Latest Newsletter

 

 

Newsletter 40 – 17^th July 2026

 

Knowledge begins with respect for God (Proverbs 1:7)

 

This half-term’s value is ‘Endurance’ (Galatians 6:9)

 

 

End of Year Newsletter

School Year 2026-27   The school holiday pattern for next year is available on the school’s website: www.stmatthewsblackburn.com under ‘Parents – Term Dates and School Holidays’. You will need to refer to this when booking holidays for next year. Please avoid booking holidays and/or extended leave during term time as this can seriously affect your child’s learning and progress.

 

2025-26 – another packed year!

 

As we come to the end of another year, it’s great to look back on all the learning opportunities and experiences the children have enjoyed. These include:

 

September	Super Learning Week
	Macmillan Coffee Morning
	Moki bands
October	Diwali Day
	Harvest Festival (Kestrels) and food collection for Blackburn Foodbank
	Outdoor gym and playground markings
November	Act of Remembrance (Eagles)
	Linking Schools’ Project (Doves)
December	Nativity Pantomime performance
	Christingle Service & Robins’ Nativity
	Christmas Parties and Meal
	Reverse Advent Calendar (to support the Salvation Army)
January	Snow White performance
February	Spanish Day
March	World Book Day
	Eid parties
May	Winmarleigh Hall residential for Year 5
June	The Wizard of Oz performance
	Bikeability
	Climbing wall and archery for Years 3 & 4
July	Sports Day
	Year 6 Prom and Leavers’ Service
	Class of the Week treat
	End of Year Prizegiving Service

 

End of Year Award Winners   Congratulations to the following children who were presented with certificates during   today’s Prizegiving Service:

Reading Writing Mathematics Positive attitude Robins (B) Hira Noor Kayani Sami Abdrabou Yaseen Awan Anaya Sharif Robins (G) Hishaam Kayani Aani-Fathima Raheem Ziyaan Muhammad Sheema Bhamjee Woodpeckers Abu-Bakr Siddiq Jannat Sharif Zakariya Latif Aliza Chaudry Kingfishers Isa Zamir Zoya Satia Aqeeb Hussain M Awais Aftab Swallows Zohaib Latif Bushra Kousar Alayna Hussain Aariz Hussain Doves Khadija Nawaz Muaaz Hanslod Mikail Hussain Azaan Ali Owls Hussain Ali Shah Zulekha Aswat Iqra Aziz Aamina Bhamjee Kestrels Zayn Chopdat Ricards Kilpe Umme-Hani Aftab Zakei Ullah Hawks Aisha Hussain Shurayh Mohammed Sara Slonka Rehan Khan Falcons M Sulaiman Ali Labeeqa Nawaz Salma Ismaili See Y6 awards Eagles Hamza Khuram Amina Thazhathethil Yusuf Ul Faizaan Abdulghafoor See Y6 awards

 

Our Year 6 children treated us to a wonderful Leavers’ Service yesterday morning. It was fantastic to see so many parents and family members at this service – thank you to everyone who came along.

 

If you have a Year 6 child leaving St Matthew’s today and they are your only or last child, I’d like to thank you for all your support over the years.

 

We wish all our Year 6 children all the very best as they leave us today to start the next stage in their education at their secondary schools in September.

 

Special Year 6 Awards:

 

The Elaine Smith Award for Clear Speaking	Hamza Abdrabou
The David Procter Reading Award	Yusuf Mahmood
St. Matthew’s Role Models	Sakina Shah & Azaan Hussain

 

School Meals – Autumn Term 2026

Please note that meals for the autumn term will be available to order from Wednesday 2^nd September 2026. All meals should be ordered and paid for in advance - this can be done up to the day before. The price of a school meal will be £2.60 from September.  Children who are moving into the Juniors (year 3) will no longer receive Universal Infant Free School Meals. You will need to now order and pay for school meal unless you are entitled to means tested free school meals.

 

We are unable to allow children to have a meal without payment in advance.

 

Blackburn Library are running a programme of excellent FREE activities for children and families throughout during the summer holidays, including games, Lego, craft, storytimes. Please check their website for more details.

 

 

Finally…

 

Another school year draws to a close. As ever, my thanks go to our incredibly committed staff who continue to work so tirelessly for the benefit of your children – they really do go ‘above and beyond’!

 

Today we say goodbye to Mrs A Patel (1:1 Support), Mrs S Ahmed (1:1 Support), Mrs S Patel (1:1 Support), Mrs S Diwan (1:1 Support), as well as Miss R Bhaiyat (Brunel). We wish them well for the future and thank them for all their efforts whilst at our school. We also wish Mr Woodward well for his new (temporary) position and look forward to seeing him back at St Matthew’s in September 2027.

 

The children return to school on Thursday 3^rd September 2026. Doors open at 8.20am for an 8.30am start (Breakfast Club from 7.45am).

 

On behalf of all the staff and governors, I’d like to thank you for all your support this year and to wish you all a fantastic summer holiday!

Best wishes

 

Julian Rogers

Headteacher