As part of this term’s curriculum work on World War II, we have arranged for Year 6 to visit the Western Approaches HQ’s secret war tunnels in Liverpool on Monday 30^th November.   These secret tunnels were only re-discovered in recent years having been abandoned at the end of the war – a true time capsule for that significant time in our country’s history.  Following our visit to the tunnels we will walk to over to the Docklands area to explore some of the areas targeted during The Blitz. The coach will collect us from the Docklands area before returning to school.

In order for us to arrive at the tunnels on time, we will be setting off from school earlier than usual. The coach will leave school at 8:15am prompt, so children need to arrive at school by 8.00am. We will leave Liverpool at 3:00pm, and expect to arrive back at school around 5.00pm. If we encounter any significant delay on our return journey, we will do our best to keep you informed.

Your child will need to bring a packed lunch and plenty to drink for this trip.  Those pupils entitled to free school meals will be given a packed lunch by our school meals provider before departure. This will include a sandwich, a packet of crisps, desert and piece of fruit.  Children should wear school uniform and have a lightweight coat with them. There will be no time to visit the museum souvenir shop so no spending money is required.

The cost of the trip is £25.50, which includes transport and workshops.  Payment for this trip should be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the trip.

In case of an emergency or medical incident during the trip we ask that you check that your contact details are up-to-date on Arbor prior to the trip. Thank you for your assistance.

For many years, our Year 6 pupils have enjoyed taking part in a two-night residential visit. It has consistently been a highlight of their time at Coleham, providing a well-earned celebration of their hard work and achievements.  The children have fun with friends and create lasting memories together before embarking on the next chapter of their journey to secondary school.

Residential experiences provide children with a wealth of benefits. They help to build confidence and independence, encourage teamwork, and give children valuable opportunities to develop resilience and organisational skills away from home.  It is always wonderful to see the growth in confidence that children demonstrate during and after the trip.

We are delighted to confirm that this year’s Year 6 residential will take place at the Pioneer Centre, Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire.  This is an Activity Centre accredited by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority.

Children will depart from school on Monday 24^th May 2027 and return on Wednesday 26th May 2027 and be back for the end of the usual school day. Pupils will take part in activities over the three days, all designed to develop teamwork, problem-solving skills and confidence within a safe and supportive environment.

The total cost of the trip will be £260 per child, which includes transport, accommodation, meals, supervised activities with Activity Centre staff, evening entertainment, equipment and insurance. 

We fully appreciate that this is a significant cost for families and, with this in mind, we have created a payment schedule that allows the cost to be spread over the next eight months.  A deposit of £44.00 is required by 3rd January 2026 to secure your child’s place.  The remaining balance of £215.00 can be paid in six instalments of £36.00 due by Friday 14th May 2027. 

Please note that these instalments do not need to be paid on fixed dates.  Families are welcome to make payments at any time over the eight-month period, provided the full balance is cleared by 14th May 2027.  Our aim is to make the payment process as manageable and flexible as possible.

If the cost of the trip is causing concern, please do get in touch with me in confidence. We are keen for every child to have the opportunity to attend and would be very happy to discuss alternative payment arrangements with families where needed.

If your child feels a little anxious about staying away from home, please be reassured that this is completely normal. Our staff will spend time preparing the children beforehand and providing support throughout the experience. If you have any specific concerns about your child attending, please speak with their class teacher so that we can work together to ensure they feel happy and confident about the visit.

We hope that all children will be able to attend and will therefore assume participation unless the class teacher is informed otherwise.  Further information will be shared closer to the trip, and we will be happy to answer any questions that you or your child may have.

This residential visit is a fantastic opportunity for children to learn, grow and create lasting memories with their friends. We very much hope that every Year 6 pupil will be able to take part in this special experience.

We have arranged a party for our Year 6 Leavers to mark the end of their time with us – a momentous milestone in their growing up and moving on. Following the success of previous years’ celebrations at the Trampoline Park in Harlescott we have arranged for this year’s Year 6 to attend the same venue.

