Brize Norton Primary School
Newsletter
www.bnschool.org
office.2250@brize-norton.oxon.sch.uk
Twitter @BrizePrimary
Issue: 22
1st May 2015
Dear Parents,
PARENT SURVEYS
Thank you very much to those parents who have already completed their parent surveys and sent them in. We are
trying to gather as many opinions as possible, so that we can be sure we have a representative picture. If you have not
yet done it, we would be really grateful if you would do so. We are sending a paper copy home with every child today;
please ignore if you have already done it. You are very welcome to fill it in and send it back electronically if you prefer,
and please fill in the comments box to tell us anything in particular you like or would like us to develop.
Also, you may remember that before the Easter holidays, the governors ran a parent questionnaire about clubs. Once
again, thank you to those who responded. The governors’ report on this questionnaire is attached with the newsletter.
YEAR 5 PARENT MEETING ABOUT BURFORD SCHOOL
Mrs Haig, the Headteacher of Burford School, will be visiting the school next Thursday, 7 th May, at 3.30, to talk to
parents. She will be accompanied by her new Head of Year 7. Please come with any questions. If you cannot come
and have questions you would like me to ask, please let me know and I will get back to you.
EXTRA DATES
A couple more dates have been added to our list of upcoming events. On Monday 18th May, Year 6 will be going to a
Kwik Cricket competition; because of this, their puberty talks with the School Nurse will take place on Thursday 21st
and Friday 22nd May. (If you would like more information about this, or if you would like to withdraw your child, please
let me know.) The two parent celebration assemblies this term will be on Fridays 22 nd May and 10th July, both at 2.45.
We also have a non-uniform day in exchange for donations for the School Summer Fete on Tuesday 23rd June.
FIVE STAR RATING FOR OUR KITCHEN!
We had a surprise visit on Wednesday from an Environmental Health inspector, who spent over two hours examining
the kitchen. I am proud to announce that Tammy was given a five star rating for hygiene and cleanliness.
Congratulations, Tammy.
SCHOOL CLUBS
Two parents, Mrs Doran and Mrs Hornsby, have kindly volunteered to run clubs after half term. We will give you more
information nearer the time, but meanwhile, if any other parents would like to run a club (now or after the summer
holiday), please let me know – it would be fantastic to be able to offer greater choice to children, but staff can only do
so much. Also, if you have any old wool or embroidery thread which we could have for Mrs Doran’s club, please bring it
in. Thank you!
DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN’S BOOKS YOU NO LONGER NEED?
The school in Kenya I visited in February, Melon Mission Primary School, has five tatty picture books – and nothing
else for over 450 children to read. These are children who never leave the slum where they live and have no access to
TV, films or the Internet, so books are the only way they can find out about the world and develop their language skills.
I am trying to gather together a package of good-quality books to send over, and I know that whatever we can send will
be gratefully received. If you have any children’s books, suitable for children aged between 3 and 15, which you no
longer need, please bring them in so I can send them to a new home.
MATHS WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS
Do you ever wonder how we teach Maths at Brize Norton? Is it different from how you learned at school? Did you know
there has been a new National Curriculum since last September, with significant changes in what Maths is taught
when? After school on Monday 18th May and until 5.00, the teachers will be demonstrating how they teach Maths in
their classes. You are welcome to come with or without your children, for as much or as little time as you are able, and
to visit as many classes as you wish. For example, you might like to see how Maths is taught in the year group your
Brize Norton Primary School
Newsletter
www.bnschool.org
office.2250@brize-norton.oxon.sch.uk
Twitter @BrizePrimary
Issue: 22
1st May 2015
child is currently in and what new things are taught in the next class. We will be focusing in particular on the “four
operations” (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and on fractions. Please come if you can.
