Weekly Blog Friday 10th October 2025
Date: 9th Oct 2025 @ 8:23am
Attendance
Every week in our Celebration Assembly, we celebrate the class who has achieved the highest attendance for that week. This week Mrs Ward & Mrs Walker's class had the highest attendance with a perfect 100%!! Well done Year 2!
Please see below for the attendance figures for this week. The target attendance for all children is currently set at 97%.
Nursery - 78.67%
Reception - 92.83%
Year 1 Mrs Davies - 92.22%
Year 2 Mrs Ward & Mrs Walker - 100%
Year 3 Mrs Ronan & Mrs Wood - 96.83%
Year 4 Mrs Parkes - 92.01%
Year 5 Mrs Pickersgill - 93.93%
Year 6 Miss Dunn - 95.65%
Celebrating fantastic attendance!
Each week, each class with 100% attendance on a particular day will receive one letter from the word MAYFLOWER to put on their classroom door. Once a class has spelt out the word MAYFLOWER, a member of the class will bring all their letters down to the office to claim their prize from our box of Awesome Attendance Activities!
Please see below where each class stands at the end of today:
Nursery - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W
Reception - M A Y F L O W E R M A
Year 1 - M A Y F L O W E
Year 2 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O
Year 3 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R
Year 4 - M A Y F L O W E R
Year 5 - M A Y F L O W E
Year 6 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L
This week, Year 3 achieved MAYFLOWER for the second time and will be choosing their reward to enjoy next week. Well done!
Stars of the week
Each week in our Friday Celebration Assembly, we celebrate our stars of the week. Each class teacher chooses 2 children from their class each week who have really impressed them. Here are the children who have been chosen this week.
Nursery & Reception
Our first Nursery star of the week this week is James for being really kind and caring to his friends. He always tries to include everybody and is quick to notice if anybody needs help.
Our second star of the week in Nursery this week is Bella for being a good friend to others, always tries her best, follows the school rules and for doing it the 'Mayflower Way.'
This week’s first star of the week for Reception has really sparkled. Over the last few weeks, she has become so much more confident in sharing her ideas and understanding whilst we have explored hibernation and autumn. She is the most helpful little star, always making sure everything goes away in the right place (even when she hasn’t been asked!) and is such a kind and caring friend to everyone. We are so proud of you, well done Izzy 🙂
This week’s second star for Reception is always ready to learn and takes time to think carefully about questions and information before giving an answer. They have made lots of new friends and always shows such empathy and compassion towards others. They have been trying super hard in phonics, especially when finding objects around the classroom that start with our sound of the day. What a thoughtful and enthusiastic learner you are, well done Charlie 🙂
Year 1
This week, our Stars of the Week have been awarded to two children ' who let themselves sparkle!'
Not only have these children tried their very best to do everything in Year 1 the Mayflower Way, they have also strived to be an ever-improving version of themselves. They are trying hard with all their work, being valuable class members and becoming great friends to so many others.
Well done Ada and Oscar. Continue to reach for the stars and sparkle like the superstars you are!
Year 2
Oakley has truly sparkled this week! He has shown fantastic effort and determination in all his learning, especially in Phonics, Writing and Maths. His positive attitude and eagerness to learn shine through every day, and he always has a big smile on his face. We are so proud of how hard he has worked and the progress he is making. Well done Oakley, keep shining brightly!
Louie W has truly sparkled in Phonics this week! He has impressed us all with his confidence and determination to do his very best. Not only has he worked hard to achieve his own goals, but he has also supported his friends with kindness and encouragement. His enthusiasm and positive attitude have really stood out. Well done Louie, keep up the great work!
Year 3
Patrick - Patrick really sparkles in class because he is one of the 'always' children. He always works hard, always follows instructions, always does the right thing and does it with a stunning smile on his face! What a shining Year 3 star you are Patrick!
Sam - Sam's smile lights up the classroom every single day! He works hard, always tries his best and is an excellent friend to other children. Sam demonstrates how to do things the Mayflower Way in Year 3 and he is a super role model for other children. What a star!
Year 4
Noah J - Noah is unapologetically 100% himself at all times and is never afraid to just be who he is. His funny sense of humour makes everyone laugh. Noah is a conscientious learner and always tries his best. Keep it up.
Scarlett - Scarlett never lets anyone dull her sparkle! She is always her smiling, happy self and shines like a star! I thoroughly enjoy having Scarlett in my class and so do her peers. Keep it up.
