School Newsletter : 06 November 2026

| Issue 8 | Autumn 2 | Week 1 |

Winter Wonderland Art Competition Winners

We’re delighted to share some wonderful news from this year’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland School Art Competition where three of our pupils have received awards for their imaginative dragon designs!

The competition attracted more than 500 entries, with children invited to bring their own dragons to life for this year’s theme, ‘Dragon Takes Centre Stage!’ The judging panel included award-winning author and illustrator Harry Woodgate and representatives from Gandeys Circus.

Nuraa won a Gold Award in the 9–11 age category, William won a Silver Award in the 4–5 category, and Jason was named a Commended Artist in the 9–11 category. 

All three children will now get to see their artwork displayed at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland for visitors to enjoy. Nuraa’s Gold Award has also earned the school a £250 voucher to spend on art supplies, so there’ll be even more opportunities for our children to get creative.

A huge well done to Nuraa, William and Jason. We’re so proud of you! Thank you to every child who took part and to all the families who encouraged and supported their creativity at home.

Get Cosy for Children in Need!

On Friday 13 November, we’re getting cosy and spotty for BBC Children in Need! It’s a lovely chance for our school community to have fun together and show how small acts of kindness can help support children and young people across the UK.

Our theme is Cosy Spots! Children are invited to wear something warm, comfortable and spotty. Please choose an outfit that provides suitable coverage and is warm enough for a normal school day, including outdoor play. Usual outdoor shoes and a coat, please. Slippers can stay at home!

If you’re able to, please send in a gold coin donation. In class, children will enjoy fundraising games, including guessing how many Smarties are in a jar for a chance to win it. The PTA will also be selling cupcakes at the end of the school day, with proceeds going to Children in Need.

A quick reminder for Year 6: please bring your PE kit to change into for your lesson.

Biscuits Bytes

Woof!

Welcome back, friends and families! I missed you all over the October half-term break, and it’s been pawsome to see everyone back at school. There’s something lovely about hearing the corridors fill up again with chatter, laughter and stories about what you’ve all been up to.

What a week it’s been! There have been trips, new topics to get stuck into and plenty of singing. The school choir is sounding brilliant. I’ve been listening very carefully and reckon I could join in, although my woof might be a little louder than they’re expecting!

It’s starting to feel rather wintry out there, and I’ve noticed lots more coats, hats and scarves coming into school. Please pop your child’s name on their winter things when you get a chance. It makes it much easier for us to reunite any stray scarf or wandering woolly hat with the right child.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, with a chance to get cosy and spend some time together. See you next week for more adventures!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,

Biscuit x

Attendance & Punctuality

Regular attendance is essential to every pupil’s success. At Burdett-Coutts, we place a strong emphasis on good attendance because being in school consistently supports wellbeing, friendships, a sense of belonging, academic progress and future opportunities.

Pupils who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve well, build strong relationships and develop the confidence, resilience and social skills they need for the future.

Even small amounts of absence can add up quickly. For example, 90% attendance is equivalent to nearly four weeks of missed learning over the course of a school year.

Our expectation is that all pupils achieve at least 97% attendance, and we are very grateful to families for working with us to support this.

A reminder about punctuality: If your child arrives after the black gates have closed and enters through the school office, they will be recorded as late. A parent or carer will need to come into the office and register their arrival using the InVentry system.

  • Late arrivals on assembly days: To avoid disrupting assembly, pupils arriving late will be safely supervised by an adult in the hall and asked to read their home reading book quietly until assembly has finished. Please make sure your child brings their home reader to school every day.
  • Late arrivals: Pupils who arrive late to school will miss their morning playtime that day, using that time to catch up on the 5, 10 or 15 minutes of work they have missed.

Parents and carers, please help your children to be up and out of the house on time each day, ensuring you leave plenty of time for your journey to school. We hope to see everyone arriving on time, so please ensure your child is in school by 08:45.

Thank you for your continued support in helping every pupil make the most of each school day.

