Coughs and Colds Don't Stop us!

As always, it's been a super busy week here at the HQ. Unfortunately, coughs, colds, sore throats and tummy bugs seem to have been plaguing us recently so a very big, ''Get well soon'' to all of those children who've been poorly and had to stay at home. We look forward to you all returning, fit and healthy, this week. Resilience is definitely on the rise and it's been my privilege this week to walk into each classroom and see the children's confidence and skills progressing at a remarkable rate. From our youngest Reception children, who are reading their first words, to our eldest Year 6s focusing on the technicalities of English grammar, everyone is challenging themselves and finding personal success. What an impressive lot you Bardwellians are!

Mrs B

'The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart.'

First on the agenda was the poster competition that the School Council are running jointly with the Parish Council. The children have been asked to create posters, that will be professionally published, to educate adults in picking up their own dog's mess. As a school, we were keen to be involved as it's often our children who suffer because of irresponsible actions. It's also a great opportunity for the children to learn that giving their time, effort and talent can be financially rewarding. We donate often to charities but this time the children are creating posters for VERY big prize money! Look out for an A3 design sheet coming home very soon.

It's getting colder and we don't do staying indoors at Bardwell! Please make sure that your child wears or has available at all times, warm clothes. Hats, coats, thermals under trousers and jumpers are all recommended as we move into the colder months. Puddle suits or waterproof trousers are always welcome. Thin leggings and shorts are not suitable for our outdoor, active curriculum which happens all day, every day - not just on Wild Passport days. Because our pupils go out to play in all weathers, it is important you provide a full change of clothing too in a named bag, to be kept in school. Please ensure this includes underwear including socks and pants. Some muddle puddles are quite deep!

Suffolk County Council have asked us to confirm all FSM eligible families for their Holiday Activities & Food vouchers for the Christmas holidays. Note that this is for funded activities NOT the supermarket voucher scheme.

You should receive your HAF voucher on or around 28th November. The Suffolk HAF website has more information about available activities.

If you would like to take advantage of funded holiday programmes but lack, for example, the means to pay for your petrol or transport, we'd encourage you to apply for funding through the Bardwell Charities Fund. See their information elsewhere in this newsletter.

If you'd like help making an application, please ask Mrs Allman for her confidential support.

Gifts for Teachers at the end of year- A Huge Thank You! to all the donations in lieu of presents for teachers at the end of year - We are really pleased to say that we raised £150. All of this will be deposited into the PTA account and re-invested for the benefit of the children through trips and special one off purchases for the classes.

Great news! We’ve already raised £128.87 with easyfundraising. If you’ve already signed up, please keep remembering to use easyfundraising every time you shop online! If not, please help us raise more by signing up at: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bardwellsch/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pmc&utm_content=fb-4

Scholastic's Travelling Book Fair will be visiting the school from 24th-29th November (sales after school from Monday 27th to Wednesday 29th November). Children can browse and buy books with a percentage of all sales then donated to the school for book purchases for our library.

It's an ideal time to stock up on Christmas presents! View the brochure here.

The PTA will be hosting and running this event - please help out if you can.

Gipping Valley Sports Partnership Christmas holiday programme

Friday 22 December

9.30am-12.00pm Nerf and Laser Tag

12.30pm-3.00pm Nerf and Laser Tag

(All day 9.30-3.00pm-bring packed lunch)

Ages: 5 – 12 yrs

Venue: Thurston Community College (IP31 3PB)

£10 per workshop

www.gvtssp.org

Please ensure you are keeping up to date with your payments for the Y5/Y6 residential. To see how much you owe, please go to your child's Arbor account and select 'Trips'. We are about to pay the most recent PGL invoice so need to have income from parents/carers in order to cover this. We will require full and final payment by 28th February 2024, so please bear this in mind when budgeting to schedule your payments.

Please contact me, confidentially, if you have any concerns about making your payments in time.

Please also see the information later in the newsletter about the Bardwell Charities local fund that is available to Bardwell pupils. We encourage you to apply if necessary and I am happy to help you with your application letter.

Mrs Allman

Please ensure your child has a healthy snack with them on any days that they are booked into After School Club. They are likely to be hungry at the end of the the school day.

Please take the time to check for any uniform items that do not belong to your child. We have a couple of families that are seeking mislaid, but named, sweatshirts.

Many thanks.

The dates below have been set for the full academic year but are subject to change. Please keep an eye on the newsletter and your email for any date/time changes and for additional events.

Autumn Term (event, year group(s), day, date, time)

PTA Scholastic Book Fair, All, After school 27th-29th November, details elsewhere in newsletter.

Flu immunisations, all (that have consent), Friday, 01/12/23.

Christingle Service in Church, All, Thursday, 07/12/23, 1.15pm

Nativity - NEW DATES - December 18th and 19th.

