Friday, 27 June 2025

Dear parents and carers

Staffing Changes for the New Academic Year

We're writing to let you know that Miss Hilton will be leaving Ashgate Primary School at the end of July. After 18 dedicated years of service to our school and community, she has decided to focus on new opportunities. During her time here, she has taught across many year groups, both infant and junior, and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure children receive the best education available.

We want to express our sincere gratitude to Miss Hilton for her incredible commitment and the positive impact she has had on countless children's lives. Her dedication will be greatly missed by pupils, staff, and parents alike.

We are however pleased to announce that Miss Carter will be taking over Miss Hilton’s duties in Year 3/4 starting from September. We conducted a rigorous recruitment process to find the right individual, and we are confident that  Miss Carter will continue to provide excellent support and education to our pupils. Miss Carter will be working alongside teachers in the school during the remainder of this term and will be meeting her new class members soon.

Again, we wish Miss Hilton all the very best in her future  endeavours when she leaves at the end of the term and thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Seargent/Mrs Forte

Co Headteachers

NOTICE REGARDING HAIR BEADS

Dear Parents,

This letter addresses the wearing of hair beads in school. We've noticed an increase in children wearing hair beads, and we want to ensure everyone understands our guidelines, which are primarily focused on safety.

We fully support and celebrate the diverse cultural and religious practices within our school community. We understand that for many families, hair beads hold deep significance and are an important part of their heritage.

However, we've had instances where hair beads have come loose and been found on the floor. These loose beads can present a choking hazard, particularly for our younger pupils. The safety and well-being of all children are always our top priority.

Therefore, we ask that hair beads only be worn by children for whom they hold a significant cultural or religious purpose. If your child does wear hair beads for these reasons, please ensure that they are securely fastened in their hair to prevent them from coming loose during the school day.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for all students while continuing to respect and support individual family practices.

Sincerely,

Important Notice: Social Media and Messaging

Dear Parents,                                                                                                 

This note serves as a reminder that children of primary school age are not permitted to use social media platforms, including WhatsApp – access is against the terms and conditions with good reason. If your child experiences harm due to social media misuse, parents must acknowledge their contribution to that harm through them being complicit in its use.

We have observed that many, if not most, conflicts/anxieties/peer pressures among pupils are either initiated or exacerbated by messages exchanged on WhatsApp and other social media platforms outside of school hours.

There is now an overwhelming body of research evidencing the damaging impact that the use of social media/mobile phone use can have on childhood development, mental well-being, and the formation of healthy friendships.

According to a recent poll by Parentkind (March 2024), 83% of parents in the UK believe that smartphones are harmful to young people, yet 91% allow their child to own one (20% under the age of 4). It is therefore concerning that so many parents continue to allow access to something they acknowledge is known to be damaging to their child's health rather than act to prevent it.

It is vital to understand that control over access to social media and messaging platforms must reside with adults, not the child. Children of primary school age simply do not possess the cognitive maturity or life experience to effectively assess the complex risks associated with online interactions, cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, or the long-term impact on their mental health and development. As parents, you hold the crucial responsibility for safeguarding your child in the digital world.

While the school is not in a position to dictate how you manage your child's access to social media or messaging services at home, we strongly advise you to limit or block their access to these platforms and consider delaying smartphone ownership. We believe this is crucial for their well-being and to foster a more positive and harmonious school environment.

We will continue to support our pupils in resolving conflicts. However, please be aware that we will view incidents unfavourably when a parent's permission for a child to use messaging platforms is clearly a contributing factor to the issue.

Our advice is and will always be to deny access to any platform that's damaging to your child’s well-being. Parents and not the child are responsible.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

At Ashgate Primary School, we are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and positive learning environment for all our pupils. A key part of this commitment is our zero-tolerance approach to bullying.  It is important however to make a clear distinction between bullying and childhood friendship development/conflict.

What is Bullying?

To be clear, we define bullying as 'repeated aggressive behaviour that is intended to cause harm or distress to another person, and involves an imbalance of power'. This can take many forms, including:

• Physical bullying: Hitting, kicking, pushing, or any other physical contact.
• Verbal bullying: Name-calling, teasing, taunting, threats, or offensive remarks.
• Social/Emotional bullying: Excluding someone, spreading rumours, damaging reputations, or manipulating friendships.
• Cyberbullying: Using electronic communication to bully, such as sending hurtful messages or sharing embarrassing content.

