Low Ash Primary

Today marks the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Thank you for all of your support over what has been another busy, eventful and successful year at Low Ash. A year full of learning, but also exciting experiences for the pupils.

Well done to the 393 children who had 100% attendance last week and an extra big well done to those who achieved 100% attendance for the whole school year.

Last week's school attendance is 94.1%

This year's attendance to date is 95.3%.

Early Years/ KS1 classes of the week is 1W with 96.3.7% attendance.

KS2 class of the week is 6LG with 98% attendance.

Today we say goodbye to a number of members of staff. Mrs Chapman is retiring after just over 30 years of service and Mrs Brooksbank after 26 years. Mrs Muff, who works in the office, is also retiring after being with us for 4 years (she came to ‘help us out’ for 4 days but never left!). Further goodbyes and thankyous go to Mrs Mitchell, Miss Holdcroft, Miss Hempsey, Mrs Tindall, Miss Grist and Miss Gilfoyle. We wish all of these members of staff the best of luck for the future.

We also officially welcome Miss Wilson to school. Although Miss Wilson actually started at Low Ash on 6th July, she will be one of the Year 3 class teachers next year. Miss Thornton and Mrs Kellett have also returned to school following their maternity leave.

We have received some questions about the number of staff leaving this year and I want to be fully transparent with you.

Due to school budgets, Low Ash has had to go through a workforce change which means, sadly, the positions of some staff have been made redundant. This is obviously not something we wanted to do but, as you might be aware, schools across the country are struggling due to insufficient funding. We fully support anyone who wants to contact their local MP about the school funding crisis.

Today is also the end of the current Year 6's chapter at Low Ash. We wish all pupils every success for the future and we hope you come back and visit us from time to time!

Although last week was the final full week of the term, it was jam packed with sporting activities. There was gymnastics, dancing, football, bowls, padel tennis and, of course, all of the sports days. We hoped the children enjoyed the week as much as we did!

Thank you to all pupils who took part in the school fundraising. Prizes will be awarded in September..

Last week wasn't all about sport. Some pupils also took part in the final Rocksteady concert of the year. It was amazing to see such talent on show.

Some Y5 children completed their work with the Venturists last week - identifying problems in the community and then using creative thinking to find solutions. Using their enterprise skills, they set up their own charities, created logos, budgeted for the resources and created a poster telling their charity's story. After successful pitches in the Dragons' Den, they were rewarded with the resources needed to make their projects come alive. The projects have become a reality where social changes have been made in the local community.

Here is a brief summary of their projects.

Food Security & Community Support

Organised emergency food parcels to people experiencing homelessness, helping to reduce food insecurity and provide essential support during times of crisis.

Health & Hygiene

Prepared hygiene care packs containing everyday essentials to support the health, dignity, and wellbeing of people experiencing homelessness.

Independent Living Support

Provided new starter kits for people moving on from homelessness,

equipping them with essential household items to help them establish and sustain independent living.

Plastic Pollution Control

Upcycled old t-shirts into reusable carrier bags, reducing plastic waste, encouraging sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, and promoting anti-littering within the community.

Biodiversity & Pollinators

Created bee habitats to provide safe nesting spaces, support local pollinator populations, and enhance biodiversity.

Hopefully you can see from the above that Low Ash is about so much more than academic results. However we wanted to share some key data headlines for the year.

Year 6 SATs

71% pupils achieved the age related expectations in reading, writing and maths.

(national figure - 63%)

81% pupils achieved the expected standard in reading (national figure - 75%)

75% pupils achieved the expected standard in writing (national figure 73%)

84% pupils achieved the expected standard in maths (national figure 75%)

Phonics

The phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils was also successful with 82% pupils meeting the expected standard (last year's national average was 80% - no national figure has been released for 2026 yet).

Multiplication check

Year 4 achieved the highest ever multiplication check scores Year 4 have ever achieved.

End of Reception

In early years 72% pupils achieved GLD (good level of development) which is above the national figure.

