2nd November 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Here we are, already into the second half of the autumn term. The clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in but hopefully everyone is refreshed after the half term break.

It has been a great start to the academic year, and the Parkgate family goes from strength to strength. The theme for this year is ‘One Step Beyond – Feet First’ which is all about developing our whole selves so that we feel confident to go beyond and push ourselves that bit further.

To do this we need to make sure that we create the space in which all the children feel that they can thrive. Mrs Pipe and all the Parkgate staff work extremely hard to make sure that the curriculum and all the other school experiences are inclusive and give children the strong and supportive space they need to go one step beyond.

There is also a very important thread running through all this year’s theme - and that is about belonging. This isn’t new, but it is something at the heart of the Parkgate way. It’s about adapting what we do to make sure every child benefits, it’s about families too and having an open door policy so that parents and carers can access staff whenever they need to. It’s about belonging to our community around the school and further afield.

As part of a global community, we’re also committed to playing our part to secure an safe future for the environment. Watch out for news about our work towards Eco Schools status, our eco ambassadors and how you can get involved by taking small simple steps that can encourage children to learn about the importance of saving energy, recycling and protecting nature at home and school in a fun and informative way.

Yours sincerely

Ajit Bansal & Julie Rolls Harper

Co-Chair of Governors