September Newsletter
Head teacher's Messages
Dear Families,
A New Way to Communicate
Welcome to our first newsletter of the new school year! We’ve updated our communication strategy based on your feedback. From now on, we’ll send one main newsletter at the start of each half term, followed by a weekly Friday update. All information will be posted directly on the website to avoid attachments and passwords. Mrs. Naik, our new Communications Officer, will be managing this.
The Start of the Term
We’ve had a great start to the term! The school is calm, purposeful, and filled with engaged learners. Our new Reception and Nursery children have settled in wonderfully, and there’s a real sense of excitement across the school.
I am looking forward to seeing lots of you next week at our meet the teacher event.
Miss Marriott
Stepping up - Staffing News
New Chair of Governors
Welcome to Mrs. Tuli Palit, our newly elected Chair of Governors. Tuli has been on the governing board for three years, and with her experience as a parent and local primary school educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge to this role.
New Teachers
We’re delighted to welcome Mr. O’Brien (Year 5, PE Leader) and Miss Alice Harefield (Reception, Maple). Both are experienced teachers and have already become valuable members of our team.
Support Team
Welcome to Mrs Priya Jain (Year 2) and Mrs Vathana Ganesha (Hedgehogs) both have hit the ground running and are providing great support to the children. We also welcome Mrs Pruvi Shah who will be joining us as Welfare Officer.
A New Class
This term, we opened the Hedgehog Class in our Acorn Centre, home to six wonderful children with SEN. Led by Miss Hazelwood and supported by Vathana Ganesha, this class is truly special. I love visiting and seeing the incredible progress the children are making. We’re also recruiting another TA—see the recruitment page for details.
A New Office Team
Over the past term, we've made changes to our office team to improve efficiency and stay up to date. Led brilliantly by Mrs. Cindy Tong, with support from our current staff, their first task this month is upgrading our outdated phone system to make communication easier. The team and their roles are as follows:
Name | Some of their roles | Contact details |
Ms Cindy Tong | School Business Manager | |
Mrs Anita Edwards | Finance Officer Breakfast and After School Clubs | |
Mrs Neeta Naik | Communications Officer Trips / Clubs / Music / Lettings / FPW | |
Mrs Krina Dassani | HR Officer | |
Mrs Joanna Gilbert | Attendance Officer | |
Mrs Sharon Ede | Admissions Officer | |
Mrs Purvi Shah | Welfare Officer Medication / Dietary / Allergens / HCP |
Value of the Month - Step Up
This term, our focus is on "Step Up." In assemblies and Monday morning class meetings, we're discussing how we can step up at Pinner Wood and recognizing those in our community who have done so. In October, we’ll launch the ‘Step Up’ challenge, with all participants receiving a Step Up Badge.
Can you help?
We’re looking to purchase these badges but, with a tight budget, would appreciate any connections to a company that could sponsor them. Any support, financial or otherwise, would be greatly appreciated!
School Notices - A few reminders
INSET DAY | REMINDER – we have an INSET day on Monday 25th November. The school will be closed to pupils as staff undertake training. |
School Tours and admissions | Next week, we are starting school tours for Nursery and Reception 2025. Please see our websites for the date of the tour and call the school to book a place. Please pass this on to anyone with a Nursery or Reception aged child. |
School places | We have a few places available for children accross the year groups. This is because we have introduced the Acorns Centre and it has opened up a few spaces in the main school. Please contact our office if you are interested in your child starting at Pinner Wood. |
Lost Property | Lost property is now in the year 3/4 playground in the two boxes outside Maple class. Please ensure all clothing is labelled so it does not get as far as the box. |
Jewellery | Please remember that jewellery should be removed on PE days. I have noticed a lot of jewellery this week. Earrings should be removed and not worn to school on PE days. We understand that some children have items of religious significance that cannot be remove – please inform your teacher if this is the case. |
PE Kits | Ensure your child wears their PE kit on PE days. As the weather gets colder, please include a jumper, tracksuit bottoms, or leggings (no hoodies!). On club days, children should bring their PE kit to change into. |
Smart Phones on Hold | We’ve paused the use of smart phones and watches for Year 5/6. They may bring a phone, but not a smart phone. This initiative is part of a larger project with other schools, aiming to prolong childhood. We’ll trial this for the term and review it later. There’s also an upcoming TV documentary on this topic! |
Birthdays at Pinner Wood | We love celebrating birthdays with our "Birthday Bunch" day at the end of each term, where children with birthdays can come in non-uniform. However, please do not send food, sweets, or cakes due to allergies and our healthy school initiative. Non-food treats or a book for the class are welcome but not required. |
Reporting Absence | Please read the absence letter sent out this week. If your child is absent, you MUST report it by 8:30 a.m. via email at attendance@pinnerwood.co.uk or phone 0208 868 2468. |
Bonnie Bird - Good News Corner
We're opening a shop! We have secured funding from Harrow to open our own Pupil Profit Eco Refill shop. This means it will be planned, led and ran by the pupils! The aim is to reduce the use of plastics and waste.
