Dear Parents and Carers,

A very happy new year to everyone in the De Havilland community!

I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas break and enjoyed some well-earned rest. The recent cold snap has definitely blown away any lingering cobwebs, making for an energetic and bracing start to the year here at De Havilland!

At De Havilland, your child’s safety and well being is at the heart of everything we do. This past Monday during our INSET day, a large number of our staff undertook a full day of first aid training to refresh and enhance their health and safety expertise. We view this as an essential part of our professional development; by ensuring our staff are first aid trained, we provide a safer, more secure environment where children can play and learn with confidence.

Equally important to us is the safety of our children in the online space. This week it has been lovely to hear the children sharing stories about their Christmas presents. In some cases, this has included stories of new mobile phones and tablets which have been received. Whilst I do not wish to dampen this enthusiasm, these new devices bring a renewed importance to online safety. As a school, we remain committed to ensuring our pupils are safe online. We would like to remind parents that young children can be vulnerable when navigating the internet, social media, or online games. To support you in keeping your children safe online, we have included a link to accompany the newsletter this week which acts as a guide for managing your child's 'digital life'. Please take the time to read this as it certainly includes some useful content.   

Next week we have our termly Phonics Development Day which our staff who teach phonics will be participating in. These days provide a fantastic opportunity for us to refine our expertise and ensure our Phonics provision remains at the highest possible standard for every child. We are incredibly proud of the progress our pupils are making with their Phonics; seeing their confidence grow as they unlock the world of reading is a highlight for all of us at De Havilland. 

Finally, you will have received communication this week regarding our 'Jolly January' event. Led by Mrs. King and the Trust, this is a wonderful opportunity to pick up any items you or your family may need during what can often be a long and challenging month. As a school, we fully embrace our responsibility to look after our families, and we believe that supporting one another is what makes our community so special. We hope many of you find this resource helpful, and we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 21st January. 

Have a lovely first 'proper' weekend of 2026!

Take care,

Mr. Bostock