Dear Berkeley Primary School Community,

As we approach the end of another successful academic year, I am delighted to share with you some of the exciting developments and achievements that have taken place at our school. It has been a year filled with growth, accomplishments, success, and memorable moments, and I am incredibly proud of our children, staff, and the entire school community.

School Sport Lifetime Achievement Award - Simon Leek

Firstly, I am thrilled to announce that our very own Simon Leek was awarded the School Sport Lifetime Achievement Award at the Get Ahead Partnership Sports awards at the beginning of July. This prestigious recognition is a testament to Simon's dedication and outstanding contributions to school sports over the years.  We are incredibly proud of his accomplishment and grateful for his contributions to our school community.

Year 6 end of year Statutory Assessment Test (SATs) results

I am also pleased to share some excellent news regarding our Year 6 students' performance in their recent SATs. The results, which we received last week, demonstrate the hard work and dedication of both our students and staff. I am delighted to report that we are either at or above the national average in all areas. What's particularly noteworthy is that an impressive 34% of our Year 6 children achieved greater depth in reading. This means that a third of our students excelled in this crucial area, which is a clear indication that our Book Club initiative is yielding fantastic results. This achievement not only reflects the students' capabilities but also highlights the effectiveness of our teaching methods and the support provided by our staff and parents.

The Reading Pledge Silver Award

I am delighted to share some exciting news with you all. Our school has just been awarded 'The Reading Pledge Silver Award' by Witham St Hughs English Hub for successfully completing the Silver Criteria for Reading for Pleasure. This achievement builds upon the bronze award we received last year and sets us on course for the Gold award next year.  This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire staff, particularly Amy Marsh and the 'Reading Change Team'. Their commitment to fostering a love of reading among our students is truly commendable.  We look forward to continuing our journey in promoting reading for pleasure throughout the school.

Parent Survey

I would like to extend my gratitude to all the parents who took the time to complete our recent parent survey. We received responses from 245 families, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. It's encouraging to see that the vast majority of parents believe we are doing a great job. However, we always strive for continuous improvement, and we have taken note of the areas where we can enhance our performance. We will be focusing on improving communication regarding your child's progress, addressing behaviour concerns, and providing more information about what your child is learning. We are particularly pleased that 92% of parents would recommend our school to others. This vote of confidence means a great deal to us and motivates us to continue striving for excellence.  For those interested in viewing the detailed results, please refer to the attached document.

Ofsted

Last week, we welcomed Ofsted inspectors to our school. While we cannot disclose the outcome just yet, we anticipate being able to share the results with you in September once the report has been finalised. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the parents who reached out to wish us well and provided positive feedback about our school to the inspectors. Your support means a great deal to us, and we are grateful for your ongoing trust and partnership.

Summer works

As we look ahead to the summer break, I'm pleased to inform you that we will be having a quieter summer in terms of school maintenance this year. For the first time in several years, we don't have any major works planned. However, our dedicated team of cleaners and caretakers will be working diligently to ensure that the school is in pristine condition when we welcome the children back on Tuesday, 3rd September 2024.

Year 6 Leavers

To our departing Year 6 students, we wish you the very best of luck as you embark on your journey to secondary school. You have been an integral part of our school community, and we are confident that you are well-prepared for the exciting challenges that lie ahead. We will miss you and hope that you'll carry fond memories of your time at Berkeley Primary School with you.

And finally...

As we reflect on the past year and look forward to the next, I am filled with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead - feeling very lucky to be in a job I love with an amazing team supporting the work we do. The achievements we've celebrated, the challenges we've overcome, and the improvements we continue to make all contribute to the vibrant and nurturing learning environment we strive to maintain at Berkeley Primary School.  Your engagement and partnership play a crucial role in our children's success and the overall positive atmosphere of our school community.

I would like to wish all of our children, families, and staff a wonderful summer break. I hope you have the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, create lasting memories, and embark on exciting adventures. We look forward to hearing about all the interesting experiences our children will have to share when they return in September.

Thank you for your continued support and for being an essential part of our school community. Have a safe and enjoyable summer break, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another exciting year of learning and growth.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Ofsted will inspect Berkeley Primary School on 11 July 2024 to 12 July 2024.

Parent View- you can tell Ofsted your views about the school by completing Ofsted's online survey at: 

https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/

Many thanks

We are so proud of our Year 2 children.  They were just super when they had their lunch in the junior hall as part of their transition earlier this week.  The children were absolutely brilliant; they were really calm, got their lunch sensibly, ate beautifully and most cleared their plates! Thanks to the Year 6's who helped support the younger children - one Year 6 even managed to sit and have his lunch with his sister - the one and only chance he'll get before moving up, it was lovely to see.  A pleasurable experience for all. 

A big thank you to everyone who donated for Refugee Week, an amazing £310.45 was raised.

The money raised is for North Lincs Sanctuary Group - a group of volunteers who support newly arrived families in our area.  They offer friendship and practical help, providing everything from essential household goods to cookery classes.

I am pleased to be able to inform you of the teachers for the next academic year (September 2024).  Please see the grid below for who is in which class.  

We have restructured the current Reception children before they move in to their new year group, this is the norm for our school.  Parents of children in Reception will receive another email in the next 6 hours informing you of your child’s class teacher.  If you have not received an email letting you know this by tomorrow morning, please come and ask at the school office.

