Issue 7 - 16th October 2026
Issue number: 7 Date: 16th October 2026
Dear Parents/Carers,
Another busy week has come to an end, with lots happening across the school community. We enjoyed a netball match, welcomed families to our SEND/Pastoral coffee morning and shared a lovely 3C parent lunch. We have also had school photos and flu vaccinations taking place, so it has certainly been a full and varied week.
This morning, our Year 6 children left for their residential to Grafham Water. This is a rite of passage for Year 6 at Almond Hill, and I know they are looking forward to spending time together, trying new activities and making lasting memories. We wish them a safe and enjoyable trip and look forward to hearing about their adventures when they return.
Next week will be slightly quieter as we get ready for the end of the first half term. We have the last of our Year 3 parent lunches, followed by our pre-loved book sale. The book sale will be a great opportunity for children to choose something new to read while giving pre-loved books another life.
Have a good weekend.
Emma Fordham,
Headteacher
Key Messages
Secondary School Applications
Please remember to apply for your child's secondary or upper school place for September 2027. The online application system is now open.
Please see the attached leaflet for details of open events. Further information is available at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions.
Saturday 31 October 2026 - Closing date for applications (online and paper).
It is really important your home address is correct on Arbor and is the same address you use to apply for your child’s secondary school place. The admissions team do check with school and it can hold up your application if there is a different address.
A Big Thank You for Supporting Our Mini Marathon
A huge thank you to all our families for supporting our mini marathon. We have been completely overwhelmed by your generosity, encouragement and enthusiasm. Thanks to your support, we have helped Mrs Geer raise more than £4,000 for the NSPCC, which is a fantastic achievement. She is running the London Marathon next year for the NSPCC, so this event was a meaningful way for our school community to support the charity and her fundraising efforts.
The children showed great determination as they took part and it was lovely to see families cheering them on. Your donations and kind messages made the event particularly special for everyone involved.
The mini marathon was so popular that it will now be reinstated as a yearly event. In future, it will help to raise money for the school, supporting activities and opportunities for our children. Thank you once again for helping to make the day such a success.
Year 3 Parent Lunch
A reminder of the dates for the Year 3 parent lunches. Lunch will be served at 12.20pm on separate days:
Wednesday 21st October – 3B (Miss Bonfield and Mrs Geer)
Grace Community Church Clothes Bank
If you think you would like to use this service, please contact Mrs Wright (wrighth@almondhill.herts.sch.uk) who can make the referral for you. As always, this will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Diary Dates
You can subscribe to our calendar to keep up to date with the events going on within the school?
Follow the link below, select 'subscribe' and follow the instructions for your device.
SEND and Pastoral Parent Drop ins...
We welcome all parents to attend our SEND and Pastoral 'drop ins' (whether your child has a diagnosis or not) if they feel they would benefit from speaking to our SENCo and/or our pastoral team. In our experience, almost all children benefit from pastoral support during their journey at school. Examples of where this has been supportive in the past are when friendship issues arise, loss of a pet, online issues outside of school, family break up and bereavement. We are always delighted when more parents join us.
Tuesday 13th October - 8:45-9.30am
Thursday 3rd December - 2.30-3.15pm
Book Sales
21st October 2026
25th November 2026
Uniform Sales
5th November 2026
10th December 2026
Attendance
Year 3 96.86%
Year 4 96%
Year 5 95.79%
Year 6 96.31%
All Students 96.22%
6W 99.3%
4W 99.2%
Class of the Week
The Tidy Classroom Award
House Points
Almond Hill Achievements
Autumn Term 2026
At Almond Hill, we love to share and celebrate your successes. If you would like your child featured in our weekly newsletter, please complete the form below and add a photo of your child. You can see some of our recent achievements below...
FOAH Update
Christmas Card Designs Deadline
A reminder that the deadline to order your FOAH Christmas card designs and gifts is 12.00pm on Tuesday 20th October. Please note that this date differs from the deadline communicated last week. We apologise for any confusion and appreciate your understanding.
Halloween Disco on Monday 2nd November
We are delighted to announce that Friends of Almond Hill will be hosting this year’s Halloween Disco on Monday 2nd November! 🎃
If you have some monster moves bursting to get out, then our Halloween Disco is the place for you!
We will be running four Halloween discos, one for each year group. Tickets are £6, which includes a drink and a slice of pizza, and must be purchased on Arbor (in the school shop) by Monday 19th October. This will be available from 4.30pm today.
Fancy dress is welcome but not compulsory.
