Newsletter - 21st October
Dear Parents and Carers,
I cannot quite believe that we are at the end of the first half-term of this academic year, but what an incredible half-term it has been here at Wellesley Park. I have seen some of the amazing work the children have produced so far this year, and it always makes me so impressed with what they are all capable of.
Our older pupils behaved impeccably during their recent visit to Wellington Church for our Harvest Festival. It is always nice to see them giving back to the community, so thank you so much to all the parents who donated food as part of this event. Our Year 1 class recently visited Wellington town centre to look at all the shops and discuss how they have changed over time as part of their learning.
As we look forward to next half-term, there will be lots of exciting events for the children to look forward to in the build up to Christmas, including our wonderful nativities which I am really looking forward to watching. Our school value for next half-term will be Respect. During the half-term, try to talk at home about what it means to be respectful and how we could show respect to the people around us, whether they are adults or fellow pupils.
I hope you all enjoy a restful and enjoyable half-term break. Thank you for your continued support this term. We look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Monday 2nd November, ready for another busy and exciting half-term.
Kind regards,
Mr Houton
Head of School
Attendance - by class from 07/09 - 21/10
Peake: 97.53%
Earhart: 98.47%
Norgay: 98.68%
Henson: 96.79%
Attenborough: 98.34%
Kingsley: 94.07%
Jemison: 94.53%
Wellesley Park School Values
This term’s value is Resilience and we have been look at the British Value Democracy. Some of the topics we have covered in assemblies this term are:
What is resilience and why is resilience an important value?
What are your aspirations for the year ahead?
What is Democracy? Why is it important that everyone has a voice?
How do you have a voice at Wellesley Park?
What is Yom Kippur and how is it celebrated?
A Reminder About Attendance & Punctuality
We would like to remind families of the importance of good attendance and arriving at school on time every day. Our whole-school attendance currently stands at 96.78%. Thank you to all our families for your continued support.
Punctuality is just as important as attendance.
So far this term, we have recorded 195 late marks. During the same period last year, we recorded 51 late marks, meaning we have seen a significant increase in the number of pupils arriving late to school.
We understand that the ongoing roadworks and temporary traffic lights in the local area may be causing delays for some families. However, we kindly ask that families allow extra time for their journey to help ensure children arrive at school on time each day.
Being in school regularly and on time helps children settle quickly, keep up with their learning, and enjoy all the opportunities available throughout the school day. Arriving late can mean children miss important learning and key information at the start of lessons.
Thank you for working with us to support good attendance and punctuality and to give every child the best possible start to their school day.
Secondary School applications Reminder
A reminder for Year 6 parents and carers that applications for secondary school admission in September 2027 closes on 31st October 2026.
Please ensure you submit your application on time, select three school preferences, and include your catchment school as one of your choices.
For full details, please see the Secondary School Admissions Guide: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/children-families-and-education/applying-for-school/secondary-admissions-guide/
Application deadline: 31 October 2026.
Primary School applications - September 2027
The online portal for applications for children to start school in September 2027, or transfer to a junior or middle school, is now open. The closing date for applications is 15 January 2027.
For full information and to submit an application, please visit Somerset Council's admissions page: Applying for school
Somerset Council recommends that you include your catchment school as one of your preferences. If you do not and it becomes oversubscribed, a place cannot be guaranteed there. If none of your preferred schools can offer a place, your child may be allocated a school further away, with no entitlement to travel assistance.
Before you apply, please note:
If you previously applied for a child starting or transferring school in 2017 or earlier, you will need to re-register on the admissions portal, as a new system was introduced at that time.
If you do not receive your registration or password reset email, please check your junk/spam folder.
We warmly encourage prospective families to come and visit Wellesley Park Primary School to see our vibrant learning environment, meet our staff and pupils, and discover what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow.
Our open event dates are:
Wednesday 4 November at 9:00am
Monday 9 November at 1:45pm
Wednesday 11 November at 5:00pm
Tuesday 17 November at 9:00am
To book a place on one of our tours, please email office@wellesleypark.bep.ac with your name and a contact telephone number. We look forward to welcoming you and showing you all that Wellesley Park Primary School has to offer.
Admission Arrangements for 2028-29: Annual Consultation
Along with all other schools and academies, we are consulting on our admission arrangements for 2028-29. You are invited to look at the proposed new admission arrangements and to have your say on them.
