Ashton Gate Primary School Newsletter

As I approach my final two days at Ashton Gate, I have been reflecting on what a truly special eight years it has been.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of a school that consistently goes above and beyond to provide inspiring and enriching learning opportunities for all children. I have been lucky enough to be involved in numerous Year 6 camps, countless trips and clubs, and even singing at Bristol Beacon with the choir. Most importantly, I have loved getting to know so many wonderful children, families, and colleagues. It has been a privilege to watch the children grow and develop, and to work across both sites as Assistant Head.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey here. I have learned so much that I will carry forward into my new role. As I move away from Bristol, I will deeply miss this very special community. I will always be an Ashton Gater at heart!

We are excited to introduce ‘Shoesday Tuesday’, a fun new initiative to encourage more sustainable journeys to school.

On Tuesday 31st March, children are invited to come to school wearing shoes of their choice. These can be trainers, wellies, sparkly shoes, or their favourite comfy pair, as long as they walk to school. Please ensure these are safe and suitable for walking. Children can bring their usual school shoes to change into if needed. Please note the children will be expected to be in school uniform.

The aim is to promote walking as a healthy, environmentally friendly way to travel while making it a little more fun for everyone. We hope lots of families will join us in taking part. Let’s see some fantastic footwear on Shoesday Tuesdays!

On Monday we were pleased to welcome Siful from SARI (Stand Against Racism & Inequality) who spoke to our KS2 children about racism, inequality and the importance of respect and belonging. The children listened thoughtfully as they explored how our differences make our community stronger and why everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and included.

At Ashton Gate, we are proud to celebrate that everyone belongs in our community, regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or who they love. Thank you to Siful and SARI for helping us continue these important conversations with our pupils.

This year Ashton Gaters will be celebrating Earth day through the theme ‘Storytelling in Nature’. To support this over the Easter holidays we are inviting all pupils to get their favourite book, get outside and take part in our ‘Reading in Nature’ competition. 

We encourage all pupils to be as creative as possible and we hope you enjoy the opportunity to enjoy the nature around us. Please submit your entries by Sunday 19th April to [email protected]. Winning photos will be shared in the newsletter. 

Happy reading! 

We have set up an area in the Upton playground for quiet play at lunchtimes and we are on the lookout for some new games. We would welcome any donations of board games (with all of their pieces) or any soft waterproof mats that can help enhance the space. If you have any of these things going spare please drop them into the Upton office. Many thanks!

Year 4 thoroughly enjoyed their trip to St George’s this week to watch the recorder group Palinsander perform their show ‘Recorder Revolution’.

We saw an amazing array of recorders from 6 inches to 6 feet tall. The ensemble presented music spanning 900 years. It includes traditional music from the British Isles, songs by Kings, spooky baroque concertos and surprising contemporary techniques. 

A great time was had by all!

After Easter Year 2 will be taking part in a DT day, sewing and decorating a pouch. We would love to have as many volunteers as possible to come and support us. Timings for the day will be 9.10 to 12ish. 

Please let your child’s class teacher know if you are available to attend. 

• Maple – [email protected]
• Rowan – [email protected]
• Oak – [email protected]
• Sycamore – [email protected]

On Tuesday 28th April and Thursday 30th April, Year 4 will be making biscuits as part of their DT project. If you are able to help with this, please contact your child’s class teacher. This will take place between 9am and 11am in the school hall.

Tuesday 28th April: 4D and 4A

Thursday 20th April: 4G and 4R

Headlice has been reported in Year 6, please check and treat your child’s hair accordingly.

