{item_alt_tag}

Dear parents and carers,

It has been a genuinely wonderful week of learning at William Ford, and as I have walked around the school I have been thoroughly impressed by what I have seen. Children have been working together in groups, using our Mantle of the Expert approach to take on roles as personal trainers and museum curators, bringing real purpose and engagement to their learning. Lego, iPads and good old pen and paper have all had their place this week, and the atmosphere in classrooms has been warm, purposeful and creative. I know their teachers are every bit as proud of them as I am.

A Concern in the Local Park
It would not be right to let this week pass without raising something that has been brought to my attention by a number of parents and members of staff. We are aware of several incidents that have taken place at Old Dagenham Park before and after school, including adults challenging other people's children and photographs and videos being taken of children without consent. This behaviour is completely unacceptable. Following conversations with several parents this morning, I can confirm that the police have been made aware today, and we are hopeful that there will be an increased presence in the park at the start and end of the school day. The police have also asked me to pass on an important message: now that these incidents are on record and attached to that location, if you witness anything of concern at the park, please dial 999 immediately and explain what is happening. The officers responding will be able to see the existing record for that area. If you have concerns you wish to raise with school, please do so, and if you ever believe a child is in immediate danger, please contact the police without delay.

The Car Park
I also need to raise, once again, the issue of the school car park. Between 7.50am and 8.10am we are seeing parents parking in the car park, and this is causing serious problems. We have had incidents this week where children have come very close to being struck by moving vehicles, and members of staff have been blocked from accessing the site and finding spaces.  We have also had parents driving over and parking on our grass areas which turns these into mud. 

None of this is acceptable, and the safety of our children has to come first. We are continuing to work with our neighbours on the school site and with the council to get the camera on Ford Road operational, at which point parents who drive down the lane will risk a Penalty Charge Notice. In the meantime, we ask every parent to please keep the car park clear. We are also looking at further ways to make arrival and departure from the school site safer and more efficient, and we will share updates as these develop.

Collective Worship and Careers
This week our collective worship took a brief pause from our series on being transformed by God to focus on dyslexia and the support we offer our pupils in this area. It was an important and timely session, helping children across the school to understand and appreciate the different ways in which people learn. We were also delighted to welcome our first careers visitor of the year, who spoke to the children about working in the world of fashion and reminded us that we are each uniquely and wonderfully made in the image of our Creator God. You can read more about both of these in the news articles below.

I pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

  

Mr. David Huntingford

Headteacher

{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}

As part of our commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and allergy-aware school, our pupils had the opportunity to watch a live assembly focused on allergies and the importance of understanding how they can affect individuals. 

This assembly supported the introduction of Benedict’s Law, which strengthens allergy safety requirements in schools from September 2026. It helped children develop a greater understanding of allergies, recognise the importance of being considerate towards others and learn how simple actions can make a significant difference in keeping everyone safe. 

During the assembly, pupils explored what allergies are, why some people need to be particularly careful around certain foods and substances, and how to respond if someone becomes unwell. We will use our new knowledge to reinforce the importance of kindness, inclusion and looking out for one another, ensuring that children with allergies feel safe, supported and never excluded from school life. 

By raising awareness across our whole school community, we hope to empower our pupils with the knowledge and understanding they need to help create an environment where everyone feels safe, included and able to thrive. 

This is also a reminder that we are a nut free school and have children and staff members with severe nut allergies. Chidlren will not be allowed to consume nut based items as a snack or part of theri rpacked lunch. 

We are grateful for your continued support as we work together to make our school a place where allergy awareness is everyone's responsibility. 

 

 

Today we were visited by our friends at Dagenham United Charity, working with Parkside Community Centre they have collected hundreds of donated hand knitted gloves, hats and scarves as part of the Winter Appeal.

These items will be available at the school during the half term foodbank.

 

 

{item_alt_tag}

YEAR THREE

LUCAS

YEAR FOUR

LIBAN

YEAR FIVE

MUHAMMED

YEAR SIX

ROSY

{item_alt_tag}

The Dancing Bear 

 

This book is about an abandoned bear cub who was high up in the mountains and adopted by a lonely orphan child. Soon they are inseparable and go everywhere together.  

I enjoyed reading this book as you learn more about the friendships between animals and humas.  

{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}

01 Oct 2026
Career visitor - Irene Burgin (fashion)
We are all uniquely made: personal stylist Irene Bergin opens the year in style at William Ford
Read more
30 Sep 2026
Year 5 Science Museum Trip
Year 5 went on a recent trip to the Science Museum, as part of their mantle topic, based on Space!
Read more
18 Sep 2026
Pupil Voice Elections
Pupil voice elections for pupils who apply to be part of our two councils: School Council and Worship Council. 
Read more
{item_alt_tag}

Year Three

Year Four

Another productive week in year 3

What we have learnt about this week 

In English, the pupils have thought of their own research questions for the Sphinx and used the internet to research the answers. They have also planned and written a setting description by dr awing on their senses. 

