Dear Glebe Families
It has been another busy and exciting week across the school, with many opportunities for learning beyond the classroom and wonderful moments shared with families.
This week, our Year 1 children thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Call of the Wild Zoo on 5 May. The trip gave pupils the chance to see a wide variety of animals up close and deepen their understanding of habitats, life cycles and the natural world. The children represented the school brilliantly with their enthusiasm, curiosity and excellent behaviour throughout the day.
We were also delighted to welcome families into school for our parent lunches. Class 4A enjoyed their special lunchtime together on 6 May, and today Class 5R shared a wonderful parent lunch experience. These occasions are always greatly valued by both pupils and staff, providing an opportunity for families to experience part of the school day alongside the children. It has been lovely to see the confidence and pride pupils take in sharing their learning environment and routines with parents and carers.
Looking ahead to next week, our Year 6 pupils will begin their KS2 SATs assessments. We are extremely proud of the hard work, determination and resilience the children have shown in preparing for these tests. Throughout the week, we encourage all pupils to get plenty of rest, arrive promptly each morning and maintain a calm, positive mindset. Staff will continue to support and encourage the children every step of the way, and we know they will do their very best.
We are also looking forward to our upcoming Year 3 visit to the Natural History Museum on 15 May. This exciting educational trip will bring the children’s science and history learning to life through hands-on exhibits and fascinating collections. Pupils will have the opportunity to explore topics such as dinosaurs, volcanoes, rocks and fossils, helping to inspire curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world around them.
Our Influential Figure next week is Malala Yousafzai. Malala is known around the world for standing up for girls’ education, even when doing so placed her in danger. After being seriously injured for speaking out, she showed incredible courage and determination by continuing her mission to ensure every child has the right to learn.
Her message reminds us all to be brave, speak up for what is right and value the opportunities we have to learn and grow.
“Be brave and stand up for what is right.”
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Warm regards
Mr Clarke
Headteacher
Certificates
A huge well done this week to:
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RBC: Harvey P & Kamil S |
RS: Layla G & George B |
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1D: Khairo K & Duru Y |
1P: Albie B & Isabella N |
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2A: Zach G & Ella B |
2N: Harley S & Darcie M |
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3MH: Lewis R & Alexander T-C |
3VB: Isabelle F & Ayla H |
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4A: Theo B & Layla K |
4L: Sidney R & Logan L |
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5R: Ralph G & Henry F |
6/5P: Oliver G & Poppy M |
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6CH: James T & Riley K A |
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Attendance: Our school target is 97%
Year to date 94.5%
We expect pupils to be in school everyday.
We will not authorise term time absence except in exceptional circumstances and where appropriate, Essex County Council will issue fines.
Classes:
| RBC: 91.3% | 3VB: 96.6% |
| RS: 97.5% | 4A: 94.8% |
| 1D: 96.6% | 4L: 90.9% |
| 1P: 98.8% | 5R: 93.5% |
| 2A: 95.7% | 6/5P: 90.7% |
| 2N: 96% | 6CH: 95.3% |
| 3MH: 96% |
This week, the class with the highest attendance was 1P with 98.8%. Well done! The attendance reward will be coming your way.
Sports Afternoon and Picnic
A reminder to complete the online form by Friday 15 May: Sports Afternoon and Family Picnic – Friday 22 May 2026 – Fill in form
KS1 Playground Before School
We would like to remind all parents and carers that before school, there should be no ball games taking place on the KS1 playground.
For the safety and wellbeing of all children and adults, parents are responsible for supervising their children until they are handed over to their class teachers at the start of the school day. This helps ensure a calm, safe, and orderly start to the school day for everyone.
We appreciate your co-operation and continued support in keeping our school environment safe.
News from EYFS
This week, the children have been listening to the story Tiddler and have enjoyed joining in with the repeated phrases throughout the story. They have been using their imagination to think of reasons why they might be late and have come up with some very creative ideas. We have also been exploring speech bubbles and learning how they are used in stories.
In Maths, we have been exploring 2D shapes and how we can rotate and manipulate them to create pictures. The children have enjoyed using an IWB programme to make different shape animals and have shown good control when rotating the shapes. They have also used tangram shapes to create shape pictures.
The children have been creative in DT, making shark head pegs, cutting and creating their own turtles, and collaging mermaids.
