Spring 2026

From headteacher, Lisa Rutter-Brown

As we come to the end of another busy and rewarding term, we wanted to share a little about one of our key focuses in school: caring for others. Through our five weekly routines, the children have been reflecting on how their actions and choices can have a positive impact on the people around them. A particular highlight has been our continued development of the OPAL play provision, where pupils have been learning how to care for one another through their play—showing kindness, cooperation, and respect while exploring and enjoying the many new opportunities available at playtime. It has been wonderful to see the children growing in confidence, empathy, and responsibility as they support each other in their learning and play.

Summer Term Dates

Summer (1)

20th April - School Opens

22nd April Year 5 Northwich Sings @ Brio 5:00 pm

WB 27th April Year 5 Bikeability (30 places max)

29th April - RSE Parent Consultation 5:00 pm

5th May - Helping your child with early writing and maths information session for parents in EYFS classroom 4:45 pm

19th May - Proud Work open afternoon from 2:30 pm EYFS, 2:45 pm KS1, 3:00 pm KS2

21st May - Break up for Half Term

22nd May - INSET Day

Summer (2)

1st June - School Opens

11th June - OPAL Play and Stay for Parents 2:30pm

12th June - KFA School Disco

25th June - EYFS and Year 6 Photographs

25th June - Parent Workshop - Cyber Safety 2:15pm

WB 6th July - Bikeability Year 6 (30 places max)

8th July - LKS2 River Exhibition 2:30 pm

10th July - KFA Colour Run from 2:30 pm

14th July - Year 3 Recorder Concert 2:30 p.m.

15th July - EYFS Summer Show 2:15 pm

17th July - Beautiful Work Celebration Assembly - Invite only 2:30 p.m.

21st July - Red Admiral Assembly 2:00 pm

22nd July -Year 6 Leavers Assembly 9:30 am

22nd July -Break up for Summer

PROUD WORK OPEN AFTERNOONS AND BEAUTIFUL WORK CELEBRATION ASSEMBLIES

We have also been delighted to celebrate the children who have received Beautiful Work certificates this term. These pupils have shown real dedication in taking pride in what they produce, putting in extra effort to ensure their work is carefully presented and truly reflects their best abilities. It has been wonderful to see the thought, care and perseverance that has gone into their learning, and we are incredibly proud of the way they have made their work stand out. Well done to all of our certificate winners for setting such a positive example for others.

Project Based Learning

To build on our Beautiful Work assemblies and Proud Work Open days, we are excited to share that our staff have been undertaking training in project-based learning and have been busy planning engaging projects for the Summer term. Project-based learning, inspired by the Learning Without Limits approach, encourages all children to see themselves as capable, curious learners with no fixed limits on what they can achieve. Rather than learning in isolated subjects, children explore meaningful topics through projects that connect different areas of the curriculum, bringing their learning to life with a real purpose and opportunities to share their work with a meaningful audience. We are particularly proud that our EYFS children have already begun this journey, recently presenting non-fiction pages they created about camels and polar bears to the rest of the school. Through this approach, children are encouraged to ask questions, think deeply, and work collaboratively, building resilience, confidence, creativity, and independence as they take ownership of their learning. Please keep an eye out for upcoming dates in the Summer term when other phases will be presenting their projects—we look forward to sharing these special moments with you.

Useful and Kind Awards

It has been a pleasure to celebrate another group of children who consistently demonstrate what it means to be helpful, kind, and ready to learn. During a special assembly, they were awarded the Bronze Useful and Kind Award in recognition of how they show these qualities each day. Through their positive attitudes, kindness towards others, and dedication to their learning, they truly reflect our school values and serve as excellent role models within our community.

We also celebrated one child who has progressed to the Silver Useful and Kind Award, recognising their consistently outstanding behaviour. Well done to all.

Curriculum @ Kingsmead

Early Years Foundation Stage

Reception - Phase Leader Mrs Cotton

In the spring term the ladybirds have been getting busy inside and out and having some wonderful learning experiences. We saw the real gingerbread man in our classroom, learnt about the story of Finn McCool and invited the Sparrows class to hear the stories we wrote and have been watching the seasons change on Badger Hill. As part of the Big Garden Birdwatch we filled up the bird feeders and watched the birds come and feed.

We have been learning about habitats, and animals that live in them. We enjoyed learning about carnivores and herbivores and examining some real animal skulls to look at the clues in their teeth!

We’ve been learning about kitchen safety as part of our Food Technology.

When we learnt about the Giant Jam Sandwich we made our own sandwiches, learning to spread the filling and cut the bread.

We made our own gingerbread men too, learning to roll and cut dough.

We enjoyed watching some of the winter olympics, and the children were inspired to make their own figure skating costumes.

We have been investigating habitats and have explored Badger Hill, identifying the habitats for the animals that live there.

We made boggarts on the trees too!

