Headteacher

Last week was national Anti-Bullying Week. Odd Socks Day kicked off the week, with pupils and staff wearing odd socks day to highlight and celebrate what makes us all unique. Assemblies, lessons and activities throughout the week provided opportunities for pupils to learn, discuss and share their knowledge and experiences. The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘reach out,’ focusing on empowering pupils to be aware and proactive in identifying and countering bullying and the harm and hurt that it causes. Although our focus is on anti-bullying all year round, Anti-Bullying Week reminds everyone (at home, school, in the community or online) to reach out and show each other support.

The Bowmansgreen Friendship Coaches are back! Our trained Year 6 peer mediators are available every break and lunchtime to help pupils across the school when they have fall-outs or need some advice and support with friendships struggles.  They are a valuable, successful and well used support. Thank you to the pupils who have taken on this responsibility. They will soon be passing on their skills and experience, helping to train pupils in year 5.

Strings Music Making Day, 22nd November 2022 at St Albans Music School – there are a few places left. All primary aged strings players are welcome to attend, from beginners upwards. This event takes place during the school day so if your child attends, please let the school office know so that we can authorise their absence. Venue: St Albans Music School, based at Townsend School, High Oaks, St Albans AL3 6DR. To join, please visit https://sams-strings-day-22.eventbrite.co.uk

Please ensure that your child’s school drinks bottle contains water only. This is the only drink that your child is allowed to drink throughout the school day. If another liquid is identified in the bottle, staff will ask your child to tip it away and re-fill it with water. At lunchtime, pupils can have squash, juice or a milk-based drink as part of their packed lunch but this must be drunk in the dining hall, with their lunch. Energy drinks or fizzy drinks are not permitted at any time, during the school day.

On Thursday, the Chancellor announced his Autumn Statement which included some positive news relating to school funding over the next two years. As I am sure you are aware, there is a school funding crisis and all schools, like many public sectors and services, continue to face significant, financial pressures and challenges. Whilst we wait to find out the details of this funding and likely impact, school leaders and governors at Bowmansgreen will continue to make careful decisions regarding current budget pressures, in the best interests of your child, to ensure that they receive the best possible support and education whilst they are at Bowmansgreen.

Please could we remind families not to let children play on the equipment at the beginning or end of the school day – staff are not available to supervise the play and use of the equipment at these times, as is required.

It is great to see so many pupils riding or scootering to and from school – good exercise and for the environment! Please ensure that your child walks their bike or scooter onto and off the school site and to the bike/scooter shelters. It is very busy on the playground at both the drop-off and pick-up and we ask that pupils do not ride around on the paths or playgrounds or block the gates at this time.

Last Monday, Year 5 led our harvest assembly. They explained the importance of harvest, through songs, readings and poetry, performed brilliantly to the rest of the school and their own family members. Reverend Adrian Wood joined the assembly to express his gratitude for the generous harvest offerings from Bowmansgreen families, which have been donated to the Churches Together foodbank. Thank you to the Year 5 pupils, staff and families for getting last week off to such a positive start!

Last Tuesday and Thursday, the first family consultation meetings of the year took place. If you did not manage to book or keep your appointment, please contact the school office to arrange/rearrange a meeting, before half-term. Family consultation meetings also take place next term. These meetings will be face-to-face, with the opportunity to see some of your child’s learning in their books.

Friday evening was disco time at Bowmansgreen! There was a fantastic turn-out for our KS1 and KS2 discos and they were both a huge success. It was great to see pupils across the school socialising, having fun together and demonstrating their latest dance moves! Thank you to FOBS for organising our first school discos in over three years and for the parents, carers and staff who helped (and danced) on the evening.

Our current whole school attendance has just dipped below 95% for the first time this academic year. Our target attendance is 96%. Your child should attend school every day that school is open unless they are too ill to attend or they have permission for an absence, in a very small number of allowable circumstances. If you are ever unsure of whether or not to send your child into school, please call the school office to check.

Parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure their child attends school regularly. Good school attendance (especially after three difficult school years, including school closures) is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience and to support their wellbeing, academic achievement and wider life chances. If your child’s attendance has fallen below 90% this half-term, you are likely to receive a letter this week, explaining your child’s current situation, detailing the number of sessions missed and their current percentage attendance.

Home Learning Club is back! Open to KS1 and KS2 pupils, every Monday lunchtime.

On Friday, two special visitors made an appearance at Bowmansgreen. Two hedgehogs – who probably should be hibernating by now – were spotted in the school grounds. London Colney Hedgehog Rescue collected the two animals, to check for any illnesses or injuries and micro-chipped the larger female hedgehog before returning her to school today so that she could find her way back home.

Thank you for attending the ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions this week – we hope that you found them useful. The presentation slides will be available from Monday.

This morning was very busy at Bowmansgreen! Mrs Stanley hosted her annual coffee morning, raising a fantastic £344.84 for Macmillan Cancer Support. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by for tea, coffee and piece of cake and made a donation to support this event and to Mrs Stanley as chief organiser!

Thank you also to everyone who contributed to the mountain of bags ready for the Bags2School collection. This was the first fundraising event of the school year organised by the new FOBS committee. Next week, it’s school disco time!

Next Tuesday and Thursday, our first family consultation meetings of the year take place. If you have not yet booked an appointment, please contact the school office.

Our school open morning takes place tomorrow, 9am – 11.30am. Current and prospective families are all welcome. We look forward to seeing you there!