Newsletters

24/25 - Summer 2, Week 6

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Dear parents and carers,

As the end of term draws near, there is still so much to look forward to and celebrate here at William Ford.

This week, our Year 6 pupils have been showcasing their culinary talents through their ‘Come Dine With Me’ project. Pupils planned, prepared and presented a variety of delicious dishes, including starters, mains and desserts, for myself, Mrs Watkins and Mr Buckingham to sample. The quality was genuinely impressive, with some very creative and well-thought-out ideas. Who knows, we may have a few future chefs in the making.

We also enjoyed one of the highlights of the school calendar: Ford Fest, our annual summer fair. It was a wonderful day of fun, sunshine and community spirit. It was fantastic to see so many families enjoying the huge variety of activities, and we are incredibly grateful to Mrs Gladden for her expert organisation and coordination across both William Ford and Village Infants. Each year this event continues to grow in scale and success, and this year was no exception.

Next week brings two special events for our Year 6 pupils as they prepare to say farewell:

  • Our Year 6 Leavers Festival

  • Their final end-of-year performance

We look forward to marking this important transition with joy, celebration and a few tears too.

In Collective Worship, we have been exploring the story of Jesus healing the man born blind (John 9). We reflected on how this miraculous act reveals Jesus' compassion and power, and what it teaches us about spiritual sight and seeing others clearly. We also explored the idea of ‘disagreeing well’, with Mrs Adom helping us to understand that disagreements are not always negative. It is how we respond to them that matters.

Finally, we were proud to welcome a very special visitor from Kazakhstan, who came to see our curriculum in action. He was amazed by the levels of inclusion, the collaboration between pupils, and how lessons are brought to life through fictional roles and purposeful learning. This approach connects learning with real-world careers and is something we are proud to embed across our curriculum. Everything I hoped he would see, he saw. Following this visit, I will be travelling to Kazakhstan in October to present at the World Inclusion Congress. This is a huge honour for our school and a celebration of everything we are building together here at William Ford.

I pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

 

Mr. David Huntingford

Headteacher

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DyslexicU University of Dyslexic Thinking – At School

DyslexicU is a new tool where parents and teachers can learn what Dyslexic Thinking is – and why it’s vital we spot and support it in every classroom and every home.

Dyslexic Thinking skills like creativity, problem-solving, adaptability and interpersonal skills are the skills needed in every job, so spotting them early and empowering them fully will enable them to succeed.

One in five learners in every classroom are dyslexic, and they are hardwired to thrive in this AI world.

To access this FREE resource click the link below:

OLCreate: DyslexicU University of Dyslexic Thinking – At School | OLCreate

 

Thank you to everyone who has been successful in using the pre-booking system. I have attached a short guide for everyone.

Pre-booking lunch on ParentPay

A pre-booking system is in place to help us plan accurately and reduce unnecessary waste.

Your support in using ParentPay makes a real difference.

  1. Log in to your ParentPay account.
  2. Click on ‘Book Meals’.
  3. Select ‘Lunchtime’, then click ‘Make or View Bookings’.
  4. Days that are no longer available will show a small padlock icon.
  5. Scroll forward to the next available day without a lock icon.
  6. Select your meal choice (RED or GREEN meal) and dessert.
  7. Click ‘Confirm Booking’ to complete it.

If you log on via a mobile phone you will only be able to select one day at a time. If you log on via PC you can order a week at a time.

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Year Three

Esther 3M

 

Year Four

Suriel 4L

Year Five

Shalom 5H

 

Year Six

Claud 6B

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The Marvellers 

 

An 11-year-old girl attends an academy of magic; However, she isn't trusted by everyone. Eventually she makes two best friends. In the story her teacher disappears, and the three friends decide to investigate. This book is a fun and exciting read.  

