What a busy final two weeks of this term we have had. 

Firstly, well done to Yellow House for being awarded the most house points this term and hence being awarded to come to school in mufti today.

I am also pleased to share with you that Mrs Etherington had her baby boy, Archie, on Tuesday 10th February.  I am sure you will join me in congratulating her and her family. 

On Friday 6th February we celebrated the NSPCC's Number day with a range of amazing number activities and we thoroughly  enjoyed dressing up all mathematical!  Thank you to Mrs Patel for her continued enthusiasm for all things mathematical and arrnaging such great activities for the children to complete.

On Tuesday 10th February we had Nabhi come in and deliver an assembly all about Holi.  We learned that Holi is a vibrant Hindu festival of colours.  This year it is celebrated on March 4th and it marks the arrival of Spring. 

Tuesday 10th February was also Safer Internet day with the theme 'Smart tech, safe choices - exploring the safe and responsible use of AI'.  The pupils completed different activities teaching us how we can be safe online.  Please ask them what they can remember about how to be safe online.  Thank you to Mr Harvey and Mr Clements for helping to organise a successful day.

This week has also been Children's Mental Health Week.  The theme of the week has been 'This is my place'.  We have been looking at what we do that make the children feel they belong to our Brookfield family.  We have also looked at how they belong to other groups too and how belonging to a group makes us feel.  We have completed a range of activities and even practised some deep breathing and meditation in assembly.  Thank you to Mrs England for helping to organise this week.

Our Year 5s had a wonderful day stepping back in time to have an immersive Ancient Greek day.  Dressed in their finest garments, they have an action-packed day which included an immersive experience using the Now Press Play set as well as developing their culinary skills by making Tzaziki - delicious! 

Finally, it has been wonderful to see our pupils who celebrate the Lunar New Year come in their traditional outfits and find out more about the Lunar New Year celebrations they will be enjoying for the Lunar New Year on Tuesday 17th February.  We wish all our families who celebrate the Lunar New Year a prosperous and healthy New Year.

Date for your diary

Thinking Day/Founders Day - Monday 23rd February.  If your child belongs to any of the guiding or scouting movements, they are invited to come to school dressed in the guiding/scouting uniform on Monday 23rd February.

World Book Day - Thursday 5th March.  Your child is invited to come dressed as their favourite book character or in a pair of pyjamas.  On this day we will also host a second hand book fair.

Parent Consultation Meetings will be held on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th March. 

PTFA - New members needed

Our new Reception and Key Stage 1 play apparatus has been funded through the money raised by the PTFA over the past few years.  

The funds raised by the PTFA are instrumental in enhancing the learning environment for every child. From subsidising educational workshops and school trips to purchasing equipment for our outdoor spaces, these contributions directly impact the quality of our pupils' daily school lives.

At Brookfield Primary Academy, we are committed to providing our pupils with an enriched educational experience that extends beyond the classroom. While our staff work tirelessly to deliver high-quality teaching, it is often the additional resources - the "extras" -  that spark much joy and curiosity.  These are only made possible through the dedicated fundraising efforts of the Parents, Teachers, and Friends Association (PTFA).

As previously shared, we currently do not have a PTFA which has meant that the annual Christmas Light Switch On event or present room did not occur last term.  Other annual events (Easter raffle and Summer Fair) will also not be held this year unless we have some new members to run the PTFA.  

I understand that our families lead incredibly busy lives, and the prospect of a formal commitment can feel daunting. However, I want to reassure you that we are looking to evolve how we operate.

By increasing the number of volunteers, we can distribute tasks more effectively, ensuring that the time required from any single individual is significantly reduced. Whether you can offer an hour to assist at an event or wish to take on a more active planning role, every contribution is valued.

For those who may be hesitant due to a lack of experience, please be assured that you will not be working in isolation. Our previous, experienced PTFA members have kindly offered to remain on hand to provide mentorship and advice. They are eager to share their knowledge and support new members as they transition into these roles, ensuring a smooth and collaborative handover.

We are a community that thrives when we work together, and I truly believe that with your help we can continue to provide wonderful memories for our children.  Please email the office or speak to myself or Mrs Teixeira if you feel you would like to join our PTFA.

Lunar New Year Celebration 

Today our pupils who celebrate the Lunar New Year, were invited to come to school in their traditional clothes.  In assembly we learnt that Lunar New Year is a 16-day festival which begins on Tuesday, 17th February, this year.  It marks the arrival of the Year of the Double Fire Horse, one of the rarest and most intense combinations in Chinese astrology.  

