William Barcroft Junior School

'Success and happiness for all'

Message from the Principal:

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to this week’s newsletter.

Can I start with a thank you for the effort that has gone into crazy hair for Comic Relief today.

The children look fantastic and have had lots of fun comparing styles! As soon as money is counted we will text out the total raised for you.

Just a reminder that you are now able to book a place for the learning showcases on Arbor.

As attendance is so high at these events we do unfortunately have to limit to two places per child due to capacity in the hall.

Please contact the office if it just one place you need.

The dates are as follows:

Wednesday 26th March 9.15 Year 4

Friday 28th March 9.15 Year 3

Wednesday 2nd April 9.15 Year 5

Thursday 3rd April 9.15 Year 6

There will be an additional opportunity for parents of year 4 children to attend a violin workshop on the afternoon of Wednesday 2nd April,

where the children will perform the music they have been learning for you. Please look out for a separate email regarding times for this.

The school has been packed with science learning in the last 2 weeks, with a focus on Climate Change.

If you are able, please do pop into the hall after school tonight as the children would love to share their work.

Other highlights in the last fortnight include the Year 5 visits to Into University and a fabulous effort at cross country from all participants.

We seem to have had an increase in the last week or so of children bringing into school items from home.

This causes lots of issues if they get lost, and are a distraction to learning so please can we ask that you remind children that

nothing needs to be brought to school other than essential items such as reading books and records.

Thank you everyone; please enjoy reading through the newsletter and have a lovely weekend.

S Sargent

Principal

All classes are competing in our termly attendance challenge and are working hard as a community to ensure they are in school every day this term.

Congratulations to 3L in lower school and 5D in upper school who have won this week's attendance race!

If you child is absent, please contact the school office via telephone rather than the enquires email so that we can log your child's absence before the registers close.

Year 6 Attendance

At KS2, pupils who attended school nearly every day in Year 6 (with an attendance rate of 95-100%) were 1.3 times more likely to achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths compared to pupils who only attended 90-95% of the time.

This means missing just 10 days of year 6 reduced the likelihood of reaching the expected standard by around 25%. Pupils who attended nearly every day were 1.8 times more likely to achieve the standard than persistently absent pupils who only attend 85-90% of the time (relating to 4 -6 weeks more time in school).

DFE Research Report - March 2025

Spring Term

Wednesday 26th March - Year 4 Learning Showcase

Friday 28th March - Year 3 Learning Showcase

Wednesday 2nd April - Year 5 Learning Showcase, Easter Bonnet Contest entry closing date.

Thursday 3rd April - Year 6 Learning Showcase

Friday 4th April - Talent Showcase - just for pupils

Friday 4th April - Last day of term - 2pm finish

Summer Term

Tuesday 22nd April - School reopens for children

Monday 5th May - Bank holiday - school closed

Tuesday 6th May - Year 3 and Year 4 IntoUniversity day

Monday 12th May - Thursday 15th May - Y6 SATS Week

Tuesday 13th May - Thursday 15th May - Year 5 IntoUniversity days

Friday 23rd May - Last day of term

Monday 2nd June - School reopens for children

Monday 2nd June - School photographs

Friday 13th June - School closed - training day

Wednesday 25th June - Junior Singing Festival

Monday 1st July - Year 6 transition workshop

Friday 18th July - Last day of term - 2pm finish

General Information

Please do not ride bikes and scooters on the school grounds, this is for children and adults. This is for the safety of our children, thank you.
Please note, electric scooters are not allowed on the school site due to health and safety regulations and not having the facilities to store them in school.
Please do not bring pets onto the school site due to health and safety regulations.

PE kit MUST be brought to school on your child's PE days,

Year 3 and Year 5 will have PE Tuesday and Thursday

Year 4 and Year 6 will have PE Monday and Wednesday

WBJS Newsround from the Pupil Governors

YEAR 3

Last week we made eco-plates to promote how people can stop pollution as part of our science day. We read a good book linked to this called 'The Most Important Animal of All' and then researched about it.

This week we have been researching how to make kites and what shapes we might use when we make our kites next week.

In PE we have been learning how to play cricket and how to throw a ball with power. We've also learned how to hit it successfully.

Baillie , Year 3.

YEAR 4

Last week we read the Carbon Monster which spoke about our carbon footprint and how we can make it better. After this, we made our own carbon monsters out of recyclable materials.

