Mrs Scarth Start of Spring 2 Letter
Posted 27th February 2026
Dear Parent/Carer
The children have made an enthusiastic start back to school this week and are looking forward to the many opportunities above and beyond the classroom this half-term. It was lovely to see so many of our pupils proudly wearing Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides and Boys Brigade uniforms to mark Founders Day and World Thinking Day on Tuesday. They shared what being part of a uniformed organisation means to them, and I enjoyed hearing all about their favourite badges. The first week back has ended with a chocolate treat for many children today, buying a 🍫 Wonderlicious Bar to support the fundraising efforts of our fabulous PTA.
Mayor launches Active Travel fund at Oatlands Juniors
On Wednesday, we welcomed David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire who launched the £1 million funding, for schemes that make it safer and easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle across our region.
As you know, our School Street, supported by North Yorkshire Council and the collaborative efforts from the local community, has transformed Beechwood Grove into a safer street. This enabled the launch of a joint school community Bike Bus, which continues to grow and is now attended by up to 100 people every fortnight.
We are very proud of these achievements and the huge success of our our Active Travel efforts were recognised by Rhiannon Letman-Wade, Active Travel Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire, who said: “The schemes running in Harrogate are exactly the kind of projects we want to see more of across the region. They show how a community can secure much-needed improvements and create safer streets for children and the wider community.This fund is about empowering communities to take the lead, supported by targeted investment, so that together we can provide opportunities for people across our city, towns, rural and coastal areas to make more affordable and sustainable travel choices.”
A huge thank you to Hazel Peacock, our Active Travel champion, who works tirelessly in her campaign for safer school streets in our local communtiy, securing additional funding and working collaboratvely with all stakeholders to keep our children safe and active. You are a superstar!
The Bike Bus Returns!
Thank you to all the children, parents and marshals who joined Oatlands Infant and Junior Bike Bus this morning. It was wonderful to see so many children join us in a safe and fun celebration of healthy travel to school. The next Bike Bus will be on Friday 13th March, when we are expecting a special guest! Be there to find out more.
PTA - Here’s what’s coming up, and it’s a busy spring term…
🧁 Mother’s Day Cupcakes
Delicious Mother’s Day cupcakes will be available for the wonderful ladies in your life — the perfect sweet treat for someone special.
🦘 MUGA Sponsored Bounce – 20th March
Get ready to bounce, boing and boogie! Our Sponsored Bounce will take place on 20th March, raising vital funds for the new MUGA. It's "bounced to be" a firm favourite, fun, energetic, and all for a brilliant cause!
🎭 Enchantica’s Masked Ball – 21st March
The magic continues the very next day for our adults with Enchantica’s Masked Ball! Expect sparkle, and enchanting entertainment, all supporting our MUGA fundraising.
*MOVIE NIGHTS next week are postponed. Further details to follow…*
🤝Volunteers
We’re always grateful for an extra pair of hands! If you’d like to manage our pre‑loved uniform, or if you’re interested in volunteering to join the committee to help organise any of our upcoming events, we’d love to hear from you.
Please email ptaoatlands@gmail.com.
Thank you again for helping us bring fun, creativity and community spirit to our school, your involvement really does make all the difference.
Your PTA
🎯 Project MUGA
We are excited to share an update on Project MUGA!
Our goal is to raise £65,000 to build a brand-new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) on the school playing field. This will provide a safe, purpose-built space where all pupils can play, enjoy sports, and stay active all year round.
We are aiming to complete the project by Summer 2027 — and we need your support to make it happen!
One of our Y3 pupils, Iris, has been raising money over the February half term holiday by swimming 500 metres which is 20 lengths. Iris was very determined and she successfully completed this before the end of half term. In doing so she managed to raise £62 to go towards the new MUGA for the school playground. Well done and thank you Iris!
💛 How You Can Help
There are lots of ways to get involved:
- Local business sponsorships
- One-off donations from parents and families
- Supporting and attending our fundraising events (Spring Ball, Sponsored Bounce and more)
- Taking part in the PTA Lottery
- Sharing new, creative fundraising ideas and getting involved in community activities
Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal.
📲 Scan the QR code to find out more
World Book Day Reminder - Thursday 5th March 2026
As you will already know, this year is the Year of Reading and we are looking forward to this year’s World Book Day on Thursday 5th March. If your child is keen to dress up as a book character, they are most welcome to – we love seeing their enthusiasm and creativity! However, there is no pressure to do this; if they prefer not to, they should wear their school uniform as normal.
There will be lots of enjoyable reading and book-related activities planned for the day so we would encourage pupils to bring in any favourite books on the day to share and talk about with their classmates.
School Grid for School Meals
We’re excited to share that after the Easter holidays we’ll be launching SchoolGrid, a new, interactive system that will make school meals easier, clearer, and more enjoyable for families. With SchoolGrid, you’ll be able to explore menus, pre‑order meals with your child, and manage payments in a quick, user‑friendly way. It also helps us cut down on food waste and streamline our kitchen processes, meaning fresher meals and smoother days all round. We’ll be sending full details soon, but if you have any questions before then, please just let us know.
Thank you for continued support.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Estelle Scarth
Headteacher