Ofsted commented in our report in 2023 'Behaviour is as a strength with bullying rare and children have confidence and trust in their teachers to support their wellbeing.'

We want to assure you that any reported incidents of bullying are taken very seriously and addressed promptly and effectively in line with our school's anti-bullying policy.

Helping Children Manage Childhood Friendships: Non bullying incidents

While we are unwavering in our stance against bullying, it's also important to acknowledge that children, as they develop and form relationships, will occasionally experience minor disagreements and fallouts. These are a normal and often valuable part of growing up and learning to navigate social interactions.

Children will, and need to experience childhood confrontation in order to be successful in building and managing relationships.  This is not the same as condoning or encouraging it; but the skills needed to manage these must be nurtured.

Examples of these minor and intermittent fallouts might include:

• Disagreements over games or toys.
• Arguments about who gets to go first.
• Temporary exclusions from a group.
• Brief moments of frustration or unkind words exchanged in the heat of the moment.

Although it can be hard, it is not always helpful for a parent or other adult to rush or jump in to assist or view/inform every fall out as an act of bullying.

Our approach to these situations is to support our children in managing them independently, where appropriate. This means we will:

• Listen to their concerns.
• Help them articulate their feelings.
• Guide them in finding solutions.
• Encourage them to develop empathy and understanding.

We believe that by providing guidance and encouragement during these minor disagreements, we are equipping your children with essential life skills. Learning to resolve conflicts, compromise, and communicate effectively are crucial for developing healthy relationships, building resilience, and managing challenges throughout their lives.

We appreciate your partnership in fostering a supportive and understanding school community. If you have any concerns about your child's well-being at school, please do not hesitate to contact their class teacher.

Sudbury Hall Trip Cancellation: Your Questions Answered

We understand some parents have valid questions regarding the cancellation of the Sudbury Hall trip. We sincerely apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience this has caused, but I wish to answer those questions that have been shared.  Should after this point parents have further questions, I will be happy to discuss them individually.

Why Was the Trip Cancelled Before the Payment Deadline Next Week?

Coach companies set strict payment deadlines for bookings. If these deadlines aren't met, the school is still liable for a time specific incremental coach cost. It's actually not uncommon for the coach deadline to fall before the final payment date so as to provide as much time as possible for parents to contribute, and usually we can absorb the risk of some non-payments to ensure the trip goes ahead. However, for this particular trip, the unpaid amount was substantial, totalling hundreds of pounds, and sadly was too excessive in the time scale.

Had we not cancelled when we did, the school would have still been liable for this significant cost, and unfortunately, parents who had already paid would not have been eligible for a full refund. This is why we sent out reminders early this week; we were attempting to gather enough payments to meet the coach company's deadline and prevent cancellation.

Because of the decision being made today, all those who have paid will get a full refund. Had we waited until next week, this would not have been the case.  Parents would have paid, no or limited refund would be offered and the children would still not have had a trip.  This would have not been palatable for anyone.

Why Can't Children Whose Parents Have Paid Still Go?

Department for Education policies on charges and remissions prevent schools from excluding a child from a curriculum-linked trip due to financial reasons. To do so would be discriminatory. Simply put, for curriculum-related trips like Sudbury Hall, it's either all eligible children are offered a place, or none are. The only exception is for trips not linked to the curriculum, such as a pantomime or circus.

Could a Fund Be Created to Offset Costs for Parents Who Can't Pay in the Future?

We already have a system in place to subsidise trip costs for parents, and this has amounted to thousands of pounds over recent years. Any requested contributions from parents are already heavily subsidised by the school; you never pay the full cost – sometimes less than 50% of the true cost.   However, on this occasion, the outstanding unpaid amount was too significant for the school to cover in addition to the existing subsidies.  Simply put, we already have a fund that we set aside, but the extent of non-payment meant it was far from enough.

Future actions

This is the first time that it has been necessary to enact a trip cancellation.  This is despite subsidies and providing payment plans and ample notice.  In the future, it will be necessary to assume the school cannot absorb late payments again before the deadline set by coach companies.  Sadly, this will result in payment being required earlier than normally asked.  We will however continue to offer payment plans and subsidies for all families.

We share your disappointment regarding this cancellation and are already looking into alternative, related events to hold on the school site for the next half term. Thank you for your understanding

Dear Year 1 and 2 Parents,

It is with considerable regret that I am writing to inform you that the upcoming Year 1 and 2 trip to Sudbury Hall has been cancelled owing to lack of parental contributions..

