Latest News - 4th Sept 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome Back
It has been wonderful to welcome our students back to Sir Thomas Fremantle School this week and to see the school busy and full of energy again.
On Thursday, we welcomed our new Year 7 students for their first day at STFS. They made a fantastic start, settling in incredibly well and beginning to find their way around their new school. Today, we have welcomed back the whole school, and it has been a real pleasure to see students reconnecting with friends and staff and getting straight back into school life. There has been a really positive atmosphere across the school and we are excited about the year ahead.
Welcoming Our New Staff
As well as welcoming our new Year 7 students, we are delighted to welcome several new colleagues to the STFS team this term.
Sarah Watkins joins us as a Science Teacher and Second in Department, while Molly Burns joins us as our Social Science Lead and will also be taking the lead on enrichment and careers across the school.
Jo Perry joins our safeguarding team as Safeguarding Officer, and Polly Batt-Rowe joins us as Head of Year 10 and Teacher of Humanities. Miss Batt-Rowe is currently working alongside Mrs Johnson as part of a handover period, ready to take over her responsibilities when Mrs Johnson begins her maternity leave later this term.
We are also very pleased to welcome Pauline Clubb, Lucy Hale, Eleanor Harward and Nina Webber, who join our SEND team as Learning Support Assistants.
They have all had a busy first few days getting to know the school, our students and their new colleagues, and we are delighted to have them as part of the STFS community.
Preparing for the Year Ahead
Before students returned, staff spent two INSET days preparing for the new academic year.
We have come to the end of our 3-year improvement strategy and we introduced the plans for the next three years. The new three themes are:
Community & Belonging - making stronger links with families and our community.
A School for Everyone - improving the provision for all learners so everyone succeeds and thrives.
Proud Staff - a place to develop professionally and fully part of the school.
On Wednesday we launched the first strand and over the next month we will share with you in more detail our plans for STFS.
Staff also took part in dedicated sessions focusing on behaviour and SEND, giving us the opportunity to revisit our approaches, share good practice and ensure we are ready to support the needs of all our students from the very beginning of the year.
A Busy Summer at STFS
While the school may have appeared quiet over the summer holidays, there has been a huge amount happening behind the scenes.
As our school continues to grow, we have carried out extensive work to make the best possible use of our existing space. This has included rearranging areas of the school to create two additional classrooms, a fantastic new Science laboratory, an expanded Food Technology room, a dedicated intervention room, and improved workspace for our pastoral team and growing support team.
A great deal of work has gone into getting everything ready in time for students to return, and these changes will give us additional capacity while providing improved spaces for teaching, intervention and student support. We are delighted with the results and look forward to seeing these new areas being put to good use this year.
Astro Pitch Update
We were delighted to receive confirmation over the summer that our supplementary grant funding for the refurbishment of our Astro pitch has been approved. We are now working with our contractor and hope to see work getting underway very soon.
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our fundraising for the Astro. Your generosity has made a significant difference and, together with the grant funding, has helped make this much-needed refurbishment possible.
We are incredibly grateful for the support of our families and wider school community and look forward to sharing further updates as the work progresses.
A Reminder About Uniform and Presentation
Last week, we wrote to families with a reminder about our expectations for uniform and presentation as we begin the new academic year.
Thank you to the overwhelming majority of families who have ensured that students have returned looking smart and ready to learn. We would be grateful for your continued support in maintaining these standards throughout the year.
In particular, please remember that students should attend in full school uniform, including appropriate black school shoes, and should have the correct PE kit when required. Hair should be a natural colour, acrylic or artificial nails are not permitted, and jewellery should be limited to small stud earrings.
These expectations are not simply about appearance. They form part of the consistent standards and routines that help students arrive at school prepared, focused and ready to learn.
If you have any questions or difficulties regarding uniform, please contact your child's form tutor in the first instance so that we can work with you to resolve them.
Free School Meals – Important Changes
We would also like to remind families that there have been changes to Free School Meals eligibility from the start of this academic year.
If your child was previously eligible for Free School Meals but is no longer showing as eligible, and you believe that they may still qualify under the new criteria, please complete the Free School Meals eligibility form on our website. This will allow eligibility to be checked under the new rules.
We would particularly encourage families affected by the changes to complete the check, even if you have applied successfully in previous years.
