We're finishing the week with a definite chill in the air! It's been a busy week (see below for just some of the additional activities and events in school over the past few days) and we are certainly building up to a full final few weeks of term! Please keep checking newsletters and the calendar on the website so you don't miss anything.

Today we Celebrated Our Differences and we are hoping that all children are able to talk positively about what makes us unique. Our aim has been to build children's empathy for peers who need additional support or who have 'hidden differences' and also to remind children with any 'differences' that we are all equal, all important and all amazing. We have also been reminding children about our physical differences and how this too is fabulous and is what makes each of us so special. 

On Monday we will be sharing the link for this term's Parent/Carer survey- please do find a moment to complete this as it is through your insights and comments that we can ensure we are working together as effectively as possible to create the best educational experience, for our children. Don't forget to add your name if you'd like us to get back to you regarding any specific thoughts, and in addition you can email [email protected] to get in touch directly.

Music Dates:

Please can any children attending the Town Hall Concert arrive at 3:15pm to the venue.

If you wish your child to stop having music lessons in school, please let Mrs Vaughan know in writing by Friday 8th December. Please do not contact your child’s music teacher direct.

The whole BVP family are very proud of Lydia for raising an incredible £300 (and counting) for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The charity deliver emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare.

Lydia has been making bracelets in exchange for donations - you may have noticed Mr Sherwin has got his very own personalised one! 

Mrs Cooper said: "Lydia is a truly delightful young student and displays our school values consistently. I am not at all surprised to hear about her efforts to support others in such awful situations as this really does follow on from the 'Lydia' we see at school."

Some of our talented year 6 pupils have made it to the Sonnet Poetry Slam Final: 

* Sapphire

* Holly

* Isla

* Skyla

* Sylvia

* Erica

The final will take place next Wednesday (December 6th) at The Library of Birmingham. 

The whole BVP family are very proud of them and we wish them all the luck for next week. 

Our Year 5 Comic Club members were all super excited to meet the authors of “The Tangletree Mysteries” on Wednesday.

They talked about what makes a good comic and gave the children some quality feedback on their work.

Following their visit to the Comic Club, the authors enthralled Year 2 with another workshop. If your child has created anything as a result of the visit that you would like to share, please send photos to [email protected] and we will include them in next week's newsletter. 

Quite a simple message today - just come along tomorrow (Saturday) and enjoy yourself! Doors open at 11:00 for the School Choir. It's going to be freezing outside and we have frozen the prices inside as well.

Price List:

* Free Entry,

* £2.50 to visit Santa,

* 10p a go on games,

* £5 for the Present Room (kids only get help to select and wrap a present for their Parents/Guardians/Family member),

* 20p a go on the Tombola,

* pay what you can for donated books/toys/dvds, pay what you can for school uniform,

* Cafe with £1 drinks and separately priced samosas, crisps and donated cakes, biscuits,

* 50p for craft activity,

* Free Silent Disco 

* Our tuck shop will also be open

Also, 65 of our lovely Year 6 pupils and Year 6 Parents helping out!

It's really important that we make everyone welcome, as eventually you will be in Year 6 and will want to have an equally successful Fair.

On the day, we will gladly receive any cakes, biscuits, books, toys, dvds, any good quality uniform to donate on the day. Just let the welcome team know you have some donations and they will gladly take them off your hands.

Christmas Raffle

Tickets are now available on ParentPay for the Christmas Raffle Draw £1 per entry - see https://bournvillehsa.wordpress.com/end-of-term-raffle-december-2023/ for evolving prize list. The draw will take place on 20th December. We have added another set of prizes from local businesses, so please do take a look and get involved!

Christmas Cake Raffle

We have also secured a repeat donation of a Cake to raffle off - so Christmas Cake Raffle Tickets are on ParentPay. £1 per entry with the draw on 15^th December during the Carols in the Playground event.

Christmas Fair preparations - 2nd Dec 2023 11:00 - 15:00

It's all coming together nicely. All we need now is your support in coming along and enjoying the School in all its Christmas Fair splendor! Pop it in your calendar now and start arranging meeting up with class mates at the event!

