Friday 26 June 2026

We have made it to the end of an exceptionally warm week - well done everyone! I must commend our children for how responsibly they handled the extreme heat. I would also like to express our sincere thanks to all parents and carers for your incredible support and patience as we navigated the challenging weather conditions.

We started the week with a special whole-school assembly focused on staying safe in hot weather. The children learned about how heat affects the body and the importance of drinking plenty of water, wearing sun hats and cream, and seeking shade during breaks. We are pleased to report that everyone has been incredibly responsible and put these steps into action! Thank you very much to all families for sending children to school suitably equipped.

A huge congratulations to our Year 5 pupils for their performance this Friday. It was a truly wonderful showcase of their hard work, talent, and dedication and they did an amazing job, despite the heat. Thank you to the everyone who helped prepare the children, and to those who joined the audience to support the children.

PTA Summer Party - Friday, 3 July, 3.30 pm.

We are very much looking forward to the PTA Summer Party next Friday. It promises to be a fantastic event for the whole community. Activities will include a bouncy castle, an inflatable run, MOJI entertainers and a variety of garden games to enjoy together. Do come along as a family and enjoy a wonderful afternoon together. Perhaps bring some deck chairs or a picnic blanket, and don;t forget your snazzy dance moves!

Please note that only children need to have tickets but for safety reasons, no unaccompanied children will be permitted. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sports Day Information

Our Sports Day will take place on Tuesday, 30 June (Reception & KS1: 9:00am, KS2: 1:30pm). If it is raining on this day, our reserve date is 07 July. Children should come to school in their school PE Kits although, if they wish, they can wear a plain t-shirt matching their house team colours. Please ensure your child has applied long-lasting sun cream before coming to school and brings a sun hat. Every child must have a large, clearly labelled water bottle that they can take out to the field with them. Please see the letter attached for full details

Thank you for your continued partnership. We wish you all a wonderful and relaxing weekend.

Mr. Robinson

Headteacher

Upcoming dates

Monday 29 June

9am -9.45am - Year 4 Assembly (Parents invited)

Tuesday 30 June

Sports Day Timings- 9am Reception, KS1 morning & 1.30pm KS2 afternoon)

Wednesday 01 July

Year 2 Trip

Friday 03 July

Friends of Jupiter Summer Party (3.30 - 5.30pm)

Monday 06 July

Transition Afternoon (Children will find out their new classes)

Tuesday 07 July

Reserve date for Sports Day (Reception, KS1 morning / KS2 afternoon)

Wednesday 08 July

Year 4 Trip

7pm-9pm - Year 6 production at Astley Cooper school

Thursday 09 July

Transition Day (Y6 visiting secondary schools)

(Year Six are at their new secondary schools, all other classes with their new teacher for next year)

Monday 13 July

2pm- Year 6 production at school

Wednesday 15 July

Celebration of Work Evening

Friday 17 July

Last day of Autumn Clubs

Monday 20 July

Y6 Leavers’ Assembly -9am

Y6 Disco - 5pm

Wednesday 22 July

Last day of term- 1.15pm finish

Attendance

At Danes Educational Trust, we believe that regular attendance is vital to support high-quality teaching and learning. Learners cannot reach their full potential unless they attend school consistently.

Reception | Hedgehogs

Weekly attendance: 80.2%

Attendance YTD: 86.9%

Reception | Rabbits

Weekly attendance: 86.2%

Attendance YTD: 93.3%

Year 1 | Deers

Weekly attendance: 83.1%

Attendance YTD: 93%

Year 1 | Foxes

Weekly attendance: 87.1%

Attendance YTD: 94.5%

Year 2 | Owls

Weekly attendance: 75.4

Attendance YTD: 91.1%

Year 2 | Puffins

Weekly attendance: 90.7%

Attendance YTD: 95.6%

Year 3 | Ducks

Weekly attendance: 85.5%

Attendance YTD: 94.3%

Year 3 | Swans

Weekly attendance: 81.5%

Attendance YTD: 90.8%

Year 4 | Kingfishers

Weekly attendance: 79.4%

Attendance YTD: 93.7%

Year 4 | Woodpeckers

Weekly attendance: 81.1%

Attendance YTD: 93.4%

Year 5 | Otters

Weekly attendance: 82.2%

Attendance YTD: 92.4%

Year 5 | Pine Marten

Weekly attendance: 85%

Attendance YTD: 91.7%

Year 6 | Eagles

Weekly attendance: 90.9%

Attendance YTD: 96%

Year 6 | Wildcats

Weekly attendance: 91.7%

Attendance YTD: 95.2%

Awards and celebrations

We are so proud of these students for earning the Values Award, being recognized as Star Learner, and becoming the Timetable Champion! Your hard work, positive mindset, and commitment to learning shine through in all that you do. Keep it up ! You’re setting a fantastic example for others, and we’re excited to see all the amazing things you’ll achieve next!

