Newsletter

As we reach the end of another busy half-term, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what has been a fantastic start to the academic year. It has been wonderful to welcome so many parents and carers into school for a wide range of events and celebrations. From our Harvest Festival and Parents' Evenings to the ballet, music and poetry performances, these occasions have provided valuable opportunities for our school community to come together and celebrate the achievements of our children.

This week has been particularly special as we have celebrated Diversity Week. Our pupils have embraced the opportunity to learn about, respect and appreciate the many cultures, backgrounds and experiences that make our community unique. It has been a joy to see their enthusiasm, curiosity and kindness throughout the week.

We are incredibly proud of all that our children have achieved this half-term. Their hard work, resilience and positive attitudes continue to impress us every day. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our staff team for their continued dedication, commitment and care. Their hard work behind the scenes ensures that our children receive the very best experiences and opportunities.

I hope that all our families enjoy a restful and enjoyable half-term break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back when school reopens on Monday 2nd November.

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Watson

This week, we were delighted to celebrate our whole-school Diversity Week, themed “Different Together.”

Throughout the week, children took part in a wide range of engaging learning experiences designed to help them explore identity, belonging, culture, community, inclusion and equality. Through stories, discussions, artwork, writing and assemblies, pupils learned about the many ways in which we are unique, while recognising how our differences help to make our school community stronger.

Linked to our whole-school question, “How do our differences make our community stronger?”, children explored five key themes across the week:

Monday: Identity and Belonging – celebrating what makes us unique and exploring where we belong.

Tuesday: Families and Communities – learning about the different families and communities that shape our lives.

Wednesday: Celebrating Cultures and Heritage – exploring traditions, languages, faiths and cultures from around the world.

Thursday: Equity, Inclusion and Disability Awareness – developing understanding of fairness, accessibility and the importance of ensuring everyone feels included.

Friday: Standing Up for Others and Celebration Day – reflecting on how we can challenge unfairness, show kindness and be active allies for others.

Across the school, pupils studied high-quality texts, created artwork celebrating diversity, produced a range of writing outcomes and learned about inspirational individuals who have challenged barriers and stereotypes. Classes contributed to our “Different Together” displays and shared their learning through presentations, discussion and celebration activities.

We are incredibly proud of the thoughtful, respectful and enthusiastic way in which our pupils embraced the week. Diversity Week provided an important opportunity to celebrate the richness of our school community and to reinforce our values of respect, inclusion and belonging for all.

On Friday 16th October, we wore red! This was to mark Wear Red Day, and the aim was to show racism the red card. In our classes we made posters, watched videos, made up raps and learnt about racism in sports. Thank you to everyone who participated- we hope this message stays with us.

Junior School Council

As part of Diversity Week, KS1 have been studying the wonderful story Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival. The book explores themes of individuality, self-acceptance and celebrating what makes us unique.

Inspired by Norman's journey, the children created their own self-portraits with colourful wings and carefully selected adjectives to describe themselves. They reflected on the qualities that make them special, kind and unique, writing these on their wings to celebrate their individuality. The activity encouraged thoughtful discussion about diversity, confidence and the importance of being proud of who we are.

The children's creations were fantastic and demonstrated a real understanding of the message that our differences are something to be celebrated.

This is a display focusing on places where we belong, for example, our classes, our families, and any hobby related clubs. 

Mrs Ferto, one of our wonderful parents, also came in to work with our KS1 pupils - she spoke to the pupils about the importance of celebrating differences.

As part of Diversity Week, our Lower Key Stage 2 pupils explored the powerful novel Screeches. The story follows a young owl who feels different and struggles to find where they belong, before discovering the importance of acceptance, courage and celebrating individuality.

Through studying this book, pupils have developed their understanding of diversity, inclusion and belonging. They have explored themes such as respecting differences, challenging stereotypes, showing empathy towards others and recognising that everyone has unique strengths and qualities. The story has encouraged pupils to reflect on the importance of kindness, acceptance and creating communities where everyone feels valued and able to be themselves.

Here's some work that Delia (Y4) wanted to share:

Hello everyone!

RO Today, I would like to tell you a little bit about Romania, the country where my family comes from. Romania is a beautiful country in Eastern Europe. Its capital city is Bucharest. The Romanian flag has three colours: blue, yellow and red. Romania has beautiful mountains, forests, castles and lovely villages. One famous castle is Bran Castle, which is often connected to the story of Dracula! In Romania, people speak Romanian, and we have delicious traditional food, such as sarmale and cozonac. Romanian people celebrate Christmas and Easter with their families, and we have many special traditions. Even though Romania is different from the UK in some ways, we all have things in common. We have families, friends, traditions and things that make us happy. I am proud of my Romanian roots, and I think it is wonderful that we can all be different and still be friends! Thank you for listening!

