Newsletter - Friday 11th July 2025
- lfoster51
- 4 days ago
- 13 min read
Issue 18 - Summer 2025
Proud to be ELSTON! Empowered, Listeners, Successful, Together, Open-Minded, Nurturing
Dear families,
I hope that you are all well and managing in this heat!
We've had a wonderful two weeks in school, with many events and celebrations taking place.
Transition mornings were a success - I hope that your child enjoyed their time getting to know their new teacher and classmates ready for September.
Today, reports have been sent out via Arbor and email. I hope that you find these reports useful in sharing your child's successes and next steps. If you would like to share any feedback following the reports, please complete the following form and your comments will be passed back to your child's class teacher. https://forms.office.com/e/bg9N9PxHYX
Year 6 hosted an incredible Summer fayre this week! The children worked so hard to make the event a success. Thank you for all your donations and contributions. See our blog here: Year 6 Summer Fete
Thank you to families who took the time to complete the parent survey. The results will be analysed and shared next term. Any development points will also form part of our School Improvement Plan.
Thank you for your support with clubs this term. Its been wonderful to see the children trying new things and developing their skills! See our blog for images of Key Stage 1 Wild Tribe. Clubs have now finished and there will be no extra curricular clubs next week.
Children may bring books home on Thursday. Please could you send them in with a carrier bag to transport them home.
This will be the last newsletter of this academic year. We have had so many successes this year including a positive Ofsted visit, excellent end of key stage results and many sporting successes! We are very proud of each and every child for all that they have achieved.
There is much more to look forward to next week. Year 6 will perform their Leavers play to families, celebrate with a leavers BBQ and disco, and enjoy their fun day on Thursday. We also have Nursery graduations and the end of year House Point celebration taking place!
Please may I take this opportunity to thank families, children and staff for everyone's efforts in making Elston Hall what it is. I wish everyone a very happy summer and look forward to seeing children back in school on Wednesday 3rd September. For our Year 6 pupils and any other children moving onto new schools - I wish you the very best for the future. Thank you to families for all your support throughout your child's time here at Elston Hall.
Have a great weekend and, if I don't see you before, a wonderful summer.
Miss E Foster
Headteacher
Attendance
We track attendance weekly and monitor any pupils falling below 96%. As we near the end of the school year, these last weeks are vital for learning before the children move up to the next year group as well as lots of exciting events such as trips and sports days. We want to ensure that we provide the best possible education we can and this starts with excellent attendance.
Our attendance remains at 95.3%, above the national average of 94.8%. We are in the top 40-50% of schools nationally.
Please could we remind families to inform school of any absences before 9am. Please call 01902 558866. If you are calling before 8am, please leave a voicemail and this will be picked up and reasons for absence recorded on Arbor. Families can now also email attendance@elston.org.uk to report any absences. Families may now also report absences on the Arbor app!
If your child has a medical appointment, please bring them to school before and after wherever possible.
Year group  | Up to 10.7.25 |
Whole School (Without Reception children) | 95.3% |
Reception  | 94.3% |
Year 1  | 95.5% |
Year 2  | 95.5% |
Year 3  | 94.9% |
Year 4  | 95.9% |
Year 5  | 94.8% |
Year 6  | 95.2% |
Punctuality is vital to ensure that pupils have a calm and organised start to the day, and can make the most of every minute in school! Please note that any pupils arriving after 9:30am will receive a 'U' mark which affects their attendance.
From time to time you might receive letters regarding your child's attendance. These letters are sent to many families and are sent regardless of whether you have contacted school or not to inform us of the absence.
Reports
This year, reports have been sent out via email and available to download on Arbor! If your child has taken any statutory assessments this year, you will also receive the results of that. This includes end of Reception assessments, Year 1 Phonics Screening Checks and any Year 2 retakes, Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check and Year 6 SATs.
Instructions for how to download reports can be found here: Downloading a Report Card from the Parent Portal or Parent App – Arbor Help Centre. If you require a paper copy, please inform your child's class teacher.
Rocksteady
28 of our pupils have taken part in Rocksteady lessons this term and had the opportunity to perform to families and Year 4 this week. We were so proud of their accomplishments! Please click on the blog here to see videos of their performances. Rocking the Stage – Our Amazing Young Musicians!
There are a limited number of spaces for next term. Please click here if you are interested: https://booking.rocksteadymusicschool.com/
Year 6 Drayton Manor
On Monday, Year 6 visited Drayton Manor to celebrate all their achievements this year! Please visit our blog here: Sunshine, Smiles and Rides!
