Manor Park Primary Academy
Weekly Notices and Reminders
Friday 09th January 2026
www.manorparkprimary.co.uk. office@manorpark.sutton.sch.uk
www.manorparkprimary.co.uk. office@manorpark.sutton.sch.uk
Manor Park Primary Academy School has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This responsibility necessitates a child protection policy and procedures which are available to view on the website, or a copy can be requested from the School Office. Our designated Child Protection Officers are Ms. Thomas and Ms. Laing. Information may need to be shared with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. Manor Park Primary Academy is committed to gender, racial, religion and disability equality in every part of school life.
Manor Park Primary and LEO Academy Trust are now on all social media platforms. Find us on Twitter/X, Facebok and Instagram through the details below:
Twitter / X
Follow us on Twitter / X
@ManorParkSchSM1
Follow us on Facebook - ManorParkPrimaryAcademy
Follow us on Instagram
@ManorParkSchSM1
Staffing Update: Ms Thomas
We are writing to share a brief update regarding our staffing.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ms Thomas, our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), will be away from school for the next two weeks.
Ms Thomas will be unavailable during this period and is scheduled to return to school on Monday 26th January.
During her absence, if you have any urgent questions or concerns regarding your child’s SEND provision, please contact the school office at mpoffice@leoacademytrust.co.uk, and a member of the Senior Leadership Team will be happy to assist you.
We thank you all for your patience and understanding.
Parent/Carer Online Safety Survey
We truly understand how challenging it is for parents and carers to stay on top of the ever-evolving changes in technology, gaming, social media, and the online world. Recognising this rapid rate of change and both the opportunities and the challenges it can present, our goal is to support you by engaging and upskilling as many parents and carers as we can, ensuring your children's continued online safety at home.
At LEO Academy, we are continuing the work of the LEO Parent/Carer Online Safety Working Party, established last term. The Working Party aims to identify further ways we can support you in understanding the online risks children face and the safety measures that can be implemented to minimise these risks.
To effectively plan support, we are sending out this Online Safety Survey, CLICK HERE and would greatly value your input to help us tailor this to the needs of our community. Please take a couple of minutes to complete this form. Please note you are not required to put any names. Your input is invaluable in shaping our support for LEO families moving forward.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have more than one child, please complete the form with your youngest child in mind. There will be a section at the end to capture any differences for older children.
School Notices and Reminders
Extra Curricular Clubs
Please be aware that extra curricular clubs for the Spring term will start next week.
If the club your child would like to attend is full and you would like them to be put on the club waiting list, please email the school office.
We still have spaces in a few of our clubs:
Years 3, 4 & 5 Cricket Monday after school - LEO paid club
Years 4, 5 & 6 Girls Netball Monday after school
Years 4, 5 & 6 Topical Talk Tuesday after school
Years 4, 5 & 6 Multi-Skills Wednesday morning
Years 3 & 4 Korfball Wednesday morning
Years 4, 5 & 6 Girls Football Wednesday after school
Years 3 & 4 Multi-Skills Thursday morning
Years 4, 5 & 6 NFL Football Thursday morning - Now open to Year 4 (please email the school office)
Years 3, 4, & 5 Handball Friday morning - Now open to Year 5 (please email the school office)
If you would like your child to have a place in any of this clubs please email the school office. Places are offered on a first come first served basis. Please note that Gymnastics Club is an external led club and therefore you should book your child's place directly through Future Gymnastics.
Year 6 Booster Classes has started this week. Please refer to the letter sent home if you are unsure when your child should attend booster.
After School Clubs Donation
We pride ourselves on offering our children a varied and exciting range of activities on our before and after school clubs. The school clubs donation fund will allow us to provide additional activities across all year groups.
We have a voluntary school club fund donation of any amount. Parents can donate for the school club fund online via our Arbor payment system. Go to: Accounts - Club Donation - Top Up Account, or simply bring your cash donation to the school office in a named envelope.
We would like to thank you for your support.
Year 5 Swimming Tuition
Swimming tuition has started for Year 5 pupils on Thursday 8th January and it will run for the course of the Spring term, with the final swimming session for Year 5 being on Thursday 26th March. The sessions start at 11:30am, so the children will have their normal lunch before or after their lesson. Children will return to school by 1:40pm. Therefore, please ensure pupils have there swimming kits on these days.
Please note: There will be no swimming on Thursday 19th February 2026 due to being half term break.
Swimming is a statutory part of the National Curriculum and all children are expected to take part. This is a great opportunity for Year 5 children to improve their water safety and competence.
Was your child born between 1st SEPTEMBER 2021 AND 31st AUGUST 2022? If so, they will be due to start Primary School in September 2026.
For more information or to apply online go to www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions
The closing date for applications is 15th January 2026.
