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Earlies & Lates Autumn 2026 (Wraparound Care Provision)
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We will be taking bookings from 7pm on Tuesday 9th June for Earlies & Lates in the Autumn Term 2026. You can click the link before, but it will only go live at 7pm.
Bookings close at 12 noon on Tuesday 16th June 2026.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/EarliesandLatesBookingAutumnTerm2026/
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Invitation to PSHE Curriculum Review Information Meeting
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Invitation to PSHE Curriculum Review Information Meeting on Wednesday, 10 June 2026 at 2:30pm
At Dunalley, we are committed to providing high-quality Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that supports your child's development and wellbeing throughout their time with us.
Please sign up on Edulink One.
Reviewing our PSHE provision
We are currently reviewing our PSHE curriculum in line with the DfE's updated statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (published 2025, for implementation from September 2026). This is a positive opportunity to ensure our curriculum remains relevant and appropriate for all Dunalley children in a changing world, whilst maintaining our age-appropriate focus on the core knowledge and essential skills that children need to navigate different aspects of their lives with confidence both in and beyond primary school.
Within school, we use Jigsaw, the mindful approach to shape our PHSE curriculum. The programme consists of six half-term units (Puzzles): Being Me in My World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me. Each Puzzle contains lessons that build progressively through the school, developing children's emotional literacy, self-esteem, resilience and understanding of how to build positive, healthy relationships.
The updated DfE guidance enhances our existing curriculum, rather than requiring radical changes. The strong foundations remain the same - we continue to focus on building the fundamental skills and knowledge children need - whilst ensuring our content reflects the world they are growing up in.
As part of our review, we are also considering how we adapt the programme content to best suit the needs and context of our school community. The changes, in particular, mean that most of the curriculum is to be taught to all pupils with only 2 specific lessons (taught in Year 5 and Year 6) remaining open for parental withdrawal.
View our new Draft policy HERE.
https://www.dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk/page/?title=New+PSHE+Policy&pid=140
As part of our review process, we warmly invite you to attend an information session where you will have the opportunity to:
· Learn about the PSHE programme and how it is taught across all year groups
· Understand how we adapt the content to meet the needs of our school community
· See examples of the materials and resources we use
· Understand how our curriculum meets statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education – in particular the change to parental options for withdrawing children
· Ask questions about any aspect of our PSHE provision
· Share your views and feedback to help inform our curriculum decisions
· Understand your right to request withdrawal from specific non-statutory Sex Education lessons
Working in partnership
We believe that PSHE education is most effective when schools and families work together. Your child's wellbeing, safety and personal development are at the heart of everything we do, and we value your input as we ensure our curriculum continues to meet the needs of our school community.
You can access the DfE Statutory Information HERE.
From September 2026 all information will be available on our website, for you to view.
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Quad Kids Athletics Event – Friday 22nd May
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Before half term, our Year 1, 2 and 3 children had a fantastic time attending the Quad Kids Athletics event at Tewksbury Academy. The pupils took part in four exciting activities: throwing, jumping, sprinting and a long-distance run.
For our Year 1 and Year 2 children, this was their first time attending the event, and they were brilliant. They showed great effort, enthusiasm and a positive attitude throughout the day.
Our Year 3 team also performed exceptionally well, demonstrating impressive determination and resilience across all events. Their hard work paid off, as they achieved an excellent 3rd place out of 9 teams.
Well done to all the children who took part!
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Attendance matters at Dunalley Primary School
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A big thank you to Mark, our caretaker, for preparing our OPAL Garden – one of our raised beds where children can enjoy growing their own vegetables.
We are also very grateful to Dolce Ltd, our caterers, who kindly donated a ‘Green Team’ gardening set, including aprons, gloves and trowels. Their team joined us on Tuesday to help the children plant potatoes, making it a really special experience.
Joshua, Mabel, Clara and Darcie – who are often seen collecting gardening equipment from Mrs Byrne had a fantastic time getting involved and planting the potatoes, and were awarded certificates during assembly this morning recognising their efforts.
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Looking Ahead to Summer at Dunalley
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Have a look at the exciting events we’ve got planned for the summer term! We always aim to share these on our website and in our weekly newsletters as early as possible, so families have plenty of time to plan ahead.
