CYCLING TO SCHOOL
Safety Reminder
If students are travelling by bike to and from school, please can we remind you of the school's Bicycle Licence. Students should wear their cycle helmet and follow the rules of the road, for their own safety.
More information can be found here: Little Heath School - Transport to School.
CONDUCT OUTSIDE SCHOOL
Reminder
Please remind your child that we expect our students to act as role models within the community and should remember that they are representing Little Heath as they travel to and from school, in the evenings and at the weekend. Please ensure they are behaving in a way that reflects well on themselves and our school.
WATER SAFETY
Important Warning from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service
With the warmer weather here and as we approach the Summer holidays, we know many of our families will be heading to pools, beaches, and parks etc.
While water brings a lot of fun, it can also bring unexpected risks and serious dangers. Sadly, there have been a significant number of deaths in young people from water-related incidents over the last couple of weeks.
We request that you take just 10 minutes this week to have an open, honest conversation with your children about water safety.
Here are a few quick talking points to cover:
- Always ask first: Never go near or into water (pools, lakes, rivers, or the ocean) without a trusted adult explicitly saying it’s okay.
- The buddy system: Never swim alone.
- Look out for hazards: Remind them there can be many hidden hazards beneath the surface and that open water behaves differently than a pool—strong currents, sudden drop-offs, and cold temperatures can surprise even strong swimmers.
- What to do in an emergency: Teach them to "Call, Don't Crawl." If a friend is in trouble, they should yell for help or throw a floating object but never jump in to save them – call 999.
- Float to live: If you find yourself in difficulty, lean back, tilt your head above water and calmly control breathing, then swim to safety.
- Life Jackets Matter: If you are on a boat, kayak, or near open water, life jackets are non-negotiable.
Drowning is quick and silent, but a simple conversation can make all the difference. We cannot overstate the importance of water safety education. Swimming lessons are fantastic, but the absolute first line of defence is awareness.
It only takes a moment for a situation to become dangerous. By educating our children and setting strict boundaries now, we can prevent tragedies before they happen.
You may also wish to show them one of the following videos:
‘Drowning - Its Up To You’ from the RLSS. The video is around 15 minutes long, it has been designed to be engaging: Drowning - Its Up To You | Videos & Movies on Vimeo
The video ‘Float to Live’ from the RNLI: Float To Live – What To Do In An Emergency – RNLI
We will also be holding a 'Water Safety' whole-school assembly in July to reinforce the message before the summer holidays. Please talk to your children about water safety in the meantime, DON'T have the mindset of "It won't happen to us".
SAFETY NOTICE
Water Tower Pub Car Park Closure
The Water Tower Pub is closing for a month and therefore, the car park will also be closed from the 15 June until 15 July. For the safety of the children in the local area, they have asked that no parent/guardian uses the car park during this time. We also ask that the parents/guardians speak to their child if they walk or ride their bike to school this way, to ensure they use the path and to not cut through the car park during this time.
LHS OPEN EVENTS
For Year 7 Admissions – September 2027
If you are looking for a secondary school place for your Year 5 child (September 2027), or know someone who is, save the date for our Open Evening on Thursday 17 September. It is a showcase of all Little Heath has to offer your child for their secondary education, as well as an opportunity to speak to staff from every department, as well as our student ambassadors. You will also have the opportunity to hear from Headteacher, Mr Ramsden, and the KS3 Team.
Summer Open Morning Tour dates will open for booking next Wednesday 10 June at 8:00pm. More dates will be available in the Autumn term, along with Open Afternoon sessions in our Student Support Department. You can find out more on our website here: Little Heath School | Joining Little Heath School or by following us on socials – just search for @LHSReading.
NOMINATE LHS TO WIN £1,000 IN BOOKS
With National Book Tokens and Read for Good
We have been working to improve literacy and increase students' love of reading at school this year – the National Year of Reading.
Reading for pleasure is in decline. In 2025, just 1 in 3 children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoy reading in their free time – a sharp drop over the past two decades. At the same time, the work Read for Good do in schools shows that many school libraries are underfunded, outdated, and filled with books that fail to engage today's readers. Children who rely most on school libraries are often those most likely to be missing out.
National Book Tokens annual prize draw will to give five schools across the UK and Ireland the chance to win £1,000 in National Book Tokens to fill their shelves with new and inspiring books.
You can nominate Little Heath School using their online form here: Nominate Your School | National Book Tokens, and if we are one of the five winning entries, you'll also win a £100 National Book Token to spend in your favourite bookshop.
Plus: to celebrate the UK's National Year of Reading, they are giving away even more prizes! Each week until 24 June, they'll pick a flash winner – selected at random from all entries – to receive a £100 National Book Token for their school, and £25 for themselves!
Find out more and nominate LHS today here: Win £1,000 / €1,000 for your school’s library! | National Book Tokens
THE BASE, GREENHAM
Festival of Arts and Crafts – from Saturday 6 June
The Base, at Greenham Business Park, is holding a 'Festival of Arts and Crafts' on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June. Come along with family and friends for a celebration of arts, crafts and artisan food and drink from local makers and creators. Lots of FREE activities for the kids and dog friendly.
Find out more here: ‘Festival of Arts and Crafts’
MAPLEDURHAM LOCK REGENERATION
New CIC
A newly formed Community Interest Company has been set up to bring Mapledurham Lock back to life! Their aim is to revive Mapledurham Lock into a community space for all. Visit their website for the latest updates: http://mapledurhamlock.co.uk/