School Photo Day – Friday 11th September
A reminder that School Photo Day will take place on Friday 11th September. Individual photographs will be taken during the school day, so please ensure students arrive in full school uniform and looking smart and ready for their photograph.
Information about how to view and order photographs will be provided by email next week.
Looking Ahead
The start of a new school year always brings a sense of renewed energy and opportunity. We have welcomed new students and new colleagues, improved and expanded our facilities and spent time as a staff ensuring that we are ready to give our students the very best possible start.
Our RISE values of Resilience, Integrity, Success and Empathy remain at the heart of everything we do, and we are looking forward to seeing what our students achieve over the coming year.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It has been a fantastic start to the new academic year and I look forward to sharing the many successes, opportunities and achievements of our students with you throughout the year.
Francis Murphy
Headteacher
Important Changes to Free School Meals from September 2026
The Government has introduced significant changes to the Free School Meals (FSM) scheme from September 2026.
The previous transitional protection arrangements have now ended. Previously, many students who became eligible for free school meals remained entitled until the end of their phase of education, even if their family's circumstances changed. This is no longer the case.
There are now two categories of free school meal entitlement:
Targeted Free School Meals – includes free school meals, Pupil Premium funding for schools and Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) vouchers (where available).
Expanded Free School Meals – includes free school meals only.
To ensure every eligible student receives the correct entitlement under the new arrangements, we are asking all families to complete a new eligibility check, even if your child currently receives free school meals.
If you do not submit a new application, your child's current free school meal entitlement will end on 31 August 2026 and they will not receive free school meals from the start of the 2026–2027 academic year until a successful application has been made.
Please note:
Buckinghamshire Council will automatically review eligibility each year.
A separate application is required for each child.
If your child currently receives free school meals at their primary school, you must submit a new application when they join Sir Thomas Fremantle School.
Please complete the eligibility check using the link below to ensure your child continues to receive any support they are entitled to.
Click here to complete the Free School Meal application form.
New Arbor Parent App
We know that many parents and carers have found aspects of the current Arbor Parent App frustrating at times, and we've been pleased to hear that Arbor has announced a complete redevelopment of the app.
The new version is expected to launch in Spring 2027, with a focus on improving the overall parent experience, making it easier to access information and navigate the features that families use most.
We'll be keeping a close eye on developments over the coming months and look forward to seeing the improvements when they're released. As soon as the new app becomes available, we'll share further information and let you know if there are any new features or changes you'll need to be aware of.
We're hopeful this will make using Arbor a much smoother experience for everyone.
Can You Help Our Preloved Uniform Shop?
As another Year 11 cohort prepares to move on to their next adventure, many families may find themselves with school uniform that is no longer needed.
We would be very grateful for any donations of clean, good-quality uniform items for our preloved uniform shop. Your donation could make a real difference to another family and help ensure that affordable uniform remains available to all students.
Donations can be dropped off at school reception at any time.
All proceeds from the Preloved Uniform Shop are reinvested directly into student-led projects and initiatives through the Student Council.
Thank you for your 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!
Raise funds when you shop online
Friends of Sir Thomas Fremantle School (FOSTFS), our PTA, have set up Easyfundraising as a simple way for families to help raise funds to support the school, at no extra cost to you.
Easyfundraising works with hundreds of well-known retailers. When you start your shopping through their website or app, the retailer donates a percentage of what you spend to FOSTFS, who then use these funds to benefit the school. You pay the same price you would normally pay.
Extra bonus for February
For a limited time, Easyfundraising is offering an additional £2 donation for every new person who signs up in February and selects Friends of Sir Thomas Fremantle School as their chosen cause. This bonus is paid on top of anything raised through shopping, making this a great time to get involved and encourage friends and family to sign up too.
Where it has the biggest impact
Easyfundraising can be used for everyday shopping, but the largest donations come from higher-value purchases. With holiday booking season underway, this is a particularly effective time to get involved.
Examples of high-value purchases include:
Holidays, flights and hotels
Insurance renewals such as home, car or travel
Mobile phone upgrades or new contracts
Laptops, tablets and other technology
Furniture, white goods or home improvement items
Broadband, TV or energy provider switches
Before you buy
If you’re about to make a purchase, please take a moment to check Easyfundraising first. It only takes a few seconds and can make a meaningful difference to the funds raised by FOSTFS for the school.
Thank you for supporting Friends of Sir Thomas Fremantle and helping to enhance opportunities for our students through such a simple action.
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.