| Key Events | Date |
| Weekly Tours for prospective parents (please book on the website) | Wednesdays 9.15am |
| Secondary School Application Deadline (do not miss this!) | Sunday 31st October |
| October Half term | 25th – 29th October |
| Year 6 Sayers’ Croft residential | 1st-5th November |
| Years 1-5 Assessment week | 8th – 12th November |
| Anti-bullying week | 15th November |
| SEND Meetings | 22nd – 26th November |
Laurels Update
This week, we received the brilliant news that Brookfield has been awarded Artsmark Platinum! This is in recognition of the inspiring arts provision children experience and our outreach work to support other schools. Sincere thanks to Emily (Year 5 teacher and Arts Lead) for her commitment to this role. Artmark assessed that:
‘Brookfield is an arts rich setting, committed to utilising the Arts as a means of improving learning and the school environment. Your experience has led you to be an influencer of other teachers and settings. You are now a lead school in arts integration within Camden. Your FAB ambassador’s initiative allows you to ensure young people’s voices are heard as you plan projects and consider their impacts. Your connections to other settings and your influence across Camden are very impressive.’
It was a delight to see our year 2 children performing for their parents and carers celebrating all they have learned in West African Drumming lessons this half term. Thanks to our wonderful teacher, Tanya, and the families who were able to attend.
Thanks to all the families who came to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) costume swap and bake sale last Friday – what a joy to be together as a community. The PTA will also be selling pumpkins on Chester Road this week and we have enjoyed seeing the children in costumes today.
As we prepare for the half term break ahead, I wish all our families a lovely Autumnal week. We will also be thinking of our Hindu, Jain and Sikh families preparing to celebrate Diwali on Thursday 4th November. we look forward to welcoming children back to school on Monday 1st November.
Safeguarding Update
As part of our half termly safeguarding assemblies at Brookfield, the children have been learning about rail safety. This has been in response to the very high level of trespassing on the tracks by young people in the local area. Network Rail in partnership with Learn Live are working to help raise awareness to students across the UK educating them about the dangers of the train tracks through interactive digital delivery.
For more information and child friendly videos on this subject, please visit the following website:
After School Club
We have been trying to upload the booking form for next half term onto the website today, but we have experienced a technical error. We have taken steps to fix the glitch on the website, and will endeavour to upload it as quickly as possible during half term, and will be in touch to let you know you can book. We’re sorry for the delay.
Eco-Schools
I am excited to share with you that Brookfield have made the decision to work towards Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation (https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/)! The Eco-Schools programme focuses on empowering young people to lead environmental education and action in their school, local community and beyond. It does this by providing a simple, seven-step framework that turns pupils into forward-thinking, decision-making, planet-protectors. Everybody at Brookfield will be involved in making our school a more eco-friendly place. However, I am looking for an eco-committee of around 30 children to lead us on our journey to the Green Flag. If your child is interested in this, they need to complete an application form and return it to me (Amy) on Monday 1st November (or the following week for Year 6). I look forward to reading all of your applications!
Amy – Eco-Coordinator
The Annual School Flu Vaccination for Children in Reception to Year 6
Last week, a letter and consent form were sent home regarding flu vaccinations which will take place at school on Thursday 11th of November. All parents must complete and return the form indicating if they would like their child to receive the vaccine or not. This vaccination is recommended to help protect your child against flu. Flu can be an unpleasant illness and sometimes causes serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable family and friends by preventing the spread of flu.
Spare letters and consent forms are available in the school office or can be downloaded from the newsletter today.
For further information and Influenza Leaflet see:www.nhs.uk/child-flu
Forest School
We are excited to be partnering up with the Hampstead Heath Education Team as part of our forest school provision. Next half term, each class will be having an hour long session at the ‘Secret Garden’ on Hampstead Heath. Please ensure that they are dressed warmly and in appropriate footwear. If you would like any support with clothing etc please speak to Rosie in the office.
Year 3: Thursday 11th November
Year 5 :Thursday18th November
Year 6: Monday 22nd November
Year 2: Tuesday 16th November
Year1: Thursday 2nd December
We are really looking forward to the sessions!
Camden Message for Parents at Camden Primary & Secondary Schools
Please see the attached letter from Camden about Covid-19 precautions over the half term:
Food Vouchers
If you receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support and have dependent children under 18, or if your child attends a Camden school and receives free school meals, you should receive a letter about supermarket vouchers to support the cost of food over half-term. If you have any problems redeeming the voucher, please call 0344 693 9901 or complete the online contact form at select-your-reward.co.uk/ContactUs. If you don’t have access to the internet or can’t download the voucher, your local library or children’s centre can help. If you need additional help accessing food, have money worries or haven’t received a letter but think you’re eligible, call Camden Council on 020 7974 4444 (option 9).
Year 3 Shadow Puppet Show
In Year 3, we have been exploring the innovative Ancient Egyptians in History and the wonders of light and shadow in Science. We have created some beautiful work of a shadow puppet show, using Ancient Egyptian characters, serious singing, lots of smiles and an AMAZING set by Fern’s Kerryanne to bring our Science and History learning to life. We hope you enjoy Group 5’s performance!
