Weekly Word

Hello everyone,
Today marks exactly one year since I was appointed as substantive Headteacher of our wonderful school, and it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect.
Over the past year, my team and I have worked incredibly hard – and continue to do so – to build on the many strengths of the school. We recognise that there has been change, and I sincerely hope you can see the positive steps we are taking. Alongside strengthened safeguarding procedures and developments in  teaching and learning, you will have seen a total revamp and redesign of our school environment, both inside and out. Creating a calm, welcoming and purposeful space for children and staff has been a key priority. Our aim is to create a place where all children feel like they belong.
We are a school that is always learning, always reflecting, and always striving to improve.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for the support you give our small but dedicated team. I am incredibly grateful for all they do, and I truly believe we are going from strength to strength.
Over the last year, we have strengthened teaching and learning across the school, embedded clear wellbeing systems, developed a more bespoke and well-sequenced curriculum, expanded pupil leadership and enrichment opportunities, and placed an even greater emphasis on belonging, voice, and community.
As we continue to develop, your voice, our staff voice, and most importantly your child’s voice remain central to the decisions we make. You will have noticed that surveys and policy consultations have been shared with parents, and as we now move into refining different areas of school life, I would be extremely grateful for your response to these so it can help shape future decisions.
It has also been a week full of lovely moments in school. Congratulations to our Year 3 and 4 girls’ football team, who have progressed through to the next round of their tournament – we wish them the very best for the next stage. We have also begun our local library visits, with thanks to Miss Wells for organising these.
The highlight of my week, however, was being invited to be the special guest at the Spring Class (Reception) fashion show. The children’s confidence as they walked down the catwalk was absolutely fabulous – and I very much enjoyed strutting my stuff alongside them!
Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs HJ

Children’s Mental Health Week

Dear Parents and Carers,
Next week is Children’s Mental Health Week (Monday 9th – Sunday 15th February). This year’s theme is “This is My Place”, which focuses on helping children feel a sense of belonging at school, at home, and within their community.
We will be starting the week with a whole-school assembly to introduce the theme, followed by a PSHE lesson in class exploring belonging, inclusion, identity, and feeling safe and valued. On Friday morning, children will take part in a Children’s Mental Health takeover, with activities focused on wellbeing and positive mental health.
Also as part of our daily routine next week, children will also be completing the Daily Mile after lunch.
👉 Please ensure your child brings trainers every day next week, except Wednesday.
If you or your child need support with mental health or wellbeing, guidance and emergency support links can be found here: Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week – Official site
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Lucy Steventon
(PSHE Subject Champion)

Please Share Your Views on Home Learning

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are currently reviewing our home learning approach and want to work together with our children, staff and families to create something that truly works for all our school community.

To help us shape a home learning model that is meaningful, manageable and supportive for everyone, I would really appreciate it if you could take just a couple of minutes to complete our short survey.

Your feedback will help us understand:

  • What format of home learning works best for families (daily, weekly or project-based)
  • How we can support daily reading expectations
  • Whether an online reading record would be helpful
  • Any barriers your child may face when completing home learning

Your views are incredibly important to us, and completing the survey will make a genuine difference to the decisions we make.

Home Learning – Parents Survey – Fill out form

Thank you so much for your time and continued support.

Rachel Howell-James
Headteacher

Stars of the Week

Stars of the Week

Spring: Arley

Tilia: Teo

Priory: Frankie

Edge: Maddie

Windmill: Phoebe

Abbey: Tom

Linden: Esmee

Attendance Awards

Spring: Max

Tilia: Albie

Priory: Maisy

Edge: Colby

Windmill: Oliver

Abbey: Fern

Linden: Poppy

 

Online Safety Spotlight

AI is becoming a familiar part of young people’s online experiences, with a growing number of school tools and entertainment platforms now using it 🤖✨. This #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down what AI really is, helping adults explain it clearly and realistically so children don’t overestimate its abilities or trust it unquestioningly. With Safer Internet Day coming up on 10th February, it’s the perfect moment to start meaningful conversations about how AI systems work, where they appear online, and why understanding them matters for safe, confident digital use. Download your FREE copy here >> https://vist.ly/4qaac

Dates for the Spring Term

All timings and details will be confirmed nearer to the time of the event.

