Remembrance Day
This week's Remembrance assemblies were led by Mr Stanton, our Combined Cadet Force RAF Section Commander, supported by Cadet-Sergeant Finnian D.
The assemblies explored the story of Operation Market Garden in 1944, when Allied soldiers fought to liberate the Netherlands during the Second World War.
Through photographs and personal stories, students learnt about the bravery and sacrifice of those involved, including Lieutenant Dermod Anderson, a 29-year-old glider pilot who lost his life during the fighting. The assembly also explored how communities in the Netherlands continue to honour the soldiers who gave their lives for their freedom, more than 80 years later.
Students were asked to consider a powerful question: “How do you repay someone who died for your freedom?” It was an opportunity to reflect on why remembrance remains so important, not just in relation to the two World Wars, but in recognising the service and sacrifice of all those who have served, and continue to serve, in our Armed Forces.
Our thanks to Mr Stanton and Finnian for delivering such a meaningful and thought-provoking assemblies.
On Wednesday 11th November, Mr Murphy addressed the school before students and staff joined together to observe a moment's silence at 11am. Together, we remembered all those who have lost their lives in conflict, those who have been injured or affected by war, and the courage and commitment of our Armed Forces, past and present.
Our Combined Cadet Force represented STFS at two important Remembrance events this week.
On Remembrance Sunday, our cadets proudly took part in the Winslow parade, laying a poppy wreath at the war memorial on behalf of our school community. They also represented the school on Armistice Day, joining the town in observing the two-minute silence.
On both occasions, our cadets conducted themselves with dignity, maturity and the utmost respect. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented STFS and played their part in honouring those who have served and sacrificed.
Global Microsoft Email Outage
As many of you will be aware, a major global Microsoft outage has caused widespread disruption to email services today, including here at STFS.
Thank you for your patience while we have been experiencing these difficulties. Unfortunately, some emails sent to us during the disruption may have been delayed or may not reach us at all.
If you have emailed the school and have not received a response, please resend your message, just to make sure we haven't missed it.
Thank you for your understanding.
Staying Well, Being in School and Making Every Day Count
As we head further into the autumn and winter months, coughs, colds and seasonal illnesses inevitably become more common. We know that children sometimes need time at home to recover, but we also want to remind families just how important regular school attendance is – not only for learning, but for friendships, confidence, wellbeing and maintaining routines.
Our average attendance over the last five school days was just 90%. That means that, on any given day, an average of one in ten of our students was absent from school. Some days were better than others, but across the week, that's a significant amount of missed learning. We know that some absence is unavoidable, particularly at this time of year, but it is a concerning figure and one we really need to improve.
The link between attendance and achievement is clear and well documented. Department for Education research has shown that Year 11 pupils who attended almost every day were nearly twice as likely to achieve Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths as those with attendance between 90% and 95%. Put simply, if students aren't in school, we can't teach them, and they miss out on learning that can be difficult to catch up on.
Even relatively small amounts of absence quickly add up over a school year:
97% - 6 days missed (30 lessons/hours of learning)
95% - 9 days missed (45 lessons/hours of learning)
90% - 19 days missed (95 lessons/hours of learning)
But how do you know when your child is too ill for school?
The NHS advises that children can usually attend school with a mild cough, cold, runny nose or sore throat, provided they are otherwise feeling well and do not have a high temperature. However, there are some important exceptions:
High temperature: Stay at home until the temperature has returned to normal and they feel well enough.
Vomiting or diarrhoea: Stay at home until 48 hours after the last episode.
Chickenpox: Stay at home until all spots have crusted over.
Scarlet fever: Return 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
The NHS has a really helpful guide for parents who are unsure: Is my child too ill for school?.
When it's not about physical illness
Sometimes difficulties attending school are linked to anxiety, friendships or other worries. These can cause very real physical symptoms, and we understand that getting into school isn't always straightforward. If your child is struggling, please speak to their Form Tutor or Head of Year so we can work together to understand what's happening and offer support.
We would also ask families to arrange routine medical and dental appointments outside school hours wherever possible, and for students to attend school before and after appointments when they can.
Ultimately, we don't want students coming to school when they are genuinely unwell, but equally, we don't want them missing valuable learning unnecessarily. Good attendance gives young people the best opportunity to succeed, feel connected to their school community and make the most of everything school has to offer.
Every additional day in school makes a difference, and working together, we can help our students make every day count.
Francis Murphy
Headteacher
Staff Spotlight: Meet Debbie Parker
SEND and Safeguarding Administrator
This week, we're launching our new Staff Spotlight feature, giving families the chance to get to know some of the people who make up our STFS team. We're starting with Debbie Parker, whose work behind the scenes plays an important part in supporting our students and families.
