Welcome to your newsletter for week ending November 7th

It's the first week back after half term and school has been pretty busy. Luckily we've ended with a drier day but on other days we haven't been so lucky. Please ensure children have a waterproof coat with them and please WRITE NAMES IN THEM! We have about 6 lovely new nameless coats in the KS2 lost property boxes and we can't send them back to their owners as they don't have names in them. We also have piles and piles of cardigans and jumpers- again, please please write names in all items of uniform and check them regularly in case they have washed off.

Another plea please.... since the start of the academic year we have noticed a huge amount of meal options that have not been booked. This means the office staff spend their morning adding around a 300 meal options daily, which I'm sure you would agree, is time they would much rather be spending on making sure our communication with families is as good as it can be. There is a reminder of how to do this further down the newsletter. Thankyou!

Keep your eye on the website calendar for all the events that will be coming up this half term- it's under 'Families' then 'Calendar'.

Finally, we kick start our work on Anti-Bullying next week with an invitation for children to wear odd socks on Monday... see further down the newsletter for more info!

What's Coming Up

To view more dates, please visit our website calendar under the 'Families' tab or click here.

School Photos 

As you will be aware, your child/ren have recently had their individual and sibling photos. You will be able to purchase these soon, we are just waiting for the viewing cards to arrive. Once they have been delivered to school, we will let you all know! 

Festive Wreath Making Workshop

We are delighted to invite parents to join a special evening of festive wreath making at school on Friday 21st November and help us raise money for some important projects.

Come along to learn how to make your own wreath made from natural, seasonal materials in a festive and fun social celebration in our George Hall with some light refreshments. 

Places are £35 each - this includes materials and equipment to make one wreath (which you will take home).

We also welcome you to bring your children along to join in the fun at no extra cost.

Proceeds from the evening will go towards funding our new climbing frame and to supporting Young Minds, an important charity to our BVP community and our parent organisers.

To book your place, please pay via the Arbor shop where we are also welcoming additional donations.

Today the following pupils received the Values Certificate for Responsibility...

Pre-booking meals Plea! 

Please can we urge ALL families to make sure any dinner options (packed lunched, school dinner/ halal school dinner) are pre-booked on Arbor. 

Since the start of the year we have noticed an outstanding amount of meal options that have not been booked. This means the school office spend their morning adding around a 300 meal options daily! 

To pre-book your child's meal option go to Arbor>> Meals>> Meal Choices Available>> Select day & meal option>> Confirm 

Safeguarding Newsletter – Edition 2: Supporting Our Families

We are pleased to share the second edition of our monthly Safeguarding Newsletter. Each month, we focus on a different aspect of keeping children safe, both in and out of school, and provide useful advice and resources for families.

This month’s edition explores Child Mental Health, offering practical tips and guidance to help you support your child at home.

You can access the latest safeguarding newsletter here: Child Mental Health

Lost Property 

We've had a lot of lost property either handed in or accidentally picked up and taken home by other pupils. 

In a bid to tackle this, we are urging families to make sure their child's property is clearly labelled/ marked so anything that goes missing can find it's way back with ease. 

** If you notice your child has come home with an item that is not theirs, please can you return it to school. As you can appreciate another child will be missing their property! **

Odd Socks Day 10/11/25

Monday 10th marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week! Children can wear odd socks to school to celebrate that we are all unique.

Remembrance Day 11/11/25

On Tuesday 11th children in Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts can wear their club uniform to commemorate Remembrance Day.

Celebrating Dame Elizabeth Cadbury: A Historic Evening and Inspiring Workshop at BVP

Last night, Bournville Village Primary School proudly hosted a special event in partnership with the Birmingham Civic Society and Selly Manor Museum, unveiling a commemorative Blue Plaque in honour of Dame Elizabeth Cadbury. The plaque, now installed at BVP, celebrates her remarkable contributions to social reform, education, and community welfare — values that continue to inspire our school’s ethos today.

