13th March 2026
This week in school we have had a fantastic time celebrating Science Week. Across every class, children have taken part in a wide range of exciting experiments that have sparked incredible curiosity, thoughtful questioning and a real sense of discovery. It has been wonderful to see our pupils exploring ideas, testing their thinking and sharing their learning with such enthusiasm.
We were also delighted to welcome many of you into school for our Learning Together time, where the children enjoyed sharing some of their investigations and discoveries with you. Thank you for joining us and helping to celebrate the joy of learning.
As we look ahead to next week, we are excited to begin a new chapter for Alveston as we start our journey into OPAL play. We will be taking small first steps in developing our breaktime and lunchtime provision, creating even more opportunities for children to explore, collaborate and enjoy active, creative play.
Next week is also the start of The Big Walk and Wheel. Two weeks to encourage children to walk or cycle to school. We are so lucky to have our Bicycle Bus established - have you considered joining it? Perhaps you could leave the car behind one day next week (if you live close enough) and walk or cycle one day. We will be keeping a tally in school of how many journeys we have made and recording it online at https://bigwalkandwheel.org.uk/ It will be so exciting to see how many journeys we make as a school community.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Have a great weekend.
Some Classroom Highlights:
The Reception children and the classroom were ready to welcome their family in to share in all of their exciting learning. They explored different science experiences such as creating dinosaur shadow puppets and explored fossils they had made the day before. The children also explored magnets and sinking and measuring dinosaurs. The children were amazing and the families enjoyed spending time in the classroom.
Year 2 had a fantastic Science Week, with the theme of Curiosity. Throughout the week, the children explored lots of exciting questions and investigations, showing great enthusiasm for discovering how the world works. They learned about the scientist Alan Turing, carried out exciting volcano experiments, and tested their ideas with floating boat investigations. The children also took part in several live lessons focused on curiosity, including a very exciting session with astronaut Tim Peake after learning about him in History. We enjoyed a weather-themed science share with Mrs Rogers, shared our learning with Year 1, and joined an NFU Live farming lesson to learn more about farming and food. The highlight of our week was when we welcomed families to Forest School, where the children explored habitats and shared their learning outdoors. We also discussed smashing stereotypes by learning that anyone can be a scientist. It has been a wonderful week full of curiosity, investigation and discovery!
Year 3 explored the theme of curiosity through our big question: How can simple instructions power the world? Through fun challenges, the children discovered how simple instructions can create endless possibilities—composing music with just five notes, creating dances with five moves, and drawing pictures from only a few shapes. We then explored the work of Sophie Wilson, learning how the simple instructions used by processors designed for Arm Ltd power many smart devices today, including the BBC micro:bit the children use in school. The class also experimented with BBC BASIC in a hands-on discovery lesson, making exciting coding discoveries of their own. The week ended with brilliant questions from the children about how computers work and what might be possible in the future. We encouraged them to keep following their curiosity—because the people who create world-changing technology were once children in schools like ours!
Year 4 investigated conductors and insulators this week. The children worked with parents on Tuesday to look at which materials conduct and which insulate and discovered that most metals conduct.
Year 5 loved Learning Together time with their parents. Their science investigation involved using red cabbage as a pH indicator. The children had great fun exploring what happens when you add an acid or an alkali to the cabbage solution. They discovered that red cabbage juice can change colour depending on whether a substance is acidic or alkaline. The class tested different liquids and carefully observed the colour changes. It was exciting to see the solution turn pink and red with acids, and blue or green when an alkali was added! Year 5 worked brilliantly as young scientists, making predictions, sharing ideas, and discussing what they observed. It was wonderful to see so much curiosity and teamwork as everyone explored how science works in the real world. A fantastic week of hands-on learning for Year 5!
Year 6 enjoyed dissecting a pig heart. Fascinating and hands on learning - everyone got involved finding all the different parts of the heart.
As part of our amazing Science Week, Mrs Eagle came and worked with the children on a weather-themed science-share for all classes. We were delighted to work with Mrs Eagle again this year as she works for the Met Office. Mrs Rogers and Mrs Eagle shared three different weather-themed experiments; Rain cloud, Tornado in a Bottle and Cloud in a Bottle. Mrs Eagle also shared more about her job and how important accurate weather forecasting is for us all. A huge thank you to Mrs Eagle for volunteering her time to come and share her knowledge with the children. They loved it!
The Supreme Court has clarified the law on unauthorised leave, including holidays, during term time (Platt v Isle of Wright 2017). The Supreme Court has made clear that attending school ‘regularly’ means that the children must attend school on every day that they are required to do so. As such, the parents of any child who is absent from school without authorisation for any length of time are likely to be considered as committing an offence under s444 of the Education Act 1996.
The law states a leave of absence may only be granted by a school if an application is made in advance and if it considers there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application.
Schools must judge each application individually considering the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind each request.
A leave of absence is granted entirely at the school’s discretion. Generally, a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance.
Where a leave of absence is granted, the school will determine the number of days a pupil can be absent from school.
When making an application for Leave of Absence parents are advised to give sufficient information and time to allow the Head teacher the opportunity to consider all the exceptional circumstances and to notify parents of their decision. The school may also request further information on the application and supporting documentation where appropriate.
It is advised that if the resident parent has not received notification or a response regarding the leave of absence application, it is the parents’ responsibility to ascertain if the leave is authorised prior to the start of the leave.
The school can only consider Leave of Absence requests which are made by the ‘resident’ parent i.e. the parent with whom the child normally resides.
