60^TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS – CHANGES TO TIMINGS

We are very much looking forward to celebrating Sonning Primary’s 60th Birthday with you all next Friday. The children have been working hard and are excited to share this special milestone with their families.

However, having carefully reviewed the weather forecast and seen the very high temperatures expected for the day, we have taken the decision — with the children’s safety as our absolute priority — to postpone the bouncy castle element of the celebrations. This decision was made after taking appropriate advice. The surface of the inflatable equipment can become extremely hot in strong sun, and the physical exertion of bouncing in high heat adds further risk. In addition, the lack of adequate shade in the area planned for the bouncy castles raises further safety concerns.

The bouncy castles were kindly and generously being provided by the Business Moves Group (BMG) and the Governors of the school, and we are extremely grateful for their support. We hope to rearrange this element at a future date, when conditions are more suitable.

To help keep everyone safe and well on the day, we will also be adjusting the timings of the events to avoid the hottest part of the day:

Updated timings for Sonning’s 60th Birthday Celebrations – Friday 04 July 2025

• 9.00am – 9.45am: Creative Home Learning Showcase (classrooms)
• 9.45am – 10.00am: Parents move onto the playground
• 10.00am – 10.20am: Children perform the 60th Birthday songs
• 10.20am – 10.30am: Mr Sherwood to address the audience
• 10.30am – 11.30am: 'Elevenses-style' picnic – Parents, carers and guardians welcome to stay and enjoy with the children - please bring snacks for you and your child if you wish to eat with them. Teas, coffees and other refreshments available to purchase, courtesy of the PTA.
• 11.30am: Adults depart.

Lunch will continue as usual – children can order school meals or bring a packed lunch. KS1 and PPG parents: If you ordered a packed lunch from the school for 11 July, this will no longer be provided and you will need to order a school lunch on Arbor as usual if you require one.

We are very aware that many of you have made arrangements to take time off work for later in the day and may feel disappointed. We hope, however, that you understand and support the school in making this difficult decision in the interest of everyone’s safety and wellbeing. We are confident that we can still enjoy a joyful celebration – just in slightly cooler and much safer conditions. Thank you as always for your understanding and continued support.