Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are writing to update you regarding the current situation with seasonal flu and children's absences. We have seen an increase in the number of children off school recently, which is expected during this time of year.

Keeping Our School Safe and Clean

• Intensive Cleaning: We are conducting deep cleans daily throughout the school premises to minimize the spread of germs.

• Hygiene Practices: We are placing extra focus on reinforcing the best hygiene practices with the children, including frequent and thorough handwashing.

Impact on Staffing and Timetable

We want to make you aware that our staffing levels are currently being impacted due to staff illness.

This is important: While we are doing everything possible to maintain our regular practices, the reduced staff availability may result in some necessary changes to our normal timetabled activities and scheduled interventions.  Your child may also be taught by a supply staff member on occasions.

We ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate these temporary changes. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of all children and staff.

Thank you for your ongoing support. If your child is unwell, please ensure they remain at home until they are symptom-free, following standard public health guidance.

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are writing to provide a update regarding the current levels of seasonal respiratory illnesses, such as flu and colds, that we are observing within the school community and nationally.

Current Situation

We have seen an increase in the number of pupils and staff absent due to flu-like symptoms and other acute respiratory infections (ARI). This type of rise in illness is a common occurrence at this time of year as temperatures drop, windows ar closed and central heating kicks in, all of which help viruses circulate widely.

Actions We Have Taken

Within the school, we are reinforcing our preventative measures, including:

• Increased Ventilation: Maximising fresh air in classrooms and communal areas.
• Enhanced / Deep Cleaning: Our cleaning teams are prioritising the disinfection of frequently touched surfaces.
• Hygiene Reminders: Staff are regularly reminding pupils about the importance of thorough hand washing and 'Catch It, Bin It, Kill It' respiratory etiquette.
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How You Can Help

Your support at home is vital in helping us manage the spread of illness and protect our school community:

1. Keep Children Home if Unwell: If your child develops symptoms such as a high temperature, persistent cough, or general flu-like symptoms (shivering, aching, headache), please do not send them to school. They should remain at home until they are well enough to return and no longer have a temperature.
2. Practice Good Hygiene: Please continue to reinforce excellent hand hygiene at home, teaching your children to wash their hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds.
3. Ensure Vaccination: We encourage you to take up the offer of the flu vaccine for your child if you have not already done so. This remains the best protection against serious illness.

We are handling this matter with our usual robust approach to health and safety and will continue to follow all guidance provided by the UKHSA. We thank you for your partnership and cooperation.

Have you booked your child a place at one of the FREE holiday clubs for the winter holidays yet? If your child receives benefit-related free school meals, they are entitled to attend this winter break. Follow the instructions in your email from HolidayActivities.com to book before it’s too late! Further details can be found at: www.derby.gov.uk/derbyHAF

Did you know that if your child receives benefit-related free school meals, they are entitled to FREE holiday activities over the winter holiday? Holiday clubs are available across Derby where your child can make new friends and take part in a wide range of activities including sport, dance, drama, arts and crafts, as well as enjoying a meal each day. If your child is eligible, you will receive an email from HolidayActivities.com. Just follow the instructions in this email to book. Bookings for winter activities will open during the week of 17 November. Further details can be found at: www.derby.gov.uk/derbyHAF.

Dear parents and carers of children in Mrs Fennemore's class

We are writing concerning Mrs. Fennemore's recent absence due to a health matter. Please join us in wishing her a complete and speedy recovery.

We want to let you know that she will not be returning to school imminently as she remains in hospital care, hoping to have the all clear to leave soon.  I have messaged her today and her spirits are high and she is desperate to return to the children as soon as she is physically able. 

We are committed to providing stability and excellence in the classroom. We have put in place consistent, high-quality cover to ensure that all lessons continue to meet our high standards and that your children’s learning progresses smoothly. 

Where possible, we will ensure the children have the consistent cover of a single or limited number of supply staff, but please understand that this is not always possible.

I would like to take the time to thank the children who have continued to be hard working and committed to their learning and the staff who have been very flexible in their support.

We will share an update as soon as we have a date for her return. Thank you for supporting Mrs. Fennemore during her unavoidable absence.

Best regards,

Mr Seargent

Dear parent/carer,

Next week (10-14 November 2025) is National School Meals Week. As the catering partner to your child’s school, we understand that school meals are more than just food on a plate; they’re a daily opportunity to support your child’s physical health, mental wellbeing and academic performance.

Our approach to school meals is built around five key principles:

• Nutritious, varied meals that fuel growth, sleep, and learning
• Inclusive menus that cater to allergies, cultural needs, and ethical choices
• Sustainable practices that reduce waste and carbon footprint
• Efficient operations that keep meals affordable and accessible
• Whole-school engagement that makes mealtimes enjoyable and educational

Throughout National School Meals Week, information and activities will be available in the school dining hall to help pupils understand the nutritional and social benefits of their school lunches.

