Spring Term Newsletter #33
12th June 2026
Spring Term Newsletter #33
12th June 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been wonderful to see empathy at the forefront of our learning this week. The children enjoyed a 'no-pens' day on Thursday completing a range of different activities aimed at promoting empathy. We have also identified the weekly value in many other areas of the curriculum and our daily lives. The football team losing the final in extra time on Tuesday gave us a great opportunity to consider the feelings surrounding that incredible match. We were also led in our assembly on Monday by Vicar Richard reflecting on the needs of others in our community. We used empathy to introduce many of you to our whole-school approach to behaviour. Thank you to the parents who attended Miss Murphy's workshop. For those unable to attend, the slides are available in the section below. This is the beginning of our school's behavioural journey and there will be other opportunities to learn with us in the coming months.
Values: Empathy has been our value of the week culminating in Thursday's Empathy Day. We have considering the words of Barack Obama - 'Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes and see through their eyes... that’s how empathy begins.' Children have explored empathy in many ways by considering the needs of their peers, children in other communities and even the welfare of the planet. Next week, we focus on perseverance and this quote from Thomas Edison: 'I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.'
Votes for Schools: This week, we asked the topical question 'Do we live in a United Kingdom?' We considered what creates connections within communities and how similarities are powerful but differences should be embraced too. Older children identified politics and social media as challenging areas that often divide people. Next week, we explore 'Should you learn more about water safety?'
Olympian Visit: On Thursday 25th June, GB olympian, Hammy McMillan, will be in school to lead an assembly about the importance of exercise, diet and a positive mindset. He will then take the winners of our poster competition with him to cut the ribbon and officially open a new supermarket just across the road from us!
The World Cup is underway so there will be plenty of football on the television to enjoy. Alternatively, the Great Big Green Week is in full flow with lots going on in our local community, including the Repair Cafe at St Mary's Church. Whatever you choose to do, have a great weekend.
Best wishes,
Mr. Matt Morey - Headteacher
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our Empathy Day activities this week! The children absolutely love sharing their learning spaces with you, and it is always so wonderful to see those family connections bringing extra life and warmth to our classrooms and corridors.
It was also a genuine pleasure to see so many of you join the Parent Workshop, where we explored our school's approach to leading behavior.
Workshop Resources
For those who asked, and for anyone who wasn't able to attend the session, we have included the materials below. We highly encourage everyone to take a look when you have a moment:
Workshop Slides: Behaviour and Attitudes
Restorative Conversations: Additional information and guidance- The Ultimate Guide to Restorative Practice in Classrooms | Greenhouse Learning
I am always happy to answer any questions or discuss our approach further, so please don't hesitate to get in touch if anything comes to mind.
Thu 18th June - Y5 St Mary's Concert Trip
Y5 have been invited to enjoy a concert performed at St Mary's Church.
Thu 25th June - Olympian Hammy McMillan's Assembly
Hammy McMillan will visit school to share his experiences and promote healthy life choices to the whole school.
Mon 29th June - Tokyo & Jakarta Library Trips
Hosted by the education team at Watford FC, children will enjoy story time and a chance to explore the library.
Tue 30th June - Rome & Colombo Library Trips
Hosted by the education team at Watford FC, children will enjoy story time and a chance to explore the library.
Fri 3rd July - Sports Day
Families are welcome to join us at West Herts Sports Ground for the morning of sports and a picnic lunch.
Thu 9th July - Transition Day
Y6 visit their new schools and all other classes spend the morning with their teacher for next year.
Sat 11th July - LanchestFest, 12-5pm
The iconic festival returns for a second year of excitement and entertainment!
Thu 16th July - Transition Session #2
Rec - Y5 spend a second morning with their teacher for next year.
Tue 21st July - Transition Session #3
Rec - Y5 complete their transition work with their teacher for next year.
Whole-school attendance this week has improved to 95.5%. Excellent attendance is vital for successful learning. Our curriculum is sequenced and builds knowledge cumulatively, so any absence can hinder their learning journey. Be sure to get your child into school every day. Congratulations to London who have taken the top spot this week with a perfect 100%!
Class Attendance Summary:
1. London 100%
2. Cusco 99.6%
3. Colombo 99.5%
4. Rio 96.9%
5. Tokyo 94.7%
6. Rome 94.6%
7. Jakarta 94.2%
8. Kingston 93.5%
9. New York 92.4%
10. Cairo 91.9%
11. Kampala 91.1%
This week has been full of children making excellent choices and working on our school values. The children listed below were recognised in assembly for their outstanding efforts! They were ready to learn, respectful of the environment and their peers and they were resilient and worked hard throughout. Well done, everyone!