Weekly Word

It has been a wonderfully busy and uplifting week in school.
Today we took part in the RSPB Big Bird Watch, with children across the school enjoying the chance to observe wildlife in our grounds. Earlier in the week, Year 5 took part in an inspiring STEM workshop with the RAF, exploring problem‑solving, engineering and teamwork.
We were also delighted to welcome Claire Jones and Penny Lyall from our Trust, who carried out their termly standards review. They commended the school, our staff and our children across all areas, recognising that our school continues to go from strength to strength. This external validation is something we should all be incredibly proud of.
Our Reading Ambassadors presented beautifully in assembly today as they launched their new lunchtime library sessions, which are open to all pupils. It was wonderful to see so many children enjoying the library already. Reading continues to be a key school focus, and Miss Wells, our Reading Champion, has arranged for each class to visit Much Wenlock Library this term. You will shortly receive a letter requesting details so that a library card can be created for your child. These visits not only support our reading curriculum but also help sustain this important community resource by increasing visitor numbers. We know our families will want to join us in championing and protecting such a valuable local service.
Behind the scenes, Mrs Kennils and Mr Astles, our Chair of Governors, have been working together to update our Climate and Sustainability Action Plan. While we already do so much as a school to operate in environmentally responsible and community‑minded ways, we are committed to going even further.
Last night, I had the pleasure of working with our wonderful teaching team as we reviewed writing across the school. The progress from the very first marks your children make in the early years to the maturity and sophistication of Year 6 writing is truly phenomenal. Our pupils are showing immense pride in their work, and rightly so.
Finally, we ended today with the most gorgeous Celebration Assembly. I shared once again how incredibly proud I am of our children. Their impeccable manners, attitudes and kindness shine through every day, and we are privileged to be part of their journey.
This is The Wenlock Way!
Have a great weekend.
Mrs HJ

Library Visits

Dear Parents and Carers,

As part of our commitment to celebrate 2026 as The National Year of Reading, over the coming weeks every student in our school will visit Much Wenlock Community Library and obtain a free membership to Shropshire Libraries. This gives an opportunity for children to explore these shared spaces and provides access to a wide range of books, e-books, craft activities and support services beyond the scope of our school library.

In order to make these visits as successful as possible, please can you complete and return the attached application form by Friday 6th February.

If you require a paper copy of the form, please do not hesitate to contact me, via the school office. Shropshire Libraries Membership Form

Kind regards,

Caroline Wells

HLTA

February focus: confidence and resilience

Is your child holding it together all day, only to fall apart where it’s safe?
Or maybe they doubt themselves, avoid challenges, or give up quickly when things feel hard?

We talk about confidence a lot… but what does it actually mean for our children?

In this month’s Free Parenting Clinic, we’ll explore:
• The real difference between confidence and self-esteem (spoiler: they’re not the same)
• Why “praise more” doesn’t always build resilient kids
• How confidence is quietly shaped at home, every single day
• Practical, realistic ways to support your child to bounce back, believe in themselves, and try again

This is not about raising loud, fearless children. It’s about raising kids who trust themselves, cope with setbacks, and keep going when things wobble.

Join Anisa Lewis, Parenting Coach, for a relaxed, supportive 30-minute online talk, designed for busy parents who want tools that actually work in real family life.

✨ Come live or catch the replay
(The clinic will be recorded and sent to everyone who registers)

👉 Book your free place here:
https://anisalewis.as.me/theclinic or email hello@anisalewis.com for the booking link.