A little about Debbie…
Debbie's journey into education wasn't quite what she originally had planned. After leaving school, she attended Art College, studying Art and Design and Graphics, before pursuing a career in the health and beauty industry as a Makeup Artist.
It was becoming a mum that led her in a completely different direction. After volunteering at a local primary school, Debbie discovered just how rewarding working with children could be. She went on to spend seven years in primary education as a Teaching Assistant, providing one-to-one support for children with special educational needs and those who had experienced difficult circumstances.
Ready for a new challenge, she made the move to secondary education, initially working as a Learning Support Assistant before taking on her current role at STFS.
What does she do at STFS?
Quite a lot, as it turns out! No two days are ever the same for Debbie, who works across both SEND and safeguarding.
She's often one of the people at the other end of the phone or email when parents and professionals get in touch. Behind the scenes, she helps coordinate EHCP Annual Reviews, manages important paperwork and deadlines, and supports the safeguarding team with the monitoring and administration of concerns.
She also works directly with students who need a little extra support with their mental health and wellbeing, offering a listening ear and helping them find ways to manage life's challenges.
It's a busy and varied role, much of which families might never see, but one that makes a real difference.
What's the best thing about working at STFS?
For Debbie, there's no hesitation: the students.
She particularly enjoys watching young people grow in confidence and develop throughout their time at school. And the connection doesn't necessarily end when they leave. Hearing about former students' achievements and where life has taken them is one of the things she finds most rewarding.
And finally… something we might not know about Debbie?
When we asked Debbie to tell us something surprising about herself, her response was:
"I'm not sure I can share that… 😂"
We'll leave that one to your imagination!
Year 11 – Exploring Post-16 Options
As our Year 11 students begin to consider their next steps after GCSEs, now is an important time to explore the different post-16 opportunities available to them.
With open events taking place at sixth forms, colleges and specialist providers over the coming weeks, we have put together a comprehensive guide to help students and families research their options and plan ahead.
The guide includes details of local post-16 providers, the qualifications and courses they offer, upcoming open event dates, application deadlines and useful links to websites and prospectuses.
We would encourage students to visit a range of providers, even if they already have a particular destination in mind. Open events are a great opportunity to explore the facilities, speak to staff and current students, and get a feel for where they might like to continue their education.
Please do check individual providers' websites for the latest information, as some dates are still to be confirmed and certain events may require advance booking.
We hope this guide will be a useful starting point in helping our Year 11 students make informed decisions about their next steps.
Supporting students with their next steps
Alongside these open events, we are welcoming representatives from a number of local sixth forms and colleges into STFS throughout the autumn term. They will be speaking to our Year 11 students about the opportunities available and answering questions, with opportunities for individual conversations. Visits include The Royal Latin School, Cedars Upper School, Waddesdon School, The Lord Grey Academy and Moulton College.
Our individual careers guidance meetings are ongoing, with every Year 11 student having the opportunity to meet with our external careers adviser, Karen Malone. These one-to-one meetings provide personalised, impartial advice to help students explore their interests, understand the different pathways available and make informed decisions about their future. It is important that students attend their scheduled appointments.
If you have any questions about post-16 options or careers guidance, please contact Miss Burns, our Careers and Enrichment Lead, at Molly.Burns@sirthomasfremantle.org.
Sports News
The Year 8 netball team put in a fantastic performance despite a 14-4 defeat to St Michaels. From the first whistle, the team showed great resilience against a strong opposition. Their passing improved throughout the game, and their movement around the court created several excellent attacking opportunities.
Defensively, the team worked tirelessly to challenge for possession and slow down their opponents' attacks. A special congratulations goes to Zurie, who was deservedly named Player of the Match. Although the result did not go their way, the team can be proud of their performance and the progress they are making.
3G Pitch
The wait is over! Our newly renovated 3G pitch is back in action and looking better than ever. Next week (week commencing 16th Nov) we will be using our freshly renovated 3G for lessons, break times and extra-curricular clubs. Please see the guidance below on what footwear is permitted on the 3G as well as the break timetable. Let the games begin!
Have Your Say – Buckinghamshire's Education Strategy 2027–2032
Buckinghamshire Council is inviting parents, carers and the wider community to share their views on its proposed Education Places Sufficiency Strategy 2027–2032.
The strategy sets out how the Council plans to ensure there are enough school places, childcare opportunities and suitable provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Buckinghamshire over the next five years.
Your feedback will help shape future education provision in the county, ensuring it meets the needs of local families and growing communities.
The consultation is open until 13 December 2026, and parents and carers are encouraged to have their say.
School Meal Menus
The current menus are available below, showing the range of meals and options available to students over the coming weeks. Please take a look through the menus with your child so they know what will be available each day. The current menus can always be found on our website and displayed in the canteen.
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.
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.
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.