Those who are born in the year of the Horse are said to be: confident, agreeable, and responsible, although they also tend to dislike being reined in by others. 

Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 10th February was also Safer Internet day with the theme 'Smart tech, safe choices - exploring the safe and responsible use of AI'. This year we looked at the uses of AI and how we need to be very careful when we use AI.  Some of our children had a go using LEGO to create their own AI Safety Bot while others had a go at creating their own safety poster.

Well done All.  

Children's Mental Health Week

Mental Well-Being is incredibly important to us.  While we support mental health every day of the year, we enjoy participating in children's mental health week and spending time thinking how we can support our pupils' mental health.  

This week we have been completing activities to show children how they belong to the Brookfield Family.  

We finished the week by looking at how we can make everyone feel like they b elong at Brookfield Primary.  Can you ask your child to see if they can remember.

NSPCC Number Day

On Friday 6th February we celebrated the NSPCC's Number day.  Children were encouraged to come to school dressed in a number-theme outfit.  Throughout the day they completed a range of number-inspired activities aimed at developing their mathematical knowledge and understanding.  

As well as having lots of fun learning maths, we raised over £170 for the NSPCC.  Many thanks to all who donated.  

Holi Assembly 

Dear Parent/Carer,

We truly understand how challenging it is for parents and carers to stay on top of the ever-evolving changes in technology, gaming, social media, and the online world. Recognising this rapid rate of change and both the opportunities and the challenges it can present, our goal is to support you by engaging and upskilling as many parents and carers as we can, ensuring your children's continued online safety at home.

We are continuing the work of the LEO Parent/Carer Online Safety Working Party, established last term. The Working Party aims to identify further ways we can support you in understanding the online risks children face and the safety measures that can be implemented to minimise these risks.

To effectively plan support, we are sending out this Online Safety Survey and would greatly value your input to help us tailor this to the needs of our community.  Please take a couple of minutes to complete this form honestly. Please note you are not required to put any names. Your input is invaluable in shaping our support for LEO families moving forward.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have more than one child, please complete the form with your youngest child in mind. There will be a section at the end to capture any differences for older children.

Kind Regards,

Mrs. Dallimore

Trust Safeguarding Lead

ROBLOX

We have been made aware that Roblox is now requesting children to scan their face in order to provide age estimation to help improve security features.

While Roblox cannot be accessed on school devices, we would like to remind you of the importance of ensuring you have the appropriate parental controls on your personal devices to safeguard your children while they are online.  

Please see below several websites and a guide to help you implement the correct parental controls on your devices.

https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/apps-and-platforms/online-gaming/roblox/

https://about.roblox.com/age-estimation

https://parentzone.org.uk/article/roblox

Parent Guide to Parental Controls

SUNSETTERS & SUNRISERS

If you need to book, change or update staff regarding anything to do with wrap around care, please use the following contact details: 

Telephone: 07762411746  

Email: bfwac@leoacademytrust.co.uk

DONATIONS

With the colder weather, we would be most grateful if you could supply your child with a box of tissues for their classroom.

We would also be very grateful for any donations of trainers for our Nursery and Reception children please.

Thank you in advance for your support 

Please click here to access all of our Spring Term Dates

PARKING

Safe and Courteous Parking During Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Ensuring the safety of our pupils is our top priority. This includes maintaining a smooth and safe environment for pick-up and drop-off times.

The school has never, and will never, advise parking in a way that obstructs residents' driveways on Ridge Road, or anywhere else in the neighborhood. We understand the convenience of pulling right up, but it's crucial to park legally and considerately.

We kindly ask all parents and guardians to be mindful of the following during pick-up and drop-off:

• Park safely and with due care.

• Respect our neighbours and local residents. This includes not parking across driveways at any time.

• If parking is limited, consider carpooling or using alternative transportation options when possible.

To further ensure safety and a smooth flow of traffic, we've requested additional police patrols during pick-up and drop-off times.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our school community safe and considerate of our neighbours.

We thank you in advance, for your support in paying for any trips, after school sessions or clubs on Arbor promptly.  Please let the office know if you require help to access the payment pages.  

On School Grounds: 

To ensure a focused learning environment, students are not permitted to use their personal mobile phones on school grounds or during lessons at LEO Academy Trust schools. This policy has a single exception for documented medical needs.

Storage and Use

For students who travel alone and carry a phone (at their parents' discretion), devices must be turned off upon entering school grounds and remain off until they exit the school gates. All such phones will be securely stored by the school upon arrival and returned at the end of the school day.

