School restart, Bowood and route warnings
Published Thursday 28 May 2026
Plan the last half-term days, Tuesday's school return, Bowood Woodland Garden and Derry Hill route works.
Top Updates
Term 6 starts after Monday's TD day
Derry Hill CofE Primary lists Monday 1 June as a TD day, with school closed to children, and Tuesday 2 June as the 8.45am start of Term 6. The same latest school newsletter also lists the new Dormouse starter meeting for Thursday 4 June at 5pm in the hall.
Church Road closure still shapes village journeys
Church Road and Studley Lane remain closed for Wiltshire Council highway works until Friday 19 June. Faresaver routes 33, X33 and X10 cannot serve the usual Church Road village stops while the closure is in place, so check the temporary stop arrangements before heading for Calne, Chippenham or school-run lifts; Calne News has the closure and bus-service details.
Bowood Woodland Garden is in its final stretch
Bowood's Woodland Garden, off the A342 between Derry Hill and Sandy Lane, is open daily until Sunday 7 June. The garden lists 10.30am-5.30pm opening, last admission at 4.30pm, and its current walk highlights late-May rhododendrons; see the Woodland Garden page before travelling.
Beversbrook workshops run to Friday
The BSL Education half-term workshop listing continues at Beversbrook Centre on Redman Road through Friday 29 May. It asks families to email for details and booking, so treat it as a check-first option rather than a drop-in; see the Half Term Workshop Activities listing.
Dates For Your Diary
Thursday 4 June, 5pm
New Dormouse starter meeting
Derry Hill CofE Primary's new starter meeting is listed for Thursday at 5pm in the hall. It is one for families joining the school in September; check the school newsletter for the diary entry.
Until Sunday 7 June, 10.30am-5.30pm
Bowood Woodland Garden
The separate Woodland Garden season finishes on Sunday 7 June, with last admission at 4.30pm and dogs welcome on leads. Bowood's visitor page says the late-May and early-June display is focused on rhododendrons.
Friday 12 June
Derry Hill School fete bottle day
The school diary lists a non-uniform day on Friday 12 June in exchange for a bottle of wine for the village fete. It is a small but useful date for families who want to support the fete effort; see the latest school newsletter.
What's On
Thursday 28 May
Rhyme Time and Quiet Rhymetime at Calne Library, 11am and 2.30pm. Calne Library has Rhyme Time at 11am and Quiet Rhymetime for first-time parents and babies aged 0-6 months at 2.30pm. Check the Calne News events calendar before travelling, especially if you are fitting it around half-term plans.
Friday 29 May
Library rhymes, toys and games, 11am and afternoon. Friday's Calne Library listings include Rhyme Time at 11am, Toy and Brick Making for Toddlers from 2pm to 5pm, and Board not Bored games from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The Calne News events calendar has the current listing.
Saturday 30 May
Brick Creators and Toddler Time at Calne Library, 10am-3pm and 11-11.30am. Brick Creators' Club runs from 10am to 3pm, followed by Saturday Toddler Time from 11am to 11.30am. Both are handy wet-weather options after the half-term week; see the Brick Creators' Club listing and Saturday Toddler Time listing.
Sunday 31 May
Calne Recreation Ground junior parkrun, 8.50am. The weekly 2k junior parkrun is for ages 4-14 at Calne Recreation Ground. Register before a first visit and bring a barcode; the event page has the junior parkrun details.
Park Yoga at Calne Recreation Ground, 9.30-10.30am. The free Sunday outdoor yoga session is listed at Calne Recreation Ground on Anchor Road. Bring a mat or towel and check the Park Yoga Calne listing before setting out.
Wednesday 3 June
Christian Meditation at Christ Church, 6-6.30pm. The weekly half-hour meditation session at Christ Church, Church Road, is open to beginners and people of any faith or none. The Marden Vale Derry Hill meditation page has the regular session details.
Roadworks and Transport
- Church Road and Studley Lane: The Derry Hill closure remains the main local disruption, running through Friday 19 June. Use the signed A342 and A4 diversion and leave extra time for Calne, Chippenham and village-stop bus connections.
- A342 Derry Hill south to Wans House: Two-way signals are listed from Thursday 28 to Friday 29 May. This sits on a core route between Derry Hill, Sandy Lane, Bowood and Devizes-side trips, so allow extra time during the last half-term weekdays.
- Heddington and Wood Lane: A Wessex Water closure in Heddington and carriageway work on Wood Lane are both listed to finish on Thursday 28 May. Keep them in mind for rural cut-throughs and school-holiday journeys before the weekend.
- Calne town-centre approaches: Longer-running multi-way signals continue around Church Street, Coxs Hill, New Road and The Strand, with an overnight Strand closure listed from 7pm on Monday 1 June to 5am on Tuesday 2 June. Quemerford signals on Sunday 31 May and Stockley Lane signals from Monday 1 to Wednesday 3 June may also slow Calne-side journeys.