Message from Mrs Dhaliwal
As we come to the end of a very special and busy term, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what has been a wonderful week of celebrations and to say some heartfelt thank yous.
Firstly, a huge thank you to the Friends of Coalbrookdale and all of the volunteers who gave their time with preparations leading up to the Fair which took place on Friday 12 December. Their support and hard work in making our Christmas Fair such a memorable and successful event is greatly appreciated. The time, energy and commitment shown by everyone involved did not go unnoticed. We know how precious time is, especially at this busy time of year and we are incredibly grateful to those who chose to give theirs to support our school. The joy, excitement and festive spirit created on the night was truly special and something our children will remember for a long time.
I would also like to say a big well done and thank you to our Reception and Year 1 children, who did an absolutely amazing job in their Nativity performances on Monday for the school and on Tuesday for parents. I was so incredibly proud of their courage, their confidence and the way they learned their lines, songs and actions. The inclusion of sign language during Merry Christmas was particularly special and moving! A real reflection of the care, effort and inclusivity shown by both children and staff.
On Wednesday, our Year 2 Christingle was a truly beautiful event. The children carefully created their Christingles and showed great understanding of their meaning. The moment when the lights were dimmed and the children sang carols together was especially powerful and created a calm, reflective and memorable atmosphere for everyone present.
Thursday saw our Key Stage 2 Christmas Service, led so thoughtfully by the children. Each class played an important role:
- Year 3 confidently shared the Christmas story
- Year 4 led us in meaningful Christmas prayers
- Year 5 presented Christmas Around the World, celebrating the cultures represented within our school community
- Year 6 concluded with thoughtful and reflective Christmas poems
The children performed with confidence, respect and pride and it was a joy to watch them lead such a special service.
I would like to thank our parents and carers for your continued support and encouragement. These shared moments, celebrating, reflecting and coming together as a community, are incredibly special and your support enables us to create memories that will stay with the children for years to come.
Your presence, kindness and partnership with the school mean so much.
Thank you also to those parents who were able to join us for the Art and D&T Gallery on Thursday after school. It was wonderful to see the hall filled with families taking time to admire the children’s creativity, effort and pride in their work. The positive conversations and enthusiasm shared truly celebrated the children’s achievements.
Well done as well to all of the children who performed in the music concert, planned by Rosemary Angus. The children did a splendid job, showcasing their musical talents with confidence and enjoyment and it was a pleasure to celebrate their hard work.
As we finish the term, I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved. It has been a busy, joyful and successful term, and I would like to thank everyone within our school community (children, staff, parents, volunteers, Friends and members of the IEB) for the support you give, which allows Coalbrookdale to flourish.
Finally, I would like to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas spent with family and loved ones. As we were reminded in the Reception and Year 1 Nativity, Christmas is for everyone – a time for kindness, hope and togetherness.
Thank you once again, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.
Warmest wishes
Mrs M Dhaliwal
Headteacher
Eco Council News
Eco council this term, have been thinking about how we can reduce, reuse and recycle. Christmas is a busy period for us all where we see an increase in waste and things being thrown away without the consideration for our planet.
As eco council we are very concerned for our future and we are working alongside Miss Stackhouse to ensure we can do the best for our school, our community and our planet.
During this festive time of year we often forget to recycle, reduce and reuse and become very wasteful. It can be hard to retain this smart ecofriendly frame of mind during this busy period; eco council are here to remind you with some helpful ways to stay on top of recycling.
Unbelievably 100,000 tonnes of poultry go uneaten each year, 3.5 million carrots are thrown away each day and 8.2 million potatoes end up in the bin daily!
Love food hate waste is a great website with lots of ideas and recipes to support reducing food waste at home during this festive time.
20 Tasty Recipes for Using Up Christmas Leftovers | Love Food Hate Waste
Christmas Food Planning: How to Feast Smart and Spend Less | Love Food Hate Waste
They also have a food portion calculator which is really useful in supporting ensuring no food ends up in the bin. Food Portion Calculator | Love Food Hate Waste
Approximately one billion Christmas cards are thrown away every year. Based on the idea that one tree could produce 3,000 Christmas cards, we would require the space of 77 football fields to replant the amount we use each year
As Santa delivers all of his presents in beautiful wrapping paper it is important to remember this can go in the recycling bin; the amount of wrapping paper thrown away is 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year!