The children will be leaving school around 12.15pm on Monday 20^th July and travelling by coach to the trampoline park where they will have a one-hour session on the trampolines followed by a meal and a drink. They should be back in time for normal end of day collection time, depending on the traffic they encounter on their return journey.

The cost of the event is £16.35 per child including transport, activity (which includes a pair of special trampolining  socks), pizza and a soft drink.  Payment for this trip should be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the trip.

In case of an emergency or medical incident during the trip we ask that you check that your contact details are up-to-date on Arbor prior to the trip. Thank you for your assistance.

We very much hope the children will have an enjoyable and memorable afternoon at Air Hop Trampoline Park.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The SATs are now over and we just wanted to let you know how incredibly hard the children have worked last week! We are very proud of the resilience and effort shown by everyone and they should also feel incredibly proud of themselves.

As you know, the first week back after half term, we head to Pioneer for our two-night residential; everybody is excited and it feels perfectly timed after SATs.

Here is some final information so that you and your child can feel prepared on the morning of Monday 1st June:

Packing

Please use the KIT LIST to help with packing and do aim to let your child be as involved as possible in this process; it is important for your child to know what is in their bag as this will allow them to be independent during their stay.

Children will need to bring a packed lunch to school on Monday 1^st June and they will eat it at Pioneer on the first day.

Don’t forget to pack a water bottle and reading book – these may be useful to have in a smaller bag which can be kept with your child on the bus, along with their packed lunch.

Remember not to pack mobile phones, electronic devices and extra snacks or sweets.

Medication

It is vital that we have the correct information about any medication that your child will require while we are away. With this in mind, we would like any medication to be given to an adult (Mrs Morgan, Miss Featherston or Mrs Jeff) on Monday morning. Please put any medication in a container with your child’s name written clearly on the front along with clear instructions and dosage.

If your child has any specific allergies, please make sure we know about them.

If your child requires travel sickness tablets, please give them their tablet at home or send it into school for us to give before we head off. Remember to also include another tablet for the return journey.

Other bits to remember

Don’t forget a packed lunch on Monday 1st as our evening meal will be the first meal provided by Pioneer.

Please encourage your child to practise putting on a duvet cover and pillow case as that will be the first challenge set when we arrive.

The coach will leave school at approximately 10:15 on Monday morning. We will return at approximately 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon.

As ever, thank-you for your ongoing support in preparing your child for the trip.

Best wishes,

Mrs Morgan, Miss Featherston and the Year 6 team 😊

Get Ready to Ride: Bikeability Level 1/2 is Coming!

We are thrilled to announce that our school will be hosting Bikeability training for our Year 6 pupils from Monday 8^th to Thursday 11^th June. You might remember “cycling proficiency” from your own school days. Bikeability is the refreshed, 21st-century version, designed to give children the practical skills and confidence they need to enjoy cycling for life.

How the Level 1/2 Course Works

In Shropshire, we have successfully run a combined Level 1 and 2 course for many years. This model works exceptionally well because it allows children to master their equipment before putting those skills to the test in the real world. The training happens in two clear stages:

• Stage 1: The Essentials (Level 1) Riders start in a traffic-free environment, such as the school playground. Here, they learn to master bike control, balance, and signaling. It’s all about making sure they are steady and confident on two wheels.
• Stage 2: The Real World (Level 2) Once the basics are second nature, the training moves out onto local streets. This gives trainees a real-world cycling experience where they learn to make independent decisions, handle simple junctions, and understand road positioning.

No Bike? No Problem!

We believe that every child should have the chance to learn these life-saving skills, regardless of whether they own a bicycle.

If your child does not have access to a bike or a helmet, please do not worry. We can arrange for loaner bikes and helmets to be provided for the duration of the course at no extra cost. Just let the school office know, and we’ll make sure they’re ready to roll!

Why Take Part?

Cycling isn’t just great exercise; it’s a boost for a child’s independence and mental well-being. By completing the Level 1/2 course, pupils gain:

• Better spatial awareness and hazard perception.
• The ability to navigate their neighbourhood safely.
• A foundation for healthy, sustainable travel habits.

