Start of Autumn Term 2026 - Year 6 into Year 7

16 July 2026

Dear Parent/Carer,

Start of Autumn Term 2026
Year 6 into Year 7

Contents

• Start of the Autumn Term 2026
• WhatsApp
• Save Money on Meals and Tickets this Summer
• Key Dates for the Diary
• Appearance Standards Ready for September 2026
• Equipment
• The School Shop, Uniform and Stationery
• Mobile Phones
• Reading
• Further Communications through the Summer 

Welcome 

Thank you for your continued support throughout the transition process. We hope that you now feel ready to start with us in September, as Hamza’s Isleworth & Syon journey begins. 

Remember, a great way to keep up to date with school and our achievements is through the Isleworthian newsletter, published each month, as well as the ‘News’ section of the school website. You can also follow us on Instagram and like our Facebook page.

Start of the Autumn Term 2026 

New Year 7 students need to arrive at 8.25am on Thursday 3 September. They will finish at 3.05pm as per a usual school day. Year 7 students will also attend all day on Friday 4 September.  

The boys will need to arrive via the gates on Ridgeway Road where they will be welcomed by a member of staff. Please note that we cannot accommodate parents/carers either on the school site or gathering at the school gates. We realise that this will be a concern to some parents/carers but please do be assured that he will be well cared for on the school site. 

For the Thursday and Friday, our new Year 7 Isleworthians will have an induction programme, which will allow them the time to get to know the school before the other students return. On the Friday, students will have a PE lesson so will need to bring full PE kit - house top, black shorts, white socks, and trainers.  

This induction programme will help students understand school routines and prepare them for timetabled lessons, which start on Monday 7 September.

WhatsApp

The Year 6 to 7 Transition WhatsApp channel has been a popular addition to our online communications this year. It is a great way for us to let you know key information and messages, directly to your smartphone. 

As your child moves into Year 7, the WhatsApp channel will be renamed to Year 7 2026-27 during the summer holidays. 

We strongly recommend you sign up if you have not yet done so. It is very easy – just make sure you have WhatsApp on your phone, then click this link and press the green ‘Follow channel’ button at the bottom. We recommend pressing the bell icon in the top right so you receive notifications. 

Save Money on Meals and Tickets this Summer 

The Government have launched Great British Summer Savings, a new scheme to save families money this summer. They are cutting VAT from 20% to 5% on children's meals in restaurants, children and family tickets to cinemas, theatres, concerts and exhibitions, and admission to a wide range of attractions. Children aged 5-15 can also receive free bus travel. The scheme ends on 1 September. 

Find discounts near you via this Government website: https://summersavings.gov.uk/.  

Key Dates for the Diary 

KS3-Ready Evening – Thursday 24 September 2026
An important parent/carer evening to discuss expectations as students move up a key stage.

Progress & Partnership Day – Friday 16 October 2026
Reflect on academic progress during 2025-26 and discuss how the new year has started. Appointments take place during the school day; the normal timetable is suspended. Each family can give a timeslot preference, which we will take into account. 

Year 7 Parents/Carers Evening – Thursday 14 January 2027
An opportunity for parents/carers to meet subject teachers, receive the first academic report, and discuss progress. 

Appearance Standards Ready for September 2026 

Please make sure that your son/ward follows our appearance and uniform standards at the start of term to avoid missing valuable lesson time.  Thank you for your support in this important matter. 

Equipment 

All students must be fully equipped with a pencil case containing: two black/blue pens, pencil, rubber, sharpener, ruler and scientific calculator. Your child is also expected to have a reading book in their bag and a refillable water bottle. Equipment checks will take place on the first day of term and in Study Support sessions each week. 

The School Shop, Uniform and Stationery

Our school shop sells school uniform, PE & Games kit, equipment, and stationery; you can view the price list on the school website. Our important ‘New to You’ programme allows parents/carers to buy used (but in good condition and washed) uniform at a discounted price. 

The school shop is only open on selected dates during the summer holidays, by appointment only. See your previous email, sent on 8 July, for details on how to book. 

Mobile Phones

Smartphones can expose students to distractions, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and social pressure that affects wellbeing and learning. At Isleworth & Syon, it is your choice on the type of phone or not having one at all. 

Phones have been banned in our school for decades, as we know they are a learning distraction and impact social and emotional well-being. However, our ‘not seen, not heard, not used’ policy is no longer deemed enough. 

Therefore, a secure pouch system will be introduced in September. Students will lock their phones away at the start of the day and unlock them only when leaving school. After extensive research, we feel this will be the best policy for students from Years 7 to 11. More severe sanctions will be in place for anyone not adhering to the school mobile phone policy. 

Parent/carer support is vital to help our young people navigate these heightened expectations. Please discuss responsible phone use so that we can reinforce the policy that students bring their pouch to school daily once the system begins. 

Reading

On the Transition Evening, we gave out an important pack containing a reading book for your son/ward to read over the holidays – as well as a workbook to prepare him for his English lessons in September. 

If you have not yet collected yours, you can pick it up during your school shop appointment. 

Further Communications through the Summer 

Please note that from 1 September, any questions or queries should be sent to school@isleworthsyon.org, where they will be forwarded to the appropriate member of staff. 

All emails sent by school will come from school@isleworthsyon.org, so please add this email to your ‘safe senders’ list to ensure that they do not go into junk/spam. 

Please continue to check your emails as we will be sending further communications over the coming weeks.

***

We wish you a very good summer.

Yours sincerely,

Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom
Co-Headteachers