Key Dates
Monday 22nd July
Class changeover day - the children spend time with their new class teacher for September
Nursery closed - new to Reception & Nursery Stay and Play sessions
Tuesday 23rd July
Year 6 Leavers' Assembly at 9:00 am in the Large Hall
Open Afternoon from 3:15–4:00 pm
Year 6 Leavers' Party at 5:30 pm
Wednesday 24th July
LAST DAY OF TERM - school closes at 1:30 pm.
PSA second hand uniform sale at 1:00 pm
Thursday 25th July – Friday 30th August
SUMMER HOLIDAY
Monday 2nd September
Start of the autumn term — INSET Day — children are not in school
Tuesday 3rd September
INSET Day — children are not in school
Wednesday 4th September
Children return to school
Monday 9th September
Year 6 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Tuesday 10th September
Year 5 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Wednesday 11th September
Year 4 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Thursday 12th September
Year 3 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Friday 13th September
Year 2 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Monday 16th September
Year 1 Parents' Welcome Meeting
Click here for 2024/2025 term dates, including INSET days.
Reminder
Last day of term
Wednesday 24th July is the last day of term. It is a mufti day and the children may wear their own clothes to school - but no football kits please! School closes early, and we are staggering dismissal to ensure the children can be collected promptly.
Reception, Year 1 & 2–1:25 pm
Nursery and Years 3–6–1:30 pm
Tree Tops will run a single session from 1:30–4:30 pm only.
Tree Tops
If you plan to use Childcare Vouchers or Tax-free Childcare (TFC) payments to pay for Tree Tops sessions next term, please ensure you arrange for their transfer as soon as possible. The calendar for the new school year in ParentPay will open during the summer break for you to make bookings. We will give you advance notice of this date.
School Office
The school office will close at 3:00 pm on Wednesday 24th July and reopen at 8:00 am on Wednesday 4th September. Over the summer break, emails to the office will be monitored remotely and responded to as necessary.
The first week back at school in September is Welcome Week when the children will take part in lots of different activities to create a sense of belonging and togetherness and explore the diversity of their class, celebrating their different cultures and identities. It will also be a time to set expectations and establish the routines for the new school year.
As part of Welcome Week, we will be holding a Parents' Welcome Meeting for each year group where your new class teachers will share information on what the children will be learning throughout the year. The meetings will be held at 9:00 am in the Large Hall. Please see the Key Dates section for when your child's year group meeting will be.
After school and lunchtime clubs for the autumn term will be available to book from next week. Please look out for an email on Monday to let you know when booking via ParentPay opens. Next week, the only clubs running will be Just 4 Kicks football on Monday at 3:30 pm and Wednesday at 1:30 pm.
Although there are still a few more days of school, this will be the last whole school newsletter of the year. We hope you have a wonderful summer and that the children return on Wednesday 4th September, re-energised and ready for the exciting term ahead. Key dates for the new school year will be sent out in due course.
End of Year Reports
All End of Year Reports have been sent out via ParentPay. If you have not received your child's Record of Achievement Report, please contact the school office by email to office@fernhillprimary.org. Please remember to acknowledge receipt of your report by completing the form linked in the letter we sent you.
Open Afternoon
On Tuesday 23rd July, we are holding our Open Afternoon when school will be open after dismissal from 3:30–4:00 pm for you to come into the classroom with your child to look at their books and share their learning together. Once you have collected your child at the usual time, please be patient while your teachers dismiss the remainder of the class - they will invite you in as soon as they can. Year 5 and 6 parents should collect their children and then enter school through main reception. All other year groups should wait at their collection points. We would encourage you to spend the first 10–15 minutes in your child's current class and then move on to your new classroom for September at around 3:45 pm, where you can meet your new teacher. The school will close at 4:00 pm.
Book of the Week
Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest by Liz Flanagan
Winner of the 7+ Category - Spark! School Book Awards 2024
When war threatens her beloved city, Rowan and her mother must flee to the Dark Forest, meeting Grandpa and his white wolf Arto for the first time. Though she misses her father, Rowan makes new friends - including a trio of powerful witches. When she rescues a baby dragon from poachers, she discovers the secret of her own identity: Rowan is a wildsmith! Fostering a whole clutch of dragons, the summer speeds by. But when danger threatens, Rowan and her grandpa must call on all their friends for help.
This is what our pupils had to say:
‘It was very good. I recommend it. My favourite part was the race at the start.’ James - Chestnut
‘I really do love this book. It is my favourite of all the books.’ Zahra - Chestnut
‘I really enjoyed ‘Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest’ as it was really fun and I don’t normally like fantasy but it changed my mind!’ Mila B - Lime
‘The book was really good and it has such nice twists and amazing illustrations.’ Riyaa - Lime
Library News
Summer Reading Challenge: Book Bingo
In addition to the national Summer Reading Challenge, we are running our own school Summer Reading 'Book Bingo' Challenge. Read four books over the summer holidays, based on our categories, fill in the titles & return the card to school in September to win a certificate. The card will be coming home with pupils this week.
100 Book Challenge
Congratulations to the following pupils who have completed the Fern Hill 100 Book Challenge this year: Hugo (Foxglove), Krisha (Elm), and Ella (Ash).
TEAM POINTS
The overall winner this week is KINGSTON
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Kingston
229
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Coombe
155
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Richmond
210
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Hampton
181
PSA News & Events
Circus Pazaz- priority booking ends on Wednesday 24th July
Don’t forget to book your circus tickets before the end of term - it's priority booking for Fern Hill children and their immediate families!
Preloved school uniform sale from 1:00pm Wednesday 24th July
Get organised for September by picking up some bargain uniform items at our second-hand sale. Uniform donations can be left outside the school office from Monday.
Do you have an unwanted smartphone?
The PSA would be grateful for donations of unwanted smartphones to be used as ticket scanners at events and to take card payments. If you have a phone that you can donate, please contact the PSA WhatsApp group or your Class Rep to arrange collection. Thank you!
PSA Committee news!
Following our AGM last week, we are ringing the changes for September!
Becky O’Reilly is stepping down as Vice Chair, having shepherded us brilliantly through our last few years without a Chair. Thank you, Becky, for everything you have done! Anita Durai and Hannah Boyer are also stepping down from their roles as Secretary and Class Rep Coordinator/Communications - thank you both for your support over the last few years. Huge thanks also to Angelika, Jen E and Shereen who will remain in their roles as treasurer, uniform lead and ticketing lead next year.
We also say farewell to two absolute stalwarts of the Committee, Caroline McDonald and Kate Bell, as their children move on from Fern Hill. Both have given so much effort and energy to the PSA throughout their time at school, and we will really miss them. Thank you so much both!
In exciting news, for the first time in over two years, the PSA has a Chair! Jenny Ramsey will be taking on the role going forward. Thank you Jenny!
Your new committee members as elected at the AGM are:
Chair - Jenny Ramsey
Treasurer - Angelika Alani
Secretary - Hannah Boyer
Class Rep Coordinator/Comms - Bojana Dos Santos / Nina Ghosh
We will introduce everyone properly in September. Thank you!
It just remains to say a huge thank you on behalf of the Committee!
This year we have achieved a profit of over £25,000, including over £6,000 raised through year group cake sales. At a time when school budgets are squeezed, this money helps the school to fund items and activities that are invaluable in enriching our children’s school lives. That we can achieve this is only thanks to your help and support in volunteering, donating and attending events and the strong parent and staff community at Fern Hill. As a committee, we simply could not do this without you!