Weekly Newsletter

Head of School - Mr R Beevers

Associate Assistant Headteacher - Miss L Whale

Associate Assistant Headteacher - Mr K Reynolds

Dear parents and carers,

A warm welcome back to school for our second half-term of the year, which promises to be filled with lots of exciting events and activities alongside our usual programme of learning. Pupils this week have returned engaged and ready to learn: some topics continued from last half-term and some brand-new areas of learning.

On Tuesday, Year 4 enjoyed an exciting and engaging visit to the Royal Armouries, where they explored the world of the Celts and Romans. The children began by looking around the museum before watching an exciting live battle between the Celts and Romans, brought to life by actors.

They then took part in two interactive workshops: an Iceni tribe workshop and a Roman workshop. During the Iceni workshop, the children were transported into the Celtic world through roleplay, experiencing what life might have been like as a member of a Celtic tribe. They also learnt about important historical figures, including Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni, and influential Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Emperor Claudius. They discovered how Julius Caesar led two expeditions to Britain and how Emperor Claudius launched the successful Roman invasion in AD 43.

In the Roman workshop, the children stepped into the role of Roman soldiers, practising military formations and learning about the tactics and strategies that helped make the Roman army so successful in battle. They also had the opportunity to handle and explore replica Roman equipment, including shields and swords, while discovering more about the different equipment used by Roman soldiers.

At the end of the workshops, the children were asked to vote on whether they would rather have been a Celt or a Roman. The majority chose to be Celts, explaining that they felt the Romans had treated the tribes unfairly by taking their land and demanding taxes and tribute. A smaller group voted to be Romans, as they liked the idea of being part of a powerful and well-organised army!

It was a fantastic, hands-on learning experience. The children were fully engaged throughout the day, enthusiastically participating in the activities, asking thoughtful questions and bringing their learning about the Celts and Romans to life!

Year 3 were incredibly lucky on Thursday to receive a special visit from a dental hygienist. They learned all about the importance of brushing their teeth, how to brush them properly and the dangers of plaque. The children showed off their fantastic knowledge of sugary foods and drinks, leading to some brilliant discussions about how they can keep their teeth healthy and strong.

To make the visit even more exciting, everyone received a goody bag filled with dental care essentials to help keep those smiles sparkling!

To celebrate Diwali this year at Larks Hill, all pupils completed an afternoon of learning about the Hindu festival and completed activities to support their understanding. In Reception, the pupils have been studying the story of Rama and Sita throughout the week to build their understanding of cultures outside of their own.

We are excited to announce the Grand Opening of our pop-up Friday Morning Café!

The Café will be open from Friday 13th November 8.20-8.45am on the playground.

BUT we need your help! We need to give the Café a name, and we would like

suggestions in the bucket in the entrance way near the school office. The names will then be shortlisted and a winner chosen by our Junior Leadership Team.

All suggestions should be put in the bucket by Friday 13th November, so get your thinking caps on!

On Friday 13th November we will be supporting Children in Need by holding a Non-Uniform Day! Pupils are encouraged to dress up in non-uniform with a suggested donation of £1 which will go directly to Children in Need.

To launch anti-bullying week we will be taking part in Odd Socks day on Monday 16th November.

Odd Socks Day promotes uniqueness, acceptance, and conversations about bullying.

The theme for Anti‑Bullying Week 2026 is Break the Silence — encouraging children, young people, and adults to speak up about bullying.

Please see below the updated diary dates for this term

Toby - EYFS

Rory - Year 1

Charles - Year 2

Jenson - Year 3

Koby - Year 4

Leo - Year 5

Kai - Year 6

Daisy - Year 2 - For being an excellent role model throughout school

Nico - Year 6

Rory - Year 3

Jude - Year 4

Harry - Year 4

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly common part of children's lives, from online games and apps to chatbots and homework tools. While AI can offer exciting opportunities for learning and creativity, it is important that children understand its limitations and know how to use it safely and responsibly.

Internet Matters has produced a helpful guide for parents and carers, offering age-appropriate conversation starters and activities to explore AI together. It includes practical advice on questioning AI-generated information, protecting personal information and developing healthy habits when using AI.

Read more here: Internet Matters – Talking About AI: A Guide for Families

We have received a number of reports at school regarding disruptive parking at the start and end of the school day. This is a polite reminder to adhere to the parking restrictions outside of the school gates and opposite the school gates. All regulations are in place to keep you and your children as safe as possible during what can be a busy time. It takes everyone to follow these rules to ensure we are keeping the entire community safe so I appreciate your support in this area.

This Sunday, we will be represented at the annual Pontefract Remembrance parade by our Head Girl and Head Boy alongside several staff members. Thank you for support with donations towards the Poppy Appeal, which was greatly appreciated by our Royal British Legion guests on Thursday.

Have a lovely weekend and I look forward to seeing many of you next Friday morning for the inaugural cafe opening

Yours sincerely,
Mr Beevers

Please remember to send your nominations for our CATS Spotlight feature. We love hearing about all of your children's achievements and successes.

Monday, 9th November - Nasal Flu Spray Session

Friday, 13th November - Children in Need - Non Uniform Day - £1.00 Donation

W/c Monday, 16th November - Anti Bullying Week

Monday, 16th November - Odd Socks Day

We currently have vacancies for Parent Representatives on several School Performance Review Boards and would welcome expressions of interest from parents or carers.

If you think you may be eligible, scan the QR code or visit https://wakefield-dash.achieveservice.com/service/Free_School_Meals___Eligibility_Check

Registration is not automatic and you must apply even it you have been on universal credit for some time

When we return to school after half term, we will be on week 1 of the lunch menu.

As you will already know, we are part of the Healthy Schools Initiative however we are seeing an increasing number of children bringing unhealthy and high sugar items in their packed lunches and for breaktime snacks.

Please see the poster below on how to build a healthy and balanced packed lunch and also a visual representation of the amount of sugar in some products

Due to a recent increase in demand for our Wraparound After School club, we have taken the decision to increase our capacity from 15 to 18 children per day. We hope this will help out those families that need childcare either on a regular or ad hoc basis.

If you haven’t used our Wraparound After School Club before, please drop in to the office to sign the agreement form.

The Club runs from 3.15pm-5.45pm Monday-Thursday and costs £12 per session (or £10 each for siblings).

Children can take part in games, activities, crafts and more! We also offer a selection of snacks and light bites for them to enjoy.

From next week we will also be launching our new Friday offer! Friday club will run as the rest of the week but at a discounted price of £8 for the full session, or £5 for a 4.30pm pick-up. This could be an opportunity for parents to get ready for the weekend, do some shopping or run any errands that need doing without the children there.

Places should be booked on MCAS by Friday of the preceding week, please give us a call if you need to book after this deadline and we will see what we can do.