Our proposed Arrangements are on our admission page and you can see all the admission arrangements at http://devon.cc/schoolpolicy Further information is here: www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements
The consultation runs between 6 November 2026 and 15 January 2027.
You can comment at schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or by emailing admin@bep.ac
Have your say on childcare for primary-aged children in Somerset
Somerset Council would like to hear from parents and carers about their use of before-school, after-school and holiday childcare.
Whether you currently use childcare or not, we would like to hear your views. Your feedback will help Somerset Council understand what is working well, what challenges families face, and where childcare may be needed in the future.
The survey takes just a few minutes to complete and is available until 13th November 2026.
Complete the survey here: Parent Carer School-age Childcare in Somerset Survey, Autumn 2026 - Somerset Council - Citizen Space
Parking and Safe Access to School and Nursery at Drop-Off and Collection Times
We are asking for the support of all parents and carers following a number of concerns raised by local residents regarding parking and vehicle movements around the school at drop-off and collection times.
As a school, we value our place within the local community and work hard to maintain positive relationships with our neighbours. We take all concerns raised seriously and liaise regularly with our local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) when parking and road safety issues are reported. We would therefore like to remind everyone of the importance of parking safely, legally and considerately.
We have recently received reports of:
Vehicles stopping on the school KEEP CLEAR road markings.
Driveways and access points being blocked.
Vehicles using residents’ private driveways to turn around.
Vehicles stopping or parking on bends near the school, significantly reducing visibility for other road users and compromising the safety of children, pedestrians and motorists.
We are fortunate to have three separate entrances to the school, which can help ease congestion at busy times. We encourage families to make use of all available access points where appropriate and to allow a little extra time for drop-off and collection to help reduce traffic around the school. We kindly ask that all parents and carers:
✅ Park legally and safely at all times.
✅ Vehicles must not stop on the school KEEP CLEAR markings. These markings are provided to keep access to the school entrance clear and improve visibility and safety for children crossing the road. Drivers must not stop or park within the zig-zag marked area during its operational times, as this is a traffic offence and may result in enforcement action.
✅ Avoid blocking driveways, dropped kerbs and access points.
✅ Refrain from using residents' driveways to turn vehicles around.
✅ Consider our neighbours when parking and manoeuvring near their homes.
✅ Making use of the school's three entrances, where possible, to help reduce congestion.
We appreciate that drop-off and collection times can be busy, but by working together we can help keep our children safe and show consideration for our neighbours.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
SEND Update
Early Explorers
Early Explorers have been discovering the wonders of autumn, through a range of exciting, hands-on activities over the past few weeks. The children have enjoyed exploring autumn-themed crafts while learning about seasonal changes and investigating the different colours, textures and natural materials that autumn brings.
Through a variety of messy play experiences, the children have been developing their sensory exploration and fine motor skills, as well as practising their scissor skills and enjoying lots of mark-making opportunities. These activities have encouraged creativity, curiosity and confidence as the children learn through play.
It has been a busy and exciting term in Early Explorers, and we have loved watching the children embrace all that the season has to offer! 🍂🍁✨
Explorers
The children recently took part in a hands-on oral hygiene activity, learning all about how to keep their teeth healthy and clean. Using toy mouths and toothbrushes, they practised brushing each tooth carefully, exploring the importance of removing plaque and maintaining good oral health.
As they brushed, the children enjoyed counting the teeth, helping to develop their early mathematical skills and number recognition. They also learned about healthy brushing habits, including using a small, pea-sized amount of toothpaste and brushing twice a day - once in the morning and once before bed.
This engaging activity supported a range of areas within the EYFS curriculum. Children developed their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination through brushing, expanded their vocabulary and communication skills through discussion, and gained a greater understanding of personal hygiene, healthy habits and independent self-care.
It was wonderful to see the children so enthusiastic about learning how to look after their smiles! 🦷✨
Reception - Peake
The Reception children have completed their first half-term in school! We have been very busy learning lots of new routines, such as, getting a whiteboard, pen and rubber in the morning to do morning tasks on the carpet. The children love trying to beat a one minute timer to put their things away at the end of the session - we have beaten the timer quite a few times already!
In Phonics we have learnt many new sounds and are doing lots of oral blending. This involves hearing the sounds in a word, for example, c-a-t, and then blending it to work out what the word is. We are also blending sounds to read simple words. The children have started writing simple words by sounding them out to spell them. We have also learnt some Tricky Words. These are words that cannot be decoded by sounding out. We talk about which part of the word is the tricky bit to help the children remember them.
