Dear Parents and Friends of Castle Hill,
Another classically busy and highly productive half term is now under our belt. One change you may have noticed is the implementation of the co-headship plan we shared with you last year. We are pleased to say that this is now fully in place and running successfully at both schools.
Despite the fifty-plus years of joint experience that Ms Willmouth and I have between us, including twenty-two years working together at Castle Hill, Ms Willmouth still willingly undertook an intense and rigorous selection process. This included presentations and focused discussions around leadership for the three-day-a-week Executive Headteacher role. She received unanimous backing from both the county and the Board of Governors and we, as a school, are thrilled with this outcome. Should you wish to congratulate her, I am sure she would be delighted to hear from you.
Personally, I firmly believe that two heads are better than one. This model also allows me additional time to work voluntarily with the Hampshire Charity Youth Options, supporting young people at the other end of their educational journey beyond primary school and spend more quality time with my family.
I wish you and your family a splendid half term.
From Mr Martin, Ms Willmouth and the CHPS team.
Year R Dress-up Day on Wednesday 4th March - The theme for the day is: "When I Grow Up..." We are inviting all children to come to school dressed as what they would like to be when they are older. Whether they see themselves as a future astronaut, a firefighter, a creative artist, or a veterinarian, we cannot wait to see their ambitions come to life! Please ensure that costumes are safe for play and that footwear is suitable for a normal school day.
World Book Day Friday 6th March - After half term, it's World Book Day! The children may dress up as their favourite book character, if they wish, or come to school wearing a plain-coloured top, which other children may sign with their book recommendations. We would appreciate a voluntary contribution of £1, which can be paid on Arbor or in cash and given to your child’s class teacher on the day. The money raised will be put towards the libraries at both sites - WBD Letter 2026
Year 5 Stubbington Residential - We can now confirm that the week of Monday 14th September to Friday 18th September 2026 has been secured for the Stubbington Residential. All information and the payment plan can be found in this letter - Year 5 Group Letters. Stubbington open day information can be found here (14th March & 11th July) - https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/stubbingtonstudycentre/opendays
Online Safety Reminder - As a school, we operate a no-smartphone policy and cannot manage issues arising from your child’s use of devices outside school. We do, however, talk to children about online etiquette and bullying through PSHE and computing lessons, and we ask that parents reinforce this at home. We strongly recommend monitoring your child’s internet use and ensuring they avoid age-inappropriate apps. If problems arise, children should remove themselves from harmful groups and block anyone causing harm. Please note that apps such as WhatsApp and Snapchat have a minimum age of 13.
Long Hair - As per our School Uniform Policy, for safety, avoidance of head lice and hygiene reasons, please ensure that long hair (over shoulder length) is tied up for school. We are having to remind children daily to tie up their hair and often have to provide hairbands.
Rooksdown Year 6 Yearbooks - For the Year 6 Yearbooks, Mrs Moore and Mrs Finn are asking parents to send in a Year R photo of their child/ren (even if your child attended another school at the time). Please send photos to this email address: yearbook@chjs.net, deadline is Friday 27th March. Thank you.
Lunchtime Supervisor vacancy - if you would like to join our Greenbank lunchtime team, please find the vacancy details here
New School Crossing Patrol Officer - We are still recruiting an SCPO for Winklebury Way. For more information regarding the vacancy, please visit - Job Vacancy
Thursday 12 February - Spring Parents Evening
Thursday 12 February - Last Day of Spring 1 Term
Friday 13 February - Inset Day
Monday 16 February - Friday 20 February - Half Term Holidays
Monday 23 February - First Day of Spring 2 Term
Monday 23 February - SEND Spring Parents Evening
Wednesday 25 February, 4, 11, 18 & 25 March - Year 4 Swimming Lessons (both)
Wednesday 4 March - Year R "When I Grow Up..." Dress Up Day
Friday 6 March - World Book Day (whole school)
Tuesday 10 March - Year 6 MOD Science Day (RD)
Tuesday 10 March - Spring Parents Evening for Year 5 CM/AM/HC Class Only
Thursday 12 March - Year 6 MOD Science Day (GB)
Thursday 12 March - Spring Parents Evening for Year 5 CM/AM/HC Class Only
Friday 13 March - Greenbank Mothers' Day Treat
Saturday 14 March - Stubbington Open Day
