Weekly Bulletin:Friday 19th June 2026
Headteacher’s message to parents/carers
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you for joining us at our Team Tunbury Opal open afternoon this Wednesday – what a fantastic event! So cool to see children sharing their favourite play spaces with their families. Things I loved were:
- Future chefs cooking up some muddy delights in the mud kitchen
- Wonderful imaginative play in the small world area
- The rolling area being very popular with children (not adults?)
- Pre-school children getting involved in play alongside everyone else
- Our teenagers (former Tunbury pupils) coming back, thinking ‘what is happening?’ and ‘why wasn’t it like this when I was at Tunbury?’
- Dressing up, bubbles, the Glade, sports games, sandpit, climbing area…. the list goes on!
Whilst almost all Opal areas are working beautifully, there is one area where we need some help. Could you help us? Our digging area is in the far corner of the field, beyond the mud kitchen, but it is (literally) hard to play in, because the ground is so hard. Ideally, we’d like to turn over the soil so that it is loosened and easier for children to dig in. Do we have any parents/carers with a mini digger or other tools who could volunteer their time to do this for us? If you can help, we would really appreciate your time and support. Please contact us via the school office if you can.
Our Opal development has been funded by the TSA and looking ahead, our next area for redevelopment is the pond area. We have some exiting plans, funded by this year’s fundraising, which we look forward to sharing with you.
Today, children have just had their House Team Meetings, ahead of next week’s Sports Day. In the House Team Meetings, children and staff from each team congregate on the field to get ready for Sports Day. A huge well done to our Year 6 House Captains for leading these meetings and thinking up this year’s chants for their team. Last year at Sports Day, it was a historic double win for Holmes team (resulting in our iconic Kelly Holmes message to Team Tumble), but who will be the winners this year? Details for Sports Day are in the section below. We are really hopeful that the weather will allow Sports Day to proceed as planned, but please do be aware while traditionally it’s more likely that rain is the problem, it is also possible that extreme heat could result in adjustments or postponement.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Best wishes
Ruth Austin
Headteacher
Notices
Sports Day, Friday 26th June:
- On Sports Day, all children come to school already wearing their PE kits.
- Timings are the same as in previous years – see table below.
- At Sports Day, you are welcome to take photos/videos of your own children, but please remember that these are for you only and not to be shared online or on social media, as we do not have permission for any wider sharing.
- During Sports Day there will be two portaloos for visitors (not for Tunbury children) on the lower car park, by Forest School. Tunbury children (not visitors) will use the KS1 toilets, by Pink class, during the day.
- We look forward to seeing you cheer your child on, but please wait until the family picnic for a hug or drink.
- At lunchtime, our Play Team staff will be on duty and the Opal areas on the field (sandpit, mud kitchen and digging area) will be open. When the blue cover is on the sandpit, it is closed. Please do not allow younger children to enter the sandpit or move/damage the cover while it is closed. If the Opal zones reach capacity, staff members will limit numbers or ask children to wait for their turn. Young visitors (eg preschool children) are welcome to join in but please supervise/support them in their play.
- At the end of the day, please take all your belongings and rubbish/recycling home with you. Thank you.
|
9.35-9.55 |
Playground gate open for entry* |
|
9.50-11.30 |
KS2 Sports Day (for all children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) Sports activities rotating around the field in year group stations, followed by races on the track. |
|
11.30-11.45 |
Playground gate open for entry/exit* |
|
11.45-12.30 |
Family Picnic For Reception and Key Stage 1 children, you will collect from classroom doors at the start of the family picnic, as you do at hometime. Key Stage 2 children will come out onto the field in their classes and be dismissed to you. At the end of the family picnic, a bell will be rung and all Tunbury children will return to their classes. Families will be able to sit together on the field – please bring your picnic blankets and food (no footballs/frisbees, BBQs, alcohol). You can bring picnic food as a whole family or send children in with their own packed lunches to eat with you. During the Family Picnic, we ask children to remain around the edges of the field and not play with or move the Sports Day equipment which is left out ready for the afternoon events. School meals on this day will be ‘Picnic Bags’, which can be ordered using the normal school meals booking system. Please order this by Monday 22nd June and also let us know that you require this picnic lunch on the form detailed below. Children who do not have family members present will be supervised by school staff during lunchtime. Alternatively, if you cannot attend and wish your child to join another family group for the picnic, you must tell us in advance for safeguarding purposes, using this link: Please take all your rubbish/recycling home with you. Thank you. |
|
12.30-1.00 |
Playground gate open for entry/exit* |
|
1.00-2.45 |
FS/KS1 Sports Day (for all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) Sports activities rotating around the field in year group stations, followed by races on the track. |
|
2.45 |
Optional early collection for all children, using normal home time arrangements. This should be at around 2.45, but will happen 15 minutes after the end of FS/KS1 Sports Day. Teachers will have a class register to show which children have been collected early. Children who walk home alone will only be able to leave school without an adult at 3.15. |
|
3.10/3.15 |
Normal home time arrangements for remaining children. |
|
* If you wish to arrive or leave school at other times throughout the day, please enter/exit via the front gate. |
|
Class Photos: On Wednesday next week, 24th June, Tempest Photographers will be in school to take class photos for all year groups. If you do not want your child to be included in the class photo, please will you contact the school office to let us know.
