Diary
Laurel’s update
Our week began with performances for our junior children by the Little Angel Theatre. The children were inspired by the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to go into space. See pictures and further information below.
The sound of children’s voices have been filling the corridors as classes rehearse for their festive singing on Monday morning, listen out if you are passing the school! Children are invited to wear colourful or festive clothes. We are also looking forward to the Christmas lunch on Wednesday and the PTA’s Winter Wanderland the following weekend. I am so grateful for the enthusiasm of children, parents, carers and staff as we enjoy the festivities and final weeks of this term.
Road safety: Junior parents may have noticed an initiative this week to improve road safety at drop off and pick up times. Please discuss at home, the importance of using the zebra crossing to keep us all safe.
Dinner money: this half term’s dinner money is £81.60 – please pay by Friday 18th December.
Year 6 update
Unfortunately, the Sayer’s Croft team have been in touch to cancel the January booking in light of COVID restrictions. While this is a disappointment for us all, we are already planning a summer Forest School themed camping trip for our year 6 children – more details to follow!
During parents evening, many of you were asking how to best support your children with their learning at home and also, to clarify the homework expectations. We hope this helps:
Maths: Each child has an account for Hegarty Maths. To access this, they must know their full name, birthday and password (which they have set up themselves). Every Thursday, a new task will be set and children are expected to have completed this by the following Tuesday. If your child has forgotten their password, please email year6@brookfield.camden.sch.uk so it can be reset. For extra maths, please see the CGP books available from most bookshops!
Reading: Children are expected to read at least 5 times per week for at least 20 minutes at a time. They should be logging their daily reading in their Reading Diary and writing one extended comment each week about the book. Please do help your child to choose ambitious and varied texts that they enjoy, and commit to reading all they way through to the end! If reading becomes a chore, reading aloud to your child and discussing the book is a hugely valuable experience- do feel free to do this as much as you can. For some great book recommendations for 9-11 year-olds visit:
SPAG: In January, we will be introducing online grammar and spelling homework using the website spag.com’ Children will be given their own login details and will be set weekly tasks to complete. Children are expected to practise their weekly spellings from the Autumn Term Spelling List. The children are familiar with a range of different strategies that can help them practise their spellings, e.g. ‘look, say, cover, write, check’ and ‘box-it-up’. All the relevant documents can be found here. Spellings are recapped every morning in class and children are quizzed on them every Thursday.
Carol Singing – Monday 7th December – and Y3 song
Every class has been learning a Festive Song which they will be singing to the rest of the school on Monday 7th December (weather permitting!). Each year group will sing their song in the three playgrounds as the rest of the school listen inside the building. Children have the option to come into school wearing colourful clothes, eg Christmas jumpers, hats etc. We hope that it will be a really enjoyable day for all the school and that neighbours and passers by enjoy the singing!
There is also the opportunity for any year 3 children interested to sing and record a Christmas song composed by year 3 parent, Jill Owen. The hope is to raise money for Brookfield. Further details will come very soon!
Christmas dinner 2020
Christmas dinner this year will be on Wednesday 9th December. For those on packed lunches who wish to have a school dinner on this day please contact the office by Friday 4th December 2020 to book your dinner. The cost is £2.40, payable via ScoPay as usual.
Puppet Show
Thank you to all the parents and carers who have donated towards the KS2 performances from The Little Angel Puppet Theatre. It was a joy to have a live performance in school and the children really loved the show.
The Little Angel Puppet Theatre have a free Advent show called the Christmas Nisse on YouTube – each day the next part of the story is added. Previous day’s videos remain up there if you would like to watch this at home.
Also, it’s not too late to donate – please just click on the button below.
Christmas Cards
Thank you to everyone who made an ordered Christmas cards to help raise money for the school. Some have already arrived and will go home this week. We should get another shipment soon with all the extras!
Special congratulations are also in order for 10 children whose Christmas card designs have been selected as the entries for the Annual Camden Christmas Card Competition! All schools across Camden were asked to submit 10 entries to be judged by Camden representatives.
This year’s Brookfield entries are from: Yasin (Catkin), Zach (Daisy), Sofia (Dandelion), Hector (Bramble), Mae
(Bramble), Thomas (Ivy), Eva (Willow), Theo (Ash), Clara (Elm) and Iris (Elm).
The winning Camden pupil will receive a £50 voucher and their picture will be used as the official Christmas card for the Leader of the Council, Councillor Georgia Gould. Two runners-up will have their card designs used by Camden Learning’s Managing Director, Jon Abbey, and the Council’s Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director (Supporting People), Martin Pratt. Fingers crossed for these talented Brookfield artists!
Christmas Gym Club at Brookfield
Highgate Newtown Gymnastics Club are now taking bookings for the Christmas Gym Club, packed with fun activities on the 21st-23rd December 2020, 9am-4pm for ages 4-13, priced at £30 a day. Activities will be taught by British Gymnastics qualified coaches and will include gymnastics, freestyle/parkour, multisport and fitness type challenges with Blaze Pods, arts and crafts, Christmas games and much more!
To secure a space email us: hngymnasticsclub@gmail.com.

Winter camp at Brookfield
Fit for Sport are running a Winter Holiday Camp at Brookfield from Monday 21st December – Wednesday 23rd December – more information available here.
Fit For Sport accept Childcare vouchers and support Tax Credits. Please call Fit For Sport on 020 8742 4990 for further information. Take advantage of Fit For Sport’s 10% early bird discount by quoting ‘WINTER10’ when booking. Valid for a limited time only. More information in the document here:
Wood That Works
A message from Wood That Works:
Dear Brookfield School
For the past few years we have enjoyed making our wooden Christmas toy kits for your school fair. Some of you have asked where you can find us selling this year, given the circumstances. We will be selling our wooden Christmas kits outside Fam on Swain’s Lane on December 12th, 10am – 4pm.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Ricky, Honey and Camilla
(Wood That Works Team)
Toys
Thank you to the Toy Project who delivered these brilliant bags of new toys and books for a some Brookfield children. These have been so gratefully and enthusiastically received. For more information about the work of this local charity please take a look here. If there are any Brookfield families who need some help with affording Christmas toys for their children please email admin@brookfield.camden.sch.uk in confidence.

Also, see the Camden Toy Appeal for this year
PTA NEWS
ADVANCE NOTICE: There’s the opportunity for any year 3 children interested to sing and record a Christmas song composed by year 3 parent, Jill Owen. The hope is to raise money for Brookfield. Further details will come very soon!
RIGHT NOW: There’s so much going on, we’ve put it in a separate news item. Click here for the full run down of Festive plans. Please do take a look – your school needs you.
In brief:
- today is the Bake Sale – opposite Nisa Local – 5pm update – it raised £430 – an amazing total, thank you everyone
- still time to get your Christmas Tree
- Sign up for the Winter W(a)nderland
- Join the wreath workshop and make your own beautiful wreath
- Get shopping on the site for Christmas gifts, and also get Brookfield discounts elsewhere
|| FIND OUT MORE NOW ||