Belswains News

17th July 2026

Sports Day 2026

On Wednesday, our KS2 pupils finally enjoyed their long‑awaited Sports Day, and what an afternoon it was! Despite the very hot weather, our KS2 athletes were absolute professionals from start to finish. They performed brilliantly in their teams, showing determination, teamwork and fantastic sporting spirit- we could not be prouder of them.

A huge congratulations to Heartwood, who were crowned our KS2 champions with an incredible final score of over 1000 points!

A massive thank you to all members of staff who helped the afternoon run smoothly and supported their classes at each event- your hard work is massively appreciated. Special thanks go to Mr Wheeler, our brilliant MC; Miss Bradbury, who worked tirelessly to total up all the scores; and Miss Finn, who organised the events so expertly.

We are also very grateful to the PTA for allowing us to use their gazebos to keep the children as cool as possible, and to all the parents who came along to cheer- you made a fantastic crowd.

Well done everyone- what a brilliant afternoon of sport, teamwork and fun!

Reading at Belswains

A Love of Reading at Belswains

Children across Belswains have been enjoying a variety of exciting reading opportunities this term. Our Key Stage 1 pupils have loved welcoming a Secret Reader into their classrooms, eagerly anticipating who will arrive to share a favourite story with them. Meanwhile, Year 2 and Year 5 children have come together to enjoy shared reading sessions, building friendships while exploring books and stories together. The children thoroughly enjoyed these experiences, which have helped to promote a love of reading and foster a sense of community across the school. It has been wonderful to see so much enthusiasm for books and storytelling throughout Belswains.

Year 3 Community Cohesion

As part of our Community Cohesion work, Year 3 enjoyed a wonderful visit to local nurseries, where they shared their love of reading with younger children. The pupils walked to and from the nurseries, demonstrating excellent behaviour and responsibility throughout the trip. Before the visit, the children carefully selected books from home or borrowed favourites from our school library to take with them. They then spent time reading and sharing these stories with the nursery children, creating a fun and engaging experience for everyone involved. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 3 pupils to develop their confidence, strengthen their reading skills, and build positive links within our local community. Both the Year 3 children and the nursery children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Secret readers in KS1

Year 3 Community Cohesion

Buddy Readers

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Quality Standard

We are delighted to share that this year our EYFS team has been working towards the Hertfordshire Early Years Quality Mark. Through their dedication, commitment, and hard work, they have successfully achieved this prestigious award for our Reception provision.

This recognition reflects the high-quality learning experiences, nurturing environment, and excellent practice provided every day in Reception. We are incredibly proud of the entire EYFS team for this fantastic achievement and would like to congratulate them on their well-deserved success.

In Reception and Nursery we had a lovely time at this weeks open evening. The children loved sharing their fantastic work from this year with their families.

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 1 enjoyed a wonderful Yellow Day on Monday as part of our Community Cohesion initiative. Throughout the day, the children - dressed in yellow - learned about the fantastic work of the local charity DENS, collected donations for their food bank, and created posters and mini dens to help raise awareness of the charity's work.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated food and household items, as well as the recycled materials used for den building. The children's enthusiasm and creativity were clear to see, and I am sure you will agree that the mini dens they designed for Denny the Bear were both imaginative and impressive.

Thank you for your generosity and support in helping us make a difference in our local community.

Lower KS2

Year 3 English

In English, Year 3 have been writing about the life and achievements of Usain Bolt. Lewis brought in photos and a signed t-shirt, and gave a fantastic presentation about his mum’s experience of meeting him. Thank you, Lewis, for helping bring our learning to life!

Year 3 DT

In DT, the children have been learning about greenhouses and exploring what makes them effective. They used this knowledge to create their own design criteria, work collaboratively on designs, and vote for a final model. Using a range of recycled materials, they then built mini greenhouses in teams. The children worked brilliantly together and produced some effective and beautiful greenhouses.

iRock Summer Concert

Our amazing iRock bands lit up the MUGA on Wednesday morning, playing their socks off and filling the school with brilliant music and energy. Pupils performed on guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, and some even took to the mic with fantastic vocals- a true showcase of talent from all years- Reception up to Year 6!

Led by our incredible iRock teacher, Matthew, the children shone from start to finish. A special mention goes to our Year 6 iRockers, who have been part of the programme for many years. We will miss them terribly, and we hope they continue to grow their musical talents at secondary school. It certainly won’t be the same without them!

As our Year 6 musicians move on, new spaces will open up for budding rock stars. If your child is interested in joining a band, please get in touch with iRock- it’s a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, teamwork, and musical skill.

