Dear parents

What an exciting couple of weeks it’s been here at Grange Park! Last week, our Year 1 and Year 4 children were thrilled to come home with their new Chromebooks. The excitement was palpable, and we’ve already seen them being put to great use in the classroom. A huge thank you to those who have contributed to our voluntary donations via Arbor—we truly appreciate your generosity. If you haven’t donated yet and are able to, your support would make a real difference.

I hope you found yesterday’s Learning Conversations helpful. It’s always wonderful to hear how your child is progressing, and I know the teachers really enjoyed speaking with you and showing you the fantastic work in their books.

A big shoutout to the children who came in today dressed in spooky costumes or regular non-uniform—what a fun way to round off the week! This event, organised by the GPPSA, was a great success (along with the discos!), and I’m delighted to announce that Cheryl and Gaya have been appointed as the new co-chairs of the GPPSA. A very big thank you to Alexia and Sarah for all they have done in their roles as previous chairs. If you’re able to help out the GPPSA in any way, please do reach out to them—they’re always looking for more hands on deck.

It’s been a busy and exciting few weeks across the school. Our nursery children have been enthusiastically making cookies, and Reception have been exploring the wonderful story of Owl Babies—one of my personal favourites! Year 1 created delicious fruit salads, while Year 5 made Viking stew, using some of the produce from our allotments—delicious! Year 2 enjoyed an amazing trip to the London Eye, taking in some of London’s most famous landmarks. I was also blown away by the stunning artwork produced by Year 3, linked to their Natural Disasters project. Year 4 had an engaging science workshop which sparked their curiosity and gave them some fantastic hands-on experience.

Our Year 6 children had a blast on their school journey a couple of weeks ago, taking part in exciting activities such as abseiling, zip wire, and even laser tag! They had a wonderful time, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the incredible staff who went above and beyond to make this trip happen. 

Finally, I’d like to thank you all for your continued support and hard work this term. I’m sure you’ll join me in thanking the staff here at Grange Park for their incredible efforts. Have a fantastic half-term and we look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 5 November!

With my very best wishes.

Tijen Hassan

Headteacher 

Please click here to view term dates for 2025 - 2026

Please click here to view term dates for 2024 - 2025

Grange Park would like to welcome you into school for our Autumn Term Come Learn With Me event.  This is an exciting opportunity for you to come into your child's classroom and join in with their activities! Please see the dates below:

As you are aware, access to and use of social media is common these days and has become second nature to many of us. With this in mind, we wanted to remind you of the advice we have previously sent out which is intended to help safeguard your children, yourselves as parents and the school.

Many of you are members of WhatsApp or other social media groups that connect parents in a particular class.   The group chats are useful places to share information regarding your child’s day in school; receiving updates and reminders about school events; as well as sharing parenting advice. 

These group chats can be a great resource and an enjoyable place to be in. However, as a school, we would like to ensure that they are being used appropriately and have come up with some suggested guidelines in order to prevent any miscommunication:

• • If you have a query or concern about the school, please talk to us directly. 

  • Ensure that you do not discuss or instigate a discussion about a particular pupil, parent or staff member.

  • Ensure that you do not speak negatively about any pupils, parents or staff members at the school.

  • When writing a message on social media, remember that the content may be shared or forwarded onto others.

  • Do not share any pictures of pupils within the school; ensure that all pictures which you have taken at special events are used for your own personal use and not shared on any social media.

There is wide agreement among health professionals and educational professionals that school attendance is vital to the life chances of children and young people. Being in school improves health, wellbeing and socialisation throughout the life course. The greatest benefits come from children and young people attending school regularly.

It is usually appropriate for parents to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses. This would include general cold symptoms: a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children should not be sent to school if they have a temperature of 38°C or above. We have been encouraged to share the NHS ‘Is my child too ill for school?’ guidance with parents, which has further information. At Grange Park, we have additional measures in place such as:

- We monitor specific illnesses and communicate with specific parents (classes or year groups) when there has been an 'outbreak' as described by the Public Health agency.

- We have a rotation of cleaners in the morning, evening and in parts of the building throughout the day. Each space in the school is thoroughly cleaned at least once a day and deep cleaned when we feel it is necessary; for example when there are high levels of absence in a particular class or year group.

In addition to respiratory illnesses, we are aware that more children may be absent from school due to symptoms of anxiety than before the pandemic. Worry and mild or moderate anxiety, whilst sometimes difficult emotions, can be a normal part of growing up for many children and young people. Being in school can often help alleviate the underlying issues. A prolonged period of absence is likely to heighten a child’s anxiety about attending in the future, rather than reduce it. DfE has published useful guidance on mental health issues affecting a pupil’s attendance and those who are experiencing persistent symptoms can be encouraged to access additional support.

