The sunshine has returned for the weekend for once! Welcome to the newsletter following our first full week for the children. The Values Awards that I had the pleasure of sharing and presenting in Assembly point to an excellent week for so many children. We are getting used to a new kitchen, a new corridor and a different Hall – so lots to remember.
New teachers and classes present huge change so thank you to our staff team for helping everyone to settle into the new year. Thank you to our children who have helped our new pupils to settle into Birkwood. Finding friends is incredibly important.
Next week is a busy one so please check the dates/ reminders that we have shared. It is photograph day on Monday and I hope you are delighted with the results. The morning is sure to be busy so any families attending before school, we shall attempt to be as streamlined as possible.
Also, I must ask that the children look their usual immaculate selves. I have seen lots of new uniform. This will look great on our photographs.
Tuesday morning is one where I must again ask for patience due to deliveries to the new building work. It may mean a slightly further walk than normal; safety is the priority here.
Parking is a very tricky issue at Birkwood, as it is at just about every school I can think of. When we were opened in 1957, we were home to less than 100 children. We are soon to approach 500! Of course, more families now drive and this means more people need to park. Please try your very best not to park near the bungalows on Westhaven. Carers have had difficulty in getting to help our elderly neighbours. I would hate to think that emergency services may struggle when required to make this journey. I thank you for your understanding.
We have a lunchtime SMSA position available. Please see Mrs. Cocking if you are interested!
As a school, we have been advised to unlock our gate at 3.10pm for safeguarding reasons.
It will be Christmas before we know it. I mention this as we have a date for school’s Christmas Lunch. It will be on Wednesday December 13th.
Have a tremendous weekend and remember those smiles for Monday!
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PE & Sport
Please ensure children in KS2 - Years 3-6 come to school IN PE KIT on their allocated PE Days. Appropriate trainers must be worn. No crop tops – Sports t-shirts please and shorts. A tracksuit may be worn – please make a judgment on temperature. This will be until building work is complete as we have no access to discrete changing areas.
- Headteachers Superstars KS1 - JO Y1 Einstein
- Headteachers Superstar KS2 - TRD Y6 King
- Class Times Table Rockstars - Y3 Earhart
- Music Maestro - ET Y5 Attenborough
- School Attendance Target for the Year - 96.50%
- School attendance this year so far - 96.0%
- School attendance this week - 95.8%
- EYFS2 Anning - 97.8%
- EYFS2 Sharman - 97.7%
- Year 1 Einstein -99.5%
- Year 1 Nightingale -93.5%
- Year 2 Parks - 99.2%
- Year 2 Seacole - 92.9%
- Year 3 Earhart - 98.6%
- Year 3/4 Holmes - 91.2%
- Year 4 Pankhurst - 97.7%
- Year 5 Attenborough - 94.7%
- Year 5/6 Wollstonecraft - 94.6%
- Year 6 Kings - 98.7%
Last week's whole school attendance was 95.8%. This would have been 97.6% if not for children being taken out of school for holidays. This 1.8% difference has now dropped the school's attendance before the Government's target of 96.5%. We all understand that, in the current climate, parents feel that taking children out of school during term time is their only option, but would please ask that parents try to book holidays during school breaks.
Well done to Class Einstein who are this week's winners with an impressive 99.5%. Congratulations.
Please see next weeks menu. The new menus have now been issued and are attached below.