Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been a wonderfully busy end to the half term, filled with trips, learning opportunities, Children’s Mental Health Week, Safer Internet Day and, of course, the much‑anticipated second FLUFFY Friday of the year!

This week, our Reception children joined pupils from two other schools at the Guildford Spectrum for Sportshall activities. They threw themselves into sessions such as bouncer, jumper, thrower, launcher, pitcher and runner, participating with great enthusiasm. We were extremely proud of how confidently they represented our school. They returned tired but smiling after such an active morning!

On Wednesday, it was Year 1’s turn. Every child took part, supported their friends and gave their very best — a real credit to the school. A big thank you to our parent helpers who generously gave their time to make these opportunities possible. The events were a perfect fit for one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing - Be Active.

Year 4 also enjoyed an inspiring day at Brooklands Museum exploring how forces make objects move and change direction. They examined real Formula 1 cars up close and learnt how design affects speed. The highlight for many was climbing aboard historic aircraft and taking part in the ‘downhill racers’ workshop, where they built and tested their own vehicles to investigate push forces and gravity — real hands-on engineering!

As a school, we have been contributing to the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. It was lovely to see Year 5 making the most of a brief spell of sunshine on Wednesday afternoon to head onto the Pewley Down field with their notebooks and bird identifiers. They took time to pause, appreciate the beautiful countryside around us, and reflect on how lucky we are to be surrounded by such rich natural habitats. Our findings will be submitted to the RSPB to support their vital conservation work.

On Tuesday, both sites marked Safer Internet Day. This year’s theme was Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI. All children joined a year‑group assembly followed by an age‑appropriate lesson. At the infants, pupils explored what smart speakers and voice assistants can and cannot do, and how to use them responsibly. At the juniors, children learnt how AI tools are programmed to give personalised, human‑like responses, while also discussing why these tools can sometimes give misleading answers. They considered how AI might support them in the future, and what it may be less useful for.

Please do talk to your child about what they learnt. If you would like to explore children’s digital lives further — including navigating AI — please join our coffee morning on Friday 27th February by emailing Tom Everard: tome@htpd.surrey.sch.uk

This week has also been Children’s Mental Health Week. The theme for 2026, This is My Place, aligns beautifully with our focus on creating a strong sense of belonging. Each day, children took part in a short activity linked to the Five Ways to Wellbeing — simple, everyday actions that support positive mental health.

As I write, FLUFFY Friday is in full swing! Children look forward to these days all term and excitement has been building all week. FLUFFY offers such a special chance for pupils to build friendships, try new skills and truly celebrate living life to the full. The range of activities today has been fantastic — from cardboard creations and singing, to gymnastics, giant doodling, comic book design and even our own Winter Olympics. Without fail, whenever I ask pupils what they love most about HTPD, FLUFFY Friday is always one of the first things they mention. My thanks to all staff and the volunteers who supported today — your creativity and enthusiasm make it possible.

With half term now upon us, I hope you all enjoy a restful and refreshing break. Have a wonderful week, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 23rd February.

Best wishes,

Vicky

Thought of the week: Coconut = faithfulness. “Have faith – who helps you in times of trouble?”