If your child was born between 1st SEPTEMBER 2022 AND 31st AUGUST 2023, you can apply for a Nursery place at Manor Park Primary Academy.
You can email the school office on mpoffice@leoacademytrust.co.uk and we will emailed you back the online application form. Complete it online and submit it no later than 15th January 2026.
We offer 30 hours Nursery places.
For for more information please email the School Office - mpoffice@leoacademytrust.co.uk. Thank you
Would you like to meet with other parents/carers in a cosy, non-judgemental and welcoming environment? Would you like to find out about services that are available in the London Borough of Sutton that may benefit you and your family? Would you like to give your opinion about what you feel is needed in your local area? Maybe you just want some advice on a matter and you don’t know where to turn. Do you require any parenting advice?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, the Local Borough of Sutton are facilitating parent/carer coffee/information sessions in your local area.
For further information on the range of events being run in your area, ncluding dates, times and locations, CLICK HERE.
Please can we politely remind you of the importance of parking safely around the school entrances.
Parking is strictly prohibited outside the school gates and our children's safety is compromised by anyone who stops on the zigzag lines or on the corner of Warwick and Greyhound Road. We also ask you to be considerate of our neighbours in surrounding roads and therefore not to park across driveways at drop off and pick up times. They, too, could be parents who need to collect children from school and would be unable to get their car off the drive.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Social Media Guidelines
Facebook, WhatsApp, X (formerly known as Twitter) etc. should not be used for any school related comments and the complaints and concerns procedures should be followed. If you wish to share, confidentially, parents who are using sites inappropriately, please let us know and we a will be happy to speak to them. All contact between staff and parents should be conducted with politeness whether this is in meetings or on social media. The following guidelines should be followed:
Parents should use social networking sites or messaging groups sites only as a forum to support one another and uphold the strong reputation of the school.
Parents should not post pictures of pupils, other than their own children, on social networking sites.
Parents should not post inappropriate comments about the school and its staff, parents or individual children on social networking sites or messaging groups.
Parents should share complaints or concerns through official school channels rather than posting them on social networking sites or messaging groups.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Just a gentle reminder that there will be a slight change to the lunch menu next week on Thursday 15th January 2026, as it is our Theme Day menu for Chinese Day. The menu is as follows:
Main Menu
Sweet and sour chicken
Sweet and sour Halal chicken
Sweet and sour Quorn fillet
Each of the above dishes will be served with a side of noodles or rice, with a mini spring roll and sweetcorn.
Please note: the chicken will not be cooked in the sweet and sour sauce. The sauce will be on the side for those children who would like it.
Alternative option will be jacket potato.
Dessert
Mandarin cake and custard
There will be no Grab and Go option available on this day.
Also, please see CLICK HERE for the new Spring Term menu.
It has been a wonderful start to the half term. Here are some of the exciting learning experiences our youngest pupils have enjoyed this week:
Pupils in both Nursery and Reception explored the theme of the "Circus" during their PE lessons, where they developed their coordination and movement skills. Our Nursery pupils practiced their agility by balancing cones and learning how to bounce and catch balls with confidence. In Reception, pupils worked together as a team using parachutes to practice their control and balance by keeping balls in motion.
As part of their "Starry Night" topic, Nursery pupils arrived at school dressed in their pyjamas to learn about the evening and night-time routines. During this special topic day, pupils listened to various bedtime stories, which helped to develop their listening skills and love for reading. The Nursery pupils shared a lovely social experience by enjoying hot chocolate together, providing a warm and calm environment for their learning.
It has been a wonderful start to the half term for Year 1. Our pupils have shown great curiosity and hard work across all areas of the curriculum. Here are the highlights of our recent learning this week:
To begin our new 'Bright Lights, Big City' theme, pupils took part in an immersive ‘Now Press Play’ audio adventure to discover the different countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom. Pupils used Google Earth to explore central London, identifying famous landmarks and discussing how to recognise features from a bird’s-eye map view.
In our technology sessions, pupils practiced their typing skills on Chromebooks, focusing on touch typing and the correct use of the space bar. During their ICT work, pupils also learned how to identify and type capital letters to form clear words and sentences.
In our daily maths lessons, pupils worked hard on their number sense by learning how to count and add totals up to 20. It was a pleasure to see the pupils so engaged with their new digital tools and interactive experiences this week.
It has been a wonderful start to the half term, and we are delighted to share the progress our pupils have made in their learning across the curriculum.
Pupils across Year 2 have continued to develop their practical arithmetic skills by acting as shopkeepers and customers. They practiced identifying the correct amounts of money needed to purchase toys and ensured that every penny was accurately accounted for.