In Mathematics, we have been sorting using different criteria and making simple repeated patterns. The children have been learning about different ways to represent the numbers 1, 2 and 3. We have learnt how to subitise a number, to see a number without needing to count!
The children had great fun on our bike and scooter day. They followed routes around the playground and learnt how to ride safely with control and an awareness of space. We talked about road safety and how to keep ourselves safe when we go out on our bike or scooter.
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Year 1 - Earhart
I cannot believe we have already reached the end of our first half term in Year One! The weeks have flown by, and the children have packed so much learning into such a short time. I have been incredibly proud of the determination, resilience and enthusiasm they have shown every day.
In English, we completed our fiction unit based on The Three Little Pigs. The children produced some fantastic independent writing and worked hard to remember the key features of a sentence, including capital letters, finger spaces and full stops. They were also very creative when inventing their own characters and used a range of exciting adjectives to describe them. I am looking forward to seeing their confidence continue to grow in our next English topic.
In Maths, we have continued developing our understanding of numbers to 10 and have been exploring addition. The children have used part-whole models to help them understand that numbers can be split into different parts and put back together again. This has supported their understanding of addition number sentences, and after half term we will begin learning about subtraction.
The children have also worked incredibly hard in Phonics. This half term, they have started learning Phase 5 alternative graphemes for sounds they already know and have approached this challenge with great enthusiasm. After the break, we will continue learning more alternative spellings, and I am excited to see how this supports their reading and writing skills.
To finish our History topic, we enjoyed a visit to Wellington town centre, where we explored how local shops have changed over time. The children loved comparing old photographs of the High Street with what they could see today. They were able to spot lots of similarities and differences and showed great curiosity throughout the trip.
I am extremely proud of how well all the children have settled into Year One and adapted to the new routines and expectations. They have made a fantastic start to the year. I hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing half term break!
Year 2 - Norgay
We have had a fantastic few weeks in Year 2 and the children have been working incredibly hard across all areas of the curriculum. We are very proud of their enthusiasm, creativity and determination.
Our English learning has been inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk. The children have been busy planning and writing their own versions of the story, focusing on creating suspense and using exciting descriptive language. We have worked hard to choose powerful adjectives, interesting verbs and expanded noun phrases to help bring our stories to life. We have been particularly impressed with the children's imaginative ideas and their efforts to keep their readers on the edge of their seats! We have just planted our seeds to grow our own bean plants.
In Maths, we have been developing our understanding of 2-digit numbers, comparing and ordering them using mathematical symbols such as greater than (>), less than (<) and equal to (=). The children have shown excellent reasoning skills when explaining how they know which number is larger or smaller.
The children performed brilliantly in assembly with 'Hands, Feet, Heart'. They sang confidently and accompanied the music using the glockenspiels. We were delighted with their enthusiasm, teamwork and musical skills.
In History, we have been learning about Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. The children have explored how these significant monarchs have influenced Britain and why they are remembered today. We have used primary sources, including photographs, portraits and historical artefacts, to help us learn about the past and develop our historical enquiry skills.
Looking ahead, we are already beginning to look forward to our Christmas Nativity. More information about costumes, songs and performance dates will be shared soon. We know the children will enjoy taking part in this special event.
Over the holidays, please continue to practise the 2 times tables, 5 times tables and 10 times tables in TTRockstars. Regular practice will help the children build confidence and fluency with multiplication facts.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We wish you a wonderful holiday and look forward to seeing the children ready for another exciting half-term of learning.
Year 3 - Henson
Year 3 have made a fantastic start to the school year! The children have settled confidently into their new routines and adapted brilliantly to changes in breaktimes and playground arrangements. Their positive attitude, resilience, and enthusiasm for learning have been wonderful to see, and we are excited for all that the year ahead will bring.
In English, we have completed our Defeat the Monster writing unit and have now begun exploring the features of persuasive writing. The children have been learning how to use techniques such as alliteration, rhetorical questions, and powerful vocabulary to engage their readers. They are particularly excited about designing their own theme parks and creating persuasive leaflets to encourage others to visit them.
In Maths, we have been developing our understanding of column addition and subtraction, with a particular focus on exchanging. The children have shown excellent perseverance, determination, and growing confidence as they have tackled increasingly challenging calculations.