Items sold will include washing up liquid, shampoo, conditioner and soap. We ask you to bring a bottle to fill up your products in.
Keep an eye out here for future updates and opening times.
Miss Reeves
Enjoy Learning - Classroom Notices
Year 6 goes Google! | Year 6 have launched their Google school and every child has access to a Chrome book for learning- it is pretty impressive to see! This is a term trial and we hope to roll out further in future- budget permitting! |
Meet the Teachers | We invite you to a short informative session (35mins approx) to meet the class teachers and find out about the ahead. These will take place during the day and we recognise that this will not suit everyone. The slides will be uploaded to Seesaw and shared after each session. Please not this will be a general presentation and the teachers will not be able to answer questions about individual children. These can be asked at our Parent's/ Carers evening. Year 6 - 9am Tuesday 17th September Year 5 - 9am Wednesday 18th September Year 4 - 9am Thursday 19th September Year 2 - 9am Friday 20th September EYFS, Year 1 and Year 3 happened in the summer term. |
Betty Bee Community News
School Information Sessions
Tuesday 24th September 9am-9:45am
Tea and talk with the SLT and Pastoral Leader at PW – join us for an informal session getting to know our school.
Thursday 26th September (2.30pm) and repeated Friday 27th September at 9am
Reception and Year 1 meetings – phonics, tapestry and Seesaw
Monday 7th October 9am-10am
Do you want to know how you can support your child to stay safe online? We have invited EPC Safeguarding to come in and talk to you about current issues/ tips and safety.
Last time they came it was brilliant – so please join us!
Community Events
Community Evening
Join us on Friday 20th September from 5.30-7:15pm
This is an informal evening to meet our school community.
We ask for you to bring a ‘dish’ to share with our community clearly labelled with the ingredients used.
This could be something special to your cultural/ heritage.
You are warmly invited to wear cultural dress.
Our first Garba
The Friend of Pinner Wood along with some very helpful families are organising a Garba on Saturday 19th October. This is a Gujarati dance celebrated in Navarati but it will be open to our whole school community. Information will follow soon.