Spring Term (event, year group(s), day, date, time)

SCC deadline to apply for a 2024 primary school place, Pre-school, Monday, 15/01/24,

National offer day (secondary), Y6, Friday, 01/03/24,

Easter Service in Church, All, Thursday, 28/03/24, 1.15pm

National offer day (primary), Pre-school, Tuesday, 16/04/24,

Residential Y5/Y6 (returning on Friday), Y5/Y6, Wednesday, 22/05/24,

Swimming lessons, Y2-Y6, Day to be confirmed - children will need hat, goggles, swimming costume

Summer Term (event, year group(s), day, date, time)

SET Ixworth Y6 into Y7 Meet the Tutor evening, Y6, Thursday, 13/06/24, 4pm to 7pm

Sports Day , All, Friday, 14/06/24, 1.30pm

Sports Day reserve date (if weather is poor), All, Friday, 21/06/24, 1.30pm

Transition day 1 of 2 SET Ixworth, Y6, Tuesday, 25/6/24,

Transition day 2 of 2 SET Ixworth, Y6, Wednesday, 26/6/24,

Transition Day TCC Day 1 of 2 (and Parents' Evening), Y6, Wednesday, 10/07/24,

Transition Day TCC Day 2 of 2 (and Parents' Evening), Y6, Thursday, 11/07/24,

Leavers' Trip, Y6, Tuesday, 16/07/24,

Leavers' Service at Church , All, Thursday, 18/07/24, 1.15pm

Our Term Dates for the next academic year are now available - these are also on the school calendar on the website and on Parents & Carers>Term Dates page. Please ask the office staff if you would like a paper copy.

Monday - Cooking

Tuesday - Computing

Wednesday - Board Games & Trading Cards (coming to an end very soon)

Thursday - Art OR Football with Mr Newman

There are always opportunities at ASC for physical play, art and games. Children will be encouraged to take part in the themed activity but can always choose to spend their time on alternative activities if they wish.

Please note that if your child is not going to attend a club that you have booked for (either Breakfast or After School Club), you need to contact the office staff to cancel the place, otherwise you will still be charged.

This will allow us to free up the space for another pupil.

Don't forget to provide a healthy snack for your child to have at ASC.

You may be aware that we have a large minibus taxi transporting some of our pupils to and from school. We have an established risk assessment with the taxi company and Suffolk County Council's transport safeguarding team, developed to ensure the safety of transported children, drivers, staff and other families. This states:

• the minibus has to drop off and pick up children at the gate entrance to meet a member of staff for handover
• in the morning they drop off between 8.30-8.35am and leave promptly at 8.35am
• in the afternoon, they may wait along School Lane, then pick up promptly at 3.30pm.

The taxi takes priority for access at the gate during these times, so we ask that all other families are aware of this and time their entrance to / exit from school accordingly.

The school premises open at 8.35am to all pupils.

We have been asked by one of the trustees of the Bardwell Charities fund to encourage our families to apply for financial support. They've said,

"There is money available whether for trips, music lessons, uniform or other need.
Please DO encourage parents/carers to apply."

You might, for example, wish to request some help with the Y5/Y6 residential, or with HAF holiday programme activities. All you need to do is write a short email explaining:

• that you are resident in and/or have a pupil educated in Bardwell
• what the need is and why it is important for your family/child.

Send your email to bardwellcharities@btinternet.com

If you would like any help with your request, please ask Mrs Allman who is happy to help and will keep all information you share with her confidential.

To find out more, please visit our webpage at:

http://bardwellcharities.onesuffolk.net/

New Animation Video

An introduction to the school nursing service, the support we provide and how to get in contact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmrr9zFT6tk

ChatHealth

Young people- If you are aged between 11 and 19, you can confidentially text ChatHealth to ask for help about a range of issues or make an appointment with a school nurse. You can also find out how to access other local services including emotional support or sexual health services.

Parents-If you are a parent or carer of a young person, you can use ChatHealth to seek help, advice or support about a range of issues which maybe affecting you or your child.

Text a School Nurse on 07507 333356. Texts are charged at your standard network rate. The service is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, excluding bank holidays.

Website

Visit the newly updated School Nursing website where you will find lots of information, resources and videos www.suffolk.gov.uk/schoolnursing or via the QR code.

Suffolk School Nursing Service

Health Business Centre

Allington Clinic, 427 Woodbridge Rd, Ipswich, IP4 4ER

Directorate of Health, Wellbeing and Children’s Services

Suffolk County Council

Tel: 0345 607 8866 Email: childrenshealth@suffolk.gov.uk

We’ve registered Bardwell Primary School - Bury St Edmunds with #easyfundraising, which means over 7,000 brands will now donate to us for FREE every time you use #easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long.

We usually receive a cheque every month for around £25 thanks to your purchases online!

