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Reflections
Week beginning the 30th January 2023
Our Cog Champions this week
Coins, lemons, fire and hot tubs!
Another crazily busy week at Bardwell HQ with a vast array of activities happening right across the school. As I visit each class in turn, I'm aware of the privilege that my job allows me. I get to see first hand, the range and richness of the active learning opportunities that the children experience. This week Wild Cherry Class were at peek excitement as they constructed a winning coin line of 19.5m! The mathematical conversations were in full flow and the team work impressive. All this after having already tacked Ancient Egyptian engineering! Damson Class were immersed in the drama of the Great Fire of London and shouts of, 'Ahhhh, my house is on fire, save me!' rang across the school. Maple Class are often to be found dancing and cavorting through their learning but this week their growing maturity as competent writers was a proud moment for themselves and Mrs Box as they tackled a tricky independent write with courage and focus. Ash class never stop! This week they've built a hot tub in the forest and powered circuits with lemons. It's no wonder we're all shattered by Friday!
Electrical circuits with lemons.
Coding
More coding conversation
Constructing ancient shadufs
More shadufing!
Coding multiple sequences
A quadrilateral of coins for Number Day
The winning 19.5m line
So many coins...
Hope uses technology to copy a very impressive picture
William plays the glockenspiel
The mystery of the photocopier is uncovered by Damson Class
Attendance is up this week so hopefully we're starting to see an end to the coughs and colds.
Is My Child Too Ill for School? - NHS advice
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.
Diary reminders
Parents are welcome to join us on the Monday Mile from 8.45am.
Collective Worship in Church - now only the first week of term and on special term dates.
Friday 10th February - last day of Spring Term 1.
Maple Class Cake Sale - Maple Class pupils to each bring in a small number of cakes (shop bought or home made, no nuts please). These will be sold to the rest of the school at the end of the day.
Monday 20th February - PD Day, no children in school.
Tuesday 21st February - children return to school.
Thursday 2nd March - World Book Day - Will be hat themed this year. Details will be in next week's newsletter so that you can get creative over half term!
Friday 31st March - Ash Class Cake Sale. Details as above with Ash Class pupils providing the cakes.
Monday 17th April - National Offer Day for parents/carers of children due to start school in September 2023.
Monday 1st May - Early May Bank Holiday.
Monday 8th May - Bank Holiday for the King's Coronation.
Monday 22nd May - Class, whole school and Y6 leavers' photographs. Smart school uniform including logo sweatshirt please.
Friday 26th May - PTA Cake Sale, Wild Cherry Class.
Our Term Dates for the next academic year are now available - these are also on the school calendar on the website and on Parents & Carers>Term Dates page. Please ask the office staff if you would like a paper copy.
Families survey
https://forms.gle/qfJifaaNjHzES3hv5
Thank you.
Reading For Pleasure
A bumper week of recommended reads from Miss Mansfield this time:
Parking complaint
We have recently receive a complaint from one of our neighbours in the Havebury Housing homes at 25-43 School Lane. The parking in this area is clearly marked as being for residents only - the five spaces on School Lane itself are for use by the public (shown on the map in green).
We have kind permission from Alan and Denise at the Dun Cow for their car park (also marked in green on the map) to be used during drop-off and pick-up, as well as from the Churchwardens for the spaces by the Church porch to be used. From the Dun Cow and the Church it is a short walk (<3 minutes) to the school.
We urge all families to please park courteously and to use the pub car park or Church if there is no available space on School Lane.
Pupils with Asthma
If your child has an inhaler in school, please ensure we have an up-to-date Asthma Plan (issued no more than 1 year ago), as well as in-date medication. If you are unsure, please check with your child's class teacher.
Absence reporting process - including current NHS COVID isolation guidance
If your child is absent from school please ring into the school office giving the reason for the absence. I'm afraid, 'unwell' is not sufficient so please let us know the nature of the illness. Please do not email for absence. A voicemail to inform us is fine, as we need to know numbers by 9am.
The School must be notified by the parent/carer of the absent pupil on the first day of absence AND on every day of absence thereafter, before the register is closed. If a telephone call is not received, the school will contact families directly.
Please see the Attendance Policy for more information.
If you suspect or know that your child has COVID, the NHS guidance for children now states:
"If a child or young person aged 18 or under tests positive for COVID-19, they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days. This starts from the day after they did the test.
Children and young people tend to be infectious to others for less time than adults. If they’re well and do not have a temperature after 3 days, there’s a much lower risk that they’ll pass on COVID-19 to others."
Price increase letter
We are writing to advise that after the February half term we will be increasing the cost of a school lunch (for those who pay) to £2.55, a rise of 23p (10%) from our current charge. We understand that this comes at a difficult time for many families and we can only apologise for the timing. Our catering supplier has kept their lunch price the same for many years, a school lunch at Bardwell has been £2.30 since at least 2016, so we have been expecting a price increase for some time.
