April 2021 Newsletter
Dear Parents, Carers and Children,
Over the last week we have all reflected on the events of the last year. It has been a year since schools closed as a result of COVID-19.
This has given us an opportunity to remember; to stand back and to reflect on others and ourselves. The COVID pandemic has taught us to appreciate our families, our friends and our school even more. Many people have made huge sacrifices this year to care for others. We particularly thank all the key workers who have continued to work despite their own worries. We also thank you for supporting your children in the midst of such difficult and changing circumstances.
If you haven’t seen it already, Miss Brady made a special school video to reflect on our Lockdown memories and hopes for the future. You can view this on our Twitter feed.
Attendance
Thank you for your commitment to your children’s attendance and punctuality since their return to school on Monday 8th March. Attendance has been outstanding at 99.2%.
School Dinners
We are so fortunate to have such wonderful cooks in school who make wholesome and nutritious meals for us all each day. Mrs Martin’s menus are on the school website and our outside notice board. When we are permitted for all children to return to the hall we will resume to our 3-week menu again. Please inform the school office of any changes to lunch preferences.
Old Toy Amnesty
EYFS would like to ask for help… if you happen to have any of the things listed below and no longer need or want them, we would love to have them in Reception/Nursery: baby dolls, doll prams, metals pans, child gardening tools, pallets, wooden planks, girls’ underwear and socks (for use in case of accidents, anything aged between 3-6), small cars, tractors or diggers and outdoor paint. Please could you drop off any good quality items at the school office or to one of the EYFS staff team. Thank you in advance for your support.
Lateral Flow Tests
If you have school children or college students at home, rapid Covid-19 tests are available to collect daily from 3 collection points in Middlesbrough, between 1.30-7pm. Each pack has 7 tests and they are free. All details including locations here 👉 http://bit.ly/2Na8B5N
ParentPay
Please could all parents/carers check to ensure that all outstanding payments have been made via ParentPay.
It is a requirement that school meals are paid in advance. This may be done weekly, monthly or termly.
Social Media
After Easter we will be sharing a new User Agreement for parents to meet recent changes in technology and our school social media/website needs.
From time to time NPCAT ask us to share pictures with them to celebrate school events via their public social media / NPCAT YouTube channel – if anyone objects to us sharing pictures please inform the school office (names will not be used).
March Events
School Curriculum
As a result of the hard work you have been doing with your children at home we have been able to plan work in line with our Spring curriculum since the children returned to school in full on March 8th. Naturally there is some variance in children’s key skills which teachers will be working hard to bridge. Please continue to support your children by practicing regularly their reading books (N-Y6) and their white key skills Maths booklets (Y1-6). Teachers have also been supporting children’s emotional and physical wellbeing since our return, planning in regular circle time and team games. Teachers will update you on your children’s progress in our rescheduled parent’s evenings (Wednesday 5th May and Thursday 6th May) – this information has been shared with you this week. Please book your parental consultation via the Arbor app. The final date for booking is Friday 23rd April.
If at any time you ever have any concerns about your child please contact teachers through the school office and they will get back to you.
EYFS Lockdown Graduations
Our Nursery and Reception children were rewarded for their hard work as part of remote learning since January in a special return to school Lockdown Graduation ceremony wb 8th March. The staff were so proud of their engagement in remote learning and how they have bounced back into school with a spring in their step!
Governor Visits
We are really lucky to have such supportive Governors. Despite the difficulties associated with Governor monitoring, we have adapted our visits to be virtual conversations this year. In recent months:
- Mr Michael Wren has discussed pupil voice initiatives with Miss Brady and Year 6.
- Mr Paul Benfield has discussed Year 5’s remote learning experience and curriculum developments with Mr Bourner.
- Mrs Bilous, our Chair of Governors, changes books and lotto’s each week for Year 1 and meets weekly with Mr Conway and Miss Brady.
Further summer term visits and discussions will be facilitated following our Governing body meeting this week.
World Book Day
Miss Cuff organised a lovely day celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 4th March. It was our first virtual Book day but we were so impressed with the efforts children still went to in their outfits and in their work.
We really value the importance of reading in school and are grateful for your support with our 100 read initiative and the additional reading many of you do online via the Oxford and myOn links. Reminder videos of how to access additional online books to support with your children’s reading are available to view via the website: https://stbernadettes.npcat.org.uk/curriculum-support-videos/
At present, we are not able to have our usual army of volunteers in school, so we have been really grateful that Mrs Hill has been providing additional reading support remotely over the last few weeks using children’s physical and online books for Y2-5.
NPCAT Workout
On Wednesday 17th March we took part in an ‘NPCAT Wednesday Workout Live’. All NPCAT children simultaneously joined in a virtual Fitness Workout. It was a great Trust wide experience.
Back by popular demand, Mrs Willett provided another whole school fitness workout on Tuesday 30th March – thank you Mrs Willett for your commitment to our children’s health – the children and staff LOVED it!
Year of St. Joseph
The Year of St Joseph, announced by Pope Francis, commenced in December 2020. The year marks a yearlong celebration, dedication and prayer centred around St Joseph: protector, father, worker and champion of families and the Church. Pope Francis has recognised that St Joseph is truly the saint we need in these times and, as such, the Trust family gladly and whole-heartedly embraces this focus. Activities to mark the year have begun with a whole school retreat day on Monday March 8th and a Novena ending with a special virtual Mass to mark St Joseph’s feast day on Friday 19th March. St Joseph – Pray for us.