We had our first forest school lesson where we went on a scavenger hunt and found amazing things in the pond area. We played on the swing and in the mud kitchen, and enjoyed some hot chocolate with our friends.

Key Stage 1

Enjoyment and Achievement in Butterflies, Bees and Dragonflies

Phase leader Ms Watkins

Butterflies, Bees and Dragonflies

This term, KS1 have enjoyed exploring their topic Investigating India, discovering new knowledge across a range of subjects. Science lessons focused on light, while Geography explored what life is like in India. Their History learning centred on the Taj Mahal, helping pupils understand its importance. Art work highlighted symmetry and patterns, and in DT the children designed and made their own sandals. Computing covered online safety and information technology, while PSHE explored different jobs people do and what helps us to stay safe. RE lessons introduced Hinduism and Islam, and Music gave pupils the chance to experience Indian music and instruments.

Literacy

In Literacy, we explored two fantastic texts that truly captured the children’s imagination and encouraged them to step into the shoes of different characters. Each unit began with an engaging hook, such as discovering a dragon egg and a lost backpack.
The children produced a range of creative writing, including detailed descriptions of characters and settings, letters to the headteacher, and diary entries that explored characters’ thoughts and feelings.

Geography

Our learning journey has taken us to India. We compared our local area of Kingsmead to Mumbai, exploring similarities and differences. As part of our learning, we also made kites, linking to a major Indian harvest festival celebrated with vibrant kite-flying, particularly in Gujarat.

PE

We began the term with exciting cricket sessions led by Chance to Shine coach, Andy. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning and practising new skills each week. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow, with noticeable improvements in catching, bowling and batting.

OPAL

We began our OPAL journey this term and are thoroughly enjoying our new-look playtimes. The children have embraced the opportunities for creative, active and imaginative play.

Science

In Science, we investigated light. The children particularly enjoyed making dens in the classroom to explore how shadows are formed and how light behaves.

Dance

In our dance unit, the children had great fun learning an Indian dance. They wore beautiful scarves and bindis, which helped bring the experience to life and deepen their cultural understanding.

DT

In DT, we designed and made sandals. The children researched different types of shoes, their parts and a variety of fastenings before creating their own designs.

It has been a fantastic term full of creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm. We are very proud of all the children’s hard work!

Lower Key Stage 2

Loving Learning in Cuckoos, Hen Harriers and the Sparrows

Phase leader for year 3 and 4, Mrs Miller

This term, LKS2 have been immersed in their exciting topic of Ancient Egypt, exploring the achievements of early civilisations and making links across the curriculum. In Science, pupils have investigated sound and electricity through practical experiments, while in Geography they have deepened their understanding of rivers and the water cycle. Their learning in History has focused on Ancient Civilisations, enriching their knowledge of the past. In Art, children have developed their creativity through symphonic drawing, and in Music they have explored themes linked to migration, emigration, and refugees. In English, the class has enjoyed studying Wisp and The Dragon Machine, using these texts to inspire their writing and comprehension skills.

Liverpool World Museum

The children in Cuckoos, Hen Harriers and Sparrows had a fantastic visit to the World Museum in Liverpool. They took part in an engaging workshop led by museum staff, where they learned about Ancient Egyptian gods and animals.

Following this, the children explored the Ancient Egyptian exhibition, discovering artefacts dating back 3,000 to 5,000 years. They were especially fascinated by the amulets and other historical objects. The visit provided a wonderful opportunity to bring their classroom learning to life in a memorable way.

We would like to thank all the families who ensured their children arrived promptly so the coach could depart on time. We are also very grateful to the parent volunteers who supported us throughout the day.

World Book Day

by Oli

WBD is when everyone dresses up as a book character. Firstly, we created books of our own on a piece of paper. I made a Diary of a Wimpy Kid in the future. Then we had an assembly about about World Book Day and everyone looked amazing. After break time we made some spoon book characters, putting our favourite book character on it. I did Tom Gates. At lunch we had pizza with toppings on it mmmmmm. After lunch we did some book tasting in the library where we tried out new types of books. Lastly, we went outside to read.

Gymnastic Competition

by Charlie

Some children got chosen to go to Moss Farm and do a gymnastic competition. We had to do 3 sessions to practice after school to prepare for it. First we had to do a floor performance in front of a judge. Next we did the working together workshop and we did bunk bed positions. Finally, we did our vault routine. At the end there was a presentation and we won the Sporting Values Award.

Forest School

by Blake, Oliver and Ellis

Forest School was really fun for us because you got to see nature. You get to play, have hot chocolate and have marshmallows. One of the activities was where you got in pairs and one person had to pick some items from nature and your partner would put their hand in the bag and try to guess what was in the bag without looking. At the start we play games like find a bird or make a map of the Forest School area using dirt, sticks and leaves.