Year 5
"Never let anyone dull your sparkle."
Belle comes into class each morning with a smile on her face that lights up the room. She has a 'can do' attitude and always pushes herself to be the best that she can be. Belle, you make our classroom a happier place just by being you!
Ellie is unapologetically 100% herself at all times and is never afraid to just be who she is. She not only lets herself shine in her own unique way but also allows for others to do the same. Ellie, you make our classroom a brighter place just by being you!
Year 6
The focus this week has been on mental health, culminating in the celebration of World Mental Health Day today. The focus for this week has been on those children who brighten up our school and really 'let themselves sparkle'. This week's Stars of the Week in Year 6 have been chosen with this in mind.
Noah - Noah is a shining example of what it means to be in Year 6; he embodies our 3 imperative school rules at all times, treating all others with kindness and respect and working his absolute hardest in all areas across the curriculum. Noah comes into class each morning with a smile on his face that lights up the room and his funny sense of humour is always appreciated by his peers and by me, often lifting the spirits of our Year 6 family and making us smile when we need it. Thank you for being you.
Jack - Jack really does embody this week in school and what it is all about. He is unapologetically 100% himself at all times and is never afraid to just be who he is. His funny sense of humour makes everyone laugh and he lifts the spirits of others when they need it the most. He doesn't take himself too seriously and goes out of his way to cheer up his friends and to make them laugh. Jack, you make our classroom a brighter place to be just by being you. Thank you.
Headteacher Award & Shout Outs
Each week in our Celebration Assembly, Mrs Powell chooses someone who has really impressed her during the week and presents them with her Headteacher Award trophy.
This week Dylan in Year 5 is my superstar for shining brightly every day in school. He shows kindness and compassion to everybody and is always willing to help when needed. Thank you Dylan!
My ‘shout-outs’ for giving 100% to the MAYFLOWER WAY this week go to Olivia C, Olivia Finch and Maddie D in Year 5. Well done!
Makaton Sign Of The Week
The children are continuing to learn Makaton's 'Sign of the week' each week. Each Monday, the children learn the new sign for that week. We thought it would be useful to share the following week's sign with parents/carers on our Friday blog so you can get involved too if you wish. Please click on the link below to see the sign for the coming week.
https://makaton.org/TMC/News_Stories/SOTW/SOTW_To_Respect.aspx
Children's 'Spy' Books
Please see the message below which we have received regarding books written by Andrew (Andy) Cope.
Parent/Carer Information
Important Safeguarding Notice: Children’s “Spy” Books
We want to make you aware of a recent issue affecting some popular children’s books by Andrew Cope, including the Spy Dogs, Spy Cats, and Spy Pups series.
Some editions of these books include a printed web address at the back. This link used to go to the author’s website, but the domain is no longer under his control. It has since been taken over by another party and now leads to inappropriate adult content.
The publisher, Puffin, has paused sales and distribution of the books and is working with schools, libraries, and retailers to remove copies from circulation. They have stressed that the website has no connection to the author or publisher.
What this means for you:
If your child has any Spy Dog, Spy Cat or Spy Pups books at home, please check the back for website links and make sure they do not try to visit the site. It is safe for children to continue reading the stories themselves — the concern is only with the outdated link.
We recommend talking with your child about the importance of not following web addresses in books without checking with an adult first.
We will continue to share updates from the publisher as more information becomes available.
Consent Forms
If you haven't yet returned your child's completed consent forms for photos/School Spider etc, please ensure the completed forms are returned to their class teacher on Monday.
Individual/sibling photos are now live!
A message from Carmel Jane Photography:
We are excited to share that the photographs are ready and they look amazing! If you pre-registered, please check your inbox for your unique access link. If not, please contact us on www.carmeljane.co.uk/pre-registration-support and quote your unique code: JRWAJJ2YU8
There are limited time discounts available, so act fast! All photographs will be sent straight to your home address.
Carmel Jane Photography
Christmas Design Project
As you are aware, we are taking part in a Christmas design project again this year. As a reminder and for those new to school, the children design a piece of artwork which can then be used by a company to make Christmas cards/mugs etc which can be purchased by families.
