Another little Disco for our youngest children with Mrs Young, Miss Harris and Miss Othen.  We’ll be boogying under the lights and learning some dance routines.

Children will attend straight from school and may come to school in their Disco clothes.

Any children that normally attend After School Club who are not collected from the Disco @ 4.30pm will be sent to After School for parent collection.

If your child is eligible for Free School Meals or is booked into After School Club on Wednesday they will have free tickets but please book on Arbor as this informs our Disco register.  (You will not receive a confirmation so please only book once)

TICKETS WILL BE RELEASED A FEW WEEKS BEFORE

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the spring term! I hope you all had a restful break and are as excited as we are to dive into another term filled with learning and growth. The lovely weather we’ve had certainly feels more like spring, and is giving everyone a welcome boost to their spirits.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with their children’s teachers this week: it’s always a pleasure to be able to share your children’s achievements with you, and your involvement is greatly appreciated. These meetings are invaluable in helping us understand how we can best support your child’s educational journey.

It’s been a busy week already, with everyone ready to get stuck into another jam-packed term. The enthusiasm and energy from everyone has been fantastic, and we are all looking forward to the exciting events and activities planned for the coming weeks.

Next week, we have World Book Week, which promises to be a highlight of the term. There are plenty of exciting activities planned, including a non-uniform day on Thursday. I look forward to seeing all the creative costumes, but please feel free to take it easy and just come in something comfortable if you prefer. The most important thing is that everyone enjoys the day and participates in the fun.

Enjoy your weekends!

Best regards,

Tom Larkham
Headteacher

Yr 4 Choral Day Trip @ Moreton Hall

Pop-Up Bookshop

Over Thursday & Friday pupils will each bring home a World Book Day 2025 book.

KS2 Local Storyteller Jake Evans visit 

Saturday 8th March-All day Rehearsal for Peter Pan cast from 9:00 – 3:00pm (children may bring a device/reading book and packed lunch)

WORLD BOOK DAY

Non-Uniform– Children may come to school dressed to represent their favourite book or character. We understand that some children feel uncomfortable wearing fancy dress. They may choose to wear their own comfy reading clothes instead – we want all children to enjoy the day.

Year 2 Author Trip

Year 2 will be going on a trip to Presfelde School for an Author Event and will need to arrive at school at an earlier time for the Coach. See separate letter.

Special Lunch Menu

Also taking place, Year 4 Drama workshop all day, Tag Rugby and Netball Fixture.

Weeberts World Visit for Year 3 Classes

Weeberts World transform scrap metal into robot sculptures and their robot sculptures into stories.  They will be visiting year 3 to read their Robot Story , Weebert has an Adventure and staying around to show off their Robot Sculptures at our Book Fair.  At the Fair, they will have Weeberts merchandise including books and water bottles for sale.

Book Fair

Please pop in to the School Hall after school-the back doors will be open.

We will have some stalls for you to shop including Usborne Books (cash & card accepted), a bargain book stall (cash only) and sweet stall (£1 a bag)

Usborne Books will be helping us to purchase new books for school and the virtual book fair is live here if you wish to order at home.  This is open until 5pm on Monday 10th March

USBORNE ONLINE FAIR LINK

All purchases made through this link and at the book fair will add up and increase the amount of free books school will receive.

EYFS & KS1 Author Visit Linda Whipp

Linda will be reading A Dormouse’s Tale.  If your child would like a signed copy to take home then you are able to purchase one from Linda’s website HERE

If you apply this code at the checkout stage it will take off the postage costs. Code is: COLE2025.  Orders should be received by Sunday 2nd March.

You will get an automatic confirmation email that shows their address as the delivery address, but Linda will bring these along on the day for the children.

Please remember that Greyfriar’s Road is closed to traffic from 8:20 – 9:00 each morning, and 2:50 – 3:30 each afternoon.

If you are parking before the road closes, please be patient and wait until the road is opened again.  Remember to switch off your engines if you are waiting so families do not need to walk through unnecessary fumes.  Please do not be upset if you are asked to wait for the road to open or to turn your engines off.

As ever, please continue to be mindful of our neighbours on Salter’s Lane and not hinder their movements to and from their houses.

Please let any friends and family members who may be collecting your children by car know about the School Street scheme.

Dear Parents & Carers,

Welcome to the end of another jam-packed week!

First and foremost, a huge congratulations to Year 2 for their amazing assemblies to parents and carers! The effort and enthusiasm that went into these performances were evident, and it was brilliant to see the pride on the faces of both the children and their families. The assemblies were not only a showcase of the children’s talents but also a testament to their hard work so far this year. Well done, Year 2!