IMG_7200.MOV

Pneumatic Dragon Machines

In our Design Technology lessons this term the Year 3 and 4 children have been investigating how machines can be powered by air. We began by finding out about how inventions often occur because people have a ‘problem’ which needed solving. We looked at clever inventions which solved everyday problems. We went on to specifically find out about inventions that were powered by air, including finding out about how Nerf guns work. We then went on to design and make our own pneumatic dragon machines. Getting the pneumatics to work did prove tricky and we had to show resilience to persevere until they did. We have loved playing with our Dragon Machines!

IMG_7566.MOV

IMG_7585.MOV

IMG_7602.MOV

Spring Art Club - Henri Matisse

Some of our LKS2 children have enjoyed taking part in this term’s art club where we have learned about the french artist Henri Matisse. The children explored Matisse’s work and enjoyed learning about the bright colours he used and how he never gave up on his artwork - even when he lost his vision, he persisted with creating and changed his style to cut outs and collage. They created their final pieces by mixing different colours and painting backgrounds in acrylic paint before cutting out a variety of shapes in the style of Matisse. The children thought carefully about their compositions and colour combinations and created some really beautiful collages.

UPPER Key Stage 2

Showing Our Best Selves in Hedgehogs, Pine Martens and Red Squirrels

Phase leader for year 5 and 6, Mrs Debbie McHugh

This term may have been slightly shorter than usual, but it has certainly flown by and has been full of rich learning experiences.

Our topic this term, Invaders and Settlers, has captured the children’s interest, allowing them to explore both historical and geographical aspects in depth. They have produced some fantastic work, demonstrating their enthusiasm and understanding. The term concluded with a visit to Norton Priory, where the children not only showcased their knowledge but also gained new insights. They thoroughly enjoyed an engaging workshop, learning more about life during these periods, as well as exploring the site through museum hunts and a woodland trail. A particular highlight was gathering around the firepit to enjoy marshmallows together! We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the parent helpers—these trips would not be possible without your support.

Some children shared their thoughts with us about the trip afterwards..

Holden said, “Norton Priory is full of fun and is also very educational.”

Ava shared that, “It was really good to learn from all the things in the museum about the Anglo Saxons.”

Evelyn said, “It was really enjoyable and a lot of fun, the experience was really good.”

English

In English, the children have studied Arthur and the Golden Rope and The Day War Came. Across these units, they produced a variety of writing, including story extracts, letters and diary entries. This is always a rewarding term for writing, as the children’s progress is clear to see. They have also developed their editing skills significantly and now have a stronger understanding of how to improve and refine their work.

As part of our English learning, we took part in National Storytelling Week. The children greatly enjoyed a live workshop with rapper and storyteller Alim Kamara, where they explored storytelling through rap in an interactive session. They then created their own raps, which they were excited to share with one another.

Art

This term our Art work has focussed on using paint to create different text. The children used a poem called ‘Refugee’ as a stimulus and considered how art can be used for social change. It was a unit that has really inspired the children. Some of the children shared their views on the unit with us.

"We have been learning about refugees this term and we were inspired by the artist Bob & Roberta Smith. I liked how he uses bright colours to make his work stand out. My slogan was 'The Choice is in Your Hands' - I chose it because we're all responsible for deciding how we treat others. I'm really proud of my piece because it stands out" - Georgia

"I chose the slogan "Why do they have to hide?" because everyone should have the right to live, have a home and be free. I created my final piece by planning it carefully, being patient and using acrylic paint . I like how my artwork is vibrant and helps everyone to understand how refugees feel. I want everyone to understand how to treat refugees respectfully.' Holden

"At first some of us struggled with the measurements and making sure the letters were the same size. But all of them were beautiful - everyone tried so hard to make a masterpiece. We used complementary colours together to make the words stand out." - Ellie

World Book Day

We have also celebrated World Book Day, which was a fantastic success. The children participated in a range of activities, including book quizzes, a character catwalk, a special assembly, a book bistro and designing book character spoons. Some children also entered the “Book in a Box” competition, and the effort and creativity on display were truly impressive.

STEM Day

The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in a STEM Day as part of National Science Week, centred around the theme of curiosity. They explored a range of questions designed to spark their thinking, such as: How do boats float? How can you make a paper spinner fall more slowly? Does salt help objects float? The children loved making predictions and carrying out investigations to discover the answers.

We are incredibly proud of our Year 6 pupils, who have worked hard throughout the term completing a range of SATs papers in preparation for their exams in May. It is clear to see the progress they have made, and their dedication is truly paying off. We are confident that they will all do themselves proud when they sit their SATs.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our families for their support throughout the last term and wish everyone a lovely restful break.

School Uniform

This term, I have had the pleasure of reading a series of thoughtful and persuasive letters from three of our UKS2 pupils, who felt strongly about an issue that matters to them – school uniform. Demonstrating great determination, maturity, and courage, they carefully constructed their arguments and presented them to me in person, explaining their ideas with clarity and confidence.