Year R:
London - Tillie & Leah
Year 1:
Rome - Renne
Year 2:
Colombo - Ya Nenneh
Jakarta - Harriet
Tokyo - Shrutayu
Year 4:
Cairo - Zohra
Kampala - Arnav
Year 5:
Cusco - Aarav
Rio - Ralph
Year 6:
Kingston - Eric
New York - Javani
Children’s attitude to learning has been recognised through the collection of dojo points, which are then totalled as house points across the school. Every child continues to show their commitment to being Ready, Respectful and Resilient, earning points for their house. Each half term the points are reset and a new competition begins. Well done to Alhazen as they launch themselves to the top of the table!
Here’s how the points stand:
1st: Alhazen with 1264 points (+893)
2nd: Sharman with 1213 points (+846)
3rd: Carver with 1189 points (+804)
4th: Curie with 1083 points (+703)
Let’s keep up the great work and continue to support each other as we aim for the top!
Class News
This week in Reception, the children have been learning about feelings, emotions and empathy as part of Empathy Day. We discussed different emotions, how we manage our own feelings, and ways to support others when they are experiencing big emotions. The children enjoyed creating “Jars of Happiness” and a kindness paper chain, showing that we will always support and care for one another.
This week in Year 1, we explored empathy during our special Empathy Day. We discussed what empathy means and explored it in different contexts, especially the importance of showing empathy towards our planet and environment.
The children learned about water pollution and the impact of waste in our seas and oceans. Through a hands-on sensory tray activity, they worked hard to save sea animals by carefully cutting them free from netting and cleaning up the oceans.
This week in Year 2/3 has been a very busy and productive one, with the children working incredibly hard across all areas of learning. They particularly enjoyed taking part in Empathy Day, where they explored the importance of understanding and sharing the feelings of others through a range of engaging activities. The children were especially excited that there was no writing involved, allowing them to focus on discussions, stories, and collaborative learning experiences. In Maths, the children have been learning about fractions. They have had lots of hands-on experience using manipulatives to help deepen their understanding of finding ½, ¼ and ¾ of a number. Through practical activities, they have developed their confidence in recognising fractions and applying their knowledge to solve problems.
We have had a brilliant time in Year 4! In Maths, the children have been solving real-world money problems, practicing how to calculate totals and change. In Geography, we investigated local transportation and its pollution impact, creating fantastic bar charts to display our survey data. Finally, a huge thank you to the parents who joined us for Empathy Day! The children loved working as a team in class to create emotion collages, and then collaborating with you to build empathy chains, design posters, and find thoughtful resolutions to real-life scenarios. Thank you for your wonderful support!
Alongside their assessments this week, Year 5 began their DT project, showcasing excellent teamwork and communication as they built the first foundations and walls of their Greek houses. We wrapped up the week with a bustling Empathy Day. Following the theme "Walk a Mile in My Shoes", both classes had a wonderful time creating and decorating giant shoes with their own unique designs. The day was a great reminder that while our individual designs make us unique, understanding and supporting one another is what truly connects us as a community.
As part of Empathy Day, Year 6 explored what it means to understand and care about the feelings of others. Pupils completed a range of thoughtful activities including walking in someone else’s shoes, creating perspective glasses, designing empathy comic strips and writing a message in a bottle. The activities encouraged pupils to pause, consider different viewpoints and think about the small actions they can take to help others feel seen, valued and supported.
World Cup celebration
Thanks very much to everyone who supported our World Cup celebration today. It was great to see such a range of football kits and everyone having fun!
Donations
Thanks for all the donations so far. We're still collecting for bottle tombola, party bag toys and jazzy jars. Please do bring in anything that may be suitable.
We'll be collecting cakes and bakes on 10th and 11th July and are very grateful for donations.
LanchestFest
LanchestFest has some great external stalls lined up this year with henna, candy floss, pocket money toys and much more. If you know of anyone who would like a stall, please let us know and contact us on friendsoflanchester@gmail.com
Make sure you have Saturday 11th July in the diary and invite all of your friends and family!
Dates for your diary
Saturday 11th July 12-5pm - LanchestFest
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsoflanchester or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsoflanchester/ or contact us by email: friendsoflanchester@gmail.com
Thanks for your support!
Friends of Lanchester committee - Tracey Bravo, Lawrence Brown, Louise Brown, Helen Gibson, Chloé Harper and Laura Robson
On Behalf of 'Friends of Lanchester CFS'
Registered Charity 1161580
Lanchester Primary School, Hempstead Road, Watford, WD17 3HD
Tel: 01923 224160 Email: office@lanchester.herts.sch.uk
Website: www.lanchester.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher: Mr Matt Morey