Music News

Summer Fair - tomorrow! (Saturday 1st July)

Infant Choir - Please meet Julia in the Bottom Hall at 12.45am. We will be performing at 1pm. Afterwards, you can pick your child up from the Bottom Hall. 

Junior Choir - Please meet Julia in the Bottom Hall at 1.15pm. We will be performing at 1.30pm. Afterwards, you cna pick your child up from the Bottom Hall. 

Year 5 Ukulele Sharing Session

On Thursday 6th July, at 11.30am, the Year 5s will be sharing some of the songs they have learnt this year. Please come and watch - it will be in the top hall. 

Junior Choir Cluster Festival

​We will be going to sing at Kentish Town School on Thursday 6th July. Please email Julia if you are able to help out on the trip: j.reid@brookfield.camden.sch.uk

Class Photographs

Your child has been sent home with their class picture cards this week, which have a QR code on them to access the portal where you can view and purchase prints. The deadline for free delivery is Monday 3rd July (you can purchase after this date, but will be subject to postage and packagaing).

If you qualify for pupil premium, you will receive 1 free class photo. You don't need to order these - Carole will hand them out once they arrive.

After School Club

Have you checked your After School Club bookings are all up to date? Remember it is a 30 day rolling booking system, so you can always book 30 days ahead.

Bookings are made via your scopay account

More information about After School Club can be found here

Parking

Do you have a driveway that you don't use during the morning? Or do you know someone that does? Two staff members are looking for new parking spaces for the September term. Please email r.williams@brookfield.caden.sch.uk if you are able to help. Thank you

Clothing requests

If you are having a sort out of clothes, we would appreciate any donations of the following items:

• Trousers, joggers and leggings from ages 5 - 12 years
• t-shirts and jumpers from ages 5-12 years

If your child has had a change of clothes, we would really appreciate if you are able to wash and return them to us (not underwear) so that they can be used again.

SUMMER FAIR - Saturday 1st July 12-3pm

We hope you are all getting excited about the Brookfield Summer Fair tomorrow. It will be a great community event with music, food & fun!

A reminder of the stalls your year groups will be in charge of:

N/R Kids Books & Toys / Dan’s Grown Up Books

Yr1 - Stage / Tea & Cake

Yr2 - BBQ / Raffle

Yr3 - Arts & Crafts / Ice cream

Yr4 - Games / Pimms

Yr5 - Bar / Tombola

Yr6 - Pea Fair / Photobooth / Pots & Jewellery Stall

Please do get in touch with your reps to volunteer for your stalls and to help set up and clear up. We can’t make this fantastic event happen without your help! We will be setting up from 10am on Saturday.

We would also like the Fair to be as eco friendly as possible, so please bring your own cups and bowls if possible and don’t forget to make good use of our Recycling Zone. Every little thing you do will reduce our environmental impact. Please Help Brookfield Save the Planet!

SUMMER FAIR STAGE

We have an amazing line up of performers on our Stage in the Infant Playground. We can’t wait to see them all.

Here’s the running order:

Please can you make sure your child comes to the Reception tunnel (behind & to the right of the stage) 10 minutes before their time slot. If they have a backing track, please bring it on a mobile phone for Tanya to plug in & play.

(If they have a lot of equipment, they can go through the lower hall doors & around the back)

Bands, if you want to do a sound check, Tanya will be setting up from 11am.

As with all live performances, timings, order or performers may change due to unforeseen circumstances, we will try to keep you informed asap via your Class Reps, or on a board next to the stage.

Thank you, we are looking forward to seeing you all!

DONATIONS

All toys, books, party bag items, raffle, tombola prizes, cakes & bakes can be brought along to set up from 10am an Saturday or brought directly to the stall at the fair.

CAKES & BAKES

Please consider if you can bake something for the Tea & Cake stall. Sweet or savoury all bakes are gratefully received (Except for NUTS, we are a nut free school, so please avoid!)

RAFFLE & TOMBOLA PRIZES - SHOUT OUT!

Do you have anything to donate big or small?

We are looking for raffle and tombola prizes for the Summer Fair, so anything you can give will be gratefully received!

TOYS & BOOKS DONATIONS

Now is the perfect time to have a rummage for any unwanted or outgrown books & toys (please no baby stuff).

We are also always looking for ways to make the fair more eco-friendly, so we are asking if anyone has any preloved party bag type items that could be donated as prizes for the Pea Fair.