Why Attendance Matters

Being in school every day helps pupils to:

  • Build secure friendships and social confidence
  • Develop teamwork and communication skills
  • Support positive wellbeing
  • Gain essential knowledge and life skills
  • Broaden their understanding of the world

Here’s this week’s class attendance figures:

Class Attendance %
Preschool 78.7%
Nursery 97.5%
Reception 97.1 %
Year 1 95%
Year 2 96%
Year 3 94.9%
Year 4 93%
Year 5 97.1%
Year 6 93.8%

Out and About……

Monday 2 November – Year 6 Not Forgotten Project:

Year 6 continued their Not Forgotten project with historian Peter Daniel in a workshop exploring life in Westminster at the beginning of the 20th century. Taking on the role of historians, the children used the Moving Away Your Dust booklet and original sources from Westminster Archives to find out what everyday life was like and how local people contributed to the First World War.

The workshop gave the children a chance to develop their historical enquiry skills. By examining the evidence, they made connections between the experiences of people in Westminster and the wider impact of the war.

The children also began learning songs and rehearsing their scene for the upcoming Not Forgotten performance. It’s a lovely opportunity for them to bring what they’ve discovered about Westminster’s history to life through music and drama.

Wednesday 4 November – Year 5 Roar with Excitement in the West End!

After an early lunch on Wednesday, Year 5 set off for the Lyceum Theatre to see a matinee performance of Disney’s The Lion King. The excitement was already building when the children were treated to a surprise introduction from the actors who play Scar and Shenzi.

Moments later, the show opened with a dramatic boom and the cast entered from the back of the auditorium, passing right by the children’s seats on their way to the stage. There were gasps and cheers as the children got a close-up look at the extraordinary animal costumes and saw just how much detail went into bringing them to life.

An ice cream at the interval was another treat before everyone settled back into their seats for the second half.

It was a day to remember, and Miss Probert and Miss Lara were especially proud of the children’s excellent behaviour and lovely manners throughout the trip. Well done, Year 5, for representing our school so beautifully!

Google Classroom & IXL access

All pupils from Reception to Year 6 have received their Reading Record Book. Their Google Classroom login details are inside the front cover.

Google Classroom is where we share class updates and homework, along with weekly floor book updates for Early Years. Please log in to your child’s account so you can keep up with their learning and news.

Pupils in Years 1–6 will also find their  IXL login details inside the front cover. These are needed to access maths and spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG) homework. Reception’s IXL accounts will be activated after the October half term.

When accessing Google Classroom, please sign out of any other Google accounts first, or use a private/incognito browser window, then sign in with your child’s details.

If you have any difficulty logging in, please email or contact the school office. We’ll be happy to help.

Healthy Packed Lunches

If your child brings a packed lunch to school each day, please take a moment to read the guidance below on what can and cannot be included.

These guidelines support our commitment to healthy lifestyles and pupils’ wellbeing, while also helping us to keep everyone safe from known allergens.

Kindly note we are a nut-free school. Please check ingredient labels carefully, particularly on cereal and muesli bars.

Packed lunches should include:

  • At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables
  • A healthy source of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or hummus
  • A carbohydrate, such as bread, pasta, rice or wraps
  • A dairy item, such as yoghurt or cheese
  • A small dessert, for example two standard-sized biscuits, a small piece of cake or a single portion pack of biscuits/cookies
  • Water only

Healthy packed lunch ideas include:

  • Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks
  • Rice cakes or crackers
  • Cheese cubes or yoghurt
  • Wraps, pasta salads or sandwiches
  • Water in a reusable bottle

Please do not include:

  • Crisps, sweets or chocolate bars
  • Fizzy or sugary drinks, including juice drinks such as Capri-Sun or Fruit Shoot
  • Probiotic drinks such as Actimel, Yakult or kefir drinks
  • Desserts in excess of the guidance above
  • Any nut products, including chocolate spreads containing nuts

School Trips and Packed Lunches

Packed lunches for school trips should also be healthy and balanced, following the guidance above. However, one small packet of crisps may be included on a school trip, whether the lunch is provided from home or by school.

