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Our value for this half term: Love
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Welcome to our first Grayswood CE Primary School Newsletter of the 2025/26 school year!
We must begin with a very special welcome to all of our new pupils and families; we are so glad you have chosen Grayswood for your child's education and hope that they flourish during their time with us.
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Our new Reception class students have settled in wonderfully, and we are so proud of how the older pupils have helped them to feel at home. One of the lovely things about Grayswood is the opportunity for different ages to mix and to learn from each other.
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We were also joined by some new members of staff in September:
- Mrs Dining - Year R LSA (Learning Support Assistant)
- Miss Wylie - Year 3 teacher
- Mrs Fairhurst - Year 4 teacher
- Mrs Trask - Midday Meal Supervisor
Welcome to the team!
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Year 6 Ambassadors Announced
Congratulations to Audrey, Cora, Tils and Arlo who have been appointed as our new Year 6 Ambassadors. The application process to become a Grayswood School Ambassador takes courage, commitment and confidence, and we were hugely impressed with the speeches which were delivered.
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"Hi, I'm Audrey, and I am so excited to be representing the school as a new Year 6 Ambassador."
"Hello, my name is Cora, and I'm one of the Year 6 Ambassadors. I can't wait to be helping our school alongside Miss Cole. I have a bunch of ideas I'm excited to put into action. Thank you for this opportunity."
"Hi, I'm Tils and I will be one of the new Year 6 Ambassadors. I'm so excited about representing the school, and I'm looking forward to showing prospective parents around!"
"Hello, I'm Arlo. Thank you to everyone who voted for me to be a Year 6 School Ambassador. This is the best school, I am so proud to be a student here. I'm excited to work with my fellow Ambassadors on some of the ideas we have."
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Tim The Tortoise Has Arrived
You may remember before the summer holidays we held a competition for our children to design our brand new speed awareness mascot.
Out of a huge number of creative designs submitted, Cressida, now in our Year 6 Kites class, came out victorious with her design for 'Tim' the Tortoise.
Now, thanks to the efforts of Heidi Trask, who led the initiative, and Emma Stokes from "Studio Simple", Tim has been brought to life and can be seen in and around school and the village with his important message of "Slow and Steady". We hope that Tim will be a constant reminder to take care on the roads.
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SCARF workshops
To kick off the year, we invited in Mark from SCARF, the scheme we use for our PSHE across the school. He brought the Lifespace with him and every class had the opportunity to learn about keeping healthy and safe. Each workshop was tailored to the age group of the children. Below is an account written by pupils in Year 6.
"Earlier this month, Years 5 and 6 had a PSHE workshop with Mark from SCARF. It was fascinating and we learnt a lot of new things.
We talked about the effects of drugs (both good and bad) on the body, and then we focused in on the detrimental effects of smoking, vaping and alcohol. Mark told us about how smoking can damage our lungs by coating them in tar and how vaping also has negative effects – and could even be worse! We were also warned about the dangers of underage drinking. The positive news though is that in UK secondary schools, fewer children are smoking and drinking now because of good education.
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We also learnt about the importance of being assertive, but still kind, so we can stand up for ourselves without hurting other people’s feelings. Mark showed us some breathing techniques too, which can help us stay calm when we’re feeling stressed or worried. We’re all going to try and use the ‘palm of calm’ techniques.
Finally, we learnt about looking after our bodies through exercise, sleep and healthy food. Mark reminded us that things like creativity, smiling and even laughing are good for our brains because they release dopamine and endorphins, which make us feel happy.
Overall, the workshop helped us to understand more about how to make good choices for our body and our mind."
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GRAYSWOOD Primary School Pop-up Restaurant - tickets NOW LIVE
After two fun and successful evenings, the team is doing it for a third time.
With that in mind, we are thrilled to announce that tickets for our highly anticipated Grasywood Primary School Pop-Up Restaurant 3.0 are now on sale!
Please join us for an evening of delicious seasonal food prepared by parent and chef, Dan Britten and his team with wine pairings, all while supporting the school.
Here’s what you need to know:
📅 When; Saturday 22 Nov 2025
📍 Where; Grayswood Primary School, Lower Road, Grayswood.
⌚ Time: from 6.30pm
💷 Dollarbucks: £75 per person (with NO booking fee!)
