9th October 2026
I would like to start our newsletter this week by saying a HUGE THANK YOU to our amazing community who came together last weekend to create the most incredible sand pit for our children to enjoy as part of OPAL play. I hope your children have come home and told you about it because it really has been joyous to see them in it this week. In fact, just being outside over lunch time on Tuesday brought me to tears. The quality of play and interaction is wonderful. I am so proud of what we have achieved in a relatively short time, and there is still more to come. Every time something new is unveiled the children whoop with delight. On Friday our new Rainbow Welly award was unveiled (Mr Newitt has been very busy)! We are seeing creativity, kindness and fantastic teamwork which all contributes to winning this award for the class.
Thank you to our sand pit build team - the Gallons, Cheshires, Hewitts, Stowes and our staff families - the Patrick-Walkers, the Walkers (Mrs P-W's parents), the Lennons, the Wilcocks, the McFeelys, Miss Mabbett, Mrs Rogers and to my family too. What a team everyone made! Our OPAL site was transformed this weekend.
Just a reminder that on Monday we are wearing something blue with our uniform to acknowledge World Mental Health Day (which is Saturday 10th October). We would like everyone to bring in a donation for our charities Place2Be and Young Minds Matter - whatever you are willing to give is appreciated. Thank you so much!
Have a lovely weekend.
Jess Newitt, Headteacher
Stars of the Week
Reception ~ Clara
Year 1 ~ Charlie
Year 2 ~ Orion
Year 3 ~ Maisie
Year 4 ~ Evie
Year 5 ~ Freddie
Year 6 ~ Mabel
Well done, everyone, for shining so brightly!
Team Cup Winners
Congratulations to this week's team cup winners, Charlecote Greens! And a big "WELL DONE" to anyone who earned team points this week.
Rainbow Welly Award
Our Rainbow Welly Award winner this week is.....Year 4 - collected on their behalf by Millie! Congratulations to Year 4 who had an extra 10 minutes of play this week :)
Percentage Attendance Levels by Year Group - 2026/27 (to date)
Reception - 97.8%
Year 1 - 99.2%
Year 2 - 97.2%
Year 3 - 99.1%
Year 4 - 97.8%
Year 5 - 95.9%
Year 6 - 97.4%
Overall School Total - 97.8%
While the UK government sets an expectation of 100% attendance, good attendance is generally considered 95% or higher, with 97% or above regarded as very good/excellent.
Attendance Percentages Explained:
- 97-100%: Very Good/Excellent attendance
- 95-97%: Average/Good attendance
- 90-95%: Cause for concern
- Below 90%: Serious concern / Persistent absence (PA)
OPAL Play!
Please take a peek at our latest OPAL Newsletter at the link below - lots of updates and some lovely pictures of the children getting stuck into everything on offer!
Row, row, row your boat!
On Tuesday, Year 5 took to the River Avon for a thrilling day of bell-boating! The pupils worked in teams as they rowed together and navigated the excitement of travelling up and down the river. It was lots of fun especially when the children experienced a lock! Extra high-fives go to our brave risk-takers who tested their balance by walking down the middle of the boat—a huge confidence-booster for everyone. It was a fantastic day filled with teamwork, laughter, and courage on the water.
Living Through WWII
Year 6 were very lucky to be visited by Mr Harrison, a local resident, for a World War II talk last week. Mr Harrison shared his experiences of growing up during the war and what it was like for him to be evacuated to Herefordshire. It was wonderful for the children to meet and speak with someone who has first-hand knowledge of living through World War II. The children asked informative questions and were kind and respectful. Thank you Mr Harrison for taking the time to visit us - your knowledge and experiences are invaluable to the childrens' learning.
Step Back in Time!
Year 2 had a wonderful trip to St John’s Museum this week, where they stepped back in time and experienced what life was like for Victorian children. Great fun was had pretending to be Victorian school children, experiencing what a school day might have been like in the past. Year 2 also worked in the laundry, grating soap, scrubbing collars, and drying clothes. To finish off their trip, the children enjoyed playing traditional old-school games, which proved to be great fun! It was a fantastic day of hands-on learning, and the children thoroughly enjoyed bringing their history topic to life. Well done, Year 2!
