No8. 16th January 2026
Headteachers Message! -
Dear Parents and Carers,
Happy New Year! Welcome back to the Spring term. I hope you were able to enjoy some rest and relaxation over the Christmas break, along with precious time spent with family and friends.
It has certainly been a chilly start to the term. While some of you may have been hoping for snow like other parts of the country experienced, at least we’ve avoided the disruptions it can bring! If we were ever to experience snowfall like parts of the Midlands have had recently and needed to close the school, we would let you know as soon as that decision is made. If you don’t hear from us, you can assume it is business as usual. We also know we don’t need to remind you about warm winter clothing — big coats, hats, gloves and scarves are essential, and base layers can be a great idea too.
We had a lovely two weeks back with the children quickly getting back into school routines. Their excitement and positivity have brought great energy to the building. I enjoyed visiting our Reception classes this week to talk about special places and why they matter to us. The children shared thoughtful ideas and showed such enthusiasm—it has been a joy listening to their reflections. I was delighted to join Kingfisher Class at the Mini Olympics held at Cleves School. The children showed fantastic teamwork, determination, and sporting spirit throughout the event.
This term our assemblies will focus on our school value of Courage. We started by exploring what courage means, how we might define it, and the many ways we show courage in our day‑to‑day lives. The children offered insightful examples—from trying something new to speaking up for others—and it has been inspiring to hear their views.
Our curriculum gardening and the 'seeds and weeds' clubs have started with Mrs Pearson, our curriculum gardener. Children have been exploring the outdoor beds, preparing them and harvesting the kale. This hands‑on learning is a wonderful way to build curiosity, responsibility, and connection with the natural world.
We welcome Mr Wilson back to our team as our Sports Coach. The children are already enjoying his sessions, and we look forward to a fantastic term of sport and physical activity ahead.
Ashley has entered the ballot for this year’s Mini London Marathon, 25th April 2026. We will keep you updated as soon as we hear more—fingers crossed for a successful outcome!
Our next informal Leadership Drop‑In session will be on 6th March at 2:30pm. It is open to all parents and carers and the focus this time will be:
- The school’s priorities for this year
- How we use our outdoor spaces to support and enrich learning
If you have suggestions about topics we can share at the drop ins, please take a moment to share them using the form below:
We greatly value your voice and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Ratcliff
REMINDERS -
TERM DATES 2026-2027 -
SCHOOL LUNCHES - Please below the new school lunch menu which will start after half term. If your child/ren normally has a school meal, please can we remind you to order a school meal in advance. Ordering closes on the Friday before and meals cannot be ordered after this time.
ashley primary menu autumn winter 2025 2026 .pdf
Book you Chinese New Year meal -
PERSONAL APPEARENCE - Hair should be neat and tidy and tied away from the face. Shoulder-length hair must, for safety and hygiene reasons, be tied back daily. Hair accessories should be plain in style and in school colours. Dyed, gelled, highlighted hair or braiding with coloured cotton and beads is not allowed. Patterns should not be shaved into hair.
Nail varnish, make up and temporary tattoos etc. should not be worn in school.
No jewellery should be worn to school. We prefer no earrings at all, but if necessary small flat, plain, metal stud earrings should be worn. There should only be one earring in each ear. On PE days, children should leave their earrings at home and not wear them to school.
If a child has just had their ears pierced, they should wear their earrings to school but must remove them by themselves for PE and should replace them immediately afterwards. Staff members at Ashley will not attempt to remove earrings.
Watches may be worn (not smart watches) although Ashley accepts no liability for any items that are lost or damaged.
A smart uniform is part of the culture at our school and an important aspect of our pastoral care. Some items are only available from the school’s supplier, County Schoolwear: www.countyschoolwear.co.uk/ashley
We would really appreciate your co-operation in ensuring your child is wearing the correct uniform to and from school.
The Friends of Ashley also sell and accept donations of preloved (second-hand) uniform. Please click here for more information
All items should be clearly labelled with your child’s name, including shoes and trainers.