A huge thank you to all the parents who came along and who have supported their children throughout the year. Your encouragement makes these experiences possible.

Finally, a massive well done to our iRockers- you were absolutely awesome. We can’t wait for the day we see you performing your hearts out at Glastonbury. Rock on!

Upper Key Stage 2

Residential at Hindleap Warren Outdoor Centre

Our Year 6 pupils had an incredible week at Hindleap Warren, enjoying a range of exciting outdoor activities that challenged them to be brave, resilient and work together as a team. From adventurous challenges to problem-solving activities, the children embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and determination, supporting and encouraging one another throughout the week.

We are extremely proud of the way our pupils conducted themselves during the residential. Their behaviour was excellent, and they represented our school brilliantly, showing kindness, respect and a positive attitude at all times. The trip was filled with fun, laughter and unforgettable memories, and it was wonderful to see the children grow in confidence and independence while having such a fantastic time.

Year 6 End-of-year Activities

Young Enterprise

As part of our Young Enterprise afternoon during Wednesday's Open Evening, our pupils demonstrated fantastic creativity, teamwork and entrepreneurial skills. Working with a budget of just £10 per group, they planned and ran their own stalls, which included drinks, cakes, games, a "Guess the Teddy's Name" competition and even the sale of 3D-printed items. The children thoroughly enjoyed designing eye-catching posters, budgeting carefully and organising everything needed to make their businesses a success.

The event was a huge achievement, raising an impressive £570 for our PTA. It was wonderful to see the pupils applying their problem-solving and communication skills in a real-life setting while having so much fun. We are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, hard work and professionalism, which helped make the afternoon such a memorable success.

Watermill Residential Care Home Visit

We were delighted to welcome residents from Watermill Residential Care Home to school for a special performance of our end-of-year songs. With the recent hot weather making it difficult for them to attend one of our scheduled performances, we were pleased to have the opportunity to share our music with them in school instead. The residents thoroughly enjoyed the performance, and our pupils were proud to showcase all their hard work.

Following the songs, the children enjoyed a fascinating question-and-answer session with the residents, learning about their lives and experiences growing up in the last century. It was a wonderful opportunity for pupils to develop their understanding of the past through first-hand stories, and both children and residents greatly appreciated the chance to spend time together.

Year 6 "Grossbusters"

Year 6 wowed audiences with their absolutely fantastic performance of Grossbusters! From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear we were in for something special. The children delivered their lines with confidence, energy and brilliant comic timing, bringing the hilarious story to life with flair. The singing and choreography were outstanding, and the costumes added an extra splash of fun to the whole production. It truly felt like watching a West End show right here in our school hall! We are so proud of every single child for their hard work, teamwork and unforgettable performance.

Pizza and Splash

To round off a fantastic year, the children enjoyed a well-deserved Pizza and Splash Afternoon. After tucking into delicious pizzas from Domino’s on the MUGA, everyone headed down to the field for an afternoon of fun with water pistols. There was plenty of laughter, excitement and friendly competition as the children made the most of the warm weather.

The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the teachers, who ended up completely drenched! It was a wonderful way to celebrate a successful year together, creating lots of happy memories and bringing a fun-filled end to the term for both pupils and staff alike.

Choir KS2 Showcase

Our school choir rounded off the term with a truly joyful end‑of‑year showcase on Thursday 16th July, performing to a packed hall of proud parents and carers. They shared a brilliant selection of songs from musicals, film, and the Young Voices programme, showing just how much their confidence and teamwork have grown. Every member of the choir has worked incredibly hard to learn, polish, and rehearse each piece, and their dedication shone through in every moment of the performance. We are so proud of our choir this year and delighted to celebrate their final performance of the year with our school community.

Belswains Values- Kindness Day

Belswains was awash with colour as children took part in our special Kindness Day. Pupils came to school dressed in bright, cheerful colours and spent the day thinking about how they can make a positive difference to others. Children enjoyed creating friendship stones and thank you cards, sharing thoughtful messages with friends, family members and staff. Throughout the day, classes focused on the importance of using kind words and carrying out kind acts, helping to spread happiness across our school community. It was wonderful to see so many examples of compassion, respect and friendship, demonstrating the values that make Belswains such a caring place to learn and grow.

Year 6 Football Finale: A brilliant end to the season!

On Thursday 16th July 2026, our Year 6 footballers rounded off their season with two fantastic friendly matches against St Cuthbert Mayne Primary School. Both the Ospreys and Harriers played superbly, showing teamwork, determination and skill on the pitch. It was wonderful to see them playing together for a final time before they move on from Belswains.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along to support our teams. Your encouragement means the world to the children, and they loved seeing familiar faces cheering from the sidelines.