Dates for your Diary
Meet the teacher’ Week - 9am to 9:45am each morning in Upper Hall | Families invited to meet the team and hear about the year ahead
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Thursday 19th September | Great Fire of London Workshop in school for Year 2 |
Friday 20th September | Cultural day and evening 5.30-7.15pm |
Tuesday 24th September - 9am | Meet SLT and hear about the year ahead at Pinner Wood |
Thursday 26th September 2.30 and repeated on Friday 27th September at 9am | EYFS and Year 1 - SEESAW and phonics information sessions |
Week Beginning – 30th September | Reception Autumn Walks |
Wednesday 2nd October - 9am - 9:45am | Year 3 Harvest Assembly |
Thursday 3rd October | National Poetry Day and competition launching |
Thursday 3rd October | Year 4 Trip to British Museum |
Friday 4th October - Year 3 | Stone Age Workshop (Dress up) in school |
W.B. 7th October | Science/ Space week |
Monday 7th October | Online Safety Workshop for families at 9am with Education Child Protection |
Monday 7th October | Online safety workshops for year 1-6pupils in school. |
Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th October | Planetarium in School - Classes to visit in slots |
Tuesday 8th October | Year 1 Autumn Walk |
Thursday 10th October | Hello Yellow Day for Mental Health – children invited to wear a touch of yellow with uniform. |
Monday 14th October | Year 6 Imperial War Museum |
Saturday 19th October | Garba celebration |
Tuesday 22nd October | RE Day 1 |
Wednesday 23rd October and Thursday 24th October | Parent/ Carer Evening 3.30-6pm |
Wednesday 23rd October | Year 1 perform Workshop in School – Gunpowder Plot |
Thursday 24th October | Black History Celebration in School |
Friday 25th October | STEP UP Celebration Day and non-uniform Day |
Friday 25th October | Half Term |
Future Dates for your Diary - we have tried to be very organised!
Wednesday 6th November | Flu immunisations whole school |
Friday 8th November | Spooky Disco |
Wednesday 13th November 9am-9:45am | Year 4 Diwali Assembly |
Friday 15th November | Year 5 trip to Science Museum |
Friday 22nd November | Super Hero dress up day and lockdown practice |
Monday 25th November | INSET DAY – School Closed |
Tuesday 26th November (1 week) | Travelling Book Fair |
w.b 9th December | Reception and Key Stage 1 show weeks (times to be sent nearer time) |
Friday 13th December | Birthday Bunch 1st September- 31st December |
Friday 13th December | Year 4,5,6 – Church Visit |
W.B 16th December | Nursery Show |
Tuesday 17th December | Year 2 and 3 Watford Palace Theatre Panto |
Date TBC | Panto in school for year 1 and EYFS |
Wednesday 18th December | Christmas Lunch |
Friday 20th December | Term Ends at 1.30pm |
Monday 6th January | Term Begins for all children |
Tuesday 11th February – 9am-9:45am | Year 5 Assembly |
Monday 17th – Friday 21st Feb | Half Term |
Thursday 6th March | World Book Day |
Thursday 13th March | Possible date for IFTAR dinner |
Monday 24th March 3.30-4.30pm | Year 4 Speech evening |
Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th March | Parent/ Carer evenings |
Friday 28th March | Birthday Bunch 1st January – 21st April |
Friday 4th April | Term Ends at 1:30pm |
Tuesday 22nd April | Term Starts for all |
Monday 12th – Thursday 15th May | Year 6 SATS – ALL YEAR 6 IN SCHOOL |
Wednesday 21st – Friday 23rd May | Year 5 Phasels Wood Trip |
Monday 26th – Friday 30th May | Half Term |
Monday 2nd June | INSET DAY – SCHOOL CLOSED |
W.B. 3rd June (2 week window) | Year 4 Multiplication Check |
W.B 9th June (2 week window) | Year 1 Phonic Check |
W.B 9th June | Year 6 Company Week |
W.B. 9th June | Oracy Week |
W.B. 16th June | STEAM Week |
W.B. 16th June | Year 6 Change Speeches |
Tuesday 1st July | Sports day and family picnic |
Wednesday 2nd July | ‘Move up’ morning |
Wednesday 2nd July (Evening) and Thursday 3rd July (Afternoon) | Year 6 Show |
Friday 4th July | Birthday Bunch 22nd April – 31st August |
Friday 4th July | PW Summer Carnival in school |
Monday 7th July – Friday 11th July | Year 6 Isle of Wight Trip |
Monday 14th July | Dream Big Open Evening |
Tuesday 15th July | Music Concert for performers |
Friday 18th July | 8-10am Year 6 Leavers breakfast and assembly (Year 6 families invited) |
Friday 18th July | Term Ends for All 1.30pm |
Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd July | INSET DAY – SCHOOL CLOSED TO PUPILS |
Heart of the Community - News from Pinner Wood Friends
News will be coming next week....
