Bletchingley Village Primary School & Nursery Parent Portal

Headteacher's Update

It has been another busy and productive couple of weeks since I last wrote to you, with lots of exciting learning opportunities taking place both in and out of the classroom.

Our Year 5 pupils have begun their swimming lessons at Warlingham School on Friday mornings. Swimming is a vital life skill that helps children stay safe in and around water while developing confidence, resilience and physical fitness. We are looking forward to seeing their progress over the coming weeks.

Year 6 have also had a busy start to the year. They recently completed their Bikeability training, equipping them with the skills and confidence to cycle safely on the roads. Bikeability provides children with important life skills that promote independence, personal safety and wellbeing. Year 6 pupils have also taken part in Junior Citizen, this is run in partnership with Child Safety Media, alongside local emergency services, community agencies, and other supporters, the Tandridge Junior Citizen event provides children with skills and knowledge they may need to stay safe as they prepare for secondary school.

We have welcomed a number of external specialists into school recently to quality assure teaching and learning. These visits focused on our Whole Class Reading sessions and Little Wandle Phonics provision. I am pleased to report that the feedback was very positive and recognised the strong practice taking place across the school. We are proud of the commitment shown by staff and pupils alike in ensuring high-quality teaching and learning every day.

Earlier this term, we held our first Governing Body meeting of the academic year. During the meeting, I shared the school's priorities for the year ahead and outlined how we will be implementing and monitoring these key areas of school improvement. Governors continue to play an important role in supporting and challenging the school to ensure the very best outcomes for all pupils. Please see our school priorities below.

Quality of Teaching and Curriculum Development	To strengthen the consistency and effectiveness of teaching and curriculum implementation so that strong outcomes are sustained for all pupils. Key Focus Areas To strengthen consistent application of evidence‑informed pedagogical principles To refine ordinarily available provision to ensure adaptive teaching consistently enables all pupils to access age‑appropriate curriculum content. To further strengthen reading and writing provision, securing strong outcomes (Implementation of Little Wandle and CUSP Spelling) To increase the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth by refining challenge, higher‑order questioning and independent application across subjects.
Inclusion	To improve consistency of outcomes for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged children by strengthening adaptive teaching, tracking progress from starting points and responding swiftly where progress is slower. Key Focus Areas To ensure Individual Learning Plans and support strategies are implemented consistently and evaluated rigorously. To refine whole‑school provision mapping so leaders can monitor impact precisely and adjust provision promptly. To continue strengthening measurable progress tracking, including the use of pre‑key stage and Engagement Model where appropriate. To continue to strengthen the Pupil Premium Strategy and Inclusion Strategy to improve outcomes for these identified children.
Behaviour for Learning	To strengthen consistency of pupils’ attitudes to learning through a shared, well‑understood whole‑school approach that supports engagement and independence, both in structured and unstructured times of the day Key Focus Areas To sustain and refine high expectations for behaviour for learning across all classrooms. To reinforce consistent expectations for presentation, organisation and pride in work, learning routines support strong outcomes. To strengthen good relationships and behaviours at breaktimes through the implementation of Opal Play.
Early Years	To further strengthen the consistency and impact of Early Years provision so children are well prepared for the next stage of learning Key Focus Areas To continue robust monitoring and evaluation of provision to secure positive outcomes for all children To continue to ensure that there are opportunities for children to secure foundational knowledge before moving on, so that they are ready for the next stage in their education.
Attendance	To sustain and accelerate improvements in attendance, with a particular focus on reducing persistent absence through early identification and targeted support. Key Focus Areas To continue strengthening attendance tracking and early intervention processes. To refine work with families and external partners so barriers to attendance are identified and addressed promptly. Implementation of Universal Free Breakfast Club to improve attendance and punctuality

Last Friday was an especially exciting day as we held our annual Pupil Parliament elections. Any child wishing to stand as a candidate had to complete a written application and deliver a speech to their classmates explaining why they would be a good representative. The election process provided a wonderful opportunity for children to experience democracy in action, one of our fundamental British Values. Each class held a secret ballot using a ballot box, helping pupils understand the importance of voting and having their voices heard.

