Welcome to the summer term!

It has been a great start to this term's new learning with children already immersed in a range of learning opportunities from history of the Stone Age to Anglo-Saxons and Vikings to lots of geography learning about Pittville Park, Cheltenham, Europe and climate change. There are new novels and books to study and science topics to explore. Across the school the children have returned with a positive approach, as always, and a desire to learn lots of new skills and knowledge. You will receive curriculum letters from teachers with further details about the learning for this term, next week. 

We hosted our very first 'Forest Tots' session this week and it was a huge success.  Thanks to the whole nursery and pre-school team for setting up this fabulous opportunity. The children, their mums and grandparents really enjoyed the morning.

We were very excited to receive our list of new starters for September 2022 from the County Council and to see so many siblings on the list.  Of course some families will be completely new to Dunalley, we look forward to welcoming them at our new starter and whole school events. We were oversubscribed once again this year, so many families wanted one of our 60 school places.

All families on our list should have recieved a welcome email during the Easter holidays which contained details of the events (see below) and a link to our online  admission form. 

If you have not yet receievd this please contact the school office.

Welcome ‘Tea Party’ – Friday 24^th June at 2pm
This will provide you with an opportunity to meet with our early years team and school leaders, we will also share practical information about starting school and discuss the ways in which we can work together to make the experience as positive as possible for your children. 

Stay and Play sessions
In addition to the welcome tea party, we would like to invite you and your child into school to enjoy ‘stay and play sessions’ with the EYFS teachers.
Dates for these sessions will be July 1^st and July 15^th from 2pm – 2.45pm on our front field. Further information will be provided to families nearer the time.

Starting school – Part time/Full time
We realise the importance of knowing school term dates as soon as possible and are pleased to be able to inform you now about the part time/full time schedule for your children in starting in September.
New Reception children will start PART TIME ONLY on Wednesday 7^th September, if the children are ready to attend school on a full time basis they will do so on Monday 26^th September.  Exact times and more detailed information for morning or afternoon sessions will be provided later this term.

Just to remind you that our very informal Wednesday Tea n' Chat mornings are running this term (other than the date below) from 8.30am to 9.30am and will now be in our Hub.

We hope that you find them useful opportunities to get to know other parents and carers and members of staff.  Pre-schoolers are most welcome to come along and play.

Tea n' Chat will not be taking place on Wednesday 11th May.

Our Y1G class had a great start to their week, as part of their geography learning, with a walk to explore Pitville Park. They observed many of the geographical features and will use this to consider how the park is used by different people and to also plan a suitable dog walking route for Pippin! Lots of fun and great learning took place. We would like to say a huge thank you to all families who offered help on the day.

Y1FH will be doing the walk very soon too.

Please remember to keep ParentPay accounts in credit for lunches, earlies and lates. The office team are unable to spend time continually chasing for payments.
We feel it is the responsibility of the parents/carers to ensure the accounts are in credit to attend earlies or lates or receive a school lunch.

If you feel that you may qualify for free school meals please follow this link to apply:

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-transport-and-free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/

School meals cost £2.20 for children in nursery & pre-school and from year 3 to year 6.
Reception children and Year 1 & 2 children receive universal infant free school meals as part of a government initiative.

It has been a fabulous week for OPAL, the chilldren have been exploring new things to play with. 
It is lovely seeing the freedom they can now enjoy throughout their lunch times.

Please remember that we are always in need of donations, and would really love some old clothes for dressing up in (hats/scarves/jackets).

We are absolutely delighted to give families the heads up about some planned events for the summer.

Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II celebration

We will celebrate our Queen's Platinum Jubilee at school on Friday May 27th from 2pm.  Some of us remember celebrating past jubilee events ourselves as children and have fond memories of such a special occasion. We feel it only fitting that we do our best to provide children at Dunalley with such memories.

- Families will be invited to bring a picnic and enjoy our school grounds together.
- We will have a red, white and blue dress code for the day too.
- We will muster up some entertainment and have ice creams at the ready.

Summer Fete

We are starting to plan for a summer fete and have a provisional date of after school on July 15th 

More details will follow of course, but for now you are able to add the date to your diaries.

Reception classes started the return to school and the new term as super heroes, it was wonderful to see the costumes and the smiles on the children's faces (teachers too of course).

We are pleased to be able to offer more opportunities for the children attending Lates.  Alongside the OPAL experience offered daily we have introduced the following activities:

The activities (subject to staffing) will be offered fairly to small groups at a time.  Children always have the opportunity to engage in activities, play with friends or just relax and sit queitly with a book if they prefer.  

Please remember that Lates finishes at 5.30pm, if you need to collect earlier it will need to be by prior arrangement, between 4pm and 4.50pm only, whilst the school office is staffed.
Please email [email protected] if you require an earlier collection.

A435 Evesham Road, Cheltenham - Monday 6th June to Monday 20th June
we have been forewarned of the above road closure, scheduled to take place between Monday 6th June to Monday 20th June inclusive, during the hours of 19:00 to 07:00 (excluding weekends) this closure will affect how staff and parents travel to, and park outside your site.

Please note that pedestrian and emergency access (blue light services) will be maintained at all times.