It was all about the books!

Our new style World Book Day was, without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite yet. (Not a Spiderman or Hulk in sight!) No money wasted on 'wear once' costumes and hopefully much less stress for parents. The day was a huge success and the focus on reusing what we already have, choosing a book for someone else to re-love and finding genuine pleasure in books was evident throughout the day. With every child learning how to make scones and sharing these, along with a book, with family and friends made the day very special. We have definitely created a new Bardwell tradition! Many thanks for all the book donations and of course for sharing our day, our reading and scones!

As well as being one of our two Football Club leaders (thanks also Mr Ball!), Mr Newman is running a marathon for us! If you haven't already, please could I encourage you to sponsor Mr Newman in his marathon. Every donation will help spur him on in his training!

Many thanks for your continued support,

Mrs B

We took lots of photos of families enjoying their afternoon in the Bookworm Bookshop Café. If your child has photo permission, we may be submitting your image with them to the press. The EADT is intending to publish their WBD special on Thursday 14th March.

We'd love to hear some parent/carer feedback too, if you came along please complete this Google Feedback Form.

Your child should have brought home a £1 WBD voucher on the day or on Friday - if not, let Mrs Allman know as we have some spares. The voucher can be exchanged for some special WBD titles, or used as part payment - in any participating bookshop.

Please join us in the Easter holiday for our very own DIY SOS – bring your overalls!

We are hoping for a team of parent/carer helpers that can help repaint the library area in the Hall. Please complete this Google Form if you are available. We had a poster up in the Bookworm Café during the World Book Day celebrations asking for help - thank you if you have signed up already, no need to complete the form if you did.

Win a day out in a bookshop, including a £50 National Book Token and a bundle of booktastic goodies!

We know that children are more likely to enjoy reading when their choices are championed and we make reading fun. And local bookshops are the best places to choose what to read – with expert booksellers on hand to help!

This World Book Day®, we're giving five children the chance to win a £50 National Book Token, so they can visit a local bookshop and choose the books they want to read. ENTER HERE

It's that time of year again. Class teachers will be seeking you out to make a 10 minute appointment to discuss your child's progress. Appointments will be both before and after the Easter Holidays and Class teachers will let you know when to book. If you are unlikely to see your child's class teacher (for example taxi users) please ring the office to make an appointment.

Emelia and Eva - two of our Librarians who created, ran and restocked the Bookworm Shop and Cafe. Eloise, another hard working librarian told us, 'It was amazing but a very tiring. Setting up the shop was really calm and peaceful and I really liked it actually. It all went very well. Being a scone waitress was very hard. I had to run around, back and forth and all over the place. The customers were very patient and pleasant. I would love to do it all over again! I had blisters on my fingers because I worked so hard! I was pleased with my book gift - how did they know which one I wanted!?'

26.1 miles were completed by the whole school. Not bad for a sleepy Monday morning.

Congratulations to our runners:

Eloise 13.52 mins

Noah B 13.50 mins

Henley remains our fastest student with 10.20 mins

Monday - Cooking

Tuesday - Games (board games and outdoor)

Wednesday - Coding

Thursday - Drama

As always, please provide a snack. Every club will start with the chance to play outside before starting the main activity.

We are seeking a proactive and enthusiastic Administration Assistant to work with Mrs Allman and the wider school team to use our administrative and financial systems, enabling the school to deliver and sustain educational excellence.

The role is part time and available for up to 8 hours per week, preferably worked over two mornings from 8.30am-12.30pm. The hours are negotiable for the right candidate but will not be less than 6 hours per week.

Job Description

Person Specification

Application Form

For an informal discussion, please contact Office Manager, Sarah Allman on 01359 250854, bardwell@tilian.org.uk

How to apply:

Completed application form to be returned FAO Sarah Allman, Office Manager, via email to bardwell@tilian.org.uk. We will acknowledge the receipt of all applications, please contact Mrs Allman if you do not receive this.

