Overthorpe C of E Academy
Newsletter - 06.03.26
BELIEVE, ENJOY, ACHIEVE
'Overthorpe is more than a school-
We are the heart of the community.
In our family, we nurture the courage,
And skills to fly higher than the flock,
Whilst always providing a nest,
To come home to.'
TRUST, FRIENDSHIP, ENDURANCE, FORGIVENESS, HOPE
Headteacher - Mr J Mitchell
Senior Leadership Team - Ms L McCarthy (Deputy Head), Ms L Stott (Assistant Head), Mrs S Wood (SENDCo)
Designated Safeguarding lead - Mrs S Wood
Deputy DSLs - Mr J Mitchell, Ms L Stott, Ms L McCarthy, Mrs A Godfrey
In Y5, they have started doing Gymnastics
Headteacher's comment
It’s been another lovely week in school, full of energy, creativity and learning across every year group.
Our World Book Day celebrations brought such joy and imagination to the classrooms — it was fantastic to see pupils (and staff!) dressed as their favourite book characters. The excitement around reading was wonderful, with children sharing stories, swapping books and enjoying the magic that reading brings.
We were also pleased to welcome some of our School Governors into school this week. They spent time visiting classrooms across all key stages, seeing first-hand the fantastic learning taking place every day. Governors were impressed by the children’s enthusiasm, confidence and pride in their work.
Across the week, pupils continued to enjoy their ukulele lessons, filling the corridors with music, while our Year 6 pupils have been working hard with their maths tutoring sessions as they prepare for the challenges ahead. It’s great to see their confidence growing with each week.
To finish off, a huge well done to our cross-country team, who represented the school brilliantly at Temple Newsam. Their determination and team spirit made us all very proud!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Have a lovely weekend, and we’ll see everyone back in school next week.
Mr Mitchell
Headteacher
Parents Evening Letter - please read as this is a new process
World Book Day
We had a wonderful time celebrating World Book Day yesterday! The day began with a special breakfast, where pupils and parents joined us for a morning treat before diving into a day full of book-inspired fun. It was fantastic to see so many imaginative costumes — from classic storybook characters to modern favourites — filling our classrooms and corridors.
Adding even more fun to the day, we had a very special visitor — Munch, our School Dinners mascot! Munch popped in to join our celebrations, reminding everyone about the importance of healthy eating and enjoying a balanced meal every day.
Thank you to all families for supporting our World Book Day events — from helping with costumes to sharing stories together. It truly brought our school community together in the spirit of reading and imagination.
Cross Country Event
We are immensely proud of seven of our students who qualified to compete at the recent West Yorkshire School Games Cross Country Competition at Temple Newsam.
They had a long journey to qualify, firstly running at school to earn their place on the school team. They then represented the school at the St John Fisher competition where they had to finish in the top 10 or be the fastest team. Then onto the Kirklees final, where they had an amazing run again finishing in the top ten and the fastest Year 5 boys’ team.
On the day of the West Yorkshire finals, up against 1177 of the county’s fastest runners, they gave impressive performances, ending the Cross Country season on a high.
Collective Worship
Finding my Superpower
In this week’s collective worship, we explored the uplifting picture book Finding My Superpower by Sarah Prestidge. The story celebrates the strengths of dyslexic thinkers, offering hope, positivity and encouragement while also recognising that children with dyslexia can face real challenges, particularly with reading and writing. The book helps children see that the way their brain works can also bring creativity, imagination and unique ways of thinking — their very own “superpower.”
To deepen the message, Mr Biltcliffe shared his own personal experience of being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 16. He spoke honestly about some of the barriers he faced at school and the emotions he experienced when learning felt difficult. He also explained how the support and encouragement of his parents helped him persevere, believe in himself and recognise his own strengths. Together, the story and Mr Biltcliffe’s testimony helped the children understand that everyone learns in different ways. At Overthorpe, we care passionately about ensuring every child feels safe, valued and confident in who they are. We want our pupils to know that challenges do not define them; with encouragement, perseverance and the support of a loving community, every child can discover their strengths and flourish both in school and in the wider world.
Upcoming PTA dates
Dare to be Different - Non-uniform Day (Bring a £1.00) - Friday 27th March
Rainbow Raffle - Thursday 21st May - Non-uniform Day
Attendance
This week's Learning Champions
Key Dates 2025/26
Survey for Church Service Attendance on Thursday 26th March 2026
We understand that a sense of community within our Church of England ethos is an important part of the work we do, therefore, we are exploring the possibility of inviting parents / carers to our church services.
In order to work out if this is feasible and to help us consider the structure of how this could work, please can you complete the short survey below if you would be interested in attending our next church service on Thursday 26th March.
Please complete this survey by Friday 13th March.
Please note - this is a typical church service and not a 'performance' of any type by the children.
Parent Information
Parking Consideration Reminder
We kindly ask parents and carers to avoid parking in front of residents’ driveways when dropping off or collecting children. There have been several recent reports of driveways being blocked, causing inconvenience to our neighbours. Please park considerately to help keep good relationships within our school community and ensure everyone’s safety.
Contact us
School website: https://www.overthorpecofe.co.uk/
Email: office@overthorpe.enhanceacad.org.uk
Tel: 01924 325300
Address: Edge Top Road, Dewsbury, WF12 0BH