What a fantastic end to the school year we have had in Nursery!

We have continued learning our Phase 2 phonics using the Little Wandle programme. If you would like to continue supporting your child at home, there are lots of helpful resources on the Little Wandle Parent section of the website. Over the summer holidays, please continue practising phonics and name writing to help your child feel ready for Reception.

Our Teddy Bears' Picnic was a wonderful success! It was lovely to welcome so many parents and carers to join us. We enjoyed making sandwiches together, sharing our picnic and spending quality time playing with the children. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the afternoon so special.

We also had an exciting school trip to Jolly Jungle Soft Play. The children were fantastic as we walked to and from the venue, showing excellent listening and road safety skills. Everyone had an amazing time climbing, exploring and playing—I think the teachers enjoyed it just as much as the children!

We have also been busy practising for our Graduation Ceremony, and I can't wait to celebrate with all of our Nursery children and families on Thursday. I am incredibly proud of everything the children have achieved this year. It has been a privilege to watch them grow in confidence, independence and curiosity, and I wish them all the very best as they begin their exciting journey into Reception. Have a wonderful and well-deserved summer holiday!

Miss Cregan

The Year 3 and 4 Eco Schools Team has had a fantastic year making a positive difference both in school and in our local community. They helped keep Valence Park clean by taking part in a litter pick, collecting lots of rubbish and helping to care for our environment. The team proudly shared all of their achievements this year in a whole-school assembly and also presented their work to our school governors. They designed a welcoming new seating area for the library and created an inspiring Eco Code, which is now displayed around the school to encourage everyone to make environmentally friendly choices. We are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, teamwork and commitment to making our school a greener and more sustainable place! 

The Nest is one of our inclusion classrooms where children spend part of their day receiving support with their academic learning, emotional regulation, speech and language and developing sensory experiences.  It is a place where they can learn in small groups in a nurturing and conducive environment that aids and promotes access to learning.  In the Nest this term we have been learning about Gardens and Minibeasts. The children have enjoyed reading different books each week and have been using Colourful Semantics to generate sentences about the books. In Maths, we have been practising our counting and number formation and also learnt about different patterns. Every day we have our Bucket sessions to develop our concentration and attention and the children have loved taking part in our daily sensory circuits in the hall. We have had weekly music lessons which the children have enthusiastically participated in using the instruments. The children really enjoy exploring the garden and enjoy outdoor play, including climbing, riding the bikes and playing with sensory resources. 

On Tuesday 30th June 2026, Grafton Primary School proudly held its annual  KS2 Sports Day, organised by Mr Stefan, providing an exciting and memorable day of sport, teamwork and celebration for all of our pupils.

Our Key Stage 2 Sports Day saw pupils from Years 3 to 6 head to Valence Park, where they had the fantastic opportunity to showcase their athletic abilities in front of staff, family members and friends. The atmosphere throughout the day was full of excitement, encouragement and determination as children proudly represented their colour teams.

Pupils competed in a variety of fun and challenging events including the Sprint Race, Obstacle Course Race, Egg and Spoon Race, Bean Bag Race, Hockey Dribbling Race, Football Dribbling Race and the Bean Bag Throw Race. Every event allowed children to demonstrate different skills, from speed and agility to balance, coordination and teamwork.

It was wonderful to see every child giving their absolute best effort from start to finish. Whether competing for points or cheering from the sidelines, the children displayed outstanding sportsmanship, resilience, respect and encouragement towards one another. Their enthusiasm and determination made the day an incredible success, with countless smiles and memorable moments shared throughout the event.

On the 3rd of July, our Key Stage 1 Sports Day was held separately in the school playground and was organised by Mr Stefan and Mr Farquhar. The younger pupils enjoyed an equally exciting day filled with fun, laughter and plenty of energetic competition.

Children from KS1 competed in a range of age-appropriate events including the Sprint Race, Egg and Spoon Race, Hurdles Race and Hoop Race. The pupils showed fantastic enthusiasm, confidence and determination throughout every activity, proudly giving their very best whilst supporting and celebrating their classmates' achievements. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces enjoying their first experiences of Sports Day in such a positive and encouraging environment.

A huge thank you goes to all of the members of staff who helped make Sports Day such a fantastic success. Their support, organisation and encouragement ensured that every child had an enjoyable and memorable experience. We would also like to thank all of the parents, carers and family members who came along to Valence Park and the school to support the children. Your encouragement and enthusiasm helped create a wonderful atmosphere that the pupils will remember for years to come.