Issue 9 - Friday 23rd October 2026
Issue 9 - Friday 23rd October 2026
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Headteacher's Welcome
Headteacher's Welcome
Dear Parkfield Families,
What better way to end the half term than with a little bit of X-Factor magic! Our school has been filled with poetry, performances and plenty of proud moments this week, bringing a fantastic first half term to a close. It is hard to believe that we are already seven and a half weeks into the school year, but what a wonderful start our Parkfielders have made!
Our Poetry X-Factor was a huge success today, with classes taking to the stage to perform their poems in front of our judges. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm, confidence and creativity on display, with children working together to bring their poetry to life. A big well done to everyone who took part. You certainly made the judges' job difficult!
A big thank you to our Year 3 families who joined us for Family Learning this week. We hope you found the session useful and enjoyed finding out more about how you can support your child's reading at home.
It was also lovely to welcome so many families into school for Parents' Evening on Wednesday. An impressive 90% of our families attended, which is fantastic! Thank you for taking the time to meet with teachers and discuss how your child has settled into their new class. Working together is so important in helping our Parkfielders achieve their very best.
As we reach the end of this half term, we would also really appreciate your feedback. Our parent questionnaire has been emailed out, and we would be grateful if you could spare a few minutes to complete it. Your views are incredibly important to us, helping us celebrate what we do well and identify ways we can make Parkfield even better.
Finally, I would like to thank all our children, staff and families for their hard work and support throughout this first half term. Have a wonderful and well-deserved half-term break, enjoy some quality family time, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday 2nd November!
Mr Kemp
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER - SCHOOL RE-OPENS AFTER HALF TERM
TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER @ 9AM - YEAR 2 FAMILY LEARNING Familes of our Y2 pupils are welcome to join us in the school hall for a lesson focussed on reading.
WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER - YEAR 4 TRIP TO M6 THEATRE Our Y4 Parkfielders will be enjoying a day at M6 Thatre. They'll be watching a performance alongside a class from Brimrod Community School in Rochdale. The two classes will be linking up with each other across the year.
WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER - YEAR 5 TRIP TO ST. ANNE'S ACADEMY FOR 'LANGUAGES DAY'
FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER - HOUSE NON-UNIFORM DAY (TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE FIRST DAY BACK) This reward is because the house earned the most dojo points this past half term.
LATEST NEWS
LATEST NEWS
We would like to tell you that after half term, we will be selling items for the Poppy appeal including: paper poppies, stickers, snapbands, pencils, bracelets and reflective poppies. The items have suggested prices between 20p and £1. All donations will go towards the Poppy Appeal. We will be selling them in the week beginning Monday 2nd November on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in Key Stage 2 and Wednesday and Friday for Reception and Key Stage 1. We hope you will donate to the Poppy Appeal! Thank you.
ATTENDANCE
Our current whole-school attendance stands at 95.3%, placing us in the bottom 40% of schools nationally. Although this is below our school target of 96% (7.5 days absent per pupil), we know that by working together, we can make a real difference.
During the past half term, our Parkfielders have missed 63 school days due to holidays, 81 days due to lateness and 140 days due to illness. Interestingly, without the days lost to holidays and lateness, our whole-school attendance would be 97.5%, comfortably above our target! This really highlights the difference that regular attendance and arriving on time can make. We fully understand that children become unwell and sometimes need to stay at home, but every school day really does count.
This year, we have introduced our new Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze attendance awards to recognise and celebrate excellent attendance. Pupils can achieve Platinum for 100%, Gold for 98% or above, Silver for 97% or above and Bronze for 96% or above. We hope these awards will encourage our Parkfielders to aim high and celebrate their achievements. More information can be found on our website here: https://www.parkfieldprimary.com/families/attendance
We recognise that some families face challenges with attendance, and we are always here to help. If there is anything we can do to support your child in attending school regularly and arriving on time, please get in touch. Together, we can reach our 96% target and ensure every Parkfielder has the best possible opportunity to succeed!
MAD SCIENCE
Our Science after school club starts after the holidays on Tuesday 3rd November from 3.15 - 4.15pm for the next six weeks. You will have recieved information from the Mad Science company if your child is going to be attending. Please pick up from the Main Entrance following the club.
READ WITH YOUR CHILD? SIGN THEIR PERSONAL ORGANISER
A reminder to please record and sign your child's personal organiser when you have listened to them read. If you can listen to your child read a minimum of three times a week it makes a huge difference!
DONATIONS FOR EARLY BIRDS/BUSY BEES
We’re looking for any unwanted dolls or wooden food that you may have at home and would be happy to donate to our Breakfast and After School Club. The children love using these items in their imaginative play, and they would be a lovely addition to our resources. If you have anything suitable that you no longer need, we’d be very grateful for your donations. Please send them into school with your child or hand them to a member of staff.
CHILDREN IN NEED
In previous years, we have supported Children in Need by inviting pupils to dress up and make a £1 donation. This year, we have decided not to take part as a school, as we have other fundraising activities planned this term. Our School Council will be supporting the Poppy Appeal, and we will also be raising money for Springhill Hospice through our popular Reindeer Run. We know that families are often asked to contribute to different causes, so we hope you understand our decision to focus on these two worthwhile charities this term.
PREVIOUS NEWS AND REMINDERS
Please note that you can use the links on the left (if viewing on a computer) or the top of this page (if viewing on a phone/tablet) to look back at previous news and messages that have been shared in previous newsletters.
DINNER MENU NEXT WEEK - WEEK 1
If you'd like to know what is on next weeks menu, please click here: https://www.parkfieldprimary.com/families/dinner-menus
LUNCH TIME AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS ⚽🎾🏃
LUNCH TIME AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS ⚽🎾🏃
If your child has gained a place you will have received an email to confirm this.
