Dear parents and carers,
It has been another busy term for students and staff across the school, with so much happening to ensure our young people achieve their very best, and are set up for personal and academic success.
Rewards assemblies this week have evidenced the hard work, commitment, resilience and ambition of our students – they want to do well, they are here to do their best, and so many of them can be very proud of doing this day-in and day-out.
As we reflect on the term, there are some stand-out examples of our SRS students and community at their very best; our school production of Beauty and The Beast, our World Book Day events, our EDI student-led assembly, our Iftar, our Careers month events, our celebration of Heritage week, the brilliant lessons which are at the core of our students progress and academic achievement…and so much more.
I take this opportunity to thank our very talented team of staff across the school for making all this possible, and to commend our students for their continued pursuit of the best version of themselves – you are a credit to yourselves and your families.
Getting ready for the summer term and planning for success
The summer term is an important one for every student in the school; each will have important assessments of their learning and progress, and for students in Year 1, Year 4, Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 this will involve Phonics, MTCs, SATs, GCSE and A Level examinations.
It is important, therefore, that the next two weeks of holiday enable a balance of rest and, particularly for our older students, good use of this time to revise as they enter their final preparations for exams. Students in Year 11 and Year 13 have guidance in their subject gap analysis sheets and recent mock feedback to inform their revision priorities. With just a few weeks left of school for these students, every moment of revision is important. Make the most of it!
Start of term arrangements – April 2026
We return to school on Monday 13th April at normal school times. As part of our start of term routine, we will spend time on this first day reminding students of school ways of working and enabling students time to think about their goals for the term ahead. There are some things we ask you to do to ensure a smooth start to the term:
- ensure your child is in correct school uniform and footwear. Correct school shoes (not boots or trainers) must be worn. Trousers must be worn at the waist and skirts to knee length. Uniform can be ordered online: https://www.srs-shop.co.uk/
- Primary children can wear summer uniform if they wish (a green/white summer dress or playsuit, black tailored shorts – to be purchased from local supermarkets/stores e.g. Asda, Tesco, M&S)
- acrylic nails and false eyelashes are not allowed in school – please ensure these are removed by 13th April 2026
- for secondary students, please ensure they have a full set of equipment including a reading book (see student planner for equipment list)
- please top up your child’s MCAS account for school lunches
- please take some time to revisit the home learning goals that you set with your child at the start of this term, ready to launch into the final term of the academic year. Whether it’s time set aside for reading, revision, personal organisation to ensure punctual arrival at school or a recap of what makes an ‘outstanding’ attitude to learning, your support is both needed and much appreciated.
We know that cost of living is high and putting pressure on families. If you need support with purchasing school uniform, or if you would like to find out if your child is eligible for free school meals, please contact office@sydneyrussellschool.com
You can find the full list of key days for the term ahead at the end of this letter, on the newsletter and on the website.
It remains for me to wish you a restful Easter holiday with your family and friends. As ever, should there be any urgent updates which you need to be aware of, this would be sent via My Child at School, as well as updated on the website.
Yours faithfully,
Clare Cross
Principal
Summer Term | School Term Dates 2025-26