Here is this week's news:
Another fun but busy week has passed - everyone seems to be getting in the festive spirit!
Tomorrow is our School Christmas Fair, starting at 12:00 midday . We are looking forward to this and hope you are too! Thank you so much to our PTFA, helpers and staff for their hard work and commitment. Please try and bring £1 and 50p coins, otherwise we may run out of change!
Raffle tickets will still be on sale for £1 each next week during our Christmas Performances. We have a wonderful array of prizes to be won, including three large hampers, two 'bar tab' vouchers from The Fleet, Hilton Puckrup Hall vouchers, and many more prizes. Thank you to Aldi, Tewkesbury, for donating towards our hamper prizes.
On Monday evening (8th), we have our Carol concert at the church for Hedgehogs and Owls - this is one of my favourite events of the season, We look forward to seeing you all there.
Please note, there is NO Colouring Club after school on Monday 8th December.
Advance notice : there will be NO after school care club on Friday 19th December.
Many thanks.
Miss Gladstone
Congratulations this week go to...
Leo N-S
Naomi G
Bella H
Poppy Y
Sophie T-P
Robert V-C
Hayden P
6th December - Christmas Fair 12:00 - 3pm
8th December - Evening Carol Concert 6pm (Hedgehogs and Owls) at Church End church - children to be dropped off at the church 5:30pm.
9th December - Nativity dress rehearsal (Rabbits, Squirrels, Foxes)
10th December - Nativity 2pm (Rabbits, Squirrels, Foxes) in school hall
11th December - Nativity 10am (Rabbits, Squirrels, Foxes) in school hall
16th December - Pantomime morning (Roses theatre)
17th December - Whole school Christmas Lunch day - wear Christmas Jumpers/dresses if you wish!
19th December - Break up for Christmas Holidays
5th January - INSET day
6th January - Start of term 3
7th January - Weekly Swimming Lessons start for years 3 and 4
27th January - Year 2,3,4,5 trip to Gloucester Mosque and Cathedral
13 February - Bag2School day - please bring bags by 8:50am (or night before)
16th June - Bag2School day - please bring bags by 8:50am (or night before)
24 and 25 June 2026 Big Step transition taster days are taking place at Tewkesbury Academy.
Our School Christmas Fair is tomorrow from 12-3pm. The big man himself, Father Christmas, will be there as usual with his very helpful elves. There will be the usual fun stalls in the hall, with refreshments available all afternoon. The school council will also be running a stall, and some of our older children will be running their own stalls in the OWLS classroom to raise funds for next years leavers play, and we will be holding our ever-popular 'Secret Wrapping Room' in Foxes classroom. This is a space where only children are allowed, to browse and buy from a selection of gifts, and then wrap and label them to take home for you for Christmas. The windows are covered too, so no peeping! Children really enjoy their secret shopping!
We are looking forward to see you all tomorrow.
We had 20 entries in the Christmas Jar competition. These have been judged (names hidden) by our Governor, Mr Parry-Jones and our Bursar, Mrs Tingle.
The winners of the Christmas Jars are as follows:
Rabbits Class: Horatio F
Squirrels Class: Prudence C
Foxes Class: Sofia C
Hedgehogs Class: Ercin D
Owls Class: Olivia J
Special recognition (pre-school child): Edie M
Well done to everyone! The jars will be on sale at the Christmas Fair.
If you or anyone you know would like a tour of the school with your Reception 2026 child/children, please ring or speak to Mrs Bowen to book an appointment. We are happy to show you around anytime.
Online applications for September 2026 entry will need to be submitted between 3 November 2025 and 15 January 2026.
Further information can be found here www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-admissions/admissions-to-reception-at-primary-school-3-junior-school-lower-to-middle-school-places-for-september-2024/
If you live in another county and wish to select a Gloucestershire school on your application, you will need to apply to your own Local Authority’s admissions team and they will send this information to us as per the Co-ordinated Scheme. Please note that Gloucestershire County Council will not consider your request unless they receive an application from your own Local Authority.
Therefore, if you live in a Worcestershire postcode area, you will need to apply via Worcestershire County Council - please see the link below:
Applications for a Reception place in Worcestershire for September 2026 are open from September 1, 2025, and close on January 15, 2026. You will receive notification of your child's school place on April 16, 2026. You must apply online through the Worcestershire County Council admissions portal. Call School Admissions Worcester on: 01905 822700 if you need assistance.
