Dear Parents and Carers,

Well… we’ve almost made it. We are fast approaching the end of the school year, the first one with me as the Headteacher and one that has seen a significant amount of change. Although the journey to making Hillside Avenue one of the best schools in Norfolk will not be smooth, I feel like we have achieved a great deal together and am excited about where we are heading next. Our priorities for next year will certainly include a continuation of our commitment to building positive relationships with all stakeholders as well as ongoing development of our inclusive teaching practices too. Thank you for your feedback so far and I can’t wait to continue the journey in September. We have one week to go. During this time we will be saying goodbye to our wonderful Year 6s as well as starting to welcome the new children who will be starting in Nursery and Reception (and a couple of other year groups) after the holidays too. It certainly is an exciting time with Y6 performances and special assemblies planned, as well as transition events too. The ‘meet the teacher’ events are planned for the first week back so that all parents can feel fully informed at the start of the school year. Thank you all for your support this year. I feel incredibly lucky to be the Headteacher of such a wonderful school and I hope that you all have a relaxing Summer holiday. See you on Wednesday 3rd September.

Mr Hutchinson 

 

Time to move on.

At this time of year, it is common for school staff to move on to pastures new. At the end of this term we will be saying goodbye to some much loved members of staff.

 

Mrs Furbur has been a much-loved teacher at Hillside Avenue for 5 years. During this time she has skillfully guided many children to achieve their best in the lessons that she taught whilst nurturing them through their formative years too. I know that many parents will want to extend their heart-felt thanks to Mrs Furbur for her dedication to their children’s learning and to wish her well for the future.

 

Mrs Pittaccio Has worked in the Nursery since 2022 . As we all know, a child’s time Nursery is fundamental in their development and is indicative of their success in later life too. Mrs Pittaccio has been instrumental in the learning and development of hundreds of children in the Hillside Avenue Nursery over the last 3 years and will be sorely missed. We all wish her the best for the adventures that she has planned for the future.

 

Mrs Thompson has decided that it is time to pass on the baton in the office to someone else. Over the years, Mrs Thompson has helped parents and children alike with everything from ordering school dinners to arranging music lessons and ice packs for head bumps too. We all wish her well for her next adventure.

 

Mrs Custance has been an MSA on the playground at lunchtimes and in the canteen for 3 years. Over this time she has helped hundreds of children to cut up their fish fingers on Fishy Friday and plastered many an injured knee on the playground too. We will miss her greatly and wish her well for the future. I know that she will be on the touchline during girl’s football matches for another year, so we’ll still see her around.

 

News from Friends - Preloved Uniform Sale On Wednesday 16th July , there will be a preloved uniform sale on the KS1 playground by the shed from 3 till 3.30pm, weather permitting. Cash and card payment taken. You contact Alex on preloveduniform@hillsidefriends.com prior to the sale for orders if you are not at pick up on that day. Price list is as follows: Polo shirts, P.E t shirts, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, trousers, dresses and skirts 50p each.

● Jumpers, cardigans and fleeces £2 each.

● P.E hoodies and reversible fleeces £2.50 each.

Sizes of Hillside school branded items are as follows: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13, S, M, L.

In the meantime you can donate your unwanted uniforms.

Please note that we do not take socks, tights, shoes or non Hillside branded cardigans or sweaters. Please ensure your donated items are clean, with no holes and with plenty of life left in them. And if you ever can help for an hour here and there with the sales then please contact me.

 

 

Hillfest update

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved with Hillfest 2025. The committee this year despite some headwinds (literally), pulled out a super event. We were supported by many fantastic volunteers, who played a pivotal part in Hillfest’s overall success. We are also so thankful to the staff from the school giving up their weekend time to help supervise the chaos.

 

Thanks to all your support, together we have managed to raise just over £6,500 which has resulted in a record profit contribution from Hillfest of just over £4,300.

 

This event completes the year for the Friends which by close of term will result in almost £30,000 of funds donated to the school. One specific item from this year we were proud to support is the library refresh. The new library is now up and running and provides a new positive space for all pupils of the school. We’ve heard some fantastic feedback already, with particular excitement around new book stocks and the introduction of audiobook technology.

 

How splendid we hear the cry, how can I help…. :)

 

We are currently seeking additional committee members to join our dedicated charity committee, an essential part of our fundraising efforts in support of the school. The level of involvement is entirely flexible, and all contributions—whether occasional or regular—are greatly valued. We are anticipating a few long serving committee members stepping down at the next AGM and would love for some new volunteers to join.

 

The committee organizes a variety of events beyond Hillfest including: quiz nights; bingo evenings; and the festive Holly Jolly Hillfest. We always welcome fresh ideas and suggestions for new fundraising opportunities.

 

If you are interested, and want to know more about what being on the Committee might involve - please contact us to have a chat.

 

Your involvement will help build a stronger, more connected school community—one where every child feels supported and inspired. By joining us, you’ll directly contribute to creating a vibrant, nurturing environment where young minds can thrive and reach their full potential.

 

Uniform Orders

We have received a large number of uniform orders which will take a little bit of time to process. If you have made an order you will receive an email when it is ready to be collected from the school office. Some items have sold out and we anticipate more stock arriving in the first week of September. The last uniform orders will be accepted on the 18th July and orders will reopen on 1st September.

 

Dates for the diary

September

• Wednesday 3rd - start of autumn term

                               3:00 Yr1 parent meeting

                               3:15 Yr5 parent meeting

• Thursday 4th - 3:15 Yr3/4 parent meeting
• Friday 5th - 3:15 Yr6 parent meeting