Newsletter July 2026
- ehartley87
- Jul 10
- 6 min read
Spotlight on Our Christian Value:
This month we are focusing on the Christian value of Respect
2 Timothy 1:7: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
Headteacher's Update - Alison Story-Scrivens
As we approach the end of another busy and successful school year, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to our wonderful children, families, staff, governors and the wider school community for your continued support, commitment and enthusiasm. It has been a genuine privilege to serve as Headteacher and to see our children grow in confidence, character and achievement throughout the year.
This year has been filled with so many moments that have made us proud; achievements in the classroom, sporting successes, musical performances, educational visits, acts of kindness and countless examples of children living out our Christian values each day. These moments remind us that education is about so much more than learning facts; it is about nurturing young people who are curious, courageous, respectful and ready to make a positive difference in the world.
There is still much to look forward to over the coming weeks. Our Summer Fayre promises to be a fantastic opportunity to come together as a school community, celebrate the year and enjoy time with family and friends. We also eagerly anticipate our Year 6 Leavers' Service, which is always a very special and moving occasion. It will be an opportunity to give thanks for all that our Year 6 children have contributed to our school community and to celebrate the wonderful young people they have become. While it is never easy to say goodbye, we know they leave us well prepared for the next stage of their education. We look forward to sharing this important milestone with our Year 6 children and their families, keeping them in our thoughts and prayers as they begin an exciting new chapter.
As we prepare for the summer break, may we take time to give thanks for the many blessings of the past year and look forward with hope to all that is to come. Thank you for everything you do to support our school. It has been a privilege to share this journey with you throughout the year. Your partnership makes such a difference to the experiences and opportunities we are able to provide for every child. I hope you enjoy the remaining events of the term and on behalf of everyone at the school, I wish you a happy, restful and enjoyable summer.
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24–26)
Staff News - A message for Miss Kenward & Miss Burton
As you begin your next adventure, we want to say a heartfelt thank you for the incredible difference you have made during your time at our school.
Your kindness, dedication, patience and enthusiasm have touched the lives of so many children, families and colleagues. Through every lesson taught, every challenge overcome, and every smile shared, you have helped our school community to grow and flourish.
Like stars that light up the night sky, each of you has brought your own special sparkle to our school. Your commitment, care and encouragement have inspired countless young minds and created memories that will be treasured for years to come.
Although we are sad to see you go, we are excited for all that lies ahead for you. We hope you leave knowing how much you are appreciated and how grateful we are for the time, energy and passion you have given.
Staff update
We are incredibly pleased to announce that Miss Sellars will be our SENCo from September. We are very lucky that she already knows the children well and she is looking forward to working in partnership with you to support them throughout their school journey.
Here is a little insight from Dandelion, Silver and Speedwell for this term:
Dandelion Class
Dandelion class had a wonderful trip to Finkley Down Farm last week! We enjoyed grooming Freckles the pony, stroking the cuddly rabbits and cheering really loudly for the sheep race!
We saw lots of farm animals, meerkats and reptiles and we absolutely loved feeding the goats, they were all very hungry and ate all the food in our buckets!
Before we came home, we were excited to go on the adventure playground, where we all jumped on the trampolines and bounced together on the bouncy pillow.
We wish you all a safe and fun summer holiday.
Silver Class
Silver class have been busy learning about the Human Body. They used biscuits, a banana, orange juice, water and some tights to understand the digestion process. There were lots of shocked and amused faces as they had to squeeze the poo out of the tights. They discovered that apparently there are 7 types of poo!
Swimming this term has been the other highlight. The children have made tremendous progress and been very reflective. They would like to thank both Miss Blanchard and Mrs Medicott for their support and encouragement. Both ladies have regularly got into the water to demonstrate and assist.
Silver class have had an amazing year and would like to wish everyone a fun and safe summer holiday. See you all back in school on September 2nd.
Speedwell Class
Speedwell have had a fantastic summer term and have coped brilliantly during the hot weather. They have produced some excellent narrative writing inspired by the animation Alma, demonstrating creativity and strong storytelling skills. In Science, they have shown a good understanding of the human body, including the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how the circulatory system works. The children have also impressed us with their creativity in Art and DT, creating beautiful coil pots, developing woodwork skills, and learning sewing techniques. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved this year and would like to wish our Year 6 pupils the very best of luck as they begin their next chapter at secondary school. We know they will continue to thrive and succeed.
Safeguarding Matters
If you are concerned then contact Hampshire Children Services:
Monday to Thursday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Phone: 0300 555 1384
Please visit this website for advice on keeping your child safe .
Here is a link to a quick quiz on water safety.
Update from our Chair of Governors - Amanda Letch
Dear Parents and Carers,
The Governors of Ecchinswell & Sydmonton Primary School would like to say a huge thank you for your support over the last year; particularly to those of you involved in the PTFA as well as those who offer their time and energy by going on school trips, reading in school, helping at school events and supporting your children's learning. It is a known fact that children will only fulfil their learning potential if the school, child and home all work together - we strive to ensure that this happens at Ecchinswell and Sydmonton School
.
The Governors have worked hard this year - in a year of change following Miss Pole's retirement. As a Board, we welcomed three new Governors including your elected parent representative, Sam Rebbettes. We have kept a tight fiscal handle on the school's budget; have built a sustainable staffing model flexible enough to grow as the school grows; and have held the Senior Leadership Team to account by asking challenging but supportive questions at Board meetings to ensure that your children are receiving the education they deserve.
Our special thanks go to Mrs Story-Scrivens, who has worked hard to lead and support the staff through many changes - we are now in a much stronger position as a result. Thank you - you will be missed. However, we as a Governing Board are really excited to work more closely with Mrs Hartley and lead the school together into an exciting future.
We look forward to seeing you all in September.
Attendance Matters
School attendance, as always, is a focus for our school this year.
Our school attendance target is 97% and above for all children at Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Primary School, we are committed to:
Promoting good attendance and reducing absence, including persistent absence
Ensuring every pupil arrives at school on time and ready to learn
Ensuring every pupil has access to full-time education to which they are entitled good attendance means being in school at least 97% of the time (184 days or more) good punctuality means being in school at 08:45 ready to learn
Strong attendance is directly linked with stronger academic achievements as well as contributing to increased sense of belonging and strong social relationships.
Here is a summary of each class’s attendance this term to date:
Dandelion | 87.01% |
Silver | 95.33% |
Speedwell | 89.49% |
Dates for your Diary
Friday 17th July | Summer fayre 2:00- 4:00 at school | |
Tuesday 21st July | Leavers' Service 2:15 at St Lawrence's Church (Year 6 parents) | |
Wednesday 22nd July | End of Term for children | |
Tuesday 1st September | INSET DAY | |
Wednesday 2nd September | First day of school for the children | |
Thursday 22nd September | Year 2 and 3 football at Cheam School | |
Friday 25th September | Macmillan Coffee Morning | |
Thursday 15th October | INSET DAY | |
Monday 26th October to Friday 30th October | Half Term | |
Monday 2nd November | INSET DAY | |
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