Equally impressive was the incredible fashion show put on by Year 5 on Tuesday. The creativity and fashion-flair displayed by the students was nothing short of spectacular. From designing their outfits to strutting down the runway with confidence, the Year 5 pupils truly shone. A special thank you goes out to Mrs Renshaw, Miss Heap, and Miss Othen for their hard work and in making this event a success!

These events are a reminder of the vibrant and supportive community we have here at our school. They highlight the importance of teamwork, creativity, and the joy of learning. It’s moments like these that make all the hard work worthwhile and create lasting memories for everyone.

Next week is the last week of the half-term and marks the half-way mark for the entire school year.  It only feels like yesterday we were coming back from the summer…  remember to look out for the Parents’ & Carers’ Evenings booking link for after the half-term break!

Have a lovely weekend!

Tom Larkham

Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

Here we are again at the end of another full week, filled with excitement, achievements, and creativity!

First of all: sporting success both dodgeball and netball. The dodgeball team dodged, ducked, and dived their way to 3rd place, while our netball players displayed exceptional skill and sportsmanship on the court. It’s wonderful to see our students thriving in these activities and enjoying the spirit of competition.

In the arts, our school gallery has been graced with stunning new artwork created by our talented Year 5 pupils. The creativity and effort put into these pieces is incredible. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the gallery yet, I highly recommend taking a moment to admire the incredible work on display next time you are in school.

We also had a vibrant celebration of Chinese New Year, filled with colorful decorations, traditional performances, and delicious food!

Looking ahead, we’re eagerly anticipating Miss Featherston’s short story competition. Reading children’s creative writing is one of my favorite activities, and I can’t wait to see the imaginative stories our students come up with.

And finally, don’t forget about the Tip Top Superstar quiz tonight! It’s going to be a fun-filled evening, and I look forward to seeing everyone there. Remember, it’s not just about winning; it’s about having a great time and enjoying each other’s company.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community!

Have a great weekend

Tom Larkham
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

We’ve had another successful week!  Our children had the amazing opportunity to perform with a 5000-strong choir in Birmingham, and they absolutely shone! The energy and enthusiasm they brought was great to see and they were brilliant ambassadors for our school community!

In other news, we were fortunate to host an inspiring author who visited our school. Jamie Russell shared his journey and passion for writing with our children, sparking creativity and a love for storytelling among them – who will be the next sci-fi bestseller?

We are also delighted to welcome a new member of staff to our team. Welcome to Miss Lucas who joins our team as a Cover Teacher. We are confident that she will be a valuable addition to our school team, and we look forward to the fresh perspectives she will bring.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting week planned next week. On Tuesday, we will celebrate International Day with our wonderful international food market. This event will showcase delicious dishes from around the world, giving our pupils and their families a chance to experience and appreciate diverse cultures through food. It’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone to come together and enjoy a variety of flavors and culinary traditions and explore the diversity we have in our school.  Please support this by donating an item of food on Tuesday.

As we continue to embrace the new year, we are committed to providing our students with enriching experiences that foster growth, creativity, and a sense of community. We are grateful for your ongoing support and involvement in our school activities. Your participation and encouragement make a significant difference in the lives of our students.

Have a great weekend!

Best regards,

Tom Larkham

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Happy New Year to you all!

Thank you to everyone who let their children’s teacher know how much they are appreciated – it means a lot to our staff to know.  Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has kindly bought us books from our Amazon wish list!

With a brand new 2025 underway, it would be a good time to share some important reminders.

Attendance

We are ambitious for all of our children which includes attendance, simply because we know that attendance is the biggest indicator of achieving successful outcomes ,so thank you for your support in ensuring your children are with us each day.  We do our best to ensure the curriculum is as exciting as possible, full of trips, events and fun so that children enjoy coming to school each day.

Reporting Absence

• Absences should be communicated to school by 9:30am on each day of absence.
• Please avoid leaving a phone message; instead inform school of the absence, and the reason, via email at: absence@col.318education.co.uk
• The reason for the absence should be specific – please give some details as we cannot record generic reasons such as ‘ill’.
• We would not expect children to be off school because they are tired or have a cough/cold, and may have to request medical evidence in line with our Attendance Policy.

