20 July 2026
Dear Parent/Carers,
Welcome to the final days of the 2025-26 school year! Please see below for the final messages and information about the last day of term, the summer holidays, and the start of the next year in September. In this letter:
· Arrangements for the last day of term
· Summer holiday communications
· Safeguarding support during the holiday
· Water safety
· ‘Great British Summer Savings’
· Staffing changes
· First days back
Arrangements for the last day of term
Tuesday 21 July 2026 is the last day of this term. Whilst we will be celebrating the winners of the House Cup, and the winners of individual Gold Achievement Awards, the timetable will be operating as normal. Please ensure your child comes to school in full uniform and with their usual equipment for lessons. School will close to children at 1:30pm, after lunch. Reception will remain open until 3:30pm.
Summer holiday communication
The school’s reception will be closed during the summer break, re-opening on Thursday 03 September. Please bear in mind that Thursday 03 and Friday 04 September are staff training (INSET) days for all staff, including the office team, and so we may not be available to answer telephone calls on those days.
Safeguarding support during the holiday
As we approach the summer holiday, we would like to remind parents and carers that support remains available if you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child or family.
Whilst school is closed, to report immediate concerns for your own family or anyone else, please contact:
Children’s Social Care (during office hours): 0300 123 2224
Children’s Social Care Emergency Duty Team (out of hours): 0300 123 2327
In an emergency, call 999
For a wide range of support services, advice, and useful links for young people and families, please visit the safeguarding page on our website: Safeguarding – Monkton Wood Academy
Water Safety This Summer
As we approach the summer holidays, we would like to remind all families about the importance of staying safe around water. Recent tragedies involving young people across the UK serve as a heartbreaking reminder that open water can be dangerous, even for strong swimmers.
Please take a few minutes to talk to your child about the risks of swimming in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and quarries, the dangers of cold water shock, and what to do in an emergency.
Useful water safety resources can be found here:
RNLI Cold Water Impact: RNLI water safety education resource: Cold Water Impact activity
Water Safety Code: The Water Safety Code | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )
Water Safety for Teenagers: Water Safety for Teenagers | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )
A simple conversation could make a life-saving difference. Thank you for helping us keep our young people safe this summer.
Great British Summer Savings
As part of the government’s cost-of-living support measures, VAT has been temporarily cut on children’s meals in restaurants and on many family attractions. Follow this link to find local participating businesses.
Staffing changes
At the end of this term, we are saying goodbye to some valued members of school staff:
· Charlotte Bailey – English teacher
· Sian Bowen – Music teacher
· Louise Husband – Assistant Principal
· Stuart Owens – Cedar Centre Leader
· Charlotte Milton – English teacher
· Alan Higginson – Service Engineer
In particular, we would like to thank our long-serving staff leavers. Mrs Bowen is retiring after 41 years of teaching, all of them served in this one school. Mr Owens has led our autism resource base for 21 years. Mrs Husband has worked at the school for 19 years, working her way from newly qualified teacher all the way to assistant principal. We thank them for their service with all sincerity and wish them well for the future.
At the start of the next term, we will be welcoming:
· John Williscroft – Head of RPE
· Elise Lima – English teacher
· Joe Nullmeyers – Maths teacher
· Iredia Erhunmwun – Maths teacher
· Tori Wilson – Dance and Drama teacher
· Lyndsey Knight – Deputy SENDCO
· Chloe Fox – English Teacher
· Oli Oliver – Maths Teacher
· Naël Wally – English Teacher
· Jake Bale – Service Engineer
We have a couple of leadership changes also. Whilst we are in the process of recruiting a new assistant principal to replace Mrs Husband (hopefully to start in January) we have an interim SLT structure; Mrs Purnell will be the acting assistant principal. Mrs Purnell will also be temporarily covering as Raising Standards Leader for Year 9, until we have filled the permanent vacancy which has been covered by Mrs Moore for this academic year. Finally, whilst Mrs Coomer is on maternity leave, Miss Ackerley will be sharing the responsibilities of Head of Dance and Drama with Mrs Gwilliam.
First Days Back
School returns for the new academic year with two staff training days (INSET) on Thursday 03 and Friday 04 September. The first days back for students are:
· Monday 07 September – Years 7, 11 and 12 (SPACE year 1)
· Tuesday 08 September – all year groups are in school
Please note that we do begin to teach the normal timetable almost immediately, and children should come to school fully equipped for their lessons on their first day.
We wish all our children and families all the best for a safe and enjoyable summer. See you in September!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs H. Jones
Principal
