Newsletters

SJS Newsletter - Friday 17th July 

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Friday 17th July, 2026

Dear Parents & Carers

We've had an enjoyable end to the term over these past few weeks with many trips and activities as you will see below.

Once again, a massive thank you to all parents and carers for their support over the academic year. Like always, the year has absolutely flown past, but we have many highlights to look back on as we enter the school holidays. 

The Year 6 pupils finally received their key stage 2 results today; I'm pleased they got them before they leave. We had a lovely leavers' assembly on Wednesday, and we wish them all the very best for the next part of their learning journey. 

We've had a couple of awards in recent days that I would like to highlight. Firstly, our SHIP Provision has been nominated for a Flourish Award and has been judged as 'Highly Commended' in the Learning award category. Secondly, following Ruby Bishop's visit to our Year 3/4 Sports Day, we were awarded 'Most Inclusive Sports Day 2026' and we have won a trip next year to the 2027 Lexus British Open in Roehampton. Well done to everyone for achieving both the awards. 

We say goodbye and all the best to Miss Hall today, who is moving on to a new school in September. We thank her for all her efforts and wish her well in her new role. 

I think all pupils and staff are ready for a well-earned break. I hope everyone has a lovely summer period, and we look forward to seeing everybody on Thursday 3rd September. We have many exciting events to look forward to in 2026/27, and I'm sure it will be a fantastic year coming up.

Kind regards

Matt Walton, Headteacher 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – St. Matthew's On-line

September

Thu 3rd - back to school

October

Fri 9th - NPSAA Cross country (Sprowston)

Friends' Events

The friends' events over the past few weeks certainly put some 'colour' into the final days! 

The children were thrilled with the 'colour run' and there was a definite ramping up from last year, which the children absolutely loved! The pictures below are evidence of this! 

The school fair was a lovely evening which was well attended and had a lovely atmosphere. Thank you if you were able to come along and support. It was a huge success. 

Last night we had the leavers' BBQ and disco. Once again, it was another fantastic event and the children enjoyed the BBQ and the music at the disco! The behaviour was excellent, and it was a great finish to the friends' events for this year. Thank you to all the adults who helped. 

As has been mentioned previously, Mrs Hartley and Mrs Lewis are stepping down from the friends after 10 years and will be missed. On behalf of everyone at Sprowston Junior, we would like to say a massive thank you to them both for all they have done for the school. The children have benefited hugely from the time and dedication they have given to the school. 

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RSC Tempest

Our RSC Club recently took part in a fantastic collaborative performance of The Tempest alongside pupils from schools across Norwich. The event was a wonderful celebration of Shakespeare, bringing together young performers to share their talents and showcase the hard work they had put into preparing scenes from this classic play.

Our children delivered some truly amazing and scene-stealing performances, demonstrating confidence, expression and a real understanding of their characters. Learning Shakespeare's language can be challenging, but the children showed great dedication in learning their lines and rehearsing their scenes, and their hard work certainly paid off on the day.

The performance was enhanced by brilliant choreography which helped bring the story to life and captivated the audience throughout. It was particularly wonderful to see pupils from different schools working together so successfully, highlighting the importance of teamwork, cooperation and a shared love of performance.

The event was made even more special by our RSC Ambassadors, who ran an informative and engaging stall, sharing their enthusiasm for Shakespeare and helping visitors learn more about our the story of the Tempest.

A huge thank you goes to Mrs Harrison for all of her hard work, commitment and enthusiasm in preparing the children for this exciting opportunity. 

We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part. Their talent, teamwork and dedication were evident throughout the performance, and they represented our school brilliantly as part of this inspiring collaboration with schools from across Norwich. 

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Sports Days

Yr 3/4

The Year 3/4 Sports Day was a fantastic morning and all the children gave it a big thumbs up. The children were enthusiastic and motivated throughout, and we enjoyed some super races at the end too!

We were delighted to welcome our ex-pupil, Ruby Bishop, into school for the event. Ruby is a GB athlete and competes in Wheelchair Tennis across the world. Their children really enjoyed asking her questions and getting to hear about her amazing journey in the sport. 

A big thank you to all parents & carers for coming along to make it such a lovely morning. 

Yr 5/6

This year's Year 5 and 6 Sports Day was a huge success, with a fantastic atmosphere from start to finish. Throughout the morning, the children showed incredible enthusiasm, determination and sportsmanship, and everyone gave their best effort and supported one another brilliantly.

We were also delighted to welcome a group of helpers from Thorpe High School. Their encouragement, organisation and support helped the morning run smoothly, and they were excellent role models for our pupils.

