Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 322

Friday 26th September 2025

A Message from Miss Siddall:  We’ve had a positive start to the year regarding attendance with several classes achieving 100% attendance and lots of children being entered into the weekly ‘duck race’ competition. Thank you for supporting your child to be in school every day, and remember to keep our attendance officer informed if your child is unable to attend school.

If you have children who are due to start school in September 2026, Reception school places must be applied for by 15th January 2025.  We will be holding several open days so that you and your children can see what our school is like during the day.   Please see below for further details about dates and how to book a place.

Attendance for last week:

Class with the best attendance: Badgers (97.78%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies this week was Online Safety and Social Media. (UNRC: Article 17: I have a right to collect information from the media.  I should also be protected from information that could harm me).  The children had a visit from the local police to share tips and information – why not ask your child what they learned about keeping safe online?

Year 6: Applying for a High School Place

A reminder for our Year 6 parents/carers that the deadline for applying for a high school place for your child is 31^st October 2025. The best way to apply is online at the following link, although a paper form is also available on the website: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-places

If your Year 6 child has SEND please also see the attached link for further guidance on choosing a school: https://suffolksendiass.co.uk/education/choosing-a-school-for-a-child-with-send/

Reception 2026: Open Mornings

Do you have a child who is starting in Reception in September 2026?  We are holding 3 tours the school so that parents/carers and their child can meet our Headteacher and have a look around Whitehouse.  If you would like to come along to any of the dates below, please call the office on 01473 741249 or email parents@whcps.org to book a space.

Dates of Reception Tours:

• Friday 7^th November 2025
• Thursday 13^th November 2025
• Monday 1^st December 2025

Awards

As you may be aware, the children are encouraged to follow ‘The Whitehouse Way’ in school to help them in their learning and in becoming good citizens. Our ‘Wonderful Week’ awards this year will be given as a recognition that the children have worked very hard in one of these areas:  Courage, Perseverance, Reflection or Responsibility.  This will be shown in the colour coded lists below. We are so proud of our children at Whitehouse and their wonderful achievements.  Well done to you all.

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Blue Peter Book Badge

A massive well done to Grace in Pandas class who recently gain her Blue Peter Book Badge – we hope you wear it with pride!  To apply for a Blue Peter Book Badge, children need to read a book of their choice and complete a short application form where they write between 50 and 250 words about the book they read and draw and label a picture from the same book. They are also asked to write a few words about other books and authors they have enjoyed.  Information and tips on applying for a Blue Peter Book Badge can be found on our 'Reading for Pleasure' display in the KS2 Library. There is also a leaflet dispenser as part of the display where children can pick up an application form and a useful handout with a selection of possible sentence starters which they could use in their application.  For further information please visit:  visit:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/findoutmore/blue-peter-apply-for-a-book-badge.

Attendance: Duck Race Winners

Well done to the winners of our Duck Races last week:

Special Menu

We are pleased to let you know we have the first of our Special Menu’s coming up on Thursday 2^nd October 2025 as shown below.  This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to try a school dinner if they have not had one before or for a little while.  If your child is in Year Reception to Year 2, or eligible for free school meals there is no charge, otherwise the cost if £2.62 and can be paid via Arbor or in cash at the school office.  If you think your child may be eligible for free school meals you can apply at the following link, or come and speak to a member of the office team who can assist.

https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals

Accelerated Reader

A big well done to all the children below who have recently received certificates for their reading.  

Healthy Eating: Snack

As a school, we look to promote healthy eating.  As part of this, all children up to and including Year 2 have a school-provided piece of fruit at break time each day.

In KS2, we ask the children to bring in a healthy snack for break time.  We have noticed a number of Year 3 to Year 6 children forgetting to bring this and either eating part of their lunches at this time, or if they are having a school lunch, they are brining in crisps or chocolate bars to eat at break time.  Please note we will be asking children to eat these only at lunchtime and to swap their less healthy snack for a healthier snack at breaktimes.

Dates for the Diary

Monday 29^th September 2025 - Family Breakfast 8.00am

Monday 29^th September 2025 – Year 5 Gurdwara Visit

Monday 29^th September 2025 – PFA Meeting (straight after school)

Thursday 2^nd October 2025 – Year 4 Parent/Carer Multiplication Tables Session 2.40pm

Friday 3^rd October 2025 – SMSC Day: Learning to Learn

Monday 6^th October 2025 - Family Breakfast 8.00am

Tuesday 7^th October 2025 – Year 4 Local Walk

Thursday 9^th October 2025 – Year 2 Local Walk

Monday 13^th October 2025 - Family Breakfast 8.00am

Monday 13^th October 2025 – Year 6 SATs Info Sessions for Parents/Carers – 9.00am / 4.30pm

Tuesday 14^th October 2025 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase – Years Nursery, 1, 3 and 5

Wednesday 15^th October 2025 – First Class (Reception) Photos in the Evening Star

Thursday 16^th October 2025 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase – Years Reception, 2, 4 and 6

Monday 20^th October 2025 - Family Breakfast 8.00am

Monday 27^th October 2025 – Friday 31^st October 2025 – Half Term Holiday

Monday 3^rd November 2025 – Year 4 West Stow Visit

Friday 7^th November 2025 – Tour for new Reception Children (starting Sept 2026)

Thursday 13^th November 2025 – Tour for new Reception Children (starting Sept 2026)

Friday 28^th November 2025 – Reports Home to Parents/Carers

Monday 1^st December 2025 – Tour for new Reception Children (starting Sept 2026)

Tuesday 2^nd December 2025 – Online Parents/Carers Evening – 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Thursday 4^th December 2025 – CET Christmas Concert

Tuesday 9^th December 2025 – Nursery Nativity Event

Thursday 11^th December 2025 – Reception Nativity Play

Thursday 11^th December 2025 – Online Parents/Carers Evening – 3.30pm to 6.30pm

Tuesday 16^th December 2025 – Autumn 2 Project Showcase – Years Reception, 2, 4 and 6

Thursday 18^th December 2025 – Autumn 2 Project Showcase – Years Nursery, 1, 3 and 5

Friday 19^th December 2025 – Last day in school before Christmas

Monday 22^nd December 2025 to Friday 2^nd January 2026 – Christmas Holiday

Monday 5^th January 2026 – PD Day (School closed to Children)

Tuesday 6^th January 2026 – First day back for the children

Monday 22^nd June to Tuesday 23^rd June 2026 – Year 6 Residential Trip to Mersea