The evening was a heart-warming occasion, bringing together members of the Civic Society, representatives from Selly Manor, school staff, and local community members. Guests reflected on Dame Elizabeth’s legacy and her enduring impact on Bournville and Birmingham. The unveiling ceremony was a beautiful tribute to a woman whose life’s work helped shape the very foundations of our community.

Following the celebration, today we welcomed Selly Manor Museum back to BVP to deliver an engaging and educational workshop for our Key Stage 2 pupils. The session explored the history and significance of the Birmingham Civic Society, the role of Blue Plaques in commemorating influential figures, and the story behind Dame Elizabeth Cadbury’s recognition.

Our children were captivated by the stories and artefacts shared, gaining a deeper understanding of local history and the importance of civic pride. The workshop not only enriched their historical knowledge but also encouraged them to think about the values of service, leadership, and community — ideals that Dame Elizabeth embodied.

We are incredibly grateful to the Birmingham Civic Society and Selly Manor Museum for their partnership and dedication to bringing history to life for our students. The plaque now stands as a permanent reminder of Dame Elizabeth Cadbury’s legacy and the power of education to inspire future generations.

Attendance Armadillos 

This week the attendance armadillo's were handed to... 

Young Voices 2026 

We are gearing up for yet another Young Voices concert! Year 5 and 6 pupils in the BVP choir are set to perform at the BP Pulse Live arena in Birmingham on 8^th January 2026.

When and Where: 8^th January 2026

Who: Year 5 & 6 (No Year 4s as it is very noisy and long event with a late return to school)

Tickets 

If your child is set to be part of the performance, you will have received an email earlier this week explaining how to purchase tickets and merchandise. The deadline for these orders is today, so if you have already signed up to the “Parents Music Room” on the Young Voices website and wish to buy tickets, please do so as soon as possible.

If you miss the November 7th deadline, this means you can no longer purchase Young Voices tickets at the special schools' rate via the Parent Music Room. However, please see the below information on how to buy tickets after this date:

What to do if you missed the 7^th Nov deadline

• Contact the arena box office: You will need to wait until the tickets are officially released to the venues and then purchase them directly from the specific arena's box office. Young Voices will notify schools and parents when this has happened, so do not contact the box offices before then.
• Be aware of seating: Tickets purchased from the arena box office may not be seated with the rest of your child's school group, as the school block booking will have already been finalised.
• Act quickly: Even at the arena box office, tickets are limited and generally sell out quickly. 

Merchandise 

Some of your children have already received their T-shirts however, if you have recently paid for merchandise and are yet to receive it, Young Voices will be posting them to school as and when they receive orders. Once school receives these items, we will hand them out to your child to take home.

Again, if you have missed the 7^th November deadline you can still purchase Young Voices t-shirts separately from the general YV Shop, although you may have missed the school delivery option.

On The Day

Time children will leave school: Approx 12pm

Show time: 7-9pm

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We will send out further information in the run up to the event regarding transport to and from the event as well as other useful tips ahead of the day.

The countdown is on!

Next week we will be on WEEK 1.

You can pre-book meals in advance on Arbor till the end of the academic year (Arbor>> Meals>> Meal Choices Available>> Select Meal Choice)

Reminder: Even if your child is a packed Lunch, parents will need to book that lunch option on Arbor! 

Anti- Bullying Dessert Menu- 12th November 

Next Wednesday we have out Odd Socks Day dessert menu for Anti- Bullying Week. 

This month, we are celebrating non-fiction November. Check out the books below!

PTA Request!

A request for the front (picture side only) of old Christmas cards. They will be recycled in the craft room at the Christmas fair. Please drop them into the front office if you have any available.

Christmas Cards 

Christmas card on Arbor - you need to be quick! So far so good on name changes - but if you do need to make a change, alongside your order, use this form https://forms.office.com/e/HFaMbhEhyv

Christmas Fair

We are now accepting early donations for the Christmas Fair and school shop activities in December. We are looking for good quality books, toys, DVDs suitable for children, unopened/good as new products that you won't ever use but could be sold on/given away, children's wellies and overcoats. Any donations will be used to stock various activities across the Christmas Fair, and school shop activities in December.