Year 6 Forest School – Michaelmas
Last week, Year 6 enjoyed a Michaelmas-themed Forest School session, making the most of the freshly fallen autumn leaves. Some children created wonderful nature collage dragons, while others took part in an autumn treasure scavenger hunt. A group of keen crafters also put their six years of Forest School knowledge and skills to the test, whittling with knives and turning their creations into imaginative characters. I was particularly impressed by their confidence, skill and understanding of tool safety, as well as their ability to work responsibly and keep one another safe. It was fantastic to see how their Forest School experience has helped them develop such strong practical skills, confidence and independence.
What a Week!
Year 4 have had an amazing and action-packed week! On Monday, the children enjoyed a fantastic Art Day, where they created compositions using recycled sweet wrappers before developing their toning and shading skills to produce some very tempting pictures of delicious, sweet treats!
The excitement continued on Wednesday with our much-anticipated trip to Cadbury World. Not only was the day great fun, but it also provided lots of inspiration for our next piece of writing – creating a radio advert to promote Cadbury World. We also had a brilliant introduction to our next History topic, the Ancient Maya, with an engaging talk from one of Cadbury World’s fantastic members of staff. The children came away full of new facts and ready to find out more!
To finish off a busy week, the children had great fun exploring stop-motion animation in Computing. They planned their own stop-motion sequences and are now very excited to bring their ideas to life when they begin creating their animations next week.
What a fantastic week of creativity, learning and fun – well done, Year 4!
The Little Red Hen
The children in Reception have read the story 'The Little Red Hen'. They have explored this in their play through playdough, collage and puppets. The children have also made bread. They explored the ingredients by measuring, mixing and kneading the dough. The children enjoyed the smell of the fresh baked bread to take home and try. What wonderful helpers they have been in Reception to all make the bread.
Jolly Hockey Sticks!
On Friday 2nd October, eight of our Year 5 pupils had the fantastic opportunity to attend a hockey workshop and tournament at Warwick High. During the workshop, the children practised a range of hockey skills and drills, developing their passing, dribbling, shooting and teamwork. They then put these skills into practice during the tournament, showing great enthusiasm, determination and sportsmanship throughout the games.
It was wonderful to see the children grow in confidence and work together as a team. They represented our school brilliantly and should be very proud of their efforts.
Fantastic Footballers!
On Monday, some of the Year 5 and Year 6 boys took part in their first football match of the season, against Holy Trinity Primary School. Holy Trinity are an excellent side so we knew this would be a very competitive game! From the warm-up and team talk to the very last kick of the game, our boys showed wonderful team spirit and determination. The first half was incredibly exciting, with a hat-trick (including a "worldie" goal from near the half way line!) by Frankie, making it 3-3 at the break. Liam, Harry and Calvin were tenacious at the back putting in some crucial tackles and Jude G made many incredible saves. In the second half, Holy Trinity managed to out score us to take the win but Alveston did not make it easy for them. Benji, Edward and Max displayed a brilliant work-rate in midfield, putting tackles in and playing some fantastic through-balls to Frankie and Ben. Frankie and Ben had more brilliant shots on target but were kept at bay with lots of fantastic saves from the Holy Trinity goalkeeper. Alveston played with no substitutes but their tired legs kept working until the very end so we hope the boys are very proud of their first performance of the year! A huge thank you to Mr Stowe for taking the football club and getting the boys prepared for these fixtures and to Miss Mabbett for organising these wonderful opportunities. The boys are already looking forward to their next fixture!
(Match report provided by Ms Vadasz)
Miss Mabbett is quoted as saying, "The Year 5/6 boys did a fantastic job in their first sports match against Holy Trinity. Despite the loss, they played a very competitive game, showing great effort, teamwork and tenacity throughout. Well done, boys! We’re looking forward to seeing more great performances in the matches to come!".
What a game!
Warwickshire Libraries What’s On Guide October 2026 – April 2027
Looking for inspiration for the months ahead? Warwickshire Libraries brand-new What's On Guide covering October 2026 to April 2027 is now available in all county-managed Warwickshire libraries. Packed with author events, children's activities, creative workshops, reading groups and much more, it's the perfect way to see what's happening at your local library over the coming months.
Join Warwickshire Libraries this October half term for some fun activities. Visit the eventbrite page to find out more. Find the guide here.
Join Warwickshire Libraries this October half term for some fun activities. Visit the eventbrite page to find out more. Find the guide here.
