Dear Parents/Carers
Holiday well wishes from everyone at Walkley Primary School
Thank you so much for your kind and supportive comments over the first term of the school year. The staff and governors have been working incredibly hard as ever to provide the very best quality of education for your children. As is tradition, our wonderful Key Stage 2 pupils are currently participating in the ‘Walkley’s Got Talent’ talent show and they are incredibly supportive of each other and proud of their performances and achievements. They are bringing tears to the eyes of the staff, whether that be through song, humour or dance. Many of you will have seen this for yourselves at one of our 6 performances over December. Once again, we had in excess of 500 adults attend the performances; to have the hall full of such positivity and joy was amazing for our children. Thank you so much for your support of those performances, the children did so well and really enjoyed putting on a show!
Our Friday Golden celebration assemblies are a joy, my favourite time of the week, and they continue to remind us to celebrate the culture we all promote at Walkley, recognising the personal development of our pupils in their care and kindness for others, individual achievement and behaviour. Your connection with this is so appreciated. Thank you. It's been so special to see our parents, grandparents and carers in school, visiting in Nursery for Crafternoon activities, or in Year 6 for the World War 2 exhibition. Early in the Spring Term we will be inviting parents into school to share reading with our Reading Buddy partners. This term we have been making connections between year groups, building reading buddies where older children read stories to their younger buddies and listen to their buddies read, hearing their skills develop. More on this to follow. Also in the Spring term, there will be exhibitions of Art and Design Technology continuing. Plus, we have Cohort Showcase assemblies to look forward to in the Summer term.
Staffing Update
Today we say good luck and thank you to Miss Hoyland who is leaving Walkley after so ably covering the maternity leave of Mrs Selwood. We look forward to Mrs Selwood and Mrs Whittaker returning to EYFS in January as Caterpillars Class teachers. Also, congratulations to Miss Hoyland and her partner who are expecting their second child in the Spring time.
Good tidings this Christmas time
Our Year 6s have this morning sung carols for the residents at Northfield Care Home. What a wonderful thing to do for our older neighbours. You are wonderful role-models for our younger children and ambassadors for your generation.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish Happy Christmas to all our families that celebrate the season. For all our families, I wish you a lovely, restful break. I thank you for your unrelenting support and kind wishes. I am incredibly proud to be Headteacher at such a wonderful community school that celebrates the individuality of our pupils so inclusively.
I look forward to seeing you relaxed and refreshed in the New Year on Monday 5th January 2026.
Kindest regards
Chris Wallis
Headteacher