At Burghfield StMarys, around 33% of our children come from a service family – something which we feel makes our school a really special place.  All of our teachers and support staff appreciate the impact that being a service child can have on education and have completed the “Nurturing Schools Program”.

We operate a buddy system for new pupils to help them with the transition to their new school.

In addition we have two dedicated ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) within school who regularly work with ‘service family’ children guiding them through any worries or concerns, whilst also being on hand to celebrate achievements with them too. Our ELSA representatives are Mrs Tracy Little and Mrs Emma Warkup.

Military Mates Club – Every Thursday 12:30 – 13:05

All Service children are invited to join our Military Mates Club, run by one of our ELSAs, Mrs Warkup.  The children have an opportunity to speak with others about a variety of topics, such as what it is like to have a parent or carer in the forces, what countries and places they have lived in and what it is like to move school.

The games, skills and crafts enable the children to get to know each other, practise their teamwork skills and simply have a giggle. Each child is allowed to bring a non-military friend along.

This term the whole school have been looking at the works of Roald Dahl. All the classes have been up to all sorts of things across the whole curriculum.

Reception have been making dream jars from The BFG.

Year 1 have made lollipops from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 

Year 2 have also been creating their own dream jars.

 

In Design and Technology year 4 have made puppets of their favourite characters.

 

Year 5 have also been sewing scenes from their favourite Roald Dahl books.

Year 6 have made customised wooden chairs for the characters from James and The Giant Peach. They also sewed some of their favourite characters, and have made a Roly Poly bird from The Enourmous Crocodile.

 

 

In Computing for the last couple of weeks of term Year 6 started looking at creating their own Christmas themed stop motion animations. Although they only had a couple of hours I think they have turned out really well!

 

 

The year 5 and 6 girls football team have had a fantastic term, winning several matches to become West Berkshire champions. They will now go on to represent West Berkshire in the Berkshire finals on 20th January. 

The Christmas Fayre was a huge success again this year. There was lots going on from face painting to crafts to games to shopping and much more.  Well done to the Year 6’s who designed and built all the games in the games room. I hear it was very busy! Santa in his Winter Wonderland was fantastic and incredibly popular. And Kingsley joined us from Reading FC to promote the amazing prize, ‘Be an RFC mascot for the day’. Congratulations to Isla and Travis who won that! Hope you’ll have an amazing time!

Everyone had a fantastic day on Friday raising money for #CiN Around £850 was raised altogether so well done everyone!

There have been sales of wristbands after school, £1 donations for wearing non uniform and of course the usual inter class competition. This year the class who bought in the most loose change won an early lunch served by Princess Gallagher! The lucky winners were year 4!

And the winner is……