Celebrating Excellence in Early Years – A Proud Achievement for Our School

We are absolutely delighted to share some wonderful news with our school community: April (our EYFS Lead and Nursery Teacher) has been named ‘Expert Early Years Teacher of the Year’ as part of National Early Years Teacher Day 2026.

This is a significant national award, recognising the very best in Early Years education, and we could not be prouder that April’s exceptional work has been recognised in this way. This achievement is incredibly well deserved and reflects the dedication, care and expertise she brings to our school every single day.

For parents, this award highlights the quality of education and support your children receive in their earliest years with us. April’s teaching ensures that children make strong progress from their starting points, developing not only key skills in reading, writing and maths, but also confidence, independence and a genuine love of learning. Many children go on to exceed expectations and are able to talk enthusiastically about what they have learned, something we know is so important for long-term success.

April’s impact goes far beyond the classroom. She is an inspiring leader who supports and develops our Early Years team, ensuring that all staff provide the highest standard of teaching and care. This means that every child benefits from a consistent, nurturing and ambitious learning environment.

One of the most impressive aspects of April’s work has been the transformation of our Early Years learning environment. Through carefully planned activities and continuous provision, children are encouraged to explore, make choices and learn independently – key skills that set them up for future success.

We are incredibly proud of April and this outstanding achievement. It is a testament to her passion, commitment and the positive impact she has on our children, families and wider school community.

Please join us in congratulating her on this fantastic and well-deserved recognition.

Hair Accessories in Reception – Important Safety Guidance

We would like to share some updated guidance regarding hair accessories, specifically the use of beads, for our youngest children in Reception and Nursery.

Following advice we have received, it is recommended that children in Early Years do not wear beads in their hair. This is due to the potential choking hazard they can present if they become loose during the school day.

This guidance comes after anecdotal evidence from another setting, where a Reception child was at risk of choking after putting another child’s hair, including beads, into their mouth during play. While this is not a common occurrence, it does highlight how quickly situations can arise with very young children, who are still developing awareness of risks.

In Reception, children are engaged in active, hands-on learning throughout the day. They learn through play, exploration and close interaction with one another, which means we must take extra care to minimise any potential hazards in the environment.

For this reason, we kindly ask that Reception children do not come to school wearing beads in their hair. This is purely a safety measure to help us ensure all children are as safe as possible while they learn and play.

We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe environment for all of our children.

In case you missed it…Thank You for Taking Part in Our Logo Vote

We would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who took part in our recent logo vote poll. We really appreciate the time you took to share your opinions and help us make this important decision.

We are pleased to announce that the winning design was Option 4 – featuring uniform colours of white, red, and blue. As you can see from the results, it won by a large majority, showing clear support across our community.

Thanks to parent feedback this week we can confirm that the new logo will begin to appear one future deliveries of uniforms. However, there is absolutely no expectation for families to replace existing uniform items. Current uniforms can continue to be worn as normal, and the new logo will be introduced gradually over time as items are naturally replaced.

Thank you once again for your support and involvement.

In the news over the past week…