grafton primary

Summer 2 2025

message from mrs bana

As I reflect on my first full year as Headteacher of Grafton Primary School, I am filled with immense pride at the remarkable achievements we have accomplished together. As Maya Angelou once said, "A wise woman wishes to be no one's enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone's victim." This sentiment captures perfectly how we have approached this year - with wisdom, determination, and the unwavering support of our governors, staff and parent community, which has been absolutely critical as we continue to navigate our journey of improvement.

This academic year has been one of extraordinary celebration and bittersweet farewells. We have witnessed tremendous success with our Ofsted inspection in April 2025, where we proudly retained our Outstanding rating. Our Key Stage 2 results have shown remarkable improvement from last year, with increases across all areas, including Greater Depth attainment, reflecting our sharper focus on curriculum delivery and pupil outcomes. Similarly, our Early Years Foundation Stage results have demonstrated significant progress, testament to the dedication of our exceptional staff.

The summer has brought particular joy, not least our spectacular Summer Fair, brilliantly organised by our PTA, which provided wonderful fundraising opportunities for the school. Our Year 5 pupils delivered an outstanding performance at the Royal Opera House on 8th July - remarkably, we were the only school in England to participate in this live performance. The pupils' excellence in dance and song was truly inspiring, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Year 5 staff for their exceptional preparation.

I was delighted to attend the Year 6 Overnight Residential at Stubbers, joined by some Year 5 pupils. Witnessing our pupils in another setting, where they helped and encouraged each other while thoroughly enjoying the diverse range of activities, was genuinely heartwarming. The Year 6’s at school were similarly producing fantastic creative work and enjoying their experiences with their class teachers. My sincere thanks go to the Year 6 team, particularly Mrs. McCafferty and Miss Winter, for their meticulous organisation.

As we conclude this academic year, we bid farewell to valued colleagues. We celebrate the remarkable contributions of Ms Thomas after twenty years of dedicated service, and Mrs Kinnaird after an impressive twenty-five years and two terms. We also wish Mrs Gray every success as she relocates closer to home, having served admirably as Acting Headteacher for just over a year, alongside our other departing staff members. To our Year 6 leavers embarking on their secondary school journey, we wish you continued success.

Looking ahead, school reopens on 3rd September at normal times, with separate information provided for Reception and Nursery families. I remind all parents about our school uniform expectations, including PE days - please consult our website for details. Welcome Year Group Meetings for all parents are absolutely crucial to attend, regardless of previous attendance, as new information regarding our standards and expectations, including homework, will be shared.

As we enter the summer break, I encourage all families to enjoy precious time together. As the saying goes, "The days are long, but the years are short" - please embrace these moments of connection with your children through conversation, play, and shared experiences, stepping away from devices to truly engage with one another.

Mrs. Junaida Bana

Head teacher

a special goodbye to ......

We sadly say goodbye and thank you to Miss Thomas, Deputy Head Teacher, and Mrs Gray, Deputy Head Teacher, after more than twenty years at Grafton. Words can not express the gratitude the children, staff and school community wish to convey. We held special Leavers' assemblies to share our appreciation and the children sang some songs and created cards.

''Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

Nursery

It's been a busy half term in nursery. The children have all enjoyed the hot weather and been doing lots of water play, as well as enjoying time in the garden. We started off the half term by taking part in Soccer Aid. We wore football kits to school and enjoyed football activities in the garden, practising our kicking and ball skills.

We spent time practising for sports day. We had three activities which included an obstacle course on the climbing frame, throwing a beanbag at a target and a beanbag balancing game. Our parents came to watch and it was fantastic to see so many families supporting their children!

The second part of the half term has been spent preparing for Graduation and the transition to Reception. We have been enjoying singing our Graduation songs and are excited to share them with our families at the end of the term. We have also had the opportunity to spend time in our new Reception classes and have met our new teachers, which has been really exciting.

River Room & Nest

This half term the topic in the Nest and the River Room has been ‘the seaside’. We have read the following stories: What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside and Rainbow Fish. These were delivered as sensory stories enabling the children to fully immerse themselves and have a greater understanding of the text.

The children have enjoyed creating their own sea aquariums, demonstrating good attention to detail when placing the water and sand in the correct places on their paper plates. They also enjoyed decorating their own Rainbow Fish, creating jelly fish and printing sea creatures into salt dough. These activities have concentrated on strengthening the children’s fine motor skills via the manipulation of small materials and perfecting their cutting skills.

Throughout this half term the children have enjoyed participating in music lessons where they have demonstrated their understanding of beats and rhythm using the beat sticks and learning to pause when using the egg shakers.

School Council

The school council has raised £380 for books, picnic benches and bins.

Grafton’s got Talent

On Monday 7th July we hosted our first ever Grafton's Got Talent. Years 1 to 6 were invited to take part and there was much excitement around the school with children practising in break and lunchtimes.

On the night there was a huge audience and the support from parents was amazing. Thank you to all those who attended. The acts were all fantastic, demonstrating great confidence in performing. We had dancers, gymnasts, singers, actors, magicians, pianists, karate, cheerleading and even a bubble show!

It was lovely to see so many children performing and supporting each other!

Race and Social Grafton at School: Year in Review

This year marked the exciting launch of the Anti-Racist Team in Years 5 and 6, a passionate group of students dedicated to promoting equity, inclusion, and meaningful change within our school community.