We’d love for everyone to get involved and make the most of the fantastic opportunities on offer—there’s so much to look forward to at Dunalley!
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Dunalley Pantry - Donations Welcome
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We are so very proud of our Dunalley Pantry. Created to support those in our community feeling the impact of rising living costs, the pantry provides a range of products free of charge for families in need.
We are now in need of donations to replenish the pantry and welcome donations of dried goods and toiletries such as:
- Long-life milk
- Cereals
- Pasta & pasta sauce
- Tinned vegetables
- Tea & coffee
- Bars of soap & shower gel
- Washing powder/tablets
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Nappies
If you’d like to access the pantry or learn more, please contact us – we’re here to help, our family's privacy matters to us – use of the pantry is completely confidential, and we’ll work with you to make it as easy and comfortable as possible.
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Year 6 – Cheltenham Science Festival trip
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On Thursday, Year 6 had the exciting opportunity to visit Cheltenham Science Festival. The children spent time in the MakerShack tent where they experimented with materials, discovered the science behind making, and tried out activities alongside expert makers, crafters, engineers, and scientists. They then had the joy of listening to zoologist, Jules Howard, share his book "Choose Your Own Evolution". His interactive show helped the children travel back 600 million years ago to life's earliest beginnings and then took them on a journey of evolution chosen by the audience. This really brought to life Year 6's science learning and everyone came away with a new appreciation of the evolution of humans and other species.
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Keeping Children Safe: Visitor Information
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At Dunalley, we are committed to ensuring that all visitors have a positive experience. We strive to maintain a safe, respectful and orderly environment in which all members of the school community feel secure and valued. Essential information for visitors is available on our website, and all visitors are expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to this guidance. Printed leaflets are also available at reception for reference.
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Summer Fair - Friday 3rd July
Volunteers Needed
Our Summer Fair is just 6 weeks away. It takes a huge amount of effort behind the scenes to organise and we cannot run it without parent/carer, grandparent, teacher volunteers!
Can you volunteer 45 minutes of your time on a stall? Children are very welcome to help too! If so, please add your name to our signup sheet or drop us a message (dunalleyptfa@gmail.com).
We are a registered charity so if your company offers paid volunteering days, you may be able to use your time to support us.
Partner with Us for the Summer Fair 2026!
We are thrilled to offer exclusive sponsorship opportunities for the upcoming Summer Fair 2026, reaching over 420 local students and their families.
We have already received fantastic support from WhiteMove, Beauty By Sas, and The Magnum Ice Cream Co., and we would love for your business to join them!
You can choose Option 1: Sponsor a Stand (ranging from £200 for entertainment to £900 for our headline Climbing Wall or Caving experiences), which includes prominent on-site branding, a half-page brochure ad, clickable links in our digital newsletter, and the opportunity to run your own promotional stand on the day.
Alternatively, Option 2: Sponsorship Donations (£50+) offer a great way to support the event while gaining valuable digital newsletter mentions, social media shoutouts, and brochure branding.
To secure your spot or discuss how we can showcase your business, please get in touch with us (dunalleyptfa@gmail.com).
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Celebrating Our Values and Safe Play at Dunalley
During our whole-school assembly this morning, we focused on our core values: Ready, Respectful and Safe, principles that underpin everything we do at Dunalley.
Mrs Byrne joined us to talk about OPAL and shared some important reminders to help children stay safe and make the most of their OPAL Play at lunchtime.
While we actively encourage children to explore, take appropriate risks and develop independence through play, it is equally important that we all understand and follow some key safety guidelines:
- Tyres should be stacked no more than three high.
- Trees are not for climbing at Dunalley, as they are too close to our fences.
- Sticks should be carried safely:
- No running while holding a stick.
- Choose a stick no longer than from your elbow to your fingertips.
- Longer sticks (for den building) should be dragged along the ground.
- Always keep your thumb over the top to help maintain control and keep others safe.
We were also delighted to welcome Mr Bradbury, one of our school Governors, to the assembly. He was incredibly impressed by how confidently our children could explain the rules and demonstrate their understanding of safe play.
The assembly also gave us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our Positive Play Partners, who were recognised for their fantastic support of others during playtime and received a well-deserved round of applause from their peers.
A huge well done to all of our children for showing such a strong commitment to our values and helping to make playtimes safe, happy and inclusive for everyone!
