Weekly Bulletin:Friday 26th June 2026
Headteacher’s message to parents/carers
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you everyone for your continuing support through this week’s extreme heat. In assembly today, our music was ‘Hot Hot Hot’ which is probably the best way to sum it up in three words.
As I mentioned in Wednesday’s update, we do have a range of measures to keep children as cool as possible in the heat: own clothes, bottles of ice/water, adjusted lessons, use of outdoor shady spaces, timetabled “cool down” slots for all classes in our air-conditioned spaces, no PE/sport, “shade only” breaktimes and lunchtimes and our optional early finish today. We also have lots of positivity and encouragement, as well as moments of fun to keep children going.
One of the lovely things about the Tunbury school site is our outdoor spaces and the amount of trees, wooded areas and shade that we do have. Unlike most other schools. it is possible for us to have a “shade only” lunchtime, where all children have to remain in the shade, with space for everyone to do this simultaneously without overcrowding. Recently, we’ve been using the hill area (under the massive tree by the playground gate) and this has added extra space along with the Glade, the trees alongside the edge of the field and the trees by the bank at the edge of the playground. We’ve also added water play in the shade by the Small World area, which has understandably been a big hit this week.
We have three fully air conditioned spaces (Lilac, Scarlet and the IT suite), with children from other classes also being timetabled to use these spaces on a rota. We have three classrooms with mobile air conditioning units (Azure, Indigo and Magenta) which were funded by the TSA last year. We are looking to invest in more air conditioning for the future.
This week has taken a massive effort from all school staff, particularly class-based staff and those working outside at lunchtimes, who have been challenged by the conditions but not beaten by them! Thank you to everyone for stepping up to the challenge – this has taken determination, resilience and creativity, which is something we have plenty of in Team Tunbury.
Meanwhile, learning has continued throughout the week and although Sports Day couldn’t go ahead today, we were able to include a Story Swap visit this morning, where children were visited by next year’s class teachers for a story, as part of our transition activities.
Sports Day is now planned for Friday 3rd July and we hope that the conditions will be kinder for us. Monday is forecast to be 10 degrees cooler than today (phew) so children will be back to wearing normal school uniform next week.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Best wishes
Ruth Austin
Headteacher
Notices
Sports Day, Friday 3rd July:
- 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 29th 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. |
|
TSA Summer Disco: We are pleased to inform you that the tickets for the Summer Disco on Thursday 2nd July are now on sale. Please visit the following like to purchase your tickets:
Class Photos: Unfortunately, due to this week’s extreme heat we were not able to have our class photos taken. This has been re-booked and Tempest Photographers will be in school, to take class photos for all year groups, on Wednesday 15th July. 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.
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, our winners are Ruby class with a brilliant 98%. Our KS1 winners are Lavender class with a fantastic 100%. Amazing work everyone, keep it up!
|
Class |
Weekly Attendance Percentage |
|
Lavender |
☆100%☆ |
|
Owls |
98.08% |
|
Ruby |
☆98.00%☆ |
|
Bears |
97.60% |
|
Sapphire |
95.00% |
|
Red |
94.17% |
|
Azure |
93.75% |
|
Lilac |
92.93% |
|
Magenta |
92.86% |
|
Scarlet |
92.77% |
|
Violet |
91.53% |
|
Emerald |
91.25% |
|
Turquoise |
90.63% |
|
Blue |
90.42% |
|
Indigo |
90.09% |
|
Crimson |
89.29% |
|
Pink |
88.79% |
|
Amber |
83.98% |
Tunbury Primary School Facebook: This week we’ve posted about our brand new lunchtime water area, Mrs M’s lunchtime crafts and had a special message from our World Cup correspondents. 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, still going strong!
|
Rowling |
Attenborough |
Holmes |
Hawking |
|
2572 |
2794 |
2313 |
2192 |
Dates for your Diary
Term dates for 2026/27: www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Parents/Term-Dates-26-27/
Term 6
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 - Sports Day NEW
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
Monday 13th July – Year 3 Open Afternoon NEW
Wednesday 15th July – Tempest Photographers: Class group photos (postponed from 24/6) NEW
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 3rd July – Owls Class Assembly, changed to Friday 10th July (Due to Sports Day) NEW
