School Newsletter : 20 December 2024

At Burdett-Coutts, another week of Christmas Magic has flown by, where pupils have enjoyed a range of Christmas celebration events, including the PTA Winter Fair, Choir Performances at the Mayors Parlour and participation in a filmed Church Service to be screened in the New Year (we will let you know when), and finally a Carol Service at Norton House.

Our week concluded with a whole school Christingle Service in church 🕯 Phew, what a month it has been🎄

We would like to say a HUGE well done to all the children for an AMAZING Autumn term in school. You have all worked incredibly hard academically, socially and participating in school trips and wider school events.

You have also demonstrated determination and resilience with your studies, trying your best at all times; representing your school with your manners, kindness and respect for other when engaging in community events and projects in and out of school. We are all very proud of you – and you should be proud of yourselves too.

We also like to extend a HUGE thank you to our wonderful parents and carers. Your ongoing support with your children and their education, ensuring that they are in school each day, on time and ready for learning and always showing such positivity towards school life, is very much appreciated.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas 🎄and Happy Holidays over this festive period.  Please take care of each other, stay safe, enjoy time with family and friends, and make time for some much deserved rest 🙂

We look forward to seeing you all return to school at 08:40am on Tuesday 7th January 2025.

Christmas Carols at the Abbey Community Centre:
On Friday 13th December, the Club Choir visited the café at the Abbey Community Centre (now called The Wash House) in Great Smith Street. The children sang a programme of traditional carols, mixed with songs from our Key Stage 2 Nativity performance, while eight or nine children sang solos. We’ve been making this annual visit with our choir for at least twenty years!

Christmas Carols at the Mayor’s Parlour:
On Tuesday 17th December, at the invitation of Bi-Borough Music Hub, twelve children from the Choir Club visited the Mayor’s Parlour, on the nineteenth floor of Westminster City Hall. We sang carols before and after the Christmas meeting of the Loop Live council group. The panoramic views of Westminster from the café at the top of this very tall building are amazing, and the children spent the interval identifying various London landmarks; including the roof of our own school!

Choir Filming @ St. Stephens Church:
On the afternoon of Tuesday 17th December, the Choir Club participated in a filming session in St. Stephen’s Church with The Revd. Graham Buckle. An Epiphany Service was being recorded for broadcasting in early January, and the children sang We Three Kings of Orient. The TV producer was extremely complimentary about our performance, announcing himself happy with with our work after only two takes!

Christmas Carols at Norton House:
On Wednesday 18th December, the Choir Club, along with Year Six, visited local care home Norton House, located only a few minutes’ walk from our school. We sang a programme of traditional carols, and songs from our show (Sheik, Rattle & Roll) to the residents, who were very pleased and welcoming. This was another occasion where several children had the opportunity to sing their solos in public.

Burdett-Coutts Winter Fair:
A HUGE thank you to our extraordinary school PTA (Friends of Burdett-Coutts), for once again hosting another hugely successful school fund-raising event, our Winter Fair on Wednesday 18th December. I know many have dedicated hours in preparing for this event, and it showed in the wonderful range of games, food, music and entertainment for all, including a very busy🎄Santa’s Grotto. Those elves were sure kept busy supporting Santa 🎁 Thank you so much to all the parents, carers and other visitors who attended and supported this event. You helped to raise the magical amount of £1096.10 on this afternoon of Christmas cheer, laughter and music!

Christingle Service:
As is our tradition, we came together as a whole school to celebrate the end of term with a wonderful Christingle Service at St Stephens Church on Friday 20th December. The service included festive songs, readings and prayers, and we heard about the story of Jesus’ birth from Luke’s gospel with the reading from chapter 2 verses 1-16.

At the end of the service, the lights were dimmed and we lit our Christingles (being very careful of those around us!) and said the following special prayer:

As you have received this light, so remember that Christ is the Light of the World. Whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. May these Christingles remind us to shine as lights in the world, bringing light to those who walk in darkness.

If you are not sure what a Christingle is, and what each element represents, ask your child/ren – they should be able to tell you all about it!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing staff at Burdett-Coutts!

You are ‘simply the best‘ and give so much to ensuring our pupils have access to the most AMAZING opportunities and rich learning we can give. You have all  gone above and beyond throughout the term, and yet, amazingly, are still able to still find that extra sparkle ✨ that you gave to all the wonderful events we have hosted and presented this festive season🎄

On behalf of the School Governors, Trustees and myself, thank you for all you do, for your continued dedication, love and care for our pupils, families and wider school community. Please do enjoy a well deserved rest of the holiday season and enjoy many moments of joy and laughter with family and friends.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy New Year 🎉

Please see the following key dates for wraparound school provisions starting straight after the Christmas holiday period:

• Tuesday 7th January 2025: School reopens to all pupils @ 08:40
• Tuesday 7th January 2025: Breakfast Club starts @ 07:45
• Tuesday 7th January 2025: After School Clubs starts @ 15:30 – 18:00

Furthermore:

• 20th January 2025: Extended School Day Clubs (15:30 – 16:30) will resume.
• Tuesday 14th January 2025: Extended School Day Clubs menus will be sent home; sign ups will take place on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th January.
• Tuesday 14th January 2025: Booster and Intervention Club letters will be sent home, with morning and afternoon lessons starting in the week beginning 20th January 2025.

Please ensure that all children wear a jacket to school, and have a hat. Gloves and scarves are optional, but are highly recommended as it starts to get much colder.

All pupils should now be wearing their full winter uniform and no longer in their summer uniform options, including PE uniform.

Please ensure all items of clothing including jumpers and sweaters are named!

Many thanks for your continued support.

Year 2 has had a wonderful Autumn term, full of learning, creativity, and special moments. We explored exciting stories like The Lonely Beast and The Great Fire of London, which inspired our imaginations and deepened our knowledge. Trips to the Tower of London and King’s Gallery brought History and Art to life, with highlights including sketching royal portraits and using oil pastels to create our own masterpieces. The festive season was magical, with Christmas Display Day, where we represented Eight Maids A-Milking, Christmas Jumper Day, and when we had a delightful Christmas Lunch. We also collaborated with Year 1 and EYFS for a heartwarming Nativity Play, spreading joy through our songs and performances.

Adding to the excitement, a mischievous classroom elf visited us this week, making each day a little more special. We’ve also grown as a class, showing small acts of kindness and collaboration – such as including others in games, encouraging friends to persevere through mistakes, and brightening days with cheerful greetings, like saying, “Good morning, I hope you have a great day!”.

We ended the term with a cosy afternoon of hot chocolate, reflecting on the year and sharing our wishes for the year ahead. Thank you to all the parents & carers for your unwavering support throughout the term. We’re incredibly proud of the children’s progress and look forward to more adventures in the new year. Wishing everyone happy holidays and a wonderful New Year, from Miss Jorquera & Miss Polly.