Newsletters

Issue 14

Issue 14

9th December 2022


{alt_tag}

{alt_tag}

Trustee's Letter

Dear families of St. Paul’s,

What a whirlwind this last term has been! It was wonderful to be able to all come together and celebrate our Advent Fair on Friday evening and Saturday and watch the Shepherds Play again. We are overflowing with gratitude for all the staff and families who helped put on these fantastic community events.

We would also like to thank Anna Retsler and all the staff for their work in ensuring our recent ISA audit was a success. We anticipate a full inspection next year, but feedback on the recent compliance visit was very positive.  However, as a School, we must all continue to work on improving our attendance and punctuality.

We want to let you know of some changes to the board: firstly we say goodbye to Max Spensley as Alumni Trustee and Daniel Crosby in Quality of Education. We thank them both for their work over the last year. 

We are delighted to welcome two new members: Dominque Moore, (Communications) and Simon Birch (Quality of Education and SEND, Classes).

Dominique is a successful actor, producer, and mentor. Six years ago, she established DMA London, which mentors and coaches young actors all over the world. As the Founder and Director of DMA, Dominique has experience in creating and implementing marketing and communications strategies that are not only engaging but accessible to all. Dominique is also the founder of the Non-Profit organisation ‘The DMA Foundation’ and is a trustee on the board of the National Youth Arts Trust which exists to address “inequality in the performing arts industry and to ensure a career in the Arts is accessible to all”  

She is passionate about creating opportunities for positive change and believes her role as the Communications Trustee for St Pauls Steiner School will allow her to do this. 

Simon has worked in Education and Social Care for 35 years with the latter decade in school leadership, including as team leader for St Pauls in 2019. He also served as School Lead at Elmfield Steiner School and York Steiner School. He has supported Hereford, Michael Hall and Cambridge Steiner Schools as an adviser and mentor. He has also worked in local schools and with families on behaviour as a consultant. He sits on Foster Care Panels in Birmingham and is a Governor at a local primary School (The Willows in Timperley). 

He is a huge supporter of St Paul’s and welcomes the opportunity to use his experience across schools to continue to see St Paul's thrive into the future.

We are still looking for more trustees, details of the positions that are vacant can be found here:

https://www.stpaulssteinerschool.org/contact-us/vacancies

Please get in touch if you know of anyone who could help.

Wishing you all a very happy and restful holiday and we look forward to a joyful new year.

The Trustees


{alt_tag}

Headteacher's message

Dear Families and Staff,

Today's Festival brings an end to the long autumn term, filled with the depth and joys of the creative Steiner-Waldorf curriculum at St Paul's. The dedication of teachers and staff is evident in all they are bringing to the children, as they journey through their education. The end-of-term Festival is a picture of their progression which they are eager to share.

Thank you to all the Community who have worked so hard this Term to bring us all our wonderful events.  It has been very special to experience the Spiral, Fair and Shepherd's play together. These important markers create a familiar rhythm in the year.

The doors will open again at 8:15am on the 3rd of January. The first quarter of an hour in the morning from 8:30am is always a shared moment filled with reverence felt throughout the building before the learning begins, and it is an invaluable part of the rhythm of the day. Please make sure your child is here on time.

We are carrying this inner warmth into the break and I wish Everyone a peaceful holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

With warm wishes,

Ms Anna Retsler

{alt_tag}

Advent Spiral

{alt_tag}

The Advent Spiral is perhaps the most profoundly moving community festival of our year. The spiral image can be found in all cultures and is one of nature’s many patterns. This festival honours the return of light into the world, and we use the spiral to represent the seasonal rhythms and the contemplative journey we take to find our own inner light. Each child and teacher in turn light their own candle from a central flame by walking a spiral path of greenery, and the collective light spreads throughout the Nave.  

Thank you to everyone involved in collecting the Greenery, building the Spiral, playing music and singing, it was beautiful.

{alt_tag}

Shepherd's Play

{alt_tag}

We all enjoyed a fantastic Shepherd's Play this week.  It was a wonderful gift from the teachers and staff of St Paul's to the School Community.  It was moving, spiritual, warm and funny.  Thank you to all involved!

{alt_tag}

Good luck Miss Cook!

Miss Cook, our beloved Class IV teacher will be having her first child in December.  We wish her well for the next few months, embarking on a wonderful journey as a new parent.  We are so thrilled for her, congratulations Miss Cook!


Advent Fair

{alt_tag}

It was so wonderful to once again host our legendary Advent Fair at St Paul's.  It was a magical weekend and only made possible with the amazing organisation of the St Paul's Community Group and Advent Fair Team.   Thank you to all the parents, staff and teachers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and made the Fair so beautiful and special.  It was lovely to see the School so busy with happy people!

{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}

New Piano

{alt_tag}

Thank you to the St Paul's Community Group who have been so busy fundraising this term and were able to buy the School a new piano.  The children have been experiencing the difference this week in Eurythmy and are very grateful.


Instagram @stpaulssteinerschool

School Website

Waldorf Today


Upcoming Events

Spring Term
All Day
From 03 Jan until 09 Feb
03
January
Healthy Minds Festival
All Day
13
January
Classes I, II, VII, and VIII Parents’ Evening - 7:30 – 9:00 pm
7:30pm – 9:00pm
16
January
Subject Teachers' Parents' evening for Class V
7:00pm – 9:00pm
19
January
Lunar New Year
All Day
From 21 Jan until 05 Feb
21
January
Class III, IV, V, and VI Parents’ Evening - 7:30 – 9:00 pm
7:30pm – 9:00pm
23
January

{alt_tag}

Spitalfields Farm

Bayleaf the donkey from Spitalfields Farm, wowed the crowds at this years Shepherd's Play.  Bayleaf arrived in a hired van and the Farm are currently crowdfunding for a new Farm Van. I'm sure they would appreciate any amoun It would be so lovely if we coul

https://www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org/wheels-for-spitalfields


We wish you all a happy Hannukah over the holidays and a peaceful few weeks.

We look forward to seeing you all back in School at

8.15am on Tuesday 3rd January.