Our History topic on the Stone Age has recently come to an end. This learning was brought to life through our Guided Reading texts, Stone Age Boy and Cave Girl, which helped the children gain a deeper understanding of life during this fascinating period. We have now started reading George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl, which the children are already thoroughly enjoying.
In Science, we have been investigating forces, exploring friction through practical experiments, and discovering the fascinating properties and uses of magnets. The children have particularly enjoyed making predictions and testing their ideas through hands-on investigations.
In Art, the children have enjoyed working with clay to develop their sculpting skills. We have also been learning about the inspirational figures Marcus Rashford and Greta Thunberg, exploring how their beliefs and values have influenced positive change in the world. These discussions encouraged the children to reflect on their own views and consider how they can make a difference within their local and wider communities.
We hope you have a restful and enjoyable half-term break.
Year 4 - Attenborough
We cannot believe that we are fast approaching the end of our first half-term in Attenborough Class and what a half-term it has been! The children have thrown themselves into Year 4 and are getting to grips with the curriculum.
In Guided Reading, the children have been thoroughly enjoying our book The Twits by Roald Dahl which we will finish soon. The hilarious antics of Mr and Mrs Twit has led to some interesting discussions and lots of laughter!
Likewise, In English, we are reaching the end of our 'Cinderella Rags To Riches' Tale. The children have been busy publishing their own independent stories this week. They make for exciting reading and are full of great examples of our focus in this unit of description and character. Non-Fiction next where we are sure the children will excel.
The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning about Ancient Greece in History and how religious and non-religious people choose to dress in our Religion & World Views lessons. In Music, they are getting to grips with the ukulele in their weekly lessons. In Science, we have learnt all about our different teeth and their functions alongside the digestive system – food chains next to complete this unit.
We wish you a restful half-term and look forward to seeing you in November.
Year 5 - Kingsley
We have had a fantastic half term in Kingsley Class, filled with exciting learning opportunities and memorable experiences. From engaging classroom debates, where children confidently shared and justified their opinions, to designing our own animal conservation projects, the children have demonstrated enthusiasm, creativity and a real passion for learning. This week, we are especially looking forward to bringing our Ancient Civilisations project to life as we begin constructing our models and creations.
A huge thank you for all of your generous donations of recyclable materials. The children's excitement has been wonderful to see, and your support will play a key role in helping them create imaginative and impressive models. We are incredibly grateful for your kindness and continued support.
In Maths, we have recently begun our new module focusing on multiplication and division. The children have made a strong start and are developing their fluency and confidence with a range of strategies to solve increasingly challenging problems.
In English, we have now completed our narrative writing unit. I am incredibly proud of the effort and creativity shown by the children, who produced some truly outstanding suspense stories. They worked hard to develop tension, create engaging characters and keep their readers captivated from beginning to end. Their final pieces were a pleasure to read and showcased significant progress in their writing skills.
We are now beginning our new unit on persuasive letter writing. As part of this learning, the children will be writing persuasive letters to the government about climate change and its effects on our planet. They will be researching environmental issues, using evidence to support their viewpoints, and developing powerful arguments to encourage positive action. This topic links closely with our wider curriculum and will provide the children with an opportunity to use their voices to advocate for change on an important global issue.
It has been a wonderful half term, and I would like to thank you all for your continued support. We are looking forward to an exciting final week before the break and celebrating all that the children have achieved.
Year 6 - Jemison
Year 6 have had a fantastic few weeks. In English, the children have been producing some excellent suspense writing, using a range of features from our suspense toolkit to keep readers on the edge of their seats. We have been particularly impressed with their use of empty words, personification and sentences of 3 to slow to action to create tension and excitement.
We would also like to congratulate all the children on their resilience and determination during their first set of practice SATs tests. They approached each challenge with a positive attitude and demonstrated excellent perseverance throughout the week.
Last week, we began our new English topic on persuasive letter writing. The children have enjoyed exploring the features of persuasive texts and are already starting to develop strong arguments and convincing language techniques.
In Maths, we have now moved on to the four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We will be focusing on developing fluency and applying these skills to solve increasingly challenging problems.
Year 6 have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the fascinating world of Surrealism in Art. Inspired by surrealist artists, the children have been designing and creating their own imaginative surrealist creatures, combining features from different animals to produce unique and unusual creations.
Reading reminder: Please ensure that your child reads at home at least four times each week and records each read in their reading diary. Reading diaries are checked every Monday, so it is important that they are brought into school and kept up to date.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to sharing more of Year 6's successes with you soon!
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