Whitchurch Combined School - October Newsletter | |
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Headteacher: Mrs R. Mobbs
School Vision: “Growing Today, Ready for Tomorrow!”
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Welcome to Our First Newsletter of the Year!
It’s hard to believe we are already nearly seven weeks into the new academic year! So much has happened, and we are excited to share all the news and highlights from across the school.
For those of you paying close attention, you may have noticed our new newsletter format and its integration into the website. We hope you enjoy the fresh look and find it easier to keep up to date with everything happening at school!
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Supporting Mara – A Marathon for a Special Cause
One of our parents, Mrs Pedlow, is taking on a very hilly marathon to raise funds for Mara, the younger sister of one of our Year 6 pupils. Mara has a very rare neurological gene mutation called GABBR2, which affects her speech, communication, fine motor skills, and development. She is preparing for another round of stem cell transplant treatment, and every donation will help support her care.
If you would like to contribute, you can donate via Mrs Pedlow’s JustGiving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/anne-pedlow
Thank you for helping our school community support Mara and her family during this challenging time.
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Start and End of the School Day
The school day starts promptly at 8:45am. Please ensure your child arrives on time and is ready for learning.
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The black gate opens at 8:35am for Years 1–6.
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Reception children may enter through their classroom door from 8:35am.
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If you arrive after 8:45am, please sign your child in at the school office.
At the end of the day:
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Children should be collected by 3:15pm for Reception and KS1 and 3.20 for KS2.
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If arriving after 3:30pm, please go to the office, where your child will be waiting.
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S4A After School Club can only take children who have been pre-booked — they cannot accept unregistered pupils.
Parking Reminder:
Please ensure you are parking safely and considerately, avoiding the zig-zag lines outside school. These must be kept clear for emergency access at all times.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school safe, organised, and punctual!
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School Staff Overview
Here is a list of the staff team for 2025-26:
School Staff Overview
Reception
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Teachers: Mrs Lawson (Mon–Tues) & Mrs Fowler (Wed–Fri)
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Teaching Assistants: Mrs Little, Mrs Band (Tues–Thurs), Mrs Sewter (Mon-Fri mornings)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Additional Staff
Leadership Team
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Vision & Values
At Whitchurch, our vision is:
“Growing today, ready for tomorrow.”
This simple yet powerful statement reflects our commitment to preparing every child not just for academic success, but for life.
Our Five Core Values:
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Be kind
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Be respectful
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Be proud
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Be resilient
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Be curious
The children have been working hard to learn and live out our vision and values. We have been exploring them together in assemblies and PSHE lessons, helping the children understand what each value means and how we can show them every day — in the classroom, on the playground, and beyond.
These values are at the heart of everything we do, guiding us as we grow, learn and support one another
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School Uniform Reminder
The children have returned to school looking wonderfully smart — thank you for your support! To keep everyone looking their best and staying safe, here are a few gentle reminders:
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Hairbands should be school green, and long hair must be tied back.
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Hair gel should not be worn — the boys look just as great without it!
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If children have pierced ears, they should wear small plain studs only (no hoops or dangly earrings).
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As the colder weather approaches, please ensure your child comes to school with a warm coat.
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All hair longer than chin length should be tied back and kept away from the face.
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Our full uniform guidance is available on the school website: https://www.whitchurchcombined.co.uk/uniform-information
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Finally, please label all clothing with your child’s name — our lost property box is already overflowing!
Thank you for helping us maintain high standards and smart appearances across the school!
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Open Days for Reception 2026
Over the past few weeks, we have welcomed many prospective parents to our open morning, afternoon and evening sessions for children starting Reception in September 2026.
We have one more session available on Monday 10th November at 9:30am.
If you have a child born between 01/09/2021 and 31/08/2022, we would be very happy for you to join us. If you are unable to attend this final session, please contact the school office to arrange an alternative appointment.
We look forward to meeting more of our future Whitchurch families.
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New House Captains!
We are delighted to announce our House Captains for 2025–2026. Congratulations to the following pupils who will be leading their houses this year:
They have already stepped into their new roles with great enthusiasm — here they are helping to load the van with the Harvest produce collected from your generous donations!
Well done to all of our new House Captains — we look forward to seeing you lead with pride and responsibility throughout the year.
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Harvest Festivals
Wow! We have genuinely never seen the school hall so full as it was on Monday 6th and Wednesday 7th October, when families packed in to watch our fantastic KS2 and KS1 and Reception Harvest Assemblies!
The children taught us so much about Harvest – from how it is celebrated around the world, to thoughtful prayers, impressive pumpkin displays, and even a brilliant performance of Big Red Combine Harvester by our new Reception children. We were also treated to a lively Harvest rap, which had everyone smiling!
We are sure you will all agree that the children did a wonderful job.
A heartfelt thank you to all our parents and carers for your incredibly generous donations. As you can see from the photo above, the Aylesbury Vineyard collection van was filled to the brim!
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Updates to Our School Website
We are delighted to let you know that our school website has recently been updated. School Events, Trips and Sports News now each have their own dedicated sections, making it easier for you to keep up to date with everything happening across the school. Please do take a look using the links above.
Highlights from This Term
It has been a very busy and exciting term. Some of our key events have included:
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Harvest Festivals across the school
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A visit from author Susannah Lloyd, who spoke to KS2 pupils
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Year 3’s Iron Age Day
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A successful Macmillan Coffee Afternoon
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Year 1’s Medieval Madness Day
School Trips
Sports Update
We are proud of everything our pupils have achieved so far this year. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Please remember to check the school website regularly for further updates and photos.
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Thank You for Your Support!
Last week, we held our Book Fair at school — and what a success it was! The children absolutely loved choosing and buying new books during breaktimes.
A huge thank you to everyone for your incredible support. Together, we raised over £600!
This fantastic total will go towards purchasing new reading books for our school, helping to inspire even more children to discover the joy and excitement of reading.
Your generosity truly makes a difference — thank you!
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Well Done to Our School Councillors for 2025/2026
This year, the children in each class from Year 1 to Year 6 have voted for their School Council representatives. Congratulations to our new councillors:
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Year 1: Winnie & George
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Year 2: Sienna W & Finnian
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Year 3: Ginny & Noah
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Year 4: Hannah & Max
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Year 5: Evie & Alex
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Year 6: Bella, Jessie, Tommi & Lewis
Our School Councillors meet every Tuesday morning with Mrs Williams to share ideas and help ensure that children’s voices are heard across the school. Well done to all!
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Busy Start to the Term for the PTA!
The PTA has had a very busy start to the term! Highlights so far include:
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Years 2 and 5 kicked off the year with a fantastic cake sale on 19th September.
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Last week, the whole school enjoyed a fabulous disco hosted by Cllr Phil Gomm.
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Today, we held a class colour mufti day, where children came dressed in their class colour in exchange for a Christmas raffle donation.
Looking ahead, dates for next term include:
Thank you to everyone who has supported these events — your contributions help make so many exciting activities possible for our children!
 
