Junior Newsletter
- Mr Davies
- Jul 10
- 5 min read
Friday 10th July 2026
Luke 6:31: "Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Headteacher's Update
You may have seen that Ofsted has introduced a new grading system for schools. One of the most important things to understand is that the new grades should not be compared directly with the old labels of Good, Outstanding or Requires Improvement.
Under the new framework, Expected Standard is exactly that – the standard that all schools are expected to achieve, and it is a high bar. Ofsted has made clear that this means a school is doing what it should be doing well and providing pupils with the education they need and deserve. In other words, Expected Standard is not "ordinary" or "average" – it reflects strong, effective practice.
Similarly, Needs Attention should not be seen as the equivalent of the old Requires Improvement judgement. A helpful way to think about it is as an advisory note on an MOT: something has been identified that needs attention and action, but it does not mean the vehicle is failing. The new report cards are designed to give a more balanced and detailed picture of a school's strengths and areas for development, recognising that all schools are on a journey of continuous improvement while maintaining high expectations for every child.
Car Park Safety Reminder
A gentle reminder to all parents and carers to help us keep everyone safe at the start and end of the school day. Please drive slowly and carefully in the school car park, be mindful of children who may move unpredictably, and always use designated parking spaces. Children should be supervised at all times when walking through the car park, please remember that the path around the edge of the car park may be the safest route to the playground gate. Thank you for helping us create a safe environment for all members of our school community.
Cycle Safety Reminder
We have received reports of children cycling unsafely around the village, including riding without helmets and not taking sufficient care around traffic. Please take a moment to remind your child about safe and responsible cycling, including wearing a helmet and being aware of other road users. We are fortunate to live in a community where children can enjoy cycling, and we want everyone to stay safe.
Pond Update
Our Pond Fundraising Project has been featured in the 'Tescos Stronger' Starts grants programme. This is where shoppers select which charity they would like to support by posting their blue tokens in their choice of slot, before they leave the store. Parents only couple have a couple more weeks to make their vote count so please head along to the Tesco Extra store at Pinchington Lane to lend your support.
Year 5/6 Production
Tickets are now available for the Year 5/6 production: "A Hint of Snow White'. This will take place on Thursday 16th July. We have two performances 2pm and 5pm. Tickets are limited to two tickets per family per performance. Please book using the links below:
Starting Infant or Junior School in September 2027?
Does your child start junior school in September 2027? Do you know someone who is looking for a school place starting in Year R at St Thomas' or in Year 3 at Woolton Hill Juniors next year? Come along to our open morning to meet staff and children and to see our brilliant Federation in action.
Letting Their Light Shine
Congratulations to Evie who recently passed her Grade 3 flute exam with distinction!
INSET Days
Please note the following dates have been set for staff training closures in the next academic year:
Tuesday 1st September
Wednesday 2nd September
Monday 2nd November
Monday 4th January 2027
Monday 7th June 2027
Friends Of The Schools of Woolton Hill
As the term is coming to an end, if you have any outgrown uniform, please donate by bringing it in to either school office so that it can be sorted and added to our pre loved stock.
In this beautiful weather today and next Friday we will be selling ice creams after school at the juniors for £1 each.
Facebook Page
Details of the activities we are doing are always posted on our Facebook page. So that you don’t miss out on the up to date information, make sure that you join our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17nbptqZaE/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Wildlife Pond Project
Thank you for the donations that have been coming in, we are almost half way to our target. Please continue to spread the word. If you would like to donate please click on the below link or please share the link with friends, family or businesses that you know who may be willing to contribute.
Details of the wildlife pond project and how the fundraising is going can be found on the PTA section of the School website, along with events that we are running.
Click here to visit the PTA page. https://www.schoolsofwooltonhill.com/pta
Dates For Your Diary
Quiz Night – Friday 16th October
Santa Run – Saturday 5th December
Circus – Sunday 20th June
Pre-loved uniform
We have a record of the preloved uniform stock that we have and this can be found via the below link.
If you spot something that you would like, just message Lottie Sheppard on 07825 829277 to purchase it. If you have out grown items that are in good condition, please drop these off to either school office and these will be collected.
Get Involved
As a friendly group of volunteers we are always looking for people to join our team, whether it is to help out with one off events or more regularly, any help is greatly appreciated. Support the Friends so that we can support our schools.
Email us at Friendsofwhjs@gmail.com
August Adventures
August Adventures is a free, family-focused summer events programme running throughout August across Basingstoke and Deane. Organised by Love Basingstoke, the programme offers exciting activities for children aged 3 to 13, all completely free of charge.
The events are located in a variety of parks and public spaces across the borough, offering families the chance to enjoy activities close to home while also discovering new locations in their wider community.
Event details – Penwood
Location: Heathlands Park, Penwood
Date: Tuesday 11 August
Time: 11am to 3pm. Families can drop in at any time during the event, no booking is required.
Woolton Hill & District Gardeners Club
Woolton Hill & District Gardeners Club would like to invite parents of Woolton Hill Schools to our evening meeting in September 2026. We extended an invitation for parents to attend our talk on ‘Hedgehogs’ last September and were delighted to receive a good response, with on of the Junior School’s pupils also attending the talk.
This year, the talk has been funded by St Martin’s Guild, so we are able to offer the talk free-of-charge to anyone who might be interested. The talk will be held on Thursday 24th September 2026 at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. We think it will be more suitable for adults this time. Please let the Gardening club know if you plan to attend.
The talk is entitled:
‘Children and Gardening’ by Amy Drewitt and Boo Patell.
Both of our Speakers are on the Royal Horticultural Society list of Horticultural speakers. They are both involved in many school gardening programmes and activities. We would like to thank St Martin’s Guild for sponsoring this community project which was specifically chosen to strengthen our links with our local schools.
Star Awards
The following children received Star Awards this week! They should all be really proud, well done!
3rd July: Mollie W, Erin D, Millie C, Lilly M, Daisy B, Ella M, Francesca T, Isla H, Lacey mai H, Marcus N, Alice M and Rose H.
Life Learning
Independence
3rd July: Aiden F, Rohan P, Thea S, Ellis D and Harry D
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