Dear Howley families,
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. Despite the rather inclement weather - including snow - the year has got off to a very positive start.
During our INSET day on 5th January, our staff team focused on the importance of our school values ‘Achieve, Believe, Care’ underpinning our ethos and all the work we do here at Howley. As a result, we have revisited our Relationships and Behaviour Policy and made changes to our approach in supporting children to make positive choices. These changes include adding recognition boards to each classroom to acknowledge our children’s great behaviour and revamping our achievement assemblies to ensure we can really enjoy celebrating our successes together. We will share more information with you once we have finalised our new policy and added it to our website. In the meantime, I am very glad to report that our children have responded so well to the changes – we are really proud of them!
We have another super development to tell you about. We are just beginning to introduce a new tool to support our children’s understanding of maths- Magma Maths. This is an online teaching tool, which enables staff to see how your child is doing with the questions they have been set in real time, enabling the effective targeting of support. Years 3, 4 and 5 will be predominantly using Magma Maths in the first instance. However, many other children will also be accessing it across the school where relevant. You can find more out about Magma Maths at - Magma Maths - The maths platform to advance pupil learning
One lovely thing we have noticed since the start of the year is an increase in our children’s love of board games, particularly in Years 5 and 6. We have already purchased a wide selection of games that are stored in our school hall in readiness for our children to play once they have eaten their dinners. As ever, they always have the very best ideas as to how we can improve our school, and our children are now telling us how much they would love a covered outdoor space where they can play these games outside. We really want to make this happen and think that the area by the side of the playground, where there is an old, covered seating space, is the perfect spot. We are currently looking at grants which may help us to bring this to fruition and are exploring all ideas from wooden structures to refurbished buses! If anyone in our school community has any ideas or links they think might be useful, please do let us know.
Thank you so much for your support as we continue to develop and improve our school.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend,
Miss Lewis
Reading around Howley
National Year of Reading 2026
We are excited to be part of the National Year of Reading.
What is the National Year of Reading?
The National Year of Reading is a UK wide campaign by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust. The campaign’s theme is ‘Go All In’ meaning read about things that really matter to you. Whether it’s sport, music, fashion so something else, if people ‘go all in’ on a topic, the hope is that they will enjoy what they are reading and do it more.
Click on this link to watch a National Year of Reading You Tube video:
Why is this the National Year of Reading?
Studies have shown that reading is connected to lots of lifelong benefits, including wellbeing and confidence, and improving writing and conversation skills. Unfortunately, reading for pleasure among young people is at its lowest for 20 years. We need our young people to read in order to improve their own life chances, both in education and the workplace.
Is reading just about books?
Definitely not! The National Year of Reading is promoting all types of reading including comics, magazines, online blogs, e-readers, instruction manuals and audiobooks. The campaign wants everyone to read in a way that works for them.
What is happening during the National Year of Reading?
Throughout 2026, there will be lots of events across the UK. At Howley Grange, Mrs Graham and the Reading Ambassadors will be promoting reading and reading for pleasure through a variety of activities across the next three terms.
The Department for Education wants children and families to read for at least 10 minutes every day and at Howley Grange we want that for our children as well. How amazing would it be if we could all achieve that goal!
Bookdrop
Bookdrop is a 10-page PDF newsletter, curated in partnership with children’s publishers, literacy charities, and the Reading for Pleasure team at the Open University. Issue 1 has recently been released so please enjoy sharing this with your child/children. Together you can see new and upcoming books along with interviews with their favourite authors.
We are reaching out with a special request that reflects our school values of Achieve, Believe, Care—especially the importance of caring for others.
Amelia, a brave 7‑year‑old girl, has been fighting a long and gruelling battle with neuroblastoma since her diagnosis in 2020. Her current wish is to break the UK record for the most birthday cards received by one person before her 8th birthday in March.
We are hoping to support her by collecting birthday card donations from our generous school community. If you would be willing to donate a card—or multiple cards—we would be incredibly grateful.
You can read more about Amelia’s story here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv71xe14kno
Please send any cards to school by 27th February so we can forward them in time for her celebration.
Thank you for helping us show that caring makes a real difference.
Dates for the Diary
Parents Evenings - Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th February (Bookings not open yet)
Half term 16th - 20th February
World Book Day - Thursday 5th March
Mothers' Day Celebration for parents (Reception, Year 1 & Year 2) Thursday 12th March in the afternoon
Comic Relief - Friday 20th March
Easter Bonnets and singalong (Reception, Year 1 & Year 2) - Wednesday 25th March 2.45pm
Friday 27th March - End of term (3.15pm finish as usual)
Monday 13th April - Summer term begins
