Headteachers message to families - Summer 2 / Friday 10^th July 2026

Belong, Engage, Enjoy!

Remembering Phoebe:

On Thursday at 1:00pm, we came together as a school to share the very sad news with our pupils and to celebrate Phoebe's life in a gentle and meaningful way.

To ensure this was done consistently and sensitively across the school, each class shared a short presentation featuring photographs of Phoebe. We also played one of her favourite songs, giving pupils a quiet opportunity to reflect, remember her and celebrate the joy she brought to our school community.

Staff used age-appropriate resources to support conversations, including story-based activities where appropriate. For pupils who benefit from a more sensory approach, familiar objects connected to Phoebe were shared to help them understand and remember her in a way that was meaningful to them. Additional support was also available for any children who needed it.

We know that children may continue to have questions or experience a range of emotions over the coming days and weeks. We will continue to support them in school with care, compassion and understanding.

A Lasting Place to Remember

Following the sad news of Phoebe's passing, we would like to create a remembrance garden within our school grounds - a peaceful space to remember and celebrate the children who will always be part of the Fountaindale family.

The Friends of Fountaindale recently held a sensory garden design competition, giving us some wonderful ideas to inspire this project.

If you have links with landscaping companies, suppliers or businesses who may be able to support us, or if you could volunteer some of your time or skills, we would love to hear from you.

Please watch this space for updates and do get in touch if you would like to be involved in creating this very special place.

Nexus 10-Year Anniversary Celebrations:

This week, we have continued celebrating Fountaindale's 10^th anniversary with some fantastic experiences for our pupils.

On Tuesday, the children were amazed by a visit from Alex Cadabra, who entertained everyone with a fun-filled magic show. On Thursday, Blankford Productions delivered an immersive sensory theatre experience, which our pupils thoroughly enjoyed. In the afternoon, we were delighted to welcome Inspire Arts for a special concert, where many of our pupils performed alongside students from Portland College.

We are rounding off our celebrations this afternoon with a whole-school street party, complete with music, karaoke, games and plenty of fun! It was a wonderful way to celebrate this special milestone together, and a huge thank you goes to Michelle for all of her hard work organising such a memorable event for everyone.

End of Year Reports and September Classes:

You should have received your child's End of Year Report either yesterday or today. Included with the report is information about your child's class for September.

To help pupils prepare for September, they will have the opportunity to visit their new class during two transition sessions:

• Tuesday 14th July - 1:30pm - 2:30pm
• Thursday 16th July - 1:30pm - 2:30pm

I shared a little snippet from one of my teenage end of year reports with staff and pupils a couple of weeks ago which always makes me smile - hopefully ours are written a bit more professionally!

Wildlife Camera Footage - Our Resident Fox:

Our Woodpeckers class has been using a wildlife camera to capture some of the amazing animals that visit our school grounds. They were excited to discover that the camera recorded some resident foxes exploring the school one evening - what a fantastic surprise!

We love seeing the wildlife that shares our school environment and look forward to sharing more exciting footage with you in the future.

Individual Healthcare Plans:

Shortly, you will receive your child's updated Individual Healthcare Plan. These plans will be pre-populated with the information we currently hold for your child. Please check that all the details are correct, sign the form and return it to school before the end of term.

Medication and Medical Equipment for September:

To help us manage medical supplies more effectively, we are changing the way we store equipment in school. From September, please send in a weekly supply of your child's gastro equipment, including syringes and any other required items. This will help us monitor stock levels and ensure your child always has the equipment they need.

Over the summer holidays, please check that all medications needed in school have a current prescription label showing the correct dosage and route of administration.

Medication Reminders:

As a reminder, where medication is prescribed three times a day, this can usually be administered at home and does not need to be brought into school. Thank you for your support with this.

If your child will not be in school on the last day of term, please let their class teacher know so that we can arrange for all of their medications to be sent home with them.

Reminder - End of Year Colour Run:

A reminder that our End of Year Colour Run will take place on Tuesday 21st July from 1:30pm - 2:30pm. Parents and carers are welcome to join us, with entry to the school site from 1:15pm.

Please remember to send your child in with a white T-shirt (if possible) and a spare change of clothes. We also recommend that pupils wear goggles or sunglasses during the Colour Run.

We can't wait to celebrate another fantastic school year with lots of colour and fun!

Weekly Safeguarding Update - Supporting Children Through Grief and Loss:

We recognise that following the sad news of Phoebe’s passing, some of our pupils may experience a range of emotions as they begin to understand and process their feelings around loss and grief.

Children and young people experience grief in different ways. Some may want to talk about their feelings, while others may show their emotions through changes in behaviour, communication, routines or how they interact with others. All responses are individual and there is no right or wrong way to grieve.

At Fountaindale, we will continue to support pupils by providing safe spaces, familiar routines and opportunities for children to remember, reflect and express their feelings in ways that are meaningful to them.

We encourage families to continue conversations at home and to let us know if there are any changes or concerns that may help us support your child. Our staff team are here to work alongside families to provide care and reassurance during this difficult time.

Have a good one – this time next week hopefully we will be preparing for a World Cup Final!

Headteacher

bnorman@nexusmat.org