Monday 16 March - Year 2 African Activities Workshop
Wednesday 18 March - Rocksteady Concert (RD)
Thursday 19 March - Rocksteady Concert (RD)
Monday 23 March - Year 1&2 Spring Performance (dress rehearsal)
Tuesday 24 March - FF Movie Night 1 (RD)
Wednesday 25 March - Year 1&2 Spring Performance 1 (afternoon)
Thursday 26 March - Year 1&2 Spring Performance 2 (morning)
Thursday 26 March - Rocksteady Concert (GB)
Thursday 26 March - FF Movie Night 2 (RD)
Friday 27 March - End of Term Mufti Day for Hardship Fund
Friday 27 March - Last Day of Spring 2 Term
Monday 30 March - Friday 10 April - Easter Holidays
Monday 13 April - First Day of Summer 1 Term
Monday 13 April - Year 4 Dance Workshop (RD)
Monday 20 April - Year 4 Dance Workshop (GB)
Tuesday 21 April - Mill Cottage Farm Visit (Year R & Year 1)
Tuesday 21 April - Year 3 Ufton Court Trip (GB)
Wednesday 22 April - Year 3 Ufton Court Trip (RD)
Monday 4 May - Bank Holiday
Tuesday 5 May - Year 5 SeaCity Museum Trip (RD)
Wednesday 6 May - Year 5 SeaCity Museum Trip GB)
Wednesday 6 May - Year R Wellington Country Park Trip
Thursday 7 May - Year 2 Marwell Zoo Trip
Friday 15 May - Mufti-Day for Summer Club Fundraisier (GB)
Friday 15 May - Mufti-Day for Summer Fayre Donations (RD)
Wednesday 20 May - Greenbank Sports Day & Family Picnic
Thursday 21 May - Rooksdown Sports Day, Family Picnic & Summer Fayre
Thursday 21 May - Last Day of Summer 1 Term
Friday 22 May - Inset Day
Monday 25 - 29 May - May Half Term Holiday
Monday 1 June - First Day of Summer 2 Term
INSET DAYS 2026
Friday 13 February 2026
Friday 22 May 2026
Friday 10 July 2026
To view all the CHPS calendar, term dates and more, see the links below:
This week, we held our very own Anglo-Saxon Day, and it was a huge success! Some children came dressed in fantastic Anglo-Saxon-inspired outfits, helping to bring the period to life. Throughout the day, all pupils learned about how the Angles, Saxons and Jutes came to Britain, explored how Anglo-Saxon society was structured, and discovered what daily life was really like.
The children got hands-on by creating their own Anglo-Saxon houses and learning about key aspects of everyday life, including food, religion and leisure time. To finish the day, everyone had great fun having a go at some Anglo-Saxon dancing, which was a definite highlight!
Our wonderful student senate have come together to ask our latest question: What games or activities could we get to improve our wet play and lunchtimes? We met and brainstormed some ideas for them to bring back to their classrooms! Each class then voted for their top three games. Our amazing fundraising friends have raised £50 per classroom for us to be able to do this - thank you all!
The Year 3, 4 and 5 boys at Rooksdown had great fun creating their ManMade costumes. They used acrylic paint on cloth to design bold patterns and details, transforming recycled and everyday materials into eye-catching outfits - there is a sneak peek to their performance... The project showcased their creativity, teamwork and pride in their finished designs.
Thank you for working with us to improve attendance at Castle Hill Primary this year. Our overall attendance is 95% (nationally, 94%). Our persistent absences (those pupils below 90%, equivalent to missing half a day a week) are down to 10% (versus 16% nationally).
Our pupils with good attendance are making good progress throughout the school, and we look forward to seeing them attend every day in the new term. Thank you again for sending your pupils regularly to school so we can teach and develop them into better learners and future citizens.
Our target for this year is 96% or over; last year’s attendance was 95.23%.
Our current percentage is 95%.
The classes with the best attendance this half term are:
Rooksdown
KS1 – Year 2 Miss Hopkins = 97.47%
KS2 – Year 5 Miss Cripps = 96.49%
Greenbank
Year 3 Miss Edwards = 96.92%
Here is a useful link to the NHS website, which might help you decide if your child is too ill for school -
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of staff, pupils, parents and carers in achieving excellent attendance.
We’re delighted to let you know that our school has won two awards for the Autumn term 2025/2026:
Top 25% of all FFT Primary Schools in England
Top 25% of similar FFT Primary Schools in England
Congratulations, this is a fantastic achievement!
We have had an exciting year of football with both our Year 5 & 6 boys and girls teams taking part in multiple matches and showing true commitment and team spirit. Although neither team progressed through to the next round, every player gave their best in each game, demonstrating great enthusiasm, resilience and sportsmanship throughout the season. We are incredibly proud of their efforts, the improvements they have made, and the positive attitude they brought to every match. Well done to all the boys and girls for representing the school with pride!