Parental Considerations

 We advise parents and guardians to consider providing their children with less expensive devices for safety reasons. While these devices still allow for calls and texts, they can mitigate some of the wider risks associated with more costly phones. We recognise that the ultimate decision regarding device choice rests with the parents.

Online Safety Education

LEO Academy Trust prioritises online safety. Our curriculum, parent workshops, and communications consistently highlight the dangers of unsupervised online access, particularly concerning social media. We also offer regular training and support for parents on online safety practices and managing parental controls on a variety of devices. 

We are extremely excited to announce that our new Behaviour reward activity each term will be at Family Fun Zone at St Nicholas Shopping Centre in Sutton. Family Fun Zone are allowing us to visit them for FREE! Our next visit is on Wednesday 18th March.

Reporting Absences

There is no longer an option to report a child’s absence via telephone.  We ask that you use the google forms below to report absence.  They are also available to complete on our website using the parent tab.

We do not authorise holidays during term time. If your child is going to be off school due to an exceptional circumstance, then please complete this form:

Request for Exceptional Absence in advance for future appointments and exception absence. 

Brookfield Primary Academy Absence Form for sickness and same day medical appointments.

If your child has an illness that requires them to take medication during school hours (e.g. antibiotics, cough medicine, creams etc.), you must fill in a Medicine Permission form. This can be found on our website under the Parents tab.  Hard copies are also available on the carousel in the school office reception area. 

This form, and the medication, must be brought to the school office on the morning that the medication is due to start. The school office staff will administer the medication at the times stated on the form by the parent/carer. You can collect the medication at the end of the school day, or at the end of the illness.

Please do not send any medicine into class with your child, this includes sore throat lozenges.

If we do not have a Medical Permission form, we will not be able to administer medication to your child. 

Please can we ask you and your child to read through and confirm the Brookfield Primary Academy's Home School Agreement.  The Home School Agreement is a document that outlines what expectations you can have of the school, what expectations we have of our parents/carers and what expectations we have of our pupils.

Also, as part of GDPR, at the end of every academic year, we are required to check that the data we hold for your child on Arbor is up to date and correct. Please can we ask you to log into the Arbor app and click on your child's face (top left hand side of the screen), this will bring up their details. Please scroll down and check if the information is correct, if you need to make any changes this can be done via the app and will be automatically sent to the office admin team to approve.

Also, please can we ask you to check the parental consents for your child, if any of the consents are incorrect or you wish to add or amend anything please let us know, via email bfoffice@leoacademytrust.co.uk and we can make the necessary changes.

If we do not hear from you we will accept that the data/consents we hold are correct.

Please refer to our website for our policies: https://www.brookfieldprimary.com/707/policies-and-statements

We pride ourselves on offering our children varied and exciting experiences and activities that help to support their learning of the curriculum. The School Fund will allow us to provide additional activities across all year groups. 

We have a voluntary school fund donation of £10 a term / £30 a year per child or £40 for a family if there are siblings at the school. Parents can pay for School Fund online via our Arbor payment system,  go to Accounts - School Fund - Top Up Account.

We would like to thank you for your support. 

Please..........help your child:

• Regularly listen to your child(ren) read 

• Encourage your child(ren) to complete their homework / Doodle Activities / Timetable Rockstars

• Ask your child about their day and talk about the amazing things they have learned

• Talk positively to your child(ren) about school and their progress / praise their achievements

• Speak to your child(ren)'s class teacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team if you have any concerns regarding your child(ren)

• Avoid taking your child(ren) out of school during the school day / term time for appointments and holidays

• Drop your child(ren) off to school on time and in the correct uniform / collect your child(ren) on time / if you drive to collect your child(ren), ensure that you park safely respecting our neighbours and local businesses

Please..........help us:

• Carefully read all communications to ensure that they are fully understood and actioned (if required)

• Promptly report your child(ren)'s absence via the online form

• Ensure you pay for school meals / trips / events on time via Arbor

• If using extended services provided by school - Breakfast & Afterschool club, keep your account in credit

• If you have a child in nursery who attends additional sessions , ensure you keep their account in credit

• Update your personal information via the Arbor App if there are any changes

Please..........help raise funds:

• Contribute towards the School Fund

• Consider taking part in the LEO lottery

• Purchase online items via the Easy Fundraising App (if applicable) 

• Support the PTFA in attending events / or even better support the PTFA in helping to organise events