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Leopard: Teddy P For super writing about his World Book Day pyjamas! Teddy drew a great picture of his Stitch pyjamas and wrote a sentence independently. Well done Teddy, we are very proud of you! |
Zebra: Aura M For always striving to do her best, whether it be amazing sentence writing or fantastic addition in maths. Aura tries hard to become a Risky Risk Taker every day. She always follows the class rules and is a great role model in Zebra class. This week Aura has done some fabulous number sentence writing. Well done Aura, keep up the GREAT work. |
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Lion: Polly B For making a fantastic effort with her learning this week. Polly has written some amazing sentences about the three little pigs, using capital letters and full stops. |
Bear: Laurel B For showing amazing enthusiasm for our theme ‘The Great Fire of London’ and completing a wonderful text map of our story about the fire. |
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Otter: Louis P For your excellent attitude towards your learning in our history lesson. You were able able to discuss information and give reasons for events that happened during the Great Fire of London. You have also taken great care with your written wok in all subjects. Well done! |
Seal: Lucas H For his excellent contributions in maths lessons this week. Lucas accurately measured lengths and heights and used these to compare the measurements. Great job Lucas! |
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Dolphin: Ruby L For giving her all in our maths lessons and challenging herself to complete more reasoning questions. Ruby is showing resilience when completing next steps as well. Well done Ruby, keep up the good work! |
Tiger: Teddy C For super effort in his short burst suspense writing. You used your time adverbials well and let the reader know how the characters were feeling. Well done! |
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Panda: Harrison N-P For “having an incredible imagination, bringing stories to life with vivid detail. Also, your dedication to perfecting every letter truly shines, well done!” |
Turtle: Finley K For his outstanding dedication and effort in both English and Mathematics. Throughout the week, he has consistently strived for excellence, embracing challenges and pushing his boundaries to achieve remarkable progress. |
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Giraffe: Elvi-Mae B For showing excellent effort in class and working hard, especially with your writing. I can really see an improvement in your work— well done! |
Monkey: Emily C For outstanding achievement in English, particularly in crafting a suspense story. Your dedication to varying sentence structures is commendable and has greatly enhanced the impact of your writing. |
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Kangaroo: Emily G For always working sensibly and being an excellent role model. |
Koala: Oscar W For his amazing reading, he is eating books up and his reading aloud is a pleasure to listen to – well done Oscar! |
W/E: 28/02/25
Below are a list of letters, leaflets and posters uploaded to the website this week.
Letters sent this week
World-Book-Day-2025-UK-digital-token – 07.03.25
Year 3 Trip to St Thomas – 5.3.25
Previous letters, leaflets and posters can be found on the school website Events & Letters > Letters & Parent Meetings
Reporting Pupil Absence
This is a reminder to all parents/carers that the correct way to report absences is to leave a message on the absence line answerphone daily. If messages are sent by email to the admin email address they will not be registered in time for the morning attendance and you may then receive a call from our attendance team.
Supervision
This is a gentle reminder that parents are responsible for supervising their children and siblings on-site before and after school. We have had a couple of incidents reported to us which were considered ‘near misses’ and children could have got hurt. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
New Prices from April 2025
School meals, Breakfast Club, and Twilight Club, which will take effect from 1st April 2025. This adjustment is necessary due to the ongoing increases in the costs of staffing, energy, and food supplies that have significantly impacted our operational expenses.
The new prices will be as follows:
School Meals
Main Meal, Vegetarian Option or Jacket Potato £2.85
Grab Bag £3.05
Breakfast Club £6.60
Twilight Club £8.25
KS1 Playground
Please do not allow children to play on the equipment either before/after school. At the end of the day, parents and children should leave the site promptly . This enables us to open up the playground for our other clubs. Thank you.
KS2 Playground
Please note that the day in KS2 does not start until 8:40am when the doors open. Children should not be left unsupervised on the playground before this time. Children should not play on the equipment. Thank you
Tax free childcare vouchers can be used to pay for Breakfast and Twilight sessions.
Breakfast club cost £6 per session.
