Events this week…
Thursday – Open Afternoon 2pm – 7pm
Curriculum news
Open Afternoon
This Thursday afternoon, between 2pm – 7.00pm, we are really looking forward to meeting with you all to discuss how your child is settling into his/her new class. If you haven’t yet signed up for a slot, please could you see your child’s class teacher asap – there are still some slots available. The PTA will be providing refreshments in the lower hall and a crèche will be available in the library and the computing suite.
Launch of our new Website
Next week, we will be launching our new Brookfield website which Rob Minto (one of our parents) has very kindly created. The website will be mobile and tablet friendly and has several new features -including a twitter feed.
Sophie (new admin assistant) will ensure it remains up to date with all the latest news, feeds and pictures. If you have any feedback on the website, do email us on: admin@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Pupil Progress Reviews
Last Friday, we began the first of our Pupil Progress Reviews where we began to reflect on children’s progress and to set academic targets for this coming year. The meetings also allowed us an opportunity to speak to staff about how the changes have impacted on their roles and responsibilities and it became clearly evident just how much harder everybody is having to work. At my headteacher’s update, parents quite rightly expressed concerns for the staff and asked what they could do to help.
Next term, we will be requesting additional help with volunteering – it will take time to set up but in the meantime, do please continue to remain positive and appreciative of our wonderful staff.
New co PTA chair needed
If you are interested in helping to co chair the PTA, please get in touch with Eliane (current chair) on brookfieldschoolpta@gmail.com
We’d love somebody else to help – it’s a wonderful opportunity and a very rewarding role.
Other news
Rock n’ Roll Rodeo
Many thanks to all those who turned up last Thursday for a fantastic foot stomping time at our Rock’n’Roll Rodeo. Everybody looked splendid, dressed up in their cowboy / Rock’n’Roll outfits and there was some exuberant dancing, tasty refreshments and lots of fun activities for everybody to enjoy.
A big thank you extends to Anna, Tabitha and Ali for doing a tremendous job organising and setting up the event, to Millie and the Millionaires for a brilliant Rock n’Roll set, to Paul and Joelle for some great 50’s dance moves, Derek for all his help on the night, Junior for some yummy pizza and macaroni cheese and to all the parents/carers who gave up their time to help set up and run a stall. In all we raised approximately £3000 which will go towards providing a wide range of extra – curricular activities at the school. Some photographs and a video will be posted onto our new website and we will be screening the video during Open Afternoon in the lower hall.
Sports News
Y4 parents, please remember to send in your child with a swim cap for swimming lessons. Tomorrow, the school netball team have their last
fixtures of the league. We will finish by 5pm and return to school by 5.10pm.
Also, tomorrow the first pre school run on the heath commences: 8am sharp, Highgate Rd entrance next to Bistro Laz. All are welcome and it is a run for all abilities and ages. Wednesday 11th Oct, selected y4 children will take part in a ‘mixed school’ bench ball competition held at Talacre straight after school. Please return collection slips asap!
Life is like a camera, you focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negative and if thing’s don’t work out just take another shot.
Wise old Haseeb
Clubs News
Last Friday, a clubs letter was sent out for next half term’s clubs and reply slips are expected back by this Friday 13th October. A small charge is going to be made for a half term’s block of clubs (£20 per half term), although children eligible for Pupil Premium will continue to receive these for free.
Sophie has done a great job setting these up and I am really grateful to all the staff and outside organisations who are involved in supporting these.
News from the office
Letting people in
Please would you refrain from letting people behind them via the main front gate. We have had severalpeople follow people into the building and whilst it is very polite to hold open the door for somebody else, it poses a potential security risk to the school.
Feedback from Soft Starts
Many thanks to all those who have been feeding back to us regarding the soft starts. Overall, the feeling is at this has been a positive move and that the children (both infants and juniors) have coped extremely well with the change and gained valuable learning time in class and a smoother and more settled start to the day. The biggest concern has focused on relaying messages to class teachers and less opportunities to mingle with staff and one another. If you have a message to pass onto the class teacher first thing, this can be done via email at the addresses below or through one of the members of staff / SLT stationed in the playground at the start of the day.
Email addresses are as follows:
Charlotte – C.Pearson@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Daisy – D.Bodley@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Sus – S.March@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Georgina – G.Hovanessian@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Seren – s.quested@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Kate – k.nightingale@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Laura – l.smale@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Michelle – M.Molloy@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Gemma – g.williams@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Lucy – l.winser@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Faye – f.winslade@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Cassie – c.rogers@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Carla – c.wallington@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Emily – e.price@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Olly – o.pick@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Louise – l.gaunson@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Barnaby – b.howes@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Katie – k.fraserthomas@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Please can I remind you, that adults should refrain from making their way up stairs at the start of the day when staff are trying to settle the children. Some useful suggestions have been made regarding finding ways to retain the special community vibe that the school has – thank you. If you have any further suggestion to make, please email us at: admin@brookfield.camden.sch.uk or speak to one of the senior leaders in the playgrounds. We hope to promote and implement some of these suggestion in due course.
Hurricane Appeal from Tamatha (LSA and parent)
As you may be aware, the Caribbean has been subjected to several high-force hurricanes in recent weeks with devastating effects. Having lived out there for several years and maintaining close links with the island of Dominica, it is extremely distressing to witness the level of destruction wreaked on the place, the wildlife and people (population is 70,000+), particularly those in more remote areas, who have been cut off with no roof, power, food or clean water for weeks. Many have lost their homes and possessions, roads and bridges are damaged or destroyed, and there have been floods and mudslides causing loss of property and life, The island state’s main economic activities of agriculture and eco-tourism have been decimated. A State of Emergency was declared some days ago by the Prime Minister as a result of the impact of the hurricane. Some of my loved ones are not yet accounted for, almost 3 weeks after the disaster, which is extremely worrying.
I have purchased supplies myself to be sent as part of the general relief drive and have also volunteered at the High Commission in London at the weekend to sort and pack donated items for shipment and distribution. People have been very generous so far but the need is so great at this time that more still needs to be done. To this end, I am currently fundraising for the official Dominica Hurricane Maria Relief Fund, managed by the High Commission. To date I have raised over £500 through bucket collection and am planning to stand at the playground gates on Friday after school to continue with these efforts. Please bring some spare change with you when picking up your child(ren) and help me help the people of Dominica get back on their feet after this terrible ordeal. Thanks in advance!