Grange Park has appointed a new team of Eco-Ambassadors to help the school minimise the impact the school’s activities have on the environment.  The team this year is:  

They will be working hard on a number of projects across the year including adding nesting boxes for Swifts, planting fruit trees, an Environmental Review and Action plan, the Big Bird Watch and recycling and energy-saving schemes. Please look out for news of these initiatives and get in touch if you think you can help in any way.  The Eco-Ambassadors monitored the school's recycling systems and  presented an assembly about it last week.

Happy Half Term Holidays from the GPPSA! 

October has been a busy month for our Parents Association. New co-chairs and co-treasurer were elected at the AGM and we wish them all the best in their fundraising endeavours for this year. Details of the new members can be found under the “Parents” section of the school website and information about what the school has asked us to fundraise for can be found on our Donate Page.  

A BIG, heartfelt thank-you to Sarah and Alexia, our previous co-chairs, for all their hard-work and efforts these past three years. They will continue as committee members providing valuable support and insights. 

Please follow the GPPSA on Facebook and Instagram to track all our family-fun activities and fundraising events planned for this academic year.  

On this last day before the half term holiday, we thank you for your fundraising support by buying tickets for the Discos, ordering Halloween cookies and returning your children’s art for the “Xmas 4 Schools” initiative.   

Upcoming events that you DO NOT WANT TO MISS are: 

1.  Pumpkin Carving Competition:  Whether you're a seasoned carver or a first timer, we welcome you to send us pictures of your original work between the 21st to 31st October, along with your child's name, year group and class.   

2. To enter the competition, we kindly ask for a £2 donation per submission via our Donate page, and the selected winner will receive a £20 gift voucher from Smyths Toys!  Please click here to donate £2 via our Donate page [http://easydonate.org/GPPSA25] 

3. Returning back to school on Tuesday, 5th November should be with a BANG!! If you've managed to get tickets for Fireworks Night, we look forward to seeing you and the family by our school field at 5:45pm for a bright and sparkly evening. Make sure you have your tickets ready to show on arrival. We kindly remind ticketholders not to bring in any sparklers. We recommend bringing small bags to the event as bag searches will be conducted at the entrance. 

4. Bag2School collection is on Thursday, 7th November: We are collecting good quality items for Re-Use; Men's, ladies' and children's clothing, paired shoes, handbags and belts. No uniforms, workwear, pillows or duvets please. 

5. Havilands Estate Agent Boards: Sign up now to have a Havilands Estate Agent Board outside your home advertising the school's Christmas Fayre. It helps our school raise money and it's a great way to let your neighbours know about the event. Sign up here!

6. Wreath Making Workshop: Adorn your home with a beautiful, customised wreath by attending our adults-only workshop on Wednesday, 27th November at 7pm in the school’s Dining Hall.  Tickets are limited, and each ticket includes supplies to create one wreath while you enjoy free refreshments. Ticket details will be shared on our social media accounts.  

7. Christmas Fayre on Sunday, 1st December 11am - 2pm: We certainly can’t wait for our fun-filled day of festivities in December which brings our community together before the Christmas holiday. 

8. We are currently sourcing raffle prizes and looking for stall holders for this event, so please reach out to us at gppsa@hotmail.co.uk if you are able to help.  

9. Raise money for our school while you shop! Download the Easyfundraising App and support Grange Park every time you shop online. Here’s the link to copy and paste in your browser to directly support our school https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/grangeparksch/ 

We will keep you posted on the dates for our other upcoming events such as Guess the Bear, Collection week for the Christmas Fayre and Christmas jumper day in the next news roundup. If you are interested to volunteer with the GPPSA for any or all our events, drop us an email at gppsa@hotmail.co.uk 

Have a great half term holiday!

Please also bare in mind the initiatives that are available year round:

• School lotto:  www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/grange-park-primary-school-association 

• Donate page - http://easydonate.org/HTDT007

Year 2 recently visited the London Eye as part of their Learning Quest topic. The children were thrilled to see iconic sights such as The Shard, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Houses of Parliament from their high vantage point. This exciting trip helped bring their studies to life, giving them a deeper understanding of London's skyline and history.

In an exciting science workshop, Year 4 students explored the effects of salt on water. Working in pairs, they experimented by adding salt to clean water, observing how many spoonfuls it took for the water to become saturated. The workshop also included a demonstration on how to purify salt water through condensation, turning it back into clean water. The hands-on experience sparked curiosity and deepened their understanding of scientific concepts.

This half term, Year 6 embarked on an unforgettable adventure at PGL, filled with excitement and challenges! From the thrill of abseiling down towering walls and scaling climbing towers to the adrenaline rush of the zipwire, every moment was packed with adventure. They bravely tackled the trapeze, soared to new heights on Jacob’s ladder and navigated the twists and turns of the tunnel trails. Laser tag brought out their competitive sides, as they worked in teams to outsmart their opponents. After a day full of action, the fun didn’t stop! Evenings were spent around a roaring campfire, sharing stories and laughter, taking part in a high-energy PGL tournament and sneaking through the woods during ambush games. The week ended with a lively disco, where everyone danced the night away. It was an action-packed experience that challenged and inspired, leaving Year 6 with memories they’ll treasure forever.