Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this message finds you well. We’ve had another positive and productive week at Forest Academy, and I’m pleased to share some important updates and celebrations with you.

Forest Academy Recognised as a National Attendance and Behaviour Hub

We are incredibly proud to announce that Forest Academy has been appointed as a National Attendance and Behaviour Hub school – one of only 21 schools nationally selected to join a group of 90 “best of the best” schools leading this vital work.

This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to excellent behaviour and attendance, underpinned by strong relationships, consistency, and nurture. We are honoured to now support other schools across the country to improve outcomes for all children.

This achievement would not have been possible without the continued support and partnership of our families – thank you for everything you do to ensure children attend regularly and are ready to learn each day.

Thank You for Attending ‘Meet the Teacher’ Meetings

Thank you to all the parents who attended this week’s ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions – it was wonderful to see so many of you engaging with your child’s learning journey.

A reminder to Year 1 parents: your ‘Meet the Teacher’ meeting will take place on Monday 15th September at 3:30pm. We look forward to welcoming you then.

Key Upcoming Dates

• Year 6 Secondary School Application Meeting
  📅 Tuesday 16th September
  🕘 8:45am
  This session will support parents with the secondary application process and timelines.

• RHE Curriculum Consultation Meeting
  📅 Thursday 18th September
  🕘 8:45am
  We invite all parents to attend this important session to learn more about our Relationships and Health Education curriculum and share your views.

Extra-Curricular Clubs Begin Next Week

We’re excited to begin our extra-curricular clubs from Monday 15th September. Thank you to everyone who has registered. Clubs offer children the chance to explore new interests, stay active, and build friendships in a fun and relaxed setting. If you have not yet booked a space, please do so as soon as possible, as places are limited.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Have a restful weekend, and we look forward to seeing you next week.

Mrs Lloyd & the Forest Academy Team 

This week in Year 1, we have had a fantastic time learning across all areas of the curriculum!

In English, we have been working hard on writing simple sentences. We have been practising saying our sentences aloud before writing them, and making sure they make sense. It’s been great to see the children becoming more confident writers every day!

In history, our topic is 'Toys from the Past'. The children have really enjoyed exploring what toys were like long ago and how they are different from the toys we play with today. We looked at real-life examples and pictures of toys from different decades and had some great discussions about materials, design, and how play has changed over time. Some of the old toys were very surprising!

In maths, we’ve been focusing on sorting and grouping. The children have been sorting objects by shape, size, and colour, and learning how to explain their reasoning. We’ve used everyday classroom items, pictures, and even toys to practise these important skills. Sorting helps us get ready for more complex maths topics later in the term, like patterns and number groups.

It’s been a busy and exciting week, and we’re so proud of how well the children are settling into their routines and showing a positive attitude to learning. Keep up the great work, Year 1!

We've had a fantastic start to the term in Lime Class, and it has been wonderful to see everyone settle back into school life after the summer holidays.

In English, we have begun exploring biographies. Our core text is 'Hidden Figures', which has inspired us to research NASA and space exploration. The children have also been preparing to write their own biographies, thinking carefully about the important details that help to tell someone's life.

In maths, we are focusing on place value. Building on what we learned in year 2, we are developing our understanding of numbers, their values, and how they can be represented in different ways.

In science, we have started our exciting new topic: light. So far, we have been learning about different sources of light and the difference between artificial and natural light.

It has been a busy and inspiring start to the term, and we are looking forward to discovering and achieving in the weeks ahead!

Pine Class have had a fantastic start to the new year showing great enthusiasm for their new topics. In English, the children began reading their new core text 'Boy and the Globe'. They used noun phrases, figurative language and cohesive devices to describe the two main characters of Toby and Moll.

In maths, the children have been working on their place value and reading and writing numbers up to 1,000,000. They have also learnt Roman numerals up to 1,000 and have been practising their arithmetic skills in addition and subtraction.

In history, the children were introduced to the Tudors. They began by creating a timeline of key events within the time period and then moved onto learning how the Tudors' reign began when they won the Battle of Bosworth. In science, the children learnt about life cycles and were able to explain the different stages in the life cycle of a frog and a butterfly. In RE, the children discussed what is harming our world and local environment and then created their own version of a perfect world.

In computing, the children have been learning about bullying behaviours online and how to report behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable. In art, the children learnt about the pop art movement and the artist Andy Warhol. They explored a range of art pieces before choosing their favourite and completing a mood board.

If you have concerns about a child (or their families) welfare, contact Croydon Council’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 

Telephone: 020 8726 6400 

Out of hours: 020 8726 6400 (ask for out of hours team) 

Email: childreferrals@croydon.gov.uk 

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 – 16:00 

If you think a child is at risk of immediate harm telephone 999