The children have also enjoyed developing their phonics skills, practising blending CVCC and CCVC words through games such as bingo. This has been a great opportunity for them to practise their turn-taking skills as well.
Outside, the children have enjoyed exploring the new mud kitchen, making potions, dressing up, and acting out stories on the stage.
News from the Resource Base
RBR: This week we have begun our new Maths topic: decimals. The children have been exploring place value with decimals up to three decimal places and have approached this brilliantly. It has been fantastic to see them drawing on their prior knowledge of fractions.
We have also started reading Keep Smashing It by Jodi Ounsley. The book has already inspired some thoughtful discussions about dreams and ambitions, how goals can change over time, and how setbacks are a normal part of life. We also explored Jodi’s belief that “things happen for a reason” and reflected on how challenges can often lead us towards new opportunities.
In English, we recapped the use of adverbs before exploring whether the present perfect or past perfect tense would best suit the continuation of our Skysteppers story writing.
It has been a week of reflection, resilience, and building confidence.
RBN: The children have continued to work hard on their independent writing of their story linked to Sky Steppers. It is lovely to see the children enhancing their skills and creativity. I am looking forward to reading these and sharing them with the RB team.
In Maths, the children have continued to measure objects using centimetres and millimetres. They have then ordered them by size. The end of the week brought challenges of using and applying their knowledge to problem solve and find the perimeter of shapes. Well done RBN, you have shown great resilience and perseverance.
Influential Figure – Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí was a famous artist known for his imaginative and unusual paintings. Born in Spain, he became one of the leading figures in Surrealism, an art movement that explored dreams, creativity, and the imagination. His artwork encourages children to think in different ways and express their own ideas creatively. Salvador Dalí’s life and work show how unique talents and perspectives can inspire others and make art exciting and meaningful.
Music Moment
Our music moment this week was Pure Imagination.
Fortnightly Focus – Resilience
Over the next two weeks, our whole-school focus will be on resilience – helping pupils develop the confidence, perseverance and independence needed to overcome challenges both in and out of the classroom.
Throughout the fortnight, staff will be exploring how resilience is built across all areas of school life, including learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and inclusion. We will be encouraging pupils to understand that mistakes are part of learning, that challenge helps us grow and that effort and perseverance are key to success.
In classrooms, pupils will be supported to tackle difficult learning, reflect on feedback, develop independence and build strategies to manage setbacks positively. We will also continue to promote the importance of focus, attendance, positive attitudes and emotional resilience.
By working together, we aim to help all children develop the determination and confidence needed to thrive now and in the future.
11-14 May – Year 6 KS2 SATs.
15 May – Year 3 Natural History Museum visit.
22 May – Sports afternoon and picnic.
25-29 May – Half term.
1-12 June – Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check window.
2 June – Class 6/5P parent lunch.
2 June – Reception trip to Barleylands.
3 June – September 2026 Reception intake welcome meeting at 2.30pm, KS1 hall.
4 June – 6CH parent lunch.
4 June – FOGP summer disco.
7-10 June – Year 6 PGL Bawdsey Manor residential.
12 June – Junior Music Festival.
18 June – Year 6 Aviation WW1 simulator.
19 June – Father’s Day event.
23 June – Meet the teacher event, 3.30pm-4.30pm.
26 June – Year 6 transition to Sweyne Park School.
26 June – FOGP summer fete.
1 July – Nursery sports morning and picnic.
3 July – District sports at Garon Park.
7 July – Year 6 production to parents at 5.00pm.
9 July – Year 6 production to parents at 2.00pm.
14 July – iRock concert for parents at 9.15am, KS2 hall.
17 July – Year 6 Glebe fest leavers’ event.
20 July – Year 6 leavers’ assembly to parents at 9.00am, KS2 hall.
Last Saturday, during her birthday weekend, Elsie went along to watch her mum, dad and big sister abseil the tower at FitzWimarc School. However, once she arrived, she decided she’d like to give it a try too!
Luckily, there was a slot available and Elsie very bravely got herself ready to take on the abseiling challenge. Showing incredible courage and determination, she completed her very first abseil brilliantly!
To make the moment even more special, everyone sang Happy Birthday to her when she was halfway down the tower!
Well done, Elsie – we still can’t believe you did it and we are all so proud of you!
Find the signs in action on Glebe’s social media pages.
