Latest News - 24th October 2025
Wishing you all a very restful half-term break. We return to school on Monday 3rd November!
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Wishing you all a very restful half-term break. We return to school on Monday 3rd November! 〰️
Punctuality Matters – A Further Reminder to Parents and Carers
Thank you to all families who continue to support good punctuality. We would like to clarify a few key points following our recent reminder.
Students are expected to be in their form rooms by 8.30am ready for registration.
The full timings of the school day can be found on our website: https://www.sirthomasfremantle.org/school-dayThe school gates close at 8.30am. Any student arriving after this time will need to sign in at Reception.
Please allow extra time for your journey as there are local roadworks planned affecting traffic in the area.
If students are dropped off before 8.30am but are not in their form room when the register is taken, they will be marked as late.
Car Park Safety – Drop-Off and Pick-Up
We understand the challenges caused by the limited space in our car park at the start of the school day. To help ease congestion, we kindly ask families to consider alternative arrangements wherever possible — for example, dropping students a short distance from school so they can walk the final part of the journey safely, or dropping them off earlier when the car park is much quieter. Students may arrive from 8.00 am.
Please also remember that “drop-off” means just that: drivers should not park up or wait in the car park once their child has been dropped off. This helps to keep traffic moving safely and ensures that staff and students can enter and leave the site promptly. Please also refrain from parking in the bus lane.
We are currently in discussion with the local authority to explore possible ways to ease congestion at both the start and end of the school day. However, options are limited due to the site’s layout and surrounding roads. As part of this, we will shortly be sending a travel survey to families and would welcome your feedback to help us identify potential solutions.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
If you are experiencing difficulties which impact your child’s punctuality, please contact Hannah Dobbs, Attendance Officer, on 01296 711853 or absence@sirthomasfremantle.org so we can offer support.
SPARX Reader Achievements
Congratulations our top SPARX Readers! These students have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their reading and have earned the highest number of SPARX Reader points in their respective year groups.
Year 7
🥇 Jacob (7R) – 6,288 points
🥈 Ivy (7P) – 3,381 points
🥉 Tilly (7G) – 2,850 points
Year 8
🥇 Ethan (8Y) – 73,632 points
🥈 Penny (8Y) – 54,012 points
🥉 Angus (8O) – 44,579 points
Year 9
🥇 Edward (9B) – 46,572 points
🥈 Jack (9O) – 36,227 points
🥉 James (9B) – 28,228 points
Well done to all of these students for their fantastic effort and enthusiasm for reading. Keep up the brilliant work!
2026 Leavers Hoodies - Now Available To Order!
These special hoodies are a great way for our Year 11 students to celebrate their time at Sir Thomas Fremantle School and create a lasting keepsake of their secondary school journey.
Each hoodie will feature the school logo embroidered on the front and a large leavers design on the back, including the names of all students in the year group.
Following feedback from students, there will be two opportunities to order this year:
Order 1: Place your order by Saturday 15 November 2025 for delivery week beginning Monday 15 December 2025.
Order 2: Place your order by Monday 26 January 2026 for delivery week beginning Monday 23 February 2026.
How to order: Click here to visit the online shop - choose your size and colour, and pay securely online. Optional personalisation is also available.
Friends of Sir Thomas Fremantle School (FoSTFS)
Thank you to everyone who has helped to establish the Friends of Sir Thomas Fremantle School (FoSTFS) fundraising group. This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen community links and create lasting benefits for the students of Sir Thomas Fremantle School.
At the initial meeting, attendees discussed two main areas of focus:
Grants and sponsorships - approaching organisations such as Rotary, the Freemasons, the National Lottery, HS2, Tesco, and other local or corporate sponsors.
Community events - enjoyable and inclusive activities that bring people together while raising funds for the benefit of students.
The first Annual General Meeting will take place at Sir Thomas Fremantle School on Monday 10th November 2025 at 7.30pm, when trustees will be elected and governing documents adopted.
If you would like to get involved - please complete this form: FoSTFS – Get Involved Form
Thank you so much to everyone who has already offered their time, ideas, and enthusiasm to get FoSTFS off the ground. Your support is deeply appreciated and will make a real difference to our students and school community.
Nut Free School Reminder
A reminder that our school is a nut-free environment. We have several students with severe nut allergies, and even small traces of nuts can cause a serious reaction. Please ensure that no nuts or nut products are brought into school in packed lunches, snacks, or home-baked items.
Please reinforce this message with your child and remind them to be considerate when buying snacks on the way to school.
Thank you for your continued support in keeping all our students safe.
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!
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
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.
Canteen Menu for week beginning 3rd November
All the menus are available to view at sirthomasfremantle.org/school-meals
Lunchtime Clubs in the Butterfly Room
These sessions offer a calm, welcoming space for pupils to relax, socialise and take part in a range of creative and wellbeing activities. Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to unwind or want to try something new with friends, there’s something for everyone. Please see the timetable below for details of what’s on each day.
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.
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.