School Council Fundraiser
Our School Council recently organised a successful ice-lolly sale to raise money for a very special cause — creating Friendship Benches on the playgrounds! These benches will be a safe and welcoming place where children who are feeling lonely can sit. Other children will know that anyone sitting there would love some company and an invitation to play or chat.
The Friendship Benches will help everyone feel included and supported during playtime. It’s a wonderful way to encourage kindness and friendship throughout our school community.
Any extra funds raised from the lolly sale will be used to buy new play equipment or support future ideas brought forward by the School Council.
A big thank you to everyone who bought lollies and the girls who offered their help before cheerleading club to sell the lollies.
Summer Camps
Staff news
Unfortunately, we will say good bye to Mrs N Bland (Y2) and Mrs Martin (Y1) at the end of term. Both are moving onto new opportunities. We would like to thank them for their hard work and wish them every success in their new ventures.
School uniform
I know that families will already be thinking about uniform for the new school year. Our uniform policy, including where uniform can be purchased, can be found here: https://www.elstonhall.org.uk/school-policies/64c7704f-f8ff-45b0-8655-40b9ac42812e
Also, a reminder that jewellery should not be worn for PE, including earrings. If you are thinking of having your child's ears pierced, it would be helpful if this could take place at the start of the six week holiday so that there is enough time for them to heal before returning to school in September. Thank you!
PE days from September 2025 will be:
Class  | PE Days |
Nursery am | Thursday |
Nursery pm | Tuesday |
Reception Class 1 | Wednesday & Friday |
Reception Class 2 | Wednesday & Friday |
Reception Class 3 | Wednesday & Friday |
Year 1 Class 4 | Thursday & Friday |
Year 1 Class 5 | Thursday & Friday |
Year 1 Class 6 | Thursday & Friday |
Year 2 Class 7 | Monday & Wednesday |
Year 2 Class 8 | Monday & Wednesday |
Year 2 Class 9 | Monday & Tuesday |
Year 3 Class 10 | Tuesday & Wednesday |
Year 3 Class 11 | Tuesday & Wednesday |
Year 3 Class 12 | Tuesday & Wednesday |
Year 4 Class 13 | Monday & Thursday |
Year 4 Class 14 | Monday & Thursday |
Year 4 Class 15 | Monday & Thursday |
Year 5 Class 16 | Monday (Swimming) & Tuesday |
Year 5 Class 17 | Tuesday & Thursday |
Year 5 Class 18 | Tuesday & Thursday |
Year 6 Class 19 | Tuesday & Wednesday  |
Year 6 Class 20 | Monday & Tuesday |
Year 6 Class 21 | Monday & Friday |
Sports News
WASPS presentation evening
Elston Hall attended the WASPS presentation evening that took place at Grand Station in Wolverhampton to celebrate sporting success over the 2024 / 2025 year. Winning trophies were presented to our boys football team, girls football team, mixed cricket team and cross-country teams.Â
Four students were also recognised as nominees for the Stuart Grant trophy for sportsmanship. The nominees were Kian, Nevaeh, Haro and Tanisha all of whom had shown excellent dedication to sporting excellence and fair play over the year. Despite not winning the award, they each received a trophy for their well-deserved nominations.Â
Elston Hall were also proud recipients of the 'PASS' award which acknowledge commitment to promoting physical education, sports and competitions for young people. Mr Turner and Mr Green were honoured to accept the award at the event for Elston Hall. Â
These awards celebrate just some of the competitions and events that we have participated in over the year. Well done to all of the students, staff and parents for their dedication and support of our sporting teams over the year. More pictures can be found here: A Night of Sporting Pride!
Black Country Games
We are so proud of our amazing athletics team who represented Wolverhampton at the Black Country Games. Elston placed 5th place overall and were 12 points behind 3rd place, winning 4 races and many other jumping and throwing events. What an achievement from an amazing group of children!
Rounders Finals
Our rounders team competed in the finals against Wolverhampton Grammar and Uplands. The team won their first two matches and then lost their third game by just 7 points meaning they just missed out on winning the competition. The children received second place medals for their efforts and competed excellently showing incredible sportsmanship, teamwork and communication skills. The team have worked well over the recent weeks to develop their understanding of the game and really excelled in the event. Parents are spectators were very impressed by their skills. Well done to all involved, Mrs Westwood, Mr Green and Miss Willis are very proud of them! Rounders Team Earns Silver in Finals
Sports Hall Athletics
Following our fantastic success in the Sportshall Athletics, Team Elston took their talents to the track at Aldersley Leisure Village — and they did not disappoint!
