Headteacher's Welcome

As we reach the end of another incredibly busy and productive half-term, I find myself reflecting on just how much our pupils have achieved in such a short space of time.

A particular highlight of the last few weeks was the Year 6 History Workshop. It was fantastic to see our oldest pupils fully immersed in their current topic; these interactive experiences truly bring the past to life and create memories that stay with the children long after they leave the classroom.

On the sporting front, our pupils have been fantastic ambassadors for the school. We have had teams out and about representing us in a wide variety of disciplines, including:

Gymnastics Competitions: Where our gymnasts showed incredible poise and discipline.
Football Tournaments: Demonstrating brilliant teamwork and resilience.
Dodgeball Events: Which provided plenty of fast-paced fun and school spirit.

As we look toward the next half term, the calendar is already filling up with exciting opportunities. We are particularly looking forward to:

Year 5’s Residential Trip: An invaluable opportunity for building independence and making lifelong memories.
Educational Visits: A variety of trips are planned across the year groups to enhance our curriculum.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I hope you all have a wonderful, restful break, and we look forward to seeing the children back, refreshed and ready for more adventures and hopefully some warmer weather!

Digital Leaders

In January, our Digital Leaders headed to the ExCeL in London for an inspiring day at the annual BETT (British Educational Training and Technology) show. Alongside students from across LEO Academy Trust, they spent the day exploring the future of classroom tech. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to meet with current providers and get hands-on with the latest gadgets and software from global exhibitors.

Communication Updates

Train to teach with LEO Academy Trust

Train to teach with LEO Academy Trust!

LEO Academy Trust is incredibly proud to work in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching as an Associate College to deliver Initial Teacher Training, (ITT) Early Career Framework (ECF) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) from September 2025. Associate Colleges are successful school trusts, selected because of their wealth of in-house expertise in professional development and their deep relationships in their local areas. This collaboration allows us to be at the forefront of educational excellence, providing local teachers with unparalleled opportunities for professional growth, learning and development. Together, we are shaping the future of teaching and learning, ensuring that every child receives the highest quality education.

Applications for our primary ITT courses are now open for September 2025! Our initial teacher training is a fully immersive school-centred programme - aspiring teachers will be in the classroom from the very start. But full immersion does not mean that you will be thrown in the deep end: our trainees are mentored and have central training once a week.

To apply for a place on our ITT programme please click here.

In school we have been learning ...

Reception - Please click here to find out what Reception have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 1 - Please click here to find out what Year 1 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 2 - Please click here to find out what Year 2 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 3 - Please click here to find out what Year 3 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 4 - Please click here to find out what Year 4 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 5 - Please click here to find out what Year 5 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Year 6 - Please click here to find out what Year 6 have been learning over the past couple of weeks

Are you interested in a career at LEO?

Playworker Vacancies

We have a number of Playworker roles available across the LEO Academy Trust, including at West Ashtead Primary - a full job description can be found on the LEO vacancy page (link below) or please arrange a meeting with the Principal to find out more!

https://www.leoacademytrust.co.uk/662/staff-vacancies

SCHOOL CALENDAR

We have lots of exciting events coming up next week/year, please click here for the latest calendar dates.

NSPCC Number Day

We were delighted to celebrate NSPCC Number Day on Thursday 5th February. The children took part in fun, meaningful maths activities throughout the day, and we’re thrilled to share that we have raised £163 so far for the NSPCC. Your generous donations help fund vital services such as Childline and the Speak out, Stay safe programme, supporting children today and protecting them for the future.

If you haven’t donated yet and would like to, you can do so via our school’s GiftT donation page using this link West Ashtead NSPCC Number Day .All donations, however small, make a big difference when we all join together to keep children safe. If you are a UK taxpayer, please consider adding Gift Aid at no extra cost to you.

Thank you!

LEO LOTTERY

Help raise funds for the LEO Foundation by joining our lottery.

Join our weekly lottery from just £1 a week
It’s an easy way to support our Trust and help raise funds for LEO Foundation projects
40% of ticket sales come back to us
There’s a guaranteed winner every week as well as the chance to win £25,000
It’s easy to sign up online so start supporting our Trust today!

This year, funds raised by the LEO Foundation supported our LEO PRIDE Awards in EYFS, our ECB All Stars Cricket Development Centre for Year 2 pupils, Mandarin lessons for Year 5 pupils and our Year 6 Junior Citizenship Programme.

Your support is greatly appreciated and we wish you good luck!

To purchase a ticket please click here.

HELP US / SOCIAL MEDIA

Please..........help your child:

Regularly listen to your child(ren) read
Encourage your child(ren) to complete their homework / Doodle Activities / Timetable Rockstars
Ask your child about their day and talk about the amazing things they have learned
Talk positively to your child(ren) about school and their progress / praise their achievements
Speak to your child(ren)'s class teacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team if you have any concerns regarding your child(ren)
Avoid taking your child(ren) out of school during the school day / term time for appointments and holidays
Drop your child(ren) off to school on time and in the correct uniform / collect your child(ren) on time / if you drive to collect your child(ren), ensure that you park safely respecting our neighbours and local businesses

Please..........help us:

Carefully read all communications to ensure that they are fully understood and actioned (if required)
Promptly report your child(ren)'s absence
Ensure you pay for school meals / trips / events on time via Arbor
Update your personal information via the Arbor App if there are any changes

Please..........help raise funds:

Contribute towards the School Fund
Consider taking part in the school lottery
Support the FOWA in attending events / or even better support the FOWA in helping to organise events

Social Media

To be kept up-to-date with all of the exciting activities, learning and events that the children are participating in please follow on social media:

X: WestAshtead

Facebook: WestAshteadPrimarySchool

Instagram: west.ashtead.primary.school

Our social media platforms are used when the KS2 children are away on residential trips - seeing how much fun the children are having makes missing them not quite so bad, the children definitely do not look like they are missing home!

Please note that we only share photos of children who have photo permission and we only ever use their first name. Also, we do not keep the photos that we share so if you see a photo of your child that you would like you can save these onto your own device by clicking on the 3 dots on the photo and selecting save. Also if you see a post that interests you, please can we ask you to share/retweet.

If you would like your child to be included in our social media posts, please ensure that you have consented to social media. If you are unsure please look at your child's profile on the Arbor app and contact the school office if you wish to make a change.

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