From November 2025 : Letters are sent out to Gloucestershire residents explaining how to apply for a school place
From 3 November 2025 to Midnight 15 January 2026 : Application Window opens. Closing date for school applications is Midnight on 15 January 2026
16 April 2026 : Allocation Day
We have been made aware that our uniform supplier, Gooch Clothing, are no longer able to source the navy blue school cardigan. Until we can find an alternative, we are happy for you to buy any school-style navy cardigan, getting it personalised yourself if you so wish, or leaving it plain.
PE KIT: We have noticed that some children are coming in more varied items e.g. black and/or boldly branded items for PE. Please note that the PE t-shirt should be the school logo blue shirt. The school tracksuit is perfect for cold weather. Otherwise, shorts/skort/cycling shorts/joggers should be navy and unbranded. Children may wear their school jumper or cardigan instead of the tracksuit top when cold.
Please remember to top up your child's ParentPay account to cover their school dinners. Your account should be in credit at all times so please make sure there is enough in there to cover the next few weeks. Many thanks.
Click here to view new menus which start after Half Term: www.twyningschool.co.uk/page/school-lunches/106163
SEND Sports & Social takes place every Saturday during term time at Tewkesbury Youth Support Centre, Link Road, Tewkesbury and are split into two session:
10:00 – 11:30: Ages 5–11
12:30 – 14:00: Ages 11–16
These inclusive, informal sessions are designed to give children and young people with SEND the opportunity to enjoy a variety of different sports each week — all within a supportive, fun, and confidence-building environment.
These sessions focus on enjoyment, personal development, and social connection. They’re ideal for children who may not usually engage in sport or physical activity, offering a safe space to build skills, make friends, and feel part of a community.
A strong social element is built into every session. Parents and carers are required to stay — with opportunities to chat, relax with a tea or coffee, and even join in the activities if they wish!
If your child wants to be active, have fun, and try different sports in a welcoming, non-competitive setting, SEND Sports & Social is the place to be!
Sessions cost £5 a family
Book your place here:
5-11 years: bookings.move-more.org/project/71851
11- 16 years: bookings.move-more.org/project/71853 Find out more
Apply online for pupil premium and free school meals - check to see if your child is eligible using the confidential online portal available on our website www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/free-school-meals/
You can secure a tasty free meal for your child and save yourself up to £480 per year. Plus our school receives extra funding for each eligible child registered. If you receive a qualifying benefit, we are entitled to extra funding. So even if you don’t want your child to take a free meal, you should still apply to make sure that we receive all the government funding to which we are entitled.
Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 already receiving an Universal Infant Free School Meal arranged by their school, will still need to apply to enable school to get any extra funding. For further information, including a list of qualifying benefits, click the link above.
I just wanted to remind parents about the most effective ways to make contact with your child's teacher should you need to. You can also advise us if your child is off school sick/unwell on the School Spider app. This is also in the communications section of the website. This document also lists all of the emails for the teachers. We kindly ask that you do not use the private messaging system on Dojo but instead use email please. Many thanks for your support as always. spaces.schoolspider.co.uk/uploads/605/page/40075479_page_file.pdf
Some useful links:
Keeping children safe online: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/children-young-people-and-families/keeping-your-child-safe-online/
Safeguarding and E Safety: www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/curations/anti-bullying-week
Gaming and social media : www.askaboutgames.com/pegi-age-ratings#:~:text=Essentially,%20the%20PEGI%20rating%20on,deemed%20suitable%20for%20adults%20only.
If you believe your family to be eligible for Free School Meals, please click on this link: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-transport-and-free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/
Health and sickness information "Is my child too ill for school?" https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
Please click this link to view our School Attendance Policy, Absence Request forms, and other attendance documentation. www.twyningschool.co.uk/page/attendance/101727
Register for School Milk: https://www.coolmilk.com
A collection of links to find and get help in all sorts of situations from Anxiety, Health related, young persons help, depression and much more:
hubofhope.co.uk/concerns?concerns=86&latitude=52.0286023&longitude=-2.1466844
Gloucestershire Families in Partnership news and information can be found by clicking here:
Please see below some useful links to a few excellent wellbeing and mental health resources and an amazing digital therapy app for children:
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/mujkq12k/gcc_3002-cyp-mental-health-handout_aw-crop-large.pdf
hubofhope.co.uk/concerns?concerns=86&latitude=52.0286023&longitude=-2.1466844
Please click on these links to view our guides to contacting school. We have also linked relevant policies for reference.
Contact
Please feel free to make contact with me via email head@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk should you need to speak to me. During evenings and weekends, I may not be able to respond to you straight away but I will make contact with you during normal working hours as soon as I can. Many thanks for all of your support.
Kindest regards
Miss L Gladstone
Headteacher