Their proposal was to allow children to wear their own clothes every Friday. They spoke passionately about the benefits, including increased comfort, self-expression, and giving pupils something to look forward to at the end of the week.

While I recognise the merits of their argument, I also have a number of important considerations regarding the role of school uniform in promoting equality, a sense of belonging, and readiness for learning. After careful thought, I felt it was important to find a balanced compromise.

As a result, I have agreed to trial a slightly different approach. From after the Easter break, children will be allowed to come to school in their own clothes on their birthday, should they wish. If a child’s birthday falls on a weekend, they may choose to wear their own clothes on either the Friday before or the Monday after. Similarly, if their birthday falls during a school holiday, they may choose a day either side of the break to celebrate in this way.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to these three girls for the time, effort, and care they put into their letters and presentations. Their work is a wonderful example of pupil voice in action, and they should be very proud of the positive change they have helped bring about for their peers.

Dear Mrs Rutter-Brown,

I am writing to inform you about my wish to make it non school uniform day every day. As a trial, we could make it no uniform day every Friday. The children would be considerably happier.

This concept already takes place in America and France. In the end our education would be much better.

Parents around the UK spent £1335 million on back to school items in 2023. As a headteacher you may believe uniform for children gives them a sense identify and belonging to a school, however the uniform costs an unnecessary large amount of money, especially with the school logo. Please take notice of my request. It will make the school much happier.

Yours Sincerely,

Ava

Dear Mrs Rutter-Brown,

I am writing to inform you about my wish of removing school uniform. I know this sounds unusual but it could be excellent for everyone.

I think it will help students considerably, as it will be more relaxed. If you like the idea, we could start with no earring tape and our own clothes every Friday. Then we can build up to all of the time. If you think this idea is a bad concept, then how can America and France do it all of the time. I believe you should try it for a day or two to see if it will be a massive improvement as what do all schools need: 1 Happiness, 2 Education, 3 Health. It would help all students be more happy and even more excited to come to school. Therefore, they will be more focused and ready to learn.

Mintel, a research group, from 2023, has found that £1335 million pounds is spent on back to school items. Kate, a teacher from Essex, said "Uniform gives a sense of identity". Apparently children look like they belong. Well I disagree, as yes it does make children belong, but if everyone has different clothes it could make everyone special and unique. People spend so much money on school uniform to only wear it 5 days a week. But when you buy other clothes and it is no school uniform then you can make it worth it and wear them 7 days a week. In 1552 school uniform was invented by Edward VI and practically all uniform has logos, so yes it makes uniform unique to each school but it also makes it more expensive. I know the government encourages school uniform but I think it will be a greater idea to fight against that. In addition, a downside of having a uniform is inspection, for example, having to check everyone has a white PE top or taped up earrings. In conclusion, I believe no school uniform has lots more positives than negatives.

Yours Sincerely,

Holly

Dear Mrs Rutter-Brown,

I am writing to request that there would be no school uniform.

I summarise it will be less stressful if the students could select their own clothes instead of having a preselected uniform.

In return you will get good behaviour and hard work. I think it would be benefical for the children to be responsible to select their own (sensible) clothes. Every child in America wears non school uniform so this might work in this school. You could try non school uniform on Fridays to see if it will work.

I know you have full responsibility with this decision but I think it will make the school happier. I know you want to make children happy and if children wear their own clothes they will be more focused.

Yours Sincerely,

Grace

Caring for other people this term

OPAL - Outdoor Play and Learning

We are delighted to celebrate the continued development of OPAL this term. The children have thoroughly enjoyed the increased opportunities for play at both breaktimes and lunchtimes, and it has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and creativity flourish. As a result, we have seen a noticeable decrease in behaviour incidents and accidents during playtime. Through our assemblies, we have explored important themes such as how to make playtime fun for everyone, ensuring others are included, the importance of teamwork, and understanding that our actions have consequences. We have also focused on showing consideration, caring for others, encouraging helpfulness, and promoting mutual respect. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to parents for their generous donations of equipment and for their understanding when children come home a little muddier than usual—this is a sign of active, engaged play! As we continue to develop our outdoor provision, please remember to send your child in with an extra pair of shoes for outdoor play.

We have also been working hard to further develop our school grounds to create a range of different play zones, giving children even more opportunities to explore, imagine and play in different ways. We were incredibly fortunate to receive a donation of 30 trees from The Woodland Trust, and the children greatly enjoyed taking part in planting them. Although they are just tiny saplings at the moment, the children understand that they will need to take great care of them to ensure they flourish and grow over time. This has been a fantastic opportunity for them to contribute to their environment, learn about nature, and take pride in helping to shape our outdoor spaces for the future.

Eco Councilors

Eco-council started the term by completing our Environmental Review. This showed us what eco areas we are already brilliant at, and what areas had room for improvement. From this, we set our actions for this year. We have chosen to focus on Energy, Waste and Litter.

