Newsletter 10.06.22
10th June 2022
Dear Parents and Carers
To see what’s been happening at BGPS, please go to our website and Twitter feed:
Jubilee Tea Party
It was fantastic to see so many of you here on Monday afternoon joining us for our Platinum Jubilee celebrations. We were proud of the children’s aspiration, resilience and kindness on the day in the way they performed their traditional English country dances, and in the preparation of the food in the morning – Malala Class made all the sandwiches, Einstein Class chopped fruit and vegetables, and Teresa and Obama Classes made a mountain of scones! It was really quite emotional to see the whole school community eating, chatting and dancing together once again, albeit with tiny steps! It really feels as if the last two years of Covid disruption are finally over!
Swimming Pool
It has been joyous to see the children enjoying the swimming pool this week. The swimming pool project has truly embodied our three school values: the aspiration of the whole school community to make it happen; the resilience to keep going and find funding; and the kindness of the volunteers who are giving their time to make it possible. The BG ARK is afloat! Thank you!
Swimming sessions for this half term are:
Monday: Obama and Teresa
Tuesday: Einstein and Malala
Wednesday: Obama and Teresa
Friday: Einstein and Malala
Please remember to send children to school in their PE kit on swimming days – it makes changing easier, and also means that they can participate in land-based PE if the pool can’t be used for any reason. They will need a clean and dry swimming kit containing: towel, costume and flip-flops, (goggles and swimming hat are optional) in school on the days that they are due to swim.
After School Swimming
There will be defiantly after school swimming on Wednesday 15th June, depending on availability of volunteers the pool may be open Thursday and Friday. We will update you.
3.30pm – 4pm – Malala and Einstein – Parents to be poolside
4pm - 4.30pm – Teresa and Obama – Parents in the vicinity
If your child has an inhaler, please have it with you as medication in school will not be accessible.
Entry to the pool will be from the gate near Class 2’s classroom door, and use the changing rooms in the swimming pool compound.
Quad Kids
Our Year 5/6 athletics team had a fantastic time participating in the South Cambridgeshire Schools Sports Partnership (SCSSP) Quad Kids Athletics Competition yesterday afternoon at Wilberforce Road Sports Ground. All 10 pupils had to compete in 4 events: sprint, long distance, long jump and javelin. They all showed fantastic aspiration, resilience and kindness throughout the afternoon. We were so proud to place 5th place out of the 15 schools that entered, which is a huge achievement! Congratulations, team! For photos of the event, please see our website and Twitter feed.
Dance Competition Prize
You may remember that our dance team won the SCSSP dance competition earlier this term. Today they are enjoying their prize – a well-deserved, morning-long dance workshop. For photos, please visit our website and Twitter feed.
Mrs Hind
As you know, Learrne Hind has been absent from school this year undergoing treatment for cancer. We are very pleased that her treatment has been successful and she is doing incredibly well. Learrne has decided to “seize the day” and spend time with her family doing some of the things she has always wanted to, and so won’t be returning to BGPS. We will miss her, but she will always be a part of the BG family and I am sure she will be a regular visitor – we can’t wait to hear the tales of her travels!
Job Opportunities at BGPS
We are currently recruiting for a maternity cover Teacher, TA and MDSA. If you think you would be interested in being a teacher, teaching assistant or lunchtime supervisor (MDSA) at BGPS, or if you know of someone who might be interested in joining our team, please take a look at the vacancies page on our website.
Upcoming Events
Please check our school calendar for information about future events, term dates, training days etc. There is at least one event for parents each week for the rest of the summer term.
Tuesday 14th June, 2:45pm – Share a Story with Malala and Einstein Classes
Please join us to read stories with the children in Malala and Einstein Classes. You could bring a favourite picture book of your own to share, or choose one of ours. Fingers crossed that the weather is good so we can sit outside in the sun to enjoy our reading together. All parents are welcome – you don’t need to have a child in Malala or Einstein Class to join in with the reading fun. Please let us know you are coming by using this form.
Wednesday 15th June – Upper School Humanities Bee
Would you like to compete as part of a parent team in our Humanities Bee? Come and join us to find out more about what the children have been learning, and test your own History, Geography and RE knowledge! All parents are welcome – you don’t need to have a child in Obama or Teresa Class to join in with the quizzing fun. We do have a small parent team signed-up already, but there is room for more! Please let us know you are coming using this form.
Wednesday 15th June – Class Photos
In the next few weeks…
Tuesday 21st June – Y4 Mini Olympics
Wednesday 22nd June – Y6 well-being and transition to Y7 workshop
Thursday 23rd June – Sports Day (weather permitting). We will start as soon as the children are ready at the beginning of the day. All welcome.
Friday 24th – Monday 27th June – training day and bank holiday long weekend: school closed to pupils
Tuesday 28th June 9am – Reading Café for parents of YR, 1 and 2
Tuesday 5th July 9am – Maths Café for parents of Y2, 3 and 4
From the governors…
Following their meeting on 6th June, the governors would like to share the following key points:
- Governors are delighted to welcome Georgina Shepherd to the Governing Body as a Parent Governor.
- Governors are very appreciative of the hard work and support from parents in getting the swimming pool up and running for the second half of the summer term.
- The number of family events planned for the remainder of the summer term is very exciting and governors are looking forward to joining some of these events when they can.
- Governors recognised the huge impact of the Pony Academy on the mental health and wellbeing of the pupils who attended, and how it embodied the ARK values of the school.
- Governors received training from a Local Authority Adviser about “Strategic Vision and Monitoring” ahead of their monitoring day on Monday. The governors are looking forward to being in school speaking with some of the children.
Community News, Clubs and Events
The Community Noticeboard page on our website is updated weekly with local events, sporting and holiday clubs and general information for parents from the surrounding area. Click here to view
Anna Hayesmore and the Burrough Green Team
PTA News
PTA Committee stepping down
At the next AGM, the PTA committee will be stepping aside after 3 years of service. The PTA requires a full committee to continue operating and as such, we would welcome any interest for prospective Chair, Treasurer and Secretary roles.
If it is not possible to form a full committee, under the rules of the Charity Commission and the PTA Constitution, the PTA would have to disband.
Clearly, this would be a detrimental occurrence for many reasons, and the current committee are keen to facilitate a smooth handover if at all possible.
Please contact Fran (Chair) on bgptachair@gmail.com for any specific information.
Thankyou