| Key Events | Date |
| INSET day – School Closed to all children | Tuesday 4th January |
| All children return from 8.45am | Wednesday 5th January |
| Open afternoon – parent/carer teacher meetings school closes 1-1.15pm | Thursday 27th January |
| Spring INSET day | Friday 28th January |
| February half term | Monday 14 – Friday 18 April |
| Last day of Spring term | Friday 1st April |
Laurel’s Update
Welcome to the final Brookfield newsletter of 2021! Sincere thanks to our Brookfield children, staff and families who have made this such a memorable term.
Last Saturday’s Winter Fair organisied by our amazing Parent Teacher Association was a joyous community event featuring brilliant musical performances including our infant and junior choirs. Thank you to children, parents, carers and staff for making this such a success.
While we have missed absent children and staff we have still managed to have a joyous week which has included: Elm class’ visit to see & Juliet, the year 2 performance of A Jolly Postman and our Reception classes sharing festive songs with parents and carers (see photos below). On Wednesday we enjoyed a Christmas lunch together with festive hats, place mats and tunes. Esme in year 1 commented that it was ‘The best day of my life!’ and Leo in year 1 reported that it was ‘The best meal in the history of school Christmas lunches!’
It just remains to me, to wish you all healthy, happy and restorative Christmas breaks with your gorgeous children. We will look forward to welcoming them back on Wednesday 5th January at the usual times (and with negative lateral flow tests!)
Covid-19 arrangements over the Christmas Break
We hope that everyone stays well throughout the Christmas break, but please let us know if your child receives a positive Lateral Flow Device (LFD) or positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test on either Saturday 18th or Sunday 19th December. Please email admin@brookfield.camden.sch.uk and include your child’s name, class and whether they have tested positive with a LFD or PCR test.
Camden Public Health advise that parents and children take regular LFD tests throughout the Christmas holidays.
On advice from Public Health England, we ask that all children complete an LFD test on Tuesday 4th January, ahead of their return to school on Wednesday 5th January.
If the result of your child’s LFD test is positive:
- Email the school admin@brookfield.camden.sch.uk or leave a message on the absence line 020 7272 9627
- Your child must isolate for 10 days, and you should book a PCR to confirm the result of the positive LFD test
- If the PCR test is positive, it is strongly advised that you book a PCR test for others in your household, including siblings
Thank you for your ongoing help to keep the Brookfield community safe and well. We will send out further information in the event of changing guidance from the government or DfE.
Below is the latest information from Camden regarding Covid-19 in the borough
After School Club
We are excited to share with you our Spring term club offer. Please remember to re-book using the booking system on the website.
Science, Latin & Bridge club only – Please also only sign your child up for a club if they are committed to attending the club for the entire term. This is because these clubs are being run with external providers, children are working on projects and need to complete them fully, As well as this, we have waiting lists for children wanting to attend various clubs and give them the space instead.
We cannot accept bookings if you have any arrears, so please ensure you pay via your scopay account
Reading Advent Calendars
We hope you might enjoy these Reading Advent Calendars as a fun way to promote reading for pleasure with your child this festive season!
Each window reveals a book or poetry recommendation to share, including links to hear them read aloud. We know its already mid December but they are still good fun!
Click on the links below to view.
The Jolly Christmas Postman
On Tuesday, Year 2 did a very special performance of the story ‘The Jolly Christmas Postman’. They worked so hard to learn their parts and the songs, and did a fantastic job acting in front of a live audience. We were so proud of the children and all their hard work and it was lovely share this with friends and family. Well Done Year 2!
Reception Christmas Songs
Our wonderful little reindeers sang their hearts out yesterday performing their Christmas songs. They have worked so hard to learn all the words and actions and they put on an excellent performance! If you would like to see photos and videos of the performance, please check the Conker or Acorn Google Classroom page.
Calling all Local Historians!
In Spring term, year 6 will be studying World War 2 with a particular focus on HOME as our theme for the term. We are really keen to ground this learning for the children by real stories of local history and experiences.
Knowing what an incredible community we have, we would love to particularly hear stories from anyone who has living memory of growing up during the war as a child locally, or indeed anywhere in the UK, or from those who have memories of post war years and the ongoing effects on daily life.
Please email l.gaunson@brookfield.camden.sch.uk if you or anyone you know can help. I’m attaching a picture of Chester Road from 1907 (very pre WW2!) to stir your imaginations of a different time. Do you recognise any houses?
Louise (English and Oracy Lead)
Health and Wellbeing
Please see attached the Christmas resources pack from the ‘Camden Oral Health Intervention Team’ for children and their families.
There is also a free online webinar on January 14th at 1.30pm which offers Dental Advice; please see the attached document for the link.
PTA NEWS
Firstly, thank you to all the parents and carers who have helped run stalls at the Winter Fair, organise bake sales and sell pumpkins, and much more – it’s been a busy term, and it’s hugely appreciated.
Secondly – thanks to all those who have come and taken part! It’s not a bake sale or Winter Fair without anyone turning up, and it makes all the difference. Talking of which…
Winter Fair
A message from Fair organiser (and soon to be ex-Brookfield) Leanne Rivers, who has been an amazing part of the school as a parent, PTA event chief and governor. She will be HUGELY missed.
What a wonderful fair! Thank you all so much for coming and for bringing all your seasonal cheer. The atmosphere was so lovely.
And a very very big thank you to all those who made it happen. Thanks to my army of gazebos builders who answered the call. Thanks to all those who entertained us, kept us fed and watered, ensured Santa had somewhere beautiful and comfy to sit and all the very many other things that went into making the day so brilliant. What a fantastic bunch you are!
And whilst getting together for some community seasonal joy is enough… it’s also rather nice to raise over £3500 for the PTA. Thank you to everyone for that!
Thanks too to the many people and businesses who contributed to the raffle. And lastly, but not least, all the wonderful Brookfield staff who helped so hard to make it happen too. xx
Leanne
New Co-Chair
Great news – Nicolai Gentchev has stepped forward to co-chair the PTA with Sophie Wong. He has children in Y4 and Y1, so you may see him in either playground. We are delighted that he’s volunteered. (We need to ratify his appointment as co-chair in the new year, but there’s no immediate rush.)
This means the previous chairs, Lulu Harrison and Rahma Kingfisher, can finally ‘retire’ happy. They both did an amazing job of steering the PTA through an unprecedented event-upending pandemic, and they should take a huge amount of credit for the continued sense of community spirit at school as well as the healthy state of the PTA financially.
Plans for 2022
We are looking into fundraising ideas for 2022, so please do get in touch. Ideally, we will have the Summer Fair, and the Quiz could see a return, but both are of course dependent on Covid. Do get in touch with ideas / wish lists etc: brookfieldschoolpta@gmail.com
Best of luck for the Christmas / Winter break – stay safe and here’s hoping for a healthy New Year