To our incredible footballers: thank you for your hard work, dedication, optimism and brilliant sportsmanship throughout the year. You have represented Belswains beautifully, and it has been a privilege to watch you grow in both skill and confidence. We cannot wait to see you continue your sporting journeys in secondary school- and who knows, perhaps we’ll see some of you in professional teams in the future!

We also extend a huge thank you to Mr Makwada, Mr Wheeler, Miss Bradbury and Miss Finn for their commitment and support this season. Their hard work has made all the difference.

Roll on the 2026-27 season!

Autumn Term 2026: Collection and Walking Home Arrangements

Children travelling to and from school for the Autumn Term 2026.

Year 5 and 6

Our Year 5 and 6 children can walk to and from school on their own and we ask that parents give consent by signing up via Arbor, under consent if their child is walking independently, this is so teachers are aware. Please sign up by Monday 31st August 2026.

With parent permission, Year 5 and 6 children can also walk home after an after-school club. We ask that parents also give consent by signing up via Arbor, under consent if their child is walking independently from a club, this is so club leads are aware. Please sign up by Monday 31st August 2026.

Please note, that should your child be signed up for an after school club, the expectation is that they will attend that club unless the office are told beforehand. This is to ensure the safety of all our pupils.

Year 4 and below

We expect that all our children in Year 4 and below are brought to and from school by an adult and are collected by an adult from any of the after-school clubs.

For all children - should anyone be collecting your child who is not on our records then please contact the school office that day to advise.

If you have any queries, please contact the school office for advice.

Autumn Term After School and Breakfast Club Sign Up

As a reminder, we have a wealth of after school clubs on offer for the Autumn term. Please ensure you have signed up via Arbor or through the company offering the club. For school led clubs, bookings via Arbor need to be made by 31st August. If you'd like to access a PPG space for a club, as per the letter sent, please contact the school office before the end of term via admin@belswains.herts.sch.uk

Challenge Sport after school places can be booked here: Challenge Sport & Education | Pebble

We are delighted that you can now book for our breakfast clubs for Autumn term via Arbor too. Our paid for breakfast club will be open from 7.30am daily and can be booked if spaces are available up until 1 hour before the session begins. If you book this club, you do not need to book the Government free club as well. Timing and costings have been adjusted to allow you to benefit from the Government free club as well. Breakfast for this club will be served from 7.30-8.10am to allow children time to eat before embarking on other activities, before being taken to class.

If you'll be accessing our new Government free breakfast club from 8.15, bookings also need to be made on a 1/2 termly basis via Arbor. This mean should you feel you will need to use this club at all from 2nd September until Friday 23rd October, you need to sign up via Arbor by 26th August. This is because we need to confirm staffing levels in advance to cater for large numbers of children accessing it. Breakfast will be served between 8.15-8.30 to allow children time to eat before being taken to class. As long as your child is booked on, they are welcome to join us to eat breakfast, or simply to see friends before the start of the school day.

Google Classroom Access

All pupils/parents including Year 6 will still have access to current Google Classrooms until 31st July. After this date the system will start populating for the new school year. If you want to extract any information from your childs current Google Classroom (including Year 6), please do so by 31st July.

Government changes to Free School Meals

Just to remind you of on the changes to Government Free School Meals which comes into effect from 1st September 2026.

The criteria for free school meals now includes families who receive any amount of Universal Credit.

Reception-Year 2

As a parent/carer of a child in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 from September 2026, your child will be eligible for a daily free school meal. This is under the ‘Universal Free School Meal’ system. This is open to all families and is not based on any income criteria.

From September the Government has announced that some families will be eligible for Free School Meals and additional school funding to support children thrive-this is called Pupil Premium Targeted funding.

If you feel you are eligible for this additional funding, please do apply. How to is noted below.

Years 3-6

The criteria for free school meals now includes families who receive any amount of Universal Credit.

The Government has announced that some families will be eligible for free school meals and additional school funding to support children thrive-this is called ‘Pupil Premium Targeted’ funding. Whether you are able to access free school meals and targeted pupil premium funding is Government assessed.

Important: this new system requires all families who may have previously been in receipt of free school meals or pupil premium funding to reapply before September.

If you do not re-apply and eligibility is not confirmed, your child will not receive free school meals from September, and you will be charged £3.60 a day. This is especially important if your child is moving from Year 2 to Year 3.

All eligible pupils

For the academic year 26-27, at Belswains, some of this targeted funding will be used to offer a £100 office credit, to be firstly spent on trips and workshops for your child. Any remaining credit can be spent on breakfast club, school managed after school clubs, swimming lessons or uniform. The office will support in letting you know how much is expected to be aligned for trips/workshops for each year group and how the remainder can be spent. We are also offering eligible families 1 free school club a year.