Article – Raising Resilient Children – February 2026

Clinic – Resilience – February 2026

Stars of the Week

Stars of the Week

Spring: James

Tilia: Olive

Priory: Paisley

Edge: Roary C

Windmill: Ellie

Abbey: Maddie

Linden: Felicity

Attendance Awards:

Philippa

Millie

Lola

Thea N

Archie

Chloe R

Lincoln

Weekly Word

Good afternoon.
What a busy week! It has been wonderful to see our children so actively involved in so many enriching opportunities this week.
Our Key Stage 2 pupils thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the athletics event at William Brookes School, demonstrating resilience, teamwork and sportsmanship. Meanwhile, our choir had a fantastic time participating in a Wicked singalong from the musical – a truly joyful and memorable experience.
We also held our termly Golden Awards assemblies, celebrating the achievements and values that make our school community so special:
Thank you for your continued support of our Bags for Schools sustainability initiative, which not only raises vital funds for our school but also supports people in need across the nation and around the world.
Our ambassador meetings continue to be a highlight, with children helping to shape the future of our school through their ideas, leadership and voice. Alongside this, our house group meetings bring children from across different classes together to share, support one another and discuss important issues – all helping to build a strong sense of belonging.
A big thank you to those of you who attended the online safety workshop for parents last night. I will be sharing the resources with you shortly. And who knew? The average age of a gamer is 35!
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Mrs HJ
Headteacher
Much Wenlock Primary School and Nursery

Stars of the Week

Stars of the Week

Spring: Gracie

Tilia: Lola

Priory: Cason

Edge: Loki

Windmill: Jagger

Abbey: Freddie B

Linden: Edward

Attendance Award

Spring: Zachary

Tilia: Poppy

Priory: Reid

Edge: Ella

Windmill: Rowan

Abbey: Oscar

Linden: Eli

Golden Heart

Gabby

Joshua

Lily

Izzy B

Reggie

Oscar P

Rory N

Remy

Golden Paintbrush

Albie

Mason

Jasper

Lincoln

Thea N

Ava

Finley L

Golden Quill

George H

Rupert

Heidi

Alice

Freddie S

Jonah

Izzy H

 

Weekly Word

Good afternoon.
What a busy week! It has been wonderful to see our children so actively involved in so many enriching opportunities this week.
Our Key Stage 2 pupils thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the athletics event at William Brookes School, demonstrating resilience, teamwork and sportsmanship. Meanwhile, our choir had a fantastic time participating in a Wicked singalong from the musical – a truly joyful and memorable experience.
We also held our termly Golden Awards assemblies, celebrating the achievements and values that make our school community so special:
Thank you for your continued support of our Bags for Schools sustainability initiative, which not only raises vital funds for our school but also supports people in need across the nation and around the world.
Our ambassador meetings continue to be a highlight, with children helping to shape the future of our school through their ideas, leadership and voice. Alongside this, our house group meetings bring children from across different classes together to share, support one another and discuss important issues – all helping to build a strong sense of belonging.
A big thank you to those of you who attended the online safety workshop for parents last night. I will be sharing the resources with you shortly. And who knew? The average age of a gamer is 35!
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Mrs HJ
Headteacher
Much Wenlock Primary School and Nursery

Star of the Week

Spring – Harrison

Priory – Felix

Edge – Khaleesi, Oscar

Windmill – Ethan

Abbey – Thea

Linden – Robin

 

Attendance Awards

Spring – Max R

Tilia – Elijah

Priory – Henry

Edge – William

Windmill – Gabby

Abbey – Alfie

Linden – Charlotte

Start the New Year with a Clear-Out!

We’re joining Bags2School again – a great way to recycle and raise money for our school. Just bag up any unwanted clothes, shoes etc and bring them in!

It’s a win-win: less clutter at home, more funds for our school, and a greener planet.

Please check the letter for details on what to donate and when. Bags 2 School letter

The donation bags will be available for collection from the office sometime next week, however any bag will do so don’t wait to start clearing out!

Thanks for your support!

From the Sustainability Ambassador Team

School Closed Friday 9th Jan

Dear Parents and Carers,

After monitoring conditions throughout the day, I have made the decision to close school tomorrow. The weather has worsened, and a majority of staff are unable to travel safely due to hazardous driving conditions or because their own children’s schools have closed.

This is never a decision I take lightly, which is why I waited to see how the situation developed. However, the safety of our children, families, and staff must come first.

