School Newsletter : 14 November 2025

We are absolutely delighted to share some wonderful news!

Following the recent workshop led by the acclaimed poet Coral Rumble, three talented Year 5 Burdett-Coutts pupils have been selected to perform her beautiful poem “Glow” at the official Lighting of the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square on Thursday, 4th December.

This historic and much-loved event, hosted by the Mayor of Westminster and attended by thousands, marks the beginning of London’s festive celebrations. It is an incredible honour for our pupils to represent the school on such a prestigious stage, sharing their creativity and festive spirit with the whole community.

We are so proud of them and can’t wait to see them shine!

Year 3 Trip to Fulham Palace:
Year 3 visited Fulham Palace to learn more about life in the Stone Age, through their exciting, all-outdoors exploration of life in a community which lived at Fulham Palace 6,000 years ago. The children impressed the staff with their knowledge and expertise on this topic. Pupils connected their class learning to the historic photos and artefacts they held and looked at. They also asked great questions to further their knowledge. Finally at the end of the session, we were able to reinact Stone Age life, by building a hut, grinding grains to flour, weave necklaces and painting on a ‘cave wall.’ It was a lot of fun!

School Choir Workshop with Westminster School:
Our school choir were delighted to welcome Mr Jago Thornton, and Mr Tim Garrard, and fifteen pupils from Westminster School for a song writing project. Working in the hall, nine small groups discussed widely differing thoughts about Christmas. Each group then used one of our new keyboards to start composing a melody for their song. At the end of the session each group performed a short excerpt of their work to everyone else in the room.

All of these ideas have been taken back to Westminster School’s Manoukian Music Department where they will be arranged into one final song, which our choir will learn. In two weeks’ time they will go to the Music Centre where they will rehearse with the older children, after which their performance will be recorded and filmed in the special recording studio.

We are extremely fortunate to be able to work really closely with older musicians, and to visit and work in their well-equipped music department. We are very grateful to Westminster School for all of the musical opportunities they regularly present to us.

Year 1: Year 1 were absolutely enchanted by our visit to the Wintershall Education Travelling Crib. The children stepped straight into the nativity story and were completely captivated from the very first moment. They loved meeting all the characters, but – unsurprisingly – the runaway favourite was the donkey!

There were many whispered debates about how strong he must be, how gently he helped Mary, and whether he was “very stable,” as one child proudly wrote. The angels, shepherds, and wise men also stole little hearts, and the children were full of awe as they listened to the story come alive around them.

Back at school, they created reflection sheets full of brilliant Year-One-isms: from “A new King was born” to “It is Jesus’ birthday” to the very practical observation that Mary “packed her bag” before beginning her journey!

Their writing shows just how much they absorbed from the experience – and how deeply they connected with the magic of the nativity story. It truly was a beautifully wholesome morning, and the children haven’t stopped talking about it since.

Year 2: Year 2 enjoyed their wonderful trip to the Wintershall Nativity at Lambeth Palace. The children joined the characters of the Nativity on their journey to Bethlehem and explored what the first Christmas meant to the people who were there.

It was a fun and informative experience, and the children were fully engaged as they met different characters and listened to stories from the Bible. We were also very lucky to receive small gifts to help us remember our special visit. The children had a fantastic time and showed wonderful enthusiasm throughout the day.

Year 4: Year 4’s highlight of the week was their trip to the Wintershall Nativity at Lambeth Palace. The immersive experience was truly magical, as we walked around the beautiful grounds and met different people from the Bible story along the way. We were even given small gifts to remember them by! The visit deepened our understanding of symbols in the Advent, and really inspired our continued learning in RE.

Parents & carers, please ensure that when pupil trip letters are sent home requesting permission for trips or visits, that you correctly read and complete the forms attached and return them to school by the date requested.

When forms are returned late, it is a challenge to manage and accurately provide the required confirmation / information to venues – which are usually requested 48 hours in advance. Furthermore:

• Our admin and catering teams face additional pressure to prepare lunch orders and first aid.
• These are difficult to amend at the last minute, and it also pulls them away from other duties & responsibilities they have.
• Teachers are also unable to assign group pupil:adult ratios to ensure a smooth trip briefing with other staff/parents supporting the trip.

Because of this, pupils will miss out on attending a trip if the correct permission slips are not returned by the designated deadline. Instead they will be assigned appropriate class work to complete in a supervised buddy class.

Many thanks for your understanding and support with this matter.

Please note that lip balms are not permitted in school.

Despite regular reminders, pupils often share these amongst their friends, which can lead to the spread of colds, flu and coldsores. These items also cause disruption and arguments, both in the classroom and the playgrounds, leading to interrupted teaching time and wasted time in resolving disputes.

If your child has a medical condition which requires any form of topical medication – such as a lip balm – please contact the school office so an appointment can be made with the school nurse. This will activate the appropriate protocols allowing designated pupils to be able to access this properly while in school.

