Spring 2 Newsletter
Message from the Head Teacher
Dear Families,
Welcome to the second half of the spring term. We’ve enjoyed some sunshine this week and hope it continues.
Thank you to everyone who attended our SEN PINS (Partnership for Inclusivity of Neuro-diversity in School) coffee morning, led by Vicky Leech from the Harrow Parent/Carer Forum. The session gave useful insight into the local SEN landscape, and we hope it marks the beginning of a strong, supportive community for families at Pinner Wood.
Next week we will celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 5th March. Our focus is poetry and children may come dressed as a book character, a colour, or themselves—because they are the characters in their own stories. Families are warmly invited to join us for shared reading from 2.30pm. If you cannot attend, buddy classes will read together so every child has a partner. HCL will also be offering a special themed menu—please book via Citrus.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Parent/Carer meetings in the week beginning 23rd March. Appointment bookings open on Arbor at 6pm on Monday 2nd March. Teachers will be in contact with families of children with SEND. Please note, some Parents Evenings may be on a different day so please check this when booking your appointment next week.
To book, use 'Guardian Consultations' on your dashboard, select your child (there will be a separate appointment slot for each child if you have more than one), select the available time then confirm the booking.
This is a busy term, so we’ve included all key dates below to help you plan ahead.
Lastly, thank you for your kind messages regarding my new role. After 13 wonderful years, it feels the right time to take on a new challenge, though it is not easy to leave a place I love. I will be working closely with Governors to appoint the right next headteacher for Pinner Wood- we all know how special this school is and ensure we get the right person to carry on and build upon all the good work as well as lead our amazing team. As I’ve reassured the children, I’m here until the end of the School year and will continue working hard to ensure school life carries on in its usual exciting way.
Kind regards,
Miss Sarah Marriott
This is a great way to raise much needed funds for the school whilst enjoying the raisins. If your child has managed to fill their raisin book with loose change – please return to school by Monday 2nd March. There will be a prize for the house that brings back the most boxes.
If you have lost your box, you are welcome to use a different container.
Value of the Half Term - Strength through Positivity
Our value this term is Strength through Positivity.
Harri Hedgehog reminds us that life will not always be easy, but we can use our skills to face and overcome challenges—sometimes with a little help from others. Our assemblies this term will focus on developing this positive mind set.
Learning News
Spring Short Stories
Well done to all children who submitted a short story for Spring Digital Detox.
Miss Sheldrake has thoroughly enjoyed reading them.
You can see some wonderful examples below.
A Big Spring Day - Coming Soon!
Exciting news on Monday 13th April 2026 (first day back after Easter) Pinner Wood will celebrate our ‘Big Spring Day.’ We will have a visit from Ark Farm and all children will have a chance to meet the animals. We will also have egg rolling, an egg hunt and other spring time events.
Huge thanks to the Friends of Pinner Wood for sponsoring this event and making it possible. Please make sure your child is in school that day to experience this exciting event.
Staffing News
Goodbye
On Monday we say goodbye to Ms Mari Matteucci (year 3 TA). After 15 successful years at Pinner Wood. Mari is persuading her lifelong dream to live in the countryside and pursue her passion as a very talented Artist. We wish her luck with this move and will miss her dearly. We are currently recruiting for her role.
We are currently recruiting for:
A Headteacher
TA – Key Stage 1
Upcoming Community Events
Monday 2nd March 6pm | Appointments go Live for Parent/ Carers meetings |
Thursday 5th March | World Book Day - see information and posters below |
Friday 6th, 13th and 24th March – 9am | Key Stage 1 Maths Workshop – come along if you would like to know more about the Maths we do in school and ways you can support your child. Sign up below or use the QR code! |
Friday 6th March- 9am | Mental Health Workshop for families Come in and meet our Mental Health team and find out how you can support your child with emotional regulation – all welcome - see poster below |
Thursday 13th March 5.30pm (Time TBC) | Community Iftar Dinner – all welcome |
Friday 20th March | Birthday Bunch – children and staff with birthdays from 5th January until 12th April to wear own clothes (If you are celebrating Eid you can do this on Monday 23rd March) |
Monday 23rd March | World Down Syndrome Day (on 21st March) Wear Odd Sock to school day on Monday 23rd March |
W.B Monday 23rd March | Parent/ Carer Evenings Details sent on Arbor on Monday |
Thursday 26th March | Strength Through Positivity Café (details to follow) |
Friday 27th March | Term End 1.30pm Non-Uniform Day. |
Monday 13th April | Big Spring Day and visit from Ark Farm |
World Book Day - Thursday 5th March 2026
We are looking forward to our celebrations next week and wanted to share these with you! Please see the posters below. Our focus this year will be poetry and we are looking forward to exploring different texts and poets while also creating our own different styles of poems.