Aubrey B (Yr4 GB) and Aluna D (Yr4 GB) really enjoyed representing CHPS at the Hampshire Primary School Cross-country event on Tuesday. Aubrey placed 57th and Aluna placed 62nd (out of an estimated 100 children in the Year 3/4 race). They battled through mud, wind and rain, but had constant smiles on their faces. Well done girls for being so resilient through a challenging race.
The Greenbank boy’s football team battled through tricky conditions on a muddy pitch at Oakridge on Tuesday. Although the match ended in a 4-1 defeat, the boys played hard from start to finish. The second half was certainly Castle Hill’s stronger half but we could not put the ball in the back of the net. A great effort from everyone - Jack, Ian, Tidiane, Zach, Eryk, Rocco, Mason, Timur and Oscar. We look forward to the next match in March.
We have been planning exciting trips and workshops across all year groups this academic year. These trips are intended to complement and reinforce learning on key curriculum topics. We are aware of the financial challenges everyone is currently facing, so to help with budgeting, we have set an annual maximum of £40 per child, and, where possible, lower than that.
Trip amounts are calculated assuming every child participates and contributes to ensuring we have raised sufficient funds. Please remember that the school reserves the right to cancel or postpone the trip or workshop if there are insufficient voluntary contributions.
We hope this is helpful to you in your financial planning. We are looking forward to some exciting experiences. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
We had an exciting Ancient Greek Day at Castle Hill, where Theo visited to teach us all about life in Ancient Greece. The children discovered what daily life was like for the Greeks, explored their traditions, and had the chance to try out traditional Greek games. They also experienced what it was like to be part of a Greek army, giving them a real sense of history in a fun and interactive way.
The day finished with our very own mini-Olympics, where every child had the opportunity to take part in a variety of games and challenges, just like the athletes of ancient times. It was a fantastic, hands-on learning experience, and the children were engaged, enthusiastic, and full of energy throughout. Everyone had a wonderful time while learning so much about this fascinating period of history!
Year 5 had an amazing day at the Gordon Brown Centre, throwing themselves into every activity with enthusiasm, curiosity, and teamwork. From making s’mores while learning about fire safety, to tackling the trim trail with resilience and problem-solving, the children showed confidence and determination at every challenge. They loved the archery session, practicing focus and precision, and meeting the centre’s animals gave them a wonderful hands-on opportunity to show care and empathy.
It was fantastic to see the children supporting one another, working together, and challenging themselves throughout the day. They showed real curiosity, cooperation, and independence, making the most of every experience. Everyone had a memorable and rewarding day, and we cannot wait to take them back for another adventure in the future!
We were thrilled to have the Dino Dome come to CHPS, along with lots of fossils and ancient artefacts to send us back in time to a period when dinosaurs existed on planet Earth! In the dome, we were able to see the amazing constellations but also explore the Earth when dinosaurs were roaming. We learnt many facts about the dinosaurs and those who discovered their fossils many years later. Linked with our History learning, we discovered more about the story of Mary Anning, including how important her finds were to our understanding of this extinct species and her significance as a female scientist.
We were delighted to welcome the Robin Hood pantomime into school for a fantastic performance that had everyone laughing, singing, and shouting the classic panto line… “Oh no you didn’t"! The children thoroughly enjoyed the lively characters, catchy songs, and plenty of audience interaction, making it a truly memorable experience for all.
A huge thank you to our parents for their continued support with fundraising, which helps make special events like this possible. We would also like to extend our thanks to Fundraising Friends RD for organising the event, and to the GB school team for their support in helping everything run smoothly. We are very grateful to everyone involved for giving our pupils such an enjoyable and exciting experience!
We had a fantastic Skipping Day at school, with every class taking part. Throughout the day, pupils learned a range of new skipping skills, developing their coordination, fitness and confidence. Each class then had the opportunity to perform a short showcase, individual children proudly demonstrating what they had learned. The day was full of energy, teamwork and smiles, and it was wonderful to see everyone enjoying being active together.
Max F (Yr 6 GB) and Frazer F (Yr 3 GB) recently went to compete in the Kickboxing European Challenge Cup held in Athens, Greece. It was a 3 day event.
Max took part in the points fighting, light continuous and kick light section and came away with 2 silver medals!
For Frazer it was his first international event and came away with 2 golds in point fighting in 2 weight categories.