Our athletes demonstrated outstanding teamwork, determination, and athleticism across both track and field events. See the results here: Elston Shines at Aldersley Leisure Village! 🌟
Year 2 Black Country Games Finals
10 children from Year 2 competed in the Black Country Games finals held at Wolverhampton University in the Multi-skills competition. During the event, the children competed in the spirit of the Black Country games showing enthusiasm, determination and teamwork. The competition included 10 different events including the speed bounce, beanbag relay, under and over, basketball bounce and the cone dash which demonstrated a range of skills including speed, balance, coordination and agility.Â
The children were fantastic representatives of Elston Hall and were crowned winners of the event meaning they are Black Country champions! An incredible achievement which contributed to Wolverhampton eventually being named as Black Country champions! Year 2 Pupils Triumph at Black Country Games Finals!
Cricket Success
Our cricket star, Sashwat, has been selected in the playing squad for the match on 23rd July at Fordhouses. Any supporters are welcomed! The game starts at 10:30 am and they will be playing till 4.
School Games Mark
We are delighted to announce that we have achieved the School Games Gold Mark Award for the 2024/25 academic year. The School Games Mark is a Government-led award scheme launched in 2012, facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community, and we are delighted to have been recognised for our success. Our sporting achievements this year include; Cross Country Winners, Boys Football City Champions, Girls Football league winners, Mixed Cricket Winners, KS1 Multi-skills Black Country Games champions, netballs finalists, rounders finalists and KS2 Black Country games finalists.Â
 With a total of young people competing in local inter-school competitions this year, we are extremely proud of our pupils for their dedication to all aspects of school sport, including those young volunteers, leaders and officials who made our competitions possible. As part of our application, we were asked to fulfil criteria in the areas of participation, competition, workforce and clubs, and we are pleased that the hard work of everyone at our school has been rewarded this year. A special thanks to Mr Turner & Mr Green, as well as chief of transport Miss Willis, for their hard work delivering excellent PE across school. We look forward to applying once again in 2026!
Year 5 visit to Safeside
Our recent school trip to Safeside Birmingham, run by the West Midlands Fire Service, was an unforgettable and eye-opening experience for our pupils. The interactive safety village provided a realistic and engaging environment where children learned essential life skills and safety awareness in a fun and memorable way. Throughout the day, the children took part in a variety of scenarios designed to teach them how to stay safe in everyday situations. See our blog for more details: Year 5 Visit to Safeside
Year 3 Visits to The Wild
Year 3 took a trip on the wild side when they visited The Wild Zoological in Bobbington. A wonderful way to enhance our science learning. Children were in awe as they experienced the largest bird show in the UK, featuring parrots, eagles, owls, pelicans and many more birds. Children were able to get up close and personal while feeding the lorikeets and wallabies. A brilliant day was had by all! Year 3 Take a Walk on the Wild Side at The Wild Zoological Park!
Transition poem
During transiton mornings, new Year 3 pupils wrote acrostic poems about their new classes. We were particularly impressed by Jude's! Well done.
You Miss Perks, my new teacher
Everything is different, different from last year
A new adventure lies ahead
Ready for a room with tables but 0 beds
There's new friends, friends we haven't met
Happy me, those friends are the best!
Running on the playground this is so neat
Everyone is nice, I'm so happy!
Everyone is nice, not angry or mean
Lost Property
There is a great deal of lost property in school! This will be left out on playgrounds on Monday at 3:20pm for families to collect.
WOW
This term, our school has recorded a total of 47448 active trips, of which 28154 were walking all the way trips. This equates to 51% walking trips, a 55% increase from our baseline. Not only this, but this term your school has seen a 67% decrease in car trips from baseline, too. Congratulations! Your hard work is making a difference.
Lunches
Our school meals provider Miquill have informed us there will be a school meal increase in September in line with increasing costs. From September 3rd, a school meal will now cost £2.60.
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Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will continue to receive a free school meal under the Universal Free School Meals Scheme. Children in Years 3-6 who are eligible for Free School Meals will also continue to receive a free meal.
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Many thanks for your understanding.
For parents who pay for school meals, please could payment be made the week before meals are taken to prevent debts accruing. Please be aware that, should your child's debt reach £30, then school will no longer provide school dinners until the debt is cleared.
