There is always something special about the start of a new academic year, and Furzefield is once again a busy, bustling and energetic place to be. It has been wonderful to see the school come alive again, with pupils settling into their new classes, new routines becoming established and an enormous amount already happening across the school.

We are only a few weeks into the term, but our enrichment programme is already in full swing. Our Year 5 pupils have returned from their residential visit to the North East, an incredibly valuable experience that gave them opportunities to develop their independence, resilience and confidence, while experiencing places and activities beyond their everyday lives. Across the school, sports clubs, chess, dance, choir, local walks, theatre trips and many other activities are already underway. These experiences matter enormously. We want our pupils to discover new interests and talents, build confidence and develop a richness of experience that extends well beyond the classroom.

Alongside this breadth of opportunity, we are also academically ambitious for every pupil at Furzefield. We want our children to enjoy school and benefit from an exceptional range of experiences, but we also want them to leave us as confident readers, writers and mathematicians, equipped with the knowledge, skills and learning behaviours they need to succeed at the next stage of their education. High expectations, strong teaching and excellent outcomes for all pupils remain at the heart of everything we do. Your support at home encouraging your children to read daily and engage in home learning make all the difference.

Another particularly exciting development this year is the opening of our new nursery provision. The transformation of our Early Years environment has been significant, and we are incredibly proud of the best-in-class setting that has been created for our youngest children. This represents a major investment in our school and our community, providing children with an exceptional start to their educational journey and enabling Furzefield to support families from an even earlier age. We are excited to see the richness and value that our expanded nursery will bring to the wider life of the school in the months and years ahead.

There is a great deal to look forward to this year. The school feels purposeful, ambitious and full of life, and that is exactly how it should feel at the beginning of a new year. Thank you, as always, to our pupils, families and staff for the energy and commitment you bring to Furzefield. We look forward to another year of opportunity, achievement and continued progress together.

Mr Govinden

Last day of term: Friday 16th October

Half Term : 19th - 30th October

First day of term:  Monday 2nd November

Last day of term: Friday 18th December

Christmas Holidays: 21st - 1st January

First day of term:  Monday 4th January

Half Term: 15th -19th February

Last day of term: Thursday 25th March

Easter/Spring Holidays: 26th March - 9th April

First day of term: Monday 12th April

May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 3rd May

Half Term: 31st May - 4th June

Last day of term: Tuesday 20th July

Summer Holidays: 21st July - 31st August

Year 6 Swimming - Every Monday until half-term

1st October - Year 2 RHS Wisley Trip

4th-9th October - LEO International Trip - Helsinki

8th October - Peru Class forest school

8th October - Year 6 Parent Information Evening

12th October - Early Years forest school

14th & 15th October - Parents Evening

14th & 15th October - Dance Club Cancelled

15th October - Brazil Class forest school

16th October - Flu Vaccinations

16th October -  Sparkfish non-uniform day 

September

Week ending 4th September 2026

Year 1 - Italy Class, Greece Class

Year 2 - Harry, Poppy, Bobby, Reggie

Year 3 - Logan, James, Hallie-Anne, Charlie W

Year 4 - Nate, Emily, Kyron, Nepal Class

Year 5 - Matilda, William, Jax, Keziah

Year 6 - Xosia, Gracie-Jane, Amelia, Grace B

Ocean - Marnie

Week ending 11th September 2026

Year 1 - Sonny, Damien, Adrian, Alisha

Year 2 - Maddox, Safiyya, Layla, Kevin

Year 3 - Balian, Hannah, Constance, Amari

Year 4 - Evelyn, Dorota, Bambi, Arthur

Year 5 - Livvy, Emily, Bethany, Jack

Year 6 - James, Joe, Noah, Joey

Ocean - Harrison

Week ending 18th September 2026

Year 1 - Archie, Sarah-Jane, Henryk, Cash

Year 2 - Enzo, Mila, Caitlyn, Nicholas

Year 3 - Almir, Riley, Finley, Kiri

Year 4 - Beckyjo, Othaniel

Year 5 - Zinzile, Charlie W, 

Year 6 - Isla, Hugh, 

Ocean - James

Week ending 25th September 2026

Year 1 - Theia, Damien, Amaya, Alangna

Year 2 - Alaia-Marie, Hollie, Tag, Emmie

Year 3 - Amelia, Joshua, Luca, Grayson

Year 4 - Bobby, Rory, Sidney, Othniel

Year 5 - Julia, Matilda, Callie, Jalen

Year 6 - Aradh, Olivia, Emily, Chester

Ocean - Alphonsa

Welcome to our very first autumn newsletter! We could not be prouder of how wonderfully all the children have settled into our nursery room. For those who were with us last year, moving to a new space with different staff and resources is a big change, and they have handled the transition brilliantly. As for the children who are completely new to Furzefield, they have shown incredible determination and resilience in adapting to this new experience. Over the past few weeks, we have focused on building strong relationships, getting to know everyone’s individual likes and dislikes, and settling into our classroom routines and expectations. It has been heart-warming to watch the children begin to form new friendships and immerse themselves in their learning. Outdoors, they have loved exploring our fantastic new equipment—tackling the obstacle area, digging in the sandpits, and getting active with the bats and balls. Indoors, the children have been just as busy making intricate train circuits, playing in our lovely new home corner, dressing up, getting creative in the art area, and building with various construction resources! We are so excited for the year ahead and know it will be filled with many more wonderful learning experiences. Thank you for your continued support as we begin this journey together! 

We are delighted to share how wonderfully our Reception children have settled into school life. It has been a joyful and busy start as everyone adjusts to new routines, environments, and friendships.

The children have shown wonderful curiosity as they explore their new learning spaces. They have been getting to know where resources belong, learning daily routines, and building independence during continuous provision and group times.

Our topic this term is "All About Me", we have been celebrating uniqueness: Children have enjoyed sharing stories about their families, hobbies, and interests. We have also been learning about understanding Feelings: We have spent time learning about different emotions—discussing what makes us feel happy, excited, nervous, or tired, and how we can support one another.

The outdoor area has been a massive hit! The children have been active, imaginative, and collaborative across all outdoor areas especially the Mud Kitchen: A clear favourite!  They have also loved the obstacle course developing gross motor skills through climbing, balancing, and cooperative games.

We have had a fantastic start to the term, and the Year 1 children have settled into their new routines remarkably well! It has been wonderful to see them consistently demonstrating our school values in everything they do, showing kindness, respect, and enthusiasm every day. This week, the children were thrilled to begin learning all about their class country, which has sparked a huge wave of curiosity and led to so many exciting questions that they can’t wait to explore. The children had an absolute blast at Forest School this week, discovering how amazing their bodies are and learning what it takes to stay strong and healthy! Through energetic outdoor movement, active play, and hands-on games, the children learned all about staying active and taking care of themselves in nature. To top off a wonderful day of active learning, everyone gathered together to enjoy a warm, delicious hot chocolate. We are so proud of how brilliantly they have started the year! 

Welcome back to a fantastic new term! Our Norway and Denmark classes have settled brilliantly into their new routines and are thoroughly enjoying everything Year 2 has to offer. The children have brought wonderful energy to the classrooms, and it has been a delight watching them grow in confidence as they dive into their new learning adventures.

In English, the children have been stepping into the deep dark wood, acting out and writing their own versions of The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. They have worked hard on creating vivid character descriptions and have even taken on the challenge of using inverted commas for speech. 

Meanwhile, in Maths, our focus has been on mastering the place value of two-digit numbers, helping the children build a strong foundation to build on to start learning the column method and improving their problem-solving skills.

Our young scientists have been busy getting their hands dirty by planting seeds to learn all about germination and the functions of different plant parts. To investigate what plants need to thrive, the children have altered growing conditions and will be carefully observing the changes over the coming weeks. 

Alongside our practical experiments, we have introduced Chromebooks for morning work and computing lessons, with a strong focus on online safety. Finally, in Geography, the children have loved researching their namesake countries—Norway and Denmark—and making fascinating comparisons between them and the UK! 

On Tuesday the 22nd of September, Year 2 went on a local walk to enhance our understanding of our geography and science topics. This is how they described the walk:

We left school and walked along the road and went by the bus stop. We safely crossed the road and walked down the alley and crossed one more road. We saw the MERSTHAM sign and a 'toad crossing' warning. We arrived at the sandy footpath with hedges on both sides. We kept on along the footpath to Spynes Mere Nature Reserve and loved looking at the different birds splashing and swimming in the water. We know that some birds are getting ready to migrate soon! We saw geese, ducks, swans, a robin and more. We went over the troll bridge to visit the cafe next to Mercers lake. We loved eating our fruit in the cafe! We looked at the boats and the lake and then walked back the same way. Some of our friends were tired but we all had a lot of fun! We saw lots of geographical features along the way including physical features like woods, lakes, hills and a stream, and lots of human features like our school, roads, bus stops, the motorway, a farm, and the cafe! We also spotted many signs of Autumn including colourful leaves and puddles! 

