As we reach the end of another fantastic term, it is hard to believe how quickly the weeks have flown by. In many ways, it feels such a long time since we returned from the summer holidays, and what a wonderful term it has been. I am incredibly proud of all that our pupils have achieved, both in and out of the classroom. Their enthusiasm, resilience and commitment to learning continue to make our school a very special place to be. 

As we look ahead, we also take a moment to say a fond farewell to two valued members of our team. We are sad to say goodbye to Mrs Bright, our Behaviour and Pastoral Lead, who has made a significant difference to the lives of so many children and families through her dedication, care and support. We wish her every happiness and success in her next chapter. We also say goodbye to Miss Cameron, who has taught and inspired children across the school during her time with us and has built many wonderful relationships with pupils and staff alike. As she returns to her home town, we thank her for her contribution to our school community and wish her every success and happiness for the future. 

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome some new members of staff to the KPJA family. Mr Promise joins us as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant and will be teaching and supporting children across the school. We also welcome Miss Frost and Miss Lane, who join us as Learning Partners and will be working alongside pupils to support their learning and help them achieve their very best. Joining us in the office is Miss Dobson, who takes on the role of Administration Assistant after previously working within the school as a Learning Partner. We are delighted that she is bringing her knowledge and experience of the school community to the office team. Miss Dobson and Miss Gregori will make up our fabulous Office Team, and I know they will continue to provide a warm welcome and valuable support to our children, families and staff. 

Next term is always an incredibly busy and exciting one as we look forward to the many events and celebrations that lead us up to Christmas. Before then, I would like to thank all of our staff, pupils and families for their continued support throughout this term. I wish everyone a restful, enjoyable and well-deserved half-term break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another successful term.  

Year 3 have had a fantastic first half term and should be incredibly proud of how hard they have worked across all lessons! It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm for learning and the progress they have made. In Science, we have particularly enjoyed becoming scientists and carrying out lots of exciting experiments. We have designed and made our own solar ovens and investigated the acidity and alkalinity of different substances. The children have loved getting hands-on, making predictions and discovering new things along the way. We are so proud of their hard work, curiosity and positive attitudes towards learning and look forward to another exciting half term!

Reading

We have continued exploring our amazing class novel, The Wild Robot, and it is safe to say that it is already a firm favourite with the children. In fact, many of us do not want the story to end! This week, we have been using our inference skills to dig deeper into the text, thinking carefully about how the characters feel and why they behave in certain ways. We particularly enjoyed discussing the character's feelings towards the aeroplane and using evidence from the story to support our ideas.

Geography

In Geography, we have been learning about the Amazon Rainforest and discussing the impact that human actions can have on this precious environment. The children were shocked to learn about some of the ways the rainforest is treated and were passionate about finding solutions. To encourage positive change, the class created presentations about how our school can become more sustainable. The children came up with some fantastic ideas, including reducing waste, recycling more effectively, and saving energy around school. We were incredibly impressed by their creativity and enthusiasm for helping to protect our planet.

This half-term, Year 5 have been experimenting with a range of artistic techniques to create self-portraits. Their mixed-media pieces have included paint washing, continuous line drawing, mono printing, colour saturation and exploring composition by distorting images of themselves.

Throughout the project, pupils have carefully considered the use of negative space to create interesting compositions and challenge traditional ideas of what a self-portrait can be. Their work has been inspired by the diverse artistic perspectives of Chila Kumari Singh Burman and L. S. Lowry, providing opportunities to explore different approaches to portraiture and composition.

Well done, Year 5! Your final pieces demonstrate your ability to combine and apply the new techniques and skills you have developed throughout this exciting sequence of work.

Year 6 have had a busy and exciting few weeks of learning! In Science, we really got to the heart of the circulatory system through a lamb heart dissection. The children approached this fascinating activity with maturity, curiosity and enthusiasm, learning about the different parts of the heart and how they work together.

In PE, we have been developing our basketball skills and taking part in Outdoor Adventurous Activities, where teamwork, determination and problem-solving have been key. Meanwhile, our History and Reading lessons have focused on Black British History, leading to some thoughtful discussions and helping us learn more about important people and events that have shaped Britain.

In Writing, we have stepped into the shoes of Hansel and Gretel, writing diary entries from the characters’ perspectives. To help us immerse ourselves in the story, we enjoyed tasting a variety of sweet treats inspired by the famous gingerbread house. This was certainly a sweet way to bring our learning to life and helped us create some wonderfully descriptive writing!

We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, effort and pride Year 6 have shown in all areas of their learning. We look forward to sharing more of our adventures throughout the term.

Our Year 6 mixed football team have represented the school brilliantly this term, showing excellent teamwork, determination and sportsmanship in every match. They have worked hard in training and consistently embodied our school value of pride, giving their best and supporting one another. We are incredibly proud of all their achievements!

• Monday 2nd November 2026 is the first day of term.
• Class 4 swimming starts on Tuesday 3rd November - Please remember your swimming kits.
• Please order school dinners via school grid before the first day of term.
• Please ensure P.E kits are brought to school on the first day of term.

Exciting news! ?? We're thrilled to have partnered with McCarthy Dixon to bring additional support and resources to our families. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to work together and make a real difference. Head over to the link below to learn more about this amazing charity. ?? 

Working to alleviate hunger & provide for those in need in Northampton