Grazebrook Primary School Bulletin
30th Septemer 2024
Embedded Files
Message from Mrs Beecroft
Message from Mrs Beecroft
It has been a very positive start to the year, with the children settling into their new routines and adapting to their classes with enthusiasm and focus.
I would like to extend my thanks to you all for your continued support at the start of the new year. The staff were really pleased to see so many of you at our Meet the Teacher sessions – the slides have been uploaded to the parent letters section of the website for your reference as well as a link shared with you via MCAS and/or text. Our first Bake and Plant Sale of the year was also really well attended, raising funds for plants and resources for our Wellbeing Garden.
I would like to remind families of our morning procedures. The school gates open at 8:45am each day and all children must be at school by 8:55am. The gates close promptly at 9:00am and children arriving after this time will be registered as late. Children start their morning review as soon as they enter their classrooms, so it is vital they are not late.
We have been really pleased to see so many children coming to school looking smart and proud in their full uniform, including black shoes or trainers on PE days. Please ensure all uniform items including bags and water bottles are labelled with your child's name. Many items in our lost property boxes are unnamed, which makes it tricky to return them back to children.
A huge congratulations to Mrs Cabey and the Eco Team, who have been awarded the Green Flag Status with Distinction for their work over the last two years. A shout out to Kelly Sullivan and all our family volunteers for their ongoing support with pre-loved uniform, plant and bake sales and gardening.
You may also have noticed a change in title for Ms Bunbury from Assistant to Deputy Headteacher this year. Congratulations to her for her promotion to this role after a rigorous recruitment process. She will lead on KS2, including behaviour and safeguarding, as well as on the wider curriculum across the school.
Family Events & Key Dates
Family Events & Key Dates
30/09 5G Intensive Swimming Lessons Begin (2 weeks)
08/10 Year 5 and 6 Hackney Road Safety Workshops
08/10 Year 5 and 6 Football Teams Competition
09/10 Year 5 and 6 TAG Rugby Team Competition
11/10 Individual Pupil Photographs
11/10 PSA AGM at 9am
14/10 5B Intensive Swimming Lessons Begin (2 weeks)
17/10 Family Zones of Regulation Coffee Morning @ 10am
18/10 Nursery Family Friday @ 8.50am
18/10 Reception Family Friday @ 3.10pm
18/10 Nursery, Year 1 & 2 Animals UK Workshops
25/10 Non-Uniform 'Halloween' PSA Fundraiser
25/10 Last Day of Autumn 1 (3.30pm finish & 6pm Our Space and Wraparound finish)
Grazebrook Reads
Grazebrook Reads
At Grazebrook, we love nothing more than sharing a book with our families . Thank you to our Nursery, Reception and Year 1 families who joined us for our first Family Friday and Reading Breakfasts of the year. We're looking forward to seeing Year 2 families this Friday.
If you are looking for a new bedtime (or anytime!) read, the BookTrust's Bookfinder tool is a fantastic resource where you can search for book recommendations by age and theme. You can even leave a review of your own to help others to find a great book.
We are geographers!
We are geographers!
The children in Years 1 to 6 have been working hard as geographers in their first humanities topic of the term: Map It. They have been exploring the fascinating world of mapping and have begun to take their learning outdoors using fieldwork to develop their understanding of the world around them.
Year 1 and Year 2 have been exploring the school grounds and the local area, gathering information about human features.
Year 3 and Year 5 have been developing their map-reading skills, with Year 5 visiting Hyde Park and navigating their way around using compasses and grid references.
Year 4 will complete a comparative study across North London, comparing the topography and noise pollution in our local area and Alexandra Palace. Year 6 will embark on an exciting voyage through the world’s most famous waterways by conducting in-depth research on the English Channel, the Panama Canal, and the Straits of Gibraltar, uncovering their significance.
Year 5 also had a geography focus in their Come Learn With Me, creating Earth sun catchers with their families. Thank you to those parents/carers who were able to join us. We hope you had as much fun as the children did.
Thank you to all the children who have already completed geography and EYFS projects. The quality of outcomes has been incredible. If your child has not yet created a project, there is still plenty of time. Project ideas can be found in the classes sections of the school website and are on display in classroom windows.
