Our community links
For every child to feel safe, happy and grow both personally and academically through the strong relationships within our school community and beyond.
Our community
At Clanfield Junior School, we want every child to feel safe, happy, and supported as they grow — both personally and academically — through the strong relationships they build within our school and beyond. We’re incredibly proud of our close ties with the local community. By working hand in hand with wonderful local groups and organisations, we create meaningful, real-world experiences that inspire our children, strengthen connections, and make a positive difference to everyone involved. 💛🌿
PeCAN
We’re really proud of our partnership with Petersfield Climate Action Network (PeCAN) — a local charity that works to protect nature and help communities live more sustainably. https://petersfieldcan.org/
Rachel and Scott from PeCAN visit CJS regularly to lead fun, hands-on workshops and assemblies about climate change, healthy seas, and how we can all reduce our carbon footprints. Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and they’ve also supported the development of our Clanfield Rangers, encouraging pupils to care for our local environment.
Our children always come away from these sessions inspired, curious, and full of ideas about how they can make a difference for our planet. 🌿💙
Swallow court retirement home
We love our visits to Swallow Court and the special connections we’ve built with the residents there. Our children enjoy sharing their favourite books and stories, spreading smiles and laughter as they read together. We were honoured to join them for VE Day, singing songs to celebrate and remember, and returned at Christmas to share festive carols — complete with hot chocolate and marshmallows! These visits are truly heart-warming and help our pupils understand the joy of connecting with others in our community.
We’re so lucky to work closely the Parish Council, who have made such a positive difference to our children. Rosemary, Sandra, and their amazing team of gardeners visit us every week, generously giving up their time to help our pupils discover a love for growing, nature, and caring for the environment. Whether it’s pond dipping, litter picking, caring for trees, or sowing seeds, Rosemary and her wonderful team are always there to lend a helping hand.
Thanks to their dedication and encouragement, our children are about to begin developing their very own school allotment — something we’re all incredibly excited about! Rosemary also introduced our special Green Award, which has inspired so many children to think about the world around them and take action to protect it. 🌱💚
Our friends at Sunny Smiles Nursery recently welcomed some of our Community Officers for a wonderful visit. The children had a fantastic time playing and learning alongside the nursery pupils — roasting marshmallows, getting creative in the mud kitchen, and sharing lots of laughter together. Everyone at Sunny Smiles made us feel so welcome, and our CJS pupils came back beaming! A huge thank you to the team and children at Sunny Smiles Nursery for such a memorable visit. 🌟
Russell and the tree gang
We are incredibly grateful to Russell and his amazing Tree Gang volunteers, who give up countless hours of their time to support projects for our pupils here at CJS. Their kindness, dedication, and hard work have truly transformed our school grounds.
From hedge planting and mulching to creating a wildflower meadow, adding preservative to shelters, planting trees, and transforming our pond area, the Tree Gang has helped bring nature to life for our children. Under Russell’s thoughtful leadership, they’ve created a space where pupils can explore, learn, and connect with the outdoors — a legacy of care that makes a real difference. We think they’re one of a kind! 🌳💚
Alan Knight
Having our local legend Alan Knight visit CJS was an unforgettable experience for
everyone! The excitement in the hall was incredible — the children erupted into cheers as Alan walked in, inspired by his amazing story and community spirit. Before his first visit, pupils had already been learning about Alan’s phenomenal community work, which has earned him both an MBE and the Freedom of the City of Portsmouth. You can read more about his achievements here.
We were so inspired that we created our very own CJS Kindness and Community Award, recognising pupils who go above and beyond to make a positive difference. Alan’s continued connection with our school reminds us that true legends aren’t just made by what they achieve, but by the kindness and inspiration they share with others.
Little Hyden Woods
We are so lucky to have struck up a fantastic partnership with the wonderful owners of Little Hyden Wood, Kester and Chris. They have kindly given their time to share their incredible knowledge and passion for the woodland with our pupils.
During their visits, the children have learned all about dormice, the different uses of wood, and even a little history of land ownership — discovering that the woodland dates all the way back to the Bronze or Iron Ages, with much of it likely being secondary woodland from Saxon times!
Kester and Chris have cared for Little Hyden Wood for over 20 years and have known it for more than 70. Over that time, they’ve worked hard to restore and protect the woodland, bringing it back to its former glory while helping to preserve ancient countryside traditions such as coppicing and hedge laying.
Our children absolutely love learning from Kester and Chris — their passion for nature, history, and sustainable living is truly inspiring. This special partnership helps our pupils develop a real appreciation for the environment and the importance of looking after our local natural spaces. 🌳💚
http://www.bbw.threecopse.co.uk/
St James Church
Our strong and meaningful connection with St James’ Church and Rev. Anne Gothard is an important part of our school community. Our classes enjoy visiting St James’ Church to explore its history, take part in activities, and reflect together. These visits link closely to our RE curriculum, giving pupils the opportunity to deepen their understanding of faith, community, and spirituality in a warm and welcoming setting.
Rev. Anne visits Clanfield Junior School regularly to lead assemblies, celebrate Harvest, and take part in special school events. As one of our school governors, she shows a genuine interest in our pupils’ pastoral care and wellbeing, supporting us in nurturing kindness, reflection, and respect throughout school life.