We have helped to protect nature by litter picking in the local area. We signed up to a national scheme called Picker Pals. Eco councillors have been able to take the litter picking kit home for a week each and have recorded how much litter they collect each time. Thank you to eco councillors and their families for giving up time to do this.

We have also designed posters and placed them around the school to remind other pupils to pick up litter, turn off lights and not waste water.

On Friday 27th March, all classes took part in Earth Hour, by switching off lights, computers and other tech for at least an hour.

(Written by eco councillors from Y2-Y6)

As part of our Eco work, a huge well done to Nia, who has shown fantastic care for the environment. After noticing litter on holiday, she asked for a litter picker for Christmas so she could make a difference! She has since collected rubbish both on holiday—where she was recognised by National Trust staff with a special badge—and closer to home, filling half a bag in just 30 minutes. Thank you, Nia, for setting such a wonderful example and helping to care for our environment.

Mini Police

Our Mini Police programme continues to go from strength to strength and our new Year 5 recruits have made a brilliant start to their roles.

Bleep test

Our Mini Police started off the term by taking part in the bleep test with PCSO Lee—and they absolutely smashed it! Every single child successfully passed Level 5.6, the standard required to become a police officer. Many went even further by reaching Level 9.11, the level required for firearms officers. Even more incredibly, some of our children powered all the way to Level 15! We are incredibly proud of their determination, resilience and positive attitude throughout the challenge. They showed fantastic perseverance and truly demonstrated the qualities needed to succeed.

Litter Pickers

Our Mini Police, alongside PCSO Robertson, were kindly provided with over 50 litter pickers by John Southworth Construction, who are currently working on the Weaver Vale development in Leftwich. The company is committed to giving back to the communities they work in, and, with support from Weaver Vale Housing, chose to support our Mini Police programme. The litter pickers will now be used by the children during planned litter patrols, helping them make a positive difference in their local area.

Parking Patrols

Our Mini Police officers have been working hard this term to help keep our school community safe. They have been out and about monitoring parking around the school and the Kingsmead estate, promoting safe and considerate parking. The children designed their own “good” and “bad” parking tickets and also created a Parking Promise, which an impressive 68 parents have signed so far. The Mini Police have enjoyed issuing many good parking tickets to thank parents who are parking responsibly. However, they have also had to issue a number of bad parking tickets where cars have been blocking footpaths, parking too close to junctions, stopping on double yellow lines or using the area outside the school gates to drop children off. We are very proud of the Mini Police for taking their role so seriously and helping to encourage everyone in our community to park safely and considerately.

Pupil Parliament

This term, our Pupil Parliament representatives have shown great enthusiasm and leadership. They have attended meetings with children from other Northwich schools, working collaboratively to develop a shared pledge centred on the theme of empowerment. Our representatives contributed thoughtful ideas and decided to focus on empowering pupils to become play leaders, helping to ensure that everyone feels included and has fun during playtimes. They have also begun exploring further exciting initiatives, including the possibility of a ‘Headteacher for the Day,’ demonstrating their commitment to giving pupils a meaningful voice within our school community.

Visit of our local MP - Report by Eyad and Kizzy.

As Kingsmead’s Northwich Pupil Parliament representatives, we invited MP Andrew Cooper to visit our school this term. Along with some of our Eco councillors, we had a Q and A session with Mr Cooper during which he shared his views about improving our local environment, including new tree planting. Since we have been learning about refugees this term, we also questioned Mr Cooper about the government’s policies on this and his views about refugees. Mr Cooper then led an assembly for Key Stage 2 where he explained his role as an MP and some of the practices used in the House of Commons. Everyone enjoyed hearing from Mr Cooper and especially the practice of bobbing when asking questions!

Road Safety Officers

Report by Ethan and Lucas

This term we have been focusing on safety: safety when travelling in cars using seatbelts and booster seats, safety around strangers in person or on the phone, safety using the internet, and safety when crossing the road.

We have set competitions and have been available to answer any questions the children have, whenever they have been needed.

We have had some great prizes too and we will be setting another competition to be done over the holidays, all about the safer places to play and the role of the police.

School Improvements

Library Revamp

We are excited to share the recent revamp of our school library, which is already having a positive impact on reading for pleasure. Our Bookworms have worked hard to make the books more accessible and inviting, helping children to easily find texts that interest them. They are also running weekly “sit and read” sessions at lunchtime, which are proving to be very popular. In addition, classes have been visiting the library together to explore the wide range of books available, helping to create a real buzz and enthusiasm around reading across the school.

The Zen Den

To compliment our new library space, we have also created a new Zen Den, a calm and quiet space designed for children who may need a break from their busy day. It provides a peaceful environment where they can relax, reflect, and recharge. The Zen Den also serves as a soothing extension of the library, offering a comfortable area to sit back and enjoy a book, making it the perfect spot for both relaxation and reading for pleasure.

