Spring 2 Term

We cannot believe we are at the end of a very busy term. We have enjoyed some brighter sunnier days and look forward to the Spring weather! The children who come to our Thrive sessions have all had a fantastic term with us and have been enjoying all of the activities we had planned, even some Easter themed activities this week.

Looking ahead to Easter, we thought we would include an activity to do, so have attached an Easter treasure hunt. You can time yourself and see how many you can find, or work together and try to complete as many as possible.

We hope that the Easter holidays provides some time together and much needed rest. Whether your holidays are jam packed with fun Easter activities, a holiday away or simply enjoying a rest, we hope that it brings you happiness (and perhaps some sunshine!).

We are hoping to see you at our next drop in coffee morning on Tuesday 21st April at 8.45am. Please feel free to come along for a chat and a coffee. We would love to see you there!

Spring 1 Term

Thrive News

We cannot believe we are already approaching the end of this half term and we are looking forward to some brighter sunnier days ahead! The children who come to our Thrive sessions have all settled back in well and have been enjoying all of the activities we have planned.

Looking ahead to next week's Mental Health Week, we thought we would include an activity to do, instead of time on electronics which you can do together at home. We have attached an indoor treasure hunt. You can time yourself and see how many you can find, or even create a treasure hunt of your own.

We are hoping to see you at our next drop in coffee morning on Tuesday 3rd March at 8.45am. Please feel free to come along for a chat and a coffee. We would love to see you there!

OPAL News

Spring Term

As we approach the end of a busy and productive term, we wanted to share an update on the progress we have been making with our Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) journey at Chalk Ridge. Our goal is to ensure every child has an amazing playtime, every day, and thanks to your incredible support, we are well on our way.

Key Highlights:

We have seen a huge shift in the quality of play this term. Our "Quick-Win" phase is in full swing, and we have successfully developed our Play Policy alongside the Play Charter that has been written by our School Councillors. You may have also noticed our new "OPAL in Progress" branding on school correspondence and displayed around the school.

Bingo

A massive thank you for your generous contributions to our OPAL Bingo. Because of your help, we have managed to accumulate an incredible number of resources. Alongside newly purchased items, we now have fully stocked selection of: construction toys, including Lego, Duplo and Megabloks; small world toys; and plenty of kitchenware, which is being prepared for when our mud kitchens are available. We have been lucky to have also been donated several larger items including children’s wheelbarrows and even a garden bench! We have also extended our gratitude to some local businesses who have kindly donated tyres to and pallets. These "loose parts" allow the children to be creative, build dens, and innovate in ways traditional playground equipment cannot.

All-Weather Play & "Welly Wednesdays"

Thank you for supporting our move toward all-weather play. Ensuring your children have suitable outdoor clothing and footwear is vital for their happiness and health.

We are excited to announce "Welly Wednesdays" meaning access to the field every day, which has historically only been available during the summer months.  To help the children understand what to wear, we have introduced a traffic light system using a welly on a post:

Green: School shoes are fine.

Yellow: Wellies must be worn to access the field.

Red: The field is closed due to health and safety or extreme, adverse weather.

Given the current season, we expect most days to be Code Yellow for the field, so please ensure wellies are in school so your child can enjoy the full range of our outdoor spaces. We now have suitable Welly storage in Y1-5, with a child in Y3 working with his grandad to build a welly rack for 3B! 

Looking Ahead

We are looking to run the Bingo events once termly, to ensure that any equipment needed aligns with where we are on our OPAL journey. However, the collection doesn't stop here! We want to remind you that we can use absolutely anything—from old suitcases, guttering and keyboards to pots, pans, and fabric. If you're having a clear-out, please think of us. We will be sharing a brand-new Bingo chart in the Summer term to help guide our next round of collections.

Parent Survey Results: What You Told Us

Following our recent survey to better understand your views on play, we are thrilled that so many of you share our views that playtime is ‘extremely important’. Here is a breakdown of the key points raised:

• Why Play Matters: You highlighted that play is essential for building friendships, developing physical and emotional skills, and allowing children to de-stress and release energy.

• What Children Want: Many of you noted that children sometimes find play boring when equipment is limited. There was a high demand for more loose parts (junk play), climbing opportunities, music, and creative zones like play kitchens and sand pits.

• Safety & Risks: While many parents feel the world is ‘scarier’ or ‘less safe’ than in their own childhood, there was overwhelming support for our new approach. Most parents approve or strongly approve of children getting muddy clothes if it means they are having fun and learning.

• School Uniform: There was a high level of support for the idea of moving toward activewear (such as the school PE kit) as a daily uniform to better facilitate active play.

We are using this feedback to shape our next steps, including creating quieter social areas and friendship benches for those who prefer calmer play.

Thank you for being such a vital part of our play community.