Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been an active week here at Woodside, with our children taking on new leadership roles and working hard on their key skills.

On Wednesday, we hosted our Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) open morning. It was fantastic to have some parents in the classrooms, spending time with their children and practising timetables together. Thank you to everyone who attended; your support at home makes a huge difference as the children prepare for their upcoming checks.

We are also very proud of our new School Green Team, who met with other pupils from across the Trust today. They have begun collaborating on a new eco-friendly strategy, and we look forward to seeing the positive changes they will lead within our school environment. Furthermore, our Peer Mediators officially started their roles on the playground this week. They have been doing a brilliant job supporting their peers and helping to ensure playtimes remain happy and inclusive for everyone.

On a safety note, there have unfortunately been two accidents on Morland Road directly outside the school recently. We urge all members of our community to be extra vigilant and take care when crossing the road or driving near the school gates during the busy drop-off and pick-up periods.

Finally, next week is SATs week for our Year 6 pupils. We want to wish every single one of them the very best of luck. We know how hard you have worked! Please remember that we are hosting an early start for all Year 6 children throughout the week to ensure they are settled and ready.

We hope you all have a restful and safe weekend.

Iman Atwal

Headteacher

This week, due to a bank holiday, we did not have an assembly for our children. However, we are still focusing on the value of integrity: being honest in ourselves and others. So remind your child about the importance of telling the truth and showing through their behaviours good choices.

💛Helping Your Child Feel Safe and Supported

SATs can feel like a big moment, and it’s normal for children to feel worried or unsure. With the right support at home, children can feel calmer and more confident.

You might notice:

Changes in sleep or appetite

Feeling emotional or easily frustrated

Avoiding work or saying “I can’t do it”

Complaining of headaches or tummy aches

These are common signs of anxiety and nothing to worry about.

🗣️What Your Child Needs to Hear

Keep messages simple and reassuring:

💬“You don’t have to be perfect—just try your best.”

💬“I’m proud of you no matter what.”

💬“SATs don’t define you.”

🧠Top Tips to Reduce Worries

✅Stick to routines

Regular sleep, meals, and calm evenings help children feel secure

✅Keep revision light

Short bursts (10–20 minutes) work best—little and often.

✅Make time for fun

Balance is key—sports, games, and downtime matter.

✅Try calm breathing

Inhale 4 seconds → hold 4 → exhale 4

Repeat to help your child feel settled.

🌈Building Confidence Every Day

Focus on effort, not outcomes:

Praise trying and perseverance

Notice progress, even small steps

Remind them what they can do

🌟Confidence grows when children feel safe to try.

🛏️Wellbeing First

Healthy basics make a big difference:

9–11 hours sleep each night

Nutritious meals and water

Fresh air and movement

🚫Keep Pressure Low

At home, try to:

Stay calm and positive

Avoid comparisons with others

Reduce last-minute cramming

Children pick up on adult stress—your calmness helps them most.

🤝We’re Here to Support You

If your child is feeling worried, please speak to:

Class Teacher

Leadership Team

Family Support Worker (FSW)

We are here to help every step of the way.

🗨️Final Message

SATs are just one small part of your child’s journey.

Their happiness, confidence, and wellbeing matter most.

Join for an informative and supportive workshop focused on Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA). 

🧑‍🏫Hear from Croydon Educational Psychologist Nicola Tallis and a Croydon SENDIAS Advisor, who will guide you through:

• Understanding EBSNA

• Your legal rights

• School responsibilities

• Practical strategies to support young people

📅Date: 14th May

⏰Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

📍Location: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Centre

194 Selhurst Road, SE25 6XX 

This session is open to parents, carers, and young people looking for clarity, support, and practical tools.

⚠️Booking is essential – spaces are limited.

Book by clicking on the link > Booking Form - EBSNA 

Or scan the QR code

Nest

It has been an absolutely fantastic week at the nursery, filled with a wonderful mix of physical energy, creativity, and construction!

We have been focusing on a blend of mathematical and gross motor skills by challenging the children to aim and throw bean bags into hoops. This was a brilliant way to sharpen their hand-eye coordination, and the children took great pride in accurately counting the fallen bean bags to track their progress

Our classroom has also been a hub of building and imagination; the children have been thoroughly enjoying Stickle Bricks, using their fine motor skills to connect the pieces together. It was lovely to see their different ideas come to life—while some children meticulously crafted "birthday cakes" for a celebration, others focused on building sturdy models of cars and trucks

To round off our week, we’ve been "down on the farm" reading stories and learning all about animal names and the sounds they make. To bring these tales to life, the children were incredibly excited to create their own animal puppets. We were so impressed by their concentration as they used scissors to carefully cut around their chosen animals before mounting them onto lolly sticks, perfectly combining their developing scissor skills with a whole lot of imaginative play.

