Please see the link above - Easy Fundraising can work for Birkwood!
Welcome to the first newsletter of the half term! I hope half term treated everybody well. This week has been brilliant and it's been great to see everyone again.
Well done and thank you to everybody - The Elf Run was a fantastic success, raising an incredible £1,700 for Barnsley Hospice. It was all for a truly wonderful cause, and it was amazing to see our community come together in such a positive way. The effort from everyone involved was stunning. Cancer touches so many lives, and many of us have been incredibly grateful for the care and support provided by the hospice. Thank you to everyone who took part and helped to make a difference.
We were delighted to welcome Bethany from Base71, who came to tell us all about the fantastic new facilities available for young people in Barnsley. It was great to hear about the safe, welcoming space they provide and the wide range of activities and support on offer. The sessions are incredibly affordable at just £1 per visit, with food available for only 50p, making it accessible for everyone to get involved. If you would like to find out more or sign up, please use the following link:
Thank you to families who have visited school as part of our Open Classroom sessions. Year 1 have been in the spotlight this week – we love to share what we’ve been up to! Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend and support the children – your encouragement makes a real difference and helps strengthen the partnership between home and school.
We are delighted to invite our families into Birkwood to see what we’ve been learning. Please see the timetable here. It will be great to welcome you.
Swimming has begun for Year 3 at Barnsley Metrodome, and the children have made a fantastic start. It was wonderful to hear of their enthusiasm and confidence as they entered the pool and began developing such an important life skill. Throughout the sessions, pupils will be working on water safety, building their confidence in the water and improving their swimming techniques. Well done to everyone for representing the school so brilliantly – we are very proud of you and look forward to seeing your progress over the coming weeks!
Continuing on the sporting front, our latest football result is Birkwood 8-4 Ladywood – what a match! The Year 3/4 stars provided pure entertainment from start to finish. Well done to all the players for such a fantastic display of skill and sportsmanship. Truly a match to remember!
Year 5 were excited to take part in another session delivered by Tech She Can. The visit focused on inspiring pupils to explore the world of technology and to understand the wide range of careers available within the tech industry. During the session, the children learned about different roles in technology, how tech impacts our everyday lives and the importance of diversity within the industry. They enjoyed engaging discussions and interactive activities that encouraged them to think creatively and challenge stereotypes about who can work in technology. The session was both informative and inspiring, helping to broaden horizons and spark curiosity about future possibilities. Well done to Year 5 for their thoughtful contributions and excellent participation throughout.
Parents’ Evening is next week – remember staff can be available at other times when they are not teaching and phone calls are available. It’s great to home in on the progress the children have made and what is coming next!
National Year of Reading sees World Book Day at Birkwood – I have written to families separately. I have also been asked to share the opportunity below. It looks great!
Breakfast Club is now open at 7:30 each morning. The cost will be £3.50 due to additional running costs.
Have a great weekend. As ever, make some family time a priority.
Reminders
Our next SEND Parent Meeting is scheduled for next week - Monday 2nd March at 1:30pm.
Community sessions delivered by Grass Roots are available. They take place on Darfield Road; the darts has caught my attention! Give it a go.
School attendance Target for the Year - 95.4% (as set by the DfE)
School attendance this week - 91.5%
School attendance this year so far - 95.3%
- FS2 Berry - 96.7%
- FS2 Costa - 93.3%
- Y1 Earps - 86%
- Y1 Piper - 86.7%
- Y2 Cox - 87.4%
- Y2 Nightingale - 92.2%
- Y3 Jemison - 95.2%
- Y3 Obama - 95.8%
- Y4 Lovelace - 88.2%
- Y4 Wonder - 97.7%
- Y5 Biles - 93.6%
- Y 5/6 Angelou - 87.9%
- Y6 Simpson - 95.5%
Well done to class Wonder with a pleasing 97.7% attendance.
Our suite of X (formerly Twitter) Handles is here for you. Below is a link for 'all things Birkwood.'
PE & Sport
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. NO JEWELLERY.
Term Dates Below
For current Year 6 children, SATs tests will be Monday 11th to Thursday 14th May 2026.
For current Year 5 children, SATs tests will be Monday 10th to Thursday 13th May 2027.
For current Year 4 children, SATs tests will be Monday 8th to Thursday 11th May 2028.