Old Ford Newsletter
March 27th 2026
Principal’s Message
We had a visit from retired HMI/Ofsted inspectors this week.
We have invited them in every year since 2014 to make sure that we are doing the best we can. The lead inspector Sue, had some very nice things to say about the school and as always, your children were the stars and spoke very well about school life and their learning. My favourite comment from one of our pupils when asked ‘What is it like to go to this school?’ said, ‘It feels kind of nice’ 😀
Easter
School closes today for Easter. The first day back for pupils will be Tuesday 14th April.
Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) Update
Thank you to all of you who came to the information meeting today regarding the updated government guidance.
The consultation is now open for four weeks for you to give your views. Have your say here.
Dates for your Diary
Easter Holiday Clubs and Activities
Calling all 5 to 15 year olds!
Looking for something to keep the kids active and healthy this Easter holiday? Then look no further than our Be Well Easter Holiday Club at Mile End Park Leisure Centre and Stadium.
Our all-day Easter Holiday Club has plenty of activities to help your children make the most of their free time and will be taking place from Monday 30 March to Thursday 9 April 2026 every Monday to Thursday between 9am and 5pm. The club excludes Monday 6 April which is a bank holiday. It costs £23.30 per child per day. Children in receipt of free school meals may be eligible for a free place subject to availability and meeting eligibility criteria.
For more details and to book visit the Be Well website.
Crafterschool Easter Holiday Workshops
St Margaret’s House is running sessions help young people engage creatively in a collaborative piece of art that will be exhibited somewhere round the St Margaret’s House site. They are free to attend thanks to funding from the Tower Hamlets Mayor’s Community Fund.
Venue: The Studio at St Margaret’s House, 15 Old Ford Road
Dates & Time:
- Tuesday 7th April, 10am-12noon,
- Wednesday 8th April, 2-4pm
- Friday 10th April, 10am-12noon
Easter at Mudchute
Head down to the Farm for loads of fun filled activities this Easter, including animal petting, arts and crafts, kitchen cafe, and an animal hunt. Tuesday-Thursday each week. Find out more here.
Free Easter HAF Football
If you get benefits-related free school meals, and are between 8-16, this is for you! Taking place at Mile End 11-A-Side Astro Pitch, between 11.00-3.00, children also get a free lunch. Learn more and book.
Free Easter HAF Programme 2026
Run by We Are Bow, this programme is packed with high-energy sports, exciting team challenges, creative workshops, games, competitions, themed activity days, and confidence-building sessions designed to keep children active, engaged, and smiling throughout the holidays. Held at Old Palace Primary School, find out more here.
Easter Adventure Camp
Arts, crafts and playground adventures are being run this Easter for children aged 5-16, at Roman Road Adventure Playground. Running 11am-3pm, March 30th-April 2nd, and April 7th-10th, free hot meals will be provided. Register here.
How can I be more punctual?
Be prepared
Go to bed at a reasonable time
Give yourself more time in the morning
Be aware of the time
Fire Safety
Members of the Fire Brigade have been in our school recently, talking to pupils in Year 2 – Year 5 about fire safety, and what to do in the event of a fire. Use the links below to download the documents.
Community Resources for Families
- The government has launched their Best Start in Life supporting the Plan for Change target of 75% of children being school-ready by 2028. Visit the Best Start in Life website and sign up for personalised weekly emails.
- Have you ever considered volunteering? The Early Help service allows parents to come together, learn new skills and prepare for work.
- The new expanded funded early education entitlements are available now – discover more about the 2-year-old childcare extension.
Online safety
We are still getting reports of pupils on social media apps such as Snapchat.
As you know, an important part of our curriculum is teaching pupils about esafety. We know that a lot of our pupils spend a lot of their time online, either through online gaming or on social media apps. This can sometimes lead to contact with inappropriate people
and/or exposure to inappropriate language. We strongly recommend that you monitor your children’s usage of the internet and that you are aware of what they are doing online.
Most social media apps have an age limit of 13+. If you are allowing your children to access these apps you are putting them at risk!
Start and end of the day
Please remember that there are no staff on duty in the playgrounds before and after school so parents/carers should supervise their own children. Children should not be playing with balls or on the climbing frames.
To keep children safe please do not park on the double yellow or zig-zag lines when you are collecting or dropping off. Tower Hamlets parking enforcement officers are conducting regular patrols in the area.
When collecting your child at the end of the day please wait until all pupils are in their lines before speaking to the teacher and collecting your child. We need to make sure that all of our pupils go home with the right adult!
Bow Foodbank
Did you know Bow Foodbank now operates out of Bow Community Hall?
Tuesday 10am – 12pm
Tower Hamlets residents only
Tuesday 12.30pm – 4pm
Click and Collect, order by 1pm Sunday.
Wednesday 2pm – 7pm
Open to all
Thursday 10am – 1pm
Tower Hamlets only
Friday collection 8am – 12pm
Order by 9pm Wednesday
Bow Foodbank is open to all, there’s no need for a referral or voucher. Visit them at:
Bow Community Hall
1, William Place,
E3 5ED
