Newsletters

Friday 26th June, 2026

Dear Parents & Carers

Unfortunately, this week hasn't turned out quite as we planned with a few postponed events, but we've still seen lovely things happening in school and outside of school too.

Well done to all the children who represented the school at athletics this week, Whether you made it to the final or not, I was impressed with the level of effort and the commitment to do your best. Each and every one of the team deserves praise for their efforts, particularly with the warm temperatures.

Well done to Year 6 also for the fantastic behaviour at the residential last week and at the Norfolk Show yesterday. We had lots of good comments about the group at Hilltop which is always wonderful to hear. 

We have entered a time of a little anxiousness for many pupils with new beginnings on the horizon. The children will find out their new class in the end of year report, which is coming home next Friday.

Looking ahead, we have our Sports Days coming up on Tuesday & Wednesday. The weather looks good at the moment so fingers crossed! Please make sure you've filled in the link if you are staying for lunch with your child or children. 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Kind regards

Matt Walton, Headteacher 

Classes for next year

You will find out your child's new class next Friday when the end of year reports are sent home. 

Year 3/4

Martham - Mrs Wills & Mrs Connell 

Filby - Mrs Pope & Mrs Connell

Lily - Miss Allen

Year 5/6

Salhouse - Mrs Harrison & Mr Arthur

Hickling - Mr Reeds

Wroxham - Mr Ingham & Miss Clark 

City Sports Athletics

We had 30 children competing in athletics over 3 days this week. On Monday evening, we competed in the field events and the team competed well. Excellent performances came in the Long Jump from Julian (2nd) & Addy (4th).  Another fantastic performance came in the High Jump with Sam finishing in 3rd position. 

Onto the track events, it was great to see all the children competing and enjoying their running. A number of children made it through to the finals which were held yesterday. We need to highlight the following performances:

- Year 6 Boys' Relay team (3rd place - Sam, Julian, Toby & Wanye)

- Year 4 Girls' Relay team (Semi-finalists - Betsie, Imani, Amelia & Paige)

- Year 4 Girls' 60m final (2nd place - Imani)

- Year 3 Girls' 50m final (4th place - Isabel G)

- Year 4 boys' 60m final (3rd place - Josh)

- Year 6 boys hurdles final (2nd place - Sam)

- Year 6 boys 200m final (4th place - Julian)

Well done to all the children who were involved in any of the events, they all represented the school brilliantly. Can we say a big thank you to all parents for helping with lifts and with the team at the UEA. 

Year 6 at the Norfolk Show

On Wednesday, our Year 6 pupils enjoyed a fantastic day out at the Norfolk Show. Despite the extremely hot weather, everyone stayed safe by taking plenty of water breaks throughout the day and making the most of the shaded areas whenever possible.

There was so much to see and do, with a huge variety of exhibits, demonstrations and activities to explore. The children especially enjoyed collecting lots of freebies from the many stands, which added to the excitement of the day!

It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about agriculture, food production, the countryside and local businesses in a fun, hands-on environment. The children represented the school brilliantly with their excellent behaviour and enthusiasm.

Staying safe online

The internet offers children fantastic opportunities to learn, create, communicate and play. However, it is important that we work together to help children stay safe online and develop good digital habits.

Chat Rooms and Messaging Apps

Many children use messaging apps and group chats to stay in touch with friends. Apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and Discord can be great ways to communicate, but parents should be aware that children may sometimes be added to large groups or receive messages from people they do not know.

Talk regularly with your child about:

• Only communicating with people they know in real life.
• Never sharing personal information such as their full name, address, school or phone number.
• Telling a trusted adult if a message makes them feel uncomfortable, worried or upset.
• Blocking and reporting users who behave inappropriately.

Online Gaming

Online gaming is hugely popular and can help children develop teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills. Many games, however, include chat functions that allow players to talk with strangers.

Parents can help by:

• Checking the age ratings of games.
• Using parental controls on gaming consoles and devices.
• Discussing who children are playing with online.
• Encouraging children never to share personal information during games.
• Reminding children that not everyone online is who they say they are.

Social Media

Many social media platforms have minimum age requirements, often 13 years and above. Children may be exposed to inappropriate content, online pressure or contact from strangers.

We encourage parents to:

• Check age restrictions before allowing access to apps.
• Review privacy settings regularly.
• Follow or explore apps with their child so they understand how they work.
• Have regular conversations about what children are seeing and sharing online.
• Encourage children to think carefully before posting photos, videos or comments.

The Most Important Safety Tool: Conversation

Research consistently shows that open and regular conversations are one of the most effective ways to keep children safe online. Ask your child:

• What games are you enjoying?
• Who do you chat with online?
• What apps are popular with your friends?
• Has anything online ever made you feel uncomfortable?

Creating an environment where children feel able to talk about their online experiences is essential.

Helpful Websites for Parents

The following websites offer excellent advice, guides and resources:

• Internet Matters – practical guides on apps, games, parental controls and online safety.
• NSPCC Online Safety – advice for parents on keeping children safe online.
• Childnet – resources and family guidance for online safety.
• UK Safer Internet Centre – safety advice and guides for parents and carers.
• Thinkuknow (CEOP) – age-appropriate advice and resources for children and families.

There are more resources in the 'Stay safe online' section of our school website.

Staying safe in the water

As you know, everyone took part in the RNLI Water Safety Passport programme recently and it was great to see how much the children knew about staying safe when near or in water.

Unfortunately, recently there have been tragic incidents across the country of young people getting into difficulty when in or near water.

Click here for information from the RNLI about water safety or here for information from the Royal Life Saving Society. 

The RNLI water safety key messages booklet includes practical advice for families on staying safe around water, including guidance on beaches, rivers, lakes and waterways, as well as the key messages of how to recognise dangers, stay safe and respond in an emergency.

Safeguarding at Sprowston Junior

At Sprowston Junior School we are committed to supporting all of our children to do well. We will do everything we can to ensure our children are safeguarded and protected from harm. If you have any concerns about a child at our school and feel they could be a victim of abuse or are at risk, please report your worries immediately to one of our designated staff (DSLs). DSLs can be identified by their green lanyards.