Anti-Bullying Week 2025 will take place from the 10^th to 14^th November 2025 and has the theme ‘Power for Good’. The week will kick off with another Odd Socks Day on Monday 10^th November – children are invited to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

Resources and support can be found at: https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week-2025/anti-bullying-week-2025

On Wednesday 22nd October, Tempest will be attending the school to take your child’s photograph. The company have informed us that they will take a group ‘sibling’ photograph for those families with more than one child in school and an individual photograph for each child. The ‘proof’ of your family/child’s photograph will be sent home, and you can then order online with your completed order sent to school.

Parents’ Evenings

Parents’ Evenings will be held on Tuesday 21^st and Thursday 23^rd October from 3.50pm until 7.00pm.  Bookings for this event are now live, and we ask that appointments are booked promptly. Discussions with your child’s teacher will take place in their classroom (children are welcome to join you at this appointment) and Mr Freear and Mr Wade will be offering tea and coffee in the hall. They will be joined by the school nurse, our uniform supplier and there will be an opportunity to try samples of some of the hot meals – please pop in to say hello.

Next Monday (6th October) is 'Straits Bright for Sight Day' and we will be raising funds for Beacon Centre for the Blind - www.beaconvision.org (It is there 150 year anniversary)

We will be hosting assemblies and workshops in school, focusing on living with sight loss. As part of this event we are inviting our children to wear their brightest clothes to school on this day and requesting that they make a donation of £1.00 to this worthwhile charity (of course you are welcome to donate more).

Please see the attached poster if you would like to scan and donate.

Year group Newsletters and Autumn Term Dates issued today.

Welcome back to school and the start of the autumn term. I would like to extend a warm welcome to families who have joined us at Straits Primary School this September. Mr Wade and I have been ‘visiting’ classrooms and have been impressed with the children’s successful start to the school year: they all seem to have settled well and we’ve witnessed some very smart children with some great learning behaviour.

We have been busy during the holidays and I hope you have noticed some of the changes – we have a new hall and dining room roof, a new dining room floor and new toilets in Year 1. Our plans for the coming year (and part of our fundraising efforts) will be to develop and create a new library area.

We have welcomed new members of staff to Straits this September: Mr Scullion (Year 6), Miss Dyson (Year 5), Mrs Riley (Year 2) and Mrs Dakin (Year 1). In addition to this, Miss James and Miss Naylor married during the holidays and will now be known as Mrs Leavesley (3L) and Mrs Cooper (5C).

You will also recall that we previously shared information with you regarding our ‘healthy breaktimes’ policy. We ask that children eat a healthy snack at breaktime. This could be a piece of fruit or vegetable, a cereal bar, a yoghurt or crackers and cheese. The items we will be asking our children not to eat at breaktimes are crisps or chocolate bars; please do not send these into school as your child’s breaktime snack.

We are busy preparing a range of exciting activities and events and will soon be issuing our autumn term calendar as well as our autumn term curriculum newsletters.  We have an ‘open door’ policy at Straits and if you do need to speak to a member of staff about an issue, please make an appointment for the end of the school day so that we can allow dedicated time to discuss any concerns.

Please also remember to check the parent hub app, the school website and follow our Facebook page – this will ensure that you are able to take an active role in school life and plan busy family lives.

School Discos

Our Summer Discos will be held on Thursday 17^th July at the following times:

1. Reception, Years 1 and 2 from 4.00pm – 5.00pm
2. Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 from 5.30pm – 6.30pm

No tickets are required for this event as children will pay on the door as they enter. The price of entry will be £3.00 and this will include refreshments.

The event will take place on Thursday 22^nd May from 3.30pm – 5.00pm and will involve live entertainment, stalls and refreshments (tombolas, bouncy castle, cake stall, Name the Teddy, Book stall, popcorn, ice cream van, burger van, donut van, candy floss etc…)

To support this event, we will be hosting two non-uniform days:

• Friday 16^th May where we will ask for donations of bottles, sweets and good quality teddy bears.
• Thursday 22^nd May (music themed outfits) where we will be asking for donations of chocolate or cakes.
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On the day, we are asking that children (and staff) come dressed to school as a musician, in ‘festival’ attire, or with band t-shirts on something to give the day a special feel. This is not a day to come in football tops!

From Monday 19^th May we will be selling ‘Straits Fest 2025’ wristbands at a price of £2.00 per wristband – if your child would like to purchase one then please send them with £2.00 during that week.

If you are able to help at this event (either setting up from 1.30pm or running a stall) please email: fundraising@straits.dudley.sch.uk or call the school office).

Timetable for live events

3:20pm - DJ set

3:45pm – Little Straits

4:00pm – Straits Choir

4:15pm - All Saints

4:30pm – Dire Straits Band

4:45pm - ABBA

5:00pm - DJ music

Wednesday 18^th - Sports Day

Years 1/2 @ 9.15am

Year 3-6 @ 10.30am

Reception @ 2.00pm

Easter Discos – Thursday 10th April

Our Easter Discos will be held on Thursday 10^th April at the following times:

• Reception, Years 1 and 2 from 4.00pm – 5.00pm
• Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 from 5.30pm – 6.30pm

No tickets are required for this event as children will pay on the main door as they enter. The price of entry will be £3.00 and this will include refreshments. All children will be dismissed from the back of the hall.