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Message from Mrs Cook
Message from Mrs Cook
As we come to the end of the week, the sun is shining brightly and it feels like a truly joyful time of year. The first week of term in September is one of our favourite times at Rockliffe Manor. It’s always full of energy and excitement, and as staff we are delighted to share in the enthusiasm our children have brought back with them. We hope you all enjoyed a wonderful summer break filled with (some) sunshine, adventures, and quality family time.
One of the most rewarding parts of starting a new school year is seeing how much our children have grown, not just in height, but also in maturity and confidence. The school is once again buzzing with laughter and excitement, with children eager to begin new learning adventures and reconnect with their friends and teachers.
In our first assembly, we explored the Rockliffe Manor Values and reflected on how they underpin everything we do here. I was also very pleased to introduce a new initiative for this academic year: each Monday, one class will be chosen to receive our Values Trophy for the week. The choice will be made by a different member of staff each time, though neither the children nor the staff will know who it is in advance. This helps us highlight the importance of Integrity—doing the right thing even when no one appears to be watching… because you never know who might be!
This award will be more than just a chance to applaud an individual class—it’s part of building a thriving, motivated school community. As we begin this academic year, we want all our children to recognise that they have the power to achieve great things and, above all, to be kind. Appropriately, Kindness is our first focus value for the year.
This September we are also delighted to welcome new families to the Rockliffe Manor community, whether joining us in Nursery, Reception, or further up the school. We hope our new children and families quickly feel the warmth and support of our Rockliffe Manor family.
Looking ahead, we are excited to invite you to our informal ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions, for children in Reception - Year 6, on Wednesday 10th September, 3:30–4:00pm. This will give you an opportunity to meet your child’s new teacher in their classroom, hear important information about routines and timetables, and learn more about the curriculum so you can support your child’s learning.
Also on Wednesday 10th September, we will hold our Secondary School Information Session at 8:30am and 4:00pm. This session is for parents of children currently in Year 6 and will provide essential details about the application process, including key dates and deadlines. Please see the letter sent earlier this week for more information.
In addition, we are pleased to host our first Parent Coffee Morning of the year with Chartwells at 8:55am on the 10th September. This will be a chance to meet a Chartwells representative, discuss our lunchtime offer, and ask any questions.
At Rockliffe Manor we also love sharing the wonderful learning happening in our classrooms. We regularly post updates on Twitter (X), so if you don’t already follow us, please do so at @RockliffeManor.
As we move into the autumn season, we look forward to the colourful changes ahead and the many opportunities for growth and learning. Please remember that our doors are always open if you have questions, concerns, or simply want to share your child’s achievements with us. Together, let’s make this school year the best one yet!
We look forward to seeing you all next week and wish you a wonderful weekend.
Learning this week
Nursery
Nursery children have settled back in wonderfully this week. They were so excited to see their friends and explore the provision again. Angel was overjoyed to be reunited with her “best friend” Gabby, while Rayna has been proudly telling everyone how much she loves them. During carpet sessions, the children have been reestablishing class rules and exploring what kindness looks like through group play. They are also looking forward to welcoming new friends next week.
Reception
Reception have had a fantastic start to the year, showing resilience and a real growth mindset as they get to know their new classroom, routines, and adults. Through the staggered start, they have quickly grown in confidence, especially during lunchtimes. The children have begun forming new friendships and enjoying provision carefully linked to their interests. During carpet sessions, they have been discussing class rules and celebrating their similarities and differences.
Year 1
Year 1 have hit the ground running! They are especially excited about the new subjects they will be learning this year. Arthur H was thrilled to discover they now have two PE sessions each week — one of them with Mr O’Reagan. At home time, Tabitha told her mum that she had done Science, which she “loves,” and explained that it’s important because “it is everywhere.” The class have also revisited Zones of Regulation, using acting skills to explore a range of emotions through different scenarios.
Year 2
Year 2 have had a busy and exciting week. To launch their new core text, Izzy Gizmo, the children designed and built parachutes to save an injured bird on the roof — a fantastic hook into their learning. The children also designed their very own inventions to solve problems, Darby created a Pillowtron 2000 who will help her build pillow forts at home. In maths, they have been exploring place value, using dienes to support their partitioning.
Year 3
Year 3 have settled brilliantly into their new classroom. This week, they enjoyed their first French lesson, where they learned about France and its culture, including popular French snacks such as croissants and brioche. In PE, the children had fun responding to Miss White’s instructions in the “bean game” — with “French bean” being the class favourite!
Year 4
Year 4 have made an enthusiastic start to the Autumn term. They are captivated by their new core text, The Adventures of Odysseus, and have been exploring the different Gods and Goddesses. Myla noted that Hera represents the value of relationships as the goddess of families, while Apollo shows integrity by using his healing powers to help others. This excitement carried over into History, where the children learned about the significance of the Olympic Games.
Year 5
Year 5 have had a fantastic start to the year! They have begun exploring their core text, A Long Walk to Water, and are deeply interested in the historical context of the story. In maths, the children have been working on representing 6-digit numbers in different ways through partitioning and are engaging really well with the new teaching approaches.
Year 6
Year 6 have made a brilliant start to their final year at Rockliffe Manor. They have entered the term with focus, positivity, and excitement for learning. Their new core text, Gorilla Dawn, has already inspired some fantastic writing, as they created complex sentences using subordinate conjunctions. A special mention goes to Sefa, who has shown great resilience and independence across lessons. It has been wonderful to see the whole class starting their final year so motivated.
Birthdays, Merits & Attendance
Libby - Year 6
Dieuci - Year 4
Reception - 99.0%
Year 1 - 94.4%
Year 2 - 89.6%
Year 3 - 90.2%
Year 4 - 80.2%
Year 5 - 91.9%
Year 6 - 92.9%
Total - 91.1%
Nursery - Arif
Reception - David
Year 1 - Sienna
Year 2 - Saxon
Year 3 - Tillie
Year 4 - Ethan
Year 5 - Emre
Year 6 - Sefa
Dates for your diary
Wednesday 10th September 2025 - Chartwells Coffee Morning 08.55
Wednesday 10th September 2025 - Year 6 Secondary school meeting 8.30 - 9.00 or 4.00 - 4.30
Wednesday 10th September 2025 - Meet the Teacher 3.30 - 4.00
Thursday 11th September 2025 - Year 6 Library Trip
Thursday 18th September 2025 - Year 4 Library Trip
Tuesday 23rd September 2025 - Flu Vaccination sessions by Oxleas
Messages from the office
No Nut Products
Beachwood
Lego/ Duplo
PE Kits
Scooters in Playground
Uniform reminder
PreLoved Uniform
Please be reminded that we are a No Nut School - We have children with severe allergies to Nut products.
If you would like to show your interest please contact the office where we can give you further information.
We would like to increase our resources and maybe have a Lego/Duplo station at playtime. If any of our parents have Lego or Duplo that your child no longer plays with we would appreciate any donations.
PE Kits - can we please remind you that all children should bring their PE Kits in to School. The children will need a pair of shorts, T-shirt and socks.
Due to incidents in playground with scooters, can parents please ensure that your child does not ride on the playground and other areas of the school. Children to not to be riding passed the school gates, Many thanks.
School Uniform - can we please remind you that all children are requested to wear school colours - Not Hoodies. Also now that the colder weather has begun your child should come dressed accordingly - Coats,Jumpers or Cardigans and appropriate footwear.
We have a uniform rail outside the office, If you have any preloved uniform that could help fill our rail we would greatly appreciate this.
School Information
Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale - Hans Christian Andersen
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