Posted: Fri 17th Dec 2021
Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had a marvellous ‘All things Christmas’ week in school. After everything that was missed last year, and the cancellation of the Christmas Fair and indoor shows this year, we have been so pleased and relieved to be able to deliver an outside singalong and mini Christmas Fair for each year group and we hope these events have warmed your hearts. We know that it means so much to the children to be able to perform in front of their loved ones. I would especially like to thank the teaching team and support staff for adapting so quickly and for showing such exceptional teamwork during such challenging times. Thank you also to all parents and carers for being so positive and supportive about our revised Christmas programme! Thanks also to the Friends of BHPS, Mrs Gilham, Mrs Clark and Mrs Windover, and their band of merry helpers for their hard work towards the mini Christmas Fairs. Finally, keeping all the children dry whilst they sang was a concern that we didn't need to worry about - thank you to Mr Day, Year 4 teacher, and Ms Dawkins, a parent, for coming to the rescue with ‘pop up’ gazebos for if and when we needed them!
This morning it was a pleasure to host our Head Teacher Award virtual assembly in school. Along with our Ambassadors assembly last month, this is always something that makes me feel incredibly proud to be headteacher here.
It has been a very busy period in school and so much work has taken place around ensuring the children are getting the most from their learning. Last week we held PPRs (Pupil Progress Reviews) and will use the outcomes of these reviews to inform planning and necessary intervention work in the spring term. As you know we have also launched ‘Aspire’, our new learning classroom this term. This has been a successful initiative thus far and we will continue to monitor the progress of the children who attend very carefully. Wellbeing of children and staff has also been very much at the top of our agenda in school and there have been some important and exciting developments in this regard (more information will follow about this in the new term).
Observations of teaching and learning this term have been very pleasing; we are seeing such engaging and creative lessons which children are really enjoying. It has been a pleasure to see how hard children are working!
We also say “goodbye” to Mr Chotai, Headteacher at Charles Darwin School, and on behalf of the staff and children here we wish him all the very best for his retirement. We are looking forward to working with Mr Smith, as Headteacher of Charles Darwin, from January 2022. Mr Chotai will be continuing as CEO of the Trust temporarily.
It is just under a year since I stepped in the shoes of Mr Ellis, and though it has been somewhat of a “Baptism of Fire” as far as new headships go - I have thoroughly enjoyed my new role. I could not run this school without the fabulous staff team that we have here and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every member of staff for the role that they play in making BHPS the very special place that is. Thank you also to the many volunteers that come in and read with children and to our parents and carers for being so incredibly supportive of your children and of the staff team this year, it has meant a great deal to us all.
Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank the children for all their hard and fabulous work - they really do bring a smile to us all and make us very proud each day.
On behalf of all the staff at Biggin Hill Primary School, I would like to thank you for your kind gifts, cards and messages - I wish you a very safe and happy Christmas and a marvellous New Year!
We all very much look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
My very best wishes,
Mrs Freeman
Mrs Freeman Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Return to News listing page