St Mary's CofE Academy, Mildenhall

04/09/2026

Two Sleeps 🛏️

We are looking forward to welcoming you all to Mildenhall Hub Junior Parkrun on Sunday, it would be lovely to get a couple more helpers on our volunteer roster please 🙏

You can reply below 👇 email 📧 or DM.

Many Thanks ☺️

04/09/2026

04/09/2026

KCSIE 2026 has been published, with the new statutory guidance coming into force on 1 September 2026.

From all staff reading Part One in full to updates on mobile phones, online harm, safeguarding records and volunteer checks, there is plenty for schools and education professionals to be aware of.

Our latest guide highlights 10 key changes, including:
• Part One reading expectations for all staff
• Mobile phone-free guidance
• Online harm, deepfakes and sextortion
• Misogyny and escalation risks
• Mental health warning signs
• Gender-questioning children
• Volunteer checks
• Family Help and joined-up support
• Stronger safeguarding records

It also flags wider updates around Operation Encompass, filtering and monitoring, cyber security and child protection files.

Read the guide here: https://vist.ly/5gxzz

04/09/2026

On behalf of our staff team, particularly the Early Years team, we want to celebrate our new cohort of children starting school for the first time this week 💙

⭐️🌈 Reception 2026-7 🌈⭐️

We are so proud of you!
💕

02/09/2026

✨ Tomorrow!

Tomorrow our school comes back to life.

There will be excited children , lots of new beginnings, slightly nervous smiles, stories from the summer, probably a few forgotten water bottles… and hundreds of children walking back through our doors.

Whether your child skips in tomorrow or needs a little extra reassurance at the gate, we’ll be ready for them.

A new school year gives us all a fresh page.

New things to learn.
New friendships to grow.
New questions to ask.
New memories to make.

We genuinely can’t wait to get started.

Sleep well everyone — we’ll see you in the morning! 💙🌈✨

01/09/2026

“I feel worried about going back to school ?”

Excitement and nerves often arrive together.
This is completely normal for everyone.

Some children will be counting down the sleeps until they see their friends. Others might be feeling a little unsure — particularly as they will all be moving into a new year group or simply finding the thought of returning after six weeks a bit daunting.

A few simple conversations at home can help:

“What are you looking forward to?”
“Is there anything you’re wondering about?”
“Who are you excited to see?”

You don’t need to solve every worry. Sometimes children just need to know that it’s OK to feel it.

And when they arrive, we’ll be here to help with the rest.
💙🌈

31/08/2026

Perhaps it is time to gently reset those routines? I’m talking to staff as well as children. 🤭

Summer holidays are made for later nights, slower mornings and days when nobody is entirely sure what day of the week it is!

As we get closer to returning to school, gradually bringing bedtime and morning routines back towards normal can really help children with the transition.

A slightly earlier bedtime, getting dressed before breakfast and returning to regular mealtimes can all help.

No 6am alarm required just yet! 😴

Small steps now can make that first school morning feel much easier. 💙

28/08/2026

Thinking about a little back-to-school preparation…

No need for military precision just yet, but a few small things this week can make those first mornings much easier!

👕 Check uniform and PE kit still fits
👟 Find those school shoes.
🖊️ Label jumpers, cardigans, coats and water bottles PLEASE!
🎒 Dig the book bag out from wherever it has spent its summer holiday.
💧 Make sure there’s a named water bottle ready to go.

And please don’t worry about everything being brand new or perfect. Children need to arrive feeling loved, rested and ready to belong far more than they need a shiny new jumper. 💛

27/08/2026

🌻 One week to go… and we’re getting ready!

There’s something rather lovely about school at this time of year. Classrooms are being prepared, displays are going up, books are being labelled and there’s a growing sense of excitement about welcoming everyone back.

Over the next week, we’ll share a few gentle reminders to help make the return to school as smooth as possible.

For now, perhaps it’s time to locate the school shoes… and check they still fit! 👟😄

We hope you’re enjoying the last days of the summer holidays. We can’t wait to see you all again. 💛