10th July 2026

As you are aware, from September 2026, Free School meals eligibility is changing with the scheme being extended by the DFE and all pupils who are currently entitled to Free School Meals need to reapply or their entitlement will end on 31st August 2026.  Pupils will need to have a re-check annually to confirm their eligibility.

What you need to do as soon as possible

Check | LGfL FSM.  We will be automatically advised that you have applied and the result.  Once you have completed your application and are on the LGfL system, the school will be able to re-check eligibility for you next year.

Please be aware that if you do not re-apply, your entitlement will end on 31st August and your child will not be entitled to free schools meals when we return in September.

The School Crossing Patrol at the Upton Road crossing at the junction with Raleigh Road has raised concerns that some children are crossing without taking care to either use her crossing point or to stop and check that the road is clear before they step into it.
Could you remind your children that even though Upton Road is a School Street and will have minimal traffic on it at the start and finish of the school day Raleigh Road is not and will have moving vehicles. This means that they need to take additional care when crossing here.
Thank you.
Road Safety Bristol City Council

The web addres for our school website has changed. To access the website please now use https://www.ashtongate.amplifyeducation.co.uk/

This Friday, Year 2s were visited by Sally from the RNLI who spoke to us about water safety and the lifeboats they use and how they are released. 

Reception children had so much fun exploring Bristol Zoo Project this week.

We are excited to inform you that the KS2 choir and some of our pupils who take part in Bristol Beacon music lessons will be performing in the Summer Concert. The Summer Concert will be on Tuesday 14^th July 2026 at 18:30 – 19:30 and will be held in the Hall on the Upton Site. All are welcome to come and watch! 

EYFS are looking for some toys to enhance our outside provision. If you have any you don’t use anymore and would like to donate, please drop them to one of the reception teachers.

We are looking for things like: figures for small world play, sports games, water toys, sand toys, arts and crafts (things like paint brushes & chalks).  

Thanks in advance from the EYFS team. 

It’s almost time for the annual Summer Reading Challenge!  

The free, annual programme challenges children, aged 0 to 12, to read up to six library books of their choice over the summer. This includes fiction, non-fiction, ebooks, audiobooks, poetry, joke books, comics or anime. 

Starting on Saturday 4 July, children who take part in the challenge can collect fun stickers and a bookmark. Once participants complete the challenge, they will receive a medal and a certificate at their local library. 

This year’s theme ‘Read to the Beat’, includes music inspired imagery by award-winning author and illustrator, Harry Woodgate and an interactive website. The programme is designed to inspire children to discover new books, take part in fun activities, and explore the connection between stories and music. 

Councillor Stephen Williams, Chair of the Public Health and Communities Committee said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to inspire children to keep reading throughout the summer holidays, helping them build confidence while exploring new stories.  

“This year’s music inspired ‘Read to the Beat’ theme helps young readers to discover the joy of books and celebrate the magic of music. I hope families across Bristol will join the challenge and take advantage of this brilliant, free programme.”  

The challenge is an initiative by UK Charity, The Reading Agency, and last year over 4,000 children in Bristol took part, exploring a diverse range of books from Bristol’s 26 libraries.  

Head of Libraries, Kate Murray, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a wonderful way to encourage young readers to get excited about books and reading. The ‘Read to the Beat’ theme will engage with children and inspire their musical journeys and creative expression. 

“I’m really looking forward to seeing children and their families making the most of this free initiative, which is both stimulating and educational, over the summer holiday. We know that Bristol is an amazing city for creativity and we want our summer reading challengers to enjoy music and stories. So, visit your local library and get started.” 

To take part, children can sign up at their nearest library, where they will be given a collector folder to keep a record of their Summer Reading Challenge journey. The Summer Reading Challenge website also offers book recommendations, quizzes, competitions, author interviews, and activities for all ages, plus resources for parents, carers, and teachers. 

There are a host of fun events and activities planned at Bristol libraries for families over the summer to celebrate the programme, including children’s storytelling sessions and arts and crafts activities. 

So, are you ready to take on the Summer Reading Challenge? Join us in celebrating the joy of reading and the power of stories in a library near you! 

The survey can be accessed at the link below:

School Compass, an independent parent information service, founded by experienced teacher, school leader and parent Joe Pardoe, has created a range of free resources to help families navigate the secondary school application process with confidence.

Resources include a free Secondary School Visits Guide and a free webinar covering open evenings, admissions, understanding school differences and making informed decisions.

Secondary School Visits Guide:

Applying for Secondary School Live Webinar:

These resources are independent of our school and are shared for information only.

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.