School News 6th February 2026

Friday 6th February 2026

Headteacher's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

At Goldthorn Park Primary School, personal development and a strong sense of belonging are at the heart of everything we do. We strive to enrich our children’s learning beyond the classroom. Over the past two weeks, pupils have taken part in a range of experiences designed to build confidence, independence, and essential life skills that prepare them for the next steps in their education and for life beyond primary school.

These have included Dance Leadership workshops Year 5 Shine in Dance Leadership Workshop, sessions with our PCSOs Year 6 Visitor – PCSO Shinton PCSO visit to Year 4 and 5, links with international schools Building International Friendships in Year 4, local area exploration Year 1 Explore Our Local Area, Wellbeing Champion training Reflexions Visit Our School, and public‑speaking opportunities including Year group assemblies —alongside many other exciting opportunities.

Together, these activities help prepare our children for the next steps in their learning and support them in becoming confident, well‑rounded individuals of whom we are incredibly proud. Without your support—both in financially contributing to these experiences and in ensuring your children attend school every day—this would not be possible. Thank you.

Next week, we will be celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week, and our Wellbeing Champions have been working hard alongside Mrs Brownhill to plan a range of special activities. Their aim is to raise the profile of how we can all look after our mental health and keep ourselves feeling happy, healthy, and resilient.

We are also looking forward to our annual ‘Dress to Express’ Day on Friday, when children are encouraged to come to school wearing something that reflects their personality, interests, or how they’re feeling. We can’t wait to share the week with our children and shine a light on the importance of wellbeing for everyone.

I am incredibly proud to be the Headteacher of this wonderful school, and it is a true privilege to see our children grow and flourish day by day. Please remember that we operate an open‑door policy—if you ever have a question or concern, leaders are always available. We are here to listen, to help, and to work together to ensure the very best for every child in our care.

Warm regards,

Mrs R. Purshouse

Headteacher

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Year 3 - History Athens Vs Sparta

Year 3 enjoyed an unforgettable visit from Humph Histories to deepen their understanding of Ancient Greece and bring our Athens vs. Sparta topic to life.

The day was packed with laughter, hands‑on learning, and brilliant teamwork as the children explored the lasting legacy of this fascinating civilisation.

They began by locating Ancient Greece on a world map and discussing where it sits on the historical timeline. The children listened to captivating stories from the period and even attempted to solve what is believed to be one of the oldest puzzles in the world!

One of the highlights of the morning was designing and decorating their own Greek‑style vases—an activity many children chose as their favourite part of the day.

In the afternoon, excitement grew as we split into two teams: Athens and Sparta. After voting for their leaders, the groups took part in a series of Ancient Greek‑themed challenges, including:

• creating “wine” by pressing grapes

• forming a battle defence

• sorting foods the Greeks would have eaten

• competing in a javelin event inspired by the Olympic Games

Both teams gave their all, and the competition ended in a well‑deserved draw—leaving everyone feeling victorious.

Miss Richards and Ms Singh

Year 3 Teachers

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The Importance of Good Attendance

Good attendance is vital at Goldthorn Park Primary School. When children are in school regularly, they make better progress, feel more confident, and can fully enjoy the wide range of enrichment opportunities we offer.

In recent months, the government has strengthened national attendance guidance and updated the regulations around school absence. This includes a new national threshold where schools must consider a penalty notice if a child has 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence within a 10‑school‑week period. The government has also increased the fine amounts and introduced limits on how many can be issued within a three‑year period. [legislation.gov.uk]

These changes have been introduced nationally to support consistent attendance across all schools and to help ensure children do not miss out on their education. We understand that the consequences of fines or further legal action can be stressful for families and, for some, could even impact future employability. We are eager to work in partnership with our parents to avoid this happening.

If you are considering taking your child out of school during term time, please come in and speak to me, Ms Tolley or Mrs Roe (Educational Welfare Officer) before making any firm plans. By talking together early, we can help minimise any lost learning and support you in navigating the new national expectations.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us ensure every child attends school regularly and benefits from all that our school community has to offer.

Mrs Purshouse

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Online Safety Workshop - Parents

Thank you to everyone who attended our Online Safety Workshop led by online safety specialist Patrick Flynn. We really appreciate your engagement and the time you took to join us. The session was incredibly informative and helpful, and we are pleased to share that we will be arranging another workshop during the Summer term.

One of the most important and practical tips shared during the session was the reminder not to allow children to use devices in spaces where adults cannot see what they are doing. Keeping device use within shared family areas is one of the simplest and most effective ways to support children’s online safety.

If you ever have a concern about your child—or any other children—in relation to online safety, please come into school and speak with a member of our safeguarding team. We are always here to listen, offer guidance, and work together to keep children safe.