ONLINE AUCTION LAST FEW ITEMS STILL AVAILABLE!

Still looking for more auction fun? There are a few fantastic items left to buy online here:

https://www.brookfield.camden.sch.uk/product-category/auction2023/

There are some amazing wine tasting tickets and places in the generously teacher donated football skills party for KS1. Please don’t disappoint our fantastic Brookfield teachers! These items are all going for a great fixed price, so grab yourselves a bargain.

PTA - Help Still Needed for Next Year

Thank you to the amazing people who have offered to take on some of next year’s events so far.

We are still looking for more PTA volunteers

This could be for something as small as running a costume swap, to being in charge of a fair or even taking on the role as co-chair.

If you want to find out more, please email us a brookfieldschoolpta@gmail.com we are very happy to meet and have a chat.

Forest Garden

Even though you have helped us raise a fantastic amount so we can begin work on the Forest Garden, any extra money could add even more amazing things to enrich your children’s learning experiences. So don’t forget we also have the crowdfunding campaign!

Thank you to everyone who has donated and shared the forest garden crowdfunding page so far. We ask that you carry on sharing with friends and family. Perhaps you know a local business that would like to donate, or you have contacts that could too.

To donate directly towards the new forest garden area visit: https://gofund.me/fcc81626

We will continue to keep you informed via our dedicated page on the website, with pictures, updates and information about the progress of the garden

https://www.brookfield.camden.sch.uk/pta-home/brookfield-forest-garden/

Forest School Commercial Fundraising

Thank you for all your fundraising efforts for the Brookfield Forest School Garden so far - it has been such a team effort and we've exceeded what we initially thought would be possible. We are now busy approaching corporate sponsors, and asking for you - our Brookfield community to help us once again. Please share the poster below with your workplace, and/ or any businesses that you think may be interested in helping us to achieve our beautiful forest school garden.

Brookfield_fundraising_leaflet_2023

Camden Music Lessons

We want to let you know about how we can help people pay for music lessons in school. It might not apply to you, but you might know someone else who we could help.

Families who qualify for Free School Meals can have a half-price music lesson – we just run a quick check with our benefits department.

For next year, we can also offer half-price lessons to families who get Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Support – for these you might have to send us some proof of your benefit. 

From September 2023, a term of ten 20-minute instrumental lessons would cost £59.64 for these families.

Everyone can arrange to pay in instalments to make it easier to manage those bills – just contact us to talk about what will be manageable.

People can apply for lessons here https://www.camden.gov.uk/instrument-and-voice-lessons-in-schools .

Tolmer's Square Festival

With a thrilling lineup of clowning with Julia Masli, dramatic fire performance with Dave Williams, playful theatre with Emergency Chorus and their collective of Town Cryers, mind-blowing bubble art from Maxwell the Bubbleologist, beautiful Cantonese children's theatre with Little Bean, and impressive beatboxing with our host Conrad and the hip-hop theatre collective Beats and Elements, there's something for everyone. 

The audience will even have the opportunity to give-it-a-go. Ever wanted to try your hand at beatboxing? Or clowning? Now is your chance! There will also be free food and drink, giant games, music, face painting, and more. 

We are inviting the audience to take a snap of their favourite moment at the festival and tag us on Instagram @camdenpeoplestheatre with the hashtags #CommunityAtCPT and #TolmersSquareFestival. Two lucky winners will be shared on our profile and will each receive four free tickets each to their choice of Camden People's Theatre shows in our Autumn 2023 season! We can't wait to see your pictures.

This event will be BSL interpreted, and there will be wheelchair access; for more accessibility information (or if you have any other questions!), please email Bex Gordon, the Community Engagement Manager, on bex@cptheatre.co.uk.

More info on Camden People's Theatre's website here: https://cptheatre.co.uk/Community_Callouts/Tolmers-Square-FREE-Arts-Festival-2023

Camden Mental Health workshop

Camden's Mental Health Support Team (MHST) are excited to be offering a 2-part, face-to-face workshop for parents and carers of primary age children (4-11 years) on:

Monday 10^th July 12:15 to 14:15 at the Tavistock Centre

&

Monday 17^th July 12:15 to 14:15 at the Tavistock Centre

The workshop will explore Emotion Coaching, a parenting approach that supports identifying and validating emotions, while also setting boundaries and limits around behaviour.

How will Emotion Coaching help you and your child?

