Simon's Update

We have had a wonderful week here at Brookfield, filled with inspiring learning opportunities and thoughtful reflection.

Today, we were delighted to welcome a very special guest as part of our first World of Work assembly. We were joined by the Head of Lazy Oaf, Gemma Shiel—who also happens to be my sister! Gemma spoke to the children about her journey as a fashion designer, the importance of creativity, how she overcomes challenges when things don’t go to plan, and the lessons she learned at school that helped shape her path.

The children asked some brilliant questions and were thoroughly engaged throughout. We hope they left feeling inspired by her story. Gemma has kindly offered to return next year to take part in a learning project with the children, which we are very excited about.

This assembly marks the beginning of a new initiative at Brookfield. Each month, we hope to host a World of Work assembly featuring a different guest, who will share insights into their career—what they do, how they got there, and how their education supported their journey. Our aim is to broaden children’s understanding of the many opportunities available to them and to spark ideas about what they might like to do in the future.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, our assembly focused on the legend of Saint George, as we prepared to celebrate St George's Day on Thursday. I shared both the traditional legend and the historical roots behind it. It is believed that the story originates from a Roman soldier of South West Asian origin who refused to give up his Christian faith in favour of worshipping the Roman gods of the time.

We also explored how Saint George is not only the patron saint of England, but also of Georgia, Portugal, and Ethiopia. It was wonderful to reflect on how the story of one individual—travelling across regions as part of the Roman army—has inspired a legend that has found a home in many different countries.

This led us to think about the wider themes of migration and cultural exchange: how stories, people, beliefs, and traditions travel across the world and become part of new communities. The UK has long been enriched by this movement of people and ideas, and it is something we want celebrate as part of our own wonderful community.

Parent Workshop – Anti-Racism Committee

Our Anti-Racism Committee is currently planning a parent workshop to take place in May (date to be confirmed).

We would like to invite parents and carers who are interested in attending to complete the ‘register your interest’ form below. This will help us identify the most suitable date for as many families as possible.

Please use the link below to share your availability:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbqMrud6FJLp7KTccb2HylFHvxYqS0EeyvtliaZfCj_9QSdw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102465737763313135756

Fancy getting your hands dirty?

april 24th 2026.pdf