This year, we’re going back to the good old-fashioned disco — music for everyone, dancing with all your friends, and no headphones required! 🎶🕺👻 So polish your pumpkins, grab your broomsticks and get ready to dance the night away!
Please do not leave/bring your child if you have not purchased a ticket. Unfortunately, we cannot allow entry without one and we would hate to cause any upset on the day.
Year 3
Children in Year 3 can stay at school at 3.15pm and their teacher will escort them to the disco. If your child is staying here, please ensure they have their costume or change of clothes with them. They will have time to change in class before the disco starts.
In the past, we have had parents arrive at the end of the school day to dress their children in elaborate outfits, which takes a lot of time and means children miss out on what is a relatively short time at the disco. If your child is dressing up, please allow them to bring their costume to school so they can get ready with their classmates and make the most of the disco.
Years 4–6
Children in Years 4–6 must be dropped at the hall doors by the main office via the main office gate, which will be open. If your child is booked to go to Premier after-school club, they can bring a change of clothes with them and will be taken to the disco by an adult.
All children must be collected from the quadrant by an adult. As it may be dark when your child is being collected, we will see the children out individually to ensure everybody’s safety. Please form an orderly queue!
Please remember that staff and parents volunteer their time for these events, so we would really appreciate a prompt collection at the end of the disco.
Phones are not allowed at the disco, so please make sure these are left at home.
We can't wait to see everyone on the dance floor! 🕷️👻🎃
In Other News...
Lindsey Pollard Dance School – Arts and Crafts Camps Day
Join us for a fun-filled Dance & Arts and Crafts Day Camp! Children will explore a variety of exciting dance genres, build confidence, and learn new skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Alongside dancing, campers will get creative with a range of arts and crafts activities, making unique projects to take home. A perfect mix of movement, creativity and fun! https://lindsey-pollard-dance.classforkids.io/camp/4
Netball Update
Our new Y5/6 mixed netball team had their first game on Monday. They played at home against Round Diamond and were brilliant. The passing was accurate, the defending was strong and there were some brilliant shots. The team gelled well and won 4-0! An excellent start to the season. Alex was voted the opposition player's player and…
U11s Table Tennis
Well done to some of our Year 6 pupils who took part in a round robin table tennis tournament at Barclay this week! 🏓 It was a great opportunity to develop their skills, play against other schools and enjoy some competitive matches.
Additional Information for Parents...
HPCI Annual Parent Carer Survey (2026) – closing date 1 November
Herts Parent Carer Involvement exists to represent the views of the parents and carers of children and young people with SEND in Hertfordshire. We are an independent parent-led organisation, who work alongside Hertfordshire health, education and social care services, to help focus the decision makers on improving services and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
We have recently launched our 2026 annual survey, to find out more about what families in Hertfordshire are experiencing. We want to know what works and what doesn’t, so that we can make sure we are concentrating on the areas that matter most to the families you support.
The survey is open until 1 November and the information we gain is vital. It will help us prioritise our work and importantly, give us more data to back up what we are saying to the education, health and social care systems that we engage with.
The more families who take part in our survey, the more powerful our voices become. We don’t just want to hear from families with EHCPs or children with a formal diagnosis; we want to know how the system works for all families, at all stages in the process.
To complete the survey, families need to click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HPCISurvey2026
There is also a shorter version for families who would find that easier. You can find the shorter survey here.
Stevenage Community Trust – Christmas Gift Cards
The Stevenage Community Trust runs an annual Christmas Gift Card Scheme, providing £200 in gift cards to support struggling families and children in need across Stevenage and the surrounding villages. Families are unable to self-refer for this support, as all applications must be submitted by a professional on their behalf.
If you feel this scheme could help ease financial pressures over the Christmas period and support with the cost of gifts or food for your children, please contact Mrs Wright in the strictest confidence: wrighth@almondhill.herts.sch.uk
Applications must be submitted by 31st October. To allow sufficient time for completion before the half-term break, please contact Mrs Wright no later than 19th October.
Heating Grants Available This Winter
As the colder months approach, families who are experiencing financial hardship may be able to access support with their energy costs through a Heating Grant. Applications are open from 1st October to 31st March. The scheme is available to people on a low income, including those in employment, receiving state benefits, or receiving a pension. Please note that you do not need to be receiving benefits to be considered for support.
Successful applicants will receive a £300 grant, which will be paid directly to their energy provider to help with heating costs during the winter months.
If you think you may be eligible, we encourage you to explore this opportunity and contact Mrs Wright in the strictest confidence: wrighth@almondhill.herts.sch.uk who can apply on your behalf.
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