Reception | Hedgehogs

Values awards: Dylan

Star Learner: Billy

Reception | Rabbits

Values awards: James

Star Learner: Isla

Year 1 | Deers

Values awards: Michael

Star Learner: Malia

Year 1 | Foxes

Values awards: Max

Star Learner: Adrian

Year 2 | Puffins

Values awards: Daniel

Star Learner: Henry

Year 2 | Owls

Values awards: Albie

Star Learner: Teresa

Year 3 | Ducks

Values awards: Kiani

Star Learner: Nebi

Timetables champions: Elena

Year 3 | Swans

Values awards: Emma

Star Learner: George

Timetables champions: Geard

Year 4 | Woodpeckers

Values awards: Isabelle

Star Learner: Abigail

Year 4 | Kingfishers

Values awards: Tyler

Star Learner: Jared

Year 5 | Pine Martens

Values awards: Whole class

Star Learner: Joshua

Otters

Values awards: Whole class

Star Learner: Methuka

Timetables champions: Scarlett

Year 6 | Wildcats

Values awards: Lilana

Star Learner: Sam

Year 6 | Eagles

Values awards: Lily

Star Learner: Connor

House points

Congratulations to Jupiter, our weekly winners! Brilliant work. The race for the term lead is incredibly close, Mercury has just nudged ahead of Venus by a single point. Keep up the fantastic effort, everyone!

Jupiter

Points this week: 65

Total points this term: 491

Saturn

Points this week: 41

Total points this term: 456

Venus

Points this week: 37

Total points this term: 492

Mercury

Points this week: 45

Total points this term: 506

Learning this week

This week in Reception

This week in Reception we have been trying to keep cool! The children have shown great maturity by following the instructions to use the shade and to keep hydrated, well done Reception! We have been doing more research on Farms (linked to Farmer Duck) and have talked about the different animals there. In Maths we have been focussing on shape and sorting 2d shapes into groups based on their properties. Our afternoon sessions have enabled us to use the cooler spaces to keep calm and talk about Sun Safety.

This week in Year 1

This week in Year One the children have shown some fabulous resilience working all through the extreme heat. We were very fortunate that our D&T project fell this week and we were able to make delicious, refreshing smoothies using our chopping and juicing skills. In English the children looked into what type of sentences need question marks. They have also mapped out their non-fiction text. We have practiced our number skills putting 100 squares back together. Finally had a lovely refreshing treat Thursday afternoon of an ice pop provided by the KS1 team :)

This week in Year 2

This week in Year Two we have been so impressed with how the children have coped with the heat - making sensible choices about sun safety and keeping their focus in morning lessons. The children have been doing some recapping in maths of partitioning and enjoying using the resources. In literacy, we have been practising using ambitious synonyms for common adjectives and introducing some interesting sentence starters ready to write reports on our own superheroes. The children have also really enjoyed reading more Roald Dahl in preparation for our trip next Wednesday! Finally, everyone’s highlight was having an ice lolly together in the shady Discovery Garden!

This week in Year 3

This week in Year Three the children have demonstrated exceptional perseverance and resilience while working hard through the warm weather. In literacy, our focus was on developing our innovative informative texts by adding descriptive detail. In maths lessons we have explored the various properties of 3D shapes, including faces, edges, and vertices. We are having a big push on handwriting, so please continue practicing letter formation at home to support their progress. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you have a lovely weekend enjoying the sunshine.

This week in Year 4

This week in Year Four the children have shown amazing resilience in working through the (very) warm weather we are experiencing. We are so proud of them!

Our week started in an exciting way as we welcomed Grace Reddy in to talk to the classes about her career and her journey as part of our Jupiter Futures initiative. The children were really engaged and asked lots of brilliant questions. This week we also completed our (very) hot write, working independently as the children wrote persuasive letters. In maths, we continued to look at shape, ending the week with a focus on lines of symmetry. We even managed to fit in a rehearsal for our assembly which takes place Monday morning, we hope to see you all there!

This week in Year 5

This week, the children in Year Five demonstrated an amazing sense of responsibility, adapting beautifully to the warm weather while maintaining their focus and enthusiasm. In the classroom, they dove into their creative writing to invent captivating stories about blue whales, while in maths, they worked hard to master the complexities of decimals and negative numbers. Their creativity continued to shine as we launched our new architecture unit in art, where the students produced truly amazing sketches of the school building. To top off a fantastic week, everyone has been practicing incredibly hard for our upcoming assembly, and every single student did an amazing job today!