Equipment Check: If your child is bringing their own bike, please ensure it is roadworthy (working brakes and inflated tires) and that their helmet fits snugly.

How To Take Part?

To book your child on to the Bikeability training course please click on the link below and complete the online consent form:

https://consent.bikeability.org.uk/film-milk-lad

We can’t wait to see our pupils out on their bikes, building their confidence and having fun!

The children in Year 6 have been fortunate to be accepted for Crucial Crew which takes place at the Flaxmill Maltings, Shrewsbury on Friday 5^th June.  This is a very popular event which all schools in Shropshire would like to take part in but for which places are very limited.

Crucial Crew is run by the West Midlands Police Force and the aim of it is to give older children an insight in how to deal with safety hazards, such as fires and accidents, and also to make them aware of the dangers of drug/alcohol abuse.

The children will be transported by coach, leaving school at 9.00am sharp, so please ensure they arrive a little earlier that morning so that registration can be taken at 8.50am. They will return to school at approximately 3.00 p.m.

Please ensure that your child wears their school uniform – especially their sweatshirts/cardigans – as this will enable them to be identified more easily whilst there. As many of the activities take place outside, they will also need a waterproof, lightweight coat in case of inclement weather.

Children will need to bring a packed lunch. Those entitled to free school meals will be provided with a packed lunch by our caterers but you may want to supplement this with additional refreshments.

Crucial Crew request that parents ensure that their children have had something to eat before they embark on the day’s activities, especially if hot weather is forecast: children will not have a mid-morning break at this event so the earliest they will get to eat will be approx. 12.15pm. Over the years, a number of children have had to attend the first aid centre because of feeling faint, which has usually been because of lack of food or dehydration. They are allowed to carry a bottle of water around with them during the day, which they will be able to top up during their lunch break.

The cost of the trip is £5.25 per child including transport, insurance and activities.  Payment should be made via your child’s Arbor account, in the usual way prior to the date of the trip please.

We hope that all our Year 6 pupils will attend this trip. However, if you do not want your child to attend, please notify your child’s class teacher as soon as possible so that they can make alternative arrangements for your child for that day.

We are excited to share with you that on Tuesday 14^th April, we will be welcoming Widget Workshops in to share a ‘Maya’ workshop day with Year 6.  Using the latest technology, the children will explore the world of The Maya. Working in pairs, they will visit important Maya sites such as Tikal, Palenque, Uxmal and Chichen Itza, as well as swimming in a cenote. They will also explore the Maya number system and calendar and also have a go at weaving and creating their own worry doll.

As we have no other way of funding the workshop we would be grateful if parents can contribute £6.70 per child towards the cost. Payment is to be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the workshop please. Many thanks.

The KS2 SATs will take place during the week commencing 11^th May 2026. Below are the SATs dates for each test throughout the week.

Timetable for SATs week

All things SATS after school drop-in session

 We are inviting parents to attend an informal drop-in session where we will be looking at a variety of SAT materials. The drop-in session will be on Thursday 26^th February and we will be available from 3:20 pm until 5:00 pm to answer any questions you may have regarding the SATs. We are doing this prior to parents evening so that your appointment will be about your child’s learning rather than SATs information.

Year 6 SATs revision books

 In response to the large number of requests from parents for SATs revision materials, the school has purchased a math, reading and GPS revision book for each child. Your child will be given these after half term and will have a schedule to complete the questions.  The schedule will be published on Dojo for reference each week and will run Friday to Friday. We would like you to support your child with the completion of this each week, along with daily reading and times table practise.

Useful revision resources

In the run up to the SATs, we will be using a range of resources, which you can also access at home:

https://mathsbot.com/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/#

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z4mktcw

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z4296rd

As ever, thank you for your ongoing support.

As part of this term’s curriculum work on World War II, we have arranged for Year 6 to visit the Western Approaches HQ’s secret war tunnels in Liverpool on Tuesday 2^nd December.   These secret tunnels were only re-discovered in recent years having been abandoned at the end of the war – a true time capsule for that significant time in our country’s history.  Following our visit to the tunnels we will head to the Dockland area for a short visit to World Museum Liverpool to look at their War Exhibition.