 

Isabella 5P 

The Felix Project

We have been lucky enough to be chosen again this summer to work with The Felix Project. We will receive weekly food deliveries from the Community Distribution team over the summer holidays. If you are interested in being notified of delivery days and would like to come to collect a food parcel from school throughout the school holidays, please complete the interest form by scanning the QR code here.  Please feel free to share this information with friends and family who may benefit from this support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn 2025 After School Clubs 

Book online here : https://forms.office.com/e/6ZKCSP7N2L

or scan the QR code here ;

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Y5 Aladdin Performance at Dagenham Park
11:30am – 1:00pm
16
July
Local Heritage Production - Sports hall
1:00pm – 3:00pm
16
July
iRock Concert / Ms Rugg club's Dance performance
9:45am – 10:45am
18
July
Year 6 End of Year Show - Time TBC
1:30pm – 3:00pm
18
July
Break up for Summer @1.30pm - Non Uniform
All Day
23
July
Felix Project - food bank (community distribution
1:00pm – 3:00pm
24
July
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04 Jul 2025
Sports Day
Some Year Four pupils in the potato race - read on to find out what they have to say about sports day.
Read more
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Year Three

It has been a very hot but exciting and busy week in Year 3.   

What we have learnt about this week 

Our trip to Walton on the Naze on Monday was a great success and the weather was perfect. The children all said they enjoyed themselves, and it was great to be able to do some hands-on geography field work. We looked for the water table, saw the effects of cliff erosion and compared the town of Walton with Dagenham. The children were beautifully behaved and a credit to us all. 

On Tuesday, the children had the opportunity to experience an online learning experience with ‘Geo Bus’ where they consolidated their learning on volcanoes. The children really enjoyed looking at the 3D pictures. 

We have also completed out final writing assessment this week. It is truly lovely to see how much progress so many on the children have made.  

In science, the children have set up an experiment to find out what a seed needs to germinate. We can’t wait to see whether our predictions are correct. 

To finish off a very fun-packed week, the children used their designs to make a model of a new castle they designed for the King. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week we will continue to look at coastal areas in geography. 

In science we will learn about seed dispersal and continue to monitor the growth of our own individual plants. 

The children will also evaluate their castle designs and consider what they would do differently next time.

The children will be learning about the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib in R.E. and considering how it compares to other holy books. 

We will complete our art unit of work by looking at negative space. 

 

Year Four 

This week seems to have been even busier than usual. We hope that you all enjoyed SummerFest and that the children enjoyed meeting their new teachers. 

What we have learnt about this week 

In English, the children have been writing a persuasive leaflet, encouraging schools to take part in the Romans tour of Colchester Castle.  

In maths the children have finished their unit on position and direction.  

History saw the children enquiring into what the Romans believed over time, discovering that they eventually became Christian in the 4th century and were responsible for the early spread of Christianity.  

They have also continued their DT project on pavilions. 

What we will learn about next week 

The children will finish and publish their leaflets in English. This opportunity will give the children a chance to demonstrate all of the English skills that they have worked on this year. 

History will see them looking into the destruction of Pompeii and why this is such an important discovery in helping us understand much that we know about Roman life. We will also be considering the Roman legacy and the impact Roman culture has on us today. 

In RE the children will be finishing their unit on marriage and DT will see the children continuing their project by designing and making pavilions. 

Year Five

This week has been both busy and hot in Year 5, especially for our Summer Fest which we hope you all enjoyed sharing with us. We have enjoyed a fun-packed week. 

What we have learnt about this week 

We have concluded our writing about ‘The Nowhere Emporium’ and enjoyed sharing it with each other. 

In maths, we have concluded our work on decimals, including decimal sequences. 

In R.E. we looked at Hindu beliefs about God sand compared this with the other religions we have learnt about. 

On Wednesday we enjoyed a visit to Dagenham Park School, where we had a taster of Drama, Science and Art lessons in a secondary school environment. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week we will be concluding our science research about plastics in the environment and presenting our reports to the class. 

In maths we will be exploring negative numbers, especially when measuring temperature. 

We will also be performing the songs we have written in our music lessons to the rest of the class. 

On Wednesday we are looking forward to another visit to Dagenham Park School to see a performance of Aladin. 

Year Six

 

Year 6 have continued to impress us with their maturity, enthusiasm, and positive attitude. 