 

Year 3 and Year 4 took to the stage for a music showcase celebrating everything they’ve been learning in their music lessons. Pupils demonstrated key skills on their ukeleles such as keeping a steady beat and performing confidently as part of an ensemble. The show gave families a glimpse into the progression of musical understanding and it was wonderful to see how much the children have grown as performers.

The Royal Ballet School

Our Year 3 pupils have recently enjoyed taking part in a ballet programme delivered in partnership with The Royal Ballet School. Throughout the programme, the children developed their confidence, creativity and movement skills while exploring a range of ballet techniques and routines.

The sessions concluded with a wonderful celebration performance for parents and carers, where the children proudly showcased everything they had learned. To make the event even more memorable, our young dancers then took on the role of teachers, sharing and demonstrating some of their new ballet moves with their families. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved, and we are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, commitment and confidence shown by all of our Year 3 pupils.

Little Voices

Some of our Year 4 and Year 5 pupils have been enjoying poetry sessions with Little Voices. They recently performed for parents and carers, confidently showcasing what they have been working on. After half term, the children will take their LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) examinations, and we wish them every success.

Our Weekly Stars continue to shine brightly, and we are incredibly proud of the many children who have received certificates in recent weeks. These awards recognise those who have gone above and beyond, whether through exceptional effort in their learning, perseverance when facing challenges, or through acts of kindness and consideration towards others. Most importantly, they are wonderful examples of children who embody our school values each day. Well done to all of our certificate winners for being such positive role models and for making our school community a better place. Keep up the fantastic work!

 

A huge congratulations to Kingfisher, Siskin, Jay and Magpie Classes, who have reigned supreme in recent weeks by achieving the highest attendance across the school.

Their fantastic commitment to being in school every day has earned each class a well-deserved non-uniform day as a reward. Well done to all of the pupils, families and staff for supporting such excellent attendance.

Remember, every day in school counts, and we can't wait to see which class will claim the attendance crown next.

Poppy has been making us proud outside of school too! She was recently named Player of the Game for the Meden Vale Colts Under 8s Girls football team. A fantastic achievement that recognises her hard work, determination and teamwork on the pitch. Well done, Poppy!

In other sporting news, Harper was awarded the Player of the Game trophy for Meden Vale Colts after a fantastic match where she scored an incredible five goals. Well done, Harper!

A huge congratulations to Tomos, who has recently been awarded his Chief Scout Bronze Award. This is a fantastic accomplishment that recognises his commitment, perseverance and active participation in Scouts. Tomos has worked hard to develop new skills, take on challenges and contribute to his community, and we are delighted to celebrate this success with him. Well done, Tomos!

Megan could not stop smiling as she proudly held up her horse-riding rosette. After working hard and showing determination, she successfully mounted and dismounted the horse all by herself, a fantastic achievement that filled her with confidence.

Congratulations to Jack T, Harry, Jack A and Parker on receiving medals at their recent Judo and Karate sessions at The Shed. Their commitment, determination and positive attitude have been recognised through these well-deserved awards. We are very proud of you all!

Congratulations to Eva, who has been awarded a prestigious Blue Peter Badge after building an impressive Hogwarts Castle from LEGO. Her creativity, dedication and hard work clearly impressed the judges. Well done, Eva!

Congratulations, Denny, on swimming 50 metres at Warsop Health Hub! What an amazing achievement. Your dedication and effort have helped you reach this fantastic milestone. We are all very proud of you. Keep swimming and aiming even higher!

Our school hall was transformed into a spooktacular party venue for this year's Halloween Disco! Pupils enjoyed an evening filled with music, dancing, games and plenty of Halloween-themed fun. It was wonderful to see so many creative costumes on display, from witches and wizards to superheroes and spooky creatures. The smiles, laughter and enthusiasm throughout the evening made it a fantastic event for everyone involved. A huge thank you to our staff who helped make the disco such a memorable occasion. We hope all of our pupils had a fang-tastic time!

As Halloween has approached, our kitchen team have gone above and beyond to add some extra seasonal fun to lunchtime. A huge thank you to our cook and catering staff, who have made a fantastic effort this week by preparing a range of Halloween-themed treats and surprises for the children to enjoy. Their creativity and enthusiasm have helped make the week even more special, bringing plenty of smiles and adding to the excitement across school.

Image Sharing

With recent revisions to Trust policy, in line with current safeguarding guidance, we are no longer permitted to publish front-facing photographs of pupils in the school newsletter. We will continue to celebrate and share school events using images that comply with our safeguarding and privacy requirements. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.