Christmas is always a busy term with a busy last week and this year has been no exception. With Christmas activities still to happen we are all in the festive spirit and enjoying the different activities. A special thanks to the Friends of the School helpers who have put is so much of their time and energy to running activities this Christmas, supporting the school events, running their fair and thus, raising money to benefit the pupils in school. The events themselves add to the school experience as well as providing important funds for vital school equipment and important experiences for the pupils. Thank you.
Governor in School Week
Our governors visited the school to see the children at work in various lessons. Their role is strategic but it is important that they are aware of how the school runs to be able to make the necessary decisions. They enjoyed participating in a range of learning from maths and English to cross-country running!
Music and Drama
Class 5 have been learning the clarinet this term as part of their class music lessons. Next term Class 3 will have the opportunity. Individual music lessons are available for KS2 pupils. Please contact the school office if your child is interested in learning a brass or woodwind instrument or the piano. Payment is made directly to the teachers.
Classes 1 and 2 did very well learning their songs for the nativity. They then went on to perform three performances of Simply The Nativity – to the whole school, then to family and friends during an afternoon and evening. Wonderful to watch and a real skill for the pupils to learn.
Residential
Year 4 and 5 enjoyed 3 days and 2 nights in the Forest of Dean at Viney Hill Christian Adventure Centre. As you will see from the pictures they participated in a variety of outdoor activities and conquered many personal fears. It was wonderful to witness the children supporting each other and encouraging those with less confidence to give it a go! Thank you to the staff, who give up their own time to make the residential happen for the pupils. Year 6 will have their own adventure at the end of the summer term.
Cross-Country
After the weather forecast meant the cross-country was postponed by the organisers, the whole of KS2 managed to finally get to Chipping Campden to run the cross-county. This was a great chance for all to participate, having a run in the fresh air, whatever the individual ability. As part of their PE lessons all pupils take part in regular cross-country running to enable everyone to improve their fitness and compete against themselves to create personal bests.
Class 2
Class 2 have had a very busy term. They enjoyed learning about the different countries of the UK and celebrated them all on their UK Day. The children dressed up, danced, created a presentation about their country in groups and ate food from each country, apparently Haggis is a real hit with Class 2!
They have also visited the British Motor Museum along with Class 1, year 1 pupils, where we had a tour of all the cars and then made our own cars out of different materials and tested them on different types of surfaces.
Sharing Assemblies
Class 3, 4, 5 have enjoyed showcasing their work to parents/carers this term in the class sharing assemblies. Class 2 will have their sharing assembly on 16th January 9am, Class 1 on 23rd January 9am. Parents/carers of pupils in that class are welcome to watch.
Design and Technology, Art
Class 4 and 5 have been busy designing and creating at the end of the term. Class 5 cut withies from the forest earlier in the year and are now weaving them to create Christmas wreaths. Greenery is being added and there are wonderful seasonal aromatherapy smells wafting down the corridor. This will compete with the smell of chocolate from Class 4 as the pupils have designed and made chocolate boxes from cardboard and next, chocolate truffles to go in them.
Uniform reminder
https://blockleyprimaryschool.co.uk/school-life/uniform/
Please remember to send your child to school in correct school uniform. Note that our uniform states ‘sensible black/dark blue shoes (no boots or track shoes)’. Wellington boots can be left in school for wet weather play to ensure feet remain dry. All children need to bring a suitable coat into school to wear at break times.
Attendance reminder
School attendance matters for the future of your child. Government statistics from the education hub show that ‘At primary school, children who attend nearly every day in Year 6 (95–100% attendance) have 30% higher odds of reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths compared to similar pupils who attend 90–95% of the time’. https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/08/why-school-attendance-matters-and-what-were-doing-to-improve-it/ It is really important to set early attendance habits as missing school also impacts your child’s future earnings. ‘Persistently absent pupils in secondary school could earn £10,000 less at age 28 compared to pupils with near-perfect attendance.
For each additional day of absence between Years 7 to 11, the typical pupil could miss out on an average of £750 in future lifetime earnings’.
Please support your child’s attendance by only keeping them off if they are too ill to attend https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/ , booking medical appointment out of school hours if possible and not taking holidays during term time.
Internet safety
Pupils in school learn about internet safety in an age-appropriate way. Class 5 will have a visit from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Youth Engagement Officer to discuss online safety this week. We all need to work together to keep our children safe online. Further details giving age appropriate advice can be found on the CEOP website: https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents/
Please remember no internet enabled devices (phones, smart watches etc) or tracking devices in school or on school visits.
Christmas
We are having a wonderfully festive week in school with the pantomime, Christmas lunch, Father Christmas and class parties. Our last day is on Friday 19th December with school finishing at 2pm. Please remember there is no After School Care or clubs so please collect promptly at 2pm.
Enjoy the festive break and we look forward to seeing pupils back in school on Monday 5th January 2026.
Happy Christmas from all the staff at Blockley School