• To better understand and validate your child’s emotions
• To respond more helpfully during moments of heightened emotion
• To implement appropriate boundary setting
• To reduce behaviours that you find challenging
• To further improve the parent/child relationship
• To learn from other parents and carers

This is an interactive workshop, which will involve sharing research, learning about Emotion Coaching and practising strategies. We often find that group workshops are a great space to learn from each other so there will be lots of opportunities to talk about ideas and to think through any challenges that might be around.

Please use the QR code below to sign up; this workshop is in two parts so you will need to be able to attend on both dates.

Mental Health Support

If you're feeling down, anxious or worries, help is available:

• Speak to your GP about how you are feeling
• Refer yourself to iCope. this is a free NHS service in Camden and Islington giving confidential support and therapies. iCope also offers intercultural therapy in different languages
• Read more about mental health services in Camden

Camden Early Help

Everyone needs a little help sometimes. If you're feeling worried about your child, or you want to make a change in your life, Camden Early Help is here for you, your children and your whole family.

What we offer

• Free support service for families with children aged 0 to 19 in Camden
• Practical and emotional support with a range of life issues
• Working with you and your family to help make changes
• Helping you and your family to feel connected in your community. ​

Please click here for further information

Managing Debt

If you owe money and you’re struggling to pay your bills:

• get in touch with an organisation like Debtline for free and confidential advice
• speak to the organisation you owe money to – for Council Tax arrears, call 020 7974 6414
• ask your energy supplier for temporary credit if you cannot top-up a pre-payment meter
• use Citizens Advice's budgeting tool to set out your income and expenditure
• do not ignore letters or bills about money you owe. Contact a local organisation in the Camden Advice Network or call a national advice organisation such as StepChange

Energy suppliers might be able to let you pay in smaller amounts or take a break from payments. You might also be able to apply for a grant to pay off energy debts.

If you need to take out a loan, do not approach a loan shark or take out a payday loan. Consider credit unions or other ethical loan providers. Find out more at credit-union.coop, call 020 7561 1786 or email info@credit-union.coop.

If you owe a loan shark money, or if you’re being threatened, get confidential help from Stop Loan Sharks.

If you don’t know where to turn, call us on 020 7974 4444 (option 9) or contact Citizens Advice Camden.

Cost of living Crisis Fund

If you're struggling to afford essentials such as food, energy bills or housing, you may be eligible for a £500 payment through our Cost of Living Crisis Fund.

How to apply:

There are several ways to apply for support from our Cost of Living Crisis Fund. you can

• call Citizens Advice Camden on 0808 278 7835
• if you're a council tenant, you can also speak to your neighbourhood housing officer 
• if you're a private renter, you can also email us COLprivaterenter@camden.gov.uk or contact Camden Federation of Private Tenants on 020 7383 0151
• Contact one of the organisations in Camden Advice Network

Please see : https://www.camden.gov.uk/financial-support-for-residents1​ for further information.

Summer Fair

We hope you are looking forward to the summer fair! Inspired by the brilliant work done around recycling by the children's eco committee, the Climate Action Group has put in measures to make the fair as sustainable as possible. There will be recycling and food waste bins provided in both playgrounds, as well as normal rubbish bins, so please try to dispose of the waste accordingly.

You will find the recycling zone between the bar and the BBQ - hard to miss! There will be signs and volunteers to help guide you.

Do you have more ideas of how we can make the future fairs kinder to the planet and even more fun for us all? Why not join the Climate Action Group and share your knowledge. Email kate.taylor@gmail.com

Growing Green

Have you heard about the amazing work done by Growing Green, a local grassroots organisation taking action to rewind schools and increase biodiversity! They will be supporting Brookfield's Forest Garden efforts and are worth a follow on social media. You can read more here www.growinggreen.org.uk

Plastic Free July

Next month sees the beginning of Plastic Free July - an annual month-long event that encourages people to choose to refuse single-use plastic products and packaging. To mark this very important initiative, we'll be offering you ideas to help you reduce plastic waste every day. So far, the movement has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries.

Sometimes the hardest part is to get going. In our experience, the bathroom is one of the easiest places to start, so why not try replacing your shower gel with a bar of soap! Local shops, such as Earth in Kentish Town have a great selection, and you can also get them from chemists and supermarkets! Or if you want to be more ambitious and have small children, have you thought about using cloth nappies? It's not as complicated as it sounds and you can get a voucher from Real Nappies for London, in collaboration with Camden council, to buy your first nappies!