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Peer Mentors
This term, our Year 6 Peer Mentors completed two training sessions to learn how to support other children when they are stuck or involved in disagreements. They were taught to:
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Go over and check what the problem is
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Listen calmly
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Tell an adult if the incident is serious
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Resolve smaller issues themselves where possible
Emily and Oscar shared their experiences:
“We helped resolve a situation where two Reception children both wanted the same tyre. We explained that there were other tyres to play with and helped them share. We also get to wear an orange lanyard with our names on, so children know we are here to help. It makes us feel really useful and special.”
Our Peer Mentors are already making a positive difference across the school, supporting younger children and helping to create a caring, safe environment.
Here are our Peer Mentors for 2025 - 2026, plus Emily.
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Working in Partnership
As a school, we are always looking for ways to be more active within our local community. This year, we are focusing on increasing our social media presence and exploring opportunities to generate much-needed funds to benefit the children.
A great example of this is the support we have already received from local businesses such as Fit Worx and Oh! Honey Beauty, who have kindly provided new netball nets and bibs. In addition, companies we have worked with previously, including Hannon Builders, Vass-Tech, and John Dennis 4x4, have helped the school by providing football kits. In return, we share information about these businesses through our social media platforms.
There are always things we would like to purchase for the school, but without the resources to do so, opportunities like this make a real difference.
If you think you could help in any way, please get in touch with the school office — we would love to hear from you!
 
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Come Join Us!
We would like to invite you to visit your child and their classroom on Tuesday 11th November for Terrific Tuesday at 2:45pm.
This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with your child and see firsthand what they have been learning.
Please come to the school office at the above time, and Mrs Berridge will show you through to the classroom. We look forward to welcoming you!
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School Calendar
The school calendar is available as a 'Useful Link' on our website. You can also find all upcoming dates by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage or at the bottom of this Newsletter.
Please check regularly to stay up to date with events, trips, and important school dates.
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Congratulations to Ethan – Royal Mint Museum Writing Competition Winner!
A huge well done to Ethan, now in Year 6, who won the Royal Mint Museum Writing Competition! The theme of this year’s competition was Sustainable Futures, and Ethan’s wonderful story followed the journey of Bertie the Plastic Bottle.
As part of his prize, Ethan received a commemorative Harry Potter medal and won £1,000 for the school to spend on new school and class library books. We are incredibly proud of his creativity and achievement.
Here is Ethan with his winning story, his special medal, and the fantastic new books he has helped to distribute to all the classes.
What an inspiring example of how great writing can make a real difference—well done, Ethan!
  
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Parents’ Evenings
Thank you to all the parents who joined us for Parents’ Evening this week. We hope you found the sessions informative and helpful.
If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to speak with your child’s class teacher. If you were unable to attend, please do get in touch to arrange a convenient time to meet.
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Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Half-Term!
All that’s left to say is have a brilliant half-term break! We hope the children enjoy getting creative with the Andy Goldsworthy-inspired Art Selfie project — we can’t wait to see your imaginative creations.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday 4th November.
Have a fantastic break!
Mrs Mobbs and Mr Soar
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