BPS Newsletter

Please report absences using the absences@byfleet.surrey.sch.uk email by no later than 9am.

This Week

I am delighted to share some recent highlights and upcoming events with you.

Our Year 6 Class Assembly took place on 19th November, where pupils gave a wonderful insight into their current topic Homegrown Heroes. They explained who the Suffragettes were and what they achieved—an inspiring performance from our young historians.

The Byfleet Light Switch On was a huge success despite the chilly Thursday evening.

The School Disco was thoroughly enjoyed by all the children, and even the teachers showed off their dance moves!

We are proud to announce that our Poppy Appeal raised £247.78 in support of the Royal British Legion. A heartfelt thank you goes to all pupils who purchased poppy-related items, and special appreciation to our Year 6 pupils who generously gave their time each afternoon to assist with sales. Your efforts truly made a difference.

Looking ahead, the final three weeks of term are packed with exciting events:

• Year 4 Cake Sale – Thursday, 4th December

• Nativity Performances – Wednesday, 10th December and Friday, 12th December (for Reception and Key Stage 1 parents/carers). The children have been working hard learning their lines and are eager to perform.

• Christmas Jumper Day & Christmas Lunch – Thursday, 18th December. Please ensure your child’s festive lunch is ordered as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support in making these events memorable for our pupils.

Mr Bowman

The last two weeks in Reception have been full of excitement, learning and exploration. We have continued our theme of the Arctic, diving deeper into what makes this icy environment so special. The children have enjoyed discovering how different animals adapt to survive in such cold conditions, learning about habitats and discussing why creatures like polar bears and Arctic foxes are perfectly suited to their homes. We also explored the lives of the Inuits, finding out how they dress, travel and build shelters to stay warm in extreme weather.

In maths, the children have been working on the composition of numbers 1–5, using practical activities to build confidence and deepen their understanding. In phonics, we focused on the sounds ch, sh and qu, practising blending and segmenting through games and reading activities. Our nativity rehearsals have also been in full swing, with everyone practising their lines, songs and actions with great enthusiasm.

We’ve had plenty of hands-on scientific fun too. The children explored changing states of matter by observing an ice cube as it was passed around the circle, noticing how it began to melt and discussing why the change happened.

Year 1 had a wonderful visit to The Lightbox Gallery. The children enjoyed exploring different materials, carefully feeling their textures and discussing what they might be used for. It was lovely to see their confidence grow as they investigated, asked thoughtful questions, and shared their ideas with one another. One of the highlights of the trip was creating their own mini gallery. The children took great pride in designing and making their sculptures, their creativity, teamwork and enthusiasm shone throughout the day.

It was a truly enriching experience, and the children represented the school brilliantly. Well done Year 1!

Last Friday, Year 2 had a great day out exploring Byfleet. We began with a stop at Byfleet Fire Station, where we met Jim, who told us all about the history of this newly restored building. We then walked on to Byfleet Community Library, where the volunteers there showed us around.  We had fun completing a library scavenger hunt and we even used the scanner to check out a book!  It was lovely that so many children said that they now wanted to join the library.  After a short break for lunch, we headed for our last stop of the day which was St Mary's Church.  Here the new vicar, Chris, spoke to us about the work of the church before giving us a tour of this beautiful building.  The children then sketched some of the things they had seen. 

A big thank you to Miss Ward, Mrs Hesketh, Mrs Smale and Mrs Joyce-Craker, for coming with us on the day.  

In Science this week, Year 3 have been learning all about fossils. During Wednesday's lesson, we explored how fossils are formed, and the children even had the exciting opportunity to examine a real megalodon tooth fossil! The class were full of curiosity, asking fantastic scientific questions and showing great enthusiasm. It was a wonderfully inquisitive afternoon for our Year 3 learners!

A huge well done to the eight children from year 5 who were chosen to become this years Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. The children that wanted to apply wrote a letter stating why they think they would make a good ambassador and what they can bring to the role. The letters were then read by our school Governors and the eight children were chosen in an assembly during Anti-Bullying week. All the letters we received were fantastic but unfortunately we could only chose eight children. We are sure they will be great additions to the Anti-Bullying team. 

A huge well done to Year 6 for their last ever class assembly at Byfleet Primary School. They were fantastic and should be proud with the performance they gave (even when the snow started falling!). The assembly gave us a snippet of their current topic, Homegrown Heroes, by explaining who the Suffragettes were, and what they achieved. 

A big thank you to any parents/carers at home who helped with learning lines and sourcing costumes. 

Just to remind parents/carers that if they take their children out of school without authority for 5 or more days (which do not have to be consecutive), they will be liable to receive a penalty notice. The issue of a Penalty Notice will also be actioned where a pupil has incurred 10 or more unauthorised sessions during the preceding 10 school weeks. These also included 'lates' after the register has closed. 

**Changes to the National framework for Penalty Notices came into force for Penalty Notice Fines on 19th August 2024**

• First offence within a 3 year rolling period will incur a charge of £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days, Increasing to £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days.

• Second offence within a 3 year rolling period will incur a flat rate of £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days. 

• The third time an offence is committed within a 3 year rolling period for term time leave or irregular attendance the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates Court. 

Please view the letter from Surrey Inclusion Services and our Attendance Policy for further information.