Well done to all pupils!

A reminder that, from September, the school day will finish at 3.15pm (instead of 3.25pm). The timings of the Nursery school day are unchanged.

A reminder that from 1st September 2026 there will be an increase in the cost of a school meal.

Primary school children - £2.66 per day (£13.30 per week)

Nursery children - £2.46 (£12.30 per week)

📅 Saturday 15 August
📍 Odsal Stadium, Bradford
⏰ Event Starts: 4.30pm
🏉 Bradford Bulls vs Wigan Warriors

FREE CHILDREN'S TICKETS AVAILABLE

A spectacular day celebrating:

✅ Bradford's communities
✅ Our Armed Forces and Veterans
✅ Emergency Services Heroes
✅ Young People and Families
✅ Community Pride and Achievement
✅ Business, Investment and Growth in Bradford

Event Highlights Include:

• Military parade and veterans celebration
• Emergency services showcase featuring police, fire, ambulance and NHS partners
• Military bands and displays
• Live entertainment throughout the day
• Family activities and attractions
• Rugby legends appearances and photo opportunities
• Children's goal-kick challenge
• Community groups and organisations from across the district
• A major sporting occasion as Bradford Bulls take on Wigan Warriors
• A celebration of the people, organisations and volunteers who make Bradford such a special place

This event is about bringing the city together and showcasing the very best of Bradford – the people, the heritage, the achievements and the future.

FREE CHILDREN'S TICKETS

Families can claim free junior tickets using the official booking link provided by the Bradford Bulls:

Book Tickets Here:
Free Junior Tickets for Celebrate Bradford LIVE

Alternative booking link:
Bradford Bulls Ticket Booking

We hope as many Bradford families as possible will take part in the occasion. it is a chance to celebrate everything that makes the district great and create an unforgettable day for children, families and communities across Bradford.

The Summer Reading Challenge 2026 has already started in Bradford Libraries but there is still chance for your child to take part!

This free, national programme, presented by The Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with libraries, encourages children aged 4–12 to keep reading over the summer, building confidence, creativity and a lifelong love of books. Children can sign up at their local library and collect rewards as they read throughout the holidays.

There is also a fantastic programme of free events and activities taking place in libraries across the district. Please see the digital brochure here Bradford Libraries Summer Reading challenge 2026

Please note: children need to be signed up to the Summer Reading Challenge to take part in events.

Years 1 - 6 will be holding their annual Curriculum evenings for parents in September where you can find out more about your child's curriculum for the year, chat to their teacher and ask any questions you might have. We will of course remind you nearer the time, but please put the date in your diaries now.

Tuesday 8th September - Years 1 and 2

Wednesday 9th September - Years 5 and 6

Thursday 10th September - Years 3 and 4

All sessions will take place in your child's new classroom from 5.30pm. Due to space constraints, we ask that the sessions are for parents and carers only.

Tuesday 1st September - school re opens for pupils

Friday 4th September - 'Scrap shed' play day in school (all pupils will be trained on how to use the Scrap shed resources correctly.

Tuesday 8th September - Years 1 and 2 curriculum evening

Wednesday 9th September - Years 5 and 6 curriculum evening

Thursday 10th September - Years 3 and 4 curriculum evening

Monday 14th September - Northern Sounds assembly (in school)

Weeks beginning 21st and 28th September - Bikeability for the new Year 6 (further details will follow)

A huge well done to Leila from Year 6 who is leaving us today, who captained Yorkshire on her debut at the weekend.

She managed to get 42 not out, which is a fantastic achievement.

We thought we'd re-share the information we sent out last week with advice and tips for a tech free summer for your child. Although the information sheet linked below is for 11-16 year olds, we know a lot of the tips will be useful for parents and carers of younger pupils too.

For more online safety advice, please visit our website (link below):

Online Safety | Low Ash Primary School

We hope you all have a fantastic summer. Thank you for all of your support this year and we look forward to welcoming you back (and welcoming our new families too) in September.