Latest News

Keep up to date with all the news happening in school

• Weekly Update-Friday 25th September

  Mon 28 Sep 2026

  It has been another busy and exciting week at school, with lots to look forward to over the coming days.

   

  Most of our Year 2 clubs will be starting this week and next week. The children have thoroughly enjoyed choosing their clubs and are excited about trying something different with their teachers and friends. These opportunities help to broaden children's experiences, develop new interests and skills, and add an extra dimension to school life that we know the children really value and enjoy.

   

  Next week, our Year 2 children will be heading off on their trip to Little Woodham, where they will step back in time to experience life around the period of the Great Fire of London. The visit gives the children a wonderful opportunity to explore what houses were like at the time and understand how easily the fire could have started and spread through the city. Please remember to return any outstanding forms and contributions towards the trip as soon as possible.

   

  A reminder that all trip helpers need to have a current DBS check in place. If you are thinking of volunteering for school activities this year, please arrange this as soon as possible. Mrs Palmer in the office will be very happy to help you with the process.

   

  Our recent Open Morning was extremely well attended, and it was lovely to meet so many prospective families. We enjoyed answering some thoughtful questions about what life is like for our children when they first join us in Year R. If you were unable to attend, don't worry. Further bookable opportunities to visit the school will be released in November.

   

  This week, staff took part in excellent professional development led by Mrs Moth, focusing on SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). Our dedicated team are committed to continually developing their knowledge and skills through both in-house expertise and external training provided by Hampshire and beyond. Thank you to Mrs Moth for ensuring that we remain up to date with the latest guidance and best practice.

   

  We would also like to make a plea for donations to support our outdoor play provision. We are looking for items such as toy cars, dolls, dolls' clothes and role-play costumes for our drama area. If you have any unwanted items that are in good condition, we would be very grateful if you could bring them to the school office.

   

  Across the school, the children are currently busy learning harvest songs for our pupil-only Harvest Festival at the church in a few weeks' time. We will soon let families know how they can support the worthwhile work of our local foodbank through harvest donations.

   

  Finally, I met with our Safeguarding Governor this week to review the start of the new term and audit our safeguarding provision. All staff completed their annual safeguarding training at the beginning of term, and we were pleased to thoroughly review our procedures and practices together. Safeguarding remains our highest priority. If you ever have any concerns you would like to share with us, please do not hesitate to contact the school by phone, email or in person.

   

  Wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

   

  Kind regards,

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

• Weekly Update-Friday 18th September

  Fri 18 Sep 2026

  What a fantastic week our children have had at school this week.

   

  Our Reception children have had an amazing start to school life. They have settled brilliantly into their new routines and have particularly enjoyed choosing their own lunches each day. We are incredibly proud of how well they have behaved in the lunch hall. They have been real superstars and are already showing our school values in action.

   

  Meanwhile, our Year 1 and Year 2 children are continuing to settle into their new classrooms and become familiar with the expectations of their new year groups. It has been wonderful to see their confidence growing every day.

  Year 1 have been very busy learning about healthy lifestyles, exploring how to eat well and stay healthy. They have enjoyed a range of activities linked to looking after themselves and making positive choices.

   

  Year 2 have been learning all about symbols and signs that we see around us both in school and in the wider world. They have become excellent symbol detectives!

   

  To top off a busy week, the children also enjoyed making their own bread today. We discovered there are some expert kneaders in Frogs and Foxes class, and the delicious smell around school was an added bonus!

   

  Clubs Are Back!

  We were delighted to launch our after-school clubs this week, and our very popular Year 2 lunchtime clubs will begin next week.

  This year, our free Year 2 lunchtime club offer includes:

  • Painting Club
  • Puzzles Club
  • Lego Club
  • Choir Club
  • Computing Club
  • Board Games Club

  These clubs are run by our talented teaching staff and are offered free of charge to all Year 2 children. We cannot wait to see the children enjoying these exciting opportunities over the coming weeks.

   

  Help Save Our PTA

  This week, our PTA Annual General Meeting was attended by three members of staff, four committee members and one prospective new member. It was wonderful to reflect on some of the incredible projects, experiences and resources that the PTA has funded for our children over the years.

   

  However, there was also real concern about the future of our PTA. Without new volunteers coming forward, there is a possibility that the PTA may have to cease operating.

   

  Our PTA plays a vital role in providing additional enrichment opportunities for children and helping to fund resources and experiences that enhance school life. Without a PTA, fundraising opportunities would be significantly reduced, we would be unable to access many charitable grants and donations, and schools increasingly have to rely on parental contributions to maintain the high-quality enrichment experiences that children enjoy.