Our aim is to reopen on Monday, and we will confirm this as soon as possible.

In the meantime, please enjoy a safe and awe‑filled snow day tomorrow!

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Kind regards,

Rachel Howell-James
Headteacher

Children’s Commissioner – A Guide For Parents On Managing Children’s Digital Lives

We have been asked to share this message from the Children’s Commissioner:

I am writing to inform you that I have recently published a new guide, What I wish my parents or carers knew: A guide for parents on managing children’s digital lives.

Supporting children’s safety is a shared responsibility between families, schools and wider society. For parents and carers, this responsibility has become increasingly complex as children’s lives are now deeply intertwined with the digital world. Many parents face difficult decisions about how to balance protecting children from online harm with enabling access to spaces that are now central to learning, socialising and play.

The last time I published a guide like this, The things I wish my parents had known: Young people’s advice on talking to your child about online sexual harassment, in December 2021, it was to help parents and carers navigate difficult conversations about sexual harassment online. This guide is different in scope, in recognition of the complex, rapidly evolving landscape in which children – and parents – are navigating. It focuses on the challenge of managing children’s everyday online habits.

This guide was written with the direct involvement of children in England. It is a reflection of their views. My office visited schools to speak to teenagers, and spoke to my Youth Ambassadors and Youth Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Panel to get their expertise on what works and what doesn’t work between parents or carers and children in the 21st Century.

When I speak to children about what they would do differently when it comes to being online, with the benefit of hindsight, I ask them: would they give a smartphone to their own teenager? Almost unanimously, they tell me no. They want to be protected from it as long as possible.

Children are clear that they value firm, informed and protective boundaries when adults have concerns about the content they are accessing online. As parents, carers, and educators, our job must begin and end with our children’s care and safety. It’s what they expect and what they want from you.

As one young person told me: “Don’t be afraid to be firm… If you are worried [that] your child is seeing harmful content and you don’t know what they’re watching and it’s affecting the behaviour, just take it that you know best – they don’t.”

I hope this guide will be a useful resource for your school community, and I encourage you to share it with staff and parents where appropriate.

Yours sincerely,

Dame Rachel de Souza

Children’s Commissioner

Weekly Word

Dear Families,
Last Friday’s snowy surprise was a real reminder of just how special our Much Wenlock community is. I felt incredibly proud of how everyone came together to support those who found themselves stranded in tricky conditions.
A huge thank you to Louise Sadler and Tegan Dyer, who went out of their way to help stranded drivers and members of the wider community – truly above and beyond.
I was also so proud of our children, many of whom grabbed shovels and helped clear snow or checked in on neighbours. A special mention to Oscar P and Gabby H, who helped elderly members of our community. When asked why, they simply said, “Well, that’s The Wenlock Way.” I couldn’t have said it better myself – it makes me so happy to see our school values being lived out beyond the school gates too.
Earlier in the week, I shared an email about our online parent safeguarding session to help families navigate the digital world and keep children safe online. I really hope as many of you as possible can join. It’s led by experts and is a great opportunity to pick up practical tips and reassurance in a fast-changing online world.
We’re also very lucky to have such a supportive and committed team of local governors. This week, they came into school to meet our teachers, who shared what’s happening across subjects – from art, music and PSHE to maths, science and writing. It was a lovely evening of celebrating what’s going well and talking about where we’re heading next as a school.
I also met with our brilliant School Council, where we talked about what it really means to be a leader and what they would like to help move forward in our school. This has now led to our ambassador meetings starting this week, and they’ll continue throughout the term.
I was genuinely blown away by the children’s confidence, ideas and how thoughtfully they shared their views. Seeing pupils from across the school speak up and represent their peers was a real highlight for me. Every voice truly does matter, and we’ll share more with you once all the meetings have taken place.
We’ve also now started our weekly house meetings, where children of all ages mix together in their teams to talk about key topics and school priorities. It’s been a lovely way to build team spirit and give children even more opportunities to be heard.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Mrs HJ
CEOP
3-18 Education Trust
Platinum School Games Mark award
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