2025 Autumn #12

Message from Mrs Dhaliwal

Dear Parents and Carers

We’ve had another busy and exciting week at Coalbrookdale with lots of fantastic learning and community spirit on display. Here’s a recap of some of the key highlights:

Year 5 & 6 Debate Team: A Fantastic Day at the Council Chambers

On Monday, a group of our Year 5 and 6 pupils had the incredible opportunity to visit the local council chambers, where they took part in a real debate as honorary councillors. It was an amazing experience for the children, who did an excellent job presenting their ideas and engaging in discussions just like the professionals! We’re so proud of how well they represented the school, showing confidence, teamwork and respect. Well done, everyone!

Reception Class: Exploring How People Help Us

Our Reception class has been especially busy this week learning about the important people who help in our community. On Tuesday, they visited the local fire station to learn more about the role of firefighters and how the station operates. It was an exciting experience that sparked lots of questions and enthusiasm!

On Wednesday, the children were joined by the local Police Community Support Officers, who shared valuable insights into their roles and how they help keep our community safe. We’re grateful to both the firefighters and PCSOs for giving their time to our children, making learning come alive in such a meaningful way.

Christmas Shoe Box Appeal: Thank You for Your Generosity

A huge thank you to all the families who donated items for this year’s Christmas Shoe Box Appeal. Your contributions will bring smiles to many children this festive season. We are also incredibly grateful to the Friends of Coalbrookdale group, whose support and help in planning and preparing for the event made it such a success. It’s heartwarming to see our school community come together to help those in need and we truly appreciate your generosity.

As the colder weather settles in, we are also entering the heart of cold and flu season. To help keep everyone healthy, we will be encouraging children to sanitise their hands more regularly throughout the day, especially when they enter school, before meals and after using shared spaces.

Looking ahead to next week, it looks like temperatures will remain quite chilly! Please ensure that your child brings a warm coat or jacket to school, as we want everyone to stay comfortable and healthy during outdoor activities.

We look forward to more exciting activities and learning in the coming weeks. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Exciting Music Opportunities at Coalbrookdale

Today, the children had a fantastic time watching a live concert and taking part in a music workshop with Rocksteady. It was a brilliant experience that sparked lots of enthusiasm!

Rocksteady Music Lessons

Rocksteady offers engaging music lessons where children form their own mini bands and learn instruments such as vocals, drums, keyboard, guitar and bass. Each band can include up to 9 children, with a maximum of 5 bands per school. All organisation and payment is handled directly by Rocksteady – we simply provide a space for their sessions.

Weekly sessions will take place on Friday mornings from 8:30am. The first band (Band A) is fixed and open to children in Years 4 – 6 only. For safeguarding and consistency, the same children will attend each week, and parental consent is required before they are added to the timetable.

Other bands will rotate weekly and may include children from different year groups. If your child is interested in joining, please use the leaflet sent home to sign them up so they can take part.

Click on the link on how to sign up with Rocksteady if your child is interested.

Your child might be entitled to free/reduced price lessons.  Please contact the school.

Telford & Wrekin Music Service

We understand that Rocksteady may not appeal to every child, and we are committed to offering a range of musical experiences.

We currently offer guitar and drum lessons through the Telford & Wrekin Music Service.

In addition, they also offer lessons in:

• Strings (e.g. violin, cello)
• Woodwind (e.g. flute, clarinet, saxophone)
• Keyboard and piano
• Vocal coaching

Before we move forward, we’d love to gauge interest from families. If you think your child might be interested in learning any of the above instruments, please let us know by completing this short form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddzrgwmUr5cwm9-4os9nUoUY8B5qNxdW7PwJUKJL4qdS9XAw/viewform?usp=header

This will help us plan and ensure we can offer a variety of opportunities that reflect the interests of our pupils.

Your child might be entitled to free/reduced price lessons.  You would need to complete and return the Telford & Wrekin Remissions Application Form along with proof of benefit.

Click on the link below for more information about the cost of these lessons and how to sign up.

Parents/Small Groups & Individual Lessons – Telford & Wrekin Music

Mrs Angus Music lessons

Rosemary Angus a music teacher who has taught here at Coalbrookdale for the last 23 years. She teaches all years from Reception to Year 6 (and beyond).  She offers include piano, singing, flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorders, guitar and violin.

Lessons are invoiced half termly at the following rates:

• £17.50 per week for 30-minute lessons
• £9.25 per week for 15-minute lessons
• £6.25 per week per student for 20 minutes, for shared lesson with 2 beginner students (this is only possible if 2 compatible students can be paired).

Children are given the opportunity to take ABRSM exams at several points during the year, if they want to.

Please contact her on 07816 958048 to enquire about lessons.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Thank you for your continued support of music at Coalbrookdale.

School Gates

It has been noticed that the school gates from Buildwas Road have been propped open recently.  This can cause damage to the hinge which can result in costly repairs.  It would be appreciated if parents could please ensure that the gate shuts behind you as you enter and leave the school grounds.

Active Play Sessions – 25 November

Next Tuesday (25 November) all classes will be taking part in ‘Active Play Sessions’ across the day. Every class will have a 30-minute slot across the day to participate in a short ‘get active’ session with an external sports coach.

