Dear parents and carers,
Year 6 Assessments (SATS)
Well done to all our Year Six children on completing their SATS assessments this week. I have been extremely proud of how they have conducted themselves this week and of the huge effort that they have put in across the academic year. Enjoy a restful weekend and be extremely proud of yourselves.
Oak assembly – Friday 15th May 2.30pm
Well done to Oak Class for a beautiful assembly today that showcased everything you have learnt this term. It was lovely to hear about all the wonderful things you have achieved this term. Thank you to Mr Schjelde, Miss Walsh, Mrs Walters and Mrs Soanes for preparing the children so well.
Islip Big Bike Ride 2026
We received a visit today from Hannah and Jane of the Big Bike Committee to share with us the wonderful news that this year’s Big Bike Ride has raised £30,000. This is an incredible amount which will make a huge difference to the school and the church. Thank you to everyone involved in organising and participating in this wonderful event which benefits the Islip community enormously.
May Day – Friday 22nd May
This will take place next Friday. Please note that much of the day is weather dependent, and the forecast for next week is currently good, however this may change as the week progresses which means that timings of the dancing and procession may alter. If you are only attending for parts of the day, please check with the office on Friday morning and we will be able to update you if timings need to change.
Preparations for May Day – Friday 22 May 2026
Thank you very much for your generous donations for the tombola and toy and book stalls this morning. If you have anything else you would like to contribute, please bring it to the school office by Tuesday 19 May.
Class reps will be getting in touch next week with information about the different ways you can help with May Day. It is always a wonderful event, and it would not be possible without your generous support. We will be looking for offers of food – including nut-free cakes, salads and quiches – as well as volunteers to help on the day. This will include setting up the playground before school, serving refreshments and lunches, running stalls in the afternoon and clearing up.
Thank you in advance for helping to make May Day a special day for the whole school community.
ParentPay
A gentle reminder to check your ParentPay accounts to ensure that any outstanding balances for meals and/or clubs have all been paid.
Staffing
Today we said goodbye to Mrs Walters as she begins her maternity leave in preparation for her new arrival. We send all best wishes to her and her family and I look forward to updating you with news of the new arrival as soon as I can.
Collection and messages for Martin
Thank you to all those people who have written messages and donated to the collection for Martin ( our school crossing officer) today. I will be in the playground again on Monday afternoon so that you have the opportunity to donate and/or write a message for Martin. You can also donate and get a sticker to complete from the school office. We will present Martin with a gift and some cards at May Day.
Changes to lunch menu
On Thursday 21st May, there will be a change to the lunch menu for this day. Options on the day will be:
Red: Fishfingers and chips
Green: Veggie sausage roll
Orange: Veggie pasta salad
There will also be a change to the current menu on Week 3 Tuesdays when sweet sour veggie noodles will be replaced by teriyaki noodles as the green option.
Sun Cream and Hats
We are beginning to enjoy some warmer weather. Please ensure that your child has a water bottle and hat each day. During periods of intense sunshine, it is good to protect your child using sun cream. Many products on the market use coconut oil as a base, and as we have children in school with severe anaphylaxis, we need to ask you not to send such products to school. If you wish to use nut-based products, please apply them at home, but if you wish to send a (named) bottle of sun cream into school, please ensure it is nut free. Suitable products can be found here:
https://www.childsfarm.com/products/childs-farm-50-spf-sun-lotion-cream-unfragranced
https://www.sunsense.co.uk/product/sunsense-kids-spf50/
This week we congratulated:
Willow Class : Theo, for playing beautifully with his friends in the construction area; Louis, for fabulous focus when writing this week;
Ash Class: James, for working really hard on his phonics this week; Thea, for taking great pride when presenting her written work;
Oak Class: Elena, for showing enthusiasm and curiosity when learning about Edward the Confessor and the Norman invasion; Finley, for showing leadership during May Day practice by modelling the steps really well;
Beech Class: Lily, for a brilliant attitude to assessments and fantastic focus all week; All Year Six, for conducting themselves so well and for fantastic effort when completing their SATS assessments this week. Well done to you all!
Our Christian value for the term is respect. Ask your children about our value of respect
Dates for the year
We have a church service most terms which all families are welcome to attend.
Our May Day celebrations are at the end of May and this is a whole day event for families to attend if they wish.
Sports Day is for the whole school and begins at 9am and last until approximately 1pm. Parents are welcome to watch and enjoy a picnic lunch with their child after the races if they are able to.
Term 5
22/5/2026 – May Day celebrations 9.30 – 3pm approx.
25/5/2026 – Half Term week
Term 6
1/6/2026 – Start of Term
3/6/2026 Ash Class Trip to Oxford Bus Museum
10/6/2026 Trip to Oxford Science Museum ( Reception to Year 6)
18/6/2026 – Sports Day
1/7/2026 – Ash and Willow production 1.30pm in village hall
9/7/2026 – KS2 production 1.30pm and 6pm in village hall
14/7/2026 – Ash Class picnic for parents at Jacob’s Field from 11am approx.
17/7/2026 – Leavers’ Service 1.30pm at St Nicholas Church
17/7/2026 – FODS End of Year Party
17/7/2026 – End of Term
Don’t forget – you can always check term dates at: https://dr-souths.co.uk/term-dates/