In maths, the pupils have been looking at 10 and 100 more than a number.  They have also been comparing and ordering numbers up to 100. 

In science, they became personal trainers and learnt about how muscles work in pairs.  They also design an exercise programme to make your muscles stronger. 

In RE, they have thought carefully about what is important when looking after the world. 

In geography, the pupils have research information about different continents. 

What we will learn about next week 

In English, the pupils will be learning how to write and punctuate direct speech. They will use conversations between the characters of Marcy and The Riddle of The Sphinx to write these. 

In maths, pupils will compare numbers up to 1000.  

In history, they will be learning about timelines to understand how far back in history the Ancient Egyptians were around.  

In science, the pupils will continue to be personal trainers but this week they will learn about the different food groups and what makes a balanced diet. 

In RE, the pupils will research and compare different types of Christians. 

It has been another wonderful week in Year 4.  

What we have learnt about this week 

In English, the pupils have been continuing to read their focus text ‘Nell and the Cave Bear’. They have been able to generate their own ideas for their adventure story. They used their ideas to write their own adventure story.  

In Maths, the children have continued to work on their place value unit, looking at comparing and ordering numbers to 10,000. 

In Geography, the children made comparisons between the UK and India. They began to gain a nuanced understanding of India as a diverse country.  

In Science, the children learned about environmental change and acted out a short mini drama based on the environmental changes. 

In RE, the children learned about the Mandir. They looked at different pictures of Mandirs and identified the different characteristics of each one.  

What we will learn about next week 

The pupils will round to the nearest 10,100 and 1000 in Maths.  

In Science, the children will understand how scientists protect habitats and biodiversity.  

In History the children will be investigating what the achievements of prehistoric people and the impact they had on the development of civilisation.  

In RE, the children will be looking at a puja tray and shrine and will be discussing what they are used for.  

In Art, the children will be making their paisley pattern prints.  

Happy new month. Have a good weekend and we look forward to seeing you all on Monday. 

Year Five

Year Six

We have had a great week in Year 5 this week, with our central point, being or wonderful trip to the Science Museum.  

What we have learnt about this week 

This week, the children have been preparing and researching our three key figures, from our book: Hidden Figures, in order to write a biography.  

 

In History, we have been learning about the Anglo-Saxon settlements, learning what was required to make a good settlement in the times when the Anglo-Saxons were living in Britain. The pupils used Lego, to build a model of their settlements. 

In RE, they have been considering the nature of human beings and reflecting on what it means to be human.  

In PE, they have continued to develop their skills in hockey and gymnastics.  

In Maths, we have begun our new unit on Addition and Subtraction, working on refining our practice and understanding of the methods used for addition and subtraction. 

In science, we had the pleasure of visiting the Science Museum, which was fantastic. We looked at the Flight, engineering and Space exhibitions and even found some of the vehicles/pods used to travel to and from the moon, used and engineered by some of the Hidden Figures from our book in Reading/English. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week, the children will be writing their own biographies, based on one of the three Hidden Figures: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson.  

In Maths, the pupils will be continuing their learning of Addition and Subtraction, 

In Science, we will be looking at the stages of the moon, with the help of Oreo cookies!! 

We hope you have a great weekend!

It has been another busy and enjoyable week in Year 6, with the children showing great focus and enthusiasm across their learning. 

What we have learnt about this week 

In English, the children completed their wanted posters about the character Mr Spink from Street Child. They worked hard to use descriptive language to explain his appearance, personality and crimes.  In maths, we have been developing our understanding of formal multiplication methods. The children have been practising setting out calculations correctly and applying their methods to increasingly challenging questions.  In history, the children explored Victorian photographs using the LACE method. They looked carefully at the photographs and used their observations to make deductions about what life was like during the Victorian period.  In science, the children had lots of fun investigating bird beaks and adaptation. They explored how different beak shapes are suited to different types of food and considered how these adaptations could help birds survive and reproduce. 

What we will learn about next week 

In English, we will be developing the children’s understanding and use of inverted commas. They will practise punctuating direct speech correctly before using dialogue within a piece of descriptive writing.  In RE, the children will explore the idea that we are made in God’s image. They will consider what this means and how it might influence the way Christians view themselves and other people.  In geography, we will continue our work on mountains by exploring the information and knowledge mountain climbers need before attempting to climb a mountain. This will include considering factors such as weather, equipment, altitude and the challenges climbers may face. 

{item_alt_tag}