All other items listed above as unsuitable should not be included in trip packed lunches. A balanced lunch will help pupils stay focused and energised throughout the day.

Thank you for your support in helping us encourage healthy habits and keep our whole school community safe.

Upcoming Events

November:

  • Monday 9th: Go Create Workshop for Year 5 (2/6). In school.
  • Wednesday 11th: Remembrance Service. Families are warmly invited to join us for this service. Please arrive at the black school gates for entry to the playground (outdoor service; weather permitting), at 10:40.
  • Thursday 12th: Year 4. ITSU Youth Kitchen Program (Session 2/5). In school.
  • Friday 13th: Children in Need. Non-unifom day. More information to follow.
  • Friday 13th: Y6 Trip to the Royal Albert Hall 13:00 – 17:00. More information to follow.
  • Monday 16th: Odd Socks Day
  • Monday 16th – Friday 20th: Anti-Bulling Week – PSHE activities taking place in school
  • Monday 16th: Go Create Workshop for Year 5 (3/6). In school.
  • Tuesday 17th: Speak Out, Stay Safe – NSPCC Workshop in school for Years 2, 5 & 6
  • Thursday 19th: Year 4. ITSU Youth Kitchen Program (Session 3/5). In school.
  • Thursday 19th: Choir & Westminster Partnership Filming at Westminster School – 15:00 – 16:30 (Letter to follow)
  • Monday 23rd: Go Create Workshop for Year 5 (4/6). In school.
  • Thursday 26th: Year 6 Moving Away Your Dust Musical Show at Kensington Town Hall – 09:30 – 14:00 (Letter to follow)
  • Thursday 26th: Year 4. ITSU Youth Kitchen Program (Session 4/5). In school.
  • Thursday 19th: Thanksgiving Event: 15:30 – 17:30  (more information to follow)
  • Friday 27th – INSET DAY
  • Monday 30th: Y6 Walter Tull Workshop with Peter Daniels (in school) 09:00 – 12:30
  • Monday 30th: Go Create Workshop for Year 5 (5/6). In school.

December:

  • Tuesday 1st: Year 4 Trip to Gunnersbury Museum (more information to follow).
  • Tuesday 1st: KS2 winter Disco, from  16:30 – 18:30
  • Wednesday 2nd: Choir performing at St. Gabriels Church from 19:00 – 20:00.  All choir pupils need to arrive at 18:30 (more information to follow).
  • Thursday 3rd: Year 4 ITSU Youth Kitchen Program (Session 5/5). In School.
  • Friday 4th: EYFS & KS1 Nativity in St.Stephens Church. Doors open at 14:15 and show begins promptly at 14:30. Phones off or on silent, please. Please keep photos off social media.
  • Friday 4th: Last day for Extended School Day and Booster Clubs.  All pupils to be collected at 15:30 next week, if they are not enrolled in the schools After School Club.
  • Monday 7th: 9 Lessons Carol Service at St John Smiths Square – 09:00 -11:00am.   All parents and carers are invited to attend. Phones off or on silent, please. Please keep photos off social media.
  • Monday 7th: Go Create Workshop for Year 5 (6/6). In school.
  • Tuesday 8th: Christmas Fair:  15:30 – 18:30  (more details to follow).
  • Wednesday 9th: Year 5 Trip to Neasden Temple (more information to follow)
  • Thursday 10th: Christmas Jumper Day
  • Thursday 10th: Play Us A Story Workshops (run by St John Smith Square) for pupils in Nursery, Reception and Year 1  – in school.
  • Friday 11th: KS2 Nativity in St.Stephens Church.  Doors open at 14:15 and show begins promptly at 14:30. Phones off or on silent, please. Please keep photos off social media.
  • Monday 14th: Choir Performing at the Abbey Community Centre – 13;45 – 15:30
  • Friday 18th: Christingle Service in St. Stephens 10:30 – 11:30
  • Friday 18th: School closes for the Christmas Holidays – all children to be collected at 13:30.

