Newsletter - Friday 24th October 2025
- lfoster51
- Oct 24
- 9 min read
Issue 4 - Autumn 2025
Proud to be ELSTON! Empowered, Listeners, Successful, Together, Open-Minded, Nurturing
Dear families,
It has been a very busy 8 week half term. Children (and teachers!) have definitely earned a rest!
Thank you to all families who were able to join us for parent consultations. 87% of families booked appointments this term. I hope that the meetings were valuable in finding out how well your children have settled into their new classes and provided an opportunity to look through their books. The next consultations will take place in the Spring term.
We've seen many exciting events over the past fortnight including visits from our PCSO, sporting events and exciting learning opportunities.
Thank you for your support throughout this important half term. Children have settled brilliantly into the school year and we are so proud of the progress they are making!
Enjoy your half term breaks. Please stay safe in the darker nights and with exciting Halloween and Bonfire events which are coming up!
I look forward to seeing you back on Monday 3rd November.
Miss E Foster
Headteacher
Attendance
We track attendance weekly and monitor any pupils falling below 96%. 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.
Winter bugs are going around. If you aren't sure whether to send your child into school, this information may be useful: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS
Please could we remind families to inform school of any absences before 9am. There are several ways you can do this:
By calling the school office on 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.
By adding reasons for the day's absence on Arbor's Parent Portal
By emailing attendance@elston.org.uk explaining the reasons for absence
If your child has a medical appointment, please bring them to school before and after wherever possible.
This week, attendance has dropped lightly to at 95.9%. This is mostly due to sickness absence. Year 1 have the highest attendance so far - well done!
Year group | Up to 20.10.25 |
Whole School (Without Reception children) | 95.9% |
Reception | 94.9% |
Year 1 | 96.7% |
Year 2 | 95.3% |
Year 3 | 96.4% |
Year 4 | 95.3% |
Year 5 | 96.2% |
Year 6 | 95.4% |
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! Our doors open from 8:45 until 9am. Anyone arriving after this time should enter through the dining room doors where a Late mark will be recorded. Please note that any pupils arriving after 9:30am will receive a 'U' mark which affects their attendance.
Personal Development
Clubs are well underway and pupils are enjoying the activities on offer.
See what pupils have been up to in our latest blogs: Wellbeing Club and Mini Musicals.
We celebrated Hello Yellow! for World Mental Health Day. Thanks for all your support and donations for this!
Our PCSO has also visited Early Years! See our blogs: PCSO Trudi Brittle Visits Reception and A Special Visit from PCSO Trudi Brittle (Nursery).
Teaching and Learning Opportunities
Lots of exciting learning opportunities have been taking place!
Year 6 are taking part in visits to Aldersley to experience life in secondary school: Year 5 Science at Aldersley High School.
Year 5 have completed a DT project and designed watches for space! Mission Time: Designing Watches for Space. They have also taken part in some creative writing opportunities: Year 5 Live Creative Writing Session.
Year 3 have linked their history topic to PE: Year 3 Take Aim Like Stone Age Hunters!
Thank you to families who attended our Year 1 DT workshops: Creating Enchanting Bags in Year 1. Year 1 have been learning about their senses in Science: Year 1 Discover the Power of Smell!
Nursery children welcomed their families in to read stories: Nursery Story Share Day – A Wonderful Celebration of Learning!
Arbor
99% of our families use our Arbor Parent Portal! This enables payments to be made, messages to be received and key information to be updated.
Please could we request that families review the information to ensure that contact numbers and medical information are up to date. Please also ensure that all consents are complete so that staff know what permissions your child has. These include the publication of photographs and food tasting.
We require at least two emergency contacts per child. Please add on any contacts who you have given permission to collect your child and add this onto their information e.g. grandparents.
School will use email to send letters and in-app messages to send shorter reminders. Please enable notifications and check 'junk' to ensure emails are received. A reminder of our communication methods can be found here: Communication | Elston Hall
If you are having any issues accessing the Arbor app, please contact the school office.