Please always check the newsletter to make sure your child's club is on the following week as they are sometimes cancelled due to Middleton Schools Sports fixtures.
Monday - Year 3 & 4 Multi Sports -
Tuesday - Year 5 & 6 Football -
Tuesday 22nd September - Cookery Club - NEW GROUP
Wednesday - Year 5 & 6 Multi Sports CANCELLED DUE TO CROSS COUNTRY
Wednesday - Karaoke Club - NEW GROUP
Thursday - Year 4, 5 & 6 Cross Country Club (Lunchtime)
Thursday - Year 4, 5 & 6 Netball Club - CANCELLED DUE TO FOOTBALL MATCH
MEET OUR PARKFIELD STAFF & GOVERNORS
MEET OUR PARKFIELD STAFF & GOVERNORS
Mrs Hartley (Y3 Teacher)
Mrs Hartley (Y3 Teacher)
Mrs Hartley has been at Parkfield for over 18 years, although we originally only borrowed her from another Rochdale school for 6 weeks. Mrs Hartley has 2 sons who are 10 and 7 whom she loves spending time with and exploring the outdoors. They have both recently joined football teams so her new hobby is standing on the touch line cheering them on. She also enjoys being a leader of the local Cubs and Beavers groups where she spends lots of time planning fun activities and taking them on camp. Mrs Hartley spends her school holidays travelling, shopping or curled up in front of the fire with a good book.
ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY⏰
ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY⏰
Current Whole School Attendance: (96% Target)
Current Whole School Attendance: (96% Target)
Attendance (This week)
Attendance (This week)
Reception: 97%
Year 1: 98%
Year 2: 87.6%
Year 3: 93.3%
Year 4: 92.8%
Year 5: 92%
Year 6: 98.7%
Whole School: 94.3%
Number of lates this week: 40
A reminder that classes that achieve at least 96% attendance (no more than 6 days of absence across a class) get a reward on their attendance ladder!
Attendance Recognition
Attendance Recognition
This year children can be awarded with either a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze certificate of attendance in recognition of meeting our school target of 96%. We will regularly update you on how well your child is doing.
Platinum: 100% attendance (0 days absent)
Gold: 98% attendance or above (3 days absent)
Silver: 97% attendance or above (5 days absent)
Bronze: 96% attendance or above (6 days absent)
Holidays in term time
Holidays in term time
Please note that, in line with the school policy, fines will be issued to families that go on a term time holiday where children miss 5 consecutive full days. Currently the fine is £160 per child per parent which equates to a £640 fine for a two parent family with two children. This is reduced to £320 if paid within 21days. If you are going on holiday due to exceptional circumstances, please speak to the headteacher as a fine may not have to be issued. More information an be found on our attendance policy found here.
Persistent Absence
Persistent Absence
Persistent absence is defined by the Government as attendance below 90%. This equates to 19 days or more of absence a year or 100+ lessons missed. If a child’s attendance drops below 90% this could lead to them becoming a safeguarding concern and will certainly lead to them doing less well than their peers.
The link between attendance and achievement cannot be over stated. Your child will achieve better if they are in school every day. Only in very exceptional circumstances should a child be absent from school. Please ring the school office no later than 8.30am to report an absence.
Punctuality
Punctuality
Please get your child to school on time. Poor punctuality can lead to your child…
Feeling embarrassed in front of their friends
Missing the beginning of vital lessons making them fall behind
Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day
At Parkfield children are to line up before school and doors open at 8.45am. They close at 8.50am.
Arrivals after 8.50am are to sign in at the main office and anyone arriving after 9.15am are marked as an unauthorised absence for the morning session.
Medicines
Medicines
Our overall school attendance is steadily increasing and one reason is due to many of our families taking up the school offer of bringing a bottle of Calpol in for their child if they are feeling slightly under the weather. The medicine can then be administered by school staff if your child needs it throughout the day. We do find that many of our Parkfielders show that true resilience when they arrive in school and get through their day with very little support. However, if your child is too poorly to stay in school, we will contact home so that they can be collected.
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION
Mrs Smith is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) supported by Mr Kemp, Mrs Clawson and Mrs Edyvean. If you have any concerns about the needs or welfare of a pupil, please don't hesitate to contact the school. We all share a responsibility to our pupils safety and wellbeing.
As a school our promise is: We will listen, we will support and we will take action.
More information can be found on the school website here: https://www.parkfieldprimary.com/website/safeguarding-and-child-protection.html
HEALTH and SAFETY
HEALTH and SAFETY
STAY SAFE REMINDERS
If your child is attending Early Birds, please walk down the path and through the KS1 yard - it may take a few more seconds but it's much safer than walking through the busy car park. If the hall door is ever closed, simply ring the bell for assistance.
Dogs are not permitted in the school playground.
If driving, park further away from the school and walk to reduce congestion and the possibility of any serious accidents.
Unfortunately, Parents and Carers are not allowed to drop off and pick up from the school car park between 8.30am and 4.00pm.
Children are not allowed on the play equipment before and after school. Please keep them off.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
5 WAYS TO WELLBEING
At Parkfield we promote the 5 ways to Wellbeing which can help children and adults to achieve a more positive lifestyle.
#THRIVE offer a local service for children and young people aged up to 19 years who are experiencing health and wellbeing issues such as feeling stressed, worried or not enjoying things. #Thrive can also provide advice and support to parents, carers and anyone that works with a child or young person. You can find out more information about the service by clicking here: https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/thrive
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