Newsletter

Heatwave

I wanted to take a moment to thank parents and families for their support through the current hot weather. We have tried to minimise the situation in school as best we can with fans in each room, blinds, open windows, no daily run, no ball area, lunch half in and half out and a relaxing of school uniform expectations for this week to ensure that children and staff remain as safe and as comfortable as can be during the current period of extremely hot weather.

I understand that there are many differing views on whether schools should remain open or closed during periods of extreme heat. While I appreciate that these opinions always come from a place of care and concern, please be assured that all decisions made with regard to Holly Park are based on the specific conditions within OUR school and on what is safest and most appropriate for OUR children and staff. Thank you for your understanding, patience and ongoing support.

Sport Curriculum Days – Yoga

This week we had another sports curriculum day spread over two mornings. Many classes enjoyed yoga sessions in the hall. The sessions were very timely in the hot weather and helped the children to feel calm and relaxed and reduce their body temperature.

Upcoming Sports Days

Children should come to school on Sports Day wearing their sports kit. They should bring a bottle of water .Please put sun cream on at home before the children leave for school. If it is bright and sunny the children should wear a sun hat or cap

A Guide for Parents on Sports Day

• The sports day is arranged as a round robin of activities which all take place at the same time

• Your child will start at a base with their class

• They will move around all of the activities with their class

• There will be tape up at each activity – parents must stay behind the tape to spectate

• Parents should not approach their child during sports day

• Children will have their own bottle of water – so parents don’t need to give children anything

• If a child is injured, the class teacher will deal with it and will send them to first aid if necessary

• If you have more than one child in a sports day – you will have to split yourself between the different activities to see both children

• Parents are allowed to take photographs or videos of their child but we ask that you do not put these on social media (including Whatsapp) as they most certainly will include other children

• There will be a parent race at the end. If you would like to enter it – please wear sensible footwear. Parents take part at their own risk!

Reception and KS1 Sports Day is on Wednesday 1st July at 10.30am Parents are invited to watch and follow the carousel of activities around – keeping to the viewing areas only. Reception children wear red PE shorts, white T shirt, white socks and white trainers Children in Y1 and Y2 wear red PE shorts, a plain colour T shirt – the colour of their house, white socks and white trainers

KS2 Sports Day is on Friday 3rd July (weather permitting). Children need to come to school in white trainers, red shorts and a plain T shirt in their house colour. You can buy plain T-shirts very cheaply on Amazon. Sports Day will begin at 10.30am. Parents are welcome to come along and watch. The gate will open a few minutes before 10.30am. Area will be taped off. Please keep to the viewing areas.

Incognito Theatre Company

Our neighbours at The Incognito Theatre are shortly putting on their next show, Shakers re-stirred by John Goldberg and Jane Thornton. June 28 to July 4. Tickets and more details at incognito theatre.co.uk. This show is for adults only!

BICs Family Minds Workshops

BICS are inviting you to join their virtual workshops. These workshops aim to increase your knowledge of common wellbeing and mental health difficulties faced by children and young people. They also aim to provide strategies to assist you in supporting your young person.

They have eight topics coming up between June 2026 – December 2026

Understanding and Managing Friendships
Introduction to Neurodiversity Workshop
Managing School Transitions
Understanding Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)
Understanding and Managing Anxiety Workshop
Supporting your Child to Manage Difficult Emotions Workshop
Managing Sleep · Building Resilience

Free School Meal (FSM) Checker – SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

It used to be that some of our families were entitled to Pupil Premium funding for their children. From September everything is changing. From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) is delivering an expansion to FSM eligibility to include all pupils from households in receipt of Universal Credit. There will then be 2 categories of FSM:

· Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing £7,400 income threshold

· Expanded FSM, which will apply to meals only, covering pupils who do not qualify for Targeted FSM, but who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit

Following the expansion of FSM, ONLY pupils eligible for Targeted FSM will be eligible for any support in school the same as the old Pupil Premium. Pupils who become eligible for FSM through the new Expanded FSM category will not attract pupil premium funding. There is a website where parents can check their own eligibility and the results are sent to the school. We would urge ALL parents who feel that their child could be eligible to use this link and to check. *You need to do separate applications for each child https://fsm.lgfl.net/

PTA Summer Fair – Sunday 12th July

Please put the date of Sunday 12th July in your diary and come along and support the PTA Fair. Even better if you can volunteer to run a stall for some of the time. Many hands make light work. The fair is a fabulous community event – children love to be at the fair. The more people – the better the event.

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.

Over the summer children might like to:

Read a story together with Holly Bear

Go for a walk with Holly Bear

Draw a picture of Holly Bear

Have a picnic together

Help with baking

Play a game with Holly Bear

Visit somewhere new and exciting with Holly Bear.

If you would like to purchase a Holly Bear for your child – you can pay £8 on School Money and you will be given a bear.

The Crown House: Afro Hair Care Workshop (July 11th)

Run by one of our parents .There are so many ways to bond with your child, and hair wash day should be one of them. Are you tired of hair wash day turning your home into a war zone? Are you struggling to find the right products, solutions, and protective styles, or finding ways to make them understand how their hair grows? Stop looking, because you just found the perfect recipe to transform your hair wash day. ‘The Crown House’ is hosting a specialised, hands-on workshop on Saturday, 11th July to teach parents and children essential maintenance techniques for Afro hair. The focus will be on deep hydration, easy detangling, protective styling, and building your child’s confidence so they embrace their natural hair. Due to high demand and the hands-on nature of this workshop, spaces are strictly limited. Don’t hesitate to secure your place before it fills up. https://crownhouseacademy.framer.website

Attendance

Whole school attendance for the last week was 97 %. Well done to Year 6 Cedar Class with the best attendance at 99 %.

Dates

Tuesday 30th June Copthall Athletics competition
Wednesday 1st July Infant Sports 10.30am
Wednesday 1st July Choir Concert 2.30pm
Friday 3rd July Junior Sports 10.30am
Monday 6th July Reports emailed home across this week
Tuesday 7th July Debate Challenge
Tuesday 7th July Reception Palm Green to Barnet Environmental Centre
Thursday 9th July Junior Duke Celebration event 9am
Thursday 9th July Reception Palm Red to Barnet Environmental Centre
Friday 10th July New Classes announced for September 2026
Monday 13th July Y6 show week
Monday 13th July Children to visit new classes and teachers
Wednesday 15th July Y6 Careers Fair
Thursday 16th July Reception Assembly Performance at 9.30am
Thursday 16th July Y6 Leavers’ Party 7pm – 9pm
Friday 17th July Y6 Leavers’ ceremony at 9.30am
Friday 17th July End of term at 1.30pm
Monday 20th July Inset Day

There is a facility to translate this newsletter and the whole school website at the bottom of the website home page.