School uniform reminder: School uniform reminder: We have noticed this term that standards of school uniform have begun to slip, particularly with an increasing number of children attending school wearing trainers instead of black school shoes. Whilst we recognise that we are approaching the end of the school year, we would like to kindly remind parents and carers of our school uniform expectations. Please ensure that children come to school wearing black school shoes each day, unless there is a specific reason agreed with the school. Any child who arrives at school wearing trainers will be asked to change into a pair of school plimsolls for the duration of the school day. Their trainers can then be changed back into at home time.
Wearing the correct uniform helps to promote a sense of belonging, pride and readiness for learning. By working together on this, we can continue to foster a positive and purposeful learning environment for all children.
If you are experiencing any difficulties with obtaining the correct uniform, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. We are always happy to help and support families wherever we can.
Strive Holiday Club: Looking for a fun way to keep your child active this Summer holiday break?
Strive PE and Sport August Multi-Activity Camp at Tunbury is now open for booking! https://pbbl.uk/3P4KxRs Designed for children aged 5–11, their teacher-led camps are packed with sports, games, and exciting activities to keep children moving, laughing, and making new friends — exclusively for current Tunbury pupils only.
Why children love Strive Holiday Club camps:
• A huge mix of fun sports and optional themed activities
• A great place to make friends and build confidence
• Sibling & FSM discounts available 
Weekly Class Attendance: This is a weekly feature on our bulletin to highlight and celebrate good levels of attendance. In KS2, we have two winners this week. Magenta and Turquoise both managed an incredible 99.11%. Great work from both classes! Bears class are our KS1 winners with 97.60%. Keep up the amazing work everyone!
|
Class |
Weekly Attendance Percentage |
|
Magenta |
☆99.11%☆ |
|
Turquoise |
☆99.11%☆ |
|
Sapphire |
99.00% |
|
Azure |
98.56% |
|
Scarlet |
98.21% |
|
Bears |
☆97.60%☆ |
|
Owls |
97.12% |
|
Indigo |
96.55% |
|
Blue |
96.25% |
|
Red |
95.42% |
|
Lilac |
94.57% |
|
Amber |
94.23% |
|
Crimson |
93.75% |
|
Ruby |
93.50% |
|
Lavender |
93.33% |
|
Emerald |
93.33% |
|
Pink |
89.66% |
|
Violet |
89.52% |
Tunbury Primary School Facebook: This week we’ve posted about our STEAM week winners, Thank A Teacher Day, Year 5 trip to Wildwood are more! Please take a look at Tunbury Primary School | Chatham | Facebook and follow us to keep up to date with all things Team Tunbury.
Team Points: Congratulations to Attenborough team for keeping their lead into this week, and being the first team over 2000 points.
|
Rowling |
Attenborough |
Holmes |
Hawking |
|
1804 |
2061 |
1711 |
1616 |
Dates for your Diary
Term dates for 2026/27: www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Parents/Term-Dates-26-27/
Term 6
Wednesday 24th June – Tempest Photographers: Class group photos
Thursday 25th June – Year 3 Open afternoon – 2 pm
Friday 26th June - Sports Day
Monday 29th June – Tuesday 7th July – Bikeability Cycle training for some of Year 5 pupils
Wednesday 1st July – Stay and Play session for New Entrants 12.45 or 1.45
Thursday 2nd July – TSA Summer Disco: Year R & 1, 2-3pm / Year 2 & 3, 3:15-4:15pm / Year 4, 5 & 6, 4:30-5:30pm
Friday 3rd July - Reserve Sports Day
Monday 6th July – Year 5 Open afternoon – 2 pm
Wednesday 8th July – Whole school transition day, followed by Open Classroom sessions 3.15-3.45
Wednesday 8th July - New Entrants transition sessions at 9.30 or 1.00
Thursday 9th July – Year 3 visit to Wingham Wildlife Park (please note 4 pm return time)
Friday 10th July - End of Year Reports sent home
Saturday 11th July - TSA GlasTunbury
Wednesday 15th July – New Entrants class visits / parents’ phonics workshop: 1.45 pm
Thursday 16th July – Year 6 Production: 2pm and 6pm
Friday 17th July – Dare to be Different Day (TSA)
Friday 17th July – Year 6 Prom
Monday 20th July – Year 6 Open afternoon – 2 pm
Tuesday 21st July – Year 6 Leavers' assemblies: Emerald - 9am / Violet - 9:45 am / Crimson - 10:30 am
Tuesday 21st July - July end of term/ academic year
Class Assemblies
Class assemblies will be held in the school hall on Friday afternoons. Parents/carers and family members from each class are warmly invited to join us in school for these events, as our children love to share their learning with you. Please come to the front of the school and wait outside the hall entrance doors. You will be invited in at just before 2.50pm. The assembly will begin at 2.50pm and last for about 10 minutes, finishing in time for you to collect your children at the end of the school day, as normal.
Friday 19th June – Bears Class Assembly
Friday 3rd July – Owls Class Assembly
