28th March 2025

Dear Parents

Harpenden Academy Fun Run

We had a wonderful morning on Wednesday during our school Fun Run at Rothamsted Park organised by the Year 6 pupils and staff on Wednesday.  The children really stepped into their leadership roles so well and I know that the Year 6 team were thrilled with the way they went about their task. Every child gave it their all, and our Year 6 children did an incredible job organising and marshalling the event. They even baked and delivered delicious treats for everyone at the school!

The Fun Run is part of a bigger fundraising event organised by John Ferguson, Head teacher of Kimpton School who has been organising an event called Running to Save Lives. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed through ParentPay, helping us raise over £500 for the charities. The funds will be divided amongst three charities: Great Ormond Street Hospital, the Stroke Association, and MacMillan. In the lead-up to this date, he will be participating in two half marathons and, at the end of June, running the Wales Marathon. For those who know him, long distance running is not his forte, making this a significant challenge! If you’d like to support these charities and contribute to the event, please visit his GoFundMe page. 

Easter display

As many of you will have seen, our Festive Foyer has changed again to reflect the forthcoming Easter celebration. I’m so thrilled with how the children respond to all of the festivals we have had this year. They are so happy when a new display starts to take place and they always enquire what it is all about.

New Book Nooks!

We are so excited to be creating new spaces to read in school and to have new book nooks in our Key Stage One building. The children have been eager to see what Dermot (our wonderful caretaker!) has been building in the corridor and now our space is ready!

Year 1 Living History Workshop

We had a fantastic workshop for Year 1 covering The Great Fire of London on Monday. The children at The Swan, a cosy London tavern, learnt all about the Great Fire of 1666! The Landlord, Mr. John Wilkins, shared exciting stories, especially about his famous guest, Samuel Pepys, who wrote a diary about the fire. The children learnt how the fire affected the people living in London, what Pepys wrote about it, and the different ways residents tried to stop the flames. They also discovered what might have caused the fire, how King Charles II and the Duke of York helped, and how the fire spread through the city. Plus, they found out about the first fire insurance and how London began to recover after the disaster. It was a fun and interactive way for kids to explore history and learn about this important event!

Ladybirds Visit Harpenden Library!

Ladybirds visited Harpenden library today. We learnt that you can take 30 books home if you have a library card! We explored all the different books in the children's section and chose one that we could go and collect later with our parents. We found a story about a sausage roll which we wanted to read so Mrs Welch read us a story in the library which felt like a treat!

Harpenden & Villages Primary School Poetry Winners

Congratulations to Jessica (Year 3) and Chloe (Year 6) for being awarded first prize in their year group for their poems in the Harpenden & Villages Primary Poetry Competition! The Mayor of Harpenden presented them with their certificates at a prize-giving ceremony on Wednesday.

Spring Concert

On Tuesday 25th March, a group of Year 5 and 6 took part in the Spring Concert at the Eric Morecambe Centre along with the other primary schools in Harpenden and the secondary schools played as part of a band. We really enjoyed singing with all the other schools and taking part in the concert. 

Illness and sickness

This has been a recurring issue at Harpenden Academy this year with many staff members being poorly as well as the children.Can I please remind parents that it is 48 hours before a child can return to school after they have had a bout of sickness and or a poorly tummy. 

New Netball club for Year 4 and Year 5

Due to popular demand we are starting a netball club for Year 4 and Year 5 children after school on a Wednesday afternoon. The club will take place in both the hall and the playground and will be run by the external provider, Netball4Fun.

Please see a flyer advertising the club which will start after the Easter break in the summer term. The cost of the club is £6 per session and the club will run from 3.20pm-4.20pm from 30th April 2025. We will need a minimum of 10 children for the club to go ahead. 

Please click on this link to book your child on to the club. https://bookwhen.com/netball4fun/e/ev-shf5-20250430151500

The passcode is ACADEMY

Easter Holiday Club - Traffic Light Creative and Performing Arts

Easter holidays are just around the corner and we still have some spaces left at our holiday workshops if you'd like to come along and join us!  Booking is also open for our Friday After School Creative Arts Club. This term we are pleased to be able to offer places to reception as well as Years 1-6. If you can't make Fridays, we have new Saturday classes opening too! Details for all events are on the flyers below:

 

Harpenden Easter Egg Hunt
Good Friday, 18th April 2025, from 11am, Harpenden Common, £6/child (£8/child on the day)

Join us for some Easter family fun! Work your way around our Easter Egg Trail on Harpenden Common, figure out the clues, and then come to collect your Easter Egg from the Easter Bunny over the road at Lourdes Hall.

We are delighted to confirm that once again Fizzbug will be joining us to offer face painting, crafts and activities for the older kids, and this year there will also be a bouncy castle for all the keen jumping bunnies.

Too many eggs!? Not to worry – there will be other savoury and sweet food options available, and the fantastic Platform Wines will be on hand supplying a fully-stocked bar!

It’s sure to be a great day out for the entire family!

https://www.foha.co.uk/fohashop/p/easter-egg-hunt

Happy birthday this week:Theodore B (Reception), Aria D-H (Yr 2), Margarita K (Yr 6), Nathaniel E (Yr 6) 

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