Main points to note about Attendance

• Authorised and Unauthorised absences are clarified on page 8 of the policy (Section 4) and is also listed on the Request for Leave form (Appendix E)
• Requests for leave in term-time must be filled out 1 week before the absence.
• The Request for Leave form (Appendix E) has information about what can and cannot be authorised.
• Please note that whilst we as individuals may sympathise and appreciate the various reasons parents wish to request time off during term time, the Headteacher is duty bound under legislation and the Fixed Penalty Code to decline all holidays in term time.  Holidays are not deemed to be exceptional circumstances.  We mention this in advance so families are not disappointed when requests are denied and an ‘unauthorised’ code is used.  The Headteacher will aim to respond to your request by email within 5 working days.
• When a child is absent for more than 5 days (regardless of the reason), a safe & well check must be carried out by staff in order to comply with safeguarding obligations. This could be a personal or virtual visit and is always a supportive measure.
• Children who are nearing, or are below the 90% mark will be contacted by school to offer any support the family may require.

Arrival and Late Pupils

Children should arrive between 8:40-8:50am where they will be supervised by staff outside.  At 8:50am, staff and pupils will go inside for registration, so lessons can begin on time at 9:00am.  Pupils arriving after 8:50am will need to enter through the main front door and sign in on the electronic screen.  They can do this independently with assistance from office staff.

Medicines

If your child requires medication to be taken during the school day, for short term illnesses that require 4 doses per day, please hand medicines in at the school office.  Staff will ask you to complete a Medicine Consent form.

NHS Pharmacy First Service

This new service enables children and adults to get access to advice and treatment for seven common conditions, without the delay of having to wait for a GP appointment.

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.

The service supports with the following conditions for people in the age groups specified below:

• Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• Infected insect bites and stings (aged 1 year and over)
• Sore throats (aged 5 years and over)
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women (aged 16 to 64 years)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)

The person will see a pharmacist in a private consultation room. The pharmacist will provide advice and, if clinically appropriate, offer to supply treatment for the condition. If treatment is provided, an electronic message will be sent to the person’s GP surgery so their health record can be updated.

School Closure Procedures 

In the very rare event of bad weather or flooding, we always aim to keep school open wherever possible and will assess the many factors involved in making this decision.  Always assume school is open unless you have heard directly from us. Minutes after the decision has been made to close the school we will do the following:

• Contact staff to inform them.
• Put an announcement on the front page of the school website
• Email parents & carers
• Post an announcement on Dojo and Facebook
• Email Shropshire Council for their School Closures list

Therefore, please avoid contacting us to ask if school is open or closed.  It is not something we know in advance and you will be informed as soon as the decision has been made.

Healthy School

We try to encourage a healthy diet in school.  EYFS & KS1 children are provided with a portion of fruit/veg each day for morning snack and we ask that KS2 children also bring in fruit or veg if they want a snack at breaktime, and not crisps and chocolate etc.

Lunch boxes

We like to encourage all EYFS, Year 1 & 2 children to have the free hot meal provided by the Government.  If your child has a lunch box, please keep it healthy and do do not send in fizzy drinks, sweets and chocolate bars.  All children are provided with milk and water at lunchtime, including those children who bring a packed lunch.

Arbor Payments

Please ensure you check your Arbor Account each week to ensure your School Lunch or Wraparound Care Account has not gone into debt.  Many primary schools have moved to a system where lunches and care must be booked in advance and paid within a deadline, or the service is not provided so that incurring debts is no longer possible.  We don’t want to do this, but we also don’t want office staff to be spending time chasing debts, so please support us with making payments in advance and regularly topping up your account so it is always in credit.  We will be contacting parents weekly to discuss any amounts due.

Sports Fixture Travel Payments

Transport is expensive and so we please ask that if your child has been selected to participate in a Team Sports Fixture that you contribute £2.50 towards the Minibus costs.  We will still pay for around 75% of the bill but every little helps us to run the school and our enrichment events.

Arbor School Shop Help

Some products such as Signed books, Sport Fixture Minibus, Parent Lunches and tickets for events are paid via Arbor School Shop.  Please note that when purchasing from School Shop it does not give you a notification that you have paid and we have had some families purchasing duplicates!  To double check that you have made payment, please look in  ‘Invoices’

Contacting School

We are always open and welcoming of communication from families, but are mindful to keep communication as simple as possible so that messages do not get lost.  If you need to contact members of staff, there are a number of avenues for you to do so.  For important and/or sensitive matters, please contact the school office by email or telephone, and the relevant members of staff will be informed and get back to you as soon as is practicable.  For less important messages and notes, please speak to teachers or teaching assistants on the playground before or after school.  Please avoid emailing staff directly, as emails can often become ‘buried’ on busy days.  Please use admin@col.318education.co.uk.