In English, Year 2 pupils began studying their new core text, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch. They explored the setting of the story by focusing on the sights and sounds of the coast, using their five senses to describe crashing waves and noisy seagulls.
As part of their "Coastlines" topic, pupils investigated the geography of the seaside. They conducted a detailed study of the beach town of Whitby to understand the unique features of coastal communities.
Across the year group, pupils demonstrated great curiosity as they commenced their new unit of study on Materials. They began identifying different substances and exploring their various properties through scientific inquiry.
It has been a productive start to the Year 3 term with an array of exciting lessons to kickstart their new topics!
The year group started their new class book, The Firework Maker's Daughter, and have already become highly engaged with the opening of the story.
Pupils successfully mastered multiplying by ten, using a clear STEM sentence to explain that each digit moves one column to the left to make the number ten times bigger.
As part of their study of rocks, pupils investigated various types of stone and identified their unique properties, focusing on how they look and feel. The children also began exploring volcanoes, where they carefully examined a cross-section to identify and label different geographical features.
Whilst studying the process of fossil formation, pupils linked their scientific knowledge to their ‘Ammonite’ art project, exploring how fossils are created over time. During the initial stages of this topic, pupils practiced detailed mark-making and sketching to create their own motifs inspired by the spiral shapes of ammonites. These original motif designs were completed with great care, and the pupils look forward to using them for print-making later this term.
It has been a wonderful start to the half term, with Year 4 pupils demonstrating exceptional focus and enthusiasm across all areas of the curriculum.
Pupils continued to develop their multiplication knowledge and successfully prepared for their upcoming work on fractions, factors, and prime numbers.
As part of their new topic, ‘Misty Mountains, Winding Rivers’, pupils explored significant mountain ranges from around the globe and identified their unique geographical features. Linking to their geography work, pupils investigated layering and texture to create beautiful mountain collages using a variety of different materials. During these creative sessions, the children showed fantastic focus as they used different textures to represent the rugged landscape of a mountain.
In our science lessons, pupils began to explore the different states of matter, learning how to distinguish between solids, liquids, and gases.
Throughout all subjects, the pupils have shown great curiosity, especially when connecting their scientific understanding of the world to their artistic designs.
It has been a wonderful start to the term, with pupils across the school demonstrating great curiosity and scientific thinking in their new topics.
Pupils in Year 5 began their new topic on food webs by acting as ecologists. They used string to create complex physical models, exploring how different animals and plants are connected and what happens to the environment if one part of the chain is removed.
To launch their "Sow, Grow, Farm" project, pupils designed their own allotments. They carefully planned their layouts to include essential features such as water supplies, community sheds, and seasonal crops.
As part of their learning on healthy living, Year 5 pupils explored the importance of eating seasonal food. They discussed how eating food at the right time of year is better for the planet and results in much better flavour. During a sensory tasting session, pupils tried various raw fruits and vegetables to describe their textures. The pomegranate seeds were a particular favourite among the classes, while many pupils were surprised by the taste of raw broccoli.
It has been an exceptional start to the term for Year 6, with pupils showing great dedication to their new topics and local visits.
Pupils used drama and role-play to explore character emotions in the story The Polar Bear Son. They moved beyond simple descriptions to use "Show, Don't Tell" techniques, such as describing trembling hands and icy glares.
In our new Science topic, pupils began learning about electrical circuits. They successfully identified and drew the various scientific symbols used to represent components in a circuit diagram.
To launch their "Frozen Kingdom" topic, the year group used Now Press Play technology. This immersive experience allowed pupils to explore the environments of both the Arctic and the Antarctic.
The year group enjoyed a highly successful trip to the Science Museum. This experience provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils to learn outside of the classroom and engage with interactive exhibits. While at the museum, pupils watched the Antarctica 3D IMAX film. They were mesmerised by the footage of icebergs and seals, which deepened their understanding of polar life.
Throughout all subjects this half term, pupils have demonstrated a positive attitude and a clear commitment to their academic progress.
LEO Explorers are: Creative
We use our imagination to think differently. We are inspired to express our learning in news ways. We create new idea, inventions and works of art.
Amber - Eirini
Agate - Madison
Amethyst - Charlotte
Quartz - Ajla
Diamond -
Coral - Aadhya
Moonstone - Antonina
Jade - Theo
Emerald - Matthew
Turquoise - Idris
Onyx - Arthur
Opal - Jarrell
Pearl - Avia-Rowe
Beryl - Isla
Ruby - Zainab
Zircon - Anthony
Topaz - Kylie
Sapphire - Median
The class with the highest attendance level for the week ending 19th December 2025 in Early Years and Key Stage 1 is Quartz Class with 98.67% followed by Coral Class with 97.59%
The class with the highest attendance level for the week ending 19th December 2025 in Key Stage 2 is
Onyx Class with 97.42% closely followed by Moonstone Class with 96.77%.