Be a recycling hero this Christmas | Recycle Now has lots of tips for ensuring we recycle correctly this Christmas.
Attached below is also the Telford and Wrekin council’s reminder about bin collection dates and recycling. It contains information about their free weekly food recycling service and information on how to order extra recycling bags for free.
Please don’t forget real Christmas trees can be recycled in your green bin for free!!
Here are their helpful recycling tips: Tips for your recycling collection
- Don’t forget the Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) will be CLOSED on Christmas day, Boxing day and New Year’s day. Please visit our webpage for more information about visiting the HRCs, including tips on how to pack your boot and take a look at the live queue camera.
- Christmas cards and wrapping paper can be recycled in your blue bag, no glittery or metallic ones though please as we cannot recycle those at the moment, why don’t you consider reusing the paper next year and cards make lovely gift tags.
- Large card cannot fit in the back of the collection vehicles, so if you can please try to break this down to the size of the wheelie bin and secure underneath your blue bag.
- Real Christmas trees can be recycled in your green bin, please make sure this is cut down to fit inside the bin with the lid closed.
- Food waste – there is still 31% of food waste in the boroughs red top bins. If you don’t have a caddy, please complete the online form to order one for free, remember food waste is collected every week.
- Food is one of our most precious resources, so we urge residents to buy what you need and eat what you buy, and to donate, compost or recycle what you can’t use up. For more information and some top tips on reducing your food waste, please visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.
- If your bins were presented for 7am on your scheduled collection day on the footpath nearest the edge of your property, or if we have an agreement to collect these from your property, and they have been missed, please let us know and complete our online form to report a missed bin collection.
- Collection day reminders – why not sign up for our free weekly email reminder, you will receive an email the day before your scheduled collection to remind you what containers to present the following day for 7am.
Friends News
After School Clubs – The Embrace Group – Spring Term
Mondays (12 January – 23 March 2026) – KS1 Football Fundamentals Afterschool Club
Our KS1 Football Fundamentals Afterschool Club is designed to introduce young children to the core skills of football in a fun, engaging, and supportive environment. Pupils will develop key fundamentals such as dribbling, passing, shooting, balance, coordination, and basic teamwork. Sessions are delivered through age-appropriate games and activities that focus on building confidence, improving physical literacy, and encouraging an enjoyment of being active.
The aim of the club is to help children develop essential movement and ball skills while having fun and learning the importance of working together.
Tuesdays (6 January – 24 March 2026) – KS2 Football Afterschool Club
Our KS2 Football Afterschool Club provides pupils with the opportunity to develop their football skills in a fun, structured, and inclusive environment. Sessions focus on improving key technical skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, defending, and ball control, while also introducing tactical concepts like positioning, teamwork, and game awareness.
Through engaging drills and small-sided games, children will build confidence, develop their fitness, and enhance their understanding of the sport. The aim is to support players of all abilities to progress, enjoy the game, and develop a positive attitude towards sport and physical activity.
Wednesdays (7 January – 25 March 2026) – KS1 Gymnastics Afterschool Club
Our KS1 Gymnastics Afterschool Club introduces children to the basic skills of gymnastics in a safe, fun, and supportive environment. Sessions focus on developing key fundamentals such as balance, coordination, jumping, rolling, climbing, and body control. Children learn through engaging stations and movement-based games that build confidence and encourage creativity.
The aim of the club is to help pupils improve their physical literacy, develop core strength and flexibility, and enjoy being active while learning new skills.
If you would like to, or are considering, booking a place for your child in one of Embrace’s after-school clubs, please follow the link below to create your profile/book on to a club.
👉 https://embrace.ipalbookings.com
Please don’t hesitate to contact Embrace at info@theembracegroup.co.uk if you have any questions or experience any issues. They will be happy to help.
