Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the Autumn Term and for your children another new year at Holly Park. At the start of any new academic year there is always excitement and some apprehension about what a new teacher and year group will be like and about what the expectations of the new year will be. However, the children have settled well and the school is a happy place. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead. At Holly Park, children have the opportunity to Achieve, Thrive and Belong.

We are proud of the warm relationships at Holly Park and how we have high expectations for behaviour across the school. Pupils have a solid foundation for learning starting in Early Years. Most importantly we are proud that:

Holly Park is a school that doesn’t stand still and is always striving to be the best it can be
Children’s interests are at the heart of everything
The school has safe, happy children
The school is a warm, welcoming environment
The school provides a well-rounded education

Looking back over the many highlights of last year, we are proud of the rich and varied experiences provided for the children. We are pleased by the improved achievements in writing, the continued love of reading, and the excellence demonstrated in debating and chess. Our end of year results were very positive.

The Tree House and the children it supports are flourishing, not in isolation but as an integral part of the wider school community. The enrichment days, both in and outside of the school, have covered many themes and have taken children on journeys through Ancient Egypt, Frozen Lands, the Victorians, the Vikings, Vehicles and everything in between.

Performance has always been a vibrant part of life at Holly Park, and last year has been no exception. From assemblies and Christmas nativities and sing-alongs to music and dance festivals, and of course the Year 6 pupils and their West End-worthy production of The Lion King.

Sport remains crucial to school life, fostering both a love of participation and a healthy competitive spirit. Traditional sports, such as rugby, football, athletics and cross-country were joined this year with new experiences including Nerf & Yoga.

Equally important last year was our reach beyond our own gates into the wider community. Whether through a close link with Puddleducks Nursery and Oakleigh Special School, support for Live Unlimited and the Young Carers within our community, volunteering at Asda, inviting the older generation in for tea or through the school’s involvement with the charity Spread Your Wings, we have tried hard to demonstrate our values in action.

There were many important moments and achievements last year; it would be impossible to include them all. Every new school year, a school will make a whole school improvement plan.

This year some of the other things that we will be working on in our School Improvement Plan are:

Further embed oracy within the curriculum
Establish the new Barnet RE curriculum in all year groups
The maths curriculum and pedagogy will be further enhanced through National Numeracy and NCTEM projects across the school
Review and develop the Holly Park teaching Toolkit
Embed work on the mechanics of writing: moderation, Fluent in 5, colourful semantics, writing maps, non-negotiables
Ensure handwriting practice and presentation is consistent across the school
Track the progress of pupils with social care intervention
Increase the reading fluency of the lowest attainers
Embed knowledge of British Values across the school
Track SEND and disadvantaged pupil participation in the wider life of the school even more closely
Embed character education
Work to ensure that curriculum enrichment meets DFE guidelines
Develop learning opportunities in the EYFS outdoor areas
Embed work on fine motor skills and handwriting in EYFS
Strengthen pupil and parent perceptions of the real definition of bullying
Embed a strong sense of belonging
Foster positive friendships with an emphasis on kindness
Encourage pupils to be upstanders
Create an ethos that Inclusion is everybody’s responsibility – essential for some and good for all
Ensure that teachers are using support plans for provision and adaptations in class
Support Young carers to feel less isolated and meet as a HPS group and engage in Barnet activities
Establish a new curriculum (incl Maths 4life) in the Treehouse
Improve Inclusive teaching using the EEF Guide to Inclusive teaching
Implement the revised Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) from September 2026
Monitor inclusion and adaptation through regular case sampling
Embed the school vision across all aspects of school life
Continue to proactively market the school

The Meet the Teacher meetings will be held via Zoom at 9.30am over the next week so that as many parents as possible can attend – from work, cars etc. An invitation link will be sent to you via email. The ‘Meet the teacher’ packs will be emailed home to you on the day of your meeting.

You have already been emailed a letter about what to expect for the current year ahead in your child’s year group. If you have misplaced it, you can find it on the year group website page and also in the Meet the Teacher packs. A letter about our initial two-week whole school learning project has been emailed and is also included in the Meet the Teacher pack. After our Inset Day on 11th September, you will receive a letter from the year group teachers about learning and the curriculum for the rest of this term.

You have already received a term dates leaflet for the Autumn term. These are important dates. Dates can also be found on the school website and are repeated in the weekly newsletters. Please continue to read our weekly newsletters over the year to find out about what has happened and what will be happening. Please keep your eye on the school website as this holds an enormous amount of information. Enjoy the Holly Park Highlights at the end of each term.

I look forward to continuing to work closely with governors, staff, parents and children over this next year. I hope that together we will continue to take the school forward and continue to make Holly Park the best it can be.

Ann Pelham Head Teacher

Meet Holly Bear

Meet Holly Bear – our new school mascot is Holly Bear. Holly Bear supports children with belonging to Holly Park.

A little bit about Holly Bear.

I love the colour red because it is the colour of our school uniform. I love learning new things. I enjoy stories, singing and having fun with my friends. I am respectful, resilient, kind and inquisitive.

Holly Bear is a great memento to buy for children leaving Nursery and going to another school. Holly Bear is a great memento to buy for Year 6 children leaving Holly Park. Holly Bear is a great gift for any child at Holly Park.