Staff News
Our Site Manager, Mr Bourke, completed the Wrekin Walkathon 24 hour challenge! He walked up and down the Wrekin for 24 hours, completing over 100,000 steps and 50 miles! He raised over £2000 for Acorn's Children's Hospice and Prostate Cancer UK. Mr Homes and Mr Green joined him for one of his climbs to give him some much needed moral support. Well done Mr Bourke!
Year 6 - 7 transition
A reminder that secondary school applications must be submitted by 31st October. Apply for secondary school places | City Of Wolverhampton Council
Sports News
10 children from Year 5 were invited to participate in a Baseball Festival at WV Active. The children were given the opportunity to try a new sport by participating in some fun activities helping develop their understanding of a new sport. The children then played a game of Baseball against West Park Primary School, putting their skills into practice. The children had a great time, learning new things and being really actively involved. This was Elston Hall's first time attending this event which was designed to engage children in new sports.
The girls team were victorious again against St Anthony's in a very competitive match played on Bee Lane. The girls were winning 2-0 at half time with goals from Jessica and Danielle. Another goal from Danielle in the second half secured a 3-0 win. The girls again showed great team work and determination. Well done!
Lunches
Our school menus can be found here: Lunches | Elston Hall. Our new winter menu will be launched after half term!
We will enjoy a special bonfire menu on Thursday 6th November:
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.
Please can we remind families to cut up grapes if they are sent into school for lunch or snack time.
Key Dates
Please note, all dates are subject to change.
Inset days:
Monday 23rd February
Friday 19th June
Monday 20th July
School will be closed to all pupils on these days
Date | Event |
Monday 27th October – Friday 31st October | Half term – School closed to all pupils |
WC Monday 3rd November | After School clubs resume |
Tuesday 4th November | Y2 Residential meeting 3.30pm |
Wednesday 5th November | Y4 Lego workshop |
Monday 10th November | Nursery rhyme week Anti-bullying week Odd socks day Diversity Celebration (invite only) |
Wednesday 12th November | Year 4 cinema trip |
Friday 14th November | Children in Need |
Monday 17th November | Last week for after school clubs |
Thursday 20th November | Y6 Blist’s Hill trip |
Monday 24th November | Y5 Swimming for Class 17 starts |
Tuesday 25th November | Flu immunisation catch up session |
Tuesday 25th November | Rocksteady Concert Year 3 trip |
Wednesday 26th November | Year 3 trip |
Thursday 4th December | Year 1 and 2 Christmas fayre |
Friday 5th December | Reception trip |
Monday 8th December | Reception height and weight (School nurses) |
Tuesday 9th December | Reception height and weight (School nurses) |
Wednesday 10th December | Reception height and weight (School nurses) |
Wednesday 10th December | Christmas Dinner day / Christmas Jumper day |
Thursday 11th December | Year 1 Christmas Performance 9.15am & 1.30pm Year 2 Christmas Performances 10.15am & 2.30pm |
Friday 12th December | Nursery Christmas Performance 9.15am & 1.30pm Reception Christmas Performance 10.15am & 2.30pm |
Monday 15th December | Y3 Christmas Performance 9.15am & 1.30pm Y4 Christmas Performance 10.15am & 2.30pm |
Tuesday 16th December | Y5 Christmas Performance 9.15am & 1.30pm Y6 Christmas Performance 10.15am & 2.30pm |
Friday 20th December | End of term |
Monday 5th January | School reopens to all pupils |
Monday 5th January | Swimming Y5 resumes (Class 17) |
WC Monday 12th January | After School clubs / Y6 Boosters Start |
Thursday 22nd January | Year 3 History workshops |
Friday 23rd January | Year 3 History workshops |
TBC | Reception Phonic parent workshops |
TBC | Year 1 care home visit |
TBC | Year 1 Community Day |