Please see below how to apply to see if you are eligible for this additional funding.

To see if you are eligible for this additional funding, we are encouraging all our families who receive Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits to check their eligibility and apply, even if they have applied before and been refused. Please do this before the end of term to ensure you can access benefits from the start of the new academic year.

How to apply

Online: Click here to apply you will need your Universal Credit statement and National Insurance details. Applying is quick and confidential.

If you are eligible, we will confirm with you for the beginning of the academic year.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)

As part of our exciting OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) project, we are continuing to develop our outdoor play provision to give children more opportunities for creative, imaginative, and active play.

To support this initiative, we would be very grateful for any donations of suitable items. If you have any resources at home that you no longer need, we would love to give them a new life at school.

Examples of useful items include:

Toys (e.g. cars, figures, small world items)
Plastic containers or storage boxes
Small construction materials
Dressing-up items
Kitchen utensils (e.g. pots, pans, wooden spoons)
Outdoor play equipment
Wellies (any size)
Scooters

If you would like to donate, please leave items in the reading shed located on the playground under the sails.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us create a rich and engaging outdoor environment for all our children.

Celebration Assembly

Congratulations to all the pupils who received a certificate in assembly, staff have noticed you doing something above and beyond!

Reception Robins Ava for a fantastic poster on saving our oceans.

Reception Robins Elijah for always thinking about his friends and being kind.

Reception Sparrows Sofia for an amazing piece writing about looking after our world.

Reception Sparrows Tej for comforting her friends when they are upset.

Year 1 Goldcrests Luca for writing brilliant sentences about Victorian schools.

Year 1 Goldcrests Elsie for helping her friends when they have fallen over.

Year 1 Firecrests Alice for writing a brilliant list of ingredients in English.

Year 1 Firecrests Amelia for helping her friends when they are upset.

Year 2 Starlings Temidara for creating a great moving greetings card.

Year 2 Starlings Grace for always being the first to look after her friends when they are sad.

Year 2 Swifts Robert for a detailed character description in English.

Year 2 Swifts Elsie-Ann for making sure everyone has someone to play with.

Year 3 Jays Temidara for creating a great moving greetings card.

Year 3 Jays Grace for always being the first to look after her friends when they are sad.

Year 3 Redwings Ambra for her fantastic creativity when making a greenhouse.

Year 3 Redwings Leo for always being a kind and patient friend. Well done!

Year 4 Owls George for good listening and joining in discussions.

Year 4 Owls Maya for always being kind and considerate to everyone.

Year 4 Nightingales Wren for having a fantastic year, being and wonderful role model and working so hard.

Year 4 Nightingales Seth for being exceptionally helpful around the classroom and a great role model to others.

Year 5 Eagles Aneeqa for working hard in interventions.

Year 5 Eagles Madison for being a kind and positive member of the class.

Year 5 Hawks Jessica for determination and perseverance with interventions

Year 5 Hawks Olivia-Rose for always being helpful, polite and kind

Year 6 Redkites Austin for being a positive and cheerful member of Year 6.

Year 6 Redkites Whole Class for excellent behaviour on the residential trip.

Year 6 Redkites Harvey for always helping everyone on his table.

Year 6 Falcons Arion for an amazing attitude this week after the residential.

Year 6 Falcons Whole Class for excellent behaviour on the residential trip.

Year 6 Falcons Logan for fantastic entrepreneurial skills in Young Enterprise.

Year 6 Falcons Kevin for fantastic entrepreneurial skills in Young Enterprise.

Diary Dates (click the arrow to show dates)

Tuesday 21st July 2026

Year 6 leavers assembly 09.00 (parents welcome)

Last day of Summer term (school closes at 1.30pm)

Wednesday 22nd July 2026

INSET DAY (school closed to pupils)

Thursday 23rd July 2026

Occasional Day (school closed to pupils)

2026/2027 Academic Year

Tuesday 1st September

INSET DAY (School closed to pupils)

Wednesday 2nd September

Pupils return to school

Monday 26th - Friday 30th October

Half Term

Belswains PTA

Preloved Uniform Shop

Our preloved uniform shop will be open for the rest of this term, offering a sustainable and budget‑friendly way to keep your children kitted out for school. All items are priced at £1, and all proceeds go directly back into PTA projects that benefit our pupils. Payments to be made by scanning the QR code in the shop, or cash honesty box. Donations of clean, good‑condition uniform are warmly welcomed. Simply pop the items in the preloved uniform bin outside of the shop.