Ashley Church of England Primary School 2027/8 Admissions Policy Consultation -
The Good Shepherd Trust is the Admissions Authority for Ashley Church of England Primary School, Ashley Rd, Walton-on-Thames KT12 1HX
The Trust is consulting on a proposed change to the 2027/8 admissions policy for Ashley Church of England Primary School and would like to hear your views. The Trust has a statutory duty to consult on admissions arrangements if we intend to make a change.
The consultation period will run from Friday 12th December 2025 to Friday 23rd January 2026.
Information about the consultation will be provided on the https://www.goodshepherdtrust.org.uk/our-schools/admissions and school websites Ashley C of E Primary School - Admissions, during the consultation period.
What is the proposed change?
The proposed change to the policy is:
Removal of the following criterion:
- An applicant who lives within the Ecclesiastical Parish boundary (see note 4 of Walton on Thames AND the applicant and at least one parent (see definitions) regularly attend (see note 3) either St Mary’s or St John’s Churches in Walton on Thames
- The applicant lives within the Ecclesiastical Parish boundary (see note 4) of Walton on Thames AND the applicant and at least one parent (see definitions) regularly attend another Christian Church (see note 3).
Comments are not being sought on any other area of the policy. This will also mean the removal of the SIF associated with these criteria.
Rationale
The Trust seeks to be as inclusive as possible with our admissions policies and procedures. We welcome pupils from all faiths and none and we are keen to make our admissions policy as clear as possible in regard to this. We have, therefore, proposed to remove all church-related criteria from our school admissions policies. Some parents have suggested that these criteria have been a barrier to applying to our schools.
Potential Impact
In the past three years, the number of pupils admitted into the school is as follows:
|
|
2025 |
2024 |
2023 |
|
Places available |
90 |
90 |
90 |
|
Total places offered |
90 |
89 |
90 |
|
Places offered under criterion 5 |
3 |
6 |
7 |
|
Places offered under criterion 6 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
As pupil projections for the Elmbridge area are predicted to decline further, we do not expect these changes to impact the places offered. The number in each is on a significant downward trend and the numbers are small.
How can I respond to the consultation?
If you would like to submit a response to the consultation, please email Mr Paul Kennedy on: admissions@goodshepherdtrust.org.uk or write to: Mr Paul Kennedy, The Good Shepherd Trust, Larch Building, Larch Avenue, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1JY.
Please ensure that your response is entitled: 2027/8 Admissions Policy Consultation.
You are able to submit a free text response.
However, the Trust Board would find it helpful if you could include your name and the name of the school to which you are submitting a response. Also, if you are able to indicate whether you will be affected by the proposed change and if so, in what way.
Further details on the admissions consultation process can be found in the School Admissions Code: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1001050/School_admissions_code_2021.pdf
What happens next?
Please note that you will not receive an individual response to your submission and no changes to the proposed policies will be made during the consultation period. After the consultation has closed, all responses will be collated and presented to the Trust Board during the first half term of the spring term 2026. The Board will then decide whether to proceed with the proposed change as well as determining the admission arrangements for all other Trust schools for which no changes are proposed. Once determined the final admission arrangements for all schools will be placed on the websites of the individual schools and sent to the Local Authority and Diocese.
ashley 2027 admission policy draft.pdf
ashley 2027 staff sif draft.pdf
The Past Fortnight -
Y6 -
Year 6 have been capturing the vibrant colours of tropical fruit, practising their skills using oil pastels. This term we are learning about the changes Britain experienced during the 20th century importing exotic fruit improved all of our diets and expanded our choices!
- Miss Bardel
Y4-
In our new learning theme, 'How does water bring fullness to life?' Year 4 have been learning about the water cycle. This week, we investigated how clouds are formed through this process.
