It has been an absolute pleasure to welcome you all back to school and nursery this week.  Your children have very quickly adjusted to their new routines and are already learning and achieving together. A special mention must go to our new reception children who have been very quick to embrace school life. 

These photos capture just some of the fun and excitement that we have enjoyed this week.

Thank you to our premises team have worked tirelessly over the summer to make sure that our building and grounds are very well maintained.  We would also like to thank the Van der Velde family for enhancing our year 1 outdoor area. 

We feel fortunate to learn, play and work in such a fabulous setting.

Nursery & Pre-school have had a great start to the new term, welcoming back children from last term and new children starting for the first time. We have had lots of water play, building, not just with the blocks but building friendships with each other.
We have drawn and painted, roared like dinosaurs and enjoyed some great stories. We are looking forward to all the big adventures we will have this year. 

Our Nursery & Pre-school will open for September 2024 prospective families on SATURDAY 7th OCTOBER 9.30am to 10.30am.

There will be a tour at 9.30am and an opportunity to ask any questions to Sue Carpenter, Nursery Manager after the tour. 

In Year 2 we began our Great Fire of London topic with a campfire.  Everyone learnt how to sit and stand safely around a fire, watched and listened to the fire and learnt to sing London’s Burning.  We also sang London’s Burning in rounds.  Everyone enjoyed watching the fire whilst eating a biscuit and marshmallow.  Even a frog came to join in the fun!

We are looking forward to welcoming parents and carers into school next week at the following times:

Reception, year 1 and year 2 families – Wednesday 13^th September – 9-10am

Year 3 and 4 families – Thursday 14^th September – 9-10am

Year 5 and 6 families – Friday 15^th September – 9-10am

How it will work:

• Please drop your child off at school at their usual time.
• Class teachers will register the children as usual and then take them to the hall for their assembly.
• Teachers will then welcome you into school and share key curriculum and practical information with you in their classrooms - there will be opportunities to ask questions.
• Children will then join you in the classrooms at approximately 9.35am.

We hope that you will be able to join us for these important information sessions.  After the meetings we will post year group curriculum information and reminders on the school website.

Thank you for your support with prompt arrivals and quick goodbyes in the mornings, this is very much appreciated as they enable the school day to get off to a flying start.

At hometime, thank you for leaving the grounds as soon as possible.  This means that children who attend Lates are able to enjoy the school grounds at the earliest opportunity (they need to remain in the building until the field gate and main entrance is locked). 

During the summer holidays we receievd an update for the new cycle scheme; things are now progressing towards a construction start at the end of October.

The programme and phasing of the construction works are still to be finalised with the contractor once they are appointed, but it is currently looking like the closure of Central Cross Drive either side of the A435 Evesham Road will be carried out as one of the initial phases of work. A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order has been applied for a closure to enable works to be carried out safety and appropriately from the 23^rd October.

You may remember that we asked for improvements for our school and we have been informed that; following discussions with the project team and designers, the following additional improvements will be made outside the school.  

• Extension of footway in front of the school at the crossing point to/from the North side of Central Cross Drive and kerb re-alignment at the North side of the West Drive / Central Cross Drive junction. These improvements will greatly improve visibility for people crossing and road users visibility of people crossing, reduce the crossing distance, help prevent the dangerous and obstructive parking which occurs here and help to further reduce vehicle speeds.
• New footway link across new verge area to crossing point on the South side of the West Drive / Central Cross Drive junction. This will provide a new footway link to a new and improved crossing point on this side of the road.
• No Waiting At Any Time (double yellow lines) extensions in front of the school adjacent to Central Cross Drive on both sides of the road. This will help in improving visibility at the crossing point and keeping the improved crossing point clear of dangerous and obstructive parked vehicles, making it much safer.
• School Keep Clear Zig Zag markings outside the school opposite Central Cross Drive. These will help to deter dangerous and obstructive parking where there are lots of children and parents crossing and moving about. They will also help to highlight the school area better to road users travelling through.
• School warning signs to be yellow backed. To help in highlighting the school area on its approaches, the existing school signs on each approach road will be yellow backed making them stand out much more.

It is now possible to sign up to a regular newsletter regarding the full Gloucestershire Cycle Spine, which includes the A435 Cycleway. The newsletter sign up can be found via the link below. This scheme webpage now also has FAQs and responses to them, which should help people understand various elements of the scheme design and project as a whole better. Please do feel free to provide a link to this webpage in your school newsletter.

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/highways/a435cycleway

As we start a new school year, we are hoping to add to our OPAL loose parts.

We are always open to receive donations from our families and are particularly interested in the following items:

• Dolls Prams
• Early Learning cars
• Chalks
• Buckets and spades
• Small World figures
• Tennis balls
• Rackets
• Whisks
• Colanders

We have a box for donations outside the main school office.  Thank you very much.

ParentPay accounts must always be in credit (Earlies/Lates/Lunches) it's the new academic year and we are going to be strict with our no debt policy.

Thank you.

Mr Gilpin, Headteacher from Pittville School is hosting a meeting for Year 5 & 6 parents/carers next Thursday - 14th Sepember at 3.30pm in our school hall.

If Pittville School is one of your secondary school options for your current year 5 or year 6 child, it would be well worth you attending.