The children were wonderful Furzefield ambassadors for their first trip of year 2 and it was a great warm up for our RHS Wisley trip in October!

Snack-tember Hits Year 4!

Following an inspiring assembly led by Miss Franks to kick off "Snack-tember," Nepal and India classes have been diving into the world of nutrition. Year 4 spent time exploring what truly makes a snack healthy—focusing on long-lasting energy, vitamins, and colourful whole foods.

To put their new knowledge into practice, the children completed two creative activities:

•  Rice Cake & Bagel Designs: Using plain rice cakes and bagels as a bases, the children turned everyday fruits and vegetables into delicious works of art. They paid close attention to presentation—thoughtfully slicing cucumber ribbons, pepper stars, and strawberry slices to create bright, colourful combinations that look as good as they taste! In fact Beckyjo in Nepal Class, actually went home and made her design! Take a look at some of their amazing designs.

• Doctor’s Surgery Posters: To help spread the message beyond the classroom, Year 4 designed eye-catching posters aimed at encouraging other children to make healthy choices while waiting to see the doctor. Their designs featured balanced lunchboxes and imaginative characters made entirely from fruits and vegetables, all paired with catchy original slogans.

Nepal and India classes showed fantastic creativity while learning how simple—and fun—it is to fuel our bodies with nutritious treats!

Nepal and India classes recently made the most of the changing season with a wonderful trip into our Forest School area. Year 4 stepped outside to celebrate the rich, vibrant colors of autumn and reconnect with nature.

Working together in small, collaborative groups, the children went on a natural treasure hunt, gathering fallen leaves, twigs, acorns, and a few conkers. Once they had collected their materials, they put their creativity to work by arranging the items into intricate, repeating geometric patterns and stunning autumn mandalas directly on the forest floor, grass area of tree stumps. 

It was a calm, lovely way for both classes to enjoy a sunny autumn afternoon, practice teamwork, and appreciate the natural beauty changing all around us.

Year 5 has officially kicked off their musical journey this term by picking up the ukulele, working in partnership with the brilliant instructors from Surrey Arts. From learning how to hold the instrument correctly to mastering their very first chords, the students have shown fantastic enthusiasm and focus right from session one. The classrooms have been buzzing with rhythm as pupils practice finger positioning, strumming patterns, and basic music theory in a fun, hands-on environment.

Learning an instrument offers incredible benefits beyond the music itself—helping children build fine motor skills, boost concentration, and grow their confidence through collective performance.

We can't wait to hear their progress over the coming weeks as they build up their repertoire. 

A huge welcome back to all our Year 6 pupils and families! The children have settled in brilliantly to the new academic year, showing fantastic resilience as they step up to become the leaders and role models—the top of the school! It has been wonderful to see them embrace their new responsibilities with such mature and positive attitudes.

Here is a look at what we have been up to in our learning:

English: We have been studying the moving short film The Piano. The children have used this as inspiration to craft deeply descriptive flashback scenes, focusing on atmospheric vocabulary and imagery.

Maths: Our mathematicians have been hard at work mastering place value, applying the rules of BODMAS, and honing their long multiplication skills.

Science: We have launched our new topic on classification. The children have been learning about the work of Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus and how living things are categorized into groups.

Topic: We have been using atlases to discovery more about the countries and flags of Africa. We are researching our class countries (Morocco and Tanzania) and presenting our findings with a range of final pieces - we've got everything from travel adverts to videos.

PE: Swimming lessons are well underway, with everyone demonstrating great enthusiasm and effort in the pool.

Special Highlight: Year 6 attended a fantastic interactive workshop run by the Royal Ballet and Opera at Merstham Park School, where they dove into the world of Mozart's The Magic Flute

Thank you for your ongoing support as we begin this exciting final year of primary school! 

We have had a wonderfully positive start to the academic year! The children in Ocean class have been enjoying getting to know their updated classrooms and learning how to work in the new spaces, including the sensory areas, book corners, and group working spaces.

We enjoyed a tour of the school, where the Ocean pupils helped locate all of the mainstream classes they visit each afternoon. We have also been busy establishing our new daily routines. These include a PE session on Monday mornings with our sports coach, Mr. Rato, eating lunch in the hall alongside mainstream classes and ensuring smooth transitions to afternoon learning. In addition, our Year 6 pupils have thoroughly enjoyed joining their mainstream peers for swimming sessions.