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Thank you so much for your continued support, and the donations that you regularly send in, it all really does make a difference.
If you are able to donate anything, please mark it FAO: Sara Byrne.
Thank you again for your kindness and generosity!
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Cheltenham & County Cycling Club - Join them on 14th June
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BE A PART OF HISTORY!
Read all about the exciting day planned for June 14th below:
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14th June 2026 will be "ON YOUR BIKE", christening the new Cheltenham to Bishops Cleeve Cycle Path. We are aiming to get 1000+ people of all ages and abilities onto the new cycle path from Cheltenham to Bishops Cleeve, finishing at the Bishops Cleeve Street Fair. Could you bring the youngest person? Could you be the oldest? How about the fanciest dressed?
The Street Fair in Bishops Cleeve will have stalls and events on the day including a fun fair, a teddy bear parachute, a dance show, a live band, a vintage car exhibition, food carts, stalls, a raffle. The event will raise funds for 2 local cycling good causes - The Charity Bike Shop (Cyclists Fighting Cancer) and Wheel Good Vibes.
You can join the cycle route wherever you want, we really want the day to be a fun one and to make using the new cycle path a "thing".
You could chose to start from Pittville Park next to the Prince of Wales Stadium. This is home to Cheltenham Town Wheelers, where members from age 6 to 18 are coached each week. You'll be able to see their riders practicing on their offroad course, and learn where the trail features are - rock garden, berms, roots, rollers, table top, drops, steps etc. There'll also be a maintenance stand, run by volunteers from the Charity Bike Shop in Leckhampton, offering free adjustments to bikes if you need anything before the adventure! We're hoping to see cyclists leaving here in waves, from 11.30 through to 13:30.
The route goes into Pittville Park, past the Basketball Court, onto the new Cycling Spine across the back of the Playing Fields, across to Central Cross and the new "Toucan" cycle and pedestrian crossing. Time and the opportunity to stop at the Central Cross Cafe for ice cream if you fancy it!
The route then goes straight up the new cycle path past Pittville Park, the Lake, the Playground, the Aviary, the Racecourse, over the bridge where you can see the Steam Railway station, the Car Boot Sale, past the Garden Centre, Tigers Rugby Club, and all the way to the roundabout opposite GE at Bishops Cleeve. Here you'll find the BMX pump track with all its challenges.
Crossing the next new crossing across Evesham Road, the route uses the shared cycle and footpath around the Bishops Cleeve bypass, past the Capita offices, across Voxwell Lane where we'll have marshals, and then turning right through the cycle/pedestrian access to Stoke Road. Straight along to the Tithe Barn car park. We expect people to arrive here any time from 12 noon through 'til 3pm.
On the route, you may be lucky enough to come across local cyclists such as Gerry McGarr or Mel Glass riding on old bikes, Gerry on a Penny Farthing! There'll also be ride leaders from Wheel Good Vibes in fancy dress, as well as Cheltenham Town Wheelers young leaders on the route.
Also on the route, you'll be able to get stamps to prove that you rode the route, courtesy of Cheltenham Town Wheelers!
At the Tithe Barn Car Park, there'll be a maintenance stand offering free minor repairs and adjustments by Williams Cycles, a stall run by Wheel Good Vibes with games and sustainability themes, and THE CHANCE TO WIN AN E-BIKE! There'll also be a presence from Active Travel groups to learn more about wheeling along the cycle paths as well as what's happening further afield. Nip around the corner past Tesco and along to Church Road and the road will be closed, filled with the Street Fair activities!
We expect local media coverage, so wear a smile and show your school or club colours in case you get caught on camera!
We're also hoping to get a cycling celebrity along to be part of the celebrations. More will be revealed nearer the time.
For schools, we want to see as many students out as possible! Cheltenham and County Cycling Club have now checked and maintained 962 bikes at Bikeability Maintenance days at Dunalley Primary School, and we'd love to see the riders and their bikes out on the day.
It's going to be an incredible day celebrating the convenience and safety of the cycle spine, allowing discovery of amenities on the route, and drawing wider media coverage to promote our new bike path asset.
Did we mention that it's on Sunday 14th June? SAVE THE DATE!
Best wishes,
Steve
Steve Smith
Chair, Cheltenham and County Cycling Club
07889 265425
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E Safety guidance for our community
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