Where applications for leave of absence are made in advance and refused, the child is expected to be in school on the dates set out in the application. If the child is absent during that period, it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. Where a leave of absence is requested, but additional days taken either prior to or after the request may be considered as part of the leave of absence.
Leave of Absences which are not made in advance cannot be authorised in line with legislation. This will result in the absence being recorded as ‘unauthorised’.
All matters of unauthorised absence relating to a Leave of Absence will be referred to the Warwickshire Attendance Service, part of Warwickshire County Council. Penalty Notices are issued in accordance with Warwickshire County Council’s Code of Conduct for Penalty Notices and in the first instance, as an alternative to prosecution proceedings.
Leave of Absence taken in the academic year 2025-26
The law relating to Penalty Notices changed with effect from 19 August 2024. Therefore, Penalty Notices issued for Leave of Absence taken from September 2024 will be issued in accordance with the updated legislation.
- Penalty Notices are issued to each parent of each absent child, (for example 2 children and 2 parents, means each parent will receive 2 invoices – 4 in total).
- First Leave of Absence offence: The Penalty Notice amount of £160 to be paid within 28 days, this is reduced to £80 each child if paid within 21 days.
- Second Leave of Absence offence within a 3-year period (from the date of issue of the first penalty notice): The amount of £160 paid within 28 days. No reduced amount.
- Payment plans will not be offered and/or payments received outside of the 28-day period will not be accepted. Where a penalty notice expires unpaid the matter will be referred to Warwickshire County Council’s Legal Services to consider criminal prosecution.
- Third Leave of Absence offence within a 3-year period (from the date of issue of the first penalty notice): A penalty notices will be not be issued and the matter will be referred to Warwickshire County Council’s Legal Services to consider instigating criminal prosecution proceedings under S444 of Education Act 1996.
Your child’s progress academically as well as socially is our shared priority.
Please note that essential water improvement works will be taking place in your area soon, which will involve a full road closure that may affect school travel, staff access, and local bus routes.
What’s happening
Severn Trent is continuing its project to install 4km of new water pipes between Hatton Bank and Wellesbourne. This work will help reduce bursts and interruptions that have affected local homes, businesses, and institutions in recent years.
Our team are progressing well, with 1.8km of new pipe already installed. This upgrade will help secure a more reliable water supply for the area for years to come.
The next phase of the project requires work within the carriageway on the B4086 Stratford Road, where our team will be installing new pipework, valves, and property connections.
Road closure details
To keep everyone safe, a full road closure will be in place on:
B4086 Stratford Road
From: 30 March 2026
Duration: 8 weeks
No through access – a signed diversion suitable for all vehicles will be provided.
We understand this may impact school transport, parent drop‑offs/pick‑ups, staff travel and any planned activities, so we wanted to give you as much notice as possible.
If you or your school community have any questions, please feel free to contact:
Samantha Heno, Community Comms Officer, Email: communitycomms@severntrent.co.uk
Medicines in School
We cannot accept medicines in school without a prescription label and a medical form completed by a parent or carer. Please ask the school office for more information and/or a form via:
parents3002@welearn365.com
Key dates for the Spring Term are HERE!
* Please note that all dates published are subject to change/cancellation - please check this page and/or the website calendar regularly:
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Spring Term (2) |
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Celebration / Star of the Week Assemblies |
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20/3, *23/3 (Half Term Cup) |
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Teacher-Led Clubs – 4 weeks |
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23rd February to 27th March 2026 (excl. 16th-20th March) |
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Y3 Swimming |
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16/3, 23/3, 13/4, 20/4, 27/4 |
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17/3 |
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Parents’ Evening (3:30-6:30pm: face-to-face) |
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19/3 |
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Parents’ Evening (3:30-6:30pm: face-to-face) |
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20/3 |
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Mixed Netball at Alveston vs St Gregory’s School |
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21/3 |
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Cross Country Nationals at Stoneleigh Park |
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24/3 |
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Class Assembly – Year 4 (9:05-9:30) |
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24/3 |
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Girls Netball at Thomas Jolyffe |
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25/3 |
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Class Assembly – Year 5 (9:05-9:30) |
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26/3 |
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Easter Service (2.15pm) - collection from church |
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END OF TERM 30th March to 10th April |
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Summer Term (1) |
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Celebration / Star of the Week Assemblies |
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(17/4), 24/4, 1/5, 8/5, 15/5, *18/5 (Half Term Cup) |
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Teacher-Led Clubs – 4 weeks |
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13th April to 4th May 2026 |
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13/4 |
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Children back in school |
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15/4 |
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Reception call trip to Oversley Hill Farm |
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15/4 |
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Year 6 Parliament Trip (London) |
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22/4 |
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Connect4Health: Heights & Weights (YR & Y6) |
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HALF TERM 25th to 29th May |
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1/6 |
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INSET DAY – no children in school |
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2/6 |
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Children back in school |
Below are Forest School dates for your diary. The children will need to wear PE kit to school with tracksuit bottoms or leggings and have a long sleeve top, such as a hoodie. Wellies and a rain coat will also be required:
*Forest school dates are Fridays, unless otherwise stated
Spring Term (2)
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Date |
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Year Group |
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17/4 |
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Reception |
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24/4 |
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Year 6 |
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1/5 |
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Year 5 |
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8/5 |
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Year 4 |
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15/5 |
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Year 3 |
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22/5 |
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Year 2 |