This week, all of Year 6 took part in a fantastic hands-on Design and Technology project. The children were tasked with designing both a starter and a dessert. They planned their menus, walked to Lidl to purchase their ingredients, and returned to school ready to cook. Their creativity, teamwork, and culinary skills were on full display as they prepared and presented some outstanding dishes. It was a joy to see their hard work come together so successfully. 

As we near the end of term, Year 6 should be proud of everything they’ve achieved. Their reports and SATs results reflect their determination and effort – well done to all! 

What we will learn about next week 

As Year 6 enter their penultimate week as primary school pupils, it’s a perfect time for them to reflect on their journey and take pride in everything they’ve accomplished. From academic achievements to personal growth, there is so much for them to celebrate. 

Next week, excitement builds as they prepare to showcase their production of School of Rock. On Monday 14th July, they will perform a dress rehearsal to Year 3, followed by performances to Year 4 on Tuesday 15th July and Year 5 on Thursday 17th July. The week will culminate in a special performance for parents — a well-deserved moment for the children to shine in front of their biggest supporters. 

A huge congratulations to all the children for their dedication and energy, and to the staff who have guided them through rehearsals, helped with lines, props, and all the little details. Well done, Year 6!

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Each week, staff select three children from each class who have shown effort and commitment to upholding an aspect of our school vision, shown at the bottom of the page. Congratulations to this week’s ‘stars of the week’ for their tremendous endeavours!

 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Three

3A

Name: Scarlett

For: great enthusiasm and effort on during the school trip

 

Name: Shameer

For: great teamwork whilst on the school trip

 

Name: Eliza

For: always being polite and focused in the classroom

3F

Name: Emmanuella

For: working diligently in all lessons

Name: Sofie

For: acting generously towards her peers

Name: Jessica

For: having a mature attitude on transition day

3M

Name: Osinachi

For: making fantastic improvement in the quality of her writing and for working independently now.

Name:  Esther

For:  offering to help the teacher prepare things on the day of our trip and for also always offering her classmates support.

Name: Faith

For: being so well-behaved and calm on our trip to Walton.
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Four

4D

Name: Arianne-louise 

For: working hard in English this week

 

Name: Umar 

For: being kind and thoughtful to others.

 

Name:  Irina 

For: being calm and ready to learn

4IW

Name: Helena  

For: working hard to improve her handwriting

Name: Hollie  

For: helping to tidy the classroom

Name: Giorgiana 

For: being kind to everyone in the classroom

4N

Name: Alexandra 

For: good effort in writing and in history this week

 

Name: Naqi 

For: being a good friend and for being helpful 

 

Name: Sofia 

For: being a calm presence in the classroom

 
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Five

5H

Name: Zayn 

For:  sharing a great letter he wrote during a geography lesson. 

 

 

Name: Florence 

For: being so helpful this week. 

 

Name: Geovani 

For: for working so cooperatively and peacefully during group work in class all week

5P

Name:  Isabella 

For: A fantastic attitude to learning and always producing work of a high quality.

Name: Lilly 

For: Her calm and friendly personality that can always be relied upon in the class. 

Name: Azraq

For: Making more sensible choices to live at peace resulting in some great work

5W

Name: Nathan 

For: working diligently and producing great work in science and English

Name: Lyra 

For: acting generously and always producing work of a high quality.

Name:  Sangeen 

For: living at peace and performing well in drama
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Six

6B

Name: Joanna 

For: Great effort and concentration in lessons. 

 

Name:Dylan 

For: Sharing his ideas in class

 

Name:Bethany 

For: Working well and having a peaceful approach to others.

6I

Name: Hudson 

For: Working hard and producing a great DT evaluation

Name: Orlaith 

For: Being a great stage crew member and being super organised 

Name: Nia 

For: Being there for her friends and supporting them

6L

Name: Onirban 

For: His great effort in making cookies with his partner during the Design and Technology project 

Name: Daria  

For: Being willing to help carry out classroom jobs!

Name: Alexandre  

For: Working quietly and calmly during our science lesson this week 
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