Friday 13th February 2026

Red Envelope Week - Thank you!

A huge thank you to everyone who has so kindly and generously supported our Red Envelope initiative this week. We are thrilled to have raised a fantastic £2229 towards the much-needed refurbishment of our astro turf.

Congratulations to 6AD, 4JW and 3FN, who returned the highest percentage of red envelopes. Mrs. Armstrong and Mr. Marchington are very much looking forward to treating the classes to an afternoon of campfires and cooking as their prize!  A huge thank you also needs to go to Orla Flannery and the Y5 team who coordinated the Red Envelope week so efficiently for us - we really do appreciate your help 🙂.

As you will know, the astro turf refurbishment has been an ongoing fundraising priority for the last two years and I would like to reassure everyone that every single penny raised is ring-fenced for this project. Thanks to the incredible work of our FOBS team, along with the generosity of our parents and families, the total currently stands at an impressive £50,839. We are extremely grateful - we simply could not do this without your support.

Whilst we have already been able to replace the fencing around the area, we still have some way to go. The quotes we have received to fully replace the astro turf surface are between £70,000 and £80,000. If this year proves to be as successful as the last two, we are hopeful that work can begin over the summer. This would mean our children can enjoy a cleaner, softer and more effective surface for their outdoor sports and activities - something we know they love.

With that in mind, please keep an eye out for our next fundraiser - the Family Bingo Night (13th March 2026) - tickets will go on sale after half term and the event will be hosted by our very own 'Bingo Star' (AKA Mr. Evans 🙂). It is always a fantastic evening and a wonderful fundraiser for the school!

Thank you again for your continued support.

The Importance of Attendance in School

As we gradually move into the warmer weather after half term, with brighter mornings and (hopefully!) fewer coughs and colds, I want to take a moment to thank you for the effort you make each day to ensure your child attends school regularly and on time.

Being in school every day really does matter. Children build friendships, develop routines and take the small daily steps in learning that lead to big progress over time. We are particularly proud of the warm, welcoming and engaging environment we create and strong attendance ensures the children can make the very most of everything on offer.

I would also like to remind families of the legal expectations around attendance. Parents have a duty to ensure their child attends school every day that it is open, unless, of course, they are too ill to attend.

Term-time holidays

Just in case you are thinking about booking a holiday in the next few weeks, it is important to be clear that headteachers are only able to authorise leave of absence in genuinely exceptional circumstances. There is no entitlement to holiday during term time. Where leave is taken without authorisation, it must be recorded as unauthorised.

Monitoring attendance

We review attendance regularly in partnership with the Local Authority. When a child’s attendance falls below 90%, they are classed as a persistent absentee and further support, and possible legal intervention, may be considered.

Penalty notices

Schools are required to report when a child has 10 sessions (5 days) or more of unauthorised absence within a rolling period. This can lead to a penalty notice being issued.

If a fine is issued, each parent may receive:

•             £80 if paid within 21 days

•             £160 if paid within 28 days

Failure to pay may result in prosecution. Repeated unauthorised absences within a three-year period can also lead directly to court action.

We understand that every family’s circumstances are different. If there are barriers making attendance difficult, please speak to us as early as possible. We are always keen to work together to provide help and support.

Thank you for continuing to work in partnership with us to make sure every child is in school, every day, ready to learn.

Extra Curricular Clubs

All extra curricular clubs have now finished for this half term and the new club timetable (Spring 2 2026) will be emailed on Monday 23rd February. Bookings will open on Scopay Wednesday 25th February at 12pm and clubs will begin week commencing Monday 2nd March.

Please note that Mad Science will start one week earlier on Wednesday 25th February.

Lunch Payment Reminder

Please check your child's lunch account on Scopay and clear any outstanding debt before Friday 20th February, thank you for your continued support.

Safer Internet Day - Tuesday 10th February

On Tuesday we celebrated Safer Internet Day.  This year’s theme is exploring the safe and Responsible use of AI - understanding what it is, where children encounter it and how to use and interact safely with it. This half term all year groups are learning about internet safety in their computing lessons and this provides a good opportunity for parents to open the conversation about staying safe online at home.  It is worth remembering to regularly check your devices to ensure that safety settings are still in place as updates can often reset these.  Please find a link to the UK Safer Internet Centre’s parent information to help you keep your child safe online.  Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

Children's Mental Health Week

This week, our school came together to celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week, embracing this year’s theme: “This is Our Place – We Belong Here.” It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of feeling safe, valued and connected within our school community.

We began the week with a special assembly to launch the theme, reminding everyone that our school is a place where every child matters and every voice is heard.

On Tuesday, we marked Safer Internet Day, learning how to stay safe online and how positive digital choices can help us look after our wellbeing and support others.

Wednesday was our heart-warming Compliments Day. The children thoughtfully wrote handwritten compliment cards to one another, spreading kindness and celebrating the strengths and qualities that make each of us unique.

We ended the week with Belonging Day, where children spent the afternoon with a different year group. Older pupils visited younger classes to play games, read stories and build new friendships. It was a joy to see children connecting across the school, supporting one another and strengthening our sense of community.

It was a fantastic week filled with kindness, connection and confidence - a true celebration of what makes our school such a special place to belong.

Stable Minds

Stable Minds, a mental health organisation based in Knutsford, came into school on Tuesday and created a wonderfully calming and immersive environment with three exciting wellbeing stations for some of the children to explore:

• A floor projector with interactive visuals

• A sensory tent for relaxation and mindfulness

• A sand tray for creative and sensory play

The sessions provided a lovely, mindful morning for everyone who attended.

Year 1 Geography

This week in Geography, our pupils became town planners! 🗺️✨

After exploring ways to improve Knutsford, they designed and built their ideas using Lego, from new bins and benches to bridges, woodland areas and exciting play spaces. Such thoughtful, creative ideas for our community… the future of Knutsford is in good hands! 🏘️🌳

Mother Languages Week

As part of mother language the Cygnet  2 children enjoyed listening to one of our lovely Daddies reading a story in Hebrew about 5 balloons. They also enjoyed listening to Amanda sing the wheels on the bus in Afrikaans. 

Eco News

Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) is just around the corner, making it the perfect excuse to get flipping in the kitchen. It’s a lovely opportunity to spend some time cooking together and trying out some delicious pancake recipes at home. Click on the LINK for some wonderful recipes.

Happy Birthday!

Thank you for your lovely book.