September 2026 - Calder Lodge School

9.9.26 Fairsnape – Lancaster Castle Visit

Posted on September 10, 2026September 10, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

As part of our learning about castles, the children visited Lancaster Castle to explore its external features and develop their understanding of how castles were designed and used. Although we did not go inside the castle, the children worked in pairs using a “Can You See?” castle features sheet to identify and discuss key features, such as towers, walls, battlements, windows and entrances.

Working in pairs encouraged the children to communicate, share ideas and work cooperatively as a team. The visit provided an opportunity for them to observe real-life castle features and apply their classroom learning in an authentic setting.

We will use our experiences from the visit to support the children in writing a recount of their trip, focusing on sequencing events, describing what they saw and recalling their experiences. The visit will also provide a strong link to our Design and Technology topic, where the children will design and create their own castles, using the features they observed at Lancaster Castle to inform their designs.

Oakenclough Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

Cute Yellow Maple Leaf Clip Art Free PNG Image｜Illustoon

PARENT REMINDER

Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear.
All medication must be in the original packaging with child’s name and dosage visible.

Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected.

If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

CURRICULUM

This term, our topic will be ‘Memory Box’. The children will think about their own experiences and how they have changed and grown, using photographs, favourite toys, books and family stories to help bring the past to life. We’ll also begin to learn about history and how people can record memories through diaries and keepsakes. As part of our learning, the children will create their own special memory boxes to collect items that are meaningful to them.

In English, we’ll be learning how to write a diary, using our own experiences and memories as inspiration. The children will explore how to write in the first person, share their thoughts and feelings, and sequence events clearly. We’ll also look at the features of a diary and practise using interesting vocabulary to bring their writing to life.

In Maths, we will be focusing on measurement. The children will explore and compare length, height, mass and capacity using everyday objects and practical activities. They’ll use language such as longer, shorter, taller, heavier and lighter, and begin to measure and compare objects using standard and non-standard units.In Science, our topic is Animals Including Humans. The children will be learning to name, identify, and describe different body parts and their functions. We will explore the five senses and take part in fun, practical activities to test and use them. The children will also be learning about a variety of animals, how they are similar or different to humans, and the body parts they use for different purposes.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

As part of our Science topic; Animals Including Humans, we will be visiting a farm to give the children a hands-on opportunity to learn about a range of animals and how they are cared for. The trip will help children connect their classroom learning to real-life experiences, developing their understanding of animals, their needs and the responsibilities involved in caring for them. It will also provide opportunities to ask questions, make observations and enjoy new experiences.

Fairsnape Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

PARENT REMINDER

Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear.
All medication must be in the original packaging with the child’s name and dosage visible.

Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected.

If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

CURRICULUM

This term, our exciting topic is Tunnels, Turrets and Towers, with a strong focus on Design and Technology. Children will explore materials and design structures, developing their understanding of how buildings and bridges are constructed before designing and building their own models. In English, we will write a recount of a visit to a castle and develop our descriptive writing through the book The Tunnel, creating an alternative setting for where the tunnel could lead. In Maths, we will focus on length, height and fractions, developing our measuring, comparing and problem-solving skills. In Science, we will learn about animals, including humans, exploring how animals and humans grow, develop and stay healthy. In PSHE, we will focus on relationships, community, body parts and safe and unsafe touch, helping children understand how to keep themselves safe. In PE, we will develop our skills through invasion games and dance, focusing on teamwork, movement, coordination and creativity.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

This term, we will be taking part in two exciting trips to enhance our learning and give the children opportunities to experience things beyond the classroom. Our first trip will be to Lancaster Castle, where the children will explore the courtyard and discover the different features of a castle, with a particular focus on towers and turrets. We will use this experience in English to write a recount of our visit, focusing on using time conjunctions and interesting adjectives to describe what we saw and did. For our second trip, we are planning a visit to a local farm, which will link closely with our Science topic, Animals Including Humans. This will give the children the opportunity to see and learn about animals first-hand, helping them to develop their understanding of animals, their young and how they grow and change.

