School Newsletter : 24 October 2025

Dear Parents/Carers and Pupils,

On the afternoon of Thursday 23rd October, the school were informed of the specifics of the road closures by Thames Water which will come into effect from Monday 27th October until early December 2025.

• During this time, drivers will not be able to turn into Greycoat Lane from either direction. Barriers to prevent vehicle access will be put in place where the two blue lines are drawn on the map below.
• Please note you cannot turn into Rochester Street from Rochester Row, as this is one way street (and this would be going the wrong way). Please note that there is a camera on the street.
• Do ensure you review your travel routes to school before the new term starts, as those who drive will need to park in order to drop off and collect their children.
• As parking is very limited in our area, where possible we would strongly recommend using public transport and walking – rather than driving – during this period of works. Please note parking wardens do heavily patrol the areas.

For those with no alternative to driving, there will be a member of staff on the corner of Greycoat Street (Lane) and Elverton Street every morning, so that pupils can be dropped here.

Kindly note that this will be in the mornings only and only for drop offs. You will not be able to park here to walk your child into school. Please secure correct parking in the afternoons in order to collect your child/ren.

Full pedestrian access is still in place down Rochester Street (from Rochester Row) and from Elverton Street, along Greaycoat Lane to the main school gates, as shown as pink lines on the map.

If you have any queries, please email the school office. Kindly note that we will only be able to respond on Monday 3rd November, when school resumes after the half term break.

Kind regards,

BC Admin Team

It was wonderful to see so many of our parents and pupils at our Autumn Term Parent-Teacher Evening this week, and to have the opportunity to share the learning journeys that your children have been on this term.

We hope that Years 1 – 6 parents & carers enjoyed discussing the work samples that your children had selected to share. We also hope that the work samples and floor books from our Early Years classes were helpful in demonstrating some of the fantastic learning our youngest pupils have been engaged in.

It was also lovely to be able to share all the wonderful Autumn 1 projects that were submitted by pupils. There were some amazing examples of home-learning and creativity on display and the evening was a great opportunity to showcase these.

We look forward to sharing the Autumn 2 project ideas in your child’s Autumn 2 Term Class Newsletter which will be sent home with pupils on Monday 3rd November.

Your ongoing commitment and support of your child(ren)’s learning are very much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to join us on this occasion.

This October, all pupils at Burdett-Coutts came together to create a whole-school gallery celebrating Black History Month.

Inspired by the national theme for 2025 Standing Firm in Power and Pride, the children created outstanding artworks for our school project, Power Portraits & Voices of Power.

Throughout the month, they explored what it means to be powerful, proud, and courageous; not just through strength alone, but also through kindness, leadership, creativity, and fairness.

Each class learned about a significant Black figure from Britain or around the world who has shown these qualities, then created powerful mixed-media portraits and “Voices of Power” to share these stories.

At Burdett-Coutts, we recognised that this work matters and that learning about Black history helps children understand that our shared history is diverse, interconnected, and alive with stories of resilience and joy.

By learning about powerful and diverse role models and understanding their journeys, pupils learn to recognise their own voices, celebrate difference, and stand firm in their own pride.

Our Power Portraits & Voices of Power wall reminds us that power can sppear in many different ways — and that every child in our school has the ability to lead, to create change, and to speak with pride.

To round off our Black History Month celebrations, every class took part in an incredible African drumming workshop!

Led by a visiting musician, the children learned to play a traditional West African drum called the djembe, and explored the rhythms, chants, and joyful energy that connect music and community.

The sessions were inspired by the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are”, a reminder that we all thrive through connection, kindness, and togetherness. The hall was alive with rhythm, teamwork, and plenty of smiles as the children drummed in unison and celebrated the power of shared sound.

Year 6 offered the following feedback:

This week, we took part in an energetic African drumming workshop as part of Black History Month. Dan introduced us to djembe drums and taught key playing techniques, including the bass and tone sounds, how to play loud and soft (dynamics), plus ways to create different textures by using light knocking, hand rubbing on the drumhead and even positioning the elbow over the bass area for control.

We learnt a call-and-response chant of “jaba jaba djembe, djembe, jaba jaba” and practised keeping a steady pulse while layering simple rhythms together. The session blended music, coordination and cultural learning, and we all left buzzing with pride at what we could play.

Woof…

Happy Friday everyone. It’s hard to believe that we have already completed the first half of the 🍁 Autumn term; hasn’t it just flown by?!

What a busy final week we have had. There was an amazing Drumming Workshop which all the pupils across the school thoroughly enjoyed. I must say that their engagement, focus and concentration in each lesson was exemplary 🙂

On Thursday 23rd October, teachers, parents and pupils had a wonderful evening as they came together to celebrate all the learning that has taken place during the first part of our Autumn half term. Wow, there certainly has been a lot, judging by the displays on show.

Well done to all our pupils, I can see that you’ve all worked so hard and I wish you a pawsome half term break. I’ve already started making the most of my holiday, seeing my best friend Koda and exploring some new walks in the English countryside.

Enjoy your holidays and hope you have fun catching up with friends and family also. Please st ay safe and see you all on Monday 3rd November 🐶

Love Biscuit x  🐶

Please ensure that your children are wearing the correct school uniform to school each day. It is important that all pupils are also wearing the correct school shoes – which are black shoes, and not trainers.

The Autumn/Winter term uniform options for pupils in Nursery to Year 6 are:

Please find here the agreed term dates set by our school’s Governing Body for the upcoming academic year, starting September 2025.

Please remember that holidays will not be authorised during the school term, and that all children should be in school (on time) every day.

Alternatively, you can click on the image thumbnail on the right to view the PDF (please note this will open in a new window) or you can click on the link below:

• Burdett-Coutts & Townshend Foundation CE Primary School Term Dates 2025-2026 >

Nursery have been learning all about Diwali, the Festival of Lights. The children were excited to discover how people celebrate this special festival by lighting lamps, decorating their homes, and spending time with family and friends. In class, we made our own diya lamps, created henna patterns in playdough using stamps, and decorated Diwali flowers with colourful gems. The children loved exploring the sights and colours of Diwali and talking about the idea of light shining brightly in the world. It was a wonderful week filled with learning, creativity, and celebration.

Reception have had such an amazing first half term. The children have shown incredible curiosity and enthusiasm, exploring new learning every day. They have begun to form strong friendships and are learning to play, share, and collaborate with each other. As the term comes to a close, we have been celebrating our families and discovering what makes each of us unique, helping everyone feel a sense of belonging and connection within our class community. We are excited to continue our learning journey together next term.

This week, Year 1 have been exploring the magic of poetry – discovering how words can dance and rhyme in the most joyful ways! After writing their very own rhyming couplets, the class participated in a mini open-mic session, proudly performing their poems to an enthusiastic audience of classmates. From bees and trees ,to dads who make us glad, the children’s creativity (and confidence!) shone through. It was such a delight to see our budding poets take centre stage.

As part of our Black History Month learning, Year 6 have been exploring the remarkable story of the Windrush Generation. The children researched and wrote detailed fact files to answer key questions such as Who were they?, What was the Empire Windrush?, Why did people come to the UK from the Caribbean?, and What contributions did they make to British life? They also learnt about the difficulties and challenges many faced as they settled into a new country.

Alongside their research, the class read Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah, to deepen their understanding of the hopes, fears and resilience of those who made the journey to Britain. Inspired by the book and by examples of folk art, the children  created expressive watercolour portraits using bold outlines and bright colours to represent the people of Windrush. Their final display, Voices of Windrush, is a powerful celebration of resilience, identity and belonging, honouring the journeys and achievements of a generation who helped shape modern Britain.