At school, our curriculum continues to empower children to make positive and sensible decisions online. At the same time, we recognise that they rely on parents and trusted adults to guide them through potential challenges or tricky situations. Your involvement makes a huge difference.

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Safeguarding is Everyone's responsibility

At Goldthorn Park Primary School our door is 

always open. If you have any concerns about a 

child or family, please contact the school. We are 

here to listen and help provide the support you 

need.

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Attendance Matters...

Regular attendance is essential for every child’s learning, progress, and overall development. Children who attend school consistently not only achieve stronger academic outcomes but also build the foundations they need for future success.

At Goldthorn Park Primary School, we are committed to working closely with our families to ensure that every child is in school, on time, every day.

Key Information

• Attendance below 96% is considered low.

• Children with attendance below 90% are classed as Persistently Absent.

By continuing to work together, we can make sure every child has the best possible opportunity to thrive.

Ms Tolley

(Deputy Headteacher & Attendance Lead)

Whole School

93.60%

Year Group	Attendance %
Reception	92.3%
Year 1	92.68%
Year 2	92.55%
Year 3	93.62%
Year 4	93.69%
Year 5	94.62%
Year 6	94.28%

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Autumn Term 2025  Term Time: Monday 1st September 2025 - Friday 19th December 2025

Monday 1st September 2025 - INSET Day school CLOSED to children

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 - INSET Day school CLOSED to children

Autumn Half Term - Monday 27th October - Friday 31st October 2025

Spring Term 2026  Term Time: Monday 5th January 2026 - Friday 27th March 2026

Monday 9th February 2026 - Friday 13th February 2026 - Children's Mental Health Week

Monday 9th February 2026 - 2:30pm Year 1 Assembly - Chinese New year

Tuesday 10th February 2026 - Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 10th February 2026 - Year 3 PCSO Workshop Internet Safety & Social Media

Wednesday 11th February 2026 - EYFS Wild Tribe Pancake Day

Thursday 12th February 2026 - Launch of Parents Daily Mile Club 8:30 - 8:45

Friday 13th February 2026 - Dress to Express Day

Spring Half Term Holiday - Monday 16th February - Friday 20th February 2026

Monday 23rd February 2026 - INSET Day school CLOSED to children

Tuesday 24th February 2026 - Year 4 PCSO Workshop Internet Safety & Social Media

Wednesday 25th February 2026 - Year 2 Residential

Thursday 26th February 2026 - Year 4 parents meeting for Multiplication Timetable Check

Friday 27th February 2026 - Celebrating Martisor

Monday 2nd March 2026 - PCSO Workshop Stranger Awareness & Getting Lost

Monday 2nd March 2026 - Reflexions Parent Workshop - Supporting your child with tests/ test anxiety 9:00am

Monday 2nd March 2026 - Friday 6th March 2026 Science Week

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 - Year 3 Trip

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 - Year 2 PCSO Workshop Stranger Awareness & Getting Lost

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 - EYFS People Who Help us visitor - Police

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 - Year 5 Science workshop

Thursday 5th March 2026 - World Book Day - Little People, Big Dreams

Thursday 5th March 2026 - Year 2 Trip

Thursday 5th March 2026 - Year 3/4 Trip

Tuesday 10th March 2026 - Year 3 & 4 Tag Rugby Festival

Tuesday 10th March 2026 - Year 2 CO2 Crew Workshop

Tuesday 10th March 2026 - Friday 13th March Book Fair in School

Wednesday 11th March 2026 - Reception PCSO Workshop What does a Police Officer do?

Wednesday 11th March 2026 - Year 5 CO2 Crew Workshop

Wednesday 11th March 2026 - Y1 Trip

Friday 13th March 2026 - 9:00 Reception Mother's Day Craft

Friday 13th March 2026 - Nursery Mother's Day Craft 10:45 Morning Nursery/ 2:30 Afternoon Nursery

Tuesday 17th March 2026 - Nursery PCSO Workshop What does a Police Officer do?

Wednesday 18th March 2026 - Mini London Marathon Event

Monday 23rd March 2026 - Nursery & Reception Visitor

Thursday 26th March 2026 - Year 4 Romans Day

Thursday 26th March 2026 - Rocksteady Spring Concert 10:00.

Summer Term 2026 Term Time: Monday 13th April 2026 - Monday 20th July 2026

Monday 4th May 2026 - Bank Holiday school CLOSED to children.

Monday 12th May 2026 - Year 6 SATs week - ALL YEAR 6 in.

Half Term Holiday Monday 25th May 2026 - Friday 29th May 2026

Friday 19th June 2026 - INSET Day school CLOSED to children

Monday 21st July 2026 - INSET Day school CLOSED to children