📚Children can dress as a favourite character, colour or their own choice
📚 Families are welcome to pop in and drop everything and read with their children in class next Thursday between 2.30 - 3 pm
📚There will be a Big Book Swap in the playgrounds at the end of the day - bring a book to swap or find a new book to take home
📚We are collecting unwanted WBD costumes, please bring them to the Office
We look forward to a fabulous day!
Choose Kind Challenge
From today, we have begun giving out badges to children who completed the Choose Kind Challenge on Seesaw. If your child has not yet taken part, there is still time! Please complete the challenge and let your class teacher know.
All acts of kindness will be rewarded with a Barney Badge. This is our special badge for the year, and children may wear it on their tie (Key Stage 2) or on their cardigan (Reception & Key Stage1).
Please note: we have only ordered one badge per child, so unfortunately we cannot replace lost badges.
A huge well done to everyone who has proudly earned theirs already!
Other school reminders
Small Group Instrument Tuition for September 2026 – Expression of Interest | The Expression of Interest form for music tuition in school for the 2026/27 academic year will be sent to families of current Year 1 to Year 5 pupils via Arbor on Monday, 2nd March 2026 at 9:00am. If your child would like to be considered for a place, please submit the form as soon as possible to secure their chance of joining our small group lessons. Please note that if your child is currently receiving music tuition and you have already made a deposit to continue with lessons next year you DO NOT need to complete this form for that instrument. However, if you are interested in your child receiving music tuition for a different instrument, please submit the form. |
Save the Date! | The Friends of Pinner Wood will be organising a Family Eid Bazaar on Thursday 21st May 2026 – after school. Further details will follow. |
Ramadan Information
Dear Families,
At Pinner Wood we understand that some of our families are now marking the Holy Month of Ramadan. At Pinner Wood we wish to offer support to our families marking this sacred time.
Please find our arrangements for this below.
Requests to Fast
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, it is important that families understand the school’s responsibilities to those children who may wish to consider fasting.
Guidance
Advice suggests that children under 10 years of age are not required to fast but we understand that every family is different. However, primary age children can become very tired when they do not have regular meals and are sometimes unable to safely perform the activities expected of them during a school day. We want to explain the procedures that will be followed to ensure the well-being of your child or children.
Please inform us – Families who wish to give permission for their child to fast during Ramadan whilst at School, please can you e-mail the school via office@pinnerwood.co.uk and let us know when your child will be fasting.
Requests for Food – As fasting is a personal choice, the school is required to take care of all pupils and will comply with requests for food or drink received from a child, even if a request has been provided
Illness – If a child appears to be experiencing adverse physical or emotional effects due to fasting, e.g. dizziness, nausea, distress, etc., staff will offer that child food or drink, even if a email request has been provided and may call the child’s parents or guardians, and the emergency services, if they believe that it is necessary.
PE lessons - children are still expected to take part in PE lessons although staff will ensure that additional rest breaks are offered when needed.
Attendance at school is mandatory and children are expected to continue to attend school whilst fasting.
I hope that the above is clear, but please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Iftar Dinner
We would warmly invite ALL Pinner Wood families (those marking Ramadan and those who do not) to join us for an Iftar Dinner. This was highly successful last year and we are excited to host once again.
Iftar Meaning: the meal eaten by Muslims to break their fast after sunset every day during Ramadan.
Prayer spaces will be made available.
Please see the information below and we look forward to welcoming you at this event.
Yours sincerely
Nathan Mainwaring
Assistant Head and DEI Leader.
Reminder - Contacting the School
Sometimes it is hard to know who to contact and what to expect. Mr Mainwaring has put this helpful chart together to help you...
HCL - Lunch Pre-Ordering Update
Our new pre-ordering system is going well, and both children and lunch staff are becoming familiar with the routine. The system is helping to speed up service and ensures children receive the meals they want.
Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far — we have now reached 95% participation. If you are experiencing any issues, please contact HCL by email or pop into school and we will do our best to help.
Top Tips for Smooth Ordering
Upload a clear photograph of your child (not a stock or fruit image). This helps lunch staff identify children in the queue and enables younger pupils to recognise themselves.
Choose meals together with your child so they know what to expect each day. You may find it helpful to make this part of your weekly routine (e.g., selecting meals on a Sunday) and reminding them on the way to school.
Order by 8:30am each morning.
From Monday 2nd March, children without a selected meal will be given a cheese roll.
Other events, activities and parent workshops
For more information and to enter the above please see here.
Upcoming parent workshops
The below workshop will take place at Pinner Wood School.
Dates for your Diary
Week 8 | |
Mon 2nd | Fund Raisin Challenge in Parents evening appointments go live 6pm. |
Tue 3rd | Reception vision check |
Wed 4th | Holi- reception event Nursery walk to the post box Choir Showcase 4.15pm- 8 pm at Elliot Hall Year 6 football competition at Pinner Park |
Thur 5th | World Book Day |
Fri 6th | 9am - KS1 Maths Workshop 1 Mental Health Team Workshop 9-10am (Sun 8th – International Women’s Day) |
Week 9 | |
Mon 9th | Table Tennis Competition - 9 am to 12 pm |
Tues 10th | 9am -Year 5 Assembly– families invited Dance Showcase (PM and evening) - 1 – 3 pm rehearsal and 6 – 8 pm |
Wed 11th | Year 6 NCMP Nursery Mother's Day Tea party Year 3 VR Workshop |
Thur 12th | Purim Iftar Dinner 5.30pm |
Fri 13th | 9am -KS1 Maths Workshop 2 for families Year 6 London Docklands Trip Holi |
Sun 15th | Mother’s Day |
Week 10 | SEN Support Meetings Speech Week
British Sign Language week Mock SATs Week Big Walk and Wheel Week |
Mon 16th | Year 6 Mock SATS Start 3.30pm- Year 4 Rainforest Speech Evening- year 4 families welcome 3.30pm – Year 6 Change Speech evening – groups through week. |
Tues 17th | St Patrick’s Day Tag Rugby Tournament - 9 am to 12 pm 9.30-3.30pm John Lyon Junior Music Day (at senior school) – selected children. 3.30pm – Year 6 Change Speech evening – groups through week. |
Wed 18th | Year 2 Roald Dahl Museum String Fest (HMS) All Day Elliot Hall- selected children 3.30pm – Year 6 Change Speech evening – groups through week. |
Thur 19th | 1.30pm – 3pm Instrumental Concert (selected children) |
Fri 20th | 9am -KS1 Maths Workshop 3 Birthday Bunch for children with birthdays from 5th January –12th April (On Monday 20th for those celebrating Eid) Year 3/4 gymnastics competition International Day of Happiness Eid al-Fir |
Sat 21st March | World Down Syndrome Day |
Week 11 | |
Mon 23rd | World Down Syndrome Day – Odd Socks for all pupils RE Day Cherry Class Parents Evening 3.30- 6pm |
Tues 24th | Year 5 trip to Gurdwara Nursery Parent’s Evening Cherry Class Parents Evening 3.30pm- 6.20 pm |
Wed 25th | Parent/ Carer evening 3.30-6.00 |
Thur 26th | Parent/ Carer evening 3.30-6.30 Strength through Positivity Cafe - timings and details to be shared |
Fri 27th | End of Term 1.30pm Sat 28th – Earth Hour April 29th – Passover April 5th – Easter |
Looking Ahead - Summer Term
Summer Term | Value: Enjoy Learning |
Term Starts | Monday 13th April - BIG SPRING DAY |
Friday 24th April | Summer Term Prefects announced in assembly |
30th April | HMS Elliot hall – Percussion workshop |
Monday 11th – Thursday 14th | YEAR 6 SATS WEEK All year 6 in School |
Tuesday 19th, Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st May | Year 2 Florence Nightingale Museum trip |
Monday 18th May | RE Day 5 |
Thursday 21st May | Family Eid Bazaar after school |
25th – 29h May | Half Term |
Monday 1st June | INSET DAY – No children in school |
Tuesday 2nd June | Value: Dream Big Term Starts: 2nd June 2026 |
Thursday 4th June | Teach Rex workshop - Reception |
W.b. 1st June – 12th June | Year 4 Multiplication Check window |
W.b. Monday 8th June | Year 1 Phonics check week Assessment Week |
W.b. 8th June | Year 6 Company Week |
W.B. 8th June | Oracy Week |
10th – 12th June | Year 5 Trip to Thriftwood Activity Centre |
Tuesday 16th June | Sports Day and Family Picnic –9.30- 2pm finish |
Saturday 20th June | Friends Summer Carnival |
Friday 26th June | Recepton trip to Hertfordshire Zoo |
Wednesday 1st July | ‘Move Up’ Morning |
Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd July | Year 6 Show – Wednesday evening 6pm and Thursday afternoon 1pm |
Monday 6th – Friday 10th July | Year 6- Isle of Wight |
Friday 10th | Reports out Nursery- Year 5 |
Monday 13h July | Dream Big Open Evening 3.30-5pm |
Monday 13th July | RE Day 6 |
Tuesday 14th July | Music Concert |
Monday 13th July | Reports out – Year 6 |
Thursday 16th July | 8am Year 6 Leavers Breakfast and Assembly- Year 6 Families invited |
Friday 17th July | Term Ends for Children 1.30pm |