We also want to help families enjoy meals together at home, but understand how busy family life can be. That’s why our culinary teams have developed the attached recipe guide full of easy-to-cook, tasty meals that you can make with you children, which we know will help encourage them to have a positive relationship with food.

We hope you find this guide useful.

Warm regards,

Your Catering Team

We are delighted by the incredibly high demand for the wide range of sports clubs, teams, and activities we offer at Ashgate Primary. It's wonderful to see so many of our pupils keen to get involved!

Understanding Club Demand

We want to give you an insight into the numbers we often face when allocating places:

• For many of our most popular clubs or team selection events, we can sometimes receive around 90 requests from pupils wishing to attend.

• Unfortunately, due to safety, resource limitations, or team size requirements, some of these activities may only have as few as 6 places available, particularly for sport team events.

This high level of interest inevitably means that we simply cannot offer a place to every pupil who applies.  It can be the case that a child is offered more than one opportunity to attend a club or activity if there are spare places or when someone drops out of a club.

Our Allocation Process

We want to assure you that we do everything we can to be fair. We work hard to ensure that places are offered out as evenly as possible across the pupil body to give everyone an opportunity to participate over time.  This however, is not always possible or appreciated.

Given the disparity between the number of applicants and the places available, we understand that not everyone will always be happy with the outcome.

A Note of Thanks for Our Staff

Finally, we want to take a moment to thank our dedicated staff.  A significant number of activities are organised and run by teachers and support staff who give their time freely before school, at lunch, and after school.  Many schools charge for such clubs and events, we however fund what we can on your behalf, with most activities being free of charge.

Their commitment is what allows us to offer such a varied and exciting program, and we are incredibly grateful for their efforts.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our school activities.

Sincerely,

Mr Seargent

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This email is an urgent communication regarding the use of the school car park during drop-off and collection times.

The car park on school grounds is designated exclusively for staff use only. It is not a public car park, nor is it to be used for the drop-off or collection of students at any time of the day. The only exception is for those who display a blue disability badge for the adult entering the site of the pupil themselves.

This policy is in place for several critical reasons, including:

1. Staff Access: Today, several members of staff arriving for work were severely delayed or completely blocked from accessing the school site due to parents using the car park for turning, waiting, or parking. This is unacceptable and directly impacts staff attendance and preparation for the school day.

2. Child Safety: The car park is an active area of vehicle movement by staff throughout the day, not just at peak times. Allowing multiple parents' vehicles into this area at the same time significantly increases the risk of an accident involving a child.

3. Legal Compliance: The car park is private property. Unauthorised parking or blocking access constitutes trespass and a breach of our school’s safety and property rules.

Effective immediately, we must insist that all parents and guardians adhere strictly to this rule and use designated public roads or drop-off points away from the school gates to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the school.

You are advised to check local road signage to ascertain your parking access.

For clarity, the school reserves the right to take a number of legal actions against vehicles that continue to misuse the staff car park, as this is private land. These actions may include:

• Issuing Parking Charge Notices (PCNs): While private clamping is illegal, the school can engage an accredited parking enforcement company to issue PCNs (fines) for unauthorised parking.

• Civil Action for Trespass: Persistent misuse of the private property may lead to the school pursuing civil action.

• Reporting to Relevant Authorities: In cases where vehicles are blocking access for emergency services or causing a clear and present danger, the school may contact the police for their assistance.

The safety of your children and the operational effectiveness of the school are our highest priorities. We appreciate your cooperation in respecting this vital school policy.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are writing to inform you of a safeguarding concern that may impact some families and children who are fans of the author Andy Cope (known for the Spy Dog/Spy Cat series, among others).

It has been announced that Andy Cope has been subject to a malicious cyber-attack. As a result, certain websites associated with the author, including some URLs and links that may be printed inside older copies of his books, have been hacked.

This means that if these published links are accessed, users may be directed to pages displaying malicious and highly upsetting content.

Action to Take at Home

We strongly advise any parents who own copies of Andy Cope's books to take the following preventative measure immediately:

• Remove or obscure any published website addresses, QR codes, or links printed inside the books. This will prevent children from inadvertently accessing the malicious content.

• For your own safety, you are strongly advised not to investigate or try to access these links. The content is reported to be extremely upsetting and may contain malware or viruses that could risk damaging or corrupting your electronic equipment.

School Action

Please be reassured that the school has already taken action:

• We have checked all copies of Andy Cope's books in the school library and classrooms and have removed or obscured any published website addresses or links to prevent accidental access while the books are on school premises.

While this incident is related to an external attack and not our school systems, we felt it was vital to share this information so you can take appropriate action at home to safeguard your children and protect your equipment.

If you have any concerns or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this urgent matter.