Issue 8 - Spring 2025
Proud to be ELSTON! Empowered, Listeners, Successful, Together, Open-Minded, Nurturing
Dear families,
Happy New Year!
I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with your families.
We ended last term with a variety of events including Sing 4 Christmas, Key Stage 1 Christmas Fayre and Reception visited Santa at Statfold Barn Railway! We were also delighted to announce Christmas decoration winners which can be found here: Christmas Decoration Competition. Please click on the links to read more and see some pictures!
We've enjoyed welcoming children back to school and have loved seeing them settle back into school routines so well. Children have begun learning topics focused on our whole school theme of 'Conflict'. This starts in EYFS and Year 1 where pupils will be learning about their local community and how to work alongside others. In KS2, pupils will begin to learn about world conflict. Year 3 have kicked off their topic with Greek days this week and will learn about Athens v Sparta! Year 5 will learn about Roman invasions while Year 6 will cover a range of world conflicts in their topic Wars of the World.
Spring term clubs and boosters started this week! Just a reminder that we would like all Y6 children to be collected from clubs/boosters by an adult while the evenings are still dark.
Please could I remind all families of our Parent Code of Conduct which can be found here: Parent Code of Conduct. Staff understand that there may be instances where parents feel frustrated/angry and school will always work with families to resolve any issues raised. However, we will not allow staff to be shouted at or spoken to disrespectfully. Thank you for your support in ensuring that our school site is a safe and welcoming environment for all.
Miss E Foster
Headteacher
Attendance
We track attendance weekly and monitor any pupils falling below 96%. School attendance has dropped slightly to 95.3%. This is above the most recent national average published (94.8% - 20.12.24). We'd love to see our attendance increase above 96%. Well done to Year 4 who have the highest attendance so far! Year 1 attendance improved - well done!
Please could we remind families to inform school of any absences before 9am. Please call 01902 558866. If you are calling before 8am, please leave a voicemail and this will be picked up and reasons for absence recorded on Arbor. Families can now also email attendance@elston.org.uk to report any absences. Families may now also report absences on the Arbor app!
If your child has a medical appointment, please bring them to school before and after wherever possible.
Year group | Up to 10.1.25 |
Whole School (Without Reception) | 95.3% |
Reception | 94.2% |
Year 1 | 95.5% |
Year 2 | 95.5% |
Year 3 | 94.3% |
Year 4 | 96.2% |
Year 5 | 95.1% |
Year 6 | 94.9% |
Year 1 Crossing Patrol
Crossing the road safely is an essential skill and Year 1 have learned how to cross the road safely with our 'School Crossing Patrol' Officer. They were taught how to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN and how to find a safe place to cross. The children learnt through fun role play and even learnt a song to help them remember the rules of crossing the road safely! They can't wait to put their skills into practise on their next community walk. See our post here for more pictures: Year 1 Crossing Patrol
Games / book donations
After school club would like to request donations of books or games! KS2 club have introduced a reading corner but don't currently have many books to fill it. If you've had a post-Christmas clear out, we'd be grateful of any donations. Please send them in for the attention of Mrs Parsons. Thank you!
My Story Corner
Our Reading Ambassadors have been distributing copies of ‘My Story Corner’ across school this week. This is a free magazine received by school to promote reading at home – we hope the children enjoy them! This is a very special issue as they will reach 1 million copies!
To celebrate this, one copy of the magazine includes a special GOLDEN TICKET for one lucky child to find. This will be at the bottom of the inside back page and will look like this –
For the lucky child who does find the Golden Ticket, they will win The Story Corner prize bundle, which will include a copy of issues 1-10! Terms & Conditions can be found here.
If you have found the winning golden ticket in your magazine, please inform ‘My Story Corner’ or speak to Miss Perks or Miss Willis for them to contact on your behalf!
Drinks in classrooms
Just a reminder to families that pupils are welcome to bring in water bottles to school to stay hydrated all day. However, only water is permitted in the classroom. Pupils may bring squash in bottles for lunchtime.
Sporting news
Well done to our Y2 multi-skills team who finished in first place at their first ever competitive event. They worked well on individual events and finished 200 points ahead of the others schools!
Well done to our boys football team who represented Wolverhampton in the County Cup Finals tournament at Castle Vale this week. The team did extremely well, winning 2 matches and drawing 1 group game before finally finishing 3rd in their group (missing out by just one point). They demonstrated excellent teamwork and a high standard of football.
Reverse Advent Calendar
Thank you to eveyrone who donated items for our Reverse Advent Calendar. Our school councillors did an excellent job of organising the campaign and all the donations were collected by The Well in the last week of term.
Well done!
In KS1 assembly, they were discussing ways in which we can help our community.