Please note that we will shortlist from information on the application form only, not in the covering letter or any CVs sent.

We regret that we are not able to contact any applicants that are not shortlisted for interview, so if you do not receive an invitation to interview, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Closing date: 9am, Friday 12th April

Interview date: Thursday 18th April

The selection process will consist of a friendly competency-based interview and a short practical task using Google Docs/Sheets or Microsoft Word/Excel.

For more information go to the Vacancies page on the school website.

Gary's Marathon - Gary continues his training for his marathon - Have a look at this article in the EADT!

https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/it-ll-be-huge-for-them-mum-tunning-london-marathon-to-rai-9354474/

GO! GO! GO! Good Luck Gary and Kellie with your marathon running and raising money for some great causes!

If you would like to sponsor Gary and help raise funds for Bardwell School then please go to - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gary-newman-1

Congratulations to Amber for winning the T-shirt Design competition. This will be going to printers soon - watch out for the collage of all the amazing entries! Thank you everyone that entered for all your hard work and your amazing artwork - Bardwell are a talented lot!

We will keep you updated on Gary's training and his just giving total!

Easter Raffle - Please see the poster for further information. Raffle Tickets will be available on the last week of term in the playground and the draw will take place at the final assembly of the term (Date TBC) We would be grateful for any donations for this great Easter Bardwell event - these can be Easter themed goodies or gifts!

Swap Shop - has your child had a growth spurt over the holidays? Do you need a larger size? We are currently looking for 7-8 jumpers to swap. We currently have one size 9-10 ready to swap. All swaps are gratefully received!

Bardwell PTA AGM - Thank you to all those that attended the Bardwell PTA AGM. Please see the agenda attached for information. If you would like to discuss the meeting or see the meeting minutes please contact a member of the PTA for any further information. If you would like to become an active member of the PTA please get in touch all help is appreciated!

Thank you for supporting your Bardwell PTA

Aspens' menu is available here, from the website or ask in the office for a hard copy.

Thank you,

Mrs Allman

Term dates for 2024-25 are now available - ask in the office for a hard copy. They are also available from the school website (scroll down for 2024-25).

Download PDF

Download Google Docs/Word

We have a family looking for a red Bardwell sweatshirt, age 5. Please check your laundry baskets/cupboards and bring it in if you have it.

Please continue to ensure that your child's name or initials remain readable in all items, so that we can reunite them.

Thank you.

This month's Knowsley Online Safety Newsletter has information about Fortnite Battle Royale (a reminder: this game is PEGI 12 rated because it features moderate violence which means it is not

suitable for persons under 12 years of age. Children of primary school age should therefore not be playing this game). It also includes information about Instagram - again, only users of 13yrs and above should have an Insta account.

We have a space on our Governance committee for a parent governor. If you are interested in joining us to help support the school please contact Stef Inger, our current Chairperson, (singer@tilian.org.uk ) and register your interest. If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact Stef or Mrs Boyd.

A short-term scheme to support households in need with essential white goods. This funding is being offered by Suffolk County Council via Suffolk Community Foundation. If you like to find out more please come and talk, in confidence, to Mrs. Allman or Mrs. Boyd.

West Suffolk Council Holiday Activities and Food programme has been published.

Here at Bury Spectrum Gymnastics Club we will be running our Easter Holiday programme.

We think many of your children will enjoy the activities, so we would be very grateful if you would be kind enough to share the attached flyer with your parents/pupils.

Our club is a non-for-profit community organization, not a business, so we reply on the kindness of our partners in the community to help us promote the sport we offer.

Please see the booking link below:

Holiday — Bury Spectrum Gymnastics (buryspectrumgymnasticsclub.co.uk)

If you require any further information, please do get in touch.