For the last couple of years, we have used a company called Xmas4Schools. We had some lovely feedback from parents/carers about the quality of the products so have decided to use this company again this year. Please click on the link below to have a look at their website.
https://xmas4schools.co.uk/
The children have been busy creating their designs in school, which will be sent home next week with an order form. The deadline to get the completed order form back to school is Monday 20th October at 3.10pm to ensure delivery in time for Christmas. No payments are required at that stage. Once the company has received the artwork and order forms, parents/carers will receive a text/email with their personal order code so you can then log in, place your orders, and make payment online directly with Xmas4Schools.
The company cannot accept any late orders so if you would like to order some items with your child's design on, please ensure you return your order form by Monday 20th October at 3.10pm. We wil send reminders nearer to the deadline.
All products ordered will be delivered back to school and sent home with the children. We will of course keep you updated at each stage of the process.
Non-uniform Day Friday 17th October
As advised in our diary dates on the blog, we will be having a non-uniform day next Friday, 17th October. We would like to request donations of food/hygiene items please as part of our Harvest celebrations.
Inclusion Open Morning Tuesday 21st October
Our next inclusion open morning will take place on Tuesday 21st October. The sessions available to book are as follows:
9-9:30
9:30-10
10-10:30
10:30- 11
11- 11:30
11:30-12
To book, please email the school office admin@bawtrymayflower.doncaster.sch.uk with your requested time. The slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis. As a reminder, these monthly sessions are an opportunity for you to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your child's needs or family circumstances. Our team is dedicated to providing support, guidance, and signposting to additional resources if needed. There are no worries or concerns that are too big or too small.
We look forward to meeting with anyone who would like to pop in for a coffee and a chat.
Mrs Walker (Deputy Head and Inclusion Lead)
Harvest Service Wednesday 22nd October
We are really looking forward to our first church visit of this school year. This will take place on Wednesday 22nd October, when children from Years 2 to 6 will walk to St Nicholas' Church for our Harvest Service. We will be leaving school straight after morning registration. We would love you to join us, so if you are available to walk to the church and back with the children to enjoy the service, please speak to your child's teacher or let the school office know. On the day itself, if you will be accompanying us, please come to the school office once your child has gone in to class.
Parents Evening Wednesday 22nd October
As advised on last week's blog, our first parents evening of this school year will take place on Wednesday 22nd October in our lower hall. The appointments went live on School Spider on Monday evening and places are filling fast. If you haven't yet booked your appointment, please ensure you book soon to secure your preferred appointment time.
Secondary applications for September 2026
If you have a child who is currently in Year 6, just a reminder that the application process for Secondary school for September 2026 is open.
If your home address is within the Doncaster Council Local Authority, please click on the link below to make your application.
https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/secondary-admissions
If your home address is outside of the Doncaster Council Local Authority, you will need to apply through your Local Authority for a Secondary school place.
The deadline for applications to be received by the Local Authority is 31st October 2025. It is important to apply on time, as a number of schools will be full next September.
National Offer Date is 2nd March 2026 - parents will be emailed their decision, using the email account used to apply.
Young Voices tickets, t-shirts and coach
If your child is taking part in our choir and the Young Voices concert, don't forget that the deadline to order your audience tickets and t-shirts is 31st October at the very latest. Your child who is taking part doesn't need a ticket purchasing for them and they don't have to wear an official Young Voices t-shirt - a plain white t-shirt is absolutely fine.
The deadline for the payment towards the coach to Young Voices is Sunday 2nd November.
Support for Christmas
At Mayflower, our families are at the heart of everything we do. We are aware that for some families, day to day living is already difficult. We would like to try and ease some of the burden in the lead up to Christmas.
We are currently working with Tickhill & District Lions and are able to provide a number of Christmas food parcels and a small Christmas gift for children for those families in need.
If you would like to be considered for this, please email the school office by 3pm next Wednesday 15th October stating how many adults and children (plus ages and gender of the children) the parcel would be for. If you would prefer to speak with Mrs Westerman, our Family Manager, rather than emailing please ensure you do so by the same deadline of next Wednesday.
Parenting Support
Tip 1: Let feelings finish their sentence
When your child is upset, it is tempting to jump in with “You are fine” or “Don’t cry.” But emotions need to be felt before they can fade. Let the feeling finish its sentence. Sit beside them, breathe together, and allow the wave to pass. You do not need to fix the storm, just help them weather it.
Tip 2: Name it to tame it
When children learn to name their feelings, they begin to control them instead of being controlled by them. Try phrases like, “It sounds like you feel frustrated that it didn’t work out,” or “I can see you are disappointed.” Naming feelings helps the thinking part of the brain switch back on and that is where calm begins.
