Weekly Blog Friday 9th January 2026
Date: 7th Jan 2026 @ 4:15pm
Attendance
Every week in our Celebration Assembly, we celebrate the class who has achieved the highest attendance for that week. This week Mrs Fuller's class had the highest attendance with 99.54%. Well done Reception!
Please see below for the attendance figures for this week. The target attendance for all children is currently set at 97%.
Nursery - 94.64%
Reception - 99.54%
Year 1 Mrs Davies - 97.62%
Year 2 Mrs Ward & Mrs Walker - 97.52%
Year 3 Mrs Ronan & Mrs Wood - 99.49%
Year 4 Mrs Parkes - 96.43%
Year 5 Mrs Pickersgill - 98.78%
Year 6 Miss Dunn - 98.76%
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 E R M A Y F L O W E
Reception - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F
Year 1 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y
Year 2 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L
Year 3 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M
Year 4 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W
Year 5 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M
Year 6 - M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E R M A Y F L O W E
This week, Year 3 and Year 5 have completed their MAYFLOWER for the fourth and second time respectively and will be choosing their rewards 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
Charlie has really impressed the adults this week with the mature attitude that he has returned to school with after the Christmas break. He has been focused and shown excellent listening skills all week. He independently completed a shape picture, talking about the different shapes that he was using. He has also done some brilliant discussion around ice cubes melting, incorporating his shape knowledge that he had learned earlier in the week.
Alfie has demonstrated great understanding this week around all of the learning that he has done. He has asked questions to help him understand and clarify his learning when completing his shape picture, securing his shape knowledge when he was unsure and was inquisitive about the shapes that he was using. He has also joined in with brilliant discussions about melting the ice cubes, using good vocabulary and sharing his ideas.
Reception
Our first star of the week has made an amazing start to the new year. He has been a kind friend checking in on others if they have felt a little sad and giving them a hug. He has made lots of good choices being helpful asking adults if he can carry things, open doors and tidy up. This week he has been so enthusiastic when doing his work and tried hard to follow instructions carefully. He has been a real superstar this week we are so proud of you, well done Oakley 🙂
Our second star of the week has also made a fantastic start to the year. This week he has been ready to learn making sure he is listening carefully and showing other children how to be respectful learners. He has tried his best in everything that he has done this week especially when practising handwriting! He has been a super friend to other children making them feel included in his activities and sharing his ideas. Well done Rex 🙂
Year 1
This week, we have returned to school after our long , lazy Christmas break. Although getting back into the routines of school can be difficult, these two children have made a really positive start to 2026.
Oliver and Patrick are showing that they are ready and eager to learn. They have tried hard with all of their work and have been kind and caring towards other members of the class. And they are both remembering to wear their glasses!
Well done, Oliver and Patrick - keep up the great work!
Year 2
Cole has made a fantastic start to 2026! He has returned with a happy, positive attitude and a real love of learning. He has been determined in all his learning and has achieved so much already. He also celebrated the successes of his friends and helped them shine. He is always ready to lend a hand, showing kindness every day. His bubbly personality and energy bring so much joy to our classroom, and we are incredibly proud of all the effort and positivity he shows. Well done Cole – keep up the great work!
Oakley has really impressed us all this week! He has shown excellent focus and determination and has made a great start to 2026. He is striving to achieve his best in all areas of learning, especially in Phonics, where he has shown growing confidence and has proudly shared his learning with others. His enthusiasm and eagerness to learn shine through each day, along with his huge smile. We are so proud of his effort! Well done Oakley - keep up the fantastic work!
Year 3
What a fantastic start to the term David has had! He has tried his best in every lesson, working incredibly hard to make his work the best it can be. He has been an excellent friend to other children and has helped the adults in class with tidying the classroom. David's beaming smile every lunch time has brightened up our day! Well done David and keep it up!
Seb has made a fantastic start to the school term. He is one of the most determined children in Year 3. No challenge is too tricky! Seb tries his absolute best with every task he is given. Seb has also shown what a kind and calm friend he can be in class which is so helpful! Well done Seb, keep it up!
Year 4
Our theme this week is around making a positive contribution to the first week back at school.
Arthur has really impressed me this week. When given the autonomy of being able to make choices over his learning, Arthur has shown that he can make mature decisions that have positively impacted his work. He has remained polite and respectful to all staff. Arthur has come to school with a positive attitude each day and I hope that this continues moving forwards. Keep it up.
Martha - What can I say... Martha I am SO impressed with the week that you have had! Martha has come to school each day with a positive attitude, completing all work set with a smile on her face. Martha has engaged with her peers, often working collaboratively to achieve to the best of her ability. In Maths, she has been using resources to support her. Keep it up!
Year 5
"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one."— Brad Paisley.
Jenson - Jenson has returned to school with a bright smile and a positive attitude. He is much more focused on tasks and is developing his confidence in unfamiliar situations. He is trying his best in all lessons and is beginning to actively participate in class discussions, sharing thoughtful ideas. Well done Jenson, keep up the hard work!!
Olivia Finney - Olivia has returned to school with an enthusiastic attitude. This week, she has consistently tried hard in all lessons, particularly maths. Olivia is trying much harder to complete her work independently, which is great to see. Well done Olivia, keep up the hard work!!
Year 6
The focus this week across school has been on those children who have made a fantastic start to the new year and this week's Stars of the Week in Year 6 have been chosen with this in mind:
We are so lucky in Year 6 to have a class absolutely full of children who embody our school rules at all times and are fantastic role models for the rest of school. Every single member of our class has come back this week with a fantastic attitude towards their learning and we have had a wonderful and productive first week of term so thank you to all Year 6 for making the first week back so enjoyable.
