Skinners’ Temple Grove

After weeks of glorious weather, it was a bit of a shock to have a cold wet Forest School last week! It was lovely to see Reception and Year 1; they were very enthusiastic and had remembered all of our safety rules well.

We started both sessions by reading the fantastic book 'Odd Dog Out', which tells the story of a Sausage dog who discovers that it’s a good thing to be an individual. Then the students got the opportunity to make their own Forest School 'Log Dog'. The students chose a log, then found leaves and natural treasures to make its eyes, nose, and tail. They then made it a coat with wool and added a lead so they could walk them. All 'Log Dogs' looked fantastic and the students loved the activity.

It has been fantastic to see all the children in KS2 having the opportunity to swim last week with each session bringing new skills and confidence, different types of swimming aids, games and, for some, the first experience of a new sport which has been a real highlight to their school day. Below are some photos of Year 4 in action!

National Thank a Teacher Day is celebrated every year to show appreciation for all teaching and support staff working in early years, schools and colleges.

To send a free, personalised Thank you card, please visit the Thank a Teacher Website here: https://thankateacher.co.uk/thank-a-teacher/thank-a-teacher-form/

Thank a Teacher UK

Don't miss your chance to sign up for our summer Open Morning taking place on Tuesday 7 July 2026!

You will get the opportunity to take a tour of our school on a normal working day, meet our Early Years staff and hear from our Headteacher.

To book your place, please click here: https://templegroveacademy.applicaa.com/events/019c99db-d4a4-7bef-aa3b-c190fe5cbb1c

We are excited to welcome families and children applying for Reception in September 2027 to our Open Morning, taking place on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 10:00am.

During your visit, you will get the opportunity to take a guided tour of our school facilities and classrooms, meet our Early Years staff and hear from our Headteacher about our vision, values and curriculum.

To book your place, please click here: https://templegroveacademy.applicaa.com/events/019c99db-d4a4-7bef-aa3b-c190fe5cbb1c

On Monday we held the Grand Opening of our Magical Reading Garden! We were delighted to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress of Tunbridge Wells, along with our Governors, members of the Skinners' Academies Trust, and everybody who contributed to bringing the garden to life.

Our wonderful Student Leadership Team served delicious snacks and drinks, followed by our students sharing their creative writing stories that they had been working on in class. The Master of The Skinners' Company then cut the ribbon and officially marked the opening of our new garden. Our students showed guests around and handed out bookmarks they had made.

Thank you to all our guests for helping us celebrate this special occasion. We hope you felt the inspiration of reading and adventure that the garden brings.

We have been fortunate enough to be chosen as a partner school for the Tesco supermarket in Pembury. As part of this, over the next year we will have access to free fruit for schools and support with wider community events such as our Summer and Christmas fairs.

The blue tokens you receive at the Tesco checkout's are part of a community initiative that allows customers to vote for their favourite children's and young people's groups to receive grants towards their cause. Please make sure to put your token into the Skinners' Temple Grove box (easily identified by the wonderful photo below) as this will directly benefit our students. Thank you.

Last Wednesday, our Year 2 and 4 students learnt how to use tools safely in Forest School to cut a slice of wood and then use a hammer and nails to create a design.

The students impressed us with their knowledge and recall of tool names and how to use them safely, and it was lovely to see their level of independence when they were using the tools to make designs, showcasing their determination to finish them to a high standard.

As well as the tool work there was the usual Forest School games, playing and tree climbing. Take a look at some of their designs below!

Last Monday saw our Year 4 class head over to Eridge to visit Lynne's organic Farm, a beautiful 40-acre organic farm in the High Weald National Landscape.

The children enjoyed an exciting and educational day exploring the countryside and learning about sustainable farming. The farm, which produces pork, eggs, and a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, is run in a fully sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The children had the opportunity to meet the animals and learned about how they are cared for. They also visited the orchards, soft fruit areas, vegetable fields, and polytunnel, discovering how different crops are grown organically, and then explored the stunning landscape and admired the wonderful views across the High Weald.

The day also included investigating the soil, exploring the ancient woodland, and learning about renewable energy generation and how the farm works to protect the environment. It was a fantastic hands-on experience that helped the children develop a greater understanding of farming, sustainability, and the natural world.

Last Thursday, a group of our KS2 students got the opportunity to experience an incredibly creative session at Paint'n'Go.

The session was so well organised and the students came back with such enthusiastic comments about the ability to express themselves in a unique way: painting walls, painting their hands, designing their own wallpaper and simply having some messy fun!

They had such a fun time and it was great to see some of their designs and creations.