A Message from Miss Cooksley
Welcome to this week's Briar Hill Bulletin. As you know, we are nearing the end of our school year and, as always, we shall be Moving Up and Staying Up next week. This means that your child will move to their new classroom on Monday 17th July. Please drop off as normal on Monday but then collect from your child's new classroom from then on. This has been shared with all parents via the MCAS app. During the week with their new class teacher, your child will begin their new books, begin their new learning and take part in the Take One Picture Project which will help to create a new captivating collaborative display in our school foyer. If you have any questions about Move Up and Stay Up, please don't hesitate to contact your child's class teacher. Thank you.
In other news, last week some of our Year 5 and 6 children represented the school at the DRET Summer Cup. The children were a credit to the school and the wider community. They demonstrated fantastic sportsmanship, resilience and kindness; we could not be prouder of them. In addition to it being a fabulous day, they also came in 4th place which was an incredible achievement! Well done and thank you to all those involved.
A friendly reminder that with the summer sunshine here to stay, the increase in temperature recently and the future hot weather expected, it's important to share reminders about heat safety advice. Please ensure you apply factor 30+ (ideally, factor 50) sun cream to your child before the school day (they may also bring in their own sun cream - labelled - for them to apply throughout the day); ensure your child brings a water bottle into school every day and children should, where possible, wear lose fitting clothes (still in keeping with the school uniform e.g. a white polo shirt and shorts) and bring a hat and sunglasses in for play times. The aim to keep your child safe in the heat and we thank you for your continued support with this.
As a school, we continue to focus on the importance of arriving at school in the correct school uniform. In this newsletter you will also find our uniform expectations. It is brilliant to see the effort families are making in ensuring uniform is as expected. Please can all parents and carers ensure that children arrive at school wearing the correct school uniform every day. Do let us know if you have any questions or queries regarding uniform.
Summer Term Subject Newsletters
Here's our Care, CLL and Humanities Teams' newsletters for the Summer Term. Next week, the Arts and STEM newsletters will be added.
Attendance Matters
Your child’s attendance at school each day is important – every day counts. We place a high value on classroom based learning at Briar Hill and expect every parent to share this commitment by supporting your child to attend each day and arrive on time. We ensure that from the start of school at 8.45 am, fast paced learning is taking place within all our classrooms and because of this, if your child is absent, they are likely to miss out on significant learning that day.
Government research has shown the impact that just a handful of days absence each year has on primary aged children’s attainment and progress. Below we have included a simple guide for parents indicating what each level of attendance means and hours of learning lost:
Our overall attendance for this week is 93.6%
We’re here to help! Your child’s learning and attendance at school is also important to us. Please let the school know as soon as possible if you require any support to ensure your children arrival at school or, if you know of any issues, home or school related, which may be preventing your child from attending each day. Thank you for your continued support to ensure your child attends school, on time, every day. If you require any further information or would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Leslie (Attendance Lead).
Our Uniform Expectations
The basic Briar Hill uniform consists of:
- Briar Hill logo grey jumper or cardigan (available from Karl Sports)
- plain white polo-shirt or plain white shirt
- black trousers or knee length skirt
- black shoes (not trainers)
- blue check summer dresses or smart black shorts (only in summer months)
- a Briar Hill school book bag
- Year 5-6 - will be given a teal tie - please see the office if you need to reorder one.
Our PE Uniform
- plain white t-shirt
- black shorts or trousers
- jumper or jacket can be worn outside
- trainers or plimsolls
A Lens into Learning at Briar Hill
Year 6 were rehearsing some songs and the Cup Song has made an appearance in preparation for Briar Hill's Got Talent!
Year 4 have really enjoyed their DT unit: Shell Structures! The have been creating prototypes using different 3D shapes ready for our planning their final product.
Year 5 love writing in their new ‘Hard Backed Books'. These books showcase the children's final independent pieces of writing - how exciting!
Nursery were so happy to pick the first in our new garden. "Delicious!" was their top response!
Here's some of Receptions fantastic Kandinsky paintings - aren't they amazing!
Take a Tour of our School
Celebrations
Star of the Week
A huge congratulations to all the children who have been presented with a star of the week award. You are all shining role models and the school is incredibly proud of you all. Well done and THANK YOU!
- Nursery – Luanne
- Year R Donaldson – Irha
- Year R McKee – Vihaan
- Year 1 Rosen – Japraj
- Year 1 Ahlberg – Alex
- Year 2 Potter – Alex
- Year 3 Dahl – Olivia
- Year 3 Horowitz – Emilia
- Year 4 Rowling – Rhiyad
- Year 5 Tolkien – Grace
- Year 5 Morpurgo – Pola
- Year 6 Pullman – Elisha
Excellent Behaviour and Attitude Award from Senior Leadership Team
Lottie - Year 6 Pullman
Reading Rocks Winners
- 1st place - Year R McKee
- 2nd place - Year 1 Ahlberg
- 3rd place - Year 1 Rosen
Attendance Winners
- 1st place - Year 1 Rosen
- 2nd place - Year 4 Rowling
- 3rd place - Year 2 Potter
Behaviour Winners
- 1st place - Year R Donaldson
- 2nd place - Year 4 Rowling
- 3rd place - Year R McKee
Uniform
The class who made the best effort with wearing the correct uniform this week is Year 3 Dahl - well done!