Tip 3: Model what you want them to learn
Children copy what they see more than what they are told. If you lose your cool, own it: “I got cross and raised my voice. I am sorry, I am going to take a breath.” When we model emotional honesty and repair, our children learn that mistakes are part of being human and calm can always be restored.
Tip 4: Calm first, talk later
Trying to reason with a child in meltdown mode is like trying to text with no signal, the message just will not go through. Wait for calm before you talk. A snack, a cuddle, or some space to breathe can work wonders. Once they are settled, you can gently unpack what happened and explore what might help next time.
– Anisa Lewis, Parenting and Family Coach
Congratulations!
Olivia in Year 5 is now the British National Champion for Taekwondo for her age group! Olivia competed in the National Championships at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield last Sunday. In her first match, Olivia controlled the match from start to finish. Olivia's second match was a much tougher test, but once Olivia found her rhythm there was no stopping her and she won both rounds of the match convincingly. In the semi-final, Olivia met her toughest opponent but had an excellent game plan to secure wins in both rounds. Olivia was too strong, too fast and technically too advanced for the opposing player in the final and her dream became a reality.
This is the highest achievement a Taekwondo player can achieve domestically, which is phenomenal. Congratulations Olivia! You believed you could do it and you did! We are so proud of you.
Lunch Menu for week commencing 13th October 2025
Please see the menu below for next week. Mrs Stanfield, our School Cook, will continue to monitor the children's likes and dislikes and there may be changes to these menus in light of these.
There may also be last minute changes to the menus on occasion, to take into account availability of items or delivery issues.
We are trialling these menus for Doncaster Council Schools Catering ready for after October half term, which is why next week's date isn't at the top of the menu.
Diary Dates
Please see below our current diary dates. It may be that there are dates on here that involve your child that you haven't had any information for yet. Please don't worry, information will come out in plenty of time prior to the date concerned. Dates that have been added since the last blog are shown in bold.
2025-2026 School Year
2025
Monday 13th October - Christmas Art Project artwork and order forms to be sent home with the children this week
Friday 17th October - non-uniform day to collect donations for Harvest
Monday 20th October - deadline for Christmas Art Project art work and order forms to be returned to class teachers by 3pm today - NO LATE ORDERS CAN BE ACCEPTED
Tuesday 21st October - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
Wednesday 22nd October - Harvest church service St Nicholas' church for Year 2 to Year 6 - walking to church straight after morning registration. All welcome to walk to church and back with us.
Wednesday 22nd October - Parents Evening
Friday 24th October - last day at school before half term
Monday 27th October to Friday 31st October - half term
Friday 31st October - closing date for Secondary school applications for September 2026
Friday 31st October - PTA Halloween Disco Bawtry New Hall 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Monday 3rd November - first day back after half term
Wednesday 5th November - Reception visit to Boston Park Farm - parents to drop off and collect from Boston Park Farm
Monday 10th November - Year 1 visit to Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery
Tuesday 11th November - Flu vaccinations for children from Reception to Year 6
Wednesday 12th November - PTA Bingo Night 3.10pm to 4.10pm - £5 per family ticket to include refreshments. Tuck shop also available
Thursday 13th November - Year 5 visit to Lincoln Castle
Thursday 13th November - Nursery and Reception phonics stay and play - straight after the morning register has been taken. Will last about 1 hour
Friday 14th November - non-uniform day - cash donations to go towards families in our community who need support
Tuesday 18th November - An introduction to Autism workshop 8.45 - places to be booked beforehand
Wednesday 19th November - open evening 4pm to 5.30pm for visits for Reception places for September 2026
Tuesday 25th November - Challenging behaviour: strategies to support your Autistic child workshop 8.45 - places to be booked beforehand
Monday 1st December - raffle tickets on sale for Christmas Chocolate Raffle. Raffle tickets will also be on sale at all our Christmas events including the nativities
Tuesday 2nd December - Flu vaccination session for any children absent on the original flu vaccination date
Tuesday 2nd December - Coping with anxiety: strategies to support your Autistic child workshop 8.45 - places to be booked beforehand
Wednesday 3rd December - Rocksteady concert 2pm - for those taking part in Rocksteady sessions
Monday 8th December - Key Stage 1 nativity dress rehearsal 10.30am
Tuesday 9th December - Foundation Stage nativity dress rehearsal 10am
Tuesday 9th December - Key Stage 1 nativity performance 2pm
Wednesday 10th December - Foundation Stage nativity performance 10.30am
Wednesday 10th December - Key Stage 1 nativity performance 2pm
Thursday 11th December - Foundation Stage nativity performance 10.30am
Friday 12th December - PTA Christmas Shop during the school day
Tuesday 16th December - Christmas church service St Nicholas' church for Year 2 to Year 6 - walking to church straight after morning registration. All welcome to walk to church and back with us.