KFA

by Lauren Chair of KFA

Following a very busy Autumn Term in KFA world, the Spring Term has been somewhat quieter- but we have some amazing events to be announced shortly for the Summer Term!

The Spring Term saw our second ever Silent Disco take place, which raised a fantastic £600. During the final week of term our ‘Guess The Name Of The Easter Bunny’ contest is running, along with ‘Wacky Hair Day’ to close out the term. The totals from those will be announced shortly.

This term we have been raising money to purchase more Ezyrollers, which are a hugely popular item within the OPAL play scheme.

The KFA would like to say a huge thank you to all our pupils for taking part in the events with such amazing enthusiasm!

We’re also incredibly grateful to all the parents and school staff for your continued support—whether helping out at events, or donating.

We look forward to seeing you at our future events!

by Lisa Rutter-Brown

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Lauren Fullwood and everyone involved in the KFA for their dedication, hard work, and ongoing commitment. Without the generosity and energy of these volunteers, these wonderful events simply wouldn’t be possible.

The KFA work tirelessly to create exciting opportunities for the children while also raising vital funds for the school. With school budgets under increasing pressure, these contributions make a real difference, enabling experiences and resources that truly enrich our children’s education.

This year alone, the KFA have funded Forest Schools for all pupils, contributed towards the implementation of OPAL and the essential storage for its equipment, purchased new chairs for parents to use during performances, and supported an upcoming First Aid training session for our Year 5 and 6 children. Their impact is significant, and it is deeply appreciated.

Special events in school this term

World Book Day

A huge thank you to Mrs Green for coordinating the event and ensuring that the children experienced a wonderful day immersed in reading.

Book Worm Correspondants report:

On World Book Day loads of people came dressed up as a book they like. Everyone loved dressing up but some people came in comfy clothes or pyjamas too. Everyone’s costumes were amazing and we all got to see each other's costumes at break, assembly and lunch. Children, teachers and parents came together and were amazing and unique. - Esme Partridge

The teachers in Bookworms came together with a brilliant and sort of unusual idea to draw on wooden spoons. We drew book characters such as minions, Wendy, Humpty-Dumpty, Harry Potter, Where’s Wally, Spiderman, Paddington. - Esme Partridge

During the day, every class came into the library to taste books! The tables were split into genres such as Adventure, Comedy, Non-fiction and more. Everyone got a leaflet and wrote a review of the book they’d ‘tasted’. We then rotated and did the same again. It was fun to try new books. - Olivia Murray

Book Worms

This term has been an exceptionally busy one for the Bookworms team, beginning with some winning poetry entries being published in an anthology, the revamp of our library space, National Storytelling Week celebrations followed swiftly by World Book Day celebrations. Next term begins our shadowing of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

'I Have a Dream' - Poetry Competition

Recently, our school entered a poetry competition called ‘I Have a Dream’. We all had the opportunity to write a poem about imaginative dreams. After many weeks of hard work, seven people from our school entered our poems and finally, we all got our work published in the poetry book ‘I HAVE A DREAM - Heartfelt Words’. In school, we have a copy of the book so feel free to come and read it in the school library. I hope you all have a chance to enjoy our poems! - Arianna Hill

Library Revamp and Book Stall

Since Bookworms started to now is a BIG difference, we have worked hard, planned and been creative to get to this point of owning our own library. We hope to do lots of new activities there. - Meera Gonte

After school in January, we held a book stall to share some of our old books and give them new homes. Many people showed interest and all were really happy with the new books they received - there were SO MANY BOOKS! At the end most of them were gone and we raised £47 for the new library which Mrs Green used to buy some new books. - Ivy Ellershaw

National Story Telling Week

We had lots of fun this week celebrating the power of telling stories. The theme was ‘Soundtrack Your Story’. EYFS made up a story about worms, KS1 wrote poems about what made them special and KS2 had much fun writing their own raps about what made them superheroes - we had some very impressive and imaginative pieces! - Mrs Green

Music Matters

Music Lead - Mrs Harper

It’s been another very busy and successful term of music making. KS1 have been learning about Hindustani music, the musician Ravi Shankar and have even had a go at composing and performing their own “raga” and “tala”. Year 3 have developed their skills on recorder and have learnt to play several pieces- some well known, some less well known. They have all made a great start on their musical journey and we hope to see many choose to learn one of the musical instruments the school has to offer from year 4 onwards….time to start thinking about possible choices….will you become our next super star clarinettist, brass player, violinist or cellist? More information will be provided to help you make the right choice in the coming months.