All children should wear their PE kit to school on Tuesday.

Parent Workshop – Online Safety – 27 November

Mrs Postance will be holding a session for parents with updates to online safety in school on Thursday 27 November @ 2.30pm.  This session will provide valuable insights and practical tips to help you support your child in navigating the digital world safely and responsibly.

Recently staff in school attended online safety training. During this training we were introduced to a website that may support parents in setting parental controls on popular apps used by children. We know how hard it is to keep up with changes and new apps in the online world, so thought you may appreciate this guide from Internet Matters.

Social Media parental controls & privacy settings | Internet Matters

Click on the link below for a guide to age ratings on the most popular apps for you

Apps and their age ratings

Friends News – Christmas Fair Rainbow Raffle

Next Wednesday (26 November) children who bring in an item for the Friends Rainbow Raffle can wear non-uniform.

Each year group has been assigned a colour (see below) and we’re asking children to bring in an item in their class colour to help us create a beautiful collection of rainbow-themed hampers to be won at the Christmas Fair.

Items can be non-perishable food items (tins, jars, sweets, chocolates), drinks (alcohol, soft drinks), toiletries (shower gel, shampoo etc) or small gifts (candles, stationery) – anything that matches the class colour.

Reception:  Red
Year 1:  Orange
Year 2:  Yellow
Year 3:  Green
Year 4:  Blue
Year 5:  Purple
Year 6:  Pink

Friends News – Online Book Fair

Friends have launched, with Osbourne Books, a virtual book fair from today.  Osbourne Books will also be at the Christmas Fair on 12 December, and all orders placed over the next two weeks will be available for collection at the fair.

We are hoping £600.00 of books will be ordered so we can get £300 in books school library.  With Black Friday deals there are some really good deals.

There is a link and QR code to the virtual book fair below along with a letter with more information.  Orders close at 5pm on Monday 1 December.

https://bit.ly/CoalbrookdaleIronbridgeSchoolBookFair

Book fair Parent letter

Ironbridge Christmas Lights Switch-on: Saturday 29 November

The choir will be singing at the Ironbridge Christmas Lights Switch-on on Saturday 29 November.  Timings for the event are:

• 4.30pm: Lantern Walk (meet at Toll House side of The Ironbridge)
• 4.45pm – 5.00pm: Choir Performance

Before the performance, any children who would like to take part in the lantern walk should meet at the Toll House side at 4:30pm.  We’ll walk across the bridge together, place the lanterns along the front of the stage, and then the children will take their places to sing. Parents will be responsible for overseeing the supervision of their child(ren) while walking across the bridge.

School uniform is not necessary but warm coats, hats and gloves are recommended.

Thank you for supporting this special event!

School Dinner price increase

We have been advised by Telford & Wrekin Catering that from 2 February 2026 school dinners will increase to £3.05 per day.

Moments Matter – Attendance Counts

Highest class attendance for week ending 14 November:  Reception

Most improved class attendance from the previous week:  Reception

News from the parish: Christ the King Sunday

This Sunday 23rd November, St Luke’s church in Ironbridge would like to welcome children and families to a service of Holy Communion for Christ the King Sunday, starting at 11:00am. It will include a Jesus and Me (JAM) activity for school age children.

In our Jesus and Me (JAM) session, we will be making Chrismon decorations, seated in the children’s area.

These will go onto the JAM Christmas Tree, which will be amongst the many beautiful trees that are being decorated for the Christmas Tree Walk.

This will help us to think about Christ the King, with the Chrismons, or Christ Monograms, proclaiming the name and life of Christ.

Chrismons are white or gold, with white the colour for Christmas and innocence, and gold the colour for the glory and majesty of God.

We hope to see children and their families there, and to share refreshments after the service has finished.

The Christmas Tree Walk at St Luke’s Church Ironbridge will then be open from 2:00pm to 7:00pm on Saturday 29th November to coincide with the lights switch on in Ironbridge. Everyone is warmly invited to come up and say hello and have a mince pie with us.

The following are the readings and hymns for the service.

Reading:

1st Reading Jeremiah 23:1-6

Gospel: Luke 23:33-43

Hymns:

1. Rock of Ages cleft for me hymn 584
2. Christ whose glory fills the skies hymn 105
3. And now, O Father, mindful of the love hymn 34
4. Lord, in enthroned in heavenly splendour hymn 408

Community News – School Aged Immunisation Service

Shropshire Community Health are offering a walk in flu vaccination clinic on Saturday 22 November from 9.30am – 1.30pm at Coral House, Shrewsbury for any children (Reception – Year 11) that may have missed the vaccination at school.

Community News – Sparta Football Club

Community News – T&W Happy Healthy Active Holidays

Bookings for Happy Healthy Active Holidays (HHAH) open in this month, offering eligible families the chance to take part in fun-filled festive activities.

The programme provides fully funded sessions designed to keep children active, creative, and connected during the school holidays. To take part, parents and carers must be registered on the HHAH website before bookings open in early November.

To register visit hhah.telford.gov.uk and select ‘Add Child’ to submit your child’s details. It only takes a few minutes to register and ensures you are ready when bookings go live. Activities fill up quickly, so don’t miss the chance to get involved.

For help or enquiries, email: holidayactivityhub@telford.gov.uk.