Andoversford Primary School

As we are still firmly in cold and cough season, we thought we'd share the latest guidance from Gloucestershire County Council on preventing (where possible!) and managing common childhood illness:

Preventing and managing common childhood illnesses

The attached leaflet is also a good guide of when to keep your child off. Further information can be found at the NHS website:

Is my child too ill for school? - NHS

The end of winter is around the corner but until then, let's try and continue to keep those bugs away as much as possible together. Thank you for your continued support. 

We have had a notification from Gloucestershire Music that they've had a technical error which may have resulted in parental £10 deal instrument orders not coming through to them. 

If you have booked to hire a £10 instrument through their WCET project and haven’t yet heard from Gloucestershire Music or received the instrument, please do get in touch with them so they can rectify this for you.

glosmusic@gloucestershire.gov.uk

More information on instrument hire can be found here: WCET £10 instrumental hire offer | Gloucestershire Music

We are now firmly in 2026 and places for pre-school for the next academic year are filling up fast.

If you have a child who is age 3, or will be turning 3 on or before 31st August 2026, and you are looking for a wonderfully nurturing and inclusive space for your child to attend pre-school, why not come for a tour and see what The Pre-School at Andoversford can offer your child. 

We have flexible intakes, and your child can begin in September, January or April.

For more information or to book a tour, get in touch with the school office: admin@andoversford.gloucs.sch.uk

Occasionally we all have a wobbly start to the morning. This is not unusual and is not ordinarily anything to worry about. However, in recent years the world has changed quite a lot! You will probably have seen lots of information in the news about school attendance and how the Department for Education is trying to support families, especially with increased numbers of children experiencing mental health challenges. Schools across the country have noticed more support is need to help pupils with emotional regulation and resilience. 

In our learning pathway shared last week, you can see that we are supporting pupils to become emotionally resilient to ensure they are ready for success. Separating from a parent or carer securely is a key development step. It’s not unusual for children to sometimes be tearful or cling to adult, but most children calm down within a few minutes and get absorbed in the classroom activities. 

Top Tips for a Positive School Drop-Off

• Establish a Consistent Routine: A predictable, calm morning routine helps reduce anxiety. Create a special, brief "goodbye ritual" (like a silly handshake or hug) that provides reassurance.
• Keep Goodbyes Short and Positive: Long, emotional goodbyes can increase anxiety. Keep it under 20 seconds, and always say a loving, clear goodbye.
• Stay Calm and Confident: Children often take their emotional cues from parents. A calm, confident approach reassures them.
• Validate Feelings: Acknowledge their fear or sadness, saying things like "I know you find this is hard," but reinforce that they are safe and will be okay.
• Focus on Reconnection: Instead of a final "goodbye," focus on when you will see them again (e.g., "I'll see you at the end of the day!")
• Avoid overwhelming: Too much talk, noise or sensory input can be overwhelming - keep it short and simple
• Prepare Ahead: Read books about school, role-play the drop-off with toys, or even recreate the drop off at home. 

We also have a superb supportive team of staff who give an extra bit of TLC to anyone who needs support during separation. If you want any further advice or to discuss your child's specific routine please get in touch with your child's teacher - they are happy to help!

As part of our current topic, 'Roots, Shoots and Muddy Boots' Ash Class will be transforming our outdoor summer house into a special space where children can explore planting, growing and caring for plants, and learn more about nature and how things grow 🌱 

The children have been very excited about this project and have worked together to create a wish list of items that would help bring their ideas to life. We would love to ask parents and families across the school community if they are able to support us with any of the following: Plant pots (any size), compost or soil, seeds, gardening tools and any other items that could help us explore growth and nature.

If you have any spare items at home that you’d be happy to donate, Ash Class would be extremely grateful.

Thank you for your continued support in helping to make learning hands-on, exciting and meaningful for the children.

We want to develop the whole child here at Andoversford. Our Core ASPIRE Values and our school Vision all underpin our desire to ensure that children who are educated at Andoversford are ready for the next stage of their life.

We achieve very well academically, but equally important are the life skills that children need to thrive in their future. Have you ever wondered why we offer so many clubs? Maybe you wonder why we follow some of the approaches we do? Or perhaps you want to know more about how we support children to recognise their emotions and self regulate?

Take a look at our secondary ready pathway. We will also be sharing this and opening up opportunities to chat about the pathway at our next parent coffee club. Why not drop by? 

Parent Coffee Club: Monday 26th January 2pm to 3pm

Gloucetershire Libraries is proud to be supporting the National Year of Reading 2026.

National Year of reading is a UK-wide campaign taking place to help people rediscover the joy of reading. As you are aware, here at Andoversford Primary we absolutely love reading! 

There are several themes and events taking place throughout the year at all libraries across the county. Keep an eye out for these on the Gloucestershire Libraries website: The Library Newsletter - January 2026

You can also support the campign by reading more frequently with your child, encouraging independant reading where possible and carrying out activities together that promote reading and a love of books. 

Why not get involved yourself - pick up a book, get comfortable and read away! 

You can see more about what Gloucestershire Libraries is doing to celebrate here: Gloucestershire supports the National Year of Reading | Gloucestershire Libraries

To find out more about the nation-wide campaign, visit: About | National Year of Reading 2026 | Go All In

Dear Parents and carers

Following on from last week's Multiplication Tables Check meeting, I have attached some alternative websites which might be useful as a practise timetable and also to compliment the work the children are carrying out on Times Tables Rock Stars -