In order for us to arrive at the tunnels on time, we will be setting off from school earlier than usual. The coach will leave school at 8:15am prompt, so children need to arrive at school by 8.00am. We will leave Liverpool at 3:00pm, and expect to arrive back at school around 5.00pm. If we encounter any significant delay on our return journey, we will do our best to keep you informed.

Your child will need to bring a packed lunch and plenty to drink for this trip – no glass bottles or fizzy drinks please. Those pupils entitled to free school meals will be given a packed lunch by our school meals provider before departure. Please also ensure that they wear school uniform and have a lightweight coat with them. As the day will be packed with activities, there will be no time to visit the souvenir shop so no spending money is required.

The cost of the trip is £22.80, which includes transport and workshops.  Payment for this trip should be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the trip.

In case of an emergency or medical incident during the trip we ask that you check that your contact details are up-to-date on Arbor prior to the trip. Thank you for your assistance.

In Year 6, we no longer offer whole-cohort swimming lessons. Instead, we provide top-up swimming lessons for children who require additional support to meet the national expectations for primary school swimming.

These expectations are that pupils can:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• Use a range of strokes effectively (e.g., front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke)
• Demonstrate an understanding of safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

To help us identify which children would benefit from these top-up lessons, we kindly ask that you complete a short Microsoft Forms questionnaire. Please answer the questions as honestly and accurately as possible, as this information will support us in understanding your child’s current swimming ability. We will use your responses alongside school records from previous swimming assessments in Years 3, 4 and 5.

Please complete the form here:

Year 6 Swimming Questionnaire – Fill in form

Thank you for your support in ensuring we provide the right opportunities for our pupils.

Miss Lewis

PE Lead

We are excited to announce that we have organised a residential trip for our Year 6 pupils in June 2026 at The Pioneer Centre, Cleobury Mortimer. The children will depart from school on the morning of Monday, 1^st  June (the first day following the May half-term break) and will return in time for the usual end-of-day collection on Wednesday, 3^rd  June.

We strongly advocate the numerous benefits that residential trips provide for participating pupils, including:

• Developing team-building skills, cooperation, and mutual respect through a series of safe yet challenging activities;
• Fostering greater independence;
• Acquiring new skills and engaging in enriching, novel experiences;
• Gaining self-awareness and motivation by discovering their capabilities; and
• Above all, enjoying themselves and having fun!

The Pioneer Centre is a purpose-built activity venue with excellent modern facilities designed to meet the diverse needs of both staff and pupils. We have visited this centre on several occasions, and each visit has been highly successful. Consequently, we are pleased to be returning with our Year 6 pupils during the Summer term.

The centre offers a welcoming “home from home” atmosphere and provides a wide range of exciting activities, all supervised by experienced and qualified staff. For more information about the centre’s facilities and a site plan, please visit their website at:
https://activity-centres.naycacuk.co.uk/pioneer-centre/

The cost of the trip is £256.00 per child, which includes transport, meals, accommodation, supervised activities, and equipment. We understand this is a considerable expense, so we have arranged for payment to be made in four instalments of £64.00. The first instalment should be paid by 30th November,  if possible please, with the remaining balance due by Friday, 8th May 2026. Early payment of the full amount would, of course, be appreciated.

If you have any concerns about meeting the payment deadlines, please do not hesitate to contact us directly via the school office. We would be happy to discuss alternative payment arrangements to support your family.

If your child has any apprehensions about the trip, please be assured that class teachers will provide ample preparation and support. However, please speak to your child’s class teacher directly if you have any specific concerns. We will presume all children will be attending the trip unless their class teacher is informed otherwise.

This trip promises to be an extraordinary and memorable experience for our pupils, and we sincerely hope that all Year 6 children will participate.

Exciting RE news! Years 1, 4 and 6 will each be taking part in an African Drumming workshop on Thursday the 2nd of October. This will be a fun way of linking their knowledge and developing an understanding about different global cultural practises and traditions. This is an important part of their overall RE learning journey. The workshop will also make a nice cross-curricular link to the Black History month which beings on 1st October.