What amazing achievements from the brothers, huge congratulations from the CHPS team.
We are very excited to share this video of Sarai S (Yr 5 RD), who recently performed a solo routine in a dance show at her church.
It is incredible to watch her so confident and her stage presence is so impressive.
Well done from everyone at CHPS!
Please check out our CHPS Instagram page. We will be sharing updates with parents and the community. Follow us @castlehillbstoke or scan the QR code.
Rooksdown Fundraising Friends
For our upcoming events, please visit our website: https://www.pta-events.co.uk/ffrooksdown/. If you would like to join the committee or volunteer, please email: rdff@chjs.net or join our WhatsApp group to stay updated - https://chat.whatsapp.com/IrrEhTEiqLgICDty61jEih
Newsletter Update from Friends -
Thank you for your support for our POT OF GOLD competition – the lucky winner was drawn at midday today (Thursday 12th February) and will be notified by email today.
Due to unpredictable weather, we will cancelling our end of term Uniform sale today, but if you need any items please do email us at rdff@chjs.net and we will check our stock for you.
World Book Day is just around the corner, and the Rooksdown Fundraising Friends would like to help you prepare! We will be holding a Costume Amnesty during the 1st week back after half term – Monday 23rd February to Friday 27th February for you to drop off all your unwanted dressing-up costumes. We will then be holding a sale on the No-Mow on Friday 27th February for you to cheaply purchase a new costume, ready for this year!! Please bring all unwanted costumes to our lovely reception team at Rooksdown.
We hope you have a lovely half-term break and look forward to our next exciting term, with World Book Day, Mother’s Day and Movie night coming up!
Safer Internet Day 2026 saw our school take part in a global effort to promote the safe and responsible use of online technology. Throughout the day, students engaged in various activities designed to enhance their understanding of online safety, privacy, and digital citizenship. We focused on empowering our young learners to navigate the digital world confidently and critically, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions and know how to seek help when needed.
Our Year 2 students particularly enjoyed a creative session where they designed their own voice assistants, exploring the exciting possibilities and potential challenges of AI. Their imaginative designs, as seen in the accompanying photos, showcased a keen understanding of the different roles humans and technology play. While their assistants were designed to help with everything from homework to reminders about brushing teeth, the children also thoughtfully discussed the "human" side of the balance - noting the vital importance of privacy and keeping personal information secure.
Last term, we joined with the London Grid for Learning and are now able to offer new resources to support your children's online safety at home.
There many different resources available that are updated all year long.
Some highlights include:
Gen AI: The Harms Landscape - a prerecorded webinar about new generative AI tools
Online Tutoring Guidance - information about finding a tutor and how to ensure they act safely
Safe Settings for Devices - information for different types of devices and how you can keep children safe using them
Screentime Guidance - information about how to regulate children's time online
During this term, we have introduced several year groups to the fantastic website BusyThings, which we now have access to. If your child would like to access BusyThings during half term, they can use the details below to access the website. At present, we use a shared login system, but we will move to named accounts later in the year for Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 3 and up).
We are fortunate to be located in two districts of Basingstoke, which boast a busy and vibrant community spirit, as well as numerous events and clubs to explore. Please contact the school if you have an event you would like to advertise here in the future.
Sport In Mind
FREE Youth Sport & Games Activities - Sport In Mind is offering free sports opportunities to help build confidence, self-esteem and support low mood. Scan the QR code in the poster below or complete this registration form.
MyClothing 20% Flash Offer
Offer: Save 20% on all orders*
Date: 13 February - 15 February
Code: LOVE20
Link: myclothing.com/discount/LOVE20
February Holiday Club posters -
ACE Kids Half Term Holiday Camp - They are offering 15% discount with the code ACEHOLIDAY! (see poster below) - https://www.castlehillprimary.net/news/2026-01-15-ace-kids-february-half-term-15-discount
MAGNA February Holiday Camp - As part of the February Holiday Camp, MAGNA is also running the HAF programme, which allows benefit-related free school meal children to access 5 free days of camp (08:45-16:30) with a free hot lunch. Parents can sign up through a specific link found here - MAGNA February Holiday Camp
ISIS February Half Term HAF Flyer - February Holiday Camp
ActiveMe 360 February Holiday Camp - These are running at Chalk Ridge and Manor Field Schools - Posters
GOL! Half Term Holiday Camp - February GOL! Poster
GOL! Girls Only February Football Camp - Poster
If you haven't seen it yet, watch our Promotional Video now!