Newsletter 17th April 2026
Dear parents and carers,
The summer term is here (although the weather may suggest otherwise!) and it has been lovely to have the children return so positively from the Easter break. This week in school has already been filled with lots of exciting learning and children embracing new topics and new challenges. Year Six classes held an excellent debate on our use of natural resources in their RE lessons this week; whilst Year Two children enjoyed a walk in the village to learn about local geography and the comparison between human and physical features.
Celebration Assemblies
Well done to all the children this week that have evidently been working hard on Numbots and TTRS over the Easter break as there were lots of certificates given out this week. Children have returned fantastically after the holiday and settled straight back into learning.
Hot Chocolate Friday was with Mr Morris today who enjoyed hearing about all the activities that children had got up to over the Easter holiday. He was very jealous of the number of eggs that some children had received.
Parental engagement
Thanks to the 55 parents who attended Y1 phonics information session on Wednesday morning, we hope you found this useful.
Thanks also to the many Year Three parents who came to school on Thursday evening to find out the details of the upcoming residential to Caythorpe.
Finally, thanks to the Year Five parents who have responded already to our survey canvassing options for next year’s Year Six residential. We will use your views to shape the final plans and cost and fully appreciate the expense of this trip.
School trips and costs
A note that all schools, legally, cannot make a penny of profit on a school trip; any school trip cost is the cost of the coach plus the activities /admission fee divided by how many children are due to attend. No costs are added by the school to cover attending staff places (these are usually free on a 1-10 ratio) and no staff overtime is paid; nor is the additional staffing cover required in school to compensate for staff absence ever part of the cost to parents, the school has to fully absorb any additional in-school staffing costs.
Any parental voluntary contribution to a trip covers your child only and is not used to subsidise other children / families who are unable to pay. However, increasingly, where insufficient voluntary donations are received, the school is unable make up the shortfall, and this may, regrettably, mean that trips could have to be cancelled.
With school budgets as tight as they are, and household finances equally stretched, we are always mindful of how much we ask for and the notice period we give. With the increase in fuel costs set to continue, we are always planning ahead to ensure that next year we can still give all children valuable learning experiences outside of the classroom, whilst keeping this affordable and accessible to all.
May Fayre
The PTA’s annual “May Fayre” event is on Friday 15th May after school. Further details to follow. On 1st May, the PTA are holding a Mufti (own clothes) day in return for a donation of an item for the May Fayre. Attached are details of which year group is bringing which item, and these will also soon on their social media channels!
Attendance
Attendance this week was 96.52%. The top classes this week were Violet with 98.46%, Snowdrop with 98.52% and the winners, with 99%, were Buttercup. Well done!
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
Miss Lally & Mr Morris
Letters home this week
Year 1 phonics screening information
Year 5 trip payments overdue
Year 6 residential trip options for 2027 – Current Y5
Message for Daisy class
Year 6 residential trip – important information
Year 6 residential trip – payment outstanding
Behaviour policy information session
Caythorpe information meeting – Y3
Year 5 Castle Theatre performance
Curriculum overviews and spellings – individual year groups
Year 1 phonics session reminder
Writing event – Early Years to Year 5
Deadline for ordering school lunches Term 5
Attachments
Online safety – App play store
SEND family fun event
PTA Mufti donations
AIR
Earth
FIRE
WATER