Red Nose Day
Red Nose activities on Friday 19th March raised £247.00. We enjoyed a wonderful day. The children looked amazing dressed as ‘the staff’. The staff look very entertaining dressed as the children! We have shared many photos on Twitter – we are sure you enjoyed looking through them!
Pizza Making
In association with our catering team, Year 3 and 4 children took part in a healthy eating pizza making practical activity on Thursday 25th March. The pizzas looked and tasted amazing – we hope you got to try some?!
Very Mini Vinnie’s
This academic year Mrs Pennick’s class are reaching out at set times throughout the year to our local community and parishioners as Mini Vinnies. They have just completed Easter cards and have organised for their distribution. We have already heard back from several grateful recipients.
H&S inspection
St Bernadette’s had our annual Health and Safety inspection on Wednesday 31st March. I am delighted to inform you that we received the highest recommendation from our external inspection team.
As part of our health and safety risk assessment we have ½ termly drills (Fire Drill and Lockdown). On Monday 22nd March we practiced a lockdown drill in Y1-6 – the children across school sensibly and calmly ‘hid from Mr Conway and Miss Brady’.
Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt
Thank you so much for the Easter Egg donations. Carol Rodgers and Helen Gilpin mapped out an orienteering course for the children to follow in their small teams as part of their class bubbles around the school grounds on Wednesday 31st March. All children received an egg for taking part in the scavenger hunt. There is a payment for donations on ParentPay, any donations from £1 would be gratefully received. Funds will be used by the P.T.A to directly benefit the children.
Remaining eggs have been sent to a local primary school as part of our CAUSE campaign. The provisions were delivered yesterday and were gratefully received. Thank you so much for your generosity in supplying such an array of eggs and provisions.
P.T.A
When the school PTA group met virtually this month to arrange the Easter scavenger hunt a proposal to raise funds for school funds was to advertise local businesses through our school social media feeds. We understand that so many families have been adversely affected by COVID and lockdown. If anyone would like to advertise their small business through our Twitter or Facebook we would ask a voluntary donation between £5-£10. All contributions are added to our PTA funds which are directly spent on your children. Contact Mr Conway or Miss Brady for further details. Minutes of our meeting are available to view via our website.
Future events
Lenten Liturgies
It has been such a special week in school this week. Holy week is such an important period in the Church’s liturgical calendar. To be in school to journey through the events of Holy week make our Easter preparations so much more meaningful.
We hope you have been able to access the class prayerful Lenten reflections which have been recorded this week. If you have not had opportunity to view them yet please access them via your child’s Google classroom page. Please contact school if you need any support with this. As attendance at Mass is still restricted, these liturgies are a perfect way to remind us of how to use Lent as an opportunity for reflection and growth.
The Y6 Stations of The Cross is being filmed today and will be uploaded later today.
Year 6 Summer Term
Although there will be no external SATs for Year 6, schools are still required to complete transitional information to all secondary schools. As a result, Year 6 children will continue to complete work in line with our planned curriculum content so Miss Cuff can complete accurate assessments of all children.
We know several children are disappointed to miss out on our Year 6 residential this year, however we have already planned a few events such as swimming towards the end of May and a fitness workshop in June. Miss Cuff, Mrs Davies and Mrs Simpson will be discussing and planning other events with the children as restrictions allow to ensure the children have a lovely last term in school with us.
Extended School Timetable
Mrs Smith is in the midst of organising a range class extended school clubs for the Summer term – these will be either at dinner time of after school. Further details will be provided in the first week back following the Easter break. After school clubs will begin wb 26th April.
P.E Uniform
The children have looked so good in their PE kits –in fact ‘smart as carrots’ – thank you!
PE kit consists of: a t-shirt in your child’s house colour, plain blue shorts, trainers (for outdoor use) and plimsolls (for indoor use), a purple hoody and navy joggers. We do not permit branded t-shirts/football tops etc so please ensure children come to school in the correct attire on their set days.
We are aware a few families are awaiting their order. Uniform can be purchased via our website – if you need any support with purchasing kit please contact Mr Conway or Miss Brady in confidence. https://stbernadettes.npcat.org.uk/school-uniform/
Please be aware all children must remove earrings for PE so please remove these small studs on PE days.
P.E Days
Please note PE days after Easter. Most year groups are unchanged however there have been alterations to Y3&4 as a result of external coaches leading on delivery.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| · Reception, Y5 | · Y4, Y5, Y6 | · Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 | · Y1, Y2, Y3, Y6 |
And finally,
Positive COVID cases contact
A reminder that if you need to contact school over the holiday to inform us of a positive COVID case please use Mr Conway’s school email address via: [email protected]
Thank you
Once again, thank you for your support over the last year. Let us hope and pray we are entering a more ‘normal’ time and we can progress our lives and wider relationships once more. We hope to welcome you back into school in the Summer term but will be guided by the latest advice. Please continue to follow the latest Government guidance and as rules change we will inform you of any updates to our risk measures. In the meantime, our timings, routines and COVID associated rules will remain in place.
Have a safe, holy and peaceful Easter. Enjoy the extended 2-week break. We look forward to welcoming children back on Monday 19th April from 8.30am.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. P. Conway Miss S. Brady
Headteacher Head of school