Thank you for supporting Bardwell School PTA

We would like to let all new families know (and remind others) that the Dun Cow pub on Up Street warmly invites you to use their car park at drop off and pick up times - marked green below. The walk from there to school is under 5 minutes. Thank you to Alan and Denise for this continuing offer.

You may also park near the Church porch from where there is a footpath that comes out to School Lane next to the Windmill.

Please ensure that if you park along School Lane you do not block any driveways and avoid the residents' parking spaces at 25-43 School Lane (marked red below, parking in the green spaces is fine).

If you need to contact the school with feedback or a comment/query, please ensure you speak to your child's class teacher or send a confidential email to bardwell@tilian.org.uk marked for their attention.

We like to ensure that we have at least two emergency contacts on record for each child at the school. Please check your Arbor record and let us know if you need to add or amend any of your 'Guardian' contacts.

Please also remember to update any other changes, e.g. a new doctor's surgery or a change in contact number for a guardian.

Wednesday 15th - Coffee Morning, 10.30am-midday

Sunday 19th - Morning Worship, 10am

Bardwell Church is open every day from 9am to 5pm for private prayer or reflection.

www.bardwellchurch.org

Suffolk County Music Service has asked us to share details of their Youth Brass Band and Junior Jazz orchestra.

These groups have a season of 12 full rehearsal days over the course of the year and will get the chance to work with our professional tutors and special guest musicians on high level Big Band and Brass Band repertoire.

• Suffolk Youth Brass Band is aimed at musicians of grade 4 standard and above.
• Suffolk Youth Jazz Orchestra is aimed at musicians of grade 5 standard and above.

Both groups are for musicians aged 21 and under.

These ensembles will provide a great opportunity for young musicians to take their musical skills to another level and make music with like-minded people and establish new friends.

There will be a performance opportunity in February 2024 for both groups along with workshop opportunities with professional guest musicians towards the end of the season.

One of our SYJO members from last season quoted ‘I have had a brilliant year with SYJO. I have met and played with some fantastic musicians. This has offered me unique opportunities and I have gained so much more self-confidence’

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X6vcCgXY4Sx_4yuGEXOdgq3z45aJZ636/view?usp=sharing

Bardwell is an inclusive school where children are treated with equality and their individuality celebrated. Our school’s active uniform plays a key role in promoting pride, self-confidence, and a feeling of belonging. We strongly believe that this contributes to the children's well being, removing the additional pressures of deciding what to wear and the added stress of meeting the expectations of peers. In an ever increasing world of social pressure for young people, our uniform removes the points of difference between students and provides a greater focus on school based activities and learning. Therefore, in the interests of equality;

● Active uniforms should be worn at all times

● Spare clothes should be our active uniform NOT home clothes

● Hairstyles must not attract undue attention

● No make-up

● Piercings and jewellery should be discreet and safe to wear, e.g. single studs in ears.

Your child can wear any one of the six Cog colours (red, royal blue, navy blue, green, yellow, purple) as their polo shirt, OR a white one. These are the only acceptable colours for the polo shirt. Please note that the polo shirts do NOT need to have the Bardwell logo on but the sweatshirts MUST.

Colourful polo shirts are available in the school uniform ranges of all the major supermarkets. Logo'd polo shirts (white) and sweatshirts (all colours) are available only from our uniform supplier, Gooddies.

As always, children are also welcome to wear gingham dresses, in any of the six Cog colours, during any term.

This month's issue covers Roblox and TikTok, amongst other topics. More details inside the November 2023 Knowsley Online Safety Newsletter (Word format) for Bardwell School.

We are very keen to have children attending school if they are well enough. Please have a look at this NHS advice if you are unsure.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

If your child is ill, you must phone into the school before 9am, giving a reason for the absence ('unwell' is not sufficient), leave a voicemail if you need to. Please do not email in for absence.

We recommend that you are familiar with the Tilian Attendance Policy.

We are an allergy aware school and would like to remind all families that there may be pupils in school with a peanut allergy. If a child with a peanut allergy comes into contact with peanuts, or with a pupil who has eaten peanuts, then this could lead to an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction to a trigger such as an allergy.

Because of this the school cannot accept products containing peanuts to be provided in lunch boxes or for eating at other times.

Suffolk County Council has asked us to share with families their updated 'Cost Of Living Support' information.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals throughout primary school. This could save you approximately £484 per year.

​

To check or apply online, visit: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals/

​

Check if you're eligible

Your child will get free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit but no element of Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190

• If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work fewer hours per week

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month), as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
  

To check if your child is eligible, apply online for an immediate response or call 01473 260989.

We encourage you to apply, because the school receives additional funding (Pupil Premium) for all children on income-related Free School Meals.

​

Email: bardwell@tilian.org.uk
Website: https://www.bardwell.org.uk/
Location: School Lane, Bardwell, Bury Saint Edmunds IP31 1AD, UK
Phone: 01359 250854
Twitter: @BardwellPrimary