Latest News - 3rd October 2025
Punctuality Matters – A Reminder to Parents and Carers
At Sir Thomas Fremantle School, we are committed to helping every student reach their full potential. One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to support your child’s learning is by ensuring they arrive at school on time, every day.
Why is punctuality so important?
Missed learning: Arriving late means missing vital instructions and the start of lessons, which can disrupt learning and lead to gaps in understanding.
Emotional impact: Students who arrive late may feel isolated or anxious, which can affect their confidence and engagement.
Legal implications: Persistent lateness can be recorded as unauthorised absence and may lead to legal action under Section 444 of the Education Act.
The bigger picture
National statistics show that poor timekeeping can seriously affect a young person’s academic outcomes. Students with good attendance and punctuality are 1.5 times more likely to achieve 5+ GCSEs at grade 4 or above.
The Department for Education (DfE) also emphasises that punctuality is a key part of a school’s culture and ethos. Schools are expected to work closely with families to remove barriers to attendance and punctuality, and to act early when patterns of lateness emerge.
How you can help
Ensure your child is ready to leave home in good time each morning.
Talk to them about the importance of being on time and how it helps them succeed.
If you’re facing challenges that affect punctuality, please reach out to our Attendance Officer, Hannah Dobbs, who is here to support you.
Let’s work together to make sure every student starts their day positively and is ready to learn.
Contact for support:
01296 711853
absence@sirthomasfremantle.org
Thank you for your continued support.
Support Our Future Football Stars!
At STFS we’re passionate about giving our students every opportunity to shine — both in the classroom and on the pitch. But right now, our football teams are facing a big challenge: we need football goals and team kits.
Our pupils show much determination and love for the game. They are currently training without full size football goals and without the pride of pulling on a school kit. We don’t want this to be a barrier to enjoying the sport they love, developing their skills, and building the confidence that comes from being part of a team. That’s where you come in. We are reaching out to our wonderful local community for sponsorships and donations to help us purchase:
Full-size football goals
A set of school football kits for both our boys and girls teams
How you can help:
Make a donation (no matter how small, every bit helps!)
Become a sponsor and have your business logo proudly displayed on our kits
Spread the word to others who may be able to support
To get involved, please contact abi.haynes@sirthomasfremantle.org or visit our gofundme page to make a donation
Thank you for helping us invest in the next generation — both on and off the pitch!
Opportunity to Join the Governing Body – Financial Expertise Sought
Our Board of Governors is looking to strengthen its financial oversight by welcoming a new volunteer with experience in finance or accountancy.
School governors play a vital strategic role in supporting leadership, ensuring accountability, and helping to shape the direction of the school. This is a voluntary position, but one that offers the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the school community.
No prior experience in education or governance is required. Induction, training, and ongoing support will be provided.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact kate.duckmanton@sirthomasfremantle.org.
Contacting the Right Person – Help Us Help You Faster!
We know how important it is for parents and carers to get timely responses to queries and concerns. While our main office inbox is always monitored and messages will be passed on, contacting the relevant staff member directly can often lead to a quicker response.
To make things easier:
🔹 Check our guide on who to contact depending on your concern:
👉 Who to Talk to If You Have a Concern
🔹 Find staff email addresses in our Staff Directory:
👉 Staff Directory
🔹 Reporting a Student Absence?
Please email absence@sirthomasfremantle.org directly.
We recommend saving this address in your contacts to make reporting quick and easy.
A quick reminder: our teaching staff spend their days in the classroom with students, so they may not be able to respond to emails immediately. We have a 48-hour response policy and aim to reply to all enquiries within this timeframe - though it’s often much quicker.
Thank you for helping us streamline communication — it really does make a difference.
🌿 Willow Project Volunteers Wanted 🌿
Our school allotment willow trees have grown really well this year, and we’d love to use them to create a living willow hedge (and maybe even a dome!). We’re looking for any parents or carers who would like to get involved— especially if you have any experience of willow work. If you can help, please get in touch with Alice Rosier at alice.rosier@sirthomasfremantle.org
Canteen Menu for week beginning 6th October
All the menus are available to view at sirthomasfremantle.org/school-meals
PE Clubs
You can view all of our after-school clubs and book a place for your child through the Arbor Parent App. Please note that students cannot attend after-school clubs unless permission has been given via Arbor.
For lunch clubs, students should sign up directly with the club lead.
Uniform Donations Required
Stock levels in our Preloved Uniform Shop is a little bit low at the moment, so please think of us if you’re having a clear out and have items of uniform that your child has outgrown.
Any donations will be gratefully received at the school reception.
All proceeds go directly to the students via the Student Council.
EmpowerU: Building a Healthy Mind and Future is a life skills programme supporting young people’s mental health through self-care, resilience, inclusivity, digital safety, and healthier habits.
The EmpowerU programme takes a holistic approach to youth mental health, fostering emotional intelligence, resilience, and a sense of belonging. It provides tools for well-being and healthier life choices in a safe, supportive space.
The services and events advertised in this newsletter are not all endorsed by the school. We are simply passing on information that may be of interest to our school community. Parents and guardians are encouraged to exercise their own discretion when considering these opportunities.