Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt Parent Portal

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Friday 16th October 2026

Apologies that there was no newsletter last week. It has been a very busy few weeks!

Last week, our Year 6 children had their week-long residential at Bawdsey Manor. This is always a fantastic week, and I had the chance to visit for a day. I loved seeing the children challenging themselves, trying new things and supporting each other. A huge thank you to the staff who went: Mr Hassard, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Chipperfield, Mrs Martin, Mrs Humphrys, Mrs Clark and Mr Thomas. Residentials only happen because staff are willing to give up a week away from their own homes and families, and we are so grateful for their commitment to our children.

In school, we have been working on our Creation Piece, which will be displayed in Chelmsford Cathedral. Mrs Cork has worked incredibly hard with staff and volunteers to bring this together. Thank you to everyone who donated fabric. We will share a photo of the finished piece once it is in place.

All of our school councils are now up and running. They are a really important way for children to share their voices and make a real difference to what happens in school. We have also held our vote to elect this year’s School Captains. This is an important ambassadorial role, and our captains will represent the school throughout the year. A large number of Year 6 children put themselves forward and gave a speech to the whole school, and we were so proud of every one of them. Congratulations to our School Captains, Archie L and Millie M, and our Vice Captains, Archer H and Abi M.

You will see lots of thank yous in this week’s newsletter. We are so proud to be part of such a giving and welcoming community, so thank you all for your support.

Have a lovely weekend!

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An Update on the PTA

We would like to begin by saying a heartfelt thank you to our previous PTA committee. Over their time in the role, they have given so much to Heathlands, organising events, raising funds and bringing our school community together. Our children have benefited greatly from their hard work and dedication, and we are truly grateful.

We are also delighted to share that a new PTA committee has now been formed. A huge thank you to everyone who has stepped forward to take on a role. Your time and energy will make a real difference to our children.

The new committee met today for the first time, and plans are underway for various events this year.

The PTA plays such an important part in the life of our school, from organising events that bring our community together to raising funds that give our children extra experiences and resources.

There are lots of ways to get involved, whether you can help regularly or just lend a hand now and then. If you would like to find out more, please contact [email or contact details].

Thank you for your continued support of our PTA and our school.

Thank you!

We would like to say a very big thank you to Vicky Hicks, who has very kindly arranged for a range of electrical equipment to be donated to the school, including everything we need to run our very own Silent Disco!

This generous donation will make a real difference across the whole school. It will support learning in our classrooms and give our children brand new experiences to enjoy together. We can’t wait to get the Silent Disco up and running, and we’re sure it will be a highlight for many of our pupils (and perhaps a few of the staff too!).

Gifts like this help every child at Heathlands to shine their light, and we are truly grateful to Vicky for her kindness, time and thoughtfulness in making it happen. Thank you, Vicky!

New Gate on the School Driveway

Parents may have noticed that a new gate has been installed on the driveway up to school. This has been a joint project with the Parish Council, and I am really pleased to see it in place.

The gate should help prevent vehicles from driving along the driveway at drop-off and at the end of the day. This will make arriving at and leaving school safer and calmer for our children and families.

A big thank you to the Parish Council and to Mr O’Nions for working with me to make this happen.

Can your place of work help Heathlands?

Did you know that many business' have Corporate and Social Responsibility Policies ( aka CSR) designed to help local communities ? Check out your company's scheme via their website/intranet or HR department to see if they fund match, have grant schemes or provide paid volunteer time to help at the School or via the PTA (registered charity 1037284). Every little bit helps!

Thank you Siemens Healthineers

On Monday 10th August, a team of ten Apprentices from Siemens Healthineers Sudbury visited Heathlands Primary School to help improve our Early Years Garden. The team carried out a range of tasks including; gardening, painting, removal of planters, building a new bug hotel and general tidying of the outdoor space. Their hard work has helped to transform the area into a welcoming and fresh environment for our new intake. These voluntary hours were part of their ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ initiative which encourages the company to donate hours to impact their local community. Mrs Lloyd and the Early Years Team are extremely grateful for the enthusiasm and impact that this day provided. If you work for a company that offers a similar initiative and would be willing to give some hours to Heathlands then please contact the school office or speak to Mr Crawley or Mrs Lloyd.

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Thank you Arc Legal

A huge thank you to the team of volunteers from Arc Legal, who gave up a whole day of their time to help transform our staffroom. Six volunteers worked tirelessly alongside Mr Crawley, painting, decorating and helping to put everything in its place.

Mr Crawley has spent a lot of time on the staffroom himself, so their help was hugely appreciated. Thanks to them, our staff now have a bright, welcoming space to relax and recharge during the school day.

Thank you, Arc Legal, for your generosity and your community spirit!

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Please find attached information regarding our Elfridges Event in December. Please find below the form to complete and payment is now live on gateway. Deadline for payment is Thursday 12th November.

Heathlands PTA Presents Elfridges 2026 (11th December 2026) – Fill out for

Choir News: A Busy Festive Season Ahead!

Our choir have three exciting performances lined up this Christmas, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.

Sunday 29th November – Village Christmas Tree Lighting
The choir will be helping to get the festive season under way by singing at the lighting of the village Christmas tree.

Monday 30th November – Essex Music Services Concert, The Charter Hall
This is a very special occasion: the children will perform alongside the Essex Youth Orchestra in a live performance of The Snowman, with the music played in time to the animation on a big screen behind them. They’ll follow this with a medley of traditional Christmas carols.

Saturday 12th December – Joint Concert at St Botolph’s
To round things off, the choir will join The West Bergholt Concert Band for a joint concert, singing along with the band as well as performing a solo slot of their own.

A huge thank you to the children for all their hard work in rehearsals. We hope to see many of you there cheering them on!

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Each newsletter we're celebrating members of our school community — staff, children and parents — who've shown one or more of our core values in or out of school. Know someone who deserves a shout-out? Nominate them here: School Community Champion - Nomination Form – Fill in form

Congratulations and a huge Heathlands well done to this weeks champions...

Ralph S

Looking after me when I fell into a puddle and hurt myself, he was a super friend!

Lois Warren and her family

By being An amazing foster family who recently saw their first 2 foster children find their forever homes . Showing kindness , courage and love throughout this journey .