William Barcroft Junior School
'Success and happiness for all'
'Pupils are very happy to attend this nurturing and inclusive school'
'The school has high ambition for pupils' achievement'
'Pupils know they have a strong voice'
'The school's pastoral care is exemplary'
Ofsted report - June 2025
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/143884
Message from the Principal:
Good afternoon and welcome to our final newsletter of the term. Please see my end of term letter for my comments this week.
All that leaves me to say is please enjoy reading the newsletter and have a lovely Easter break everyone. I look forward to welcoming the children back on Monday 20th April.
S Sargent
Principal
We are excited to announce the winner of our Spring Attendance Challenge - Amber from Year 5. Lucky Amber and her family get a £25 Asda voucher to enjoy.
Thank you to everyone who tried so hard to keep their attendance over 98%. As you know regular attendance has been shown to contribute to attainment, so it is great to see so many of you doing so well.
Summer 1
Tuesday 21st April - Y5 Energy Heroes
Tuesday 23rd April - Dr Bike Day
Monday 4th May - Bank Holiday (No school)
Tuesday 6th May - SEND Parents Evening
W/C 11th May - SATS week
11/12/14 May - Y5 Into University
Friday 15th May - Y5 Sleepover
Tuesday 19th May - Y5 & Y6 Sports Day
Wednesday 20th May - All school violin performances
Thursday 21st May - Y3 & Y4 Sports Day
Friday 22nd May - Colour Dash (after school)
Term ends Friday 22nd May (normal time)
New term starts Monday 1st June
Term dates
Please check the website for 2025 - 2026 term dates.
We understand that the cost of school uniforms can sometimes be a burden, and we are committed to supporting our families in every way possible. To help ease this, we are excited to introduce a Second-Hand Uniform Exchange program.
What is the Second-Hand Uniform Exchange?
This initiative allows parents to either donate gently used uniforms or swap items with others, offering a practical way to reduce costs while ensuring all students have access to the school uniform they need. The items available for exchange include shirts, trousers, skirts, sweaters, and more.
How Can You Participate?
Donations: If you have any uniforms in good condition that your child has outgrown, please consider donating them to us. Simply drop off the items at our school office.
Swapping: If you can then please exchange for what you have taken
Why Participate?
This program is a great opportunity for families to help one another, reduce waste, and ensure every child has what they need to start the school year with confidence. All items will be checked for quality, ensuring they meet our school’s standards.
We encourage all parents to participate in this community-driven effort. It’s a fantastic way to save on uniform costs while supporting one another. If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact Gemma Bowden.
Thank you for your support and for being a part of our wonderful school community!
We have introduced a new trolley for our Food Bank supplies which you can find in the reception. This is supplied so that those in need are able to pick up emergency items. If you do need items please do feel free to take what you need and then replace them when you are in a position to do so.
Any donation for the Food Bank are gratefully received - just drop them in at reception.
General Information
Please can we remind parents to be respectful of residents and not park over dropped kerbs or use driveways to turn.
Please do not ride bikes and scooters on the school grounds, this is for children and adults. This is for the safety of our children, thank you.
Please note, electric scooters are not allowed on the school site due to health and safety regulations and not having the facilities to store them in school.
Please do not bring pets onto the school site due to health and safety regulations. This includes picking up from after school clubs.
PE Kits
PE kit MUST be brought to school on your child's PE days,
Year 3 and Year 4 - Monday and Wednesday
Year 5 and Year 6 - Tuesday and Thursday
PE kit should be worn for every PE lesson to ensure children are successful and safe during their session. Please ensure your child is wearing the school PE top with the WBJS logo, black or blue joggers/shorts and comfortable trainers.
WBJS Newsround
It has been an action-packed end to the term for our pupils, who have certainly earned their upcoming Easter break! In English, the children showed off their imagination by writing speeches based on our class book, If I Were Prime Minister; their ideas were not only clever and thoughtful but often wonderfully funny! Our young mathematicians have mastered the art of weighing in kg and g, while in Science, we have been busy collecting data and learning the secrets of a balanced diet. The creativity didn't stop there—our DT day was a soaring success as the children designed and built their very own kites. We also took a deep dive into Geography, developing our mapwork skills to identify various topographical features. It has been a term of immense hard work and progress, and we are so proud of everything the children have achieved.
Year 4 have had a fantastic term filled with engaging learning across the curriculum. In Geography, the children have been exploring rivers and mountains, developing their understanding of how these natural features are formed and why they are important. In Science, the focus has been on electricity and sound, where we have enjoyed experimenting with circuits and investigating how sound travels. In Maths, the children have been building confidence with fractions, learning how to compare, add, and work with them in different contexts. In English, inspired by the book Farther, we have written imaginative setting descriptions, while their work based on The Day the Crayons Quit has seen them craft persuasive letters encouraging the crayons to return. It has been a busy and exciting time, with lots of creativity and curiosity shown throughout their learning.
In Year 5 we have had a great couple of weeks. We loved going to Church and singing our Easter songs, and we thoroughly enjoyed our learning showcase to parents last week where we were able to talk about and show what we have been learning this term. In English we have just completed a character description of a witch based on the evil witch in our Lost Happy Endings story. We have been really creative in both our DT days (where we designed and built earthquake proof structures) and in our art day where completed our Frida Kahlo portrait and nature project. We are looking forward to learning more and delving into new topics in summer term!
In Year 6 we celebrated our learning showcase and presented all our great learning and knowledge to parent and carers. In English we have been writing about Holes - by Louis Sachar and have written a persuasive letter and story based on the book. In history, we have finished our topic of World War 2 and have reflected on the learning from this topic. We have focused on the values and what we can learn from the War, for example, incredible acts of kindness by Miep Geis and Irena Sadler. We are now in the run-up to SATs and beginning to revise and prepare for this.