Parlick Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

PARENT REMINDER

Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear.
All medication must be in the original packaging with your child’s name and dosage visible.

Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected.

If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

CURRICULUM

This term, we’ll be learning all about Dangerous Dinosaurs! We’ll discover fascinating facts about dinosaurs, including how big they were and the difference between carnivores and herbivores. We’ll also explore timelines and the language associated with them, as well as learning about what happened after the dinosaurs. We will discover modern-day animals that have prehistoric relatives.

Alongside our topic work, we will continue to develop the children’s motor skills through our regular physical activities. We will also take part in daily Phonics and Reading sessions, as well as practising handwriting and letter formation. In Maths, we will develop our understanding of numbers and basic addition and subtraction skills before moving on to measurement, where we will compare length, height, mass and capacity using everyday objects. The children will also have lots of opportunities to learn through continuous provision, where they can explore, play, make independent choices and develop their independence and social skills. We will encourage them to work together, share ideas, build friendships and become increasingly confident in doing things for themselves.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

Within our Cultural Capital trips this term, we will visit various outdoor spaces in which we will have lots of opportunities to develop gross motor skills and build further friendships.Within these trips, we will practise navigating different terrains and explore a range of outdoor spaces while looking for bugs, plants and different habitats. These experiences will encourage the children to explore together, develop their confidence and enjoy learning outdoors whilst exposing them to new areas and environments they may have not visited before.

Calder Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

PARENT REMINDER

Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear.
All medication must be in the original packaging with the child’s name and dosage visible.

Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected. If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

CURRICULUM

This term, our class topic is Stargazers. We will be taking an exciting journey beyond our planet to explore the Solar System, the Moon and the planets, while discovering how our understanding of space has developed over time. Throughout the topic, the children will investigate fascinating questions such as, ‘How do we know the Earth is round?’ ‘Can we track the Sun?’ ‘How do rockets lift off?’ ‘Why do planets have craters?’ and ‘How does the Moon move?’ We will also learn about significant individuals, including Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. Our Space topic will also inspire our English learning, with the children exploring mnemonics, myths and legends, free verse poetry, newspaper reports and descriptive writing. We are looking forward to a fun-filled term of exploring, investigating and discovering the wonders of Space!

In Maths this term, the children will develop their understanding of length and perimeter, learning to measure accurately, calculate perimeter and solve practical problems. We will also explore mass and capacity, giving the children opportunities to measure, compare and estimate using different units. Through practical activities and problem-solving challenges, the children will develop their confidence and mathematical reasoning skills.

In Science this term, the children will be learning about Animals Including Humans. They will explore how humans and other animals grow, develop and stay healthy, including the importance of nutrition, exercise and a balanced diet. The children will investigate the different stages of the human life cycle and explore how humans change as they grow. They will also learn about teeth and digestion, taking part in practical investigations to deepen their understanding of how our bodies work.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

As part of our Stargazers topic, the children will have the exciting opportunity to visit Jodrell Bank and the Planetarium. This trip will allow them to bring their learning to life, explore space beyond the classroom and experience some of the incredible discoveries made by scientists and astronomers. The visits will encourage curiosity, questioning and a sense of awe and wonder, while providing memorable experiences that the children can draw upon throughout their learning. Later trips are to be confirmed.

Bleasdale Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

IMPORTANT DATES

World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October.

Cultural Capital Dates: Tuesday 8th September 2026 – A visit to Holmes Wood to play social games and adventure games linked to Science and Geography

Tuesday 22nd September 2026 – River Trust to develop our understanding of the natural landscape and man-made geography linked to rivers

6th October 2026 – TBC
0th October 2026 – TBC

Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23rd October 2026
Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

CURRICULUM

This term, our topic is One Planet, Our World. This essential skills and knowledge project teaches children to locate countries and cities, use grid references, compass points and latitude and longitude. They learn about the layers of the Earth and plate tectonics and discover the five major climate zones. They learn about significant places in the United Kingdom and carry out fieldwork to discover how land is used in the locality.