TRANSITION - tomorrow

Please refer back to the transition email sent previously about our plans to support your children in getting to know their new adults.  The first session is tomorrow, Thursday 20^th June 2024.  You will pick your child up from their new classroom.  Please see the attached school plans to show where your child’s new classroom is.  All junior parents wait in the junior car park and the children will be brought to you.  Infant parents need to collect from their new classroom. 

Staffing Update

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Jenna King will be leaving Berkeley Primary School at the end of the academic year.  Jenna has been an invaluable member of our teaching staff for the past five years, and her dedication to our students has been truly commendable. We will deeply miss her presence and contributions to our school community.  Jenna will be joining North Lincolnshire Council in a new role supporting vulnerable / special needs children with short breaks.  We wish her every success in this role.

We are delighted to have recently appointed Natasha Benstead to our teaching team.  Miss Benstead has been with the school on placement in Year 5 since January 2024, so knows the school really well.  She is an excellent teacher and will be teaching in Year 4. 

If you have any queries regarding any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher.

Best wishes

Anna Cvijetic

Headteacher

We are planning a fun week of activities to celebrate Refugee Week (w/c 17^th June), including kite-making and an art / poetry competition.

As part of our celebrations, we will be holding a non-uniform day on Friday 21^st June. We invite children to dress in the colours of a flag of their choice. This might be the flag of the UK or another country that is special to them. (For Nursery children this will be Wednesday 19^th June.)

We are raising money for North Lincs Sanctuary Group - a group of volunteers who support newly arrived families in our area.  They offer friendship and practical help, providing everything from essential household goods to cookery classes.

A suggested donation of £1.00 would be gratefully received which will be sent to the North Lincs Sanctuary Group.

In the afternoon we hope to have a picnic on the field.  We will be providing some snacks.

Children are welcome to bring their own picnic items to share if they wish (they will have had a school dinner so won’t need much) and please send a drink in with them.

Best wishes

Mrs Angie Humphrey (EAL lead) and Miss Faye Marshall (PSHE lead) 

It is with mixed emotions that I announce the retirement of two esteemed members of our staff, Bruce Spencer and Julie Allen.
 

Bruce Spencer, our Assistant Headteacher, will be retiring on 31st August 2024 after an impressive 19 years of service to Berkeley Primary School. Throughout his tenure, Bruce has made significant contributions to our school's growth, always going above and beyond to support our children, staff, and wider community. His commitment, expertise, and unwavering dedication will be greatly missed. We will forever be grateful for his invaluable contributions to our school.

Furthermore, Julie Allen, our beloved Family Worker, will also be retiring on 31st August 2024, having served the school for over 20 remarkable years. Julie's unwavering support and compassion have touched the lives of countless children and families within our school community. Her commitment to ensuring the well-being and success of our children has been truly inspiring. We will always cherish the positive impact she has had on our school.
 

As we bid farewell to Bruce and Julie, we want to express our gratitude for their exceptional service and dedication. They have both played instrumental roles in shaping Berkeley Primary School into the nurturing and thriving school it is today.  We wish them well on their new chapter in life.

Staffing updates

Many congratulations to Iain Dalgleish (currently Year 4 teacher) who has been appointed as Senior Teacher at our school, joining our Leadership Team and will be leading a year group in September. Iain has been with the school for 8 years now and is ready for this new challenge. 

We also congratulate Vicky Nutt, who is one of our Teaching Assistants, as she will be joining the Inclusion Team at our school as another Inclusion Leader in September.  She will be working alongside Hannah Bolton and with Wendy Howlett, our Deputy, to support our children.

I would like to share some important updates regarding our school's services. Due to the rising costs of food and staffing expenses, we regret to inform you that there will be an increase in the cost of our Breakfast Club and School Lunch.

Effective from 1^st September, 2024, the new rate for Breakfast Club will be £2.70 (a 20p increase). Similarly, the School Lunch cost will be £2.80 (a 20p increase).

We understand that any increase in costs can be a burden, and we have tried our best to keep these adjustments as minimal as possible. However, these changes are necessary to ensure that we can continue providing our services to our children.

One of the most significant events on the horizon is the planning of transition activities for all our children.  We understand that moving from one year to the next can be an exciting yet daunting experience for many children. To ensure a smooth and seamless transition, our dedicated team has been working to curate a range of engaging and supportive activities.  These transition activities are designed to not only prepare our students academically but also to foster a sense of belonging and familiarity with their new learning environments. Through our activities our children will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with their new teachers, classrooms, and some of the curriculum expectations. Our goal is to equip our children with the necessary tools and strategies to navigate this significant milestone with confidence and resilience.

The class organisation will be completed at the beginning of June and we will inform you then of who your child’s next class teacher will be and which classroom they will be in. 

We’ve been busy planning our transition sessions, where children will go to their next class.  These will be on;

• Thursday 20.6.24 pm – the children will move to their new class after register at 1.05pm.  They will go home from their new classroom.
• Tuesday 25.6.24 am – the children will register in their normal class and then go to their new classroom after assembly.  The children will go to lunch from their new classroom, Year 2 children will eat in the junior hall.  After lunch they will play on their new playground and go back to their normal classroom after this. 
• Wednesday 3.7.24 am – the children will register in their normal class and then go to their new classroom after assembly, they will go back to their normal class ready for lunch.

Teachers have also got other activities planned in, for example Year 2 popping over to the juniors several times to find their way around, the same for Reception in the Year 1 building.  Teachers will swap to do DEAR story time at the end of the day with their new class too.

We have made additional plans for some of our more vulnerable children, who might need extra support.  If you think your child would benefit from this, please talk to your class teacher.