Tuesday 16th December - Christmas Dinner Day
Wednesday 17th December - panto in school
Wednesday 17th December - Carols round the tree and Christmas Market
Thursday 18th December - Christmas Party Day including party food for lunch
Thursday 18th December - last day at school before Christmas holidays
Thursday 18th December - Christmas Chocolate raffle being drawn during the school day
Friday 19th December - Training Day - school closed to pupils
Monday 22nd December to Friday 2nd January - Christmas holidays
2026
Monday 5th January - Training Day - school closed to pupils
Tuesday 6th January - first day back after Christmas holidays
Thursday 15th January - closing date for applications for Reception for September 2026
Tuesday 10th February - Choir perform at Young Voices concert at Sheffield Utilita Arena - further details to follow
Wednesday 11th February - non-uniform day - no donations requested
Wednesday 11th February - PTA discos - Nursery, Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 3.10pm to 3.50pm (Nursery & Reception parents to stay at the disco with their children). Years 3 to 6 4pm to 4.45pm
Friday 13th February - last day at school before half term
Monday 16th February to Friday 20th February - half term
Monday 23rd February - first day back after half term
Wednesday 11th March - Reception visit to Boston Park Farm - parents to drop off and collect from Boston Park Farm
Friday 13th March - PTA Gifts for a loved one shop during the school day
Wednesday 18th March - Rocksteady concert 2pm - for those taking part in Rocksteady sessions
Monday 23rd March - Year 6 visit to Crucial Crew
Wednesday 25th March - PTA Easter Egg Hunt during the school day
Friday 27th March - last day at school before Easter holidays
Monday 30th March to Friday 10th April - Easter holidays
Monday 13th April - first day back after Easter holidays
Wednesday 15th April to Friday 17th April - Year 5 residential to Dearne Valley PGL
Monday 4th May - bank holiday - school closed
Monday 11th May to Thursday 14th May - Year 6 SATs
Wednesday 13th May - non-uniform day - no donations requested
Wednesday 13th May - PTA discos - Nursery, Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 3.10pm to 3.50pm (Nursery & Reception parents to stay at the disco with their children). Years 3 to 6 4pm to 4.45pm
Monday 18th May - Year 1 visit to Austerfield Study Centre
Tuesday 19th May - Year 3 parents meeting for Austerfield residential
Wednesday 20th May to Friday 22nd May - Year 6 London residential
Friday 22nd May - last day at school before half term
Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May - half term
Monday 1st June - Training Day - school closed
Tuesday 2nd June - first day back after half term
Tuesday 2nd June to Friday 12th June - Year 4 multiplication checks
Wednesday 3rd June - class photos
Monday 8th June to Friday 12th June - Key Stage 1 Phonics screening week
Tuesday 9th June to Wednesday 10th June - Year 3 residential to Austerfield Study Centre
Friday 12th June - Reception visit to Boston Park Farm - parents to drop off and collect from Boston Park Farm
Monday 15th June to Sunday 26th June - Bawtry Festival
Wednesday 17th June - choir taking part in Sing Out concert
Thursday 18th June - Sports Day - times to be confirmed
Friday 19th June - PTA Gifts for a loved one shop during the school day
Wednesday 24th June - Rocksteady & Guitar/Woodwind/Brass concert 2pm - for those taking part in Rocksteady sessions and/or music lessons with Doncaster Music Service
Wednesday 24th June - PTA Summer Fair
Monday 29th June to Wednesday 1st July - Year 4 Hollowford residential
Monday 6th July - Year 6 transition evening at The Hayfield School for parents and children
Tuesday 7th July to Thursday 9th July - XP Secondary School transition days
Wednesday 15th July - PTA Colour Run
Friday 17th July - last day at school before Summer holidays
Monday 20th July - Training Day - school closed to pupils
2026-2027 School Year
2026
Wednesday 30th September - individual/sibling photos