To cover the cost of the workshop we are asking for a donation of £3.00 per child, to be paid via your child’s Arbor account. Many thanks.

We have arranged a party for our Year 6 Leavers to mark the end of their time with us – a momentous milestone in their growing up and moving on. Following the success of previous years’ celebrations at the Trampoline Park in Harlescott we have arranged for this year’s Year 6 to attend the same venue.

The children will be leaving school around 12.15pm on Monday 14^th July and travelling by coach to the trampoline park where they will have a one-hour session on the trampolines followed by a meal and a drink. They should be back in time for normal end of day collection time, depending on the traffic they encounter on their return journey.

The cost of the event is £17.60 per child including transport, activity (which includes a pair of special trampolining  socks), pizza and a soft drink.  Payment for this trip should be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the trip.

In case of an emergency or medical incident during the trip we ask that you check that your contact details are up-to-date on Arbor prior to the trip. Thank you for your assistance.

We very much hope the children will have an enjoyable and memorable afternoon at Air Hop Trampoline Park.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The SATs are now over and we just wanted to let you know that the children have worked incredibly hard to do their absolute best in each of the tests completed. We are very proud of the resilience and effort shown by everyone throughout the week.

As you know, the first week back after half term, we head to Pioneer for our two-night residential; everybody is excited and it feels perfectly timed after SATs.

Here is some final information so that you and your child can feel prepared on the morning of Monday 2nd June:

Packing

Please use the kit list to help with packing. Do aim to let your child be as involved as possible in this process; it is important for your child to know what is in their bag as this will allow them to be as independent as possible during the stay.

Don’t forget to pack a water bottle and reading book – these may be useful to have in a smaller bag which can be kept with your child on the bus, along with their packed lunch.

Remember not to pack mobile phones, electronic devices and extra snacks or sweets.

Medication

It is vital that we have the correct information about any medication that your child will require while we are away. With this in mind, we would like any medication to be given to an adult (Mrs Morgan, Miss Featherston or Mrs Jeff) on Monday morning. Please put any medication in a container with your child’s name written clearly on the front along with clear instructions and dosage.

If your child has any specific allergies, please make sure we know about them.

If your child requires travel sickness tablets, please give them their tablet at home or send it into school for us to give before we head off. Remember to also include another tablet for the return journey so we can make sure they take it before we set off on Wednesday.

Other bits to remember

You will need to send your child to school with a packed lunch on Monday 2nd as our evening meal will be the first meal provided by Pioneer.

Please encourage your child to practise putting on a duvet cover and pillow case as that will be the first challenge set when we arrive.

The coach will leave school at approximately 10:15 on Monday morning. We will return at approximately 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon.

As ever, thank-you for your ongoing support in preparing your child for the trip.

Best wishes,

Mrs Morgan, Miss Featherston and the year 6 team

Our annual Music Showcase Concert will be on Wednesday 18th June at 6.00pm in the school hall.

The concert is open to all pupils who have instrumental lessons in and outside of school, from Year 2 upwards. It’s free to attend and is always a lovely opportunity to perform to a friendly and supportive audience.

To confirm your child’s participation and provide details of the music they will be performing (only one piece per child please!) and other relevant information (e.g.  whether they require accompaniment,  backing track etc.), please complete the booking form below:

https://forms.office.com/e/XZw6h6beQU

Performers may need some preparation time – for warming up, tuning instruments etc.-  so we ask that they arrive around 5.40pm. The concert will start at 6.00pm prompt and will last around an hour. Mrs Porrett is in school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays if you’d like to talk more about your child’s chosen piece.

I do hope you can join us for this very enjoyable evening.

The children in Year 6 have been fortunate to be accepted for the Crucial Crew which takes place this year at the Flaxmill Maltings, Shrewsbury on Tuesday 10^th June.  This is a very popular event which all schools in Shropshire would like to take part in but for which places are very limited.

Crucial Crew is run by the West Midlands Police Force and the aim of it is to give older children an insight in how to deal with safety hazards, such as fires and accidents, and also to make them aware of the dangers of drug/alcohol abuse.