Community Corner

Week beginning 2 November 2026: All Saints’ Day
Remembering those who inspire us

Bible reading – Matthew 5:1–12, The Beatitudes

Vicar David welcomed everyone back after half term and invited a few children to share their holiday news. He then asked us what we thought made someone a saint. The children had some thoughtful ideas, from someone who prays and trusts in God, to someone who helps guide others.

We learnt that All Saints’ Day is a time to remember people whose faith and actions inspire us. We heard about St Stephen, after whom our church is named, and discovered stories about St Paul, St John and St Peter. The children enjoyed spotting them in the stained glass windows.

In our Bible reading, Jesus teaches us through the Beatitudes about showing mercy and making peace. David invited us to think about what that looks like in our own lives. We can choose to be kind even when someone is unkind to us, stand beside a friend who’s having a difficult time or help others make peace after a disagreement.

David also shared a special Tree of Life made by the children in Christian Club. They decorated it with the names of loved ones they wanted to remember, including family members, friends and much-loved pets. It was a gentle way to think about those we miss and remember the love and kindness they brought into our lives.

Community questions

  • I wonder how we could show mercy and kindness this week.
  • I wonder when you’ve seen someone help others make peace.

Community challenge

  • This week, look for one person you can encourage. A few kind words might make all the difference to their day.

Class Assemblies:

  • 20th November: Year 2
  • 4th December: Year 3
  • 11th December: Year 5

Assemblies are from 09:00 – 09:25. Please arrive on time, as late entry can disrupt the children and the flow of the assembly. Photos must not be shared on social media.

School & PE Uniform:

Pupils are welcome to continue to wear their school summer uniform until the end of September. However, as the weather changes to more cooler and wetter patterns, all pupils will need to be wearing the Autumn/Winter School Uniform from the beginning of October, or sooner if they wish.

Please ensure that all pieces of school uniform are named.

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:

Girls:

  • Dark grey trousers, skirt or skort
  • Long-sleeve white shirt (Years 3 – 6)
  • White school logo polo shirt (Nursery – Year 2)
  • Tie (Years 3 – 6)
  • V-neck navy school logo jumper (Years 3 – 6)
  • Navy logo school sweatshirt (Nursery to Year 2)
  • Blazer (Year 6 only)
  • Plain black shoes (not trainers)

Boys:

  • Dark grey shorts or trousers
  • Long-sleeve white shirt (Years 3 – 6)
  • White school logo polo shirt (Nursery – Year 2)
  • Tie (Yers 3 -6)
  • V-neck navy school logo jumper (Years 3 – 6)
  • Navy school logo sweatshirt (Nursery to Year 2)
  • Blazer (Year 6 only)
  • Plain black shoes (not trainers)

On PE days, pupils must wear the school PE kit only.

This is especially important for safety.  Having the correct shoes for physical activities, and clothing that is not restrictive, for completing physical activity are essential for helping us to ensure pupils complete all PE lessons safely.

The Autumn/Winter term PE kit for all pupils from Year Reception to Year 6 consists of:

  • A school navy logo t-shirt
  • Navy  leggings, tracksuit bottoms or skort (no logos etc)
  • Plain black trainers
  • A school logo sweatshirt (not the v-neck jerseys for KS2 pupils. Sweatshirts are available from the school office in KS2 sizes).

Please note that pupils who do not have the correct PE kit will not be able to participate in their PE lesson. They will be given alternate work to do, and a note will be sent home highlighting why they were not able to complete their lesson that day.

We thank you in advance in supporting our school’s uniform policies.

Our PTA: The Friends of Burdett-Coutts

If you are a parent, carer or guardian of a child at our school, you are automatically a member of Friends of Burdett-Coutts, our Parent Staff Association (PSA).