Saplings

This week in Saplings, we have done lots of exploration and discovery with mini beasts and insects, the children have enjoyed rummaging through soil on the tough tray to find some colorful insects, naming them and placing them in correct habitats. They have also been using large tweezers to explore, this then helps form their pincer grip and fine motor skills when it comes to pre-writing mark making. We have enjoyed playing outside, discovering plants, climbing and getting creative with their friends with chalk.

In Numeracy, we have been focusing on shapes, the children have enjoyed learning new names of shapes and discovering them around the classroom. We have also introduced measuring worms to begin the discussion of length and height of items.

In Literacy, we have been looking at the phonic sound “L” through repetition and song.

Continuing the theme of ‘A Seed In Need’, the children have been getting creative in the art area, painting plant pots, flowers and trees, as well as designing their own watering cans out of upcycled milk bottles!

Reception

This week in Reception, children have been learning about pollution in our oceans using the story, 'Where’s the starfish'. Firstly, children had to sort the pictures of animals into those that live in the ocean and those that don’t. To identify the characters’ feeling, Reception children had to use pictures showing the beginning, the middle and the end. Children looked and talked about the beginning where the animals living in the ocean were happy as the water in the ocean was clean and the sea-life could breathe. As time went on, in the story, children were able to describe how the animals were feeling as humans started throwing rubbish in the water, animals in the sea were shocked and upset as most of them could not breathe.

In Phonics, children have been using their phonics knowledge to decode and blend longer words, words with double letters (making one sound), such as rabbit and words ending in ..ing, such as farming and cooking. Apple class children also visited Ashburton Library. Here they can be seen choosing and reading chosen story books independently or with grown ups who accompanied them. Children were talking about seeing titles and pictures on the front covers on the story books they looked at.

In Maths, Reception children have been revisiting their learning on composition of numbers 6-10 using numicon and numicon pegs, tens frame, number blocks and their fingers. In small groups, children chose which objects they would use for the composition of different numbers.

Year 1

We’ve had another busy and exciting week in Year 1!

The children have been working incredibly hard, and it’s been wonderful to see their curiosity grow - especially as we look back at the history of our own neighborhood.

Here is a look at what we’ve been up to:

In Literacy, we have started our new topic book ‘The Secret Sky Garden’, the children have been captivated by the story of turning a grey, lonely place into something vibrant and beautiful and had their own chance to redesign an area of the playground. We have also been exploring instructions and imperatives (bossy words) and they have been really good at being bossy!

The highlight of the week has definitely been the children instructing their teachers on how to make a jam sandwich, they have learnt how important it is to be specific with their instructions otherwise they may end up with a jar of jam on top of their bread.

In Maths, we have been working hard on identifying and making quarters before moving onto ‘describing turns’ such as a full turn, quarter turn, as well as defining directions - left and right.

It has been a wonderful week of learning! Have a lovely weekend.

Year 2

It has been an incredibly successful and action-packed week in Year 2. The children have fully immersed themselves in practical learning, showing great resilience when faced with new challenges. From chaotic breakfast making to the start of our carnival preparations, the energy in the classrooms has been fantastic.

In our English lessons, we have been getting to grips with the art of writing instructions. To truly understand why instructions must be clear, concise and in the right order, the children were tasked with directing their teacher to make a bowl of cereal. This proved to be a hilarious exercise, as the children quickly realised that without exact directions, the milk might end up on the table rather than in the bowl! This experience highlighted the importance of being precise and sequential in their writing.

The fun continued as the children took turns leading each other through an obstacle course while blindfolded. This required a huge amount of trust and two very specific skills. They found it challenging to listen carefully without being able to see, while those giving the directions had to think quickly to guide their partner safely through the course. It was a wonderful way to bring our learning to life and the children did a brilliant job.

In Science, our young botanists have been busy this week as we continue our study of plant life cycles. Each child has planted a seed using only tissue or cotton wool and a splash of water. Before starting, they carefully observed the state of the seed prior to germination, noting its size, texture and appearance. We are now eagerly waiting for the first signs of life to emerge and will be keeping a close eye on our windowsills over the coming days to see whose seed sprouts first.

In Design and Technology, the creative spark in Year 2 is brighter than ever as we have officially started creating our carnival headdresses. In preparation for our grand end of term celebration, the children have begun building their structures and adding the first layers of their designs. There is a real sense of excitement in the air as they transform their initial sketches into wearable art. It has been a joy to see them working so hard to ensure their headdresses are sturdy enough for the festivities ahead.

Thank you for your continued support, The Year 2 Team

Year 4

This week, Year 4 have been working incredibly hard in English, focusing on writing biographies inspired by our core text 'I Am Not a Label'. This inspiring anthology introduces us to 34 artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists with disabilities from both the past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, the children explored how these iconic individuals overcame challenges, embraced their differences, and achieved great things through integrity, dedication, and determination. We are now learning how to structure our own biographies, using these powerful stories as inspiration.