Warwickshire Xmas Tree Farm - School Donation Project
When it comes time to search out that perfect tree for the festive season, look no further than the Warwickshire Christmas Trees farm! They have been supplying Alveston with gorgeous specimens for the last six years and we highly recommend them. As in previous years, the farm will kindly donate 10% of the value of any tree purchased by Alveston Primary families to the school - so why not go along and pick your perfect tree - and be sure to mention Alveston Primary School!
Find out more here.
Community Interest
We post community events and projects on our website under 'Our Community'. For more information about activities open to you, your family and your local community, please do check the pages regularly:
You can also find a list of the FoodBank's "MOST WANTED" items right here. Please do take a look and help to support those in need in our local community.
General Reminders
Parking at Drop-Off and Pick-Up
We are so lucky at Alveston that the Football Club allow all our parents who drive to school to use their car park for drop-off and pick-up. This makes it safer for all our children. Please continue to use the Football Club car park. Please note: Parking is only available if there are spaces free and we can only park in the allocated bays. Once all the marked bays are full each day, parents will need to find alternative parking when dropping off and collecting their children. Please do not park in any other areas of the car park going forward. Please do not park on any double-yellow lines for pick-up or drop-offs. Please also ensure that you do not stop or park within the zig-zag "Keep Clear" markings at the main entrance to school. This area is marked to keep the flow of traffic moving and to ensure the safety of all pedestrians.
Sickness and Absence
Please let the school office know each day your child is absent from school by calling 01789 293412, option 1, and leaving a message. You may also email parents3002@welearn365.com. You do not need to contact us daily if your child is sick/vomits. Absences for sickness/vomiting will be recorded 48 hours from the end of the day your child was last sick (i.e. if sick on Sunday, come back on Wednesday; if Tuesday come back on Friday).
Medicines in School
We cannot accept medicines in school without a prescription label and a medical form completed by a parent or carer. Please ask the school office for more information and/or a form via:
parents3002@welearn365.com
We cannot accept medicines in school without a prescription label and a medical form completed by a parent or carer. Please ask the school office for more information and/or a form via:
parents3002@welearn365.com
Important Dates* to Remember
Key dates for Autumn Term (1) are shown below.
* Please note that all dates published are subject to change/cancellation - please check this page and/or the website calendar regularly:
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Autumn Term (1) |
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Celebration / Star of the Week Assemblies |
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16/10, *19/10 (Half Term Cup) |
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Teacher-Led Clubs – 4 weeks |
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w/c 14th September to w/e 9th October 2026 |
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12/10 |
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Wear something blue with uniform and bring a donation for World Mental Health Day |
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12/10 14/10 |
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Year 6 Indoor Rowing Competition (Leamington) - [by invite only] Reception Class Vision Screening |
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15/10 |
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Reception and Year 6 Heights & Weights Measurements |
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21/10 |
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Harvest Celebration [2:30pm] |
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23/10 |
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INSET DAY – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL |
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HALF TERM 26th to 30th October 2026 |
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2/11 |
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Children return to school |
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3/11 & 4/11 |
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Parents’ Evenings [3:30-6:30pm] |
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12/11 & 24/11 |
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Open Mornings [for Reception 2027] |
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Upcoming Key Dates |
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11/11 |
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Y2 & Y6 Remembrance Walk to War Memorial |
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7/12 |
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Christmas Plays: KS1 & Reception Rehearsal |
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8/12 |
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Christmas Plays: KS1 9:05 / Rec 2:30 |
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9/12 |
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Christmas Plays: Reception 9:05 / KS1 2:30 |
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16/12 |
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Christmas Dinner + Christmas Jumper Day |
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17/12 |
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Christingle [2:15pm] |
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18/12 |
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Christmas Panto / last day in school |
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END OF TERM 21st December 2026 to 4th January 2027 |
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4/1 |
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INSET DAY – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL |
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5/1 |
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Young Voices Concert |
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6/1 |
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Final Open Morning for Reception 2027 |
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7/1 |
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TTRS Day [Y3/Y4/Y5] |
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HALF TERM 15th to 19th February 2027 |
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23/2 & 25/2 |
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Parents’ Evenings [3:30-6:30pm] |
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9/3 |
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Learning Time Together [2:30-3pm] |
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24/3 |
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Y3/Y4 Easter Performance [4pm] |
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25/3 |
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Easter Service [2:15pm] |
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26/3 |
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Public Holiday – no children in school |
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END OF TERM 29th March to 9th April 2027 |
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12/4 |
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INSET DAY – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL |
