28th February 2025
Our Reception class have made daffodils for St David's Day
Dear Parents
We hope that you had a terrific half term break. It was a much needed “pitstop” for us all and we hope that you were able to take full advantage of it.
Coming to school this week has been lovely as the evenings are getting lighter and the sunshine even managed to put in an appearance on Tuesday. What has been less lovely however is the changes to parking in the local area. We are still getting our heads around where we can or cannot park. This is a real issue for the staff and parents of the school and I can only hope that we mange to find a place to park that doesn’t incur parking fines. I’m sure that there will be more twists and turns to come as this parking debate rumbles on.
This morning, we received a letter from a helpful parent informing us of a road closure on Bowers Way next week. We have contacted Highways Surface Treatment EST to determine whether the Bowers Way car park will be affected. If we receive any updates, we will notify parents. In the meantime, please allow extra time for your journey to school next week due to potential parking disruptions.
In school it has been a quite week back for the staff and children as we get back into the swing of school again. However, March does look busy so I have highlighted below some key dates:
Tuesday, 4th March- Pancake Day
Thursday, 6th March- World Book Day…more of that below
Friday, 7th March- INSET Day so NO school
Wk beginning 10th March – Science week
Friday, 21st March- Red Nose Day, World Poetry Day and Fun Run Day
Friday, 4th April- Easter service and End of the term, 12 noon finish
Ladybird VIP Visitors
What an incredible Thursday morning learning more about the work of our local fire fighters. The children were able to look inside the fire engine, see lots of the equipment used by the firefighters and even have a turn at controlling the hose. The ‘jaws of life’ were impressive and communicating with Steve on the Walkie Talkie was great fun! Poor Steve got a soaking - apparently, a birthday treat for him!
Thursday 6th March World Book Day: Read Your Way
Ladybird Class
**No costumes this year! PE kits as usual please.**
Please support your child to pick one of their favourite stories. Then, find one object/clue linked to that story that they can share with the class on World Book Day. For example, your child may love ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell which they can bring to school with a toy puppy. Please send the book and item to school on Thursday 6 March in a named plastic bag.
Once we have tried to guess the book from the object, your child can reveal their favourite story and if they can tell us, 'I love this story because…', that would be wonderful. Please rehearse this at home.
The World Book Day theme this year is 'Read Your Way'. We would love to see photos of your children reading their way in their favourite places. Please send photos to us via Class Dojo prior to World Book Day. Thank you!
Year 1 to Year 6
Children are invited to come into school with props and clues linked to their favourite book. NO COSTUMES THIS YEAR to ensure all children feel a sense of belonging in the day's activities.
We will then have time for each child to share some information about their chosen book and for the class to guess which book it is.
Reading home learning for Friday 28th February for the whole school will therefore be to prepare up to 5 clues to present orally for their classmates to guess their favourite book.
Examples:
My favourite book is set in…..
The main character in my book is…..
Something exciting that happens in my book is……
A problem that the character has to overcome in my book is….
The reason I love this book is that….
An unusual object that appears in my book is...
As the theme is 'Reading My Way' we would love you send in photos over the coming week of your child reading in their favourite place. Please send via Class Dojo to your child's teacher.
Many thanks and we can't wait to celebrate this wonderful day together next week.
Behaviour Meeting
Mrs Curnow held another meeting for parents to attend on 25th February. This meeting was as a direct result of parents raising questions regarding the behaviour procedure in school. This is not the first meeting- in fact it’s the third- she had held to inform parents and to give clarity to how we approach behaviour in school and the theory that sits behind it. Sadly, again this was not well attended. The information will be placed on the website where parents can access it at a more convenient time to themselves.
Spring Reports
All Spring reports following the parent consultations in February were sent out yesterday by Edulink email. You can also access your report from the document tab of your Edulink wheel.
School Entrance
The school entrance will be decorated over the next half term to celebrate three key festivals. Firstly, Ramadan for our Muslim families, next Holi for our Hindu families and finally Easter for our Christian families.
PLEASE let us know which festival you would like to have celebrated from your faith throughout the year and I am sure that we can make it happen.
Trust Music Concert, Tuesday 11th March at 6.00pm-8.30pm
The Trust music concert is on Tuesday 11th March at The Grove Theatre in Dunstable. This event has grown and grown and now covers all the schools in the Trust and show cases the talent that is being nurtured in our schools. If you have a chance to come along, please do as it really is a wonderful evening of dance and song. To purchase tickets, you can buy them directly from the Grove Theatre. You can purchase them from the Box Office – 01582 602080 or buy online Scholars' Education Trust Music Concert | Grove Theatre. Ticket prices are £10 for adults and £6 for Under 16’s.
Spring Term Parent Survey
Please take a few minutes to complete our Spring term parent survey, available on your Edulink forms tab. The deadline for completion is Wednesday 5 March at 8pm.
Lost Property
Yesterday, we sorted through the lost property, returning all named items to the children. On Monday, 3rd March, after school, by the office entrance, we will place any unnamed items on a table outside for parents to reclaim. Any remaining items will be offered to families in need of school uniform support. Please remember to label your child's uniform to help us return lost items promptly.
Stevensons
The school has been notified this week that the Harpenden branch of Stevenson’s will be closing shortly. Their final day of trading is still to be published.
There is the possibility of a free click and collect service to the school so that parents do not need to travel to St Albans to collect uniform. This is something we can work on if there is a demand. Once we have the final date for trading, we will let parents know.
Co-Curricular Friday Club at Harpenden Academy - Traffic Light Arts - Places still available
Due to high demand, Traffic Light Arts have been able to expand the classes and there are a few spaces left if you’d like to join us for this half term.
Please email admin@trafficlightarts.co.uk directly if you’d like to reserve one of these limited places.
Easter Holiday Club - Traffic Light Creative and Performing Arts
After a brilliant week at our February half term holiday workshops inspired by “The Lion King”, bookings are now open for a “Wicked” inspired week of Creative & Performing Arts holiday workshops during the Easter break.
Monday 7th-Fri 11th April. We were fully booked on some of the dates during half term, and places are already filling up in what is proving to be a popular week. If you’d like to attend, please book early to avoid disappointment.
Open to all primary school aged children. Email: admin@trafficlightarts for any enquiries. We’d love to see you!
Save the Date
- Friday 18th April 2025 - Easter Egg Hunt
Easter Egg Hunt
Our inaugural Easter Egg Hunt will be taking place as usual on Good Friday (Friday 18th April) on Harpenden Common. If you would like to be part of the team that delivers this fantastic event, by getting involved with the planning team, volunteering on the day, or perhaps you have a business or idea that could support us - please get in touch at friendsofharpendenacademy@gmail.com. Your support is what makes these events possible.
Tickets will be going on sale shortly after the half term break.
Family Engagement Survey
We have reopened and slightly amended our engagement survey, which is your opportunity to provide feedback or make suggestions to FoHA. We are very grateful for your responses as FoHA is much more than our small committee, it is the whole school community and it is important that everyone's views are heard.
Happy birthday this week: Bo (Yr 4), Remy (Yr 2), Finley (R), Isobel (Yr 2), Ella (6), Tristan (Yr 3), Ludo (Yr 2), Grace (R), Shreyan (Yr 5), Kayan (Yr 1)
Please click here to view our Harpenden Academy vacancies
Please click here to view our Scholars' Education Trust vacancies