I would like to congratulate all of the children who put themselves forward as candidates. Standing up to speak in front of others takes confidence and courage, we were incredibly impressed by the quality of the applications and speeches. Well, done to all involved.

Our elected Pupil Parliament members are:

Year 1 - Olivia and Olive

Year 2- Nathaniel and Monty

Year 3 - Abe and Wynter

Year 4 - Emily and Ebin

Year 5 - Jack and Amber

Year 6 - Joseph and Emelia

Harvest Festival & Foodbank Collection Reminder

This year, we are delighted to be celebrating Harvest Festival in school with Father Paul on Thursday 15th October. The children will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of harvest, gratitude and generosity, while coming together to celebrate as a school community.

As part of our Harvest celebrations, we will be collecting donations for our local foodbank (see attached). Families are warmly invited to send in non-perishable food items, such as tins, packets, cereals and other long-life essentials. Every donation, however small, can make a difference to families in our local community. These should be sent to school by Wednesday 14th October.

The Harvest Festival will take place during the school day, with children across Years 1–6 taking part in the celebrations. Thank you for supporting our children to understand the importance of kindness, gratitude and helping others.

Wellbeing Garden Opening

A big thank you to Gillian McPartlin for all her hard work with this project. Please see below an article that she wrote for the Bletchingley Magazine and for the Parish Council website.

Bletchingley Community Garden Officially Opens

Friday 18 September 2026 marked a very special occasion for Bletchingley, as the Bletchingley Community Garden was officially opened, celebrating the hard work, enthusiasm and generosity of the many people who have helped transform an once-neglected piece of land into a welcoming green space for the community.

The garden was officially opened by representatives from Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey, which helped make the project possible. Rather than a traditional ribbon, the opening ceremony featured a beautiful garland made from autumn leaves, berries and sweet chestnut, reflecting the garden’s connection with nature and the changing seasons. With the garland cut, the garden was officially declared open!

It was particularly lovely to welcome children from Bletchingley Village Primary School, who have played their own part in the garden. The children helped plant spring bulbs that will bring colour to the garden next year, as well as painting and decorating leaves using bird feathers. Their enthusiasm and creativity are a wonderful reminder that the garden is a place for all generations to enjoy.

Representatives from Bletchingley Parish Council, the Hungry Hermit, and Trevor Marshment, who helped with the initial build, also joined local residents and supporters to see how the garden has developed.

What was once an overgrown and largely unused area has been transformed through countless hours of volunteering. New planting, fruit trees, wildflowers, wildlife habitats, bird boxes, seating areas and other features have created a space where people can sit, relax, enjoy nature and spend time together.

There was plenty of admiration for the garden on opening day, with visitors commenting on just how much had been achieved. From the practical work of clearing, repairing and planting, to the creative touches and wildlife features, every part of the garden reflects the contribution of people from across the village.

A huge thank you goes to everyone who has contributed in so many different ways, those who donated plants, materials or money, those who provided advice and practical help, the local businesses and organisations that supported the project, and, of course, the volunteers who have given their time, energy and enthusiasm throughout the year.

The garden is now open for the whole community to enjoy. Whether it is a quiet place to sit and breathe, somewhere to meet a neighbour, a space for children to discover wildlife, or simply a little corner of nature to enjoy, Bletchingley Community Garden belongs to the community and its story is only just beginning.

If you would like to become a volunteer, please contact: Bletchingleycommunitygarden@gmail.com

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It is a privilege to see our children embracing so many opportunities to learn, grow and develop both academically and personally. I look forward to sharing more of their successes with you in the coming weeks.

Kind regards,

Denise Coady
Headteacher