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Enjoy welcome drinks on reception and a four course dinner complimented by wine pairings. The seasonal menu will be announced shortly.
Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to act quickly to secure your spot. To purchase tickets, simply follow the link below.
➡️ https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/grayswood-primary-school
NB, this is a governor led event so any questions, please email 📧 simeon.berends@gmail.com
We had such fun over the last two years so please join us for again this amazing opportunity to support our school and enjoy a memorable evening with fellow parents and carers. We can’t wait to see you there!
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A letter from Surrey County Council- Twelve15 catering service
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Dear parents and carers,
Following the Surrey County Council Cabinet meeting on 23 September, a decision was made to enter a period of consultation and engagement to gain input from staff and schools on the proposal to close catering and equipment maintenance services, provided by Twelve15.
Surrey County Council plan to start the consultation on 1 October, in line with necessary guidance for Cabinet decision-making processes and the consultation will run until 15 November 2025.
It is important to reiterate that no final decision will be made until after the consultation. Once the consultation has closed, all feedback will be reviewed prior to a final decision.
Another update will be shared once the consultation has finished and a final decision has been made.
If you have any questions or comments about this, please email SCCTwelve15Updates.Stakeholders@surreycc.gov.uk
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Autism is a unique way of experiencing the world. Children on the autism spectrum often have incredible strengths—such as deep focus, creative thinking, strong memory, and a passion for specific interests. While they may communicate or interact differently, these differences can bring fresh perspectives and enrich our communities. Embracing neurodiversity means recognising that every child has something valuable to offer. With understanding and support, autistic children can thrive and shine in their own extraordinary ways.
Greta Thunberg famously has Autism. Her strength of character is enriched through thinking differently. The inspirational quote below demonstrates how attuned she is spiritually and aligns with our school vision. Small acts of kindness support us all in creating a conscious, caring community. Be inspired!
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Stars of the Week
12th September: Rose B, Amy, Harry T, Ottilie R, Albert, Mabel W, Rose K-C, Bobbie, Annabelle I, George G, Toby S, Azurra
19th September: Florence G, Margot, Grace S, Penny, Esme B, Ned, Ottilie C, Tom N-T, Riley, Alex F, Felix
26th September: Otto, Joshua, Hugo T, Zachary E, Henry, Nina, Emily, Hugh, Isla P, Sophia R, Matty
School Value Awards
12th September: Arlo C, Lucia, Mabel M
19th September: Clemmie
26th September: Mila S, Ava D
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House Points
The house point totals for this half term so far are:
Darwin - 1127
Lovelace - 1123
Hawking - 1057
Burns - 906
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Good attendance is not just valuable, it's essential. Good attendance promotes good outcomes for pupils and provides them with the very best opportunity to reach their potential.
We regularly track the attendance for each child and communicate with parents where any concerns may be emerging. The government class attendance below 90% is as 'persistently absent' and under 50% 'severely absent'.
The percentage attendance figures for each class as a whole in September are:
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1st. Robins - 98.9%
2nd. Wrens - 97.8%
3rd. Swallows - 97.6%
4th. Kingfishers - 97.5%
5th. Woodpeckers - 97.3%
6th. Swifts - 96.4%
7th. Kites - 95.8%
Well done Robins on topping the leaderboard for September!
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Just to remind parents/carers of our attendance policy which came into action in September 2024. If you take your child/children out of school without authority for 5 or more days (which do not have to be consecutive), then the following will apply:
1. If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children in a rolling 3 year period since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.
2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.
3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.
Surrey County Council is not responsible for authorising pupil absence and therefore cannot withdraw any Penalty Notice requests without the written permission of the Headteacher.
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Earn commission for Grayswood School when buying your name labels!
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Food Banks
As a school we are able to refer families who may need a little extra support to the local food banks in Haslemere (Haslemere Methodist Church) or Godalming (if you live in or around Witley).
Even if it's just a one-off visit you need to help you during a difficult time for you and your family.
If you would like to know more please email our Home School Link Worker, Sarah De Marcos (in confidence) at:
hslw@grayswood.surrey.sch.uk
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Hosting a party?
A reminder that you can hire our school hall for your parties, events or clubs. It's available after school, at weekends and during the school holidays.
To find out more please contact our School Business Manager, on sbm@grayswood.surrey.sch.uk
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