In English, we’ll be learning how to write a description, a persuasive letter and newspaper writing. We will focus on capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks as well as developing joining words. The children will also develop their understanding of contractions and possession for apostrophes.

In Maths, we will be focusing on measurement. This will include length, perimeter, mass, capacity and temperature. In Science, our topic is Animals Including Humans. The children will be learning the simple functions of the digestive system, the different types of teeth and their functions, to construct and interpret food chains and understand producers, predators and prey.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

We will be using Cultural Capital experiences to develop and consolidate learning across all our subjects through real life experiences. This will include visits to Holmes Wood, working with the Rivers Trust and enjoying farm visits. It is important that children arrive at school with appropriate clothing, including coats and footwear on Cultural Capital days.

Nicky Nook Newsletter

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by Calder Lodge School

IMPORTANT DATES

World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October.

Cultural Capital Dates:
Wednesday 16th September 2026 – Rock Collecting at Hest Bank (TBC)
Wednesday 14th October 2026 – Pizza making at the Pig and Whistle (TBC)

Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23rd October 2026
Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

CURRICULUM

Our topic this term is Gods and Mortals! Nicky Nook will journey through different cultures, discovering fascinating Gods and the myths and legends surrounding them. We will bring these stories to life through role play, exploring Greek and Roman tales, whilst developing our creativity through art and design. We’ll be creating clay models of Greek Gods and Goddesses, as well as a Trojan horse to inspire our story writing.In Maths, Nicky Nook will develop a range of skills throughout the Autumn term. We will begin with measurement, exploring length and height before moving on to perimeter. We will then investigate fractions, including adding and subtracting fractions, before developing our confidence when telling the time.Our English learning will link closely to our Gods and Mortals topic. We will explore diary entries, instructions and character descriptions, identifying their key features and discovering how vocabulary can bring our writing to life. We will then use these skills to create our own exciting pieces of writing.In Science, our first half-term focus will be rocks and fossils. We will investigate different types of rocks and enjoy some hands-on fieldwork, collecting rocks and fossils to observe and analyse. In the second half term, we will explore animals, including humans, learning about the functions of different body parts and comparing the characteristics of different animals and mammals.

CULTURAL CAPITAL

For our first Cultural Capital trip we will link to our Science topic. We will by taking part in a fieldwork activity, where we will collect a variety of rocks and fossils from Hest Bank beach. The class will put on their wellies and explore the beachfront to find rocks, shells and fossils to analyse and observe.

Our second Cultural Capital trip will be a visit to a castle. This will take our learning out of the classroom to bring our topic of Gods and Mortals to life, providing ideas to help support our writing of poems and stories about different myths and legends. The class will put their descriptive skills to the test to help find exciting vocabulary to use in their English writing.

	OAKENCLOUGH NEWSLETTER AUTUMN TERM (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs Farnworth Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Mrs Taylor-Heath – Class Teacher Miss Hill and Mr Chandler – Keyworkers Welcome to Oakenclough! We can’t wait to see what the new school year will bring. The children will be exploring lots of interesting topics and taking part in trips linked to their learning. We look forward to getting to know our new class and watch friendships grow throughout the year.
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
IMPORTANT DATES World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October. Cultural Capital Dates: Wednesday 23rd September 2026 – Farmer Parrs (TBC) Wednesday 21st October 2026 – TBC Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23^rd October 2026 Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

	FAIRSNAPE NEWSLETTER AUTUMN TERM (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs Farnworth Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Mrs Howarth – Class Teacher Mr Ola, Mr Parkes & Mr Melville – Keyworkers A very warm welcome to all our children and families joining Fairsnape Class this year! We hope you have had a lovely summer break and are feeling refreshed and ready for a new school year. We are so excited to welcome the children into their new class and get to know them as they settle into their new routines. We have lots of fun, exciting and engaging learning planned for the term ahead, and we are looking forward to a fantastic year together!
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
IMPORTANT DATES World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October. Cultural Capital Dates: Wednesday 9th September 2026 – Lancaster Castle visit (TBC) Wednesday 7th October 2026 – Farm visit (TBC) Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23rd October 2026 Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