IMG_6246.MOV

IMG_6244.MOV

IMG_6252.MOV

IMG_6256.MOV

IMG_6241.MOV

IMG_6245.MOV

IMG_6253.MOV

IMG_6257.MOV

Musical Showcase

Speaking of super star instrumentalists, we had yet another wonderful musical showcase concert on Monday 30th April- each and every one of our performers made us incredibly proud. It’s so lovely to see the outcomes of their hard work and commitment to learning their instruments…videos of their performances can be seen below:

The standard of singing across KS2 has continued to improve and impress us all….the Big Sing assemblies on Monday mornings are a delightful way to start our week and help us all to feel energised and lift our spirits (even when the spring weather continues to disappoint!) Year 5 have been busy learning the songs of Kitty Whittington to perform at Northwich Sings at the end of April, and then alongside Year 6 later in the year in our end of term production….watch this space, the standard of singing so far suggests this will be a show not to be missed!

IMG_6242.MOV

IMG_6248.MOV

IMG_6254.MOV

IMG_6258.MOV

IMG_6243.MOV

IMG_6251.MOV

IMG_6255.MOV

Cheshire West Young Musicians of the Year

At the beginning of March, Love Music Trust (our local music hub) hosted a county-wide competition, in which there were many entries and the standard was incredibly high! I was delighted to see so many Kingsmead musicians (past and present pupils) take part and do us proud. A huge congratulations to Ashton Shore, Y6, who won third prize in the KS2 category….with 30 entries, all of a high standard, this is no mean feat! Well done Ashton- we look forward to hearing more of your wonderful trombone playing in the future.

A special mention must also be given to our other pupils who took part in the competition- they all received a certificate and feedback form from the judges with very high praise indeed. Well done to Maggie Tidmarsh, Meera Gonte (who competed in two categories- instrumental and vocal!) and Isla Sun for representing our school so fantastically. This competition will be an annual event so I hope to see lots more of our budding musicians take part again next year…time to start practicing!

ABRSM Exam Success

Congratulations to the following pupils for their recent successes with music exams:

Amelia Jones, Y4- grade 1 flute with merit.

Holden Ho, Y6- grade 1 clarinet with merit.

Meera Gonte- grade 2 cello.

And best of luck to any other pupils taking music exams next term- we are always so proud of your successes….please do let us know about any musical achievements so that we can celebrate you in our newsletters or assemblies!

Music Ensembles to join ...

Our school ensembles are always on the lookout for new members….we currently have a wind band available for woodwind and brass players to join, which rehearse on Tuesday afternoons from 3.20-4pm, a string group who rehearse on Tuesday mornings before school, and recorder ensemble who rehearse on Monday mornings (times and dates for all ensembles may change after Easter due to my upcoming maternity leave- watch this space for a new rehearsal time!). Please contact the school office if you wish to join one of our school ensembles- they are free of charge and so beneficial to a musician’s learning…as well as being good fun!

As well as our school ensembles, there are a number of county ensembles available to join through the Love Music Trust. Your nearest music centre is the Vale Royal music centre, which runs on Tuesday evenings at Weaverham High School and offers string groups, wind bands and a choir- all of which are of a very high standard, give regular concerts and even tour abroad from time to time! For more information see the link below…

Ensembles :: The Love Music Trust

Jazz Concert

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to the students from Sir John Deane’s College for the wonderful jazz concert they performed for our KS2 pupils. The children thoroughly enjoyed the performance, and it was fantastic to see such passion, energy and exceptional musical talent on display. The concert was both entertaining and inspiring, encouraging many of our pupils to continue learning and developing their own musical instruments. We are very grateful to the students and staff for the time and effort they put into creating such an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone.

Copy of IMG_6052.MOV

Copy of IMG_6056.MOV

Copy of IMG_6055.MOV

Copy of IMG_6057.MOV

Sporting News

PE and Sport leader, Adam Pritchard and Debbie McHugh

This term has been another busy and successful one for sport across the school, with many children representing us brilliantly in a variety of events.

Sportshall Athletics

A group of children took part in Sportshall Athletics, which is always a fun event with a fantastic atmosphere. The children competed in a range of track and field events throughout the evening and performed exceptionally well, ultimately finishing in an impressive 3rd place.

Gymnastics Competition

We took 16 children to a gymnastics competition at Cheshire Gymnastics at Moss Farm. In the lead-up to the event, the children showed great dedication, attending weeks of after-school rehearsals. During the competition, each gymnast performed an individual routine showcasing key skills, completed two vaults, and demonstrated excellent teamwork. They represented the school superbly, showing confidence in front of judges and a large audience. Their positive attitude and team spirit were recognised by the organisers, and we were thrilled to receive the Spirit of the Games award. A special congratulations goes to our Year 5/6 team, who also achieved a fantastic 3rd place finish.

Netball

Our Year 5/6 netball team competed in a 7-a-side tournament at Hartford High School, where they showed great progress with every game. They finished with an excellent record of two wins, one draw and just one loss. The team ended the tournament on a high, scoring consistently in their final match. A huge thank you goes to Mrs Ramsden for running the netball club and preparing the team so well.