MORE ABOUT MATHS
We have signed up for a two-month free trial of RM Easimaths. This is a website which children can log into and be
given Maths questions (in a fun way) tailored to their individual level. After some time of playing, the program will work
out each child’s individual target areas and give them more questions on those as well as telling the teachers what
each child needs to work on. Children can work towards certificates and games through the program, which is available
on a computer (www.rmeasimaths.com) or via the RM Easimaths app (free to download) on Apple or Android devices.
Use it at home as much as you and your child would like; we will also be using it in school. If you have an opinion on
whether or not we should continue the subscription after the free trial has ended, please let us know. To log in, your
child needs a username, which is his/ her first name + first letter of surname (e.g. billyd; freddieh). A couple of children
have duplicate names, and they have been told what their username is. There is then an @ sign, after which you need
to type “brizenort”. The password for all children is 123. If you have any trouble logging in, let us know.
We are also changing how we organise homework in Classes 2 and 3. We want to have a new drive on acquiring basic
skills early, so instead of a weekly Maths homework sheet to complete, your child will be given a target, which might be
to know certain number bonds by heart or to learn a certain multiplication table. When children have reached their
targets, they will be given a sticker in assembly and a new target. Children will also be given spellings to learn each
week. The aim is to help children to gain the basic skills early, so that when they get on to more complicated Maths and
writing higher up the school and in secondary school, spelling and tables do not hold them back. Tables and spellings
are two things where individual support from parents can make a huge difference to children’s progress. If you would
like to know more about how we teach Maths, including basic skills, please come along to the Maths information
evening. I am also attaching to this newsletter a document explaining how we teach tables. Of course, this does not
affect the reading we would like children to do: our children’s reading results are excellent and that is due to the
support we and they receive from parents in this.
Have a great bank holiday, and see you next week.
Best wishes
Anna Fairhurst
Brize Norton Primary School
Newsletter
www.bnschool.org
office.2250@brize-norton.oxon.sch.uk
Twitter @BrizePrimary
Issue: 22
1st May 2015
DATES FOR THIS TERM
Mon 4th May – Bank holiday
Thurs 7th May – Visit by Kathy Haig (Headteacher of Burford School) to Year 5 children and their parents, 3.30pm
Mon 11th May – Year 6 National Tests week
Tues 12th May and Wed 13th May - Class 3 residential trip
Mon 18th May – Year 6 kwik cricket competition; 3.30 – 5.00 Mathematics information evening and workshop for
parents
Wed 20th May – Mobile Library. No swimming. 3.30 meeting for Year 5/6 parents about Condover Hall residential.
Thursday 21st May – Y6 puberty talk
Fri 22nd May – Y6 puberty talk; 2.45 parent celebration assembly
Mon 25th May to Fri 29th May – Half term
Mon 1st June to Fri 5th June - Class 4 residential trip
Tues 9th June – clubs begin (5 weeks), whole school and leavers’ group photographs
Thurs 11th June pm – cycling proficiency
Fri 12th June – Year 5 enrichment day, Burford
Mon 15th June – Year 1 Phonics Screening Check week (also involving some Year 2 children)
Wed 17th June – 9.00 PCSO Richard Conner talk on criminal responsibility with Year 6
Thurs 18th June pm – cycling proficiency
Mon 22nd June – all day Year 5 Music Festival
Tues 23rd June – non-uniform day for the School Summer Fete
Wed 24th June – Mobile Library (collection only); Key Stage 1 Music Festival (pm)
Thurs 25th June – pm cycling proficiency
Sun 28th June – 1.00-4.00 School Summer Fete
Thurs 2nd July – cycling proficiency
Fri 3rd July – cycling proficiency morning, followed by test in the afternoon
Tues 7th July – sports day
Thurs 9th July – Burford School induction; Open Evening for parents
Fri 10th July – Burford School induction; “Shuffle Up Day” (children spend time with their new teacher); 2.45 parent
celebration assembly
Mon 13th July – (no clubs this week) KS2 summer concert
Tues 14th July – reserve date for sports day
Wed 15th July – KS1 summer concert
Thurs 16th July – leavers’ service in church
Fri 17th July – end of term 1.15pm