One of the highlights of the day was the ever-popular parent races. The competitive spirit was certainly on display, much to the delight of the children, who thoroughly enjoyed cheering on their families from the sidelines! The parents races will be back next year, so put the date in your diary!

The sponge and bucket relay was once again a crowd favourite, with the much-anticipated staff versus parents showdown providing plenty of laughs and excitement. Both teams threw themselves into the challenge with great enthusiasm, resulting in a fiercely contested battle. The friendly rivalry was clear for all to see, and with honours still very much disputed, there are already calls for a rematch next year!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success. It was wonderful to see so much teamwork, enthusiasm and community spirit on display, creating lasting memories for all involved. We are already looking forward to Sports Day 2027!

The winners of both Sports Days were Air. Congratulations to all the children!

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Year 6 performance of Matilda

Our Year 6 pupils took to the stage with confidence, energy and enthusiasm for their end-of-year production of Matilda, delivering a truly memorable performance for families, staff and friends.

From the opening number to the final curtain call, the children demonstrated incredible talent, commitment and teamwork. The cast brought the much-loved characters to life with outstanding acting, impressive choreography and excellent stage presence, captivating the audience throughout the show.

The production as a whole was a wonderful celebration of the children's talents. The colourful costumes (especially Mrs Wormwood and Mrs Phelps!) and enthusiastic performances all combined to create a truly entertaining show. 

We are incredibly proud of all our Year 6 children for their hard work, resilience and determination in bringing Matilda to the stage. It was a fitting way to celebrate the end of their time at Sprowston Junior School and created memories that will last for many years to come.

A huge thank you to the staff, families and everyone involved in supporting the production. Most importantly, congratulations to our Year 6 pupils for delivering such a wonderful performance and ending their junior school journey on a high note. 

Matilda in Rotterdam | Royal Shakespeare Company

Year 6 Leavers' Assembly

This week, our Year 6 Leavers' Assembly provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate an incredible year group and reflect on their time at Sprowston Junior School.

The assembly was filled with special moments, including three brilliant songs that were performed with enthusiasm, confidence and plenty of smiles. The children also shared memories from their time at Sprowston Junior, reminding us of the many experiences, achievements and friendships that have shaped their journey through the school.

A particular highlight of the assembly was the presentation of our Year 6 awards. All of the award winners thoroughly deserved their recognition, having demonstrated outstanding effort, achievement and commitment throughout their time with us.

We will especially miss their enthusiasm, sense of fun and willingness to embrace every opportunity that comes their way. We wish all of our Year 6 pupils the very best as they begin the next chapter of their education and thank them for the many happy memories they have created during their time at Sprowston Junior School.

Year 6 Transition visits

As part of their preparation for the next exciting stage of their education, our Year 6 pupils recently visited their new high schools for transition days. These visits gave the children a valuable opportunity to explore their new surroundings, meet teachers and fellow students, and experience a taste of secondary school life.

The visits went extremely well, and the children returned full of positive stories about their experiences. They enjoyed discovering new classrooms and facilities, taking part in lessons and learning more about the opportunities that await them in September.

Most importantly, the transition days helped our pupils feel more confident about moving on to their new schools. Meeting staff and becoming familiar with their new environment has helped to ease any worries and build excitement for the next chapter of their educational journey.

We are incredibly proud of how maturely and enthusiastically our Year 6 pupils approached these visits. We are confident they will continue to thrive as they take this important next step, and we wish them every success as they begin their secondary school adventure.

Dr Bike Repair sessions by Little Riders

This week, we were delighted to welcome Jon from Little Riders to school to run a series of Dr Bike repair sessions for our pupils. The sessions proved to be extremely popular, with lots of children bringing their bikes along to be checked, repaired and made roadworthy.

From adjusting brakes and gears to fixing minor mechanical issues, Jon worked hard to ensure as many bikes as possible were safe and ready to ride. 

It was wonderful to see so many children taking advantage of this opportunity, helping to encourage active travel and giving pupils the confidence to get back on their bikes over the summer.

A huge thank you to Jon for his time, expertise and support. The sessions were a great success, and we are already exploring the possibility of running similar Dr Bike sessions again in the new school year so that even more children can benefit from this valuable service.

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.

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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.

Water safety key messages (booklet)

Young Carers FREE Summer  activities

The Benjamin Foundation are very pleased to launch their free summer activities for Young Carers. 

Please click on the link to register your interest.

As with all of their activities, families do not need to be referred into any service. If the children are Young Carers they can attend.

Any questions, please get in touch - see details below.

They are looking forward to seeing as many Young Carers as possible.

 

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.