	PARLICK NEWSLETTER Autumn Term (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs Farnworth Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Miss Boardman and Miss Capstick – Class Teachers Mrs Hutchinson, Miss Pye, Ms Sheldon – Keyworkers Welcome to Parlick Class!This term we’re really looking forward to a fantastic term of making new friends and enjoying exciting learning opportunities. We’ll explore a range of topics through engaging activities, continuous provision, outdoor learning and creativity, while developing our curiosity and love of learning alongside our new friends.
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register. If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
IMPORTANT DATES World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October. Cultural Capital Dates: Wednesday 30th September 2026 – Beacon Fell Wednesday 11th November 2026 – Outdoor Exploration TBC Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23^rd October 2026 Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

	CALDER NEWSLETTER AUTUMN TERM (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs Farnworth Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Mrs Thompson – Class Teacher Mr Martin, Mrs Nicholson & Mr Davies – Keyworkers Welcome back to a brand-new school year! We hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer, and the children are feeling refreshed and ready for an exciting year ahead.It has been fantastic to welcome the children back into class. They have already made such a positive start, showing enthusiasm, kindness and lots of energy!We’re really looking forward to getting to know each child, watching them grow and celebrating all their achievements along the way. Here’s to a happy, fun-filled and successful year together!
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
IMPORTANT DATES World First Aid Day 11^th September, British Science Festival 16^th September, Yom Kippur 21^st September, Sukkot 25^th September, British Food Fortnight 28^th September, Black History Month – October, International Day of the Girl Child 11^th October. Cultural Capital Dates: Tuesday 15th September 2026 – Jodrell Bank and Planetarium Tuesday 13th October 2026 –TBC Autumn Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 23rd October 2026 Autumn Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 9th November 2026

	BLEASDALE NEWSLETTER AUTUMN TERM (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs Farnworth Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Mr Blower – Class Teacher Mr Meadows, Mrs Turner & Mr Davies – Keyworkers Welcome to Bleasdale! We can’t wait to see what the new school year will bring. The children will be exploring lots of interesting topics and taking part in trips linked to their learning. We look forward to getting to know our new class and watch friendships grow throughout the year.
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
PARENT REMINDER Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear. All medication must be in the original packaging with the child’s name and dosage visible. Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected. If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

Parent Resources

Our Contacts

Month: September 2026

9.9.26 Fairsnape – Lancaster Castle Visit

Oakenclough Newsletter

Fairsnape Newsletter

Parlick Newsletter

Calder Newsletter

Bleasdale Newsletter

Nicky Nook Newsletter

Councils

	NICKY NOOK NEWSLETTER AUTUMN TERM (1) 2026
THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL Mrs FarnworthWelcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you and your families have had a wonderful, restful summer break and that your child is excited for the year ahead.A special warm welcome goes to our new families joining Calder Lodge. I know our returning pupils will make them feel very welcome. I am already incredibly impressed so far this week with our children’s positive attitudes, behaviour, engagement and energy, there has also been an abundance of smiley faces.We firmly believe that a child’s education thrives when there is a strong partnership between home and school. We very much look forward to working with your child and you over the coming months. Mr Hutchinson / Mr Marrin – Class Teacher Miss Lowe and Mr Manning – Keyworkers Welcome to Nicky Nook! We are excited for you all to join us in this class and begin our learning journey throughout the year. We cannot wait to see you take on the challenge of a new class and classmates whilst continuing to develop your academic abilities throughout our time together. There are going to be lots of exciting opportunities to take part in and lots of memories to be made.
DON’T FORGET…… If your child has any medical appointments, please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card/text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return.
PARENT REMINDER Children must be in school uniform each day and wear black shoes or trainers, no sportswear. All medication must be in the original packaging with child’s name and dosage visible. Children MUST be ready for transport each morning. We cannot wait any more than 5 minutes at your address. Any additional time may result in your child not being collected. If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea our school policy states that they MUST remain absent from school for 48 hours after the last bout.

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.