This week in Year 6

This week in Year Six we channelled our inner artists to create some stunning beach-themed masterpieces. We weren't just drawing great pictures; we were mastering the art of perspective.

In our writing sessions, we took on a powerful challenge: exploring optimism. We studied the rules she lived by while hiding in the Secret Annex. Despite facing such difficult times, Anne always looked for the light, and we practised weaving that same sense of hope and positivity into our own writing. In science, our focus shifted to plant habitats and the clever ways different species adapt to their surroundings.

Jupiter PTA

We are proud to have a dedicated and enthusiastic team of parent teacher association (PTA) at our school. The PTA plays a vital role in bringing together families , staff and the wider community to support and enhance the education experience of all our children. Through fundraising events, volunteer support, and community initiatives, the PTA helps provide valuable resources, enrich learning opportunities, and create a positive, inclusive environment for everyone. We welcome all parents and carers to get involved, whether by joining the committee, helping at events, or sharing ideas every contribution makes a difference!

PTA Events and website link

Summer Party

Tickets will be sold on the playground over the next coming weeks

Please note:

This will be held on our school site in the playground
All children will need to be accompanied by an adult, this includes Year 5 and Year 6.

School News

Support to families

DSPL 8 provides a variety of support to families and can sign post to services locally. Please see the attached flyer with information on several workshops and information events from Year 6 to Year 7 transition, EBSNA coffee mornings, talking dads, autism and ADHD understanding workshops and ways to support your child's self-esteem and resilience.

If you would like support with accessing or booking these courses, please do let Mrs Crute-Mussel know or email the school office.

DSPL8 Parent Newsletter

DSPL8 Website link also has the newsletters:

Reduce Food Waste with the Hemel Hempstead Community Fridge!

Did you know we have a fantastic community initiative right on our doorstep? The Hemel Hempstead Community Fridge is an eco-friendly project dedicated to saving fresh, perfectly good food from going to waste.

Supermarkets and local shops donate surplus produce that is still delicious and entirely safe to eat. Instead of letting it go to landfill, the Community Fridge team shares it with local families - completely for free!

Where is it?

You can find the Community Fridge at Highfield Community Centre (Bellgate, Fletcher Way, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 5SB). Just head toward the black double doors in the car park - look out for the colourful bunting!

When is it open?

Wednesdays: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (or until the food has been safely rehomed!)
Saturdays: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

How to use it:

No referrals or vouchers needed: The fridge is open to everyone in our local community, whether you are looking to save money on your weekly shop, teach your kids about reducing food waste, or just grab some extra fruit and veg.

Bring a reusable bag: Simply bring an empty "bag for life," and the friendly volunteers will swap it for one pre-filled with a wonderful selection of groceries.

It’s a brilliant way to protect the planet and support local families at the same time. Why not pop along this week?

Stepping Out Safely: Helping Kids Navigate Independent Weekend Fun

As our older children grow, it’s natural for them to want a bit more independence - whether that's heading to the local park with friends or popping down to the shops on a Saturday afternoon. It is a wonderful milestone, but it can also bring a few jitters for us as parents!

To help you support your child as they take these first steps into the community, here are a few practical safety tips to chat through together before they head out the door:

1. The "Contact & Check-In" Rule

Ensure their mobile phone is fully charged before they leave, and that they have important numbers saved (including a backup contact like a grandparent or trusted family friend).
Agree on a strict return time before they walk out the door, and set a mid-trip check-in text if they are going to be out for a few hours.

2. Safety in Numbers

Encourage your child to always stay with their group of friends. Remind them to never wander off alone and to look out for one another.
Plan a specific, familiar meeting spot in case the group accidentally gets separated.

3. Plan the Route Together

Walk the route to the park or shops with your child a few times first. Point out safe places to cross the road (like zebra or pelican crossings) and bright, busy areas to walk through rather than quiet shortcuts or alleyways, like the Nickey Line.
Identify "Safe Spaces" along the way, like a trusted local shop or library, where they can go if they ever feel unsafe or need help.

4. Stranger Awareness & Tech Habits

Remind them that it's okay to say a firm "no" and walk away if a stranger approaches them or asks them for help.
Remind them to keep one ear out! If they are wearing headphones while walking, they should keep the volume low or leave one earbud out so they remain fully aware of traffic and their surroundings.

Top Tip: Try framing these conversations around "building independence skills" rather than focusing purely on danger. Giving them the tools to stay safe builds great confidence for the future!