Many thanks with your support in this.

A reminder that the following class assemblies will be on Fridays @ 9am. If attending, please be seated in the First Floor Hall by 9am.

• Year 4: Friday 21st November
• Year 3: Friday 5th December

We’re excited to share that the Super Me books from the Young Writers competition have now arrived – and our pupils’ fantastic superhero artwork has been officially published!

Last year, while in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, our young artists created their own superheroes, celebrating imagination, individuality and creativity. Their amazing work has now been printed in a full-colour book and the children are incredibly proud to see their artwork in print.

A huge well done to all our published pupils – this is a wonderful achievement!

All Burdett-Coutts families are warmly welcome to join us for our Thanksgiving Event on the evening of Wednesday 27th November.

This is an informal opportunity for us to come together; to meet other parents in your child’s class, catch up with old friends and hopefully make some new ones.

Our school choir will be singing a selection of songs with refreshments for pupils and parents provided. We will also be launching our Christmas Displays on this evening.

The entire school came together this week to celebrate Anti-Bullying Week, and what a powerful, positive week it was. We began with Odd Socks Day, filling the corridors with colour, stripes, polka dots and every pattern imaginable.

When we asked the children why we wear odd socks, one child summed it up beautifully, “It’s to remember children who feel different at school.” This simple but thoughtful idea guided our conversations all week.

Across Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, children took part in rich discussions about what bullying really is, how our actions can affect others, and – most importantly – what we can do if we see someone being unkind or left out. We explored what it means to be an upstander rather than a bystander, and how every single person has the power for good in our school community.

Throughout the week, pupils embraced the spirit of the “Challenge Yourself to 25” theme for Children in Need, completing everything from 25 acts of kindness to 25 star jumps, thank-yous, smiles and encouraging words. The school was buzzing with positivity all week long.

In our discussions, the children reflected on how young people who are vulnerable, isolated or in need of extra support may sometimes feel left out or different, and how our fundraising helps make sure they are seen, valued and supported.

We are incredibly proud of how thoughtfully and compassionately the children approached Anti-Bullying Week this year. Their empathy, honesty and courage in talking about difficult topics show just how committed they are to making our school a place where everyone feels safe, respected and welcomed for exactly who they are.

On Friday, our non-uniform day brought a joyful end to the celebrations. We enjoyed delicious cupcakes, enthusiastic rounds of ‘Guess the Number of Smarties’, and a wonderful sense of togetherness. We are proud to share that we raised a fantastic amount for Children in Need — thank you to every family who contributed.

Winners of the Guess the Number of Sweets???

• Nursery & Reception: Pippa guessed 165 – 15 away from the  correct number of 180.
• Years 1 & 2: Zoe – correct guess of 175
• Years 3 &4: Simon  guessed 177 – 4 away from the  correct number of 181.
• Years 5 & 6: Nathaniel – correct guess 179

Armistice Day at Burdett-Coutts:

The school choir processed slowly up the central aisle of St Stephen’s Church, to the beautiful melody of Elgar’s Nimrod, played by Mr Carden on the piano. We heard four sentences read from the Bible, and then we sang I vow to thee my country.

Our vicar, Graham, talked to us about the importance of remembering, after which we sang, Make me a channel of Your peace. It was a minute before 11 am when Zac Saville, from Westminster School, played the famous military bugle call, The Last Post. The whole school and the large number of parents attending, all stood completely still for two minutes.

The silence was broken by Zac playing the wake-up call, Reveille, almost faultlessly on his trumpet. Our two head choristers, Tahlia and Max, assisted by the curate, David, reverently placed a wreath of poppies on the table. Followed by Joshua and Muhammed reading the famous poem by Laurence Binyon, “They shall grow not old”

We listened to two more new poems specially written by Year Six and read by their authors, Joshua and Tahlia. Graham invited all of us to say “The Peace of the Lord be always with you” to those close to us, and then we sang Peace, perfect peace. Two more prayers followed, and we sang our National Anthem, accompanied by the piano, several members of the keyboard club, and the trumpet.

Graham gave us a final blessing, and it was time to go out to the stirring sounds of William Walton’s Crown Imperial played on the church organ. What a beautiful way to mark the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Year 6 Trip to Westminster Abbey:

As part of their Remembrance learning, Year 6 had the honour of visiting Westminster Abbey. The experience was both moving and inspiring from the moment we arrived.

The children placed memorial crosses in the Garden of Remembrance, taking time to reflect on the lives of those who served. Standing before the Unknown Warrior’s grave, they joined in a quiet moment of stillness while classmates read aloud their researched epitaphs for Ernest Boots, and a letter inspired by the life of Walter Tull. It was a powerful and thoughtful moment for everyone.

Inside the Abbey, the children were amazed to discover our school’s own founder, Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, commemorated among the great figures of British history. They explored the Lady Chapel – dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary – and looked up in awe at the spectacular fan-vaulted ceiling with carved pendants and the surrounding Commonwealth flags.