Getting involved is a lovely way to meet other families and support our school through fundraising events, volunteering and sharing ideas. Whether you can help regularly or spare a little time now and then, your contribution can make a real difference to school life for all our children.

Our meetings take place on Wednesday mornings, from 09:00–10:00 in the Ground Floor Hall, with refreshments provided. Everyone is welcome, and we would love to see you there!

Dates for your diary:

  • Thanksgiving Event: Thursday 26 November, 15:30–17:30.
  • School Christmas Fair: Tuesday 8 December, 15:30–18:30.
  • KS2 Winter Disco: Wednesday 16 December, 16:30–18:30.

More information about the Thanksgiving Event and Christmas Fair will follow.

Meeting dates:

  • 11th November
  • 25th November
  • 2nd December
  • 16th December

Term Dates 2026-2027

Please find here the agreed term dates set by our school’s Governing Body for the upcoming academic year, starting September 2026.

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

You can also click on the link below to view:

Preschool, Nursery & Reception Admissions

We currently have the following Early Years places available for September 2026:

  • Nursery Class (3-year-olds): Four full-time places and three part-time afternoon places
  • Preschool (2-year-olds): Two part-time afternoon places

Reception: September 2026

We currently have a waiting list for Reception places. Families are very welcome to book a tour and submit their admissions documents to join the waiting list.

If you’re looking for a Preschool, Nursery or Reception place for your child, we’d be delighted to welcome you for a 30-minute personalised EYFS tour.

You’ll have the opportunity to explore our Early Years setting, meet key staff and ask any questions about admissions or your child starting with us at Burdett-Coutts.

Contact us to register for a tour. Tours take place every Thursday during term time, with appointments available between 9.15am and 2.30pm.

Online Safety

Did you know that not all apps are safe for children, with many popular ones having certain age restrictions. For example, WhatsApp, Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook operate a minimum age of 13+ years, and therefore primary school children should not have their own, nor access to, such apps or accounts.

As parents, you can help safeguard your children online by researching these apps and their purposes, as well as their age restrictions, BEFORE agreeing to download them. If you do choose to download them, remember that parental controls such as password protection, can be set up so that in-app downloads or purchases, cannot be completed by the children themselves.

For example, to prevent iTunes, Apple App Store purchases or downloads, all you need to do is:

  1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
  2. Tap Content & App Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
  3. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
  4. Select a setting and set to Don’t Allow.

Tips on how to install parental controls on other apps and devices (Android or Apple) can easily be found online, or even from the app developers themselves.

Funding eligibility letter for Pupil Premium, Early Years Funding & Free School Meals

Due to changes in the eligibility criteria for Pupil Premium, Free School Meals and qualifying for 30 hours of funding for Nursery provision, many pupils currently enrolled at our school may now be entitled to one of these funding allocations.

We will be issuing letters to families who are currently not in receipt of the above, asking you to complete the registration for the identified funding option your child/ren maybe eligible for. Thank you so much in advance for your help in completing this.

This funding allows us to increase additional staffing hours to run booster groups, and an exciting range of extended day activities, that benefit our school and your child, and your cooperation is greatly appreciated at this difficult time for school budgets.

  • If you should have any queries with regards to the letter sent to you, please contact Mrs Deary or the school office.

Preschool:

It’s been birthday week in Preschool! Miss Nora celebrated her birthday over half term, and several children have recently turned three. Everyone had a turn at measuring, pouring and mixing the ingredients for birthday cupcakes before singing Happy Birthday and helping to blow out the candles.

Our book of the week, Owl Babies, encouraged the children to talk about their feelings and make connections with their own experiences of saying goodbye at drop-off and seeing their grown-ups again at pick-up. The children also explored green, their colour of the week, and one, their number of the week. They put their shape recognition skills into practice by spotting squares around Preschool and pointing them out to their friends.

