Happy New Year from all of us at Grayswood Primary School!

We've had a wonderful start to 2024, with lots to update you on, from trips, to music performances and sporting achievements.

Our continued thanks to all the parent volunteers who help to make these events happen.

Looking ahead to the rest of this term, we have lots more events, trips and some really fun fundraisers planned, so please keep an eye on the calendar for more information.

Fundraising update

One of the highlights of the new year, which I'm sure the children have told you all about, must be the range of new toys and equipment introduced into the playground, thanks to recent fundraising efforts.

We've got den building equipment, new tuff trays and toys, and a mud kitchen, to name just a few. We've also got the reading shed still to come and a few other surprises in store.

The Music Works!

Following the huge success of the KS1 performance late last year, The Music Works returned to perform for our KS2 students to help launch the start of new drums and piano lessons here at Grayswood School.

"My first piano lesson was BRILLIANT! I learnt how to read notes and play them! I thought of lots of songs and my teacher said he would teach me to play them.

The teacher is funny and really encouraging.

If you want to learn an instrument, I would really recommend piano with Will!"

By Amelia, Olivia & Arlo S, Year 4

We also offer lessons for keyboard, guitar and ukulele. To find out more please visit: 

 https://www.themusicworks.uk/

Year 1 Journey Back in Time

Our Woodpeckers class trip this term was to the Rural Life Living Museum. Despite the rain, the children had a great time learning all about toys from the past. We were split into two groups – the first group played with a variety of 1950’s toys like; trikes, puzzles, tea sets, cup and ball and skipping ropes. The main difference we learnt was how simple toys were in the past and children used their imagination to make up games too. The second group was with Pam, who told them all about what it was like to be a 1950s child, and she showed us the types of toys she played with, the original books she read and what she was dressed in.

In the afternoon, we played in the 1950s playground and then had a tour of the other exhibits.

A massive thank you to Mrs McQuillan, Mrs Trask and Mrs Starostin for helping us!

Terrific Tech Club!

"On Friday, 8th of December, Tech Clubbers enjoyed their last session of its first term. It was especially exciting because it was the awards ceremony.

Over the course of the term, we were awarded points for demonstrating the 4Cs - collaboration, creativity, communication and cooperation. 

Everyone received a certificate for amazing coding work and completing all the challenges. Just like that, it came to awarding 1st and 2nd place. In second place were 'The Hackers' (Arlo S and Matty in Year 4) who both got a medal! Then they announced "In first place with 38 points... 'Team Tech'!" (Jemima, Kyra and Orla in Year 4). Everyone worked really well and all deserved a medal or trophy."

By Jemima, Year 4

Hello from our Anti-bullying Ambassadors

Hi, we are the Anti-bullying Ambassadors. Our names are: Milly, Ben, Evie, Izzy and Bella from Year 6 and Evie, Jasper, Reuben, Bea and Isla from Year 5 and we are led by Mrs Harris.

All of us have taken part in the Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying training programme and are in contact with them for continued support. 

A focus on British values

Just as we do with our school values, each half term, we have a focus on one of the British values. We explore the meaning of the value and delve into at what this might look like in action. This half term, the focus has been on 'individual liberty'. Overseen by Mrs Harris, a group of volunteers led a fabulous interactive assembly last week and the children came up with lots of examples of where we have 'individual liberty' from choosing what we have for breakfast, to what clubs we attend and freedom of speech during class discussions!

Good attendance is not just valuable, it's essential. Good attendance promotes good outcomes for pupils and provides them with the very best opportunity to reach their potential.

We regularly track the attendance for each child and communicate with parents where any concerns may be emerging. The government class attendance below 90% is as 'persistently absent' and under 50% 'severely absent'.

The percentage attendance figures for each class as a whole in January are:

St Ives Football

Last week, the Year 3 and Year 4 football teams came together for the very first time to play against St Ives.

It was an exciting game with lots of good football played.  St Ives came out the eventual winners. Well played boys!

Panathlon

On 18^th January, Grayswood School  participated in a Panathlon Festival in Farnham.  The team comprised of 6 children from Robins and Woodpeckers. The festival included a variety of activities: bean bag throw, bowling, Flight Path, basketball, Parachute popcorn, and Kurling. All the children had great fun having an active morning and came home with great pride, wearing their medals.

Reindeer Run Thanks

"I am writing to say a huge thank you for taking part in our 2023 Phyllis Tuckwell Christmas Runs. We are delighted to tell you that the school raised a fantastic £1912.17 in sponsorship!

It is thanks to your support that we are able to continue our hospice care in the local community, looking after patients and their families free of charge when they need us most. As well as raising money, your support also means that children in our area will have an increased awareness of Phyllis Tuckwell and the role we serve in the local community.

You may remember only 20% of our costs are usually covered by the Government/NHS, which means we have to raise over £25,000 a day to continue our care, free of charge for patients and their families, so we rely heavily on our community for their support."

Lauren Trantham
Community Fundraiser, Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care

Hosting a party? 

Don't forget you can hire our school hall for your parties, events or clubs. It's available after school, at weekends and during the school holidays.

To find out more please contact Mrs Simpson, our School Business Manager, on sbm@grayswood.surrey.sch.uk