To help our new teacher, Mrs. Merriman, get to know us, we have been focusing on PSHE activities centered around ourselves. We have also loved taking part in "Snack-tember" and thinking about how to make healthy choices at snack time. 

Globetrotters have been hard at work preparing our Green Reads library which we look forward to inviting year 5 and 6 children to very soon! Children will be invited after school to choose a geography or sustainability themed book to read and return. There will also be some eco challenges to choose from! Look out for the invitation letter coming next week. 

For the 4th year in a row, we have earned an 'Eco-Schools Green Flag' with distinction! Thank you to the hard work of the eco-committee and support from the wider Furzefield community! Here are just a few of the highlights from our report from the team at Eco-Schools:

"Your school’s greatest success is how confidently pupils have stepped into real environmental action, securing solar panels for installation is a huge achievement and shows the school’s commitment to long-term change. We loved hearing how pupils used their voices, especially the Year 4 letters to Ed Miliband, which genuinely empowered them and strengthened the school’s sense of purpose. With growing wildlife on site and fun, pupil-led initiatives like the Dr Bubbles award, sustainability now feels woven into everyday school life, creating a positive, proud eco-culture for everyone."

"Pupils made some lovely curriculum links through their biodiversity work, especially noticing more starlings and even a fox family using your school grounds, a clear sign that their learning is having a real impact. This hands-on approach has helped pupils feel proud of the changes they’re making, and it’s brought the whole school closer to the natural world in a really positive way."

"The way pupils explored caring for the world through RE, English and PSHE including writing extra stanzas for a planet poem and performing it in assembly shows how naturally sustainability flows through the school’s learning. This cross-curricular approach has created a shared sense of responsibility and excitement across your school community, making eco-learning feel creative, relevant and genuinely lived."

"We loved how confidently pupils helped keep the whole school and wider community informed about their eco-work, the student-led assemblies were such a warm and engaging way to bring everyone together."

"The school has created a genuinely connected eco-culture that feels positive, open and community-driven!"

We are proud that all of the hard work paid off and can't wait to hold the first Eco Committee of the year soon! 

FURZEFIELD PRIMARY ACADEMY ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY: QUICK GUIDE 

At Furzefield, we love seeing your children arriving at school on time happy and ready to learn, every single day. Good attendance and punctuality build the essential foundations for your child's academic success, confidence and friendships. We know that raising school-ready children can have its challenges, and we are here to support your family every step of the way.

Did You Know? 

                                                    1 Day Every 2 Weeks 

Adds up to 20 missed days of learning and fun every school year. 

                                                         10 Minutes Late Daily 

Equals nearly an hour of lost learning every single week. 

Morning Phonics 

Phonics starts right after registration. Arriving late misses vital reading building blocks,

The more days children spend in school, the more they learn, grow, and thrive alongside their friends. 

Important Information: Term-Time Holidays & Penalty Notices 

To help keep our school community informed, please note the Principal is not permitted to authorise holidays taken during term time. The Surrey County Council attendance service enforces attendance regulations under local and national guidelines: 

Your local council can give each parent a fine of £80, rising to £160 if you do not pay within 21 days. 

From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to 2 fines for the same child in a 3-year period. 

If you get a second fine in 3 years it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school. 

If your child is off school 3 or more times within the 3 years you will not be fined but may be taken to court. 

For complete details on national guidelines, visit GOV.UK

We Are Here to Help! 

We want to celebrate maximum attendance and ensure every child at Furzefield reaches their full potential. If your family is facing challenges getting to school on time or managing attendance, please don't hesitate to reach out—we are always here to listen and support you.

Key Contact for Attendance & Family Support: Jemma Curtis — Home School Link Worker 

Please contact the main school office to get in touch with Jemma for confidential attendance advice and guidance. 

Please click on the links below for more information

Early Years Educator Apprentices

Midday Supervisor (Nursery)

The LEO Foundation is a local registered charity dedicated to supporting the families and neighbours who live in our local area.

We run practical projects right here in the community, working to help everyone, from students to the elderly, feel valued and supported and improving lives where we can.

Please see the poster for information ans a link to give your feedback.

For enquiries regarding the wrap around care provision, please email ffwac@leoacademytrust.co.uk

For enquiries regarding booking and payment, please email furzefieldprimary@cbfs.uk

Autumn Main Menu

LEO Catering Summer Update