Our Polesden Lacey Community

At Polesden Lacey Infant Academy, we are more than just a school; we are a vibrant, welcoming community. Our core values of being kind, caring, resilient, and courageous underpin everything we do, fostering a strong sense of belonging for our pupils, families, the wider Bookham area and beyond.

We believe that strong links between home, school, and the community are essential for giving our children the very best start to their educational journey.

Our Place in the Local and Global Community

We actively encourage our pupils to be responsible, active local and global citizens who respect and value the importance of diversity and inclusion.

• Local Initiatives: Our children learn to make a positive contribution to our local area. We routinely organise litter picks to raise awareness of pollution and support local groups by collecting donations for food banks and charities.

• Wider Learning: We bring learning to life through experiences that connect us to the wider world, such as visits to local places of worship and taking part in community events like the Village Fair, understanding how we can look after our environment and the importance of supporting ‘Fairtrade’.

Parent Partnership: We operate an open-door policy for dialogue with parents and carers. Our Academy Committee includes parent representatives who play a crucial role in the governance and direction of the school.

Supporting Our Community: Billy's Battalion

The Legacy of Billy the Brave

Polesden Lacey Infant Academy is immensely proud to support Billy's Battalion, a newly registered charity (Charity No. 1213415) dedicated to raising awareness of and funding research for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a devastating form of paediatric brain cancer.

This cause holds a very deep and personal connection for our school community, as Billy was a beloved pupil in our Reception class. Sadly, after a courageous and valiant fight, Billy passed away, just five months after his diagnosis.

Billy was a kind, funny, and a little cheeky boy—everything a child should be. His spirit continues to inspire us every day. Billy's Battalion is his lasting legacy, established by his parents to fight for a future where other children and families facing this brutal disease have better options and hope.

Why We Support Billy's Battalion

Our decision to champion Billy's Battalion is rooted in our core school values, which encourage kindness, courage, and community.

1. A Personal Connection

This is not just a national charity; it is a local mission born from our school community. By supporting Billy's Battalion, our pupils and families are directly supporting the legacy of a friend and classmate, turning deep personal grief into positive, powerful action.

2. Teaching Empathy and Social Responsibility

Supporting this charity provides a meaningful way to teach our young pupils about empathy, compassion, and being an active, caring citizen. It demonstrates the power of a community uniting to support a family in need and fight for a wider cause.

3. Fighting for Change

DIPG is a severely under-researched and underfunded childhood cancer. A diagnosis is currently often terminal, with no proven treatments or cure. Billy's Battalion aims to:

• Raise vital awareness of DIPG.

• Fund better trials and research to find effective treatments.

Through our collective efforts, Polesden Lacey Infant Academy is helping to drive this critical research forward, offering hope to future families.

How Our School Gets Involved

Our whole school, including pupils, staff, and the Friends of Polesden Lacey, actively participates in fundraising and awareness events.

• Superhero Strolls: In honour of Billy the Brave, our children have taken part in sponsored walks and activities, embodying the courage of a superhero to raise money.

• Donations and Events: Money collected at various school events throughout the year is donated directly to Billy's Battalion to fund their important work.

• Curriculum Links: We discuss the importance of helping others and celebrating the characteristics of bravery and resilience, honouring Billy's memory in our daily learning. At the levers assembly in July, Billy’s Bravery award is given to a pupil who has shown courage during the year.

We are committed to standing alongside Billy's family in their mission, ensuring that Billy's incredible bravery is never forgotten and that his legacy ultimately helps to change the outcome for other children.

Community Partnership: Epsom and Ewell Foodbank

Why We Support Our Local Foodbank

At Polesden Lacey Infant Academy, our core values of kindness and caring extend far beyond the school gate. We believe that no individual or family in our local community should have to face going hungry. That is why we proudly and regularly support the Epsom and Ewell Foodbank.

The Foodbank, which is part of The Trussell Trust national network, provides a vital lifeline. They offer a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and essential supplies to local people who are facing severe financial hardship or a sudden crisis. Their services cover Epsom, Ewell, Banstead, Leatherhead, and Tadworth—areas closely linked to our own community.

How Our Partnership Helps Our Pupils to Learn

Supporting the Foodbank is a crucial part of our commitment to nurturing compassionate and responsible citizens. We use our fundraising and donation drives to teach the children about social responsibility in an age-appropriate way.

1. Demonstrating Kindness and Empathy

We explain to our pupils that not all families are able to afford life's essentials. By bringing in items for the Foodbank, children take a tangible action that directly helps their neighbours. This fosters powerful lessons in:

• Empathy: Understanding and caring about the difficulties others face.

• Generosity: Learning the value of sharing what we have with those less fortunate.

2. Understanding the Local Community

Our efforts show children that the school is an active, supportive part of the local area. It helps them to understand that the challenges faced by families in need are happening close to home, reinforcing their role as caring members of the Great Bookham community.

3. Collective Action and Impact

When the whole school community participates in a donation drive, children see the power of collective action. They learn that even small donations, when combined, can make a massive difference, helping the Foodbank to provide emergency support to thousands of local people each year.

How We Get Involved

Throughout the academic year, Polesden Lacey Infant Academy runs collection and fundraising initiatives to support the Foodbank's growing demand:

• Harvest Festival: This is our major annual collection, where families donate non-perishable goods to help replenish the Foodbank’s stocks for the busy winter period.

• Themed Drives: We hold focused collections for specific items the Foodbank needs, such as toiletries, long-life milk and juice, and children's essentials.

• Monetary Donations: Financial donations are crucial to help the Foodbank cover operational costs and purchase items that are urgently required, but may not be donated.

What the Foodbank Needs

The Foodbank requires more than just food. Essential items for children and families often include:

• Tinned Meat, Fish, and Vegetables

• UHT Milk and Long-Life Juice

• Cereal and Instant Mash

• Toiletries (Shampoo, Toothpaste, Soap)

• Nappies and Baby Products

By continuing our support for the Epsom and Ewell Foodbank, we are helping to create a community where everyone feels valued, supported, and hopeful for the future.

If you would like to contribute to our next collection or learn more about the Foodbank’s most urgently needed items, please let us know.

The Heart of Our Community: Friends of Polesden Lacey

Our Parent-Teacher Association, known as the Friends of Polesden Lacey, is the energetic heart of our school community. They are a dedicated group of parents, carers, and staff whose aim is to enrich the children's learning experience by raising additional funds for resources, equipment, and special activities.

Every parent and carer of a child at the Academy is automatically a member of the Friends of Polesden Lacey and is encouraged to get involved!

Get Involved

The Friends organise a number of fun and exciting events throughout the year, which are great opportunities to meet other families and support the school. These often include:

• School Discos

• Cake Sales

• The Christmas Fête

• The Summer Fête

We are always looking for new volunteers, fresh ideas, and helping hands. If you would like to know more or would like to get involved, please email the committee directly at: plisfriends@gmail.com

Working with LEO Academy Trust

As a proud member of the LEO Academy Trust, we benefit from strong partnerships with other local schools. This collaboration allows us to share expertise, enhance our curriculum, and provide endless opportunities for our pupils and staff, strengthening our collective community.

We invite you to join us in making Polesden Lacey Infant Academy a truly connected and supportive place to learn. Would you be interested in information on our next Friends of Polesden Lacey meeting, or do you have a charity suggestion you'd like the school to support?