If you have any concerns about your child, you should always discuss this with the Class Teacher in the first instance, or with the Phase Leader if you are still not satisfied.  Complaints should usually only be directed to the Headteacher after following these channels unless it is deemed to be serious and needing urgent escalation/attention.  A copy of our Complaints Policy can be found on our website.

Staying informed of Events, Trips etc

We keep our communication to you streamlined to keep the ‘school admin’ that parents have to deal with to a minimum.  We aim to send letters on Fridays to avoid your inbox being bombarded with school emails, but may occasionally send letters out at other times.  We encourage you all to read the Weekly Newsletter each weekend, as this contains everything you need to know for the next week, items coming up soon, and a roundup of news from the week.  For less important reminders, teachers will use Dojo to communicate changes to you.

Our School Website is live with all events, term dates, menus and staffing. It also has copies of all letters that we send out along with club info, and has a news section in which we upload various photographs of school events for you to view.  Please check here first on your mobile before making enquiries with the school office.

Social media and WhatsApp Groups

It is important that we remind you to consider the good reputation of the school at all times and refrain from posting comments about other children, staff, incidents or concerns online.  This could have wider reaching safeguarding implications and is upsetting to those involved.  Please trust us to promptly and confidentially resolve any school matters on your behalf.  We are all human and we will undoubtedly make a mistake from time to time, and when this happens, we will be honest and transparent with you taking accountability to put things right and learn for the future.  The Senior Leadership Team are outside most mornings and you will be able to raise anything face-to-face. In addition, the annual parent and carer survey allows to provide any feedback on wider issues that you feel could be improved.

Lost Property

We are always overwhelmed with lost property, so to avoid your child losing things, please encourage them to be independent and responsible for their belongings and have conversations with them about not taking off coats or jumpers outside.  We will put the Lost Property bins outside each Wednesday after school.  In addition, please make sure your children’s items are clearly labelled with their full name.  Lots of people share first names!

Spare Uniform

Please visit our Drop and Swap trolley in the School Foyer to donate or take home school shoes or uniform.  We have plenty of School Sweatshirts that need to be re-homed and put back in circulation, so please help yourself and ask Mrs Moore if you require other sizes.

School Street

Thank you to everyone who is helping to make the School Street work well.  Please remember to avoid causing disruption to our neighbours on Salter’s Lane, and in this cold weather, please be mindful of children, staff and residents by not leaving your engines on.  Please also remember that if you have parked outside before the road is closed, to wait until it is open again at 9:00 am and 3:30 pm before moving on.

A huge thank you once again to everyone for your support in making Coleham run so smoothly.  Here’s to a successful 2025!

Kind regards,

Coleham School Team

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to a brand new year at our school! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Christmas break. I’m excited to step into 2025: there is so much more to look forward to this term!

Spring term is always my favourite because it’s when everything really starts to happen. The days get longer, the weather gets warmer (honestly, it will!), and our school calendar fills up with exciting events and activities. We have a jam-packed schedule ahead, and I encourage you to read the rest of this newsletter and keep an eye on our website for all the latest updates and information.

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for your brilliant support throughout 2024. Your involvement and dedication have been key to making our school a thriving and vibrant community. From volunteering at events to supporting your children’s learning at home, your contributions have made a significant difference. As we look ahead to 2025, we are committed to building on the successes of the past year and making this year even better.

Thanks again for all your support – lets make 2025 a year to remember!

Many thanks

Tom Larkham

Headteacher

Dear Parents & Carers,

As we wrap up this week, I wanted to share some highlights and our excitement for the upcoming events.

Our Christmas Carol Singing was a delight! It was heartwarming to see so many families enjoying an evening of festive cheer and beautiful music. The children’s performance was fantastic, showcasing their hard work and dedication. A special thank you to Mrs Porrett and to our parent volunteers for making the concert so magical.

We also had our first Christmas Card House Competition, which was a great success. A big round of applause to Miss Featherston for organising this event. The creativity and effort put into each card was impressive, and judging was tricky. Congratulations goes to QUARRY for winning the overall competition! Your cards stood out for their originality and festive spirit. Well done to all participants for their wonderful entries. You all deserve a round of Santa-plause!

Looking ahead, I’m very excited to see the Nativity plays next week. These performances are always a highlight of the school year and a wonderful way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. We encourage all families to come along and enjoy these special moments. The children have been working hard in rehearsals, and we are confident their performances will be memorable.  Bring tissues!

Thank you for your continued support. Have a lovely weekend!

Tom Larkham

Headteacher