In History, we have been researching the Romans, learning about their daily lives, habits, and the lasting legacy they left behind. The classes are  very much looking forward to our upcoming Roman Day on Friday 15th May, which promises to be an exciting and immersive experience.

In Maths, we have continued our journey into decimals. The children have been learning how to partition decimal numbers and how to order them in both ascending and descending order. We are also continuing to practise our times tables regularly, as the test date is fast approaching.

In Science, we carried out a simple but fun experiment while learning about the digestive system. We explored whether digestion would be possible without saliva by trying to crush biscuits with and without adding water. This helped us understand the important role saliva plays in breaking down food.

Thank you for your continued support. Have a lovely weekend!

Year 5

In our Maths sessions this week, Year 5 have been busy becoming "Data Detectives" while investigating statistics. The children have been focusing on how to draw and interpret line graphs, learning that these are powerful tools for showing how data changes over time. They have been carefully plotting points on an x and y-axis and connecting them with straight, precise lines. Beyond just drawing the graphs, the children worked hard on their interpretation skills, identifying patterns and finding the difference between data points. This allowed them to deepen their understanding and answer a variety of questions based on different data sets.

This week in English, Year 5 have reached an exciting milestone by completing their biographies. The children took great pride in their final pieces, focusing on presenting their work in their best handwriting and carefully checking their spellings to ensure their work was of the highest standard.

Following this, the children moved on to investigate the art of voice-overs. They explored how descriptive language is vital when engaging an audience, learning how to "paint a picture" with their words. By choosing powerful adjectives and emotive verbs, the children worked on bringing imagery to life, ensuring their listeners could vividly imagine the wild scenes and incredible animals being described.

In Design and Technology, Year 5 have been putting their engineering hats on to design their very own wind turbines. The children began by reviewing the electrical components required to build a working motor and circuit, ensuring they understood how a wind turbine generates power. They then turned their attention to the structural integrity of their builds, investigating the best way to house these components whilst considering stability and weight distribution.

Year 6

As we wrap up another productive week, the energy in our classrooms has been one of quiet determination and focus. This week has been entirely dedicated to our final preparations for the upcoming SATs exams.

We understand that exam season can feel a bit daunting, so our primary goal this week was to provide a calm, supportive, and low-stress learning environment. By balancing focused revision with moments of reflection, we’ve ensured the students feel prepared without feeling overwhelmed. To support this, last week we welcomed the Education Welfare Practitioners (EWP) into school. They carried out a fantastic workshop with the children, focusing on how to remain calm during this period and providing practical strategies they can use to maintain a positive mindset.

We have absolute confidence that the hard work, resilience, and dedication they have shown over the past terms will lead to fantastic results. They are ready! To give our students the very best start to their exam days, we are hosting a Year 6 breakfast club all through next week. Starting the day with a healthy meal and a chat with friends is a great way to settle any nerves. Please ensure your child is in school no later than 8:10 am to begin their day with breakfast provided by the school. This ensures they have plenty of time to eat, relax, and head into their exams feeling composed and ready to go.

We encourage you all to do something fun and relaxing this weekend to take them into the week ahead with a smile. Thank you for your continued support from home. Let’s have a restful weekend, and we will see everyone bright and early on Monday morning.

Summer Term Clubs

Bookings will be open from Friday 20th March at 6pm and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The dates exclude the half term week, 25th May 2026 - 29th May 2026 and Bank holiday, Monday 4th May 2026. Also, Inset day, Friday 19th June 2026.

Please book directly using the links provided or via Arbor where it is indicated to do so.

Kindly ensure your child commits to the duration of the club, as we cannot guarantee refunds.

Sign-up starts at the beginning of the club, not once the club has started.

Please follow this link for futher information and booking links:

Summer Term Clubs 

We are using in-app messages to communicate with parents through the app - please could parents ensure they are able to log-in and Arbor is set up to accept these messages - they should be visible in the Communications section of the portal.

Parents who have the app should enable Push Notifications - this will alert you through the app that a message has arrived.

Over 90% of our parents have logged into Arbor - if you are having difficulty, please talk to the office who can help.

Check your Child's Data

Please log in to Arbor and check your child's/children's details are correct - and let us know if not. You can also request changes directly through the app which will take place once we have seen them - if we have questions, we will get in touch. Or you can let the office know directly.

It is important we have the correct data for all our families.

Please remember to check Arbor - either the Parent Portal (at https://login.arbor.sc/) or the parent app (available from the App Store or Google Play).

Parents who log in can:

* see their child's attendance

* log consent for local trips and those further afield

* pay for trips and book and pay for clubs

* receive In-App messages - and message the school

* book parent consultations

* see their child's details and request changes to ensure they are completely up to date

If you have more than one child at the school, they should be visible via a drop-down so you only need to login once.

To set up your account, you need the email you use for school communications and the date of birth of one of your children. Follow the Forgotten Password link on either the app or the website.

If you need support with logging in, please talk to the office team who will be glad to help.