Dear Parents and Carers,   

🌾 Harvest Donations – Thank You! 

It was a joy to welcome so many of you to our assemblies and to join together in singing our thanks to God for His provision.  A heartfelt thank you for your incredible generosity during our Harvest Assemblies this week. The food displays at both sites were truly breath-taking, and thanks to your kindness, we raised just over £200 for Real Change Guildford via ParentPay! All donations will be delivered to Guildford Foodbank on Monday – we may need a convoy of cars to get everything there!  

🚶 Road Safety and Consideration  

We’ve been contacted by Mount Alvernia Hospital regarding some concerning near-miss incidents during school drop-off and pick-up times. Unfortunately, some families have been using the hospital car park as a shortcut, which poses a serious safety risk due to the constant movement of vehicles. The hospital has kindly asked us to remind families not to use the hospital car park as a cut-through. Please help us keep all our children safe by sticking to designated pedestrian routes. 

We’ve also recently been contacted by residents of Cline Road who are finding it increasingly difficult to access their homes during school pick-up times. Unfortunately, some parents are blocking driveways and the road itself, creating situations that are not only disruptive but also unsafe and distressing for those living nearby. It is best to keep clear of Cline Road as it is really impossible to turn around when it is busy. It was particularly upsetting to hear that some residents have experienced verbal abuse when asking drivers to move or allow them to pass. While we understand that school drop-off and pick-up times can be busy, it’s essential that we all show courtesy and respect to our wider school community, including our neighbours.

Please take a moment to review the ‘Getting to School Safely’ section on our school website, which offers guidance on how we can all help make the journey to and from school safer and more considerate for everyone https://www.htpd.surrey.sch.uk/page/?title=Getting+to+School+Safely&pid=478  

📅 Term Dates 2026–2027 

You may have heard that Surrey County Council is introducing a two-week October half term from 2026, with a shorter summer break. As a Church School, we have the flexibility to set our own term dates. 

After consulting with staff and local secondary schools, we’ve aligned our calendar accordingly. Our 2026–2027 term dates are now available on our school website https://www.htpd.surrey.sch.uk/page/?title=Term+Dates&pid=50. Please note that while children will enjoy a two-week October half term, staff will attend two INSET days during that period. This alignment helps ensure consistency for families with children in both primary and secondary schools. 

A gentle reminder: please avoid booking holidays or family trips during term time. By sharing these dates early, we hope to support your planning and reduce the need for unauthorised absences. Every day in school really does count! 

🙋 Parent Volunteers – We Need You! 

We are incredibly grateful to all the parents and carers who give their time to support school events, trips, and activities. To ensure everyone is familiar with our safeguarding and school procedures, we’re holding volunteer training sessions. 

If you’re already volunteering or would like to get involved, we’d love to see you at one of the following sessions: 

- Thursday 16th October at 2:30pm at Pewley 

- Tuesday 21st October at 2:45pm at Holy Trinity 

Both sessions will cover the same content, so please choose the one that suits you best. To book, please contact the school office (infants@htpd.surrey.sch.uk  or juniors@htpd.surrey.sch.uk  or ). 

⚽ Sports Update 

Our Year 6 footballers had a fantastic match against Burpham Primary on Monday! One of our teams secured a thrilling 4–3 win, while the other played to an exciting 3–3 draw. A big thank you to ben for organising the matches and to Burpham for visiting us. Well done to all the players for their teamwork and sportsmanship! 

Year 4 Celebrates New Life in a Humanist Baby-Naming Ceremony 

This week, Year 4 welcomed a very special visitor as part of their RE learning. The children have been exploring how people from non-religious backgrounds mark important life events, with a particular focus on how the Humanist community celebrates new life. 

We were delighted to host Rebecca Newenham, a locally-based Humanist celebrant, who guided the children through a meaningful baby-naming ceremony held outdoors in our arena. The children took on various roles, sharing thoughtful readings and heartfelt messages of welcome for the new 'baby'. The ceremony concluded with a joyful toast, as the children came together to celebrate this symbolic moment. 

It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to deepen their understanding of different worldviews and to reflect on the many ways people express love and welcome in their communities. 

🌟 Values Week & FLUFFY Friday 

Our school values are at the heart of everything we do – from shaping our curriculum to guiding how we treat one another. This year, we’re placing a special focus on helping children understand and live out these values in their daily lives. 

Next week is Values Week, and the whole school will be taking part in lessons and activities centred around our core values. The week will culminate in our first FLUFFY Friday of the year – a day of fun, creativity, and collaboration! For those new to FLUFFY (Facilitating Learning and Understanding For Fun on Fridays), it’s a special day where children mix across year groups (except Reception), wear their own clothes, and take part in a wide range of exciting activities. It’s a wonderful opportunity for building friendships, exploring new interests, and celebrating our love of learning. We’ll end the day with a whole-school assembly to share our experiences – be sure to ask your child about what they’ve learned and enjoyed! 

Wishing you all a joyful and restful weekend, 

Vicky 

Thought of the Week: Give Peace.  Where do you find peace? 

 

WHOLE SCHOOL NOTICES:

Wednesday 22nd October – Early Finish PD pick-up at 1pm, HT pick-up at 1.15pm

Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th October – INSET days

Monday 27th –  Friday 31st October – Half Term holidays

Monday 3rd November – Children back to school

HTPD Playtime Revamp 

Thank you so much for your donations of card and board games for the HT playground!  They will be a wonderful addition for the children to enjoy after half term. This week, we’re kindly requesting donations of construction materials—always a firm favourite among the children for imaginative play and creative building. Please see Georgie’s flyer attached for more details.