Anaya from Year 2 has donated £43.62 of her own money to The British Heart Foundation, and she is continuing to save another money bag. Well done Anaya, we are really proud of you!
Lockdown drill
It is a requirement that all schools have a lockdown procedure in place. This is so that everyone in school knows what to do to keep themselves safe in the very unlikely event that we have to lockdown the school due to an intruder on site or event that may be happening in the local area. During assembly next week, we will be sharing this procedure with the children and at a later point in the term, will be carrying out a drill (similar to how we would with a fire alarm). This will be carried out sensitively to ensure there is no unnecessary upset or distress caused.
Reception admissions September 2025
The online portal for applications opened on November 12th. All applications are to be made online using the online application system www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/admissions
All applications must have been made by the deadline of 15th January 2025.
Support for parents/carers in making applications is available through the Admissions and Appeals Section. Parents should contact the team on 01902 551122 or by email at School.Admissions@wolverhampton.gov.uk
National offer day is 16 April 2025 when the parents will be notified of their allocation via e-mail if they applied online, letters will also be sent second class posted on 16 April 2025.
WOW - Walk to School Badges
Thanks to everyone for continuing to provide opportunities for your children to come to school in an active way! In December we awarded 336 WOW badges!
Spring term assemblies
This term, our PSHE focus will be Living in the Wider World. Children will learn about managing money, e-Safety and careers. We would love to welcome visitors in to talk about their jobs in assemblies! If any parents/family members have a job which they would be happy to talk about, please email Miss Foster via the office email address office@elston.org.uk We would be particularly interested in jobs related to public services, NHS, hospitality, STEM, the Armed Forces or trades/business.
Key Dates
Spring term 2025
Monday 13th January — After school clubs / Boosters start. Year 5 swimming resumes.
Tuesday 14th January - Class 6 School Crossing Patrol Workshop
Wednesday 15th January - Class 4 School Crossing Patrol Workshop
Thursday 16th January - Class 5 School Crossing Patrol Workshop
Thursday 16th January/Friday 17th January - Year 3 Greek Day Workshop
Thursday 30th and Friday 31st January - Year 2 DT Workshops
Monday 3rd February - Children's Mental Health Week
Friday 7th February - Dress to Express Day / Number Day
Tuesday 11th February - Safer Internet day
Wednesday 12th February - Y4 DT workshop
Monday 17th February—Friday 21st February—Half term
Monday 24th February—INSET DAY—School closed to pupils
Tuesday 25th February - Pupils return to school
Wednesday 26th February - Y3 Art Workshops
Thursday 27th February - Y4 Mosque visits
Thursday 6th March - World Book Day
Thursday 13th March - Year 1 Dinosaur Day
Tuesday 18th March - Class photos
Friday 21st March - Comic Relief
Monday 24th March - last week for boosters and clubs
Thursday 27th March - Reception Mother's Day assembly
Monday 31st March - Wednesday 2nd April - Y6 Residential to Laches Wood
Friday 4th April - Animal Man to visit Year 2
Tuesday 8th April - Parent consultations 4-6pm
Wednesday 9th April - Parent consultation 3:30-5pm
Monday 14th April—Friday 25th April—Easter break
Summer term 2025
Monday 28th April —Pupils return to school. Swimming resumes.
Monday 5th May - Bank holiday - school closed to pupils
Monday 12th May—Thursday 15th May—Year 6 SATs
Monday 19th May - Wednesday 21st May - Y4 Conwy residential
Monday 26th May—Friday 30th May—Half term
Monday 2nd June—Friday 6th June - Year 4 Multiplication Checks
Monday 9th June—Friday 13th June - Year 1 Phonics screening and Year 4 Multiplication Checks
Monday 16th June - Y2 Beaudesert residential
Friday 20th June—INSET day—School closed to pupils
Friday 18th July—Last day of summer term
Community Links
NHS Pharmacy First Service
Did you know that the NHS Pharmacy First Service enables children and adults to get convenient access to healthcare advice and treatment where appropriate, for seven common conditions without the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment? Accessing the service may mean that can help children feel better and back to school as quickly as possible, as well as supporting parents/carers to also get better if they are unwell with one of the conditions covered under the service.
There is no need to make an appointment; parents or carers can pop into their local Boots pharmacy with their child and ask for help under the service.
Support for the following conditions can be accessed under the service, free of charge (unless NHS prescription charges apply):
Common condition | Patient eligibility |
Earache | 1 to 17 years |
Impetigo | 1 year and over |
Infected insect bites and stings | 1 year and over |
Sore throats | 5 years and over |
Sinusitis | 12 years and over |
Uncomplicated urinary tract | Women 16 to 64 years |
Shingles | 18 years and over |