We are designers!
We are designers!
We were thrilled to receive over 100 entries to the Earlybird Designs 'Thinking of You Week' card competition. The children showed their creativity with a wide range of designs to make others happy.
All entries are now on display in the Earlybird Designs shop window on Church Street. Customers at the shop will be able to vote for their favourite design until Sunday 6th October. The winner will receive an art prize from the school AND have their design professionally printed and sold in the Earlybird Designs shop. All profits will be donated to a local charity, which the winner will be able to choose.
Good luck everyone!
Our Eco Leaders and a team of KS2 children collaborated to create eight benches for our Wellbeing Garden using reclaimed wood, nails, hammers and small power tools, under the supervision of the workers from Woodshop of Recycled Delights. The benches will be used to take our learning outside as well as for relaxing with a good book and spending quality time with each other during play and lunchtimes.
We are musicians!
We are musicians!
The children have been showing amazing focus, responsibility and creativity in their music lessons over the last few weeks. Reception have been enjoying singing and moving together, Year 1 and Year 2 have been playing the ukulele, Year 3 have started learning the flute, Year 4 and Year 5 have been focusing on developing their listening and composition skills, and Year 6 has continued with its small group instrumental lessons.
Grazebrook Parent Staff Association (PSA)
Grazebrook Parent Staff Association (PSA)
For those new to our community, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the Parent-Staff Association (PSA) and emphasise the vital role it plays in supporting our children.
What is the PSA, and why is it important?
The Grazebrook School PSA is a registered charity working independently to raise funds for the benefit of our school. Its mission is to strengthen the connection between school, staff, and home through:
Funding enrichment programmes, including Anti-Bullying Week, the annual school pantomime trip, new play equipment, and more.
Building community, by bringing together parents, caregivers, staff, and friends socially and to fundraise, through events like the Winter and Summer Fairs.
Who is part of the PSA?
The Committee: A small, elected leadership team that coordinates PSA activities and focuses its efforts.
General membership: Every parent or caregiver with a child at Grazebrook is automatically part of the PSA. To get more involved, whether by staying informed or volunteering, you can:
Attend a PSA meeting: These informal and enjoyable sessions are opportunities to share ideas and plan fundraising events. You don’t need to be a Committee member to attend or volunteer. The PSA would especially love to encourage more male family members to participate.
Join the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/D1jA79fCYwR6UGaegiIKHS
Follow the PSA on Instagram: www.instagram.com/grazebrookfamilies
Join the first PSA meeting of the year on 11th October:
The PSA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Friday, 11th October, at 9am in the school staff room. All are welcome to come along, share ideas, and discuss how to raise and spend PSA funds, as well as vote in new Committee members.
Many current Committee members are completing their two-year terms, and the PSA is encouraging parents/carers, particularly those new to the school, to consider applying to be a candidate for some of these roles. Key positions include Chair/Co-Chair, Treasurer, Communications Officer, and Secretary. If you can bring fresh ideas, and dedicate a little time, let the PSA know your interest, at grazebrookpsa@gmail.com.
I am incredibly grateful for the ongoing support the PSA receives from families. The programmes they fund have a direct impact on your child’s experience at school. Please consider supporting this valuable organisation by volunteering your time, attending events, offering donations, or hand-raising to become a Committee member.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our school community.
Key Contacts
Key Contacts
If you have any queries regarding your child's learning, the first point of contact is your child's class teacher. You can speak to them at the end of the day or contact our school office to arrange a phone call or face-to-face meeting. At times, you may wish to contact the member of staff in charge of your child's year group. At Grazebrook, these are:
Nursery and Reception: Ms Kelly O'Callaghan (EYFS Leader)
Year 1 and Year 2: Ms Caireann Conlon (Assistant Headteacher)
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6: Ms Simone Bunbury (Deputy Headteacher)
SENCo: Ms Caireann Conlon
All email queries, including those for the attention of a class teacher or school leader, should be sent to gboffice@newwavefederation.co.uk in the first instance with the addressee and/or topic in the subject line. These will be forwarded to the relevant member of staff.
Page updated
Report abuse