Newsletter summer term 2026 week 7

Smart watches changes 4.6.26

Our policy for the use of smart watches is changing with immediate effect, this is a Trust wide directive from our CEO and comes in conjunction with the changes to the use of mobile phones in schools.

We currently allow children to wear a smart watch if it has the capacity to be placed in school mode to disable specific features such as photographs, messages or internet use. However due to the potential for harm, and therefore safeguarding concerns linked to the reliability of these functions, the inability to check or monitor this, and the potential for misuse – they are now not allowed to be worn by children at Hodnet school. Children have been made aware of this change.

There are a number of varieties of digital watches available currently, and many were used widely within school. We acknowledge that many of our children and families were adhering to the rules and using their watches safely, but unfortunately others were not. In order to safeguard our community by protecting from the potential of photograph or recording misuse we must now enforce this blanket ban on smart watches for children. Adults are allowed to wear them and are our bound by our code of conduct.

For clarity, the watches which are no longer allowed to be worn to school are the ones that:

• are connected to a phone – even if in school mode, this is no longer permitted
• have the ability to take photographs
• have the ability to connect the internet
• have the ability to voice record
• have the ability to view, send or receive messages
• have the ability to play games

A simple analogue watch is fine to wear, also a simple digital watch which does not have any of the above functions is also fine to wear. A fitbit type watch which does not have any internet connectivity and is not connected to a phone, but is simply recording steps and telling a digital time is also fine to wear.

We appreciate your support with this matter. Safeguarding our school community is our main priority and must come first.

Please see your child’s class teacher with any queries in the first instance, I am happy to discuss any further points.

Thank you, Mrs Lyall.

Summer 2 half term events

The key dates for this half term are:

June:

• Mon 1st – School re-opens
• Tue 2nd – YR visit to Shrewsbury Museum
• Fri 5th – DEAR 3pm (no phones please)
• Mon 8th – Y1 Phonics screening week
• Thur 11th – RAF Shawbury covenant event
• Thur 11th – New YR (26/27) parents evening 5.30pm
• Tue 16th – Y4 trip to Cadbury World
• Wed 17th – Y1 Class assembly, 9am Y1 parents welcome
• Wed 17th – Y2 Trip to Chester Zoo
• Thur 18th – Y5 Taster day to Thomas Adams School
• Fri 19th – Father’s Day lunch & Sports Day afternoon
• Mon 22nd – Armed forces week TBC
• Thur 25th – New YR intake in school 9-11am
• Fri 26th – Y5&6 London visit
• Mon 29th & Tue 30th – Y6 move up day to Grove School
• Mon 29th – Wed 1st – Y6 move up day to SJT
• Tue 30th – Local governing body meeting
• Tue 30th – New YR intake in school 1.15-3.15

July:

• Fri 3rd – DEAR 3pm (no phones please)
• Mon 6th & Tue 7th – Y6 move up day to Thomas Adams School
• Mon 6th & Tue 7th –  Move up sessions for each class
• Tue 7th – New YR intake in all day. KS1 full day move up.
• Wed 8th – Y1 Art trip to Shrewsbury Museum
• Mon 13th – Y6 church retreat day
• Wed 15th – Y3 Egyptian workshop
• Thur 16th – Church service, 2pm at St Luke’s, Hodnet
• Fri 17th – End of year reports out to parents
• Mon 20th – Rock Steady concert
• Mon 20th – Optional drop in parents evening
• Mon 20th – Y6 play at 6.30pm
• Tue 21st – Y6 end of term trip
• Wed 22nd – Leavers assembly 9am
• Wed 22nd – School closes for summer. Reopening on Wed 2nd Sept.