The children will be transported by coach, leaving school at 9.00am sharp, so please ensure they arrive a little earlier that morning so that registration can be taken at 8.50am. They will return to school at approximately 3.00 p.m.

Please ensure that your child wears their school uniform – especially their sweatshirts/cardigans – as this will enable them to be identified more easily whilst there. As many of the activities take place outside, they will also need a waterproof, lightweight coat in case of inclement weather.

Children will need to bring a packed lunch. Those entitled to free school meals will be provided with a packed lunch by our caterers but you may want to supplement this with additional refreshments.

Crucial Crew request that parents ensure that their children have had something to eat before they embark on the day’s activities, especially if hot weather is forecast: children will not have a mid-morning break at this event so the earliest they will get to eat will be approx. 12.15pm. Over the years, a number of children have had to attend the first aid centre because of feeling faint, which has usually been because of lack of food or dehydration. They are allowed to carry a bottle of water around with them during the day, which they will be able to top up during their lunch break.

The cost of the trip is £5.25 per child including transport, insurance and activities.  Payment should be made via your child’s Arbor account, in the usual way prior to the date of the trip please.

We hope that all our Year 6 pupils will attend this trip. However, if you do not want your child to attend, please notify your child’s class teacher as soon as possible so that they can make alternative arrangements for your child for that day.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Our school is to receive Free Bikeability Level 1 & 2 Cycle Training which takes place on the following dates:

• Giraffes: Monday 19^th May to Tuesday 20^th May
• Elephants: Wednesday 21^st May to Thursday 22^nd May

What is Bikeability?

Bikeability is the national cycle training programme supported and funded by the Department for Transport. The skills your child will learn will help boost confidence and independent thinking thus helping them to be a safer road user. Learning the rules of the road when young is a real boost to confidence and a very positive experience of true travel independence. So, whether your child cycles regularly or not, the course will prove beneficial. Shropshire’s Bikeability Scheme is delivered by Learn Cycling, a national training company who employ qualified, professional, DBS checked National Standard Instructors. Please visit www.bikeability.org.uk for more information.

This course develops the cycling skills and confidence of children who can already cycle.

To sign up for the Bikeability training taking place at Coleham School please click HERE below by no later than Monday 12^th May:

We will email you to confirm your child’s place by close of play on Wednesday 14^th May.

Kind regards,

The School Office

School Shop Direct are pleased to supply Coleham Primary with leavers’ hoodies for 2025.

They will have the school logo embroidered on the left chest and the back ‘25’ print design with pupil’s names inside and right chest name/initial.

Child sizes (12-14 and below) = £24 each

Adult sizes (small and above) = £26 each

Colours available are:

• Purple
• Red
• Navy
• Fuchsia pink
• Heather grey
• Turquoise
• Powder blue

Sizes are:

• 9-11 yrs (32”)
• 12-14 yrs (34”)
• Small (37”)
• Medium (40”)
• Large (43”)

Hoodies can be ordered on The School Shop website

The cut off date for orders being placed is 4^th April.

Please select the Click and Collect option when checking out (to avoid delivery charge) as hoodies will then be delivered all together to school at the end of SATS week in May.

When ordering, please put pupil’s full name in the Notes box and also the chosen name/initials to be printed on the front (up to 10 letters).

Any queries please contact School Shop on:

Tel: 01743 440449

Email: info@schoolshopdirect.co.uk

As part of this term’s science curriculum work on Evolution, we have arranged for Year 6 to visit Shrewsbury Museum on Monday 7th April. One class will visit in the morning after registration; the other after lunch, returning in time for normal end-of-day collection.

During their visit, they will look at a number of exhibits pertinent to their study and each class will take part in an “Investigating Evolution” workshop.

Pupils should wear normal school uniform for the trip. They should also bring with them a warm/water-proof coat, in case of inclement weather. No spending money is required.

The cost of the trip is £3.90 per child. Payment should be made via your child’s Arbor account prior to the date of the trip please. Many thanks.