It’s Time to Find Out Which Ashton Gate Class is the Smartiest?
Next week your children will each be sent home for the holidays with a tube of Smarties (or allergy appropriate equivalent).
We hope they enjoy emptying the tube! But what we really hope is that they’ll keep it and fill it over Easter with as many coins as they can.
How? Ashton children will be asked to do jobs around the house in exchange for coins to go in their tube (or donations online www.justgiving.com/ashtongatebristol).
Examples could include laying the table, litter picking, helping at the supermarket, picking up their toys, putting away their shoes, making their bed etc.
Upton children will be asked to do a sponsored activity, for example a sponsored silence, run, skip or litter pick etc. Again, they can collect money or donations online.
We’ll ask you and your children to return the tubes after the Easter holidays either full of the coins they have collected or a note to say donations have been made online. The class from each site that returns the most tubes will win the glory, and…a class prize!

Quiz Night
A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the quiz last Friday. It was a brilliant evening and we raised over £700. We must also say a huge thank you to the Bristol Beer Factory who donated all the beer to us for our event. This means every can sold is a straight donation to the school, so thanks to everyone for drinking them!

Well done to the winning team “ Still Our Personal Faves”, who did brilliantly, especially on the music round.

All school run clubs end this week. If you child attends a Thrive club, please check their website for dates.

There are still spaces for year 5&6 Zumba Club

A lot of books are being damaged from leaking water bottles in book bags, can we please ask not to put water bottles in book bags. Thanks

Regular school attendance is one of the best ways to help your child succeed. When children come to school every day, they keep up with their learning, build confidence in their skills, and develop good routines that set them up for the future. Every day at school matters—it helps your child stay on track and get the most out of their education.

It is also important to arrive at school on time. If a child arrives late to school every day, their learning begins to suffer. Below is a graph showing how being late to school every day over a school year adds up to lost learning time over one academic year.

Please remember to order your child’s lunch before 10pm on a Wednesday. If your child only has a meal once a week, you will still need to book this.

We are still having a lot of children who do not have a lunch booked with no packed lunch. Please remember the default meal is always salad bar. No other option will be available.

Please remember not to order a school lunch if your child is on a school trip, where a packed lunch is required. If you have already booked a meal for this date, the meal can be cancelled by the payer until 10pm on a Wednesday for the following week. As all food is pre-ordered there will be no refunds issued for non-cancelled meals.

A reminder that we are a nut free school. Please do not send your child to school with snacks/packed lunch with items containing nuts. This includes items such as Pesto, filled crepes and chocolate spread.

We are now on Facebook. Please like our page, we will be using this page to celebrate events and learning moments taking place across the school. We encourage you to invite other parents and family members to join as well, so that too can be part of our vibrant school network. Rest assured, our Facebook page will prioritise the privacy and security of our children. We will follow all the necessary precautions and guidelines to protect identities and ensure a safe online environment.

Studybugs is no longer in use. Please record any illnesses/medical appointments using the Arbor parent portal app. For planned absences please complete the online form on the attendance page of our website.

Location: Everlast Fitness, Imperial Park, Hartcliffe Way, Bristol, BS13 7TJ.

 When:  Wed & Thurs – afterschool from 4pm | Fri from 10am | Sat from 9am

 What to expect from a Puddle Ducks lesson

 100% child-led, we don’t force children under the water.

 Led by highly trained teachers, who adapt each activity to suit your child’s individual needs.

 Taught in small groups, in lovely warm pools.

 Baby & preschool classes (0-4 years) are a fun-filled sensory experience incorporating rhyme, music and movement.

 Classes for 4-11 years are driven by fun activities to keep children motivated and progressing, with teachers remaining in the water until Level 3.

 Children learn the importance of water safety and personal survival – invaluable skills to develop at such a young age!

Our Open Days are popular – Secure your child’s FREE class now!

Get ready for new adventures this spring with Your Holiday Hub
Children and young people in Bristol who receive benefits-related free school meals, can book lots of fun activity sessions taking place during the school holidays from 6 to 17 April. Your Holiday Hub sessions are fully funded and include a healthy meal as part of the day. There’s lots to choose from with activities ranging from sports to crafts, and drama to baking plus so much more. Join in and stay active with fun new things to see and do. 

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