Weekly Newsletter 23.10.2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we reach the end of our first half term, I would like to thank you for supporting such a positive start to the year. We have enjoyed 8 settled and successful weeks, and we are grateful for your continued partnership in helping our children thrive.

There has been lots to celebrate, including Black History Month, our children’s cross-country achievements and receiving the Eco Schools Green Award for our commitment to the environment. We have ended the week on a high with an exciting dance and sing workshop yesterday and FOPPS Break the Rules Day today. We will confirm how much has been raised the first week back.

We have also introduced our new English scheme in KS2 and continued developing our mixed-age classes in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. We look forward to welcoming Ark Start Nursery to our Beckfoot Priestthorpe family. and say goodbye to our nursery children who will join them after half term. We have loved having them with us this half term, and will miss their smiling faces! We may also have some exciting news to share about our new Headteacher.

Despite these changes, our commitment remains to creating a remarkable school for our whole community.

I hope everyone enjoys a well-deserved rest and some relaxing family time over the half-term break. Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 2 November.

With thanks, Mrs Gunning,

Key Reminders

Lunchtime ParentPay Arrears – Urgent Action Required – Please ensure that any outstanding lunch payments on ParentPay are settled as soon as possible. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Individual School Photographs – Monday 2 November – Individual school photographs will be taken on Monday 2 November, the first day back after the school break.

Parents’ Evening Bookings – Wednesday 4 November – Bookings for Parents’ Evening will go live at 6:00 pm on Wednesday 4 November. Please ensure you book your appointment.

November Trips – Payments Due – Please ensure that all payments for trips scheduled in November have been made. Thank you for your cooperation.

NOVEMBER

Monday 2 November – SCHOOL REOPENS

Monday 2 November – Individual School photographs

Thursday 5 November – Reception and Year 1 children Fluoride Varnish visit – see eschools for more details

Sunday 8 November, 10:40am – Remembrance Parade in Bingley – Email [email protected] if your child would like to take part

Thursday 12 November – Year 5 Design and Technology day with Mr Hepp from Hepp DT Education

Monday 16 November – Wednesday 18 November – Year 6 Residential to Robinwood

Wednesday 18 November – Year 3 school trip to Nell Bank – See eschools for more information

Thursday 19 November, 3:30pm – 8:00pm – Parents’ Evening – all parents/carers must attend

Friday 20 November – SCHOOL CLOSED FOR DATA DAY

Tuesday 24th November – Year 4 school trip to Leeds City Museum – details to follow shortly

Thursday 26 November – Year 4 Class Assembly, 9:00am – 9:30am – all Year 4 parents/carers are welcome to attend

*NEW* December

Friday 4 December – FOPPS non uniform day for Christmas Fair – bring a bottle or chocolate bar

Monday 7 December AM – Children’s CPR session – more information to follow

Monday 7 December PM – Performance from Beckfoot Brass Band

Friday 11 December – FOPPS Christmas Fair at the Methodist Church

Tuesday 15 December – Year 3 and Year 4 Christmas Party – more information to follow

Wednesday 16 December, 9:30am – 10:30am – Infants 1 and 2 Nativity Performance

Wednesday 16 December – Christmas Dinner Day! – more information to follow

Wednesday 16 December – Year 5 and Year 6 Christmas Party – more information to follow

Thursday 17 December, 5:30am – 6:30am – Infants 1 and 2 Nativity Performance

Thursday 17 December – Infants 1 Christmas Party – more information to follow

Friday 18 December – Infants 2 Christmas Party – more information to follow

Showing kindness to everyone!

At our school, we teach children the importance of kindness, respect and celebrating our differences. Every child deserves to feel valued, accepted and included, and we all have a responsibility to model these values through our words and actions.

These expectations extend to adults too. Our children learn from what they see and hear, so it is important that we treat one another with the same kindness, respect and understanding we encourage in them.

We may not always agree, but we can always choose to be respectful. Let’s work together to ensure our school community is one where every child and family feels welcome, valued and included.

Check Class Dojo, teachers will regularly share updates and photos from your child’s class. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see highlights of what’s been going on across the school.

We love seeing what our children are achieving beyond the school day! Whether it’s sporting success, music and dance achievements, community involvement, or personal milestones, it’s wonderful to celebrate the talents and efforts our pupils show outside of school. Please email [email protected] if you would like us to share anything on the

Our homework expectations, or ‘home learning’ as we prefer to call it, have been carefully planned to develop children’s foundational knowledge whilst not being too onerous for parents. 

We have two learning platforms we use in school and the weekly expectations for home learning;

  Read Write Inc. Phonics for Infants 1 and Infants

We use Read Write Inc as our Phonics Programme. Phonics helps children learn the sounds letters make, while Read Write Inc. teaches children to read and spell confidently through sounds, blending and practice.

Accelerated Reader Year 2 upwards 

Once children have completed the Read Write Inc. phonics programme, they will have access to Accelerated reader.  This is where children read books and then answer questions to check their understanding.  Children choose books from their personal reading range in school and then read the book at home.  They then take a quiz on what they have read, and when they pass the quiz they choose another book.  Through reading and quizzing they are developing their word reading skills alongside an understanding of what they have read. 

All children in school should read at least 3 times a week but daily would be even better! 

1. Please record the reading in their record book which their teacher will check weekly. 

2. Please help them to access the online quiz if required

Numbots and Times Table Rockstars 

We use an online platform to help the children learn vital number facts whilst playing fun games.  These number facts are the essential building blocks for their maths learning.  To get the best out of Numbots or TTRS, we recommend that children play regularly for short bursts of time, aiming for 3 minutes, five times a week. 

1. Please encourage your child to log on as often as possible and meet the minimum weekly goal of 15 minutes. 

2. Their class teacher will check their engagement with the games weekly to keep them on track. 

We recognise the need to support a balanced use of screen time, so there is a maximum time limit set of 15 minutes a day and a curfew of 7.30pm.   

We really value your support with home learning, and it will have a huge impact on your child’s progress in school.  Please help us to support your child by helping them to engage with their homework each week. A text will be sent home if your child has not met their weekly target so you can help them to stay on track. 

Times Tables Rock Stars – Times Tables Rock Stars

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