We have also been advised this week by Gooddies, our uniform supplier, that their prices have been revised on their website with immediate effect.
Please do not hesitate to speak confidentially to Mrs Boyd, your child's class teacher or the office staff if you are finding it difficult to pay for school meals or uniform.
Please see information further on in this newsletter about Bardwell Charities; Suffolk County Council's cost-of-living support; and about income-related Free School Meals (FSM). If you need any help with applying, please ask Mrs Allman.
Ixworth Library - book hunt
Pick up a map from Ixworth Library, solve the clues and claim your reward!
11th February - 11th March, 50p per child, all proceeds to Suffolk Libraries.
Suffolk HAF (Holiday Activities Fund)
Information from West Suffolk Council / Abbeycroft Leisure
Family Park Cooking - Every family will cook a hearty lunch and receive ingredients for 5 meals for the family.
Adventure Days - A 6 hour Action Packed Adventure Day including a packed lunch and snacks.
Swimming - Free swimming and a lunch for families.
These sessions are FREE for any children
• Eligible for free school meals - Pupil Premium (Not KS1 universal free school meals).
• Children with SEND (EHCP/BSP/Activities Unlimited Member)
• Young carers
• Children in care
• Foster children
• Children at risk of exploitation
• Children in financial hardship
• Ukrainian or other Refugees
To book parents must email: HAF@acleisure.com providing the session they want to book and the town/village they live in.
Or call: 01284 757495 leave their name, number, town and session they want to book. The answerphone is checked Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Babergh/Mid Suffolk Councils HAF
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have put together provision of free holiday activities and food to eligible children over February half-term. Eligible children include those that are entitled to free school meals, pupil premium, or have an identified need. Please see the link below for further information on the activities available across Babergh and Mid Suffolk.
February Half Term - GVTSSP Sports Camp: 14-17 February 2023
Tue 14 Feb AM Gymnastics or Football / PM Football or Dance or Parkour
Wed 15 Feb AM Skateboarding or Target games . PM Skateboarding or Multi sports
Thurs 16 Feb: AM Nerf + laser tag / PM Nerf +laser tag
Fri 17 Feb: AM Inflatables day / PM-Inflatables day
Ages: 5 – 12 yrs
Venue: Beyton, Thurston Sixth (IP30 9AA)
£10 per workshop
Let's Talk with 5-11s course
Mrs Watson, our SENDCo, has asked that this course information be shared with all parents and carers.
Let's Talk with 5-11s
A VIRTUAL, practical course which helps parents and carers to develop and enhance children’s understanding and talking.
Suffolk’s Specialist Education Services are pleased to be able to offer this popular course. The eight 2 hour sessions will enable you to learn how to develop your children’s understanding and talking.
THE AIMS ARE
• To learn why some children find it challenging to understand what is said to them
and to talk.
• To give you practical ideas to help children learn to listen, understand and speak.
• To help you develop children’s talking so that they do better in school.
• To share ideas with other parents and carers.
What's on in Bardwell Church - February 2023
- Sunday 5th - Holy Communion Service, 10am;
- Wednesday 8th - Coffee Morning in church, 10.30am-12noon;
- Sunday 19th - Morning Worship, 10am;
- Shrove Tuesday 21st - Pancakes & Coffee in the Tithe Barn, 10.30am-12noon. Raffle, Bring & Buy, supporting Church funds;
- Ash Wednesday 22nd - HC Service at Barnham Church, 10am (TBC), 7pm 'Ashing' Service with Holy Communion, Honington Church.
Bardwell Church is open every day from 9am to dusk.
For further information about the Church and this month's services, please go to www.bardwellchurch.org/
Allergy Awareness
We are an allergy aware school and would like to remind all families that there may be pupils in school with a peanut allergy. If a child with a peanut allergy comes into contact with peanuts, or with a pupil who has eaten peanuts, then this could lead to an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction to a trigger such as an allergy.
Because of this the school cannot accept products containing peanuts to be provided in lunch boxes or for eating at other times.
SCC information for Cost of Living Support
Suffolk County Council has asked us to share with families their updated 'Cost Of Living Support' information.
Bardwell Charities
Although we are a very small charity we can provide a limited amount of aid for those in need. If you qualify, we may be able to help with living or educational costs where aid is not already available from a statutory organisation. To find out more, please visit our webpage at:
http://bardwellcharities.onesuffolk.net/
Bardwell Charity Trustees
Free School Meals - could you be eligible?
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.
Online Safety Newsletter - February 2023
[Add link here if we have it to next issue of Knowsley news]
About Us
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