Woodside Weekly - 25th September 2026

Woodside Weekly Newsletter

Respect ⟡ Resilience ⟡ Aspiration ⟡ Excellence ⟡ Integrity ⟡ Collaboration

25th September 2026

Headteacher's Welcome

Next week, we will be collecting donations for our Harvest Festival. All donated goods will go directly to Nightwatch Croydon to support those in need across our local community, so please bring along any non-perishable food items or toiletries you can spare to help this worthy cause. In school this week, our teachers stayed late on Wednesday to collaborate with colleagues from across Croydon, working hard together to plan exciting and high-quality learning experiences for the upcoming half term.

We have sent out several important communications in our letter directory today, including information regarding our upcoming 'Hello Yellow' celebration as well as details for Parents' Evening, which will take place at the end of this term. In other very exciting news, our school dog, Luna, undertook her official Dog Mentoring training last week and passed with flying colours! We are so proud of her achievement, and she will now slowly and gently be introduced to our wider school community.

Looking ahead to next week, please take note of two key dates on the calendar. On Wednesday, we invite our EYFS families to our Reception Phonics Parent Workshop at 9:00 AM to learn more about how we teach early reading. Then on Thursday, it is official Census Day, which also coincides with our individual school photos and a special lunch menu. It is particularly important that all children are in school and arrive on time so they can take part in photo day and enjoy the festivities.

We hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend.

Mr Atwal

Values Focus

As part of the value of Excellence, this week we explored the idea of "Responsibility". It is important that when we wish to be the best we can, we have a duty to try. This means doing the things you are supposed to do and taking care of your own actions and duties.

Responsibility is about doing your job and owning the choices you make.

So ask your child:

How will you show responsibility with your behaviours?
How will you show responsibility with your learning?

Local Council Committee

LCC Woodside Parent Advert.pdf

Spotlight on UKS2

Year 5

Year 5 have shown fantastic enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards their learning. We are so pleased with how engaged they’ve been in lessons and the brilliant ideas they’ve shared in class. Together, we agreed on our classroom charter, making sure they reflected the Woodside values and our class charter.

In Maths, we began exploring numbers up to 1,000,000, using a variety of resources to partition and represent them in different ways. We also investigated how to make a range of numbers using counters and a place value chart.

In English, we began exploring our exciting core text, 'The Boy and the Globe' by Tony Bradman. The children were introduced to Moll Cut-Purse and worked hard to create detailed character descriptions and setting descriptions to include in their narrative. We focused on using a range of figurative language to help them “show not tell” the reader.

In Art, we designed vibrant mood boards inspired by the Pop Art movement, taking influence from the bold colours and striking patterns used by the artist Venus Art. The children experimented with different textures, images, and colour schemes to express their ideas, and their mood boards will serve as inspiration for future artwork in this unit.

In History, we have started to investigate the Tudors. We have learnt the first 3 Tudor Kings and will be moving on next to the Tudor Queens, Mary and Elizabeth.

Year 6

In Maths, the children have been focusing on place value, beginning the week by rounding integers up to 10,000. To strengthen their understanding, they explored how different place value columns support the rounding process, learning to identify when to round up or down based on how each specific digit influences the overall direction.

In English, the children wrote their own innovative diary entries based on 'Pig Heart Boy' by Malorie Blackman, choosing which character's point of view to write from. They structured their work using key diary features while applying Year 6 writing skills, including fronted adverbials of time, place, and manner, precise punctuation, and vivid figurative language.

In PSHE, the children have been focusing on how the choices they make today shape their future health and well-being. This week, they explored oral hygiene, learning about the structure and importance of teeth alongside practical ways to keep them healthy. The class discussed the role of consistent daily brushing routines, the necessity of regular dentist visits, and the proper techniques for flossing to maintain strong teeth and gums. They also examined how dietary choices—particularly limiting sugary snacks and drinks—directly impact dental health, empowering them to take personal responsibility for their lifelong habits.

Inclusion & Family Support

Transfer to Secondary School September 2027

If your child’s date of birth is between 1st September 2015 - 31st August 2016, they will be due to start Secondary school in September 2027.

Reminder!!! The deadline for applications is 31st October 2026.

It is recommended that you submit your application no later than 16th October 2026 (Friday before half-term)

Late applications will be processed after those received on time, which could severely reduce your child’s chances of being offered a place at your preferred school.

Applications are made online through eAdmissions which can be accessed through Croydon Councils website - click on the link below;

Apply for a secondary school place: step by step | Croydon Council.

You will also find information on local Secondary schools and step-by-step guidance to help you through the application process.

If you are familiar with the application process, you can apply straight away here; www.eadmissions.org.uk

Click here for the Link to Croydon Secondary Schools Prospectus;

Croydon-Secondary-school-admissions-prospectus-2027

Follow this link for the Transfer to Secondary Schools open days / evenings;

Find out about open days and evenings

If you missed an open day/evening for a particular school, please contact the individual school - most will be happy to accommodate you at another time.

For any parents and carers who need help understanding the school admissions process or need support making an application, please make an appointment to see Mrs Georgiades (Family Support Officer) who will be happy to help you complete the application. You will need your council tax reference number to make an application.