Opal Weekly Update 9.1.26
This is what we have been up to at lunchtime this week.
Keep up to date with the latest news at Orton Wistow Primary
This is what we have been up to at lunchtime this week.
We are excited to start the new term with a fresh name for one of our classes! Year 5, previously known as Sharks Class, are now proudly called the Jaguars. Alongside their new name, they have also welcomed Mrs Juniper as their new class teacher, and we’re looking forward to a fantastic year ahead.
Jaguars are known for their speed, strength and confidence. They can sprint quickly and have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom! We can’t help but wonder if our Year 5 Jaguars will be just as fast, focused and powerful in their learning as their namesake. We’re sure they’ll rise to the challenge and roar into the year ahead.
Happy New Year!
As we start 2026, we need your help to make Peterborough a healthier and more sustainable city.
Peterborough City Council is launching an annual School Travel Survey to understand how pupils currently travel to school. This data is critical – it will directly influence future active travel projects, help us secure funding for schools, and improve infrastructure to make walking, cycling, and sustainable travel easier and safer.
Survey link - - https://forms.office.com/e/UFkgjEgjRZ

Why is this important?
Every response counts – your school can make a real difference.
Thank you for supporting this important initiative and helping us create safer, healthier journeys for our children.
Here is a snapshot of what the children have been exploring at lunchtime this week.
As the year draws to a close, everyone at Orton Wistow Primary School would like to wish our pupils, families, and staff a restful and very merry Christmas. We hope you enjoy this special time with your families and friends, creating happy memories together.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back when school restarts on 6th January 2026.
We are very excited to welcome the families of our Foundation Stage children next week for their Nativity performance. The staff and children have been working incredibly hard in preparation, and we’ve all enjoyed hearing the songs echoing through the school!
Parents who requested additional tickets should now have received an email confirming whether their request was successful. Due to the overwhelming demand, we had to allocate extra tickets using a random name generator to ensure fairness.
There is still time to take part in our raffle for front-row seat upgrades—entries will remain open until 2nd December.
The OWPS Christmas Fair will be held on Friday 5th December, from 3.30pm, with the raffle to be drawn at 5pm. The raffle prizes look absolutely amazing this year, so don't forget to sell your tickets to your family and friends. If you need more tickets you can collect these from the school office. Money, with completed stubs can also be returned to the school office from now, or given to the FOWS team at the fair.
If anyone is available to help set up or tidy away on the day, please get in touch with FOWS.

We are pleased to share details about the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme available for the upcoming Christmas holidays.
Children and young people from Reception to Year 11 who receive benefit-related free school meals are eligible for up to four fully funded sessions at a Peterborough HAF provision.
To take part, the child or young person must live in Peterborough or attend a Peterborough school, and they must want to attend a Peterborough HAF provision.
Each session includes a variety of fun, engaging activities and a nutritious meal, at no cost to families. A wide range of primary and secondary opportunities are available across the city.
A poster with further details is attached, and you can view all HAF providers and access the booking system via the QR code.
Bookings open at 9am on 24th November.

Memes are everywhere - quick, witty, and wildly shareable. For many young people they are more than jokes, they’re a way to connect, express themselves and interpret the world. But behind the humour, there can be risks. This guide helps adults understand how memes work and why they matter to young people today.
Another fantastic week of Opal play at the school. Here is what is coming up next week
This week marked the launch of our OPAL play scheme. As you can see from the photos there were lots of happy and smiley faces in the playground. Please see below an update from the OPAL team.

Please find attached an online safety guide covering what parents and educators need to know about EA Sports - FC 26. It covers the risks surrounding this game and top tips to minimise them.