Over the year, the team has led several impactful initiatives. They began with a representation walk around the school, carefully observing the environment to assess how diverse voices and identities are reflected in our displays, books, and learning spaces. Their findings were shared with staff, along with thoughtful suggestions for how to better represent all members of our community in the curriculum and school environment.

In their commitment to making learning inclusive, the team researched maths strategies from around the world, exploring how different cultures approach problem-solving. They even wrote to Power Maths, recommending ways the scheme of work could be diversified to reflect a broader range of cultural perspectives.

The team also began exploring playground games from around the world, a project that sparked real excitement. With games from countries across several continents now in their toolkit, they’re planning to teach these to younger children next year, helping to bring cultural diversity into playtimes in a fun and meaningful way.

One of the highlights of the year was the team’s leadership in organising South Heritage Month during the final two weeks of term. This vibrant celebration included classroom learning focused on South Asian history and culture, special talks from parents about Nepal and Pakistan, and a joyful Culture Day featuring a flag parade. The event raised funds to help purchase books featuring South Asian characters and authors, helping ensure that all children can see themselves reflected in the stories they read.

In addition to these achievements, the team has also been preparing to deliver an assembly on challenging homophobic language, reinforcing our school’s values of respect, kindness, and inclusion for all.

We are incredibly proud of the team’s thoughtful and courageous work this year. As they look ahead to next year, they will continue their mission under their new name: The Inclusion Team. We can’t wait to see what they do next!

Healthy schools

This April, we changed meal provider to Nourish for our school lunches, to provide nutritious and delicious meals for the children. Thalia, a Year 6 School Councillor, stated, " There is more fruit and vegetables available at lunch, giving students a healthier option."

Just a reminder, children should bring a healthy packed lunch to school, which should contain:

Fresh fruit

Crunchy vegetables

A meat or protein food such as slices of lean meat, egg, tuna or salmon

Dairy food such as a cheese slice or sticks, grated cheese or yogurt.

Starchy foods such as bread, rolls, pitta, flatbread, fruit bread, or crackers.

Water

A treat of a biscuit.

In March, we joined the 'Eat them to Defeat Them Campaign', which encouraged children to eat more vegetables. Our midday assistants have awarded stickers to children who have brought in a healthy packed lunch to school. Thank you for your support at home.

Children have also enjoyed participating in sports day this term to increase their physical activity. Some children have also joined after school sports clubs.

The Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme is free to children and young people who live or go to school in Barking and Dagenham and are eligible for benefit-related free school meals, with paid places available for everyone. Each activity will provide a healthy hot meal, keep children active, while making friends and having fun.

Free holiday activities

PE

This half-term has been an exciting and action-packed end to the academic year in PE. The children have shown brilliant energy, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship across a range of activities, making Summer 2 a truly memorable time for everyone involved.

One of the standout moments was our whole school Soccer Aid event, where pupils took part in fun football-themed challenges while raising awareness and support for a fantastic cause. The sense of unity and community spirit on display was truly inspiring, with children cheering each other on, celebrating goals, and enjoying every moment of the day.

Another major highlight was our Sports Days, which gave pupils the opportunity to shine in a variety of athletic events. From sprint races to obstacle courses, every child had the chance to take part, try their best, and celebrate their achievements. It was brilliant to see so many children challenging themselves and encouraging their peers, all while having great fun outdoors.

A huge well done and thank you to our Year 6 Sports Leaders, who played a key role in helping both events run so smoothly. Their maturity, leadership, and positive attitudes were noticed by staff and younger pupils alike. Whether they were helping to set up equipment, lead warm-ups, or cheer on participants, they were fantastic role models throughout.

Overall, it has been a fantastic end to the PE year, filled with smiles, success, and lots of physical activity. We are incredibly proud of all the children for their efforts, and we look forward to continuing their journey in sport and physical education next year.

PTA

We would like to start by saying a huge Thank You to everyone who helped organise, support and attend our successful Summer Fair!

As you know, we have been working very hard to raise funds for our playgrounds and without the support from our whole school community, this would not be possible.

We managed to raise an amazing approximately £3500!

These funds will be put towards purchasing some much-needed activity items and toys for our children who attend breakfast club, and we will now be able to build a large enough sandpit in the playground for all the children to enjoy!

Please keep an eye out for updates in the new school year.

The PTA would like to wish you all a lovely summer, and we look forward to seeing some new faces on the team come September!

UNICEF Create Day at the Royal Opera House

Last week, our Year 5 children took part in a truly special event, Create Day, celebrating children’s rights through the arts. This project was inspired by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), focusing on key rights including

Article 8 - The right to an identity
Article 12 - The right to be listened to
Article 13 - The right to express thoughts freely
Article 29 - The right to an education that develops talents
Article 31 - The right to rest, play, and enjoy arts and culture

In the build up to the performance, the children worked hard rehearsing a song called ‘Hope’ and choreographing a beautiful dance. They also created their own ‘Box of Hope’, filling it with hope inspired cloud artwork and personal reflections, which they used as part of their performance.

On Monday 7 July and Tuesday 8 July, the children had the incredible opportunity to visit the Royal Opera House for their final rehearsals, culminating in a live performance which was streamed to schools across the country.

We are so proud of all the children for their creativity, effort and confidence throughout this project. They were absolutely fantastic and represented our school brilliantly.