Bowmansgreen marked this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week through a range of activities. Miss Golding led a whole school assembly to launch the week with pupils, focusing on the growth story of CBeebies presenter and saxophonist, YolanDa Brown. Pupils made support balloons, thinking about the important people in their lives who help and support them to grow and considered their own growth stories and how they have changed and developed as they have grown older.

The DSPL7 website is a useful resource to support local families with a wide range of needs, issues and questions, providing helpful information and signposts to support services. The Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) and Wellbeing page includes information and resources relating to some increasingly common illnesses and health concerns, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders which are affecting many families, especially as we all begin to recover and repair, after the trauma of the pandemic.

If you are missing or recognise this very cute puppy photo, please let the school office know – it was found in a book donated for our book swap.

Please ensure that your child dismounts from their bike before they enter the school gates so that they are not cycling along the entrance/exit paths, in the way of pedestrians – bikes and scooters should be walked onto the site.

Pupils have worked hard on Design and Technology (D&T) projects this half-term. All work was exhibited in the hall and shared with pupils across the school, this afternoon. A film of our D&T exhibition will be shared with familes, after half-term.

Have a read of this month’s BeeZee Bodies parent mail newsletter. New family programmes will be starting in the week commencing 21^st February 2022.

Family activities and events for primary school children | Primary Times

Dates for your diary:
World Book Day – March 4th
Family Consultation Meetings – March 15th and March 17th (virtual meetings)
Online safety parent workshops – April 26th, 7pm (live webinar workshop)

Reminder – pupils return to school on Tuesday 22nd February, 2022 (Monday 21st Feb is an INSET day).

Enjoy your half-term.

All KS1 and KS2 classes have taken part in Book Swap events this week. Your child has hopefully been able to bring a new title home, to enjoy alone or share with you. There is no obligation to return that book to the next Book Swap event – that is theirs unless they choose to swap it at a later date. Any unloved or unwanted books are always welcome and much appreciated as donations. EYFS will experience their first Book Swap, on Monday.

Whilst we have a one way system in place at the front gates, part of the exit route is through the staff and visitor car park. Please can we remind families to use the pathway leading to the zebra crossing and ask that you do not allow your child to cross or play in the car park area.

Thankfully, the number of confirmed, positive cases of coronavirus amongst pupils has continued to fall at Bowmansgreen. Yesterday, we had a total of seven pupils absent due to positive test results. Staffing continues to be affected, however, either through staff testing positive or having to self-isolate. We are trying our best to minimise disruption and maintain consistency for pupils although this has been, at times, a very tricky balancing act!

Please do take the time to respond to the notice of intent to make a Traffic Regulation Order on the roads around Bowmansgreen. Members of the school and local community are invited and encouraged to make comments, objections and representations and it is important that you follow the appropriate channels so that your voices are heard – see the links below. Please be aware of the consultation deadline of Friday 11^th February, 2022.

Public Notice

Map detailing restrictions of Order

Some packed lunches are becoming a cause for concern due to their high sugar and low nutritional content. We want Bowmansgreen pupils to eat a healthy lunch, whether a hot school meal or packed lunch from home. A nutritious lunch sets them up well for their busy afternoon, until their evening meal but also helps reduce their risk of developing childhood or adult obesity as well as ensuring they receive the vitamins and minerals, essential to their healthy growth and development. We are working on a set of guidelines, to support Bowmansgreen families to choose healthier packed lunch options.

Please only fill your child’s drinks bottle with water as this is the only drink that they are allowed throughout the day. Packed lunches can contain an additional, healthy, non-fizzy drink, if desired although water is always available in the dining hall.

Children’s Mental Health Week takes place next week, with the theme ‘Growing Together.’ We will be supporting this important national campaign through a range of activities at school.

Next week, we will sadly say farewell to Miss Bliss who is leaving Bowmansgreen at half-term. Thank you, Miss Bliss, for all of your hard work at Breakfast Club and supporting classes and individual pupils across our school, as their learning mentor and sports coach. I am sure that families will join me in wishing Miss Bliss the best of luck and happiness for the future, as she sets off on new adventures.

Congratulations to Mrs De’ath who is now a proud mummy of two, with new baby Jack, born last week. We look forward to seeing the new addition very soon!

Enjoy your weekend.