study which is an ambitious campaign from the BBC. The goal is to inspire primary school pupils to discover their inner scientist.

   

  Currently, fewer than 15% of 10-14 year olds aspire to pursue a career as a scientist, leaving the UK with a potential skills shortage.

   

  The BBC have partnered with leading universities to create a series of child-friendly nationwide scientific investigations. The data gathered is sent to the universities and feeds into real academic studies.

   

  The first investigation the children have been taking part in is EXERCISE!

   

  Could taking part in exercise for just 15 minutes really improve your mind and mood? And how hard should you exercise to get the biggest change? The children have a series of mental and memory challenges to do on the ipad, go and do the exercise (bleep test, 15 minutes continuous exercise and 15 minutes of complete rest) and then return to the mental challenges. The tests provide scores to show whether the brain is more or less active after exercise and shows a level of improvement or not.

   

  We will upload the results to the Scientists who will analyse the data and then we will move onto the next challenge!

   

  The children can’t wait…

   

   

• Cross Country Continues

  Mon 16 Oct 2017

  Although training was off last thursday due to the Rugby tournament the previous weekend had seen our runners excel again at Cleavley’s. We had almost 25 runners which is fantastic on a damp and boggy morning. as this was the last of the three preliminary races it was a chance for the athletes to show how much they are progressing. And what a show!

   

  We had runner gaining personal bests, finishing in higher places than previous and showing such a fighting spirit that both teachers and very should be very proud. The award for never giving up this week should go to Savith Soni who unfortunately lost a trainer in the woods, picked it up and carried on running with just one on! Now that’s determination.

   

  The Year 3 group continues to impress each week and were comfortably beating children from higher years and we even had some first timers this week keen to get involved.

  The final mention must go to the three runners from Year 5 who finished within the Top 10.

   

  Ashlee has really shown what she is made of this season. After finishing 5th in the first race and with a slight change in tactics she really showed what she is made of and improved to two third places in the last two races which put her 3rd overall and she received a well deserved Medal! Well done Ashlee!

  Gabriel came second in the Year 6 boys race which was fantastic. In the same race Oscar came 6th and has shown brilliant improvements over the three races: 11th, 10th and 6th. (Soon he will be chasing down Gabriel.)

   

  The next race is the first of the big ones – The Salford Schools Cross Country Championships. It is at Bolton Road playing fields on the 4th November – hopefully we will be seeing all the squad in action for the school!