Castle Hill Blog 18/09/2026

It might be raining outside but spirits are high at Castle Hill with plenty to celebrate. Mrs Nellis delivered a fabulous assembly this week encouraging pupils to think about the importance of diversity and perspective. All pupils listened intently and agreed that the fact that we are all different makes the world an exciting place to be.

Gruffalo Art!

Last week Hub M watched Julia Donaldson read her new story Gruffalo Granny, on a live stream. The children listened closely and enjoyed spotting familiar characters and moments from the original book.

Afterwards, they followed a drawing session with illustrator Axel Scheffler. He demonstrated how they build characters from simple shapes, and the children tried out the techniques at their own pace. All of the children loved making their very own Gruffalo Granny, and comparing each of their art works.

It was a wonderful, creative session that combined reading, observing and drawing, and has promoted our class's love of reading. Gruffalo Granny is our new class favourite!

Paddington Hard Stares...

If you have ever read Paddington Bear, you will know that Aunt Lucy taught him a very special trick: the famous "hard stare." It is the look Paddington uses on people who have forgotten their manners or need a gentle reminder to do the right thing! Recently, some of our pupils have been channeling their inner bears and practicing their very own hard stares. Beneath all the furrowed brows and deadly serious faces, there was plenty of laughter and maybe just a little bit of mischief, as everyone tried to see who could keep a straight face the longest.

While practicing their stares provided plenty of chuckles, it was also a great way for them to explore how we use body language and facial expressions to communicate our feelings. Exploring popular stories like Paddington helps our pupils connect with character emotions, practice empathy, and build confidence in a lighthearted, engaging way. Please do enjoy some of our best stern faced poses... we think Aunt Lucy herself would thoroughly approve!

Dream Big!

7M's classroom has been buzzing with excitement this week as the pupils looked into their crystal balls and shared their future goals. The sheer variety of ambitions was impressive! We’ve got future Manchester City footballers practicing their victory celebrations, astronauts ready to blast off into deep space, and musical maestros dreaming of becoming world-class pianists. The creativity didn’t stop there - some of us are aiming to rule the waves as professional fishermen and swimmers, while others are ready to colour the world as incredible artists. One thing is for sure: 7M is packed with superstar potential, and the future is looking incredibly bright!

Looking Ahead...Dates for the Diary:

Date	Event
Mon 14^th & Tues 15^th Sep	Pupil photographs
Thurs 24^th Sep	Macmillan Coffee Morning
Wed 30^th Sep	Post 16 Event for Year 11 Parents/ Carers (3-6pm)
Wed 7^th Oct	Post 18 Event for Year 13 Parents/ Carers (3-6pm)
Tues 13^th Oct	Flu Vaccinations
Thurs 22^nd Oct	Halloween Disco (more details to follow) (3-5pm)
Fri 23^rd Oct	Break up for October half term holidays
Mon 2^nd Nov	Pupils return to school
W/c Mon 16^th Nov	Anti-Bullying Week
Thurs 19^th Nov	Year 7 & Year 10 Parents’ Evening (3-6pm)
Fri 27^th Nov	INSET (no pupils in)
Sat 5^th Dec	Christmas Fayre (10am-12pm)
Tues 15^th Dec	Christmas Panto (NK Theatre)
Wed 16^th Dec	Christmas dinner and jumper day
Fri 18^th Dec	Finish for Christmas Holidays (1pm finish)
Mon 4^th Jan	Start of Spring Term (8.50am)

Helpful Advice

One Stockport Family Hubs

One Stockport Family Hubs has partnered with Essential Parent to offer a free app for parents, parents-to-be and carers.

The app includes more than 2,000 expert-written videos and articles to support you from pregnancy through to your child’s teenage years.

Download the FREE Family Hub app

https://www.stockport.gov.uk/one-stockport-family-hubs-app

How the app works:

You can personalise the app by adding your due date or by registering your child/children’s date of birth.

This helps you receive tailored information for your stage of pregnancy or based on your child’s age. You’ll also get updates from your local One Stockport Family Hub team.

The app includes details of local groups and activities for your children during the week and weekends, details services available to support you in Stockport; as well trainings for parents/carers and access to seminars

https://video.stockport.gov.uk/family-hubs-app-teenagers

dld together invite sept 26 and march 27.pdf

Pupil High Fives!

Huge congratulations to our amazing pupil, Edwin, who recently took the stage at Bridgewater Hall as one of just four featured speakers at a special storytelling event, confidently sharing his experiences in front of an audience of nearly 200 people! The event he participated in is part of a series of exciting celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the hall.

We are incredibly proud of Edwin for his outstanding public speaking and for representing our community so beautifully. Well done, Edwin!

Feast your eyes on this video showing one of our pupils being extremely brave whilst following her dream to be a Manchester City Mascot-what a fantastic experience and achievement April!

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