Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to the first Newsletter if the new decade! I hope that you had a restful Christmas and holiday – they already feel like a very long time ago – and I wish you a happy and successful New Year. May 2020 bring everyone good things and exciting opportunities.
We are back into the swing of things at Brunswick, but before I tell you about what’s forthcoming I need to say a proper goodbye to 2019 with some final thanks: to all parents, carers and families who were kind enough to show me and the staff their appreciation through giving us thoughtful gifts, and to all parents and carers who have volunteered to help at school in any way. As the school gets less and less funding to run, we rely on your volunteering more and more, and it is very important that parents and carers get involved in the life of the school to strengthen the school community for the children’s benefit. We need volunteers to help us with a variety of things, including managing the library and our reading resources. If you can spare some time, please see the staff in the School Office as soon as possible next week. I would also like to thank Marjorie and the charity School Home Support who organised the City firms BBH Childhood, Trust and Terra Firma to donate Christmas presents for some of our families. Life is hard and if wealthy companies can help to improve children’s welfare they should.
Since returning on 6 January the staff and children have been busy. Last term we surveyed children, parents and staff, and after listening to everyone have started making some changes to continue to improve what we offer. Below you will find a ‘You said, we did’ section with more information. Our Reading Leader Christina Huszar has reorganised the library and ‘employed’ a team of Book Buddies and Junior Librarians, and a more consistent approach to homework has been introduced. There have been lots of questions about this, which I hope this newsletter answers. Finally, Andrew Payne, our fantastic specialist PE teacher, is now providing additional PE lessons this Half Term until our music teacher Paula returns from maternity leave.
Feedback from the children is very positive indeed, and at this time of year in particular they need to be as active as possible. All in all, a successful start. May it continue.
With best wishes for a peaceful and enjoyable weekend
Susannah Bellingham, Head Teacher