Mr Bump
The class with the fewest accidents this week are Year 6 Pullman – well done!
Handwriting Award
- Year R Donaldson – Evan
- Year R McKee – Kayden
- Year 1 Rosen - Jewel
- Year 1 Ahlberg – Michelle
- Year 2 Potter – John
- Year 3 Dahl – Shai
- Year 3 Horowitz – Bogdan
- Year 4 Rowling – Lorita
- Year 5 Tolkien – Zach
- Year 5 Morpurgo – Maddie
- Year 6 Pullman – Nina
Positive Points
How can you be rewarded for being positive?
Being POSITIVE is so important here at Briar Hill. Having brilliant behaviour is a skill for life and we support children in this. Children can earn these positive points throughout the school day. Once they reach each threshold, they will be awarded a special certificate. At the end of the academic year, the bronze, silver and gold winners will all receive a special treat!
Bronze Certificate Winners
- Watch this space next week for any winners!
Silver Certificate Winners
- Watch this space next week for any winners!
Reading Rocks at Briar Hill
At Briar Hill Primary School, we expect all children to read at home five times per week for 20 minutes. Reading is promoted, within school, in a number of ways, including reading for pleasure sessions, class novel time and the DRET Reads reading for pleasure challenge.
Reading books are sent out on a Friday and are to be returned on a Thursday. We expect that all home reading to be recorded within your child's reading log, this allows us to monitor reading at home and also helps to decide which class wins our weekly reading competition 'Reading Rocks'.
The house system is an integral part of Briar Hill and is predominately utilised during inter-school competitions, each with a different focus.
Our children are proud to be part of their house teams. Every child and member of staff is allocated to one of four houses, which they then support. Our houses teams are grouped vertically which enables children to socialise and engage with peers and staff beyond their everyday environment. It is an essential part of school life as it facilitates a growing community spirit and enables children to participate collectively, involving children from all year groups who are contributing to something bigger than themselves.
It was important for the house teams to be named after relevant, diverse and inspiring individuals, from different backgrounds. Therefore, the houses are all named after four successful artists. These artists each have a different discipline within art, they are: Gormley, Hockney, Banksy, Wiltshire. The House captains each year are members of Year 6.
The Care Team Updates
Well-being Award for Schools
As a school we strongly promote and prioritise the well-being of all children, parents and staff.
Our Well-being Award which we achieved in 2019 is up for renewal and we would like to capture your views as parents/ carers about how we support well-being as a school.
We will be sending home a parents/ carers survey for you to complete online and would be grateful if you could complete this.
Links to promote positive Mental Health
Mind is a national charity who are here for all to support mental health and well-being. There is lots of useful information on this website to promote well-being and there are support services free for all to use. The link is below or google Mind UK.
For Year 6 Pupils or Older Siblings
The lowdown is Mental Health charity, providing free and confidential support services for 11- 25 year-olds in Northamptonshire.
Weekly Drop-in Sessions
We are always here for all of our families if you need to talk to us. We have drop in sessions Every Wednesday 9.15am-10.15am in which you can talk to Miss Leslie and Mrs Marshall and have a cup of coffee or tea. There is no need to book, please just come and along and we will be here to listen.
The Woodland Classroom
Thank you for all the wonderful contributions for our woodland mud kitchen equipment and small world area. The children in Reception and Nursery have thoroughly enjoyed using them within their learning.
We now have pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce's and strawberries planted in our beds. The children across school are caring for them and watering them. If anyone has or would like to design an irrigation system for watering them over the summer holidays, then please send in your designs and we will test them out!
Food Allergy Information
Please remember that at Briar Hill children are not allowed to have nuts or nut products at school. If staff see products containing nuts, the will need to remove these. This is in order to protect pupils at school who have nut allergies.
Dates for the Diary
- Thursday 13th July: Briar Hill's Got Talent Final to the school and videos of the performance will be shared on Class Dojo
- Tuesday 18th July: Summer Disco/Y6 Prom – Reception and KS1 disco will be 4pm - 5:15pm; KS2 disco will be at 5:30 - 6:45pm and Year 6 will have their own Prom 6:45 - 7:30pm.
- Wednesday 19th July: New to Year 6 parent workshop with Mr Warren– 9:00am - 9:30am in the school hall
- Monday 17th July: Year 6 trip to Gravity, a letter will be shared with parents and carers
- Thursday 20th July: Leavers assembly – Year 6 parents and carers are welcome to come and watch the Leavers' Assembly at 1:30pm - 3pm in the school hall
- Friday 21st July: school closes for the summer holidays
Home Learning
Useful Links for Parents and Carers
Sunshine Club (Breakfast Club) and Stargazer Club (After School Care)
Breakfast club and after school care is extremely popular and is regularly full. Please book in advance as we are sometimes unable to accommodate late bookings.
If you require breakfast club and after school care please read and sign the terms and conditions to ensure we can accept your booking. Bookings must be made in advance of when care is required.
Breakfast Club is available every school day during term time.
Breakfast club opens at 7.45am and closes as the school day starts at 8.45 am. The club costs £3.00 per day and children are provided with a healthy choice of breakfasts and drinks.
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