Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break. I spent time up in Scotland with my family and Murphy thoroughly enjoyed exploring both the West and East beaches in St Andrews!
It has been fantastic to see how well our children have returned after the holiday—they have settled straight back into the routine of school life with enthusiasm and focus.
In our whole school assembly on Tuesday, I shared a challenge for all of us: let’s make 2026 the year we fall in love with reading again.
Here’s the truth—many of us (myself included!) have let reading slip down our priority list. Life gets busy, but books have the power to change minds, open doors, and spark imagination. This year, we’re turning the page—literally.
One of my favourite quotes from Pages & Co by Anna James says it perfectly:
“I don’t need to tell you how powerful books are. Books can change minds and change worlds, open doors and open minds, and plant seeds that grow into magical or even terrifying things. Stories are things to be loved and respected at the same time; never underestimate the power of them.”
I’ve already started my journey—thank you to Zachary in Year 6 for gifting me a book to read this weekend!
Over the past year, our INSET days and twilight sessions have primarily focused on refining and strengthening our pedagogical strategies to ensure we are using the most effective approaches in lessons, enabling our children to make the best possible progress. Monday’s INSET day centred on the importance of Retrieval Practice within our teaching. Retrieval Practice is a strategy that helps pupils strengthen their memory and understanding by recalling previously learned information, rather than simply re-reading or reviewing it. This approach supports long-term retention and deeper learning.
These dedicated professional learning sessions also include curriculum development work, where we audit and update our curriculums to ensure they remain relevant and up to date. On Monday, we spent time refining our Science curriculum to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our learners.
Finally, Thursday’s twilight session brought us together as a staff team to revisit the writing framework in a facilitated session with other schools. This was a valuable opportunity to reflect on our practice and strengthen consistency across the school.
This week also marked our last Open Morning of the academic year for families whose children will start school in September 2026. It was a real privilege to welcome prospective parents and share what makes Warden Hill such a special place.
The morning began with a talk from myself and our senior leadership team, followed by visits to our Reception classrooms, a glimpse of phonics in action in Year 1, and a full tour of the school. One of the highlights, as always, was meeting our Year 6 pupils. I invited parents to ask them anything about life at Warden Hill – nothing rehearsed, just honest answers. To say they spoke with ease and confidence would be an understatement! They were eager to share their experiences and perspectives, from what they love about school to what they’re most looking forward to in the months ahead (PGL certainly came out strongly!).
These moments remind us that our pupils are the best ambassadors for our school. Their ability to articulate their thoughts with such maturity and enthusiasm is a testament to the nurturing environment we strive to create every day.
Thank you to everyone who joined us. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and welcoming your children into our community next September.
I know that the following was sent out separately, but I am including it here again with a link to our Adverse Weather and Facilities failure Policy.
School Closure Procedures Update
As a school, we will make every effort to remain open wherever possible. The decision to close the school will be made by the Headteacher; however, in their absence, this responsibility will fall to a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in consultation with the Head.
Why might the school close?
We only consider closure when it is absolutely necessary, and the rationale includes:
• Insufficient staff able to travel to ensure the safe running of the school
• Dangerous conditions on site
• Conditions that are or are anticipated to become too hazardous for travel
• Major facility failure (e.g., heating, power, or water), which may sometimes result in a partial closure
Communication in the event of closure:
If extreme weather (such as heavy snow or flooding) or a significant facility failure occurs before the school day begins, we will:
• Send a message to parents via Eduspot
• Update the Gloucestershire School Closures website: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/closures
Our priority is always the safety and well-being of pupils, staff, and families.
You can read our full policy here: Adverse Weather Conditions Policy
That just leaves me to say, have a lovely weekend.
Warmest Regards
Georgina Flooks