Letters to Parents & Carers
This week's Headteacher Letter
23rd May 2025
Celebration Award Winners
Congratulations to our award winners so far this half term:
Ireland: Muizz & Amina
Spain: Shayan & Sandra
Tunisia: Usman, Safa, Amena, Awele, Chidera & Nimi
Kenya: Amelia, Mohanad, Adah, Ismail & Khadija
Madagascar: Melissa
Mali: Camelia & Precious
Thailand: Manha & Yousef
Pakistan: Amin & Ruqiya
Japan: Saayim & Hanzalah
China: Faseeh & Salahuddin
Jamaica: Rayan & Ramla
Mexico: Maheen & Nathan
Argentina: Asha & Hafsa
Chile: Azan & Sanaa
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We are stopping using our X (Twitter) account and using our Instagram account to share pictures and news with the wider world each week. Please find us and follow us – westminsterbd3
Summer Fair
We are having our Summer Fair on the school field on Friday 20th June. All children will need collecting at 1.45pm to go to the fair and play on the stalls. Uncollected children will not be able to go to the Summer Fair. We have a lot of stalls on offer, including Ice-Cream, Pizza, Games and much more. We are asking the whole school for donations for our Chocolate Tombola – please send them in with your child after half term and please make sure it isn’t out of date! All money raised at the fair goes towards the cost of school trips (see below).
School Trips & Residential - Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who has sent in voluntary contributions and supported our fundraising to cover as much of the cost as possible for our trips. Our children go on a huge range of experiences, that cost a lot of money, and you r support helps us to keep this offer going. Thank you as well to those families who have paid for the Y6 residential this year. We have a great number of Y6 children going on this wonderful opportunity thanks to you.
Sports Day
Early warning that Sports Day is on Thursday 26th June. Younger children will have their event in the morning and the older children will have their events in the afternoon – full timings to be shared after half term. Parents will be invited to watch (bringing their own chairs and blankets where possible) and refreshments will be provided.
School Meal Prices - reminder
Due to the increase in fuel and food costs, our catering provider Bradford Council have recommended a price increase for school meals. The cost of a school dinner from September 2025 will be £2.40 per day (£12.00 per week). If your child is currently in year 2, you will need to pay for school dinners when your child moves to year 3 in September 2025 (or send a packed lunch). If you would like to check if your child is entitled to benefit based free school meals, please speak to the office.
Eid al-Adha - attendance
Please make sure you have completed the form with regards to the 2 days where the children will be celebrating Eid al-Adha. This helps us plan activities for those children in school, plan staffing as many staff are celebrating and also to ensure we aren’t chasing you with texts, phone calls and visits on the day.
https://forms.office.com/e/xMea9RyvXb
Important Dates
Monday 2nd June – 8.30am – School opens
Wednesday 4th June – Y6 visit to the County Showground
Wednesday 11th & Friday 13th June – Reception Farm visit
Friday 13th June 8.20 – 9.15am and 2.00pm – 3.00pm Day of Welcome Café for all parents and carers in the back hall (details to be shared after half term). Year 6 will be serving refreshments to all parents and carers in the hall. Please join us for this special events that helps to launch Refugee Week.
Friday 20th June 1.45pm – 3.15pm – Westminster Summer Fair – more details to follow
Parking on Northallerton Road
Unfortunately we have had several incidents when parents have parked across access roads and drives on Northallerton Road. This has prompted a flurry of complaints and phonecalls, where I feel I have to apologise for the behaviour of parents, which isn’t right is it? When challenged by residents, parents have apparently been aggressive and abusive – again, that’s not right is it?
As everyone is fully aware, as we have told you and as the signs say, the roads to school are access only (in other words, residents only) to cars around drop off and pick up times. We put cones out to ensure the gates are kept clear, not the road. Keeping the road clear and safe for our children is every driver’s responsibility.
As a result of the ongoing complaints and constant dangerous, ridiculous and rude parking, I am working with the council to try and get automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) CCTV on Northallerton and Westminster so offenders would be fined. I would obviously prefer to rely on drivers following the rules, but it’s clear that isn’t happening. If you feel that this is unfair, please talk to the drivers parking on the road, right outside houses and our gates.
Sorry for the grumpy ending, but it needs saying. Have a good half term and take care.
Mr. S Gallacher
Headteacher
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