Christmas Fair - Saturday 6^th December please do pop the date in your diary now so that the event is well attended and keeps the Year 6 team busy - after all - it is what you would want to see happen when your kids are in Year 6.

Discos (Yr1-Yr6)

Disco ticket are now on Arbor for Year 1, 2/3 and 4/5/6. Reception will get their first School Disco in the Spring Term.

Year 6 Opportunities 

We have visited year 6 classes this week to build momentum of gathering the Christmas Fair Volunteer Team. Loads of keen kids, most of them wanting to help out on something NOT with their Parents... which we totally understand and can easily facilitate! The form you need if you are in Year 6 is here https://forms.office.com/e/BLV9wUGNUT

Dates coming up

Friday 28^th November- Own clothes day for a donation of book or age-appropriate toy for the Christmas Fair Tombola

Friday 5^th December- Christmas Fair Setup, George Hall

Saturday 6^th December- Christmas Fair 11:00-1500, George Hall

Tuesday 9th December- Yr1 Disco 15:30-1630 Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 11th December- Yr2/3 Disco 15:30-1700 George Hall

Thursday 11th December- Yr4/5/6 Disco 18:00-19:30 George Hall

Friday 12^th December- Carols in the Playground 1400 gates open where we will be serving tea/coffee/mince pies on the top playground whilst the school gather on the lower playground. Singing starts at 14:30

David, Becki, Veronica

BVPS PTA

And finally...

We are always looking for ways to involve our families with the work we are doing in school. One of our goals is to strengthen our Rights Respecting School Status and go for the GOLD award this time next year. To achieve this, we need the support of a steering group. The group will be made up of staff, children, Governors and ... parents!

We would love to hear from you if you think you may have about an hour per half term to help create an action plan initially and then help to ensure all members of our school community understand and are aware of the importance of children's rights and how we can use this fabulous initiative to strengthen the experience for our children further. 

If you are interested and want to find out more, please contact Mrs Cooper via [email protected]

Take care all, have a good weekend and see you on Monday. 

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 are 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.

Going On In Your Area...

BOA Super Saturday School

Registration is now open for BOA Super Saturday School – an enriching 8-week programme designed to nurture creativity, develop confidence, and provide children with valuable learning experiences. 

FREE places with priority registration are available for families receiving Free School Meals (FSM), Pupil Premium, or Universal Credit – we are committed to supporting every child to benefit from this opportunity.

BOA Super Saturday School offers children the opportunity to:

• Develop their creative abilities through structured, engaging activities
• Build confidence and social skills in a supportive, inclusive environment
• Work with experienced students – our expert team of social ambassadors
• Celebrate their achievements at our Festival of Sharing on 21st March, where families are warmly invited to attend

The programme consists of 8 Saturday sessions:

 Time: 10:00am–1:00pm (3 hours per session)

• January: 24th, 31st
• February: 7th, 14th, 28th
• March: 7th, 14th
• Festival of Sharing: Saturday 21st March (longer session 10am - 3.30pm)

Fees and Free Places

We are committed to ensuring this programme is accessible to all families:

FREE places are available for children whose parents/carers receive:

• Free School Meals (FSM)
• Pupil Premium
• Universal Credit

(Please provide supporting evidence by emailing a letter from your child's school to: [email protected])

For all other families: £10 per session (£80 total for 8 sessions)

How to Register

Places are limited and we anticipate high demand, particularly for funded places. Children eligible for free places will be given priority.

Please register via our online form below:

REGISTRATION FORM

We encourage you to complete your registration promptly to secure your child's place. Should you have any questions or require assistance with the registration process, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to welcoming your child to BOA Super Saturday School.

Yours sincerely,

The BOA Super Saturday School Team

Message from Reverend Richard: 

Harvest Gifts:

Many thanks to everyone who donated food at the School Harvest Service in St Francis Church. A large donation of 260.5 kg was given to B30 and South Birmingham Foodbank from BVPS, St Francis Primary School and St Francis Church. Thank you for your support. 

Birmingham's Local Plan 

Click here to view this weeks Birmingham's Local Plan.