Daisy class Design Technology Project
For Design and Technology Daisy class made a healthy snack for their favourite PE teachers Arron and Haseeb. We thought hard about what food and tools we would need to use to prepare our snack. Then we made a plan about how we would prepare and present our Rainbow Snack with 3 dips!
Year 4 Forest School
Year 4 Ivy class went to forest school yesterday – it was amazing! We used GPS trackers to navigate to different targets (such as trees and benches). We also took pictures of nature in the secret garden! We had a tremendous amount of fun!
Book of the Week
I have been reading to my daughter, Maia Nunes Roberts (Catkin nursery), books from the series Little People, BIG DREAMS. She loves these and honestly they have taught us BOTH about remarkable people in our world today and yesterday (Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Charles Darwin to name just a few).
This series is valuable and could be an inspiration to children in so many ways , I believe it could even nurture future Mayas, Martins and even Gretas (Thurnberg) from Brookfield!
Thanks for your time in reading my suggestion!
Andrew Roberts
Music Update
Junior Choir: There are still a few places left for the Junior Choir (Y3 – Y6) on Thursday evenings from 3.30 – 4.30pm, starting on Thursday 4th November. Please email by Monday 1st November if your child would like a place.
Thank you to Tulsi’s Mum for coming in and teaching the whole year group a song from France and for playing the viola to us all. The children really enjoyed it and did some fantastic singing.
Sayers Croft Year 6 Residential
We are really looking forward to the year 6 trip to Sayers Croft. Here are a few handy reminders:
- The trip takes place straight after half term: 1st-5th November.
- The coach leaves at 8.30am- please arrive at the front of the school building for 8.15am. Please note- the clocks go back on the 31st of October.
- NO SWEETS OR SNACKS- please do not send your child in with any sweets, crisps etc. We have a number of children with severe nut allergies and because of this, we are being very strict about what children can and cannot bring. We will provide your children with snacks and there is also a tuck shop available on the night of the disco where children can buy items. There is also no food allowed on the coach- water is fine.
- Medication- if you are sending your child in with medication that they do not usually have at school, you must fill out a form in the office in the morning. Medication must be clearly labelled with your child’s name and class.
- No electronic devices- including phones, ipads etc.
- Please check the list of ‘what to bring’ which is attached to this email. I have also attached the PowerPoint which was shared in the recent Sayers Croft presentation.
- Please ensure you have paid Carole in the office by 1/11/21. Please speak to Faye if you have any concerns about payment as we can support.
If you do have any questions, please email Faye: f.winslade@brookfield.camden.sch.uk
Doynton Street Garden Party
Last term we received funding from Powered-Up North London to renovate the wildlife garden at the end of Doynton Street so that we can use it for nature based learning activities. Ricky and his team from Wood that Works have done a wonderful job fixing and upcycling the wooden planters and pond area and creating benches for the children. This wonderful wildlife haven is managed by the local resident’s association who have generously offered to share the space with us. The resident’s association will be holding a garden party this Saturday 23rd October from 2pm. Brookfield families are very welcome to come along on Saturday to enjoy the space.
Yogababies
Babies are naturally little yogis … and our course is inclusive of all babies with all abilities. This is an 8-week goodie bag filled with tips on sleep, baby signing, back care for the parents, fun ways to hold your baby to allow them freedom of movement and to support their development through wonderful postures. The emphasis is on your baby, though you will also get treated to some lovely stretches, and, by week 3 the aim is to end each class with a deep relaxation for you both – with the help of my magical rain stick. Classes are best suited to babies from 3 months to active crawling. Why not join our next course starting on November 4th at the Royal Free Recreation Club, NW3. For each person who signs up using the code PTAgift, I will donate £5 to your PTA fund. For more information please email jay@yogababies.co.uk
Here at Yogababies we also provide wonderful lessons in antenatal and postnatal yoga, birthing sessions, baby massage and Yoga for Children with Special Needs. For more information on any of our courses please visit www.yogababies.co.uk
PTA News
Halloween trail
On the 31st we will be running the Halloween trail, like last year’s successful event. Some homes will be providing refreshments, but you can opt to simply have a pumpkin display. Please enter your address here to take part, and email us if you want to be a refreshment stop.
- Add your address here
- Here’s the current map
Order emails error
Due to a website upgrade, a whole bunch of old PTA product orders were changed to ‘completed’, which auto-generated lots of emails. If you received one of these, please do ignore. Apologies for any confusion.
Pumpkin carving competition
Get your pumpkin from school, and enter our photo competition. Carve your pumpkin, take a photo and send it to the PTA email (see below).
The best entries will be on the school website and we’ll find a fun prize for the winner.
LASTLY
Still on the lookout for a new co-chair / PTA Secretary, and also BE A REP IF YOU CAN…
email us on brookfieldschoolpta@gmail.com