In Sewing club, the students all made some fantastic ugly monsters - what a wonderful imagination they all have!
We are excited to host Dr. Bike Day at the school on Thursday 23rd Arpil from 9am - 12.30pm! This is a fantastic opportunity for students to ensure their bicycles are safe, roadworthy, and ready for adventure. During the event, expert mechanics will be on-site to provide free "health checks" for all bikes brought in. They will be looking at everything from brake alignment and tire pressure to gear adjustments and chain lubrication. Whether your child cycles to school every day or has a bike that’s been sitting in the garage for a few months, Dr. Bike is here to help keep our community moving safely and confidently on two wheels!
After half term we are inviting a select amount of parents to join us and the 'Let's Go Grimsby' family cooking team to participate in a 6 week course. This will include discovering new recipes and each family will be rewarded with a free air fryer or slow cooker at the end of the course.
Please keep your eyes out for further details.
What an incredible week it has been! We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the parents and carers who joined us for our Learning Showcase Assemblies. It was wonderful to see such a fantastic turnout for every year group, and the children were absolutely beaming with pride as they shared their hard work, creative projects, and new skills with you. Your presence makes a world of difference to the students, providing them with a meaningful audience and a chance to celebrate their progress together. Thank you for your continued support and for being such an active part of our vibrant school community!
Year 5 loved their morning visit at Into University. They enjoyed learning all about the different courses you can study, what types of accommodation people choose to live in and the different types of societies that are set up. They got to have in depth discussions about these and made them think about what they might want to study and where they would want to live if they went to University. Year 5 are really excited to go again for a full day next term.
On the 24th March, we all went to Weelsby Woods and participated in a local Cross Country event with over 1000 children taking part in over 8 races. This was a true test of determination and most of all resilience. Annabelle in Year 3 finished in 28th place out of 105 participating girls. Ria in Year 6 finished in 26th place out of 113 participating girls. As a team, our Year 6 boys finished in our best position of 9th out of 21 participating schools. Well done to all involved for participating in long distance races. Thank you to all parents for spectating and supporting your children.
Our recent visit to the church was a peaceful and reflective way for the children to mark the beginning of the Easter season. It was wonderful to see the pupils engage so thoughtfully with the service as we explored the traditions and stories behind the holiday. As a special memento of the visit, each child was gifted a palm cross to take home. This experience offered a lovely opportunity for the school community to come together in a beautiful local setting, and we are very proud of the respect and curiosity the children showed throughout the morning.
This week, we held a successful coffee morning for our parents and carers of pupils with SEND, joined by Compass GO (North East Lincolnshire) and the Parent Carer Forum. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect over coffee and biscuits while exploring ways to support our pupils at home. Parents were able to talk to Shaun from Compass GO (North East Lincolnshire) and Katy from the Parent Carer Forum. They were on hand to answer questions and chat about the support available for children and the family.
Mrs Asher and Mrs Bowden shared practical resources including:
Home Visual Timetables: Making daily routines easier.
Understanding Masking: Why children might behave differently at home than at school
Pastoral Interventions: Looking at the extra layers of care we provide in school.
It was so lovely to see everyone connecting, sharing stories, and supporting one another. If you couldn't make it this time, don't worry—the kettle is already waiting for next term!
See you then!
The stage truly came to life this week during our spectacular school talent show! We were blown away by the sheer variety of skills on display, from soul-stirring singing and high-energy dance routines to some truly impressive piano performances that left the room silent in awe. It was a joy to see our students step out of their comfort zones and share their passions with such confidence and flair. While every performer deserved a standing ovation, our category winners walked away with a well-earned chocolate Easter egg to celebrate their success. Congratulations to everyone who took part for making it such a memorable and entertaining morning!
Congratulations to our golden ticket winners from the Spring term! These students were specially selected for their exceptional behavior, kindness toward others, and consistent hard work throughout the term. To celebrate their achievements, they enjoyed an exclusive tea party complete with treats, drinks, and plenty of smiles. It was a wonderful way to recognize those children who go above and beyond to make our school a positive and welcoming place.
Our halls were filled with color and spring cheer this week as we marveled at the incredible Easter Bonnet entries! From gravity-defying nests and fluffy chicks to beautifully hand-crafted floral displays, the level of creativity and effort from the children (and their helpful families!) was truly outstanding. It was a difficult task for our judges to pick through so many fantastic designs, but we are thrilled to congratulate our winners, who each received a delicious Easter egg as a prize. Thank you to everyone who participated for bringing such a festive and imaginative spirit to the school!
Follow this link to visit the safeguarding section of our website, and for a copy of our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy. https://wba.harbourlearningtrust.com/our-academy/safeguarding/
Change the life of a local child, be a foster carer. Enquire today Fostering in North East Lincolnshire | NELC
As a foster friendly school, we want to raise awareness of the need for local foster carers to come forward in the area. If you think you can make a positive difference to a child’s life, enquire today. Fostering in North East Lincolnshire | NELC https://youtu.be/sNXx6dycp3Y
For all SEND enquiries please contact Mrs Asher our school SENDCO.
Robo Raven
The website of the Australian eSafety Commissioner has lots of very useful resources for schools, including a game called Robo Raven for younger children. In the game children take part in solving puzzles on a variety of topics such as misinformation. I had a play myself, it's a fun little game which can be played by children in the classroom or at home.
Link: Robo Raven and the Ancient Relics Internet Safety Game for Children.
Please check out the following links to our X (Twitter) accounts and see what each class have been up to this week in real-time!
