Overthorpe C of E Academy

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 Stott, Ms L McCarthy, Mrs S Wood

Designated Safeguarding lead - Mrs S Wood

Deputy DSLs - Mr J Mitchell, Ms L Stott, Ms L McCarthy, Mrs A Godfrey

Year 6 Residential

Good afternoon all

What a wonderful week it has been at Overthorpe! There has been a fantastic atmosphere throughout the school, with lots of exciting activities and opportunities for our children.

Our Year 6 pupils had a brilliant time on their residential, making memories and embracing new challenges together. We are so proud of how they represented our school and supported each other throughout the trip. Year 3 also enjoyed a super day at Little Deerwood, where they took part in outdoor adventures and had lots of fun learning outside the classroom.

It was a real treat for our Reception children to have a visit from the police this week. The children loved meeting the officers, listenting to the police siren, and learning about how the police help keep our community safe.

A special mention goes to our Year 1 children, who have been working incredibly hard in their phonics lessons. We wish them all the very best for their phonics screening next week – we are sure they will be amazing!

Looking ahead, next Friday will be a non-uniform day for everyone. Children are invited to bring a teddy for the summer fair tombola. We are also looking forward to welcoming Hand to Mouth, who will be working with our Years 4, 5, and 6 children on some exciting RE activities.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support and enthusiasm. Have a lovely weekend.

Mr Mitchell.

As you will be aware, since we outlined dates at the start of the year, the week commencing 16th June is our third Parents Events week of the year.

For all year groups, these will be sporting events:

Tuesday 17th - 9:30am - Nursery and Reception Sports Day

Wednesday 18th - 9:30am - Year 1 and Year 2 Sports Day

Thursday 19th - 1:30pm - Year 3 and Year 4 Sports Day

Friday 20th - 1:30pm - Year 5 and Year 6 Sports Day

As we approach the end of the term, we know that many children and parents are eager to learn about class arrangements for next year. We will be sharing information about which teachers will be with each class towards the end of this term.

We are delighted to announce that all of our current teachers will be staying at Overthorpe in September. In addition, we are excited to be welcoming a new teacher to our team, further strengthening our staff and the support we can offer our pupils.

For our Year 4 children, there will be a change in class groupings as they move into Year 5. After being in the same two classes for both Years 3 and 4, the children will be regrouped for Year 5, and these new groupings will continue into Year 6. This is to help children develop new friendships and prepare them for the transition to high school, where they will meet and work with many new classmates.

When creating the new classes, we will ensure a careful balance of gender, abilities, SEND, and emotional needs. Importantly, all children will have the opportunity to contribute to this process. Next week, they will complete forms to identify their 'close friends.' We will make sure that every child is placed in a class with at least one of their close friends, helping everyone feel comfortable and supported as they move into the new school year.

We look forward to an exciting year ahead and thank you for your continued support!

We have exciting news; we would like to bring you Overthorpe's Got Talent!

You can sing, dance, play a musical instrument, act, perform magic tricks; anything you are proud of and want to show off!

The finalists will perform at our very own Overthorpe Summer Fair 2025 on Thursday 10th July.

Auditions will be completed by next Tuesday.

You will find out by the end of next week whether you will have been selected for the show and will have been given a ticket!

So bring your best singing voices, dancing moves and acting and get ready to wow your audience!

Any questions regarding the auditions please speak to Miss Vaughan.

🎉 Exciting News – Join us for our upcoming Stay and Play sessions! 🎉

🌼 Nursery Stay and Play
📅 Tuesday, 10th June 2025
🕙 10:00 – 11:00 AM

This special session is designed for children to visit with their current nursery staff and experience the Reception setting in a fun, supportive way. They’ll have the chance to explore new toys and activities, meet future classmates, and begin to feel confident and excited about their transition.

🌟 Parent Stay and Play
📅 Thursday, 19th June 2025
🕞 3:30 – 5:30 PM

Bring the whole family and drop into our Reception classroom for an afternoon of fun, discovery, and connection. Explore our inviting indoor learning spaces, packed with hands-on activities and engaging play areas. Children can dive into arts and crafts, imaginative play, story corners, and more!

While your little ones are busy exploring, enjoy a relaxing chat with our friendly staff over refreshments including juice, biscuits, and delicious buns. This is a lovely chance to get to know the team and ask any questions you may have in a relaxed, informal setting.

🌟 Reception New Starter Transition Morning 🌟
🗓 Tuesday 1st July 2025
🕘 9:00 – 11:30 AM

We’re excited to welcome our youngest learners for a special Reception Transition Morning! This fun and friendly session is designed to help children begin their school journey with confidence and smiles.

Children will have the chance to:
🎨 Explore their new classroom
🧸 Meet their teachers and new friends
📚 Enjoy playful activities and stories
👟 Get comfortable in their new surroundings

It’s a gentle, happy introduction to life in Reception – helping little ones feel right at home from day one. We can’t wait to welcome you and your child for these joyful, memorable sessions! 🌈

Please see the attachment below for more details about an upcoming consultation on how we can make our school drop off and pick up, even safer.

Science Day - 24.6.25 - Subslime whole day visit.

2 hours - this workshop covers the following topics:

• Understanding knife crime from the perspective of children & young people

• The signs and stages of child exploitation

• Gangs and gang-life

• Exploring the link between trauma and exploitation

• Consider online harms, social media, slang and gang-related music

• Understanding how ‘issues’ with peers can escalate and how young people can manage them

• Having meaningful conversations about safety

• Helping our children stay safe; the SAFE ‘T’s approach

• Further support and resources available

To book onto one of the Parents & Carers online sessions, please register on one of the below:

Parents & Carers

Thursday 12th June @ 6pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363920195019?aff=oddtdtcreator

Tuesday 17th June @ 6pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363924417649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wednesday 25th June @ 10am - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363932281169?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thursday 3rd July @ 6pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363935901999?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wednesday 9th July @ 6pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363937948119?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note, these workshops will be held via ZOOM, further details with meeting links will be sent prior to the sessions for you to join.

The workshops have been organised by the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership and will be hosted by The Ben Kinsella Trust.

X: Overthorpe_Acad

School website: https://www.overthorpecofe.co.uk/

Email: office@overthorpe.enhanceacad.org.uk

Tel: 01924 325300

Address: Edge Top Road, Dewsbury, WF12 0BH