One of the highlights of the day was being invited to sit in the choir stalls. There, Year 6 proudly sang a song together, filling the historic Abbey space with their voices – a memorable moment none of us will forget.

It was a remarkable visit that deepened the children’s understanding of remembrance, history and the important stories carried through time.

Woof…

Happy Friday everyone. WOW – we have had a week bursting with events!

As you will have seen from this newsletter, we have had sooooo many pawsome opportunities for our pupils to enjoy this week. From trips to Westminster Abbey and Lambeth Palace, to participating in workshops and events, and finally to opportunities for fundraising and celebrations (Odd Socks and Children In Need).

On Tuesday we all gathered with friends, family, school and wider community to pause and offer our thanks on Remembrance Day. It was such a wonderful service, giving us the opportunity to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we have today. It was also a chance for us to offer our thoughts and prayers to those sadly affected by conflict today.

A huge WOOF to all those pupils who have excelled in the many activities on offer over the past few weeks. Their efforts has paid off, with work being published and opportunities to represent our school at local events. Well done everyone.

This week, I had such pawsome fun playing football with Year 6. The newly installed football areas are definitely very popular with all the pupils (and me). However, I don’t think next week will be any quieter though.

Here’s a brief overview of what’s coming up:

• Tuesday: Year 6 in-school workshop for the Not Forgotten project with Peter Daniels
• Wednesday:  Year 5 Trip to the British Museum
• Thursday: Year 6 performing Not Forgotten project at Kensington Library.
• Friday: Year 4 Class Assembly

Please see the calendar section below for more information about the above events.

Last weekend I was lucky to meet up with some of my furry friends. Even though the weather is getter cooler, we still love the opportunity to swim and play in the stream.

We also spied lots of wonderful fungi growing along the paths on a woodland walk. Although, you have to be careful not to knock into them – which I sometimes find hard when chasing squirrels –  and most importantly, never touch, sniff or eat.

Remember to only use your eyes to look at these if you should see any in parks and gardens when you are playing outside.

Wishing you all a pawsome weekend and see you next week.

Love Biscuit x 

Dear Parents/Carers and Pupils,

Many thanks to everyone who have safely navigated there way to school this week, amongst all the road and traffic disruption due to the water works taking place in our streets.

A polite health & safety reminder for those driving – please do not double park or block the roads around the school as this poses a real hazard to other users.

We will continue to support drop off and collection times as much as possible over the coming weeks by having a visual staff presence in and around the entrance to the school.

Road closures by Thames Water remain in 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

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 >

This week, Preschool have enjoyed learning all about nocturnal animals. To make the experience extra fun and interactive, we used flashlights to explore the “nighttime” classroom, shining light around the room to find our hidden owl friend. Once we discovered her, we brought her over to the story mat to enjoy a cozy reading time with our “baby owls” and their “mummy owl.” It was a wonderful way to bring our learning to life and spark curiosity about the animals that come out after dark!

This week, to learn about Remembrance Day, Nursery have been busy making their own poppy playdough. The children really enjoyed exploring the bright red colour and shaping their poppies while we talked about what the poppy represents. Through stories and discussions, the children began to understand why Remembrance Day is such an important time to think about and thank those who have helped keep us safe.

Reception’s core text this week is Stanley’s Stick! In the story, Stanley uses his wonderful imagination to turn an ordinary stick into all sorts of exciting things. Inspired by Stanley, the children used their own stick to dream up all sorts of creative inventions, such as a soup spoon, fairy, unicorn, bee, pirate ship, zombies, hand, and many more. We are so impressed by their fantastic ideas and storytelling!

This term, Year 1 have been learning how to write to inform.  They have been exploring how writing can teach others new information, and have begun learning about significant people from the past, such as Florence Nightingale. With Remembrance Day on 11th November, the pupils learned why we wear poppies and how we remember the soldiers who’d served and sacrificed during wartime. The children wrote their own information sentences explaining the importance of Remembrance Day, while creating thoughtful poppy artwork to accompany their writing. We are so proud of the care, respect, and maturity they showed while learning about this important part of our history.

This week, Year 6 have immersed themselves in Remembrance Day through poetry and performance. After studying powerful war poems, the children wrote their own pieces using imagery, symbolism and emotive language. We were incredibly proud that two of their poems were selected and read aloud in our school Remembrance Service. They also created thoughtful poppies to contribute to our whole-school Remembrance display. To end the week, the pupils stepped into the spotlight with their class assembly – and what a performance it was! Using their Trench Teleporter 3000, three wonderfully “mad” scientists whisked the audience back in time to the trenches of World War I, guiding everyone through history with humour, drama and heart. The final twist delighted the crowd: one scientist dramatically quit the Science Lab to join the Burdett-Coutts Choir, honouring Mr Carden with a beautiful performance of Once in Royal David’s City.