Ash Grange Nursery and Primary School Parent Portal

Message from Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the new school year!

It has been delightful to see all the children returning to school after the summer break, having grown so much and looking so smart in their uniforms. They have come back ready to embrace all the fun, learning and challenges that this year will bring.

Well done on finding the right locations and getting used to new routines for drop off and collection, it always takes a few days, but things have got off to a very positive start.

Our Reception and Nursery children have been joining us for a few hours each day this week, Today, Reception children stayed for lunch for the first time and did so well.

Across the school, all classes have launched their exciting new projects for the term. Details of these can be found on our school website: Ash Grange Nursery and Primary School

Lunchtimes

The children may already have told you that we have introduced a split lunch sitting this year due to our increased pupil numbers. The new arrangements are working very well, and the children are settling into the routine brilliantly.

The lunch sittings are organised as follows:

First Sitting: 12:00pm to 12:30pm

Year 6

Reception

Year 2

Year 3

Second Sitting: 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Year 5

Year 4

Both Year 1 classes

Children sit together in what we call family groups. This means they sit with children from different year groups, rather than necessarily with their siblings. Family dining provides opportunities for children to build relationships across the school, while older pupils develop leadership skills by supporting younger children during mealtimes.

We recognise that some children take a little longer to eat. For those children, a designated table is available so that they can finish their lunch comfortably after their meal session has ended. There is no rush. All children have plenty of time to eat and play.

Changes to the Lunch Menu

There are three changes to the lunchtime menu from Monday 7 September:

Monday

Green Option: Tomato pasta

Thursday

Red Option: Spaghetti Bolognese

Green Option: Jacket potato with beans and/or cheese

These changes have been made in response to feedback and to ensure the menu continues to be enjoyed by as many children as possible.

Here is the full menu for the week:

Meals are ordered through ScoPay.

Swimming Begins Next Week!

At long last, our swimming pool is ready, and we are delighted to be able to begin swimming lessons next week. All children swim from Years 1 to 6.

Each class will have two PE lessons per week, for which they wear PE kit to school:

Reception this is PE both lessons

Years 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 have one PE lesson and one swimming lesson

Year 4 have one PE lesson within TWA with Mr Mayne and one swimming lesson

For some children, this will be their first opportunity to swim for quite some time. For others, it will be an opportunity to build water confidence before developing more advanced swimming skills.

Swimming sessions are led by Mr Barnett, and children will be grouped according to their confidence, ability and experience in the water. At Ash Grange, children follow a carefully planned progression of swimming skills as they move through the school. Here is the link to this on the school website.

What Children Need for Swimming

Please ensure your child brings a swimming bag containing:

Towel

Swimming costume or trunks

Swimming hat

Goggles

Suitable footwear for walking to and from the changing rooms

There are a few trunks/costumes and towels which are for if kits are forgotten but these are not provided on a regular basis.

Children should not wear their school shoes to and from the pool, as these may become wet and damaged. Suitable alternatives include flip-flops, Crocs or similar footwear, as children walk from the changing rooms along the outdoor pathway to the pool area.

We are incredibly excited to have swimming back on our timetable and know the children are too!

Attendance

As we welcome both new and returning families to the new academic year, we would like to remind parents and carers of the importance of regular school attendance and the procedures for reporting absences.

A Leave of Absence Form must be completed online for all medical and dental appointments. For any other circumstances, please complete the form at least two weeks before the requested date. Additionally, please provide evidence to support your request. Forms should be submitted in advance, not on the day of the appointment.

Where possible, we kindly ask that appointments be scheduled outside of school hours to minimize disruption to learning.

Please refer to our Attendance Guide for Parents on our website under 'Attendance 2026-27'. This is a termly reminder to ensure all parents/carers have the most up-to-date attendance information.

Attendance Information:

If you take your child out of school without the approval of the school, you will be liable to receive a penalty notice per parent/carer and the following will apply:

1. If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/these children since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/ these children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/ these children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.

All guidance explained here refers to the School’s Attendance Policy on our website, which was developed in response to UK Government Law and the statutory attendance guidance — Working together to improve school attendance—from August 2024.