Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 361

Friday 25th September 2026

A Message from Miss Siddall: 

We're delighted to see so many children attending school regularly this term. Your support in ensuring your child is in school every day makes a real difference to their learning and wellbeing. Please continue to keep our attendance officer informed if your child is unable to attend school for any reason. 

If you have children who are due to start school in September 2027, Reception school places must be applied for by 15th January 2027. 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: Top 3 classes with the best attendance for week ending 18^th September 2026

                                     Toucans (100%) Badgers (99%)  Hedgehogs (98%)  

Whole School Attendance: 96% - Well done everyone!

A Message from our Attendance Officer: Mrs Sharkey

This week we are reintroducing Attendance Golden Time for Years 1-6.  If the whole class achieves the best attendance, with no lateness on any day of the week, the class will win Attendance Golden Time!  This will be 20 minutes for the class to enjoy an activity of their choice.  So, make sure you attend school every day and arrive on time to give your class the chance to win!

A Polite Reminder:  If your child is going to be absent from school, please notify the school before 8.55am by: 

📞 01473 741249
📧 parents@whcps.org

Please provide details of the reason for your child’s absence.  You may receive a phone call from the school to clarify the details. Thank you for your support in helping us promote good attendance and punctuality.

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. Well done to you all.

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Attendance: Duck Race Winners

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

Special Menu: Pirate Day

We are pleased to let you know that we will be having a special lunch menu on Thursday 1^st October 2026.  This is a wonderful chance for your children to try a hot school dinner, if they have not tried one before! 

A reminder that this will be free for all of Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and for all children who are eligible for Free School Meals. 

For those KS2 children who pay for lunches, the cost is the usual £2.72.

Universal Credit: Free School Meals

Do you receive Universal Credit?  No matter how much you earn, if your family receives Universal Credit your child will be eligible for free school meals – but you must apply to receive them!  If you are not currently in receipt, please come and speak to a member of the office team asap, or apply online at the following link:   

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

This change started in September 2026, so even if you were not eligible before, this may now have changed!

Reception 2027: Open Mornings

Do you have a child who is starting in Reception in September 2027?  We are holding 4 tours of 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:

• Thursday 5^th November 2026 – 9.30am
• Friday 20^th November 2026 – 9.30am
• Tuesday 1^st December 2026 – 9.30am
• Wednesday 6^th January 2027 – 9.30am

New Policy: Parents/Carers Needed

We are looking to create a new policy, with regards to the use of sensory resources (including concentration aids and ear defenders) within the school.  We would like parents/carers to be involved in this process.  If you would be interested in being a part of this focus group, please email us on parents@whcps.org and mark your email for the attention of Mrs Porter who will be coordinating this.

Suffolk SENDIASS

If you have a child with SEND needs, a resource to be aware of is Suffolk SENDIASS who are able to provide confidential and impartial information, advice and support for a variety of SEND needs.  Please feel free to access them if you are looking for support.  Their website provides vast amounts of information and details of how to contact them:  https://suffolksendiass.co.uk/

House Captain Update

Last week, on the International Day of Democracy, children across the school went to the ballot boxes and voted on the charities they wanted their house to support this year.  In total, almost 400 votes were cast!  The House Captains have counted all the ballot papers and are excited to announce the winners.

This year:

• Ruby House will be supporting Action for Children.
• Sapphire House will be supporting The Blue Cross
• Diamond House will be supporting the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
• Emerald House will be supporting the British Heart Foundation.

Across the school year, the House Captains will organise different events to raise money and donations received will be split evenly between your chosen charities.  Thank you to everyone who went to the polls and shared their voice.

Hairclips

Whilst we encourage children to wear their hair up in school, can we please ask parents/carers to be mindful of putting any clips in that may injure a child should they fall over at break or lunch and where possible to use safer options.

Dates for the Diary

Monday 28^th September 2026 – Family Breakfast

Monday 5^th October 2026 – Family Breakfast

Tuesday 6^th October 2026 – Year 1 Local Walk

Monday 12^th October 2026 – Family Breakfast

Monday 19^th October 2026 – Family Breakfast

Monday 19^th October 2026 – Year 3 Local Walk (Badgers Class)

Tuesday 20^th October 2026 – Year 3 Local Walk (Owls Class)

Tuesday 20^th October 2026 - Autumn 1 Project Showcase: Years N, 1, 3 and 5

Wednesday 21^st October 2026 – Year 3 Local Walk (Rabbits Class)

Thursday 22^nd October 2026 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase: Years R, 2, 4 and 6

Friday 23^rd October 2026 – Whole School SMSC Day

Monday 26^th October 2026 to Friday 30^th October 2026 – Half Term Holiday

Tuesday 3^rd November 2026 – Mobile Dental Visit

Thursday 5^th November 2026 – New Reception Children’s Tour – 9.30am

Tuesday 10^th November 2026 – Year 3 Stone Age Visitors

Tuesday 17^th November 2026 – Mobile Dental Visit

Friday 20^th November 2026 - New Reception Children’s Tour – 9.30am

Friday 27^th November 2026 – Reports Home to Parents/Carers

Tuesday 1^st December 2026 - New Reception Children’s Tour – 9.30am

Tuesday 1^st December 2026 – Online Parents/Carers Evening 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Tuesday 8^th December 2026 – Nursery Nativity

Thursday 10^th December 2026 – Reception Nativity

Thursday 10^th December 2026 – Online Parents/Carers Evening 3.30pm to 6.30pm

Tuesday 15^th December 2026 – Autumn 2 Project Showcase: Years R, 2,4 and 6

Thursday 17^th December 2026 – Autumn 2 Project Showcase: Years N, 1, 3 and 5

Friday 18^th December 2026 – Last day of the Autumn Term

Monday 21^st December 2026 to Friday 1^st January 2027 – Christmas Holiday

Monday 4^th January 2027 – PD Day (School closed to the children)

Tuesday 5^th January 2027 – Spring Term (first day back for the children)

Wednesday 6^th January 2027 - New Reception Children’s Tour – 9.30am