Key Dates
Summer term 2025
Tuesday 15th July - Year 6 Leavers performances 9:15am and 2pm
Wednesday 16th July - House point award day. Parent drop in 3:30 - 4:30pm
Thursday 17th July - Nursery graduations 9:15 and 10:45. Year 6 Fun Day. Year 6 Leavers Party 5-7pm
Friday 18th July—Last day of summer termÂ
Autumn term 2025
Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd September - INSET days - school closed to pupils
Wednesday 3rd September - Pupils return to school
Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th September - Individual and sibling photos
Monday 27th October - Friday 31st October - Half term
Monday 22nd December - Friday 2nd January - Christmas Holidays
Spring term 2026
Monday 16th February - Friday 20th February - Half term
Monday 23rd February - INSET Day - school closed to pupils
Wednesday 25th - Friday 27th March - Year 6 Residential
Monday 30 March 2026 to Friday 10 April 2026 - Easter Holiday
Summer term 2026
Monay 11th May - Thursday 14th May - Year 6 SATs
Monday 25 May 2026 to Friday 29 May 2026 - Half term
Friday 19th June - INSET day - school closed to pupils
Friday 17th July - Last day of term
Monday 20th July - INSET Day
Community Links
Starting School
BBC CBeebies Parenting / Tiny Happy People, a service from BBC Children’s & Education, has a wealth of content for families to support the skills children need to start school.
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Check out the ‘Skills for Starting School’ collection page full of free content to share with families, from introducing the potty and toilet independence to language learning.
The website also has activity ideas, tips and advice, child development facts, key talking tips for any age and much more.
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To find out more about CBeebies Parenting/Tiny Happy People join one of the free monthly Champions Training sessions. This virtual 45min session explains what’s available and how you can use the content with families you work with.
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Sign up for the monthly newsletter for regular update
Online Learning:
Wolverhampton Council, in partnership with the Solihull Approach, offer all Wolverhampton parents free access to evidence-based online courses expertly designed by NHS professionals.
There are 13 courses available for families to access at their convenience, which can be translated via Google translate. Parents can sign up to better understand their child’s feelings and behavior. Courses are tailored for all stages of child development to help families through reflective, supportive learning. With the summer holidays approaching, the courses offer a valuable resource for parents. Please see the link below and forward it to parents where appropriate. https://inourplace.co.uk/wolverhampton/
Below is a brief overview of the course contents.
Understanding Trauma -Types and stages of trauma, recognizing and recovering from trauma, the SELF Model.
Understanding Attachments -Â Attachment theory and developments
Understanding Brain Development - Antenatal, early years and adolescent brain development
Please see the link below.https://solihullapproachparenting.com/wolverhampton/
Black Country Heroes Awards
The Express and Star are excited to share news of the upcoming Black Country Heroes Awards 2025, our second annual celebration of the unsung stars who make a real difference in our communities.
Whether it’s a tireless volunteer, fundraiser, a kind neighbour, a committed youth leader, or someone who simply goes above and beyond to help others—we want to hear about them, and we'd love your help to spread the word!
Anyone can be nominated, including friends, family, colleagues, or someone you admire in your local area. Nominations are quick and easy via event website: . https://www.nationalworldevents.com/bcha-2025/
The deadline for nominations is Sunday, August 18, 2025.
Categories include:
Community Champion
Unsung Hero
Child of Courage
Volunteer of the Year
Fundraiser of the Year
Environmental Champion …and more
Thank you for helping us celebrate the heart and soul of the Black Country!
Free Dynamos Cricket Holiday Camp at All Stars Cricket at Fordhouses Cricket Club.
Staffordshire Cricket coaches have recently delivered the Chance to Shine Cricket programme in your child’s school, and I’m delighted to let you know that our coaches will be running a Dynamos Cricket Holiday Camp free of charge on Thursday 24th July 2025 – 9.30am-3.30pm at Fordhouses Cricket Club.
Dynamos Cricket provides a fantastic first experience for children aged 8-11 years old. Dynamos is all about fun and provides children with a more social offer, focusing on developing the fundamental skills required to play cricket.
We know how important it is to look like the heroes of the game, so every child who registers will receive their very own Dynamos Cricket New Balance t-shirt, personalised with their name and number.
Children will be required to bring along a Packed Lunch, Drinks and Snacks for the day. Â
If you would like to register your child, please complete the form that can be accessed via the link below
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When you have accessed the link please the code ‘RQY9L’ to obtain your free place.
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Rich Adams
Staffordshire Cricket Board National Programmes Coordinator