Parish News – Christingle, Carol & Christmas Services
21 December:
St Luke’s, Ironbridge: Carol Service@ 11.00am
Holy Trinity, Coalbrookdale: Carol Service @ 2.00pm
St Lawrence, Little Wenlock: Carol Service @ 4.00pm
Christmas Eve, 24 December:
St Luke’s, Ironbridge: Crib Service @ 5.00pm
Holy Trinity, Coalbrookdale: Holy Communion @ 11.00pm
Christmas Day, 25 December:
St Lawrence, Little Wenlock: Christmas Celebration @ 9.30am
Holy Trinity, Coalbrookdale: Christmas Celebration @ 11.00am
St Luke’s, Ironbridge: Christmas Celebration @ 11.00am
28 December:
St Luke’s, Ironbridge: Prayer & Praise/JAM @ 11.00am
Moments Matter – Attendance Counts
Highest class attendance for week ending 12 December: Year 4
Most improved class attendance from the previous week: Year 2
Values Stars’
Reception: Millie
Year 1: Cameron
Year 2: Frankie
Year 3: Ava
Year 4: Kane
Year 5: Jiya
Year 6: Ella
Headteacher: Rose
Other Awards & Commendations
Finley H – Ice hockey mascot
Rory (Y3) – Swimming certificates & badges
Harriet – Beavers certificate, badges & trophy
Josiah – Football medal & trophy
Shiloh – Beavers badges, football medal & trophy
Emily – Swimming certificate & badge
Gabriel – Kickboxing green belt & certificate
Hunter – Kickboxing Black belt & certificate
Lilith – Piano certificate
Cameron W-W – Swimming certificate & badge
Lara – Swimming certificate & badge
What’s happening w/c 5 January
DINNER MENU: WEEK 1
Monday
PD Day – School closed to children
Tuesday
During School:
PE – Reception, Year 1, Year & Year 5
After school:
KS2 (Years 3 – 6): Football
Wednesday
During School:
PE – Year2 & Year 6
After school:
KS1 (Yrs Reception – 2): Gymnastics
Thursday
During school:
PE – Year 5 & Year 6
Friday
During school:
PE – Reception, Year 1 & Year 4
Dates for the diary
22 Dec 2025 – 2 Jan 2026: Christmas holiday
Spring 1:
Tuesday 13 January 2026: Active Play Session (all children to wear PE kit)
Wednesday 14 January 2026: Year 6 Parent/Teacher Consultations (12.30pm – 5.00pm)
Wednesday 21 January 2026: Reception – Year 5 Parent/Teacher Consultations (3.30pm – 5.30pm)
Thursday 22 January 2026: Reception – Year 5 Parent/Teacher Consultations (3.30pm – 5.30pm)
Monday 2 February 2026: Parent Book Club (3.00pm)
Friday 6 February 2026: NSPCC Number Day
Thursday 12 February 2025: Friends Disco (KS1 @ 300pm; KS2 @ 4.00pm)
16 – 20 February 2026: Half Term Holiday
Spring 2:
Tuesday 3 March 2026: Parent Book Club (3.00pm)
Thursday 5 March 2026: World Book Day
Wednesday 25 March 2026: Easter Service – Holy Trinity Church @ 2.00pm
Thursday 26 March 2026: Last day Spring term & Friends Easter Fair
Friday 27 March 2026 PD Day – School closed to children
30 March – 10 April 2026: Easter holiday
Summer 1:
Monday 13 April 2026 Summer Term begins
Monday 4 May 2026 May Day
25 – 29 May 2026 Half Term
Summer 2:
Friday 17 July 2026 Last day Summer term
Monday 20 July 2026 PD Day
Community News – Telford & Wrekin Family Hubs
Telford & Wrekin Family Hubs offer a drop-in service (Drop Ins) where you can meet your local family hubs practitioner where you can access advice and support and connect with local organisations.
Support we cover includes parenting and behaviour support, online and community safety, SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities), Domestic abuse support, financial advice and much more.
If you are unable to make one of their drop-in sessions you can request a call back service. Click on the link below for more information.
Family Hubs Callback