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

To follow us on Twitter, please click here

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

Our Choir's community singing last week

This week has been an incredibly busy and joyful one in school, filled with opportunities to celebrate our children and their hard work. There has been a real feeling of excitement (and a little bit of fatigue!) around the building from first thing on Monday morning right through to Friday afternoon.

Our younger pupils have shone in their EYFS and KS1 Nativity performances, speaking, singing and acting with confidence and a great deal of courage in front of their families and friends. Staff have worked tirelessly to support the children with costumes, staging and music, and it has been lovely to hear so much positive feedback from parents about how much they enjoyed the performances.

Across the school, classes have taken part in Christmas craft sessions, story-sharing events and our annual Christmas Jumper and Party Days, which have brought plenty of colour and laughter to the corridors. The Christmas dinner was a real highlight, with children and staff sitting down together to enjoy a festive meal and spend time as a whole-school community.

Alongside the celebrations, important work has continued to support teaching and learning, including pupil progress meetings. These conversations help to ensure that every child is well supported, that their achievements are recognised, and that next steps are clearly identified as we move towards the end of term.

We ended the week, on Thursday evening with a beautiful Candlelight Carols Service. We very much hope this will be the start of an annual event.

All that is left for me to say is thank you - thank you for your support throughout all of 2025. I wish you all a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year and will see everyone on Tuesday 6th January; the first day back for the pupils.

Merry Christmas - Mr Mitchell

On Thursday morning, the whole school walked together to Thornhill Parish to take part in a truly special Christingle Service, led with great confidence and warmth by our Senior Pupil Representatives and four Year 5 Ambassadors. The service centred on the theme “Be the Light” and invited everyone to reflect on the Christmas story and the meaning of Jesus as the Light of the World.

Through thoughtful readings, the children guided us on a journey through the Nativity, reflecting on the light of the Christmas star, the angels who appeared to the shepherds, and the wise men who faithfully followed the star to Jesus. They helped us to consider how light brings hope, guidance and love, and how even a small light can shine brightly in dark places.

A particularly moving moment came as children and staff were reminded that the Christmas star still shines today through acts of kindness, compassion, forgiveness and fairness. As a church school, we reflected on how we carry this light with us beyond the church walls—into our classrooms, playgrounds and homes—by living out our shared values each day.

The service was filled with a sense of joy, togetherness and quiet magic, making it a meaningful and memorable way to celebrate this special time of year as a school community. We extend our sincere thanks to Reverend Debbie Nash for welcoming us so warmly into Thornhill Parish, and to our pupils for leading the service with such maturity, reverence and pride. It was a wonderful example of children shining their light for others to see.

Congratulations to our two £20 Amazon voucher winners - well done on excellent attendance!

On Thursday evening, we were delighted to hold our first ever Candlelight Carols Service at Thornhill Parish—an occasion that will be remembered fondly by all who attended. Despite the very wet and wintry weather, it was heartening to see so many pupils, families and staff come together to share in this special moment at such a busy time of year.

Our sincere thanks go to Reverend Debbie Nash for leading the service so beautifully, supported by pupils who contributed with confidence and reverence. The church was bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, creating a truly luminous and uplifting atmosphere that captured the wonder and peace of the Christmas season.

Singing together in candlelight provided a meaningful opportunity for our community to pause, reflect and celebrate the values of joy, love, hope and friendship that lie at the heart of Christmas. It was a wonderful way to mark the start of the Christmas holidays and to come together as one school family.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported this event and helped make it such a success. We very much hope that our Candlelight Carols Service will become a cherished tradition—something our community can look forward to sharing together each year.

The Governors held their final meeting of 2025 last week. At the start of the meeting, Mr Biltcliffe talked to us about the Computing curriculum and answered our questions. We were particularly interested in how the children learn about internet safety as this is such a big area of concern for us and no doubt for you as parents.

A number of governors have visited school during this half term, including to discuss Special Educational Needs and the use of the Sports Premium. Deb the Rev continues her strong links in working with school to prepare the acts of worship which take place at Church.

I was fortunate enough to attend the KS1 performance this week and it was a pleasure to see how confident the children were in their speaking and singing. The concert was enjoyed by the whole audience!

A big ‘thank you’ to all the staff who have worked so hard to prepare the children for these performances in addition to their teaching responsibilities. I do hope everyone has a great holiday and a happy new year.

J Hopwood

Chair of Governors

We will be holding two short information sessions for parents to learn more about the upcoming national assessments for pupils in Years 4 and 6. Both sessions will take place in Kestrel’s classroom from 3:30pm to 4:00pm.

Year 6 SATs Parent Meeting – Tuesday 27th January
This session will outline the arrangements for the Year 6 SATs in May, including what the tests cover, how we prepare children in school, and ways you can support learning at home.

Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) Parent Meeting – Tuesday 3rd February
We’ll share key information about the national multiplication tables check, explain how it is carried out, and offer practical tips for helping your child become confident with their times tables.

We look forward to seeing as many parents as possible at these helpful sessions.

The Nativity

In collective worship this week, we spent time reflecting on the Christmas story through the beautifully illustrated book The Nativity by Richard Johnson. The gentle retelling helped children revisit the wonder of the first Christmas, from the journey to Bethlehem to the humble stable where Jesus was born. Together, we reflected on how this was no ordinary birth, but a truly special moment when hope, love and light entered the world in the form of a baby.

Children were encouraged to think about the quiet yet powerful nature of Jesus’ arrival—welcomed not by wealth or grandeur, but by care, humility and love. This helped them understand why Christians believe the birth of Jesus is so important and why it continues to be celebrated with such joy and reverence today.

As part of our worship, children were also invited into a moment of spiritual reflection. They were asked to think about the most special experience they have ever had and how it made them feel—safe, joyful, loved or full of wonder. From this, they reflected on the unique gifts they bring into the world, such as kindness, compassion, creativity, courage or friendship.

This calm and reflective worship created a warm, nurturing and magical atmosphere, helping children to recognise their own value and the light they can share with others. It was a beautiful reminder that, just as the Christmas story continues to shine brightly, so too do the gifts each child brings to our school and wider community.

This half-term, our Senior Pupil Representatives were proud to recognise and thank 35 school ambassadors who have selflessly given their time to support others and help our school run smoothly. These pupils were awarded an ambassador badge and certificate in recognition of their commitment and service.

Our ambassadors have played a vital role in school life, supporting the daily organisation of worship, acting as playground buddies, helping at key events such as Anti-Bullying Week and Children in Need Day, and leading parts of our recent Christingle Service in church. Their willingness to serve others with kindness, responsibility and care has not gone unnoticed.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and selfless spirit shown by these pupils. They are wonderful role models who truly live out our Christian values each day, and we are immensely proud of the way they are growing into young people who make a positive difference within our school and wider community.

Our Attendance Progress and 100% attendance winners!

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.