Well done everyone!
Train to teach with LEO Academy Trust!
Applications for Primary Initial Teacher Training (ITT) for September 2026 are OPEN.
LEO Academy Trust works in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) to deliver our school-centred ITT programme.
Be in the classroom from day one: Our programme offers fully immersive training.
Highly Supportive: You will be fully supported with weekly central training and dedicated mentoring.
High-Quality Programme: Benefit from the NIoT's educational excellence right here, locally.
Express your interest here and we will send you further details on this exciting opportunity.
We are thrilled to announce that for the upcoming academic year, Manor Park Primary School will be officially supporting The Paul Alan Project as our dedicated school charity. This is a fantastic opportunity for our children to learn about community safety, emergency skills, and the importance of quick action in critical situations.
The Paul Alan Project is a volunteer-run charity with the vital mission of saving lives through emergency preparedness. They are dedicated to preventing cardiac arrest deaths in the UK by focusing on three core areas:
Free Lifesaving Training: They provide FREE basic life support training (including how to perform CPR and confidently use a defibrillator) to individuals and organisations in the community.
Defibrillator Provision: They raise funds to install Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) and Bleed Control Kits in communities, particularly in parks and residential areas where provision is often poor.
Awareness: They raise awareness of the signs of cardiac arrest and the difference a quick response can make.
Our 2025/2026 Fundraising Goal: £2,000 for Manor Park
This money will be used to purchase and install a 24/7 Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) and a Bleed Control Kit in Manor Park. This vital equipment will be accessible to our entire local community, serving as a critical resource in a medical emergency.
How Manor Park Will Get Involved
Throughout the year, we will be holding various exciting events and activities designed to promote awareness and raise money for The Paul Alan Project. Details of these events will be shared with you soon.
How You Can Help Now
We warmly invite our entire school community to support this life-saving cause supporting an upcoming events. If you would like to contribute immediately, you can make a donation via our dedicated charity page:
Donate Here: https://www.thepaulalanproject.org/manor-park
Thank you in advance for your generosity and enthusiasm in helping us support The Paul Alan Project.
Dates For Your Diary
These dates may be subject to change and you will be kept informed of any changes in the Weekly Notices and Reminders and via text or email
January
Monday 5th January First Day Back
Thursday 15th January Reception Workshop
Thursday 22nd January Young Voices Concert at The O2 Arena
February
Wednesday 4th February Year 3 Express & Share 9.10 am
Wednesday 4th February Year 3 Express & Share 2.00 pm
Tuesday 10th February Aqua Class Express & Share - 9.00am
Thursday 12th February Jet Class Express & Share - 9.00am
Friday 13th February Garnet Class Express & Share - 9.00am
Friday 13th February Last Day of Spring Term 1
Week 16th - 20th February Half Term
Monday 23rd February First day Back
March
Week 9th - 13th March Mock SAT's Week Year 6
Friday 27th March Last Day of Spring Term
Term Dates
TERM DATES 2025 - 2026
AUTUMN TERM
Monday 1 September - Friday 24 October
School Holiday - Monday 27 October - Friday 31 October
Monday 3 November - Friday 19 December
School Holiday - Monday 22 December - Friday 2 January
SPRING TERM
Monday 5 January - Friday 13 February
School Holiday Monday 16 February - Friday 20 February
Monday 23 February - Friday 27 March
School Holiday - Monday 30 March - Friday 10 April
(Easter weekend 3 April - 6 April)
SUMMER TERM
Monday 13 April - Friday 22 May
(May Day Bank Holiday will be taken on 4 May)
School Holiday - Monday 25 May - Friday 29 May
(Spring Bank Holiday will be taken on 25 May)
Monday 1 June - Friday 17 July
INSET DAYS
Monday 1 September 2025
Tuesday 2 September 2025
Monday 3 November 2025
Monday 13th April 2026
Monday 1 June 2026
AUTUMN TERM
Tuesday 1 September - Friday 16 October
School Holiday - Monday 19 October - Friday 30 October
Monday 2 November - Friday 18 December
School Holiday - Monday 21 December - Friday 1 January
SPRING TERM
Monday 4 January - Friday 12 February
School Holiday Monday 15 February - Friday 19 February
Monday 22 February - Thursday 25 March
School Holiday - Friday 26 March - Friday 9 April
(Easter weekend 26 March - 29 March)
SUMMER TERM
Monday 12 April - Friday 28 May
(May Day Bank Holiday will be taken on 3 May)
School Holiday - Monday 31 May - Friday 4 June
(Spring Bank Holiday will be taken on 31 May)
Monday 7 June - Tuesday 20 July
INSET DAYS
Tuesday 1 September 2026