In DT we have designed a buzzer game - it will be our mission to get across the wire without the buzzer going off.

In PE we are learning how to play rounders and how to hit the ball accurately.

Annabelle, Year 4.

YEAR 5

In English we have been writing a newspaper about how Curiosity has landed on Mars.

During maths we have been learning about line graphs and how to draw them.

My favourite lesson of the week has been RE when we learned about new religions from Mrs Moore.

Last week we went to Into University and we discussed what we would like to do in our further education and where we could live if we were to go to university.

Nevaeh-taya, Year 5.

YEAR 6

In year 6 we have been learning about the Holocaust which is very sad, but also very interesting. We have been focusing on the history of concentration camps and also discussing the propaganda which was spread during WW2.

In English we have been reading Holes and planning a big write based on Stanley arriving at the camp.

In maths we have been practising and revising our percentages and investigating volume, area and perimeter.

In DT we are going to be making an automaton with spinning discs and wheels.

Molly, Year 6.

Barcroft Stars

Every Friday, we celebrate the fantastic work and attitudes of our children during our Star of the Week assembly. Each teacher presents their Star of the Week, Reader of the Week and TTRS of the Week whilst our Learning Mentors award fastasic behaviour and kindess on the playground. We also celebrate our birthdays in style with a whole school sing-song and give out spot prizes for fantastic work and home reading.

If your child is chosen for this assembly, you will receive a message no later than Thursday. If you wish to attend, the assembly times are as follows:

Year 3 and Year 4 - 8.55am

Year 5 and Year 6 - 9.55am

Home Reading

Please can we remind all parents that children are required to read 3 times a week at home and their reading record is expected in school every day. There are a multitude of beneficial reasons why children should read at home: comfort and reassurance, confidence and security, relaxation, happiness and fun. It is essential that we are providing children with the time to explore stories, giving them time and full attention when reading them a story, asking questions to support comprehension and clear routines. Reading at home builds self-esteem, vocabulary, feeds imagination and even improves their sleeping patterns. Not to mention that it supports all areas of the curriculum and increases progress, development and understanding. We offer a well-stocked library and purple area which provides reading books to take home and children are rewarded when completing 3 home reads.

Thank you for your support with this.

British Science week

Last week, We celebrated British Science Week with the theme Change and Adapt, focusing on climate change. Planned by our enthusiastic Science Ambassadors, the whole school took part in an exciting day dedicated to understanding the impact of climate change and, more importantly, how we can take action.

Each year group began the day by exploring a beautifully illustrated picture book, sparking discussions about the environment and the ways in which nature and people must adapt to a changing world. Throughout the day, students engaged in interactive lessons, investigations, and creative projects, all designed to help them understand the science behind climate change and what they can do to make a difference.

A key focus of the day was empowering students to share their learning beyond the classroom. Each class explored ways to raise awareness, creating posters and presentations to encourage families to adopt more sustainable habits.

Today, we shared the children’s work with parents, who were invited to view a showcase of their projects. The display featured a range of creative and thoughtful work, highlighting what the students had learned and their ideas for positive change. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the day and the importance of looking after our planet.

Cross Country at weelsby woods

36 children from William Barcroft participated in the Cross Country competition on Wednesday 12th March. We had teams of boys and teams of girls from each year group. Everyone ran superbly and showed an incredible amount of resilience to run the distance and finish the race. There were over 1000 children in attendance and in each race, there were over 120 children running. Notable shout outs to Anne in year 6 for finishing 24th in the 2000m Year 6 girls race and Freya Sudderick for finishing 39th in the 800m Year 3 girls race. All the children behaved impeccably and enjoyed the event. Once again, a massive thank you to parents and carers that attended to watch – your support is much appreciated. Bring on Cross Country next year!

Red nose Day!

Today we have raised money for the national Comic Relief charity by showcasing our crazy hair in school! Take a look at our pictures and see how we fundraised and celebrated in style.

INTO University - ambition

Last week, year 5 enjoyed an interesting and important workshop that links to one of our core values: ambition. We walked to the into university centre and learnt all about what university is, what kind of things we could study there and what life might be like if we chose to go! The children were great role models for wbjs and the workshop really made them think about their futures and what they were capable of. In May, they will return for a full day university experience to discover more about some of the exciting courses they could choose to do.

