Byfleet Primary Newsletter

• Welcome back to all of our families. We hope you are well rested and enjoyed a sunny summer holiday. It's great to have all of our children back with us and it's been terrific to welcome 11 new children to Byfleet since the beginning of the week. Your children have been very kind and made them feel welcome.

• A huge welcome to our new Reception 'Rainbow Class' families and children, who have joined Byfleet Primary this year. Welcome to 'big school' - we now have all of our children in school with us and everyone is doing well, coming in to school with a big smile on their face every day! We look forward to working closely with you over the next 7 years to help your child reach their full potential.

• Links to the Parent Curriculum Evening presentations can be found here:

Year 1 Year 2a Year 2b Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Curriculum information (overviews, spellings and homework matrices) have been added to Google Classroom and also our school website (under 'Curriculum').

• Our House team-building day was a great success yesterday, despite the rain interruption, with children dressed in their house colours representing their team. See the section below to find out more about what the children got up to and to announce the new House Captains and Vice Captains in Year 6. Thank you for the fabric and arts n craft donations to help make the bunting in the colours of our houses.

• Thank you for bearing with us as the scaffolding remains wrapped around our school building whilst our roof is being replaced. The works are on track and we are looking forward to having a brand new roof and a water-tight building soon. Year 5 and 6 children are likely to continue accessing their classrooms via the playground until the end of this half term. We will keep you updated.

• Just a reminder that no dogs are allowed on school property for drop off or pick up, this includes dogs being carried or on leads.

• The school community is very sadden by the news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The school continues to stay open and held a one-minute silence at 2pm during our whole school assembly during which staff and pupils stood as a mark of respect. We send our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family for their loss.

Just a reminder about a few of our arrangement this year........

• Year 3 upwards requires a tie if they wear a grey skirt, grey trousers or grey shorts.

• Children will no longer be expected to bring in their own pencil cases from September. This arrangement that we brought in during Covid is no longer needed and stationery will be provided by school - we may occasionally request glue sticks etc, however pencil cases are no longer required.

• Byfleet green book bags will continue to be used by Reception and KS 1.

• Small rucksacks for KS 2 - there appear to be large backpacks coming in to school. Please limit the size of these bags to ensure everyone's fits in lockers or pegs.

• We will continue with our 'slow start' in the morning with school gates opening at 8.35 - 8.45. The register closes at 8.45 so please report to the office to sign your child in as late if you miss the 8.45 mark.

• School will end at 3.05pm. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will continue being dropped off and collected from the main playground. Year 3/4 may walk in independently from the metal rails by the school hall and will be brought out by an adult to this point, at the end of the day. Year 5/6 may be dropped off and collected from the school main gate - whilst the scaffolding is up, they can walk independently through to the playground.

• Year 5/6 children may walk home alone and bring in their mobile phone for safety. Permission will be sought from parents/carers beforehand. Please follow this link to consent to your child walking home independently and bringing in their mobile phone.

• Thank you for writing your child's name on all of their uniform, bottles and other equipment to help us reduce our lost property.

Most of our children are looking very smart in their new uniform on non-PE days.

Just a reminder that KS 2 children (Year 3 - 6) should wear a white shirt and tie in the winter months. In Reception and KS 1, the children wear yellow polo shirts. Please see details below.

Our Byfleet Friends have ample 'pre-loved' uniform so please contact the office if you wish to pick up a bargain.

Well done to our end of year prize winners at our Celebration Assembly. We handed out 6 awards to children who showed exception effort or talent in each area. Well done everyone!

Learning for Life Award: Myla B Zaynab A Penelope W Liyana P Teddy S Tyger H Maggie G

144 Award: Dominik H Carter S Evelyn D Zarif A Max P Monty W

Handwriting & Presentation Award: Rachel Mc Hari P Harrison D Olivia C Anaya M Matilda W

Sportsmanship Award: Liam H Harry K Elsie H Archie R Cace B Kiki P Verity L

Creativity Award: Sophia H Belle S Sophia R Bradley H Maisie T Roheena K Lilly L

Spanish Award: Liam D Matlida G Alby-Jack W Mason C Lucy O Cameron D George D

Children took part in the 500 Word Stories competition from Reception, Year 1, 3, 4 & 5 during last term of 2021/2022:

• Reception- whole class writing- they won 3 books for their class

• Year 1 - Sophia Harvey, Amelie Wickens and Liam Hesketh

• Year 3 - Kurt Flores, Sophia Ross and Zach Wolfe

• Year 4 - Mason Croft

• Y5I - Matilda Wells, Charlotte Hookway and Ella Harvey

• Y5B - Alexander Wakefield, William Olds, Eleanor Potter

On Thursday, in spite of the weather, all year groups came together to enjoy a day of sports and craft activities. The morning started with a variety of fun, team-building games outside. Hockey, hoops and balls were thrown, passed, kicked and carried as the children raced to win games and earn points for their Houses. It wasn't just about winning; team spirit, kindness and consideration were all part of the ethos of the day. Year 6 were wonderful helping the younger children to complete their tasks - they were proving they are real role models. We would like to congratulate those children who won a medal for showing resilience and kindness towards their teammates.

In the afternoon, the House groups gathered to create coloured bunting for representing their Houses in future events - we have some very smart, creative flags as a result.

The day ended with ballot box voting by all the children, for the Y6 candidates pitching to become this year's Captains and Vice Captains. Successful contenders will be announced at the Celebration Assembly.

Well done to all the children for their cheerful participation and good behaviour. Thank you to all the adults involved in running this event.

• A big well done to Alex Wakefield (Year 6) and Amelie Piper (Year 2) for achieving 100% attendance in 2021/22.

• Gates open at 8.35 - 8.45. Please remember to bring your children to school before the 8.45 cut off point. If your child arrives after this point, please sign them in via the school office. If you have more than one child, remember to sign each child in via our computer system.

• School ends at 3.05 each day. We log all incidents where children are collected late to help us monitor this for safeguarding purposes. If for any reason you are running late, please make contact with the school office.

• Thank you to the families who worked with us to ensure their children attended school as much as possible. We understand that occasionally children may become sick etc. however some children have had a vast number of days off for illness, which we will be closely monitoring and looking to involve the school nursing team if we feel that the number of sick days are beyond ‘reasonable’.

• We aim for 96% attendance and really need your help to achieve this. In 2021/22, our attendance was a disappointing 93.7%. There was an unusually high number of families who took holidays during term time; a total of BPS 13 families were fined £120 per parent per child by Surrey for taking holidays during term time.

• We are currently monitoring 16 families for ‘persistent absence’ (90% or below) where referrals have been made to the Surrey Inclusion Team, who are working with these families to improve their children’s attendance. We hope to reduce this in this academic year.

• We hope that parents arrange appointments outside of the school day and within holidays where possible. As a last resort, if your child needs a medical appointment, please complete a Medical Appointment Absence Request.

• For Absence Request Forms (not related to illness), please complete a Leave of Absence Request Form, found on our website here.

• Please remember to email absences@byfleet.surrey.sch.uk or telephone the school office before 9.15am if your child is not coming to school to notify us. The admin team spend a lot of time each morning phoning families who haven’t notified the school as we have a legal obligation to safeguard children. Thank you for working with us - it really makes it easier for the admin team.

If you have any concerns about your child's learning or additional needs, please contact the school office on info@byfleet.surrey.sch.uk and ask for a meeting or phonecall with Mrs Sharkey-Yun (Inclusion Lead).