We thank you in advance for your support, best wishes,

The Bury Spectrum Gymnastics Team

BURY SPECTRUM GYMNASTICS CLUB

01284 700866

HAF Places

We are School’s Out Activities and operating from the South Lee Prep School during Easter for the HAF funding. We have 270 funded spaces for pupil premium children whereby they have the opportunity receive Ofsted 5* childcare during the holidays with a hot meal for FREE. I would appreciate if you could send out the HAF leaflet attached to your pupil premium parents so they are aware we are now in the local area. The funding will be back for Summer 2024 too.

Other Spaces

Additionally, I attach our interactive PDF for non-pupil premium parents/carers.

PTA School Fetes

Lastly, feel free to pass on this email (info@schoolsoutactivities.co.uk) to your PTA or teachers. We do outreach events as well as bringing inflatables to your fetes should you want it completely FREE of charge. If you need testimonials from other PTA’s, I can forward on their email addresses.

Sophie Caparn
BA Primary Education (QTS)
Early Years Manager
Email: info@schoolsoutactivities.co.uk

www.schoolsoutactivities.co.uk

• Walking home unaccompanied form (Y5/6)

If you would like to give permission for your Y5 or Y6 child to leave the school unaccompanied at the end of the day (including after ASC sessions) please download and complete this form, or contact me to ask for a hard copy to be sent home with your child.

• Arbor contact details

Please take the time to check that all your details on Arbor are up-to-date. For example: Do we have the emergency contact details for at least two parents/guardians? Is/are your phone number(s) correct, including any work number? Is your doctor's surgery information still correct? You should be able to make changes via the Arbor website or app. If you have any problems, please don't hestitate to ask.

• Asthma medication & healthcare plans

I have recently contacted you if your child's healthcare plan or medication is out of date - it is so important that we have a plan that is 1yr old or less so that we can work with you to keep your child safe in school. Please ensure you speak to your medical practitioner ASAP to obtain an updated plan.

The dates below have been set for the full academic year but are subject to change. Please keep an eye on the newsletter and your email for any date/time changes and for additional events.

We are matching with SCC term dates and PD days for the 2024-2025 academic year, please see our Term Dates page on the school website or ask in the office if you'd like a printed copy.

Spring Term (event, year group(s), day, date, time)

National offer day (secondary), Y6, Friday, 01/03/24,

World book day - Photos in the East Anglian Daily Times on 14th March.

Easter Service in Church, All, Thursday, 28/03/24, 1.15pm

National offer day (primary), Pre-school, Tuesday, 16/04/24,

School photographs (Class & Whole School, children with photo permission only), 20/05/24. Please wear your colourful sweatshirt.

Residential Y5/Y6 (returning on Friday), Y5/Y6, Wednesday, 22/05/24,

Summer Term (event, year group(s), day, date, time)

Swimming lessons, Y2-Y6, Day to be confirmed - children will need hat, goggles, swimming costume [Note change to Summer term]

SET Ixworth Y6 into Y7 Meet the Tutor evening, Y6, Thursday, 13/06/24, 4pm to 7pm

Sports Day , All, Friday, 14/06/24, 1.30pm

Sports Day reserve date (if weather is poor), All, Friday, 21/06/24, 1.30pm

Transition day 1 of 2 SET Ixworth, Y6, Tuesday, 25/6/24,

Transition day 2 of 2 SET Ixworth, Y6, Wednesday, 26/6/24,

Transition Day TCC Day 1 of 2 (and Parents' Evening), Y6, Wednesday, 10/07/24,

Transition Day TCC Day 2 of 2 (and Parents' Evening), Y6, Thursday, 11/07/24,

Leavers' Trip, Y6, Tuesday, 16/07/24,

Leavers' Service at Church , All, Thursday, 18/07/24, 1.15pm

Next academic year

School photographs (Individual & siblings, all pupils), 25/09/24. Please wear your colourful sweatshirt.