Nursery:

Nursery have had a busy start to the half term! The children explored Bonfire Night and learnt how to stay safe around fireworks and sparklers. They then used a range of lines and colours to create their own firework pictures. In Maths, they deepened their understanding of the numbers 1, 2 and 3 by using their ‘fast eyes’ to practise subitising. This means recognising how many objects are in a small group without counting them one by one.

Rehearsals are underway too, so you might hear a festive song or two at home as the children get to know the words!

Reception:

This week, Reception developed their early reading skills through the writing provision. The children selected words, identified the sounds in each one and blended them to read the whole word. This reinforced their phonics knowledge and helped them read words more confidently and independently.

In Maths, they explored the properties of circles and triangles, describing how the shapes differ and spotting them in their surroundings. They then applied their shape recognition skills by using circles and triangles to create imaginative pictures, developing their mathematical vocabulary as they talked about their work.

Year 1:

Year 1’s new Kind Kids Club is already brightening up their classroom! Whenever the children spot a classmate doing something kind, they tell the class and add a colourful token to the wall. Each piece of ‘kindness confetti’ celebrates a small act that made a difference.

We only started on Monday, but our kindness confetti is already growing and growing! Will it take over the wall, creep out of our classroom and trail along the corridors? Could it even find its way into other classrooms? We can’t wait to see how far our kindness will spread!

Year 2:

This week in RE, Year 2 revisited the Christian creation story and talked about how Christians believe God created the Earth and asked people to look after it. The children explored the five Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair and Respect) and created colourful illustrations of the Earth to show their ideas for reducing pollution and caring for the planet. They also made links to Jesus’ teaching about loving our neighbours and showing kindness to others.

Year 3:

Year 3 have had a busy start to the half term! In Science, they continued learning about their bodies and explored how plants make food and what living things need to survive. In RE, they shared their favourite Christmas traditions as they began exploring what Christmas means to Christians. In PSHE, the children learnt about different families and reflected on the love and support their own families give them.

In Maths, Year 3 are rounding off their addition and subtraction unit and getting to grips with the tricky skill of exchanging tens and hundreds. In History, they began their Ancient Egypt topic by exploring the River Nile. A special well done to Amira for her brilliant paragraph explaining why the river was vital to the Ancient Egyptians. In Music, the children started learning their nativity songs, which will soon be available on Google Classroom for them to practise at home.

Year 4:

Year 4 have had an exciting start to the half term! In Writing, they began exploring Leaf, making predictions about what might happen in the story. In Maths, they rounded off their addition and subtraction unit by using their reasoning skills to check their work and choose efficient strategies. In Art, the pupils mixed colours to capture light and shadow, giving their still life paintings a sense of depth. In History, they used timelines to find out when the Maya civilisation flourished and maps to locate Mesoamerica. A special well done to Year 4 for all the hard work that went into their brilliant class assembly!

Year 5:

Year 5 have had a wonderful start to the term. We began our writing unit by making some imaginative predictions about our new book, Farther by Grahame Baker-Smith. The story will inspire us to write a narrative with a focus on setting, as well as a letter.

In Maths, we explored factors, multiples and prime numbers as part of our new multiplication and division unit. We can now name all the prime numbers up to 50! In PSHE, we made our own culture wheels and compared them with those of our classmates. We talked about what makes each of us different and why it’s important to give others the same respect we’d like to receive.

In Science, we learnt how gestation periods vary between animals. Did you know an elephant’s pregnancy can last around 22 months? We also began our History unit on Ancient Greece and are looking forward to finding out what life was like then.

Year 6:

This week, Year 6 have been settling into their new classroom and making it their own. They looked back at the colourful artwork and personal reflections they created at the start of the year, inspired by There’s Only One You and All the Ways to Be Smart. Their work now brightens the wall outside our classroom in a display called This Is Us, celebrating the different strengths, interests and aspirations that make Year 6 who they are.

We also revisited our Class Charter and talked about what our rights, responsibilities and shared expectations look like in practice. We thought about how we can show kindness and respect, work together and help everyone feel valued and supported.