   

  The good news is that help is available. Claire and the current PTA team are committed to supporting any new volunteers. They are happy to share their knowledge, provide guidance and work alongside new members throughout the year to ensure a smooth transition.

   

  Please consider attending our Emergency General Meeting on Wednesday 7th October. Whether you can spare a little time or a lot, your support could make all the difference. This meeting will help determine the future of our PTA and the opportunities it can continue to provide for our children.

  Together, we can ensure that this valued part of our school community continues for years to come.

   

  Site Safety Reminder

  The safety of all children, families and staff remains our highest priority.

  Please remember that hot drinks must not be brought onto the school site. This rule is in place to protect our young children and reduce the risk of accidental burns or injuries.

  We kindly ask all parents and visitors to familiarise themselves with our school site safety expectations. These can be found on our website:

  Policies and Documents | Bishops Waltham Infant School
  https://www.bwis.org.uk/policies-and-documents/

  Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe for everyone.

   

  Lastly, our annual Open Morning for parents who have children starting in 2027 is on Wednesday 22nd September. Guided tours will need to be booked at the school office. If you are unable to make that day, our Parent Show around dates will be released at the end of this half term for November/December, so there will be opportunities to see the school in action then.

   

  Have a wonderful weekend!

   

  Warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

• Exciting News!

  Thu 17 Sep 2026

  🎉 Congratulations and Welcome to Our New Assistant Headteachers! 🎉

   

  We are delighted to announce the appointment of Miss Chloe Turner and Mrs Tracey Moth as our new Assistant Headteachers at Bishops Waltham Infant School.

  Following a rigorous and challenging selection process involving a range of tasks and interviews with staff, governors and, most importantly, our children, Miss Turner and Mrs Moth demonstrated exactly why they are such deserving appointments.

   

  Between them, they bring an incredible 34 years of teaching experience, together with a wealth of knowledge, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise. Throughout the process, they showcased not only their professional strengths but also their unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child receives the very best opportunities to thrive and succeed.

   

  Both Miss Turner and Mrs Moth are exceptionally hardworking and dedicated professionals who consistently go above and beyond for the children, families and colleagues they work with. Their passion for education, strong leadership qualities and shared vision of continually striving to do the very best we can for every child at Bishops Waltham Infant School make them outstanding additions to our Senior Leadership Team.

   

  I am immensely proud to welcome them both to these roles and greatly look forward to working alongside them as we continue to build on the many strengths of our school. I am excited about what the future holds and have every confidence that they will make a significant and lasting impact in their new positions.

   

  A very special mention must also go to our amazing Year 2 interview panel: Josh, Cole, Pandora, Ocean, Emmy-Lou and Rosie. They took their responsibilities incredibly seriously, asked thoughtful questions and represented our school brilliantly throughout the day. We are so proud of the maturity, confidence and care they showed. 

   

  Please join me in congratulating Miss Chloe Turner and Mrs Tracey Moth on their well-deserved appointments.

   

  👏 Congratulations, Miss Turner and Mrs Moth! 👏

   

   

   

• Weekly Update-Friday 11th September

  Fri 11 Sep 2026

  What a fantastic first full week of the new school year it has been!

   

  Our youngest members of the school, Year R, have now completed their first whole week with us. We have seen lots of happy faces, and it has been wonderful watching them begin to settle into school life. They all came to visit me during their tour of the school and were keen to tell me how much they are looking forward to having lunch next week!

   

  To help with this exciting next step, please take a few moments each morning to look through the lunch menu together and chat about the choices available. This can really help children feel more confident when they are first starting to make their own lunchtime decisions.

   

  Year 1 and Year 2 have also had a very busy week, with welcome meetings and class opening events taking place. Thank you to all the parents and carers who attended. Mrs McIntyre has also asked me to thank everyone who responded to her email and tried signing in to our electronic system using the QR code. Your support is very much appreciated.

   

  Year 2 children had Road Safety Training this week. They learned how to cross roads, how different types of crossings work and how to keep safe when out and about. Thank you to Mrs Labram for coordinating the training, and to our fantastic learning support team, who braved every element with the children this week as they taught them!

   

  This week, we held our first Governor meeting of the academic year. Governors met to agree their roles and responsibilities and to approve the necessary school policies. They are looking forward to working alongside our school community throughout the year ahead.

   

  We also held our first lunchtime staff meeting of the year. One of our key targets is to teach and encourage even more playground games at lunchtime, helping children to stay active, develop friendships and enjoy their playtimes even more.

  Our staff have also asked if families might be able to help with donations for our outdoor role-play area. We would be very grateful for any of the following items:

   

  • Dolls (please no rag dolls)
  • Dolls' clothes
  • Toy cars
  • Dressing-up clothes
  • Plastic or wooden role-play items

  If you have any of these items that you would be willing to donate, please bring them to the school office. Thank you for your support.

