Message from Mrs Bana

I have been very proud of the behaviour of  Grafton pupils on recent trips. Last week Year 2 went to on their Tower of London Trip with impeccable feedback from their teachers on their behaviour throughout the trip and this week our Y5 pupils visited a local mosque as part of our R.E Curriculum strand, and feedback too has been positive. Thank you to all parents who volunteer to support us on these trips. We cannot do them without your support, so this is very much appreciated. 

The celebration of St Georges Day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿took place yesterday and children learnt more about why we celebrate the day in assemblies. See more details of how our pupil leaders engaged with various initiatives. 

Well done to Year 1 for their Earth Day Assemblies to parents- it is always encouraging that our children know the benefits of creating a healthier and sustainable planet for future generations. 

Reminder to parents that we need your help in our Hive Garden on the 30th April (3:30-4:30pm). Please let office know if you would like to help. 

Have a lovely week-end!

🚲Bicycles and  Scooters🛴

If your child travels to school by bicycle or scooter, please ensure that these are stored safely and appropriately upon arrival. There are designated bike sheds and scooter racks available on the school premises, and all bicycles and scooters should be placed in these areas. This helps keep pathways clear, prevents accidents, and ensures that equipment is kept secure during the school day.

KS1 BIKE RACK

From Monday, the 27th April, this rack will not be located next to the SCOOTER RACK (by the sandpit area). This has been done for a safety reason as the bike rack was blocking a main entrance and exit point in the Year 1 space.

Celebrating St. George’s Day at School 

This week, we proudly celebrated St. George’s Day across the school, with a range of activities that brought our community together and highlighted our commitment to pupil voice and leadership.

Our Diversity Ambassadors led a thoughtful and engaging assembly for our Key Stage 2 children. They shared the story of St. George and explored what this day represents today, encouraging pupils to reflect on themes such as courage, identity and respect for different cultures.

Meanwhile, our Year 1 and 2 Rights Ambassadors worked alongside our kitchen team to prepare something special for lunchtime. The children helped to decorate cookies for our St. George’s Day lunch, showing fantastic teamwork and enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see our youngest ambassadors taking on leadership roles and contributing to a whole-school celebration.

These experiences link closely to Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which highlights the purpose of education. It states that children’s education should develop their talents and abilities, while also teaching them to respect others, celebrate differences and live together peacefully. 

At our school, events like this help bring Article 29 to life—giving children meaningful opportunities to develop confidence, responsibility and respect for others through real experiences.

Keeping Personal Items at Home 

Please remember that children should not bring toys, money, trading cards, or other personal items into school. While these things may seem harmless, they can easily become lost, misplaced, or damaged during the busy school day. When this happens, it often leads to unnecessary upset and distraction for the children involved, and it can also take up valuable time for staff to try and resolve the situation. To help maintain a focused and positive learning environment, we kindly ask that all non-essential items are kept at home. 

📅 Dates for the Diary
 Keep up with key events and activities this term

Monday 27th April
🕌 Y5 Ilford Mosque Visit - Attenborough & Craig classes am

Y5/6 Mini Tennis event at Riverside School (small group)

Tuesday 5th & Wednesday 6th May

📸Class photographs

Thursday 7th May

📢 Polling Day - School Closed for Children 

Friday 8th May 

👶 Nursery Stay and Play session for parents/carers 

Community Police Assemblies 

Monday 11th - Thursday 14th May 

📝 SATS Week 

Tuesday 12th - Friday 15th May 

🔤 Reception Maths and Play sessions 

Friday 15th May 

🌳 Y1 trip to Thorndon Country Park (2 classes) 

🎨 Y6 Banksy Class Ben Kinsella visit 

☕ SEND parent/carer coffee morning 9:00 – 10:00am

Monday 18th May

🔍 Reception trip to the Discovery Centre (2 classes) 

Tuesday 19th May 

🗣️ Head Teacher Forum 9:00 – 9:45am 

🦁 Y3 Colchester Zoo Trip (Donaldson & Zephaniah classes) 

Wednesday 20th May 

🦁 Y3 Colchester Zoo Trip (Farook & Morpurgo classes) 

Thursday 21st May

🔍 Reception trip to the Discovery Centre (2 classes) 

🏥 School Nurse Drop in session 9:00 – 10:00am 

Friday 22nd May

🌳 Y1 trip to Thorndon Country Park (2 classes) 

Monday 25th - Friday 30th May

🚫 Half Term - School closed to Children 

Monday 8th June

🧑‍🚒 Y6 junior citizen visit 

Tuesday 9th June

🎨 Y6 Hadid Ben Kinsella visit 

Thursday 11th June 

🎨 Y6 Turner Class Ben Kinsella visit 

Friday 12th June

🎨 Y6 Kapoor Class Ben Kinsella visit 

Monday 15th June

📚 Y5/6 British Library visit (Refugee Week) (small group) 

Tuesday 16th June

🏛️ Y4 visit to Valence House Museum (2 classes)

Wednesday 17th June

🏛️ Y4 visit to Valence House Museum  (2 classes)

🎪 Summer Fayre

Friday 19th June

🍽️ Special Lunch Menu -Summer Solstice