Tuesday 3rd February | Year 4 DT workshops |
Friday 6th February | Number Day |
Monday 9th February | Children’s Mental Health Week |
Tuesday 10th February | Safer Internet Day |
TBC | Reception Mother’s day assembly |
TBC | Year 1 Phonics workshops |
Friday 13th February | Dress to Express day (to celebrate children’s mental health week). Red Nose Day. |
Monday 16th February – Friday 20th February | Half term – School closed to all pupils |
Monday 23rd February | Inset Day – School closed to all pupils |
WC Monday 23rd February | After school clubs resume |
Monday 2nd March | Y5 Swimming for Class 18 starts |
Friday 6th March | World Book Day – fancy dress Year 4 Reading workshop |
WC 9th March | Last week for extra-curricular clubs (due to parents evening & Laches Wood) British Science Week |
TBC | Year 3 Mother’s Day workshop |
TBC | Reception Mother’s Day assembly |
TBC | Year 1 Dinosaur Day |
Friday 13th March | |
Tuesday 17th March | Rocksteady Concert |
Wednesday 18th March | Parents Evening (4.00pm - 6.00pm) |
Thursday 19th March | Parents Evening (3.30pm - 5.00pm) |
TBC | Nursery/Reception Easter bonnet parade Nursery parent Easter singalong |
TBC | Year 2 trip |
Monday 23rd March | Year 6 Mock SATs |
Wednesday 25th – Friday 27th March | Y6 Residential Visit to Laches Wood |
Friday 27th March | End of term |
Monday 13th April | School reopens to all pupils |
Monday 13th April | Swimming resumes (Class 18) |
WC Monday 20th April | Extra-Curricular After School clubs begin |
TBC | Year 4 Rainforest workshops |
Monday 4th May | Bank Holiday – School closed to all pupils |
WC Monday 11th May | Y6 SATs Week |
Monday 18th May | Y6 Top up swimming sessions start (selected pupils) |
Monday 18th May – Wed 20th May | Y4 Conwy residential – no extra curricular clubs this week |
Monday 25th May – Friday 29th May | Half term – school closed to all pupils |
WC Monday 1st June | After School clubs continue |
Monday 1st June | Y4 MTC window Reception trip Year 6 Bikeability |
Tuesday 2nd June | Year 6 Bikeability |
Wednesday 3rd June | Year 4 Bikeability |
WC Monday 8th June | Y1 Phonics Screening window |
Monday 8th June | Sports Day – Y4 – 9.15am, Y5 – 10.45am, Y6 – 1.45pm |
Friday 12th June | Sports Day – Y1 – 9.15am, Y2 - 10.45am, Y3 - 1.45pm |
Monday 15th June | Sports Day – Reception – 9.15am, Nursery am – 10.45am, Nursery pm – 1.45pm |
| Nursery trip |
Thursday 18th June | Year 1 Father’s day events |
Friday 19th June | Inset Day – School closed to all pupils |
Monday 22nd June | Year 4 Father’s Day events |
TBC | Year 1 trip |
Monday 29th June – Wednesday 1st July | Transition sessions (am only) Reception – Y6
|
WC Monday 29th June | Last week for After school clubs Transition week |
Tuesday 30th June | Rocksteady Concert |
Monday 6th July | Last Y6 top up swimming session |
Monday 6th July – Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th - Thursday 9th July | Y2 residential |
Thursday 9th / Friday 10th July | Y6 Summer Fete |
Friday 10th July | End of Year Reports sent home Reception colour festival |
Monday 13th July | Nursery graduation |
Wednesday 15th July | Y6 Leaver’s Performances |
Thursday 16th July | Y6 Leaver’s events (during school day & BBQ after school) |
Friday 17th July | End of academic year |
Monday 20th July | Inset Day – School closed to all pupils |
Community Links
Taking place at Wolves Museum, Molineux Stadium this half term on Wednesday 29th October 2025, children aged 5-11 years can enjoy a spooktacular dance class, Halloween-themed activities, and are encouraged to dress up in their best spooky costume – with a prize for best fancy dress!
We’re also thrilled to welcome local author, Carolyn Ward, who will be reading from her spooktastic Bella Bright book series!
Sessions are available at 11am and 2pm, lasting 2 hours each with tickets are priced at £8.00.
The link to follow to buy tickets is: https://events.wolves.co.uk/events/