   

  Finally, our first PTA meeting of the year will be the Annual General Meeting, where several key PTA roles will need to be filled. The meeting will take place at 6.00pm on Wednesday 16th September in school. We would love to see as many people there as possible and welcome any support you can offer.

   

  Thank you for helping us make such a positive start to the new school year.

   

  Wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

   

  Kind regards,

  Mrs Riches
  Headteacher

  

• Weekly Update-Friday 4th September

  Fri 04 Sep 2026

  It has been absolutely lovely to welcome our Year 1 and Year 2 children back for the start of the new academic year. The children have settled in wonderfully, jumped straight into their learning and have been eager to tell us all about their summer adventures and family holidays. It has been a real pleasure to see so many happy, enthusiastic faces around the school.

   

  We held our first Celebration Assembly of the year today and were delighted to award four Star of the Week certificates. The children truly wowed us with their learning, positive attitudes and excellent effort. We are incredibly proud of them!

  Please remember to send in a Special Mention if your child has worked particularly hard at home or achieved something they are proud of outside school. We love celebrating these successes together and adding them to our Achievement Book.

   

  Lunch and Drink Reminders

  As a school, we are peanut free. This includes chocolate bars containing peanuts and satay products such as chicken satay. If you are preparing a lunchbox for your child, please ensure these items are not included.

  Children receive fruit each day at breaktime and we actively encourage them to drink water throughout the school day. If you would like to send in an additional sealed, non-fizzy drink, such as a juice carton, for lunchtime, this is permitted. These drinks will be kept separately from water bottles, which should contain water only.

  Due to the increasing number of allergies that children may have, we kindly ask that cakes and sweets for birthdays are kept for celebrations at home.

   

  Benedict's Law

  Our school is fully compliant with Benedict's Law, which came into effect this September. All staff have received updated allergen training to ensure we continue to provide a safe environment for all children.

   

  Our PTA

  Our current PTA enjoyed one final successful event at the Bishop's Waltham Festival over the summer, where they ran a stall on behalf of the school. We would like to thank them for their dedication and hard work over the years.

  The PTA will officially step down following the AGM on Wednesday 16th September at 6.30pm. We would love to welcome new members to continue the fantastic legacy they have created. If you are enthusiastic, have some time to spare and would like to support the school community, please do come along.

   

  Parent Information Meetings

  We are looking forward to welcoming parents to our year group meetings:

  • Year 1 Welcome Meeting: Thursday 10th September at 9.00am
  • Year 2 Welcome Meeting: Friday 11th September at 9.00am

  Classroom visits will take place immediately afterwards. For anyone unable to attend, all information will be uploaded to the school website.

   

  Clubs

  After School clubs registration will open on Monday, and clubs will begin during the week commencing 14th September.

   

  Welcome Year R

  We are very much looking forward to welcoming our new Year R children on Monday 7th September. Home visits have now been completed and it has been wonderful to meet so many families. We know just how excited the children are to start school and become part of our community.

   

  As we begin this new school year together, we are excited about all the opportunities, achievements and memorable moments that lie ahead. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to working in partnership with you and your children to make this a happy, successful and rewarding year for everyone.

   

  Wishing all our families a lovely weekend.

   

  With warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

• Welcome Back

  Wed 02 Sep 2026

  Welcome back to all our Year 1 and 2 Parents!

   

  We had a lovely start back today. The children were very excited to see their friends, their teachers and be in their new classes. It was like we had never been away.

   

  Our  school looks supersmart after having new carpets fitted in the summer. We paid one third from our capital funding and Hampshire County Council paid two thirds. The older and newer parts of the school now look much more like one school and the children have given us their thumbs up approval!

   

  Morning club also started back today in Forest Room. Please make sure the session you need is booked and paid for in advance. Bookings can be cancelled up to 24hrs before. We have space for 30 children in the morning session. Al sessions can be paid for with childcare vouchers.

   

  CM sports has also started in Forest Room. Again, sessions will need to be booked in advance.

   

  Any updates in your child's medical records need to be made at the school office. This opens at 8.30pm Monday-Friday.

   

  Our amazing chef Laslo cooked dinner for 83/111 children today. That is a fantastic uptake of a hot, nutritional lunch. With a choice of 4 options, which are all free to infant children, we hope as many parents as possible choose this for their children at our school.

   

  We currently have spaces in Year R and Year 2. We will holding our Open Morning on Wednesday 23rd September. Please contact the school to book on a tour if you have a child starting school in September 2027.

   

  We look forward to seeing you all over the next few weeks.

   

  With warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

   

  Headteacher