We put some hot water in a jar and covered it with clingfilm. Once we had done that, we put an ice cube on the top and watched what happened. We noticed that condensation began to form on the sides of the jar and on the underside of the clingfilm. It was interesting to link this learning to the water cycle and understand that when water evaporates, the water vapor cools and turns into condensation. We witnessed this in our experiment and it was really cool!
-Mrs Ready
Y2 -
For the past two weeks Year 2 have been exploring fire poetry. They planned, wrote and shared their own poems in class.
- Mrs Van Der Schaff
Reception - 
In Reception, we have started our new learning enquiry "How do we get there and we have been learning all about space". The children have been busy becoming astronauts, role-playing in our classroom "Space Station" and counting down for rocket launches. We are exploring the Solar System, learning names of the eight planets, and discovering facts about the moon. In Literacy, we have been reading stories Whatever next and Astro girl. The children have been busy in our creative area making rockets out of recycling material and painting planet pictures.
-Mrs Semec
SEND Update -
Update on Right to Choose services – December 2025
Under the NHS Choice Framework, people can choose any qualified provider for their autism or ADHD assessment, including independent ones, although this does not guarantee shorter waits. To manage demand, NHS England introduced Indicative Activity Plans, which set out how many assessments each provider can deliver, expected waiting times, and available funding. Despite increased investment and expanded capacity in 2025, many providers have already reached their planned limits for the financial year ending March 2026. As a result, some people may not be seen until after April 2026 and may experience longer waiting times. If referred to a provider, individuals will remain on that provider’s waiting list, and those with urgent needs can still be prioritised. Changing providers is possible, but due to high demand across all services, it may not reduce waiting times.
Support remains available while people wait for assessment. Individuals can speak to their GP about wellbeing concerns, use Talking Therapies, or access resources through Mindworks Surrey, including helplines, crisis support, and guidance for both children and adults. Surrey’s Local Offer also provides information on education and support for families. Private assessments are an option, but NHS services are not required to prescribe medication from private diagnoses unless reports are NICE-compliant, and decisions follow clinical judgement. Work is ongoing to improve pathways, increase early support, and reduce waiting times, with progress being made even as demand continues to exceed capacity.
Family Voice: Improving School Communication Workshop 23rd January 2.15 - 3.15
Thank you to the parents, carers and representatives who shared their valuable thoughts at our first event with Family Voice. They are sharing the themes with us and we’re factoring this into our plans, including in the newsletter! See below for our next event where the focus will be communication and how this could be improved! Sign up below.
https://forms.office.com/e/hLx0UsHJ4E
Managing Anxiety: Parent Workshop Monday 26th January 8pm
An evening, online workshop for parents to learn about strategies for supporting mild to moderate anxiety.
Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/4c3JsrLagr
Friends of Ashley -
We are pleased to confirm that, together with the FOA (our Parent & Teacher Committee), we will be bringing back the much-loved Firework Display this year. The event will take place on Thursday 5th November – Bonfire Night.
In recent years, particularly since the pandemic, fundraising has become increasingly important in supporting pupil enrichment. Events organised with the support of parents and carers play a vital role in this. Last year’s fireworks raised £9,500, contributing 45% of our new fundraising target for KS1 playground equipment. We are very grateful to everyone who continues to support these events.
The event is planned to run from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, following the same format as previous years, including a quieter display at the start. Set-up will take place during the school day and will not affect pupils’ learning. However, After School Club will not be available on this day. We are currently exploring alternative arrangements and will update you as soon as possible.
We understand that holding the event on a weekday may require some families to adjust their plans. Please be assured that this decision has been carefully considered and all possible alternative dates explored. With our usual Sunday date falling on Remembrance Sunday this year, and increased local demand for a Friday & Saturday display, this was the most suitable option available to secure a reputable supplier within budget and availability. We believe the event remains a positive and valuable opportunity for our school community to come together while continuing to support important enrichment projects.
We are very much looking forward to this year’s display and hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be a warm, enjoyable and memorable evening for the whole school community.
Jennie Ratcliff and the FOA Committee