Unfortunately, despite significant school subsidies and the option of payment plans, we have not received sufficient funds to cover the costs of this trip.

We understand that contributing to school trips can be a challenge for some families, and we always strive to provide reduced charges and extended payment opportunities. However, on this occasion, the outstanding costs are too great for the school to cover.

We are truly sorry for any disappointment this may cause your children. We know how much they look forward to these experiences.

Please be assured that anyone who has already made a payment for the Sudbury Hall trip will receive a full refund in due course.

At this time, this cancellation only impacts the Year 1 and 2 trip to Sudbury Hall. However, we will need to give careful consideration to future trips if similar circumstances arise.

Thank you for your understanding.

Notice to Parents: Change to 'Meet the Teacher' Transition Day

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are writing to inform you of a change to our usual 'Meet the Teacher' transition day arrangements. This year, to coincide with the secondary schools' transition days, we will be holding our transition activities over three days:

• Tuesday, 1st July 2025

• Wednesday, 2nd July 2025

• Thursday, 3rd July 2025

During these three days, all children in EYFS and Years 1 to 5 will come to school as normal, but they will be spending the day with their new class and teacher for the 2025/2026 academic year. This will provide an opportunity for them to:

• Meet their new teacher.

• Become familiar with their new classroom environment.

• Begin to build relationships with their new classmates.

Please note that school will run as normal on these days, with the usual start and finish times. There will be no changes to current dinner arrangements.

We understand that this is a change to our usual practice, but we believe that aligning with the secondary school transition days will provide a more cohesive transition period for all pupils and help to prepare them for the start of the new school year in September.

How can parents support their child with this transition?

• Talk positively about the move to a new class and the opportunities it brings.

• Encourage your child to talk about their feelings and any worries they may have.

• Reassure your child that their teachers will be there to support them.

• Help your child to prepare for the day by ensuring they have everything they need.

   

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Forte - Co-Headteacher

Friday, 16 May 2025

Dear parents and carers

Armed Forces Personnel:  Children Support

Do any of the following apply to you?

• Are you serving/have you served in the armed forces (UK or international) in the last 6 years?

and

• Was your child born in that period and registered as a ‘service child’?

or

• Did your child suffer the loss of a parent whilst in service and you receive a related war pension?

I am writing to inform you of potential additional support available to your child through the Government Pupil Premium grant for parents who have served in the Armed Forces.

The Pupil Premium is additional funding provided to schools to support eligible pupils. For children of service personnel, this funding aims to help mitigate any challenges they may face due to their parents' military commitments, current or past. This can include, but is not limited to:

• Academic Support: Providing extra tuition or resources to help children who may have experienced disruption to their education due to family mobility.
• Pastoral Care: Offering support for the emotional and social well-being of children who may have experienced frequent school transitions or parental deployment.
• Enrichment Activities: Funding opportunities for children to participate in a wider range of school activities, such as clubs, trips, and cultural experiences.
• Addressing Specific Needs: Tailored support to address any particular educational or well-being needs your child may have.

Please inform the school office if you have served within the last 6 years and believe that your child was known to / registered as a services child during your service.

Peter Seargent  / Mrs Forte Co Headteacher

INSET Days & School Holidays 2025/26 –

Advanced Notice, get out your fridge magnets!

INSET (IN-SErvice Training) days are dedicated periods within the academic year when schools are closed to pupils, and teaching and support staff engage in professional development activities. These days are a statutory requirement, with a minimum of five allocated annually, and are crucial for supporting school improvement initiatives.

During INSET days, staff participate in various training and development opportunities tailored to the school's specific needs and priorities. These sessions aim to enhance teaching practices, update knowledge on educational policies, and foster a collaborative environment focused on continuous improvement. While historically these days may have been less formally communicated, schools now routinely provide advance notice to parents.

We understand the importance of these days for the ongoing development of our school and the positive impact they have on your children's education. To help you plan, we are providing the confirmed INSET days for the entire 2025/26 academic year well in advance. Additionally, we are sharing an outline of the anticipated development areas for these days, offering insight into how this time will be used to further support your children's learning journey.

INSET days are planned as follows – school will be closed on:

It is not anticipated that any of these dates will change; however, if there are any changes due to unforeseen circumstances you will be informed as soon as possible.