In pariticular, I would like to mention Amelie and Harry, They have both come back with a fantastic 'can do' attitude towards their learning. They have shown this by actively participating in all lessons and showing their engagement by contributing to discussions and offering answers to questions posed. They have put 100% effort into all areas of learning and every piece of work has been completed to an incredibly high standard. You have both continued your excellent attitudes to learning this week and I am sure there are great things ahead for both of you this term.
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. This week’s Superstar Award goes to Elizabeth. Our theme this week was New Year – New Goals – GO ALL IN! She has really shone in doing this, in and out of the classroom. A super start to the year full of smiles and positivity! You’ve truly brightened my week this week.
My ‘shout-outs’ for giving 100% to the MAYFLOWER WAY this week go to Joseph in Year 4, who showed exceptional manners as always this week by holding the door open for staff and children. Well done!
A special shout out this week goes to Miss Dunn, our Year 6 teacher for entertaining the Year 6 children by taking a spectacular dive off her chair! We would like to thank you for providing unexpected entertaiment Miss Dunn but on a serious note we are glad you remained unscathed!
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.
https://makaton.org/TMC/News_Stories/SOTW/SOTW_Apple.aspx
Safety in school grounds
Could we please ask that if you are walking into school grounds with your child, you walk on the paths please rather than down the driveways to ensure everyone's safety. Likewise, if your child walks to school themselves, please remind them how to stay safe.
Year of Reading
We as a school are proud to support the National Year of Reading in 2026! In this week’s launch assembly, we asked the children to ‘Go All In’ on what they love and read into it this year. Lots of exciting things/events will be happening in our school community linked to this pledge over the year. This week, our Head Boy and Girl composed a reading survey that all the children will take for us to find out all about the positive reading culture here at Mayflower. Please click on the document at the bottom of this page to have a read of a booklet that shares some reading ideas for you to enjoy at home. This is where the true heart of sharing stories and a love of reading really begins.
Last chance for flu vaccines
The community flu vaccination session at Lakeside Village tomorrow will be the last chance for children to receive their flu vaccination this season. The details are as follows:-
Lakeside Village Shopping Centre (layby near Marks & Spencer)
Saturday 10th January 2026
09:00 - 15:30 (Lunchtime 12 - 1)
Online guide for parents
The Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has published a new guide on managing children's digital lives. Dame de Souza has written the guide with the direct involvement of children in England and it is therefore a reflection of their views. Dame de Souza hopes that this guide will provide some useful information for school communities. Please click on the link below to view the guide.
What I wish my parents or carers knew: A guide for parents on managing children's digital lives
Sleep Support
City of Doncaster Council is pleased to announce the launch of their new Sleep Support webpage on Your Life. The page has been designed for any parent or carer seeking guidance to improve their child’s sleep. Their aim is to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of both children and their parents or carers.
The webpage outlines the levels of support available, ensuring families can access the right help at the right time based on their child’s individual sleep needs.
As this is a graduated approach, they encourage all families to begin with the Healthy Sleep Tips, progressing through the levels of support as required.
Please click on the link below for further details.
Congratulations!
Lilly and Olivia from Year 5 were celebrating their successes of 2025 at their annual Taekwondo awards ceremony recently. Lilly was awarded 1st place for the most improved female. Her Taekwondo coaches tell us that Lilly has grown in stature and confidence and now her skills are showing on the mats when she competes, which is amazing! Lilly has already made a name for herself on the circuit and has won many medals. She is on a mission this year to have another excellent year. Well done Lilly.
Olivia has also built a brilliant reputation on the circuit. Lilly and Olivia always encourage each other to do their absolute best, which makes them better all round against opposition on the circuit. Olivia won the British Championships back in October winning 4 matches without losing a single round - amazing! Her winning streak didn't stop there, with her achieving the British title and also scooping 3rd place in best overall athlete which was well deserved. Olivia only lost two matches all year, which is a phenomenal achievement. Congratulations Olivia.
Rex in Reception had his first lesson at Swimstars on Monday and gained his stage 1 and stage 2 certificates after his first lesson with them ☺️ Wow Rex! Well done - what a superstar! You are obviously a natural swimmer. We have a feeling we are going to be sharing your next success very soon! Keep up the hard work.
Pharmacy First
Plastic Tub Collection
As advised before Christmas, we are working with our local churches on the appeal below. If you have any plastic tubs listed below, please bring them to the school office between now and the end of January. This is a really worthwhile cause and we would like to collect as many tubs as possible to help MacMillan Cancer Care with their vital work.
Free Online Parenting Clinic
Lunch Menu for week commencing 12th January 2026
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.
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
2026
Thursday 15th January - closing date for applications for Reception for September 2026
Monday 19th January - Year 1 Road Safety presentation
Tuesday 27th January - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
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
Tuesday 24th February - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
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
Tuesday 24th March - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
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
Tuesday 28th April - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
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 - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
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
Tuesday 30th June - Inclusion Open Morning - places to be pre-booked
Monday 6th July - Year 6 transition evening at The Hayfield School for parents and children
Tuesday 7th July to Wednesday 8th July - The Hayfield School transition days
Tuesday 7th July to Wednesday 8th July - Queen Elizabeth's High School Gainsborough transition days
Tuesday 7th July to Thursday 9th July - XP Secondary School transition days
Wednesday 8th July - New Parents Evening at Queen Elizabeth's High School Gainsborough
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
2027
Wednesday 2nd June 2027 - class photos