Football

Similarly, a group of Year 5/6 girls took part in a football tournament at Middlewich High School. They played exceptionally well, holding their own in every match and demonstrating outstanding sporting values throughout. The team showed respect and encouragement towards others at all times and finished with just one loss from five games—an excellent achievement. Well done to all involved; you should be very proud.

Cricket

We have also been fortunate to welcome coaching from Chance to Shine Cricket this term. Our KS1 children, along with the Cuckoos in LKS2, thoroughly enjoyed developing new skills with the support of an expert coach. We are always grateful for opportunities like this, which enrich our PE provision.

Sustrans Big Walk

Over the last two weeks, the school has taken part in the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel initiative, encouraging children and families to travel to school in active ways such as walking, scooting, or cycling. Once again, we performed exceptionally well, finishing top of the leaderboard for large local primary schools and ADD overall. Our sports leaders played a key role in this success, collecting and organising daily data—well done to them for their efforts.

Smile for a Mile Campaign

In addition, we were delighted to welcome a film crew from Cheshire West & Chester, who visited to capture footage of our Daily Mile in action. This followed our involvement in last year’s Smile for a Mile campaign, organised by the Vale Royal School Sports Partnership and led by Chris Story. The initiative encouraged children to track the distance they covered through walking and running, and we were proud to be recognised for our high level of participation. As a result, our school was selected to feature in a promotional video. Pine Martens class represented us wonderfully during filming, showing great enthusiasm—some children even had the opportunity to film themselves completing their laps. We look forward to sharing the finished video with you soon.

A huge well done to all the children who have represented us at sporting events this term. We are extremely proud of the sporting values they have demonstrated throughout—they have been outstanding. Thank you also to our families for supporting with transport to and from events; without this help, attending so many opportunities would not be possible.

Run For Nature

Isaiah, what an incredible achievement—well done! Completing a whole mile at such a young age is amazing, and doing it alongside your mum for ‘Run for Nature’ at Chester Zoo makes it even more special. Raising a fantastic £545 is a truly generous and inspiring effort, and it’s wonderful that you chose to take on this challenge during Ramadan as a way of giving to others. You should be so proud of yourself—what a kind, determined, and thoughtful thing to do!

During Ramadan, many people choose to give to charity because it is a time of reflection, compassion, and generosity. In Islam, giving to those in need—known as Zakat (charitable giving) and Sadaqah (voluntary charity)—is especially important during this holy month. It’s a time when people think about others who may be less fortunate and make an extra effort to help, share, and spread kindness. Isaiah’s thoughtful decision to support a good cause is a wonderful example of these values in action.

Easter Egg Competition

A huge thank you to the Year 6 girls for organising such a fantastic Easter egg competition. They received over 100 entries and carefully selected a winner from each class—congratulations to all of the winners, who each received a chocolate egg. The girls showed wonderful initiative and thought throughout, from preparing and sharing information about the competition, to collecting entries, choosing winners, and creating certificates. They even produced a PowerPoint presentation and confidently delivered it in a whole school assembly to announce the results. Thank you as well to everyone who took part and made the competition such a success

Attendance Matters

As we reach the end of term, we would like to highlight the importance of good school attendance. Schools are required to communicate with parents when a child’s attendance falls below 96%, which is considered good attendance. When attendance drops below 90%, it is classified as persistent absenteeism, and families may be offered additional support where needed. We understand that receiving letters about attendance can sometimes feel concerning or even frustrating, particularly when absences have been unavoidable due to illness. However, schools have a duty to share this information consistently and are not making judgments about the reasons behind absence. Open communication ensures that we do not overlook situations where absence may be linked to other factors, such as anxiety, and allows us to offer appropriate support.

Punctuality is equally important. Lost minutes at the start of the school day can quickly add up and have a significant impact on learning over time. The beginning of each morning is a vital part of the school day, where children revisit key skills such as phonics, times tables and spellings, helping to build strong foundations for future learning. Arriving on time ensures children are settled, confident and ready to make the most of every lesson.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, overall attendance levels remain lower than before, and there is a strong national focus on improving this. Research consistently shows a clear link between good attendance, academic achievement, and future life opportunities, so we appreciate your continued support in helping your child attend school as regularly as possible.

Farewells and Welcome Backs

As we look ahead to next term, we have both farewells and a welcome to share. We will be saying a temporary goodbye to Mrs Harper as she begins her maternity leave, and we wish her all the very best as she prepares to welcome her new arrival.

We will also be saying goodbye to Mrs Deeney and Ms Wilson Rutter, who are leaving our kitchen team at Easter. We would like to thank them for all of their hard work in preparing delicious meals for the children each day and wish them every success for the future.

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome back Mrs Cottam, who returns from her maternity leave. We are very much looking forward to having her back in school and know the children will enjoy seeing her again.