You may be aware that we have a large minibus taxi transporting some of our pupils to and from school. We have an established risk assessment with the taxi company and Suffolk County Council's transport safeguarding team, developed to ensure the safety of transported children, drivers, staff and other families. This states:

• the minibus has to drop off and pick up children at the gate entrance to meet a member of staff for handover
• in the morning they drop off between 8.30-8.35am and leave promptly at 8.35am
• in the afternoon, they may wait along School Lane, then pick up promptly at 3.30pm.

The taxi takes priority for access at the gate during these times, so we ask that all other families are aware of this and time their entrance to / exit from school accordingly.

The school premises open at 8.35am to all pupils.

We try to put a monthly update into the local parish newsletter, here is this month's online issue.

We have been asked by the trustees of the Bardwell Charities fund to encourage our local families to apply for financial support. They've said,

"There is money available whether for trips, music lessons, uniform or other need.
Please DO encourage parents/carers to apply."

You might, for example, wish to request some help with the Y5/Y6 residential, or with transport costs for HAF holiday programme activities. All you need to do is write a short email explaining:

• that you are resident in Bardwell
• what the need is and why it is important for your family/child.

Please note that, contrary to previous information, we have recently been informed by Bardwell Charities that this information only applies to Bardwell residents.

Send your email to bardwellcharities@btinternet.com

If you would like any help with your request, please ask Mrs Allman who is happy to help and will keep all information you share with her confidential.

To find out more, please visit our webpage at:

http://bardwellcharities.onesuffolk.net/

The Dun Cow pub on Up Street warmly invites you to use their car park at drop off and pick up times - marked green below. The walk from there to school is under 5 minutes. Thank you to Alan and Denise for this continuing offer.

You may also park near the Church porch from where there is a footpath that comes out to School Lane next to the Windmill.

Please ensure that if you park along School Lane you do not block any driveways and avoid the residents' parking spaces at 25-43 School Lane (marked red below, parking in the green spaces is fine).

• Wednesday 13th - Lent Lunch, Tithe Barn, midday-2pm. Supporting the Samaritans
• Saturday 16th - Messy Church, 2.30-4.00pm. It's free, fun, messy & always has cake!
• Sunday 17th - Morning Worship, (CW) 10am
• Sunday 31st - Easter Day Holy Communion Service, 10am

Please see the church website for other services and information.

We are sharing this information on behalf of the organiser

Join us for a delightful afternoon of family-focused fun and skill-building at our Afternoon Tea event! This event is part of our Choose Hospitality programme, delivered in partnership between West Suffolk College and West Suffolk Council.

️ Date: Saturday, March 23, 2024

Time: 9:30am to 2.30pm

Location: Edmunds - West Suffolk college

Calling all families! Come and be a part of a unique experience where you can bond, learn, and indulge in delicious treats together. Priority will be given to families eligible for free school meals, so don't miss out!

Bring your family team of up to 5 members, aged 8 and above (mix and match relatives welcome), and get ready to dive into an exciting array of activities:

• Learn cooking skills as you prepare and serve delectable afternoon tea treats such as sausage rolls, sandwiches, and mouthwatering brownies.
• Enhance teamwork abilities as you collaborate with your family members throughout the event.
• Develop confidence and socialize with other families in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
• Gain valuable insights from our guest speaker, who will share invaluable wisdom on the importance of life skills for everyday success

This event promises to be a memorable experience where you can not only enjoy scrumptious food but also acquire skills that will benefit your family in various aspects of life.

Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot! Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones while honing valuable skills together.

For more information and to register, contact us by emailing skills@westsuffolk.gov.uk by Wednesday 13 March.

We look forward to seeing you here!

The Edmunds Team and West Suffolk Council

Sports Camp 2-5 April 2024

Tuesday 2 April : 9.00am-12.00pm Skateboarding or Target games / 12.30-3.30pm Skateboarding & Bmx or Karate

Wednesday 3 April : 9.00am-12.00pm Ipswich Town Football or Gymnastics / 12.30-3.30pm Football or Dance or Parkour

Thursday 4 April : 9.00am-12.00pm Nerf and laser Tag / 12.30-3.30pm Nerf and laser Tag

Friday 5 April : 9.00am-12.00pm Inflatables / 12.30-3.30pm Inflatables

Flyer Attached

Ages: 5 – 13 yrs

Venue: Beyton, Thurston Sixth (IP30 9AA)

£12 per workshop

www.gvtssp.org

Kind regards

William Hopkin-Jones

Sports Partnership Manager

Gipping Valley and Thurston Sports Partnership

We are sharing this poster on behalf of the organiser.