COmpetition time!

Create a bold and engaging poster to encourage recycling and stop litter around school. The 3 winning posters will receive an Easter egg prize on the last day of term! Get your entries to Mrs Burman before the last day of term in order to enter! Posters will be displayed around school and the playground to help get our message out there.

Cooking club - empower and ambition

In cooking club ast week we made some yummy cheesy pasta with a variety of vegetables. The children really enjoyed making this and were all looking forward to eating it at home for their tea! Our cooking club hopes to inspire some budding chefs for the future and learn the childre some key life skills.

Pupil voice groups - Community

Reading Champions

The reading champions have be helping Mrs McGrath with putting together a vibrant wishlist for our Schloastic book fund. Whilst completing all of these important jobs, the reading champions have also been supporting in the classrooms after being fully trained in peer reading with Mrs McGrath.

You are all doing an amazing job and we are grateful for your support around school.

Follow this link to visit the safeguarding section of our website, and for a copy of our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy. https://wba.harbourlearningtrust.com/our-academy/safeguarding/

Starting March 31st, join us every last Monday of the month from 9:00 - 10:00am for an informal chance to have a chat, share any thoughts, or ask for support if you need it. Whether it's just a friendly conversation or you have questions about support services, Mrs Bowden is here to help.

We’d love to see you there – no appointment needed!

Staff Wellbeing Day

Mrs. Bowden organised a refreshing and engaging staff well-being day in collaboration with Compass Go, designed to promote health, mindfulness and well-being. The day featured drop in sessions with Shaun from Compass Go, all aimed at reducing stress and fostering a positive work environment. Mrs. Bowden also brought along some lovely homemade cakes, which everyone was very grateful for.

Please see below comments from staff regarding the staff wellbeing day

Fostering bright futures

Change the life of a local child, be a foster carer. Enquire today Fostering in North East Lincolnshire | NELC

As a foster friendly school, we want to raise awareness of the need for local foster carers to come forward in the area. If you think you can make a positive difference to a child’s life, enquire today. Fostering in North East Lincolnshire | NELC https://youtu.be/sNXx6dycp3Y

Online Safety

For Parents - New TikTok Features

During the 2nd week of March, TikTok released some new features which will help with supervision. These new features include time away, a feature to decide when it's time for children to take a break and a reoccurring schedule. There's also a feature which allows parents to see who their children are following on TikTok.

If you allow your child to have access to Tik Tok and would like more information about these new features, they can be found at newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-ways-we-are-supporting-parents-and-helping-teens-build-balanced-digital-habits and the full range of TikTok Family Pairing features can be found at support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/family-pairing .

Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools – PINS Project

FREE Training - An Introduction to Sensory Processing for Parent Carers

A virtual training session on Teams delivered by Sensory Processing Service, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust

Dear Parent Carers,

As part of the Partnerships for the Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) project we are delighted to offer you the opportunity to join our FREE upcoming training session titled "An Introduction to Sensory Processing". This training session is designed specifically for parent carers and aims to provide valuable insights into sensory processing and how it impacts our daily lives.

You will need to register to attend this session, details on how to book your place can be found below.

Details:

Date: Wednesday, 26th March
Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Virtual session via Teams

Agenda:

Understanding Sensory Processing:
- What is sensory processing?
- The importance of sensory processing in daily life.
Exploring Our 8 Sensory Systems:
- An overview of each sensory system.
- How these systems work together.
Sensory Strategies and Accommodations:
- Practical strategies to support sensory needs.
- Accommodations to enhance sensory experiences.
Q&A Session with the Occupational Therapist:

- An opportunity to ask questions and seek personalised advice.

This workshop will be led by an experienced Occupational Therapist, who will provide a comprehensive presentation and be available to answer any questions you may have.

How to register:

To attend, please email hnyicb-nel.fmhd@nhs.net and include:

your name
the name of your child/young person's educational setting
whether you would like to subscribe to NEL's SEND Newsletter and/or NEL's Neurodiversity and Autism Update

You will then be sent a link to join the Teams meeting to access the session

We believe this workshop will be incredibly beneficial for you as parent carers, providing you with the knowledge and tools to better support your child's sensory needs.

Kind regards

Nicola Chappel

Service Manager - Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) Project & Autism in Schools