News this week

Year 6 Newsletter report on tasting cultural foods:

As part of our learning about different cultural foods, Year 6 took part in a delicious and exciting food tasting session to prepare for designing and making our own naan breads.

We tried four different types of naan bread, each with its own unique flavour and texture. The class favourite was the garlic and coriander naan, which had a subtle taste that didn’t overpower the toppings. One of the most unusual was the onion bhaji naan – circular in shape and much crispier than the others!

To go with the naan, we sampled a range of toppings. We particularly enjoyed mango chutney and even tried a homemade dip made from green chillies and natural yogurt. To our surprise, we discovered that green chillies are sweeter and less spicy than red ones!

The standout favourite topping of the day was without a doubt Mrs Khan’s homemade chicken curry. It was a huge hit with the whole class, earning rave reviews such as:

• "It was the best food I've ever had!"
• "It tastes like heaven!"
• "The potatoes were creamy and the chicken was delightful!"

We were all thrilled when Mrs Khan promised to share the recipe with us!

Next, we’ll be putting our taste testing to good use by designing and making our very own naan breads, complete with our favourite toppings. We can’t wait to get started!

Report by Beech Class: Waddesdon Christmas Project: 'The Sound of Christmas'

Three people from Waddesdon Manor visited our school yesterday. They brought with them a giant turkey and an enormous ham made out of willow. We put coloured tissue over the turkey and ham to make them look realistic. Other classes made textured diamonds to go on the turkey (to make it look crispy), orange segments and pipe-cleaner herbs to decorate the ham. 

The finished turkey and ham will be displayed as part of Waddesdon Manor's Christmas display.

If you are planning to visit Waddesdon to see the Christmas display, don't be too hasty in booking your tickets as each child will receive a code which gives them a free grounds ticket and half price grounds entry for two adults and two children to visit at Christmas. School have not yet received these codes. We will let you know when we do.

We have been made aware of several recent ‘near misses’ in the car park, where vehicles have come dangerously close to children. In addition, there have been reports of cars travelling at speed along the driveway leading to the Social Club.

The safety of our children must always come first. We therefore ask all drivers to take the utmost care when on site: please drive slowly, stay vigilant and avoid any actions that could put others at risk.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe.

Secondary School Applications - Secondary transfer applications are now open for children who will be transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 for the 2026/27 academic year.

To apply visit the Oxfordshire County Council secondary school webpages for all relevant information and to submit their applications online at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/secondaryadmissions. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day is 2 March 2026.

It's important to note that applications received after the deadline will be processed later in the year and are far less likely to secure a place at a preferred school. Therefore, timely submission is crucial.

Message from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Road Safety Team -

As Autumn approaches and the mornings and evenings get darker, parents and children walking to and from school need to be even more aware of the potential dangers they face as pedestrians and the importance of wearing bright or reflective clothing to make it easier for other road users to see them.

It is never too early to start talking to your child about road safety as, having a good understanding of road safety skills, could one day save their life.

Our Footsteps guide will give you some ideas of how to begin to support your child in developing the decision-making skills that will help them become a pedestrian able to keep themselves safer when they eventually walk to school or a friend’s home independently.

If they are ill-prepared, children are more likely to be killed or injured in a road traffic incident, as seen by the fact that the number of child pedestrians injured rises significantly around 10 -12 years of age – the time at which they begin to go out unaccompanied by adults.

The Footsteps programme is simple to use as it can be carried out in normal everyday situations such as walking to school or to the local shops. Rather than telling children what to do, you are encouraged to ask lots of open questions to make the children think about the decisions they are making. Making these decisions safely, while in the company of a supporting adult, will mean they will be better prepared for dealing with roads and traffic once they begin going out on their own.

Learning to cope with traffic is a practical skill, which cannot be learnt in the classroom. As parents / carers, you are the best people to help your child develop this knowledge as you spend the most time out and about with them.

The Department for Education has recently reviewed its advice on preparing food for you children (for example packed lunches) please see the information below.

We are pleased to say that we are now able to store the Preloved uniform at the school, making it much easier for us to make it available at PTA events.  We have less storage space than previously, so we are focusing on the most in-demand items.  

We will hold the following donated items:

All logo items in good condition: fleeces, cardigans, jumpers, polo tops, PE t-shirts

Any of the following in very good condition: dresses (pinafore & gingham), skirts, smart shorts and trousers

Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept any of the following non-logo items:

PE kit, polo tops, cardigans, jumpers, shoes, socks, tights, book bags, hats, gloves

If you have any items to donate, please get in touch with us at friendsoflaunton-pta@googlegroups.com

Your current PTA trustees: 

Lucy Crawford (Year 3 parent)

Emma Austin (Year 2 and 4 parent)

Catherine Ravensward (Reception and Year 4 parent)

Charlotte Noakes (Year 1 and 4 parent) 

Jill Bali (Year 2 and 4 Grandparent)