Dear Parents and Carers,
Here we are at the end of a very busy Autumn Term, and this newsletter celebrates all the fun we have had recently (whose turn is it to wear their own clothes today?): the discos, parties, productions, trips, curriculum days and special food; but also the good that the children have done with your help and support. In RE this term learning has focused on Islam and Christianity, the two most commonly held faiths at Brunswick, and both put great emphasis on care, compassion and consideration of other people. At this special time of year the Brunswick community has donated generously to people in need, to the extent where the donations to the Baby Bank are expected to last a long while into the New Year. The Salvation Army, Southwark Food Bank and the charity Save the Children all send their grateful thanks.
It has been a particular pleasure to see how well our youngest and newest children have settled into school life this term. Children only get one opportunity to start school for the first time, so getting this right is so important. You will see later in the letter how assured they become by Year 2; very happy to perform on stage – and steal the show – with very little help at all. Having collected in the school’s assessment data I am pleased to report that the school’s children are making good progress from their starting points and are off on the right track. They deserve a break after what has been a long term. And so do their teachers and support staff, of whom I am immensely proud. They work extremely hard and with great resourcefulness, as there is no longer the money available to provide everything we need.
Recently I have seen amazing creativity – for example an instant Christmas jumper being made out of old uniform, stickers, glue and glitter – because we get one chance to be a child and that chance should be a happy one. I wish you all the very best for a peaceful and joyful Christmas if you celebrate it, and an enjoyable and restful break with your families. May 2020 bring luck, hope and success, and I look forward to welcoming you back on 6 January. Thank you as always for you support. Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
Susannah Bellingham, Head Teacher