Year 5 student Matthew has recently come back from attending the Karate World Championships in Germany.

Matthew’s results were amazing! He came 6th in Traditional Kata and 7th in Hardstyle Kata and was unfortunate to be knocked out in the 1/4 finals of his Kumite. All were competed at U12 age group which is above his age.

Matthews dad told us “Matthew had an excellent competition and was noted by many for his outstanding sportsmanship especially with his team mates who had been on the mat. He was the first person to congratulate them or put an arm round them, should they have not got the result. Many parents also noticed Matthew’s presence around the arena and commented how mature beyond his years he was conducting himself”.

We are super proud of his achievements and we know he is already back in training for his next comp.

This week, Class 3VL have made a real splash!

We’ve been working with the fantastic team at Starfish Swim School, taking part in an exciting week of swimming lessons tailored to a wide range of abilities. Some of our children were stepping into a swimming pool for the very first time, while others have been having regular lessons for years. Despite the different starting points, every single child has made incredible progress and we couldn’t be prouder!

From nervous first steps into the water to confident strokes across the pool, it’s been a joy to watch the children’s confidence grow day by day. The instructors from Starfish have created a fun, supportive environment where all our children felt safe to challenge themselves, try new skills, and most importantly, learn to love the water.

Swimming is such an important life skill, not just for health and fitness, but for safety too. Instilling water confidence at this age can have a lifelong impact, and it’s been wonderful to see how engaged and enthusiastic the children have been.

With just one more day left of our swimming week, we’re already hearing children talk about wanting to continue swimming outside of school. Many have been asking their grown-ups about joining local swimming lessons or heading to the pool at weekends — a sign that this experience is having a lasting impact.

A huge well done to all of 3VL for showing such bravery, determination, and positivity in the pool this week. And thank you to Starfish Swim School for their expertise, patience, and encouragement.

We can’t wait to see what our final day brings — but one thing’s for sure: 3VL are swimming stars! 🌟

Holt Park | Year 5 & 6 | A Fantastic Start to the School Year

What better way to kick off the new school year than with a wave of excitement at the ACE Swimming Gala! Held at the brilliant Holt Park Leisure Centre, this year’s event saw our talented Year 5 and 6 pupils diving into action and showing off their skills in a variety of swimming races.

From freestyle sprints to relay races, the children gave it their all, cheering each other on from poolside and celebrating every splash and stroke with smiles, laughter, and high-fives. The atmosphere was buzzing with fun, determination, and pure enjoyment.

It wasn’t just about winning (although there were some impressively fast swimmers!). It was about having fun, trying something new, and showing great sportsmanship, qualities that every participant displayed throughout the morning.

A special shoutout goes to Fatima, who showed true courage and resilience. Despite feeling tired and nervous, she stepped up for her team and competed in the challenging 100m race. She pushed through, completed it, and walked away with a huge sense of accomplishment. What an inspiring moment—it’s exactly what the ACE spirit is all about!

A huge well done to everyone who took part—you made us all proud! And a big thank you to Mrs Fox, Mrs Stott, Miss Whiteley and Mrs Curtis who helped run the event so smoothly. What an incredible way to start the year!

Here’s to many more opportunities to shine, compete, and enjoy being active together. Go Team ACE! 🌟