We are still seeking donations from the Parent community for Raffle Prizes to be part of the Christmas Raffle. We had a hugely successful response to the previous raffle donation request that we are looking to repeat. Tickets are now on ParentPay and we have published the Prize List - which we will add to as the donations come in - see https://bournvillehsa.wordpress.com/end-of-term-raffle-december-2023/ for the list

Year 6 Opportunities

Thanks to all Year 6s that are coming to help at the fair. You should have had a text message from us letting you know the plan. If you haven't then it is probably because you still need to fill in the form at https://forms.office.com/e/BsSCE7n4nV

Discos and Disco Volunteers

The disco tickets are available on ParentPay now. Year 1 Disco- 5th December 15:20 - 16:30 (Elizabeth Hall), Year 2/3 Disco- 7th December 15:20 - 17:00 and Year 4/5/6 Disco 7th December - 18:00 - 19:30 (George Hall).

The tickets are £2.50 each and are on sale until the day before each Disco, or until sold out. There will be a tuck shop at Year 2/3 and Year 4/5/6 and we suggest no more than £2 would be sufficient - but that's up to you! Water will be available free of charge throughout.

To help us run a smooth event, please remember that the disco is only open for children who attend the BVPS in their respective years, and tickets are limited so be quick! We are also looking for parent volunteers to help us run the disco and tuck and help them have a fun time. Text 07974331102 and we will get you involved! 

Christmas Carols on the Playground - 15^th December

We shall we opening the gates early at 14:00 on Friday 15^th December for Carols on the Playground.

We need to get all parents/guardians in place (with tea/coffee/mulled wine/mince pies!) before the whole School come out at 14:30 - 15:00 for us all to sing carols together. The children will then go back into class to pick up belongings and then be dismissed as normal from their normal doors.

We will then have a party in the playground and carry on until all the mince pies have gone - so feel free to stick around! We shall also be drawing the Christmas Cake Raffle during the event. It's the first time we have tried this sort of event so wish us luck - it should work well!

Christmas Raffle Draw will take place on 20^th December

Last Day of Term 

The Carillon will be playing for a bit after school, and then we will carry on with the party in the playground with some music to celebrate the end of term!

We were excited to invite Seren’s Grandpa (Mr Chris Delaney) into school on Thursday afternoon to talk to us about our current Year 6 topic - the Ancient Greeks. Chris started off by telling us about the many museums he has worked in. He told us how the ancient Greek language is still part of Modern English. The word phobia has come from Ancient Greece. The word alphabet comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet – alpha and beta.

The famous mathematician called Zeno proved that Achilles could never catch a tortoise if he gave it a 100 metre start it would always be a fraction ahead. That is where the word fraction comes from.

The names of Ancient Greek gods:

Zeus

Hera

Poseidon

Athena

Do you now what they were the God or Goddess of?

F.G. (Year 6 journalist).

Yesterday was the final day of November, which means it was also the last Barvember challenge of 2023. It has been fantastic to see children across the school applying their reasoning and problem-solving skills by using bar models to tackle these questions. For the final time, here are some solutions by J and O in 5S. Fantastic problem-solving boys! Keep up the good work!

Make it FLY!

This flying object was made by Akira D in 5HPS for our topic about friction and air resistance. How do you think it works?

How could you make it stay in the air for longer?

What does it have in common with a glider?

If you would like to know more, have a look at this:

https://learning.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/resources/make-it-fly/

This week at BVPS we had some very special visitors. Steve Robert and Joel Stewart came in to share their amazing comic writing (and drawing) skills with year 2 and our comic book club in year 5. They gave the children a taste of what goes into creating a comic, and even did some drawings of characters from

Well done if you spotted Mrs Gould hiding behind a year 6 favourite—Skellig by David Almond

Can you work out who is hiding behind the book this week?

It is always important to check the reliability of what you are reading online. Children should always understand that what they see online is not always 100% accurate.  This website provides great tips on how to approach these issues with your child.

https://www.childnet.com/help-and-advice/reliability-online/

Fresh seasonal salad bar with fresh bread available daily as well as a daily selection of fresh fruit.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is the responsibility of everyone in our school and at all times we consider what is in our children’s best interests. We work to ensure our children our safe and cared for and by doing this we are protecting their health and development and preventing them from harm. If we are worried, we will raise concerns, share information, and take prompt action with the aim of ensuring families receive the right help at the right time.