Dear Families,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the brighter mornings we’ve finally been gifted. After a spell of grey skies and drizzle, the sunshine has returned—bringing with it a real sense of energy and optimism around the school. The playground is buzzing with activity, the field is drying out nicely, and the children are relishing every opportunity to be outdoors again.
When I pass by EDP (Extended Day Provision) first thing in the morning—or pop in for a quick visit—I’m always struck by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. With the scent of freshly toasted bread in the air, the sight of chia bowls, banana splits (topped with yoghurt, granola, and all sorts of colourful delights!), and the happy hum of conversation, it’s honestly hard to leave! It’s a lovely start to the day for so many of our children.
Following on from the recent presentations on school funding, here is a letter with more information about the funding (lack of funding) for the free school meals' initiative. Please take a moment to read it as we need your help.
With the sun finally making a proper appearance, please do remember to send your child to school with a hat and with suncream already applied. They are very welcome to bring a small bottle of suncream with them to reapply later in the day—particularly if they’ll be outside for PE or lunchtime play. While we’re happy to supervise, staff aren’t able to apply it for them directly.
Looking ahead, the Magic of Music fundraiser is just around the corner, and excitement is building! It promises to be a joyful celebration of our pupils’ talents and a great community event. Further down in the newsletter, you’ll find all the details you need. Tickets are available here.
A quick reminder about school shoes: we’ve had some very spirited discussions among the children about what qualifies as proper footwear! Just to clarify: if your child is taking part in a sports club or has PE that day, they should wear sports trainers. On other days, we kindly ask that they come in school shoes, in line with our uniform policy. You can find the full policy here if you need a refresher.
Wishing you all a relaxing and—fingers crossed—sunny Bank Holiday weekend. I hope you get a chance to enjoy some time outdoors, perhaps with an ice cream in hand!
Warmest wishes,
Frances
Frances Bracegirdle
Headteacher - headteacher@vineyard.richmond.sch.uk
Hopefully we can get our school total back to at least 96% next week! 