Please arrive in between 7.30 – 8.15am. Your child will be walked back to their class by a member of staff when the school day begins.
Included in this cost will be a drink and a breakfast of toast and cereal.
Twilight club cost £7.50 per session.
Twilight Club runs from 3:15pm to 5pm. Your child will be taken to Twilight club by their class teacher at the end of the school day.
Included in this cost children are provided with a drink and healthy snack
Bookings must be booked 24 hours in advance via ParentPay.
To contact a member of the Twilight staff, please call 01702 230911 and select the Twilight Club option.
If your child takes too much time off school they will become categorised as PA or persistently absent. Missing school will make your child fall behind in lessons and will impact on their academic progress and achievement.
Below is the percentage of children per year group who currently fall into this category. If you are worried about your child’s school attendance, please do not hesitate to contact the school where we can work with you to improve this.
| Year Group | % of Persistent Absences |
|---|---|
| R | 17% |
| 1 | 7% |
| 2 | 14% |
| 3 | 6% |
| 4 | 17% |
| 5 | 9% |
| 6 | 16% |
| Overall | 13% |
As part of our exciting World Book Day celebrations this year, we invited students to take part in our World Book Day Photo Competition, embracing the 2025 theme, “Read Your Way.” We were absolutely thrilled by the enthusiasm and creativity shown by our students, making this event a resounding success!
We received over 40 fantastic entries from across the school, each capturing the joy of reading in wonderfully imaginative settings. From boating adventures and cozy blanket forts to trading upside down, our students showcased their love for literature in the most unique and inspiring ways. The creativity and passion for reading displayed in the photos were truly remarkable!
A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this competition such a memorable event. It was wonderful to see how our students made reading their own, demonstrating that stories can transport us anywhere—both in our imaginations and in real life!
Congratulations to all participants—you have truly made this World Book Day one to remember!
Red Nose Day is back, and we’re getting involved! 🎉
On Friday 21st March, we’ll be ‘doing something funny for money’ to support Comic Relief’s 40th anniversary.
How can children take part?
🔴 Wear non-uniform
🔴 Come to school with a crazy hairstyle – the wackier, the better!
🔴 £2 donation to support this brilliant cause
Why it matters
Every pound raised helps fund vital projects in the UK and around the world—providing shelter, tackling child poverty, and supporting mental health services.
Health & Safety Reminder
✂️ Hairstyles must be safe for the school day
🚫 No sharp or heavy accessories
👀 No styles that obstruct vision
💨 Hair products (e.g., sprays/gels) should be applied at home
How to donate – ParentPay
This year, we are collecting donations via ParentPay.
✅ No need to send cash—donate directly via our ParentPay Donations Page
✅ Gift Aid available—boost your donation by up to 25% at no extra cost
✅ Funds go straight to Comic Relief, making an immediate impact
Simply log into ParentPay and follow the link to our Red Nose Day Donations Page to contribute.
DonateWe’re looking forward to seeing your wacky and wonderful hairstyles while raising money for an important cause. Let’s go big, give big, and feel good together!
Thank you for your support.
We are pleased to see so many children choosing to cycle and scoot home from school, as it promotes an active and healthy lifestyle. However, we would like to remind all families of the importance of ensuring that children do so safely and with consideration for others.
Please take a moment to remind your child about being mindful of their own safety and that of other path users. This includes being aware of those who may find it more challenging to react quickly to a child on a bike or scooter, such as young children, elderly pedestrians, and dogs on leads. We encourage all children to ride at a sensible speed, be alert to their surroundings, and always show respect to others using the paths.
Your support in reinforcing these messages at home will help ensure a safe and enjoyable journey for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community safe.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl is a magical adventure that takes readers into the incredible world of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. The story follows Charlie Bucket, a kind and humble boy who wins a Golden Ticket, giving him the chance to tour the most amazing factory ever! Alongside four other children, Charlie explores rooms filled with edible delights, fantastic inventions, and Oompa Loompa songs with important lessons.
Each child’s behaviour leads to surprising consequences, teaching the importance of kindness, honesty, and gratitude. With funny moments, quirky characters, and exciting twists, this book is a joy to read. Quentin Blake’s illustrations bring the story to life, making it even more delightful.
Perfect for readers aged 4-11, this classic tale is full of imagination and adventure, reminding us that being good-hearted is far more valuable than being greedy. A must-read for all young chocolate lovers! 
Bronze Reading AwardsWell done to the following children who have received their Bronze award for reading 50 times.
Year R
Year 2
Year 3
As you are aware we keep confidential records on our systems with parents/carers contact details, ie. addresses, phone numbers, emergency contacts and email addresses.
If you have recently made any changes could you contact us on admin@riversideprimary.co.uk so we can update our systems please.
Silver Reading AwardsWell done to the following children who have received their Silver award for reading 100 times.
Year 3
Year 4
Well done to the following children who have received their Gold award for reading 200 times.
Year 5/6
Times TablesCongratulations to the following Year 3/4 children who have earned their;
Bronze award as they can fluently and rapidly recall the 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
Silver award as they can fluently and rapidly recall the 3, 4, 6 and 11 times tables.
We’re excited to share our ‘Sign of the Week’— Giraffe & Turtle
Are you a parent of a child diagnosed with ADHD or showing traits of it? You’re not alone. Navigating the world of ADHD can be challenging, but an invaluable support network is just a click away!
Our featured website, created by a dedicated group of volunteers, is a hub of information, advice, and resources for families managing ADHD. Whether you’re looking for practical strategies, up-to-date information, or a supportive community, this platform offers it all.
Mark your calendar for these exciting opportunities to connect and learn:
For a full list of events and booking details, visit the website’s Eventbrite page or their Facebook community for updates.
Learn More
We are excited to share that we have begun the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) project to enhance the lunchtime experience even furtherfor your children. The aim is to provide more opportunities for creative and active play.
Please keep an eye out for a parent survey that will be sent to you soon. This section of the newsletter will keep you updated on our OPAL journey, including upcoming developments and ways you can get involved.
Also, if you are having a clear-out, please look out for our donation requests for resources to enhance the playground. Your contributions would be greatly appreciated!
Please can any donations brought in be left in the red building reception area. Thank you
1 March 2025 — NATIONAL OFFER DATE
Please email admin@riversideprimary.co.uk with a brief description along with any photos of their achievement. We’ll be thrilled to showcase their success in our weekly newsletters.
We are operating a two week rolling menu. The menus, ingredients and allergen lists can be viewed on our website by clicking here.
Schools Dinners are free (UFSM) for children in EYFS & KS1 (Years 1 & 2) and for families eligible for FSM (Free School Meals). For children in KS2, who are not entitled to FSM please see pricing below.
Dates not shown on previous issues are added in RED!
11/03/25 — Year 4 MTC presentation to parents – 3:30pm
12/03/25 — PTA Wonderful Women’s Sale
13/03/25 — Year 3 DT Biscuit Making
14/03/25 — Infant Music Festival
20/03/25 — Year 1 Phonics Presentation to parents – 3:30pm
21/03/25 — Comic Relief Day – Non uniform
21-27/03/25 — Year 1-6 Sumdog Spring National Maths Contest
24/03/25 — Year 1 Fire Engine Visit
25/03/25 — Year 3 visit to St Thomas’ Church
01/04/25 — Year 4 Colchester Castle
01/04/25 — EYFS Height, Weight and Vision
Easter Holidays – Monday 7th April – Monday 21st April 2025
22/04/25 — Children return back to school
01/05/25 — Year 2 SATs Presentation – 3.30pm
06/05/25 — Year 6 Height and Weight
07/05/25 — Class Photographs
12-15/05/25 — KS2 SATs Week
22/05/25 — Children break up from school
23/05/25 — INSET Day
Half-Term – Monday 26th May – Friday 30th May 2025
02/06/25 — Children return back to school
04/06/25 — PTA Marvellous Men’s Sale
11/06/25 — EYFS Gruffalo Trail – Thorndon Country Park