We are sharing this poster on behalf of the organisers.

Please find attached two flyers for free virtual training sessions for parents. We would be grateful if you could send these out to the parents in your schools.

Neurodiversity workshop flyer

Supporting Young People's Menthal Health workshops flyer

Lois Mickleburgh [she/her]

Business Support Officer (WSI)

Inclusion Service

Children & Young People’s Directorate

Suffolk County Council

Bardwell is an inclusive school where children are treated with equality and their individuality celebrated. Our school’s active uniform plays a key role in promoting pride, self-confidence, and a feeling of belonging. We strongly believe that this contributes to the children's well being, removing the additional pressures of deciding what to wear and the added stress of meeting the expectations of peers. In an ever increasing world of social pressure for young people, our uniform removes the points of difference between students and provides a greater focus on school based activities and learning. Therefore, in the interests of equality;

● Active uniforms should be worn at all times

● Spare clothes should be our active uniform NOT home clothes

● Hairstyles must not attract undue attention

● No make-up

● Piercings and jewellery should be discreet and safe to wear, e.g. single studs in ears.

Your child can wear any one of the six Cog colours (red, royal blue, navy blue, green, yellow, purple) as their polo shirt, OR a white one. These are the only acceptable colours for the polo shirt. Please note that the polo shirts do NOT need to have the Bardwell logo on but the sweatshirts MUST.

Colourful polo shirts are available in the school uniform ranges of all the major supermarkets. Logo'd polo shirts (white) and sweatshirts (all colours) are available only from our uniform supplier, Gooddies.

As always, children are also welcome to wear gingham dresses, in any of the six Cog colours, during any term.

You may wish to consider setting Kiddle as your default browser on your home devices. They say:

Kiddle is a kid safe visual search engine. Kiddle returns results for each query in the order shown:

1. Safe sites and pages written specifically for kids. Handpicked and checked by Kiddle editors.
Typically, results 1-3.

2. Safe, trusted sites that are not written specifically for kids, but have content written in a simple way, easy for kids to understand. Handpicked and checked by Kiddle editors.
Typically, results 4-7.

3. Safe, famous sites that are written for adults, providing expert content, but are harder for kids to understand. Filtered by Google safe search.

Typically, results 8 onwards.

Since Kiddle results are either handpicked and checked by our editors or filtered by Google safe search, you know you get kid-oriented results without any explicit content. In case some bad words are present in a search query, our guard robot will block the search.

We are very keen to have children attending school if they are well enough. Please have a look at this NHS advice if you are unsure.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

If your child is ill, you must phone into the school before 9am, giving a reason for the absence ('unwell' is not sufficient), leave a voicemail if you need to. Please do not email in for absence.

We recommend that you are familiar with the Tilian Attendance Policy.

Suffolk County Council has asked us to share with families their updated 'Cost Of Living Support' information.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals throughout primary school. This could save you approximately £484 per year.

​

To check or apply online, visit: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals/

​

Check if you're eligible

Your child will get free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit but no element of Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190

• If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work fewer hours per week

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month), as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
  

To check if your child is eligible, apply online for an immediate response or call 01473 260989.

We encourage you to apply, because the school receives additional funding (Pupil Premium) for all children on income-related Free School Meals.

​

Email: bardwell@tilian.org.uk
Website: https://www.bardwell.org.uk/
Location: School Lane, Bardwell, Bury Saint Edmunds IP31 1AD, UK
Phone: 01359 250854
Twitter: @BardwellPrimary