USE THIS: Newsletter Template 2025
| Issue 26 | Spring 2 | Week 5 |
Happy Holidays
Happy Friday BC Families…….
Wow what a Spring term we have had and we have concluded the term with yet another action packed week with so many wonderful events taking place.
It was wonderful to see and speak to so many parents and carers (including past pupils and parents) on several occasions this week.
Your continued support of school events, with our ambition to offer as many enriching opportunities for pupils as possible, is very much appreciated.
A huge thank you especially to our Choir parents. The Choir have had many outstanding opportunities to represent Burdett-Coutts school this term, including performances at the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall and Pimlico Music Foundation Disney Concert. These performances have required extra commitment from parents as well as staff and pupils.
Wishing all pupils, parents and staff a thoroughly well deserved Spring & Easter Holiday. Enjoy spending time together, with friends or just revelling in some quiet downtime…… Please take care of yourself and each other and stay safe if travelling and take extra care near roads and water.
We look forward to welcoming all pupils and parents back to school on Monday 13th April 2026.
The Summer term is looking equally as busy with just a few exciting upcoming events listed below🙂:
- Run Kid Run Event – June
- Abba Voyage (AI unit trip for Years 5 & 6) – June
- Sports Day – July
- Summer Fair – July
- Cross Country Event – July
- Disney Frozen Performance (Years 3 & 4) – July
Easter Spring Fair
A HUGE thank you to all the parents, carers and visitors who attended our Easter Fete on Wednesday this week. The event was a great success, with the sun was shining, although a very chilly breeze – just to remind us we are not yet in Summer ☀️🙂
We had such amazing feedback from all who attended. Thanks to your generous support, together we have raised an amazing £1240.00!
I would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ to all the parents, staff and other family member helpers, who assisted in the setup, pack up and preparation of this event. Your help and support is very much appreciated and you are all superstars!
Please keep an eye on future editions of our newsletter for FOBC meeting dates and key events planned for the Summer term.
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Easter Bonnets
Well done to everyone who entered our Easter Bonnet Competition this year. Once again, children (and adults) have shown unbelievable creativity and we had the most amazing submissions. They were eggcellent!🙂
It’s was lovely to see such a vast range of displays on the bonnets, which gave our judges much to consider……. however decisions were finally reached!
Congratulations to all our winners, and well done once again to everyone who entered. We hope you have the opportunity to show off your wonderful bonnets over the Easter weekend.
Our 2026 Easter Bonnet competition winners were:
Preschool:
- 1st Place: Francesco
- 2nd Place: Leonardo
Nursery:
- 1st Place: Santiago
- 2nd Place: Magda
- 3rd Place: Xelo
Reception:
- 1st Place: Zara
- 2nd Place: Teddy & Pippa
- 3rd Place: William
- Highly Commended: Aidan
Year 1:
- 1st Place: Ace
- 2nd Place: Thomas
- 3rd Place: Ruby
- Highly Commended: Penny & Sofia
Year 2:
- 1st Place: Zoe
- 2nd Place: Bonnie
- 3rd Place: Alice
- Highly Commended: Arlo
Year 3:
- 1st Place: Tahlia
- 2nd Place: Theo
- 3rd Place: Kelise
- Highly Commended: Aayat
Year 4:
- 1st Place: Raina
- 2nd Place: Nina
- 3rd Place: Evanna
Year 5 and Year 6:
- 1st Place: Suranne
- 2nd Place: Thea
- 3rd Place: Rian
- 1st Place Year 6: Jun
And last but not least, our parents:
- 1st place to Arlo’s Mum (Year 2) for her Alice in Wonderland inspired bonnet entry.
- 2nd place to Thomas’ Mum (Year 1) for her spring themed inspired bonnet with working windmill.
Out and About…
Tuesday 25th March: Pimlico Music Foundation Disney Performance
Tuesday 25th March: Year 2 Trip to the London Aquarium
Year 2 had an amazing time on their trip to the Sea Life London Aquarium! This visit helped to consolidate their learning in Science on animals, including humans. The children explored a wide range of sea life, discovering fascinating creatures such as sharks, penguins, jellyfish, seahorses and beautiful reef corals. One of the highlights was walking over the sharks – a very exciting experience! They also learnt about rainforest creatures, including leaf cutter ants and poisonous frogs, and began to understand more about different habitats and how animals survive in them. The children had such a fantastic time and represented the school beautifully. It was a fun, engaging and informative trip that they will remember for a long time!
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Thursday 26th March: Year 5 Celebration of Learning Trip
To celebrate their fantastic learning achievements this term, a group of Year 5 students enjoyed a special trip to Battersea Park. We began our day with a leisurely stroll from school to the park, enjoying the fresh air along the way. Once there, we found a lovely spot with both a playground and a grassy area. The children sat together to enjoy their lunch before choosing how they wanted to spend their time. Some made the most of the playground equipment, while others organised a game of football on the grass. It was wonderful to see all the children playing together, supporting one another and making the most of the sunshine. Miss Polly and Miss Probert were so pleased to see such positive teamwork and enthusiasm, with everyone fully engaged in outdoor play and clearly enjoying themselves. On the way back to school, we topped off our day with a delicious ice cream, which was a real treat! It truly was a lovely day and a well-deserved celebration for all involved.
Summer Term Club Reminders
Summer Term Clubs resume on the following dates after the Easter Holiday period:
- Breakfast Club: Monday 13th April at 07:45
- After School Club (15:30 – 18:00): Monday 13th April at 15:30 – 18:00
- Morning Maths Boosters: Week Beginning: 20th April 2026
- Extended School Day (15:30 – 16:30): Week Beginning: 20th April 2026
Following enquires, we would like to explain that the reason Extended School Day Clubs (15:30 – 16:30) do not run on the first and last week of each term, is to facilitate whole school CPD opportunities which all staff are take part in. Due to the broad range of clubs we offer each term, all of which are delivered by school staff, it is not possible for staff to complete necessary planning, assessment and training opportunities at other times during each term.
Late Collection
- We understand that on occasions you may be running late due to circumstances outside of your control.
- If this should occur, please email or phone the school office to inform them and of your expected arrival time.
- This helps us ensure staff who work until 18:00 will be able to leave on time, with a member of the SLT providing cover if needed if they are unable to stay.
- We thank you for understanding with this request.
- A reminder that that a £5 late charge is applied to your fees for every 5 minutes that you are late.
Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day was a fantastic success this year!
We had lots of children dressed in red from head to toe, sharing smiles, laughter and all the things that make them happy. From funny outfits to joyful activities, it was wonderful to see everyone embracing the spirit of the day.
Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our school community, we are proud to have raised over £200 for this important cause, helping to make a difference to those in need. Well done to everyone involved!
Run Kids Run 2026
We are thrilled to announce that once again, we have registered to participate in Run Kids Run on Sunday 7th June in Battersea Park. Run Kids Run is a registered charity helping primary school communities connect with long term corporate benefactors, through a fun running event that promotes a healthy body and mind, while fundraising for our school!
How does it work?
All pupils from Nursery to Year 6 can register to compete in this fundraising event. Nursery & Reception will complete a 1km run, with a parent, and Years 1 – 6 will complete a 2km run. Older siblings can also take part, making it a fun day for all the family.
Then get training and fundraising! After the Easter Break, we will offer an in-school (for pupils only) running club as part of the Summer Term Extended School Day Menu of options. A Just Giving page will also be set up, making donations and sponsorships easy for everyone.
Then on Sunday 7th June, bring your child/ren to Battersea Park from 2 – 4pm. The children will run their races and on completion, will receive an exclusive medal and healthy snack.
You can seek sponsorship from as many friends, family & neighbours as possible, as every donation will go towards raising funds for our school.
Official registration forms will be online following the Easter Break.
Our Corporate Sponsor:
In 2024, when we were selected to join this wonderful initiative, we were partnered with OPLM (Old Park Lane Management).
Like us, they are excited to be working in collaboration with our school community to bring about positive changes, through a vibrant and ambitious partnership for the benefit of the young people and wider groups who live in our local community.
OPLM will be supporting us with various whole-school projects, starting with School Council visits to their Millbank construction site, and a collaborative art project to design images for the hoarding, plus other opportunities for our pupils’ artwork to take centre stage!
Community Corner
St Stephen’s Lenten videos:
St Stephen’s are sharing a series of short Lenten reflections, created with Holy Trinity Church — offering thoughtful pauses to reflect and take stock in everyday life.
https://www.sswsj.org/lenten-videos-2026.html (external link) >
This week in collective worship, we celebrated the Final Holy Week Service. It was an excellent experience for the children that I’m sure they won’t forget!
What a service! Vicar Graham treated the school to a detailed and entertaining rendition of the Holy Week’s events, from Jesus in the marketplace, to the Last Supper and Garden of Gethsemane, and the crucifixion. He enlisted the help of some very theatrically talