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Leopard: Emily T For being such a super independent writer! Emily has written and illustrated her own Traditional Tales storybook! Well done Emily, you are a superstar! |
Zebra: Louis H For trying so hard with his writing this week; becoming more confident to write captions independently. Well done Louis! |
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Lion: Ophelia H For always having such a positive attitude towards learning. Ophelia has really challenged herself lately and is so eager to demonstrate her skills in the classroom, from amazing sentence writing to superstar addition. I am really proud of you. Keep it up. |
Bear: Olly G For excellent effort in art, creating a wonderful picture of the fire of London using printing techniques. |
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Otter: Hallie G For your detailed letter to King Charles II, persuading him to use gun powder to create a fire break. You used some wonderful adjectives and presented your work neatly. Well done! |
Seal: Polly S For writing a fantastic recount in the style of a newspaper article. Polly followed the structure brilliantly and used some fantastic conjunctions to extend her sentences. Great job! |
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Dolphin: Lily-Mae G For working so hard in our maths morning lessons and for finding patterns in our work. Well done Lily- Mae; your hard work in class is paying off. |
Tiger: Indie W For working super hard and never giving up while learning about mass and capacity in maths! Your effort and determination have been amazing. Keep up the great work! |
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Panda: Ronnie-Ray S For being such an enthusiastic audience member in assembly! You also bravely performed with your friends, which showcased both talent and ambition! |
Turtle: Anabelle L For outstanding representation of the school during our trip to Colchester Castle. Your enthusiasm, respectful behavior, and dedication to making the experience enjoyable for everyone made you a true ambassador of our school. |
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Giraffe: Lydia T For demonstrating excellent knowledge of sound by creatively designing and constructing your own musical instrument using scrap materials! |
Monkey: Anna H For exceptional work in English, demonstrating a commendable focus on utilising a variety of punctuation and diverse sentence structures. |
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Kangaroo: Sophie H For always being involved in all aspects of school life, being very helpful and for realising a new found love of reading! |
Koala: Aathavan S For a fantastic piece of homework – a balanced argument on whether phones should be allowed in school – it was will thoughout and he raised some great points! |
W/E: 28/03/25
Below are a list of letters, leaflets and posters uploaded to the website this week.
Letters sent this week
Year 2 Postal Museum – 04.04.25
Singing Lessons at Riverside 03.04.25
Previous letters, leaflets and posters can be found on the school website Events & Letters > Letters & Parent Meetings
We’re excited to launch Fri-Yay! Lunchtimes after the Easter break – a fun new initiative where Year 2 children will join the KS2 playground every Friday lunchtime, giving them a chance to build confidence, make new friends and feel ready for their transition into Key Stage 2. Also, as part of a successful transition into Year 1, our Early Years children will also be able to explore the KS1 playground during this time, making lunchtime feel extra special across the whole school.
It’s another great Riverside idea to support friendships, confidence and leadership in a fun, inclusive way. We can’t wait to get started!
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.
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
Below is a timetable of when your child will have PE, after Easter half-term.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Otter (Y1) Bear (Y1) Koala (Y5/6) |
Lion (YR) Panda (Y3) 🏊 Tiger (Y3) 🏊 Kangaroo (Y5/6) |
Leopard (YR) Zebra (YR) |
Seal (Y2) Dolphin (Y2) Giraffe (Y4) 🏊 Monkey (Y5/6) |
Turtle (Y4) 🏊 |
Please ensure your child arrives to school in their PE kit on their day.
Note: Panda, Tiger, Giraffe & Turtle classes will require their Swimming kits on their PE day.
From time to time, the PE timetable is changed due to other commitments. Therefore, if there are any changes, parents will be notified by email/text.
Peer Educators with the Autism Central programme, Hazel and Holly, will be coming to Riverside on Thursday 12th June at 9:30 to give a presentation which outlines the Autism Central programme and the support available. They will then be available to join parents for a cup of tea/ coffee, answer questions and offer sign-posting/support. The session will have an Autism steer, particularly in relation to transitioning to secondary school, but they are very happy for parents of younger children to come along and find out what they do and ask any questions.
If you would like to attend this, please let us know via: sen@riversideprimary.co.uk by Thursday 5th June
Best wishes,
Miss Marshall and Mrs RIce
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.
Tax free childcare vouchers can be used to pay for Breakfast and Twilight sessions.
Breakfast club cost £6.60 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 £8.25 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.
After just eight weeks in cheerleading, A. has already taken on an exciting challenge! Coming from a background in recreational gymnastics, she made a big leap by joining Team Force, where most teammates are 2–3 years older than her.
With only once-a-week training for two months, she competed in her first national competition today in Kettering. Team Force placed 3rd out of 8 teams and put on a fantastic performance! As a flyer—being lifted and thrown in the air—she has adapted quickly, though not without some sore muscles!
Her next competition is in Loughborough this June. The competition energy was amazing, and the cheer community is incredibly welcoming. Such a great sport to be part of!
Book Review: Kipper by Mick Inkpen
Kipper by Mick Inkpen is a delightful children’s picture book that tells the story of Kipper the dog and his fun-filled adventures. The book is simple yet heartwarming, making it a perfect read for young children. With charming illustrations, Mick Inkpen brings Kipper’s world to life in a way that is both engaging and relatable.
Kipper is a wonderful introduction to the world of books for young children, with its simple plot and lovable characters. It’s a comforting and enjoyable read that parents and children alike will enjoy over and over again.
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!
Calling All Dinosaur Lovers! 
We’re creating an exciting Dino World for the children to enjoy at lunchtimes, and we need your help! If you have any spare dinosaur toys—big or small—we’d love to give them a new home where they’ll be played with and loved.
Donations can be dropped off in the red foyer
Thank you for helping bring this prehistoric playground to life! 
Bronze Reading AwardsWell done to the following children who have received their Bronze award for reading 50 times.
Year R
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Silver Reading AwardsWell done to the following children who have received their Silver award for reading 100 times.
EYFS
Year 2
Year 4
Year 5/6
Gold Reading AwardsWell done to the following children who have received their Gold award for reading 200 times.
Year 3
Well done to the following children who have received their Platinum award for reading over 300 times.
Year 4
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’— Happy Easter
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.
For a full list of events and booking details, visit the website’s Eventbrite page or their Facebook community for updates.
Learn More
May 2025 — Registration opens
Further details here – https://csse.org.uk/examination/
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!
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
20/05/25 — Year 3 Nature Reserve Walk
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
