Dear Parents/Carers

I would like to extend a huge thank you to our wonderful PTA for generously giving their time and energy to repaint our Wraparound Club room. The transformation has been remarkable—what was once a tired space is now calm, bright and welcoming for our children to enjoy for interventions throughout the day but also for pupils who use the club, at the start and end of their busy school day.

Your efforts have not only improved the look and feel of the room but have also made a real difference behind the scenes. By taking on this project you have freed up valuable time for our Caretaker, whose limited hours are stretched across many important tasks around the school. Your support truly helps our whole school community run more smoothly.

This project is just the beginning and forms part of a much bigger improvement plan. Over time, we look forward to refreshing classrooms and shared areas across the school, ensuring our environment continues to be inspiring, up to date and a place where everyone feels proud to learn and work.

Thank you once again to our amazing PTA—your ongoing support makes a lasting difference to our school every day.

Warm regards.

Kerry Exon

Headteacher

Congratulations to all those who received an Inspiration Leaf

1.5.26‍ ‍ ‍

Dormouse Cameron and Harry

Otter Ella

Hedgehog Hiruja

Puffin Tabitha and Theo

Squirrel Annabel

Dragonfly Ollie

Kingfisher Harry

8.5.26‍

Dormouse Leah and Jackson

Otter Beau

Hedgehog Dragos

Puffin Daisy

Squirrel Parker

Dragonfly Freddie

Kingfisher Eleri

Playtimes

Our playtimes have been transformed since September and it has been fantastic to see the children so engaged, active and full of joy on the playground. There is a real buzz at break times, with children playing creatively, building friendships and making the most of the wider range of activities now available.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all the parents and carers who have generously donated items to support our playground appeal - your kindness is already making such a positive difference and we are incredibly grateful.

To keep building on this, we are still looking for donations of items such as Lego and Duplo, dolls and pushchairs, action figures and toy cars, chalk and colouring books, fancy dress items and toy microphones, old phones or keyboards for role play, pots and pans, small world toys, cable drums, tuff trays, storage boxes and suitcases.

If you have any of these items, in good condition, tucked away at home and no longer needed, we would love to give them a new life on our playground!

Thank you again for helping us make playtimes such a happy and enriching part of the school day.

At After School Club, Harper and Ben in Year 2 had a lot of fun making a car using old crates and tyres.

Tudor Life Museum of Somerset Visit

Year 4 enjoyed a wonderful educational visit to the Museum of Somerset for a session based around Tudor Life. Year 4 represented the school superbly throughout the day with their hard work and curiosity.

While at the museum, pupils took part in an engaging workshop where they explored a range of real Tudor artefacts and replicas. The children were especially excited to learn about tudor writing and daily life during this fascinating period of history. They discovered how people lived, worked and played and explored the ways the Tudors shaped the town of Taunton. The visit brought our history learning to life and deepened pupils’ understanding of the Tudor era. All children showed great enthusiasm. It was a great day enjoyed by all.

Year 5 Trip to We The Curious

Below are some comments from the children regarding their experience on the day:

‘The most interesting exhibit I explored was the upside down house because it is very cool because it can make you fall over and it makes you feel dizzy.’

‘Me and Ashlea did an animation together. We helped each other and co-operated with each other. We produced an amazing animation.’

‘The visit showed me that there is loads more to learn.

‘Made science fun.’

‘I learnt that some objects in space that aren’t planets have moons.’

‘I think the most interesting part of We The Curious’ was the planetarium because it was fun watching all of the planets and it was more engaging because you could talk to somebody.’

‘It changed how I thought about science because I know more about space.’

‘We used teamwork to discuss how to make animations; it helped us because we had better ideas.’

PTA Raffle Tickets

Please could all raffle ticket stubs and monies be returned to the school office by Wednesday 13th May.

The child who has sold the most raffle tickets and returns them by this date will win a Golden Ticket, which entitles them to a free go on selected attractions at the Fayre. The Golden Ticket will be awarded to the child at school on Friday 15th May. There will also be prizes for second and third most ticket sales.

Please could all unsold tickets be returned to school by 3.30 pm on Friday 15th May at the absolute latest.

Thank you for your co-operation in making this year’s May Fayre a success.

Somerset County Gazette Competition

Somerset County Gazette are launching a competition, designed to bring our community together and support local education. This is launching in next week’s Gazette (issue date 14th May). This is a fantastic opportunity for schools to engage pupils, parents and the wider community in a fun and rewarding challenge.

To take part: simply collect tokens printed in The County Gazette. The school that collects the most tokens per pupil will be the winner.

Prizes:

1st prize: £1,000 Amazon Voucher

2nd prize: £500 Amazon Voucher

Closing date: all tokens must be returned to school no later than Friday 3rd July 2026.

Dates 2026

May

11th ‘Bring a Stick to School Day’.

16th PTA May Fayre, 2.00 - 5.00 pm.

20th Reception Sports Festival at The Castle School.

22nd Year 4 Parental Engagement Afternoon.

25th – 29th ‍ ‍Half Term.

June

1st Back to school.

Tempest class and Year 6 Leavers photographs.

2nd – 5th Year 6 Escot Residential.

3rd Year 5 Parental Engagement Afternoon.

Year 5 Sports Festival at The Castle School.

4th Animals2U visiting EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2.

PTA Meeting 8.00 pm.

10th Year 1 Sports Festival at The Castle School.

12th Year 3 Parental Engagement Afternoon.

17th Year 6 Sports Festival at The Castle School.

22nd Year 6 Production to school 2.00 pm.

23rd Sports Day:

KS1: 9.15 am

KS2: 1.15 pm

25th Year 6 Production to parents 5.30 - 6.45 pm.

26th PTA School Disco.

27th PTA Adult Disco.

29th Year 5 Bikeability.

30th Year 5 Bikeability.

Year 6 Transition Day.

July

1st Year 6 Transition Day.

Move Up Day for rest of the school.

3rd INSET Day.

6th Careers Week.

Year 5 Bikeability.

7th Year 5 Bikeability.

8th Rocksteady Concert at 10.00 am.

‍ ‍Reception Parental Engagement Afternoon.

17th Year 6 Leavers Assembly 9.30 am.

End of year ice-cream van.

20th School closed for INSET Day.

21st School closed for INSET Day.

22nd Break up for summer holidays.

September

3rd INSET Day.

4th INSET Day.

7th Autumn Term starts.

17th Whole school flu vaccinations.

25th Tempest individual and sibling photographs.

October

26th - 30th Half Term.

December

21st Dec - 1st Jan Christmas Holidays.

February

15th - 19th Half Term.

March

26th Mar - 9th Apr Easter Holidays.