Over St. John's CE Primary SchoolHead Teacher Blog: Friday 17th July 2026
Date: 17th Jul 2026 @ 8:12am
As this will be my final blog of the academic year, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our parents and carers for your continued support throughout the year. The partnership between home and school is such an important one, and we are incredibly grateful for the encouragement, kindness and support that you show to both the staff and children. It has been another busy and memorable year, filled with so many wonderful experiences, achievements, trips, performances, sporting events and opportunities for our children to learn, grow and flourish.
Of course, at this time of year, our thoughts also turn to our Year 6 children as they prepare to leave us and begin the next chapter of their journey. Every year group leaves its mark on a school and this year's Year 6 cohort are no exception. They have brought enthusiasm, humour, resilience and character to our school community and have been excellent role models for the younger children.
They led a truly wonderful Leavers' Performance this week and we could not have been prouder of them. They spoke with confidence, sang beautifully and entertained us all from beginning to end. The performance was filled with memories from their time at Over St. John's, bringing both laughter and the occasional tear as we reflected on how much they have grown during their time with us. It was a fitting celebration of a fantastic group of children and a lovely opportunity for them to share their personalities, talents and friendships with their families and the wider school community. Well done, Year 6 — you were amazing.
As they leave us, we do so in the knowledge that they are ready for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Our Christian vision reminds us to 'Let your light shine' (Matthew 5:16) and we have seen that light shine brightly throughout their time with us. We hope they leave carrying that message with them, continuing to use their gifts, talents and kindness to make a positive difference wherever life takes them next.
We wish Jaydan, Alice, Sophia, Alyssia, Kira, George, Finley, Connie, Lexi-May, Oscar, Ernie, Brooke, Marley, Evie, Courban, Kobe, Phoebe, Victoria, Keiya, Ava and Zac every happiness and success for the future. Once part of the Over St. John's family, always part of the Over St. John's family, and we will look forward to hearing about all that they go on to achieve.
Wheelie Day
On Tuesday we held a very popular Wheelie Day and it was wonderful to see so many children bringing in their bikes and scooters to take part. We had a fantastic turnout, with children of all ages enjoying the opportunity to cycle and scoot around the track, weaving in and out of cones and developing their confidence and control along the way.
Most importantly, there were lots of smiles, plenty of laughter and a great deal of fun to be had. It was lovely to see the children encouraging one another and making the most of the opportunity to be active outdoors. Thank you to everyone who brought in their bikes and scooters and helped to make the day such a success.
PTA Thanks
I just wanted to say a special thank you to all the members of the PTA for the tireless work that they have put in this year to organise such lovely activities for the children to raise vital money for the school. I think my particular favourite was a new activity this year – the Autumn Festival. Also, for the extra special and thoughtful things they have provided for our children such as the SATs gifts for the Year 6s and the fabulous treat yesterday with the ice cream van providing a free treat for all the children. Yes, the queues were long, but that is to be expected and the free treat at the end was definitely worth it. Thank you so much!
If you are interested in helping out with the PTA, they hold their AGM in September where you can find out how to get involved. Details will be sent out early in the Autumn Term.
Uniform and Equipment for September – A Gentle Reminder
As we look ahead to September, I would like to share a few reminders regarding school uniform and the items children bring into school.
Our uniform remains simple and practical: a light blue polo shirt, blue school sweatshirt or cardigan, grey trousers or skirt and sensible black school shoes (not trainers). During the warmer months, children may also wear grey shorts or a blue and white checked summer dress. Our PE kit consists of a plain white t-shirt, plain black shorts, black joggers for cooler weather and black pumps or trainers for outdoor PE.
All stationery and learning resources are provided by school, so there is no need for children to bring in pencil cases, pens or any equipment from home.
As many of you know, we do not have separate cloakroom facilities and storage space within classrooms is very limited. With this in mind, please do not purchase school bags for September. Snacks can fit into pockets, drinks bottles can be stored in classrooms and packed lunches can be carried in by hand before being placed in the designated storage areas.
A reminder too that all uniform, PE kit, drinks bottles and lunchboxes should be clearly named. Each year we end up with a sizeable collection of unnamed items, making it very difficult to return them to their rightful owners. A name on an item can save a great deal of time and helps us reunite children with their belongings quickly – as well as saving you lots of money in replacements!
Keeping belongings to a minimum helps us to maintain tidy, uncluttered learning environments and is important for health and safety reasons. Thank you, as always, for your support in helping us make the best use of our classroom spaces.
Summer Reading Challenge - Reminder
With the summer holidays just around the corner, I would like to encourage all of our children to take part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge, organised by Cheshire West and Chester Libraries.
Reading over the summer is a wonderful way for children to maintain and develop their reading skills whilst also discovering new books and authors. The challenge is free to join through our local library and there are rewards along the way for children who take part. There is even a trophy available for the primary school in each area with the most children completing the challenge – we want to win it!
Further information can be found in the attached leaflet or by visiting www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/read .
Good luck to everyone who takes part – I look forward to hearing about the books that have been enjoyed over the summer break.
Green Uniform and Baby Bank - School Uniform Support - Reminder
We have been asked to share some information about a local uniform support offer from Green Uniform and Baby Collective (GUBCo), who have worked with us previously to support families with uniform and school shoes.
They are continuing and expanding their programme for the next academic year, offering support to families who may need help accessing good-quality school uniform. Families can apply directly using this form and any support will be arranged for collection over the summer break.
Further information, including how to apply and some frequently asked questions, can be found via this link
If this is something that may be helpful for your family, please do take a look.
#WakeUpWednesday
Skin betting is an emerging trend where players gamble using in-game cosmetic items that can carry real-world value. This week’s guide helps parents and educators understand how these systems work, why they appeal to young people, and how easily they can blur the line between gaming and gambling.
It also highlights key risks, including unregulated platforms, social pressure and influencer promotion, while offering practical advice on spotting warning signs and putting safeguards in place. Supporting adults to have informed, open conversations, it aims to promote safer, more positive gaming experiences for children and young people.
Support for Families – Summer Holidays
We have been asked to share some information about support that is available to families over the summer holidays through the Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Families who are currently in receipt of Free School Meals may be able to apply for financial support to help with food costs during the holidays. Applications will open at the end of June and remain open throughout the summer break. Further information, including how to apply, can be found via Crisis and Resilience Fund link.
We know that the school holidays can sometimes place additional pressure on families, so if this is something that may be helpful, please do take a look. There is also a wider range of support available through the Council for anyone who may need it.
As always, if you would prefer to speak to us in school, please do not hesitate to get in touch — we are here to help.
School Dinners
School dinners cost £3.20 per day, £16 per week. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive free meals as part of the government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) scheme.
If you are in receipt of benefits and think that you may be entitled to free school meals, please click here for more information and support and how to apply. It is very important to apply for free schools meals whatever year your child is in, even if you receive the UIFSM in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, as the school receives a sum of extra money to further help support your child and their education.
Illness - Reminder
It is that time of year when so many people are catching lots of different bugs that are going around. With some of these, it is important that your child stays at home to avoid passing the illness around but there are others that they are perfectly fine to come to school with. I am re-sharing a link that gives you an idea of some common illnesses and whether you should keep your child at home or send them in to school: Is My Child too Ill for School?
Absence During Term Time – Reminder
Penalty Notices are issued for irregular attendance, with days off here and there throughout the term including holidays.
The National Framework for Penalty includes:
A Penalty Notice must be considered for 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period – these days do not have to be all at the same time, they can be a couple of days here and a couple of days there; they can be a combination of a couple of days holiday and a couple of days absence at other times too.
An increase to the amount of a Penalty Notice is now £160 if paid within 28 days, and £80 if paid within 21 days. This fine is issued to each parent separately for each child, so both parents receive the £80 fine, meaning that for one child it equals £160 (£80 for Mum and £80 for Dad) if both parents take the child.
A second Penalty Notice could be issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3 year period being charged at a higher rate of £160 with no option for this second offence to be discharged at the lower rate of £80.
A national limit of 2 penalty notices that can be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3 year period, so at the 3rd (or subsequent) offence(s) another tool will need to be considered (such as prosecution or one of the other attendance legal interventions).
Operation Encompass – Reminder
As a school, we participate in a police-led initiative called Operation Encompass, a scheme which ensures that we can better support any child where a domestic incident has been reported to the police from their home.
Following a domestic incident, the police will make contact with the school and communicate relevant information to nominated, fully trained school staff. This will ensure that we are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe, supported and listened to.
Each school has a member of staff called a key adult who is trained to liaise with the police, when required, whilst ensuring support is available to the child. If you would like to speak to someone further about the initiative, or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mrs Bettley as the key adults for Over St. John’s.
We are committed to working in partnership with local relevant organisations to safeguard and protect children across Cheshire and provide the best possible care and support for our pupils.
You can find out more about Operation Encompass via the following site: http://www.operationencompass.org
Confirmed Dates for the Summer Term 2026
Dinner Week 2
Tuesday 21st July: Leavers’ Service at St. John’s Church 9.15am
Tuesday 21st July: School closes for the summer at 2pm
Wednesday 2nd September: School opens at 8.35am
Wishing you a fabulous summer — and moments where your family’s light can shine brightly.
Take care,
Mrs E Snowdon