Dear Parents and Carers, 

What a wonderful start we have had to the new school year! 

It has been an absolute pleasure to welcome our children back to school and to see how quickly they have settled into their new classes and routines. The classrooms have been filled with smiles, excitement and a real enthusiasm for learning. We have been incredibly proud of the way the children have embraced new challenges, renewed friendships and demonstrated our school values from the very first day. 

The start of a new academic year is always a special time, full of fresh opportunities and new beginnings. As we look ahead to the months before us, we are excited about all that lies ahead and the many experiences and achievements that our children will share together. 

This year, we continue to be guided by our school vision: "Learn to Live." Inspired by the words of Jesus in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full," we aim to help every child flourish academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. We want our children not only to learn new knowledge and skills, but also to develop confidence, compassion, resilience and a sense of purpose as they grow. 

Throughout the year, there will be many opportunities for our school family to come together through worship, learning experiences, celebrations and community events. We look forward to sharing these moments with you and strengthening the partnership between school and home that is so important in helping every child succeed. 

I would also like to extend a warm invitation to our 'Blessing of the Backpacks' service this Sunday at 10.00am at Holy Trinity Church. This is a lovely opportunity for us to come together at the start of the school year, give thanks for the opportunities ahead, and ask for God's blessing on our learning journey. We hope to see many of you there and, most importantly, don't forget to bring your backpack or bookbag! 

The Autumn Term is always a busy and exciting time. To help you plan ahead, we have sent home a list of key dates today. As always, we are a school that likes to say "yes" to opportunities that enrich our pupils' experiences, so there may be additional events added throughout the term. We will therefore issue an updated calendar at half term. We hope you find this useful and thank you for your continued support. 

Together, we can ensure that this year is one in which every child truly learns to live life in all its fullness. 

With best wishes, 

Vicky 

 

Online safety update from Tom: 

As we start the new school year, keeping children safe online continues to be a priority at HTPD. We remain a smartphone-free school and these devices should not be brought on to the school site by any child under any circumstances. If, due to extenuating circumstances, you feel your child needs a phone, non-smart (or 'feature') phones may be brought to school, but only with prior permission from Vicky or Tom and must be locked away in the office for the duration of the school day. Please also note that any watches that have the ability to take pictures, send or receive messages or access the internet are also not permitted in school. This is the case even if the function can be disabled by an adult. Finally, we do not allow smart tags, such as AirTags to be carried by children while they are in school or on school trips.  

 

We are very conscious that your child's relationship with technology and the internet is an incredibly difficult and ever-evolving challenge that parents and carers have to navigate in modern times. Please rest assured that you are not alone and support is available through our school community. Our online safety lead, Tom Everard, is always available to answer queries or offer advice and can be reached via email: tome@htpd.surrey.sch.uk 

 

Throughout the year, we will aim to give regular online safety updates through this newsletter and Tom will be available to chat with on parents' evenings. We will also be building on the success of last year's coffee mornings and evening sessions on the subject of online safety. These sessions offer a chance to hear the latest updates and to take part in a non-judgemental discussion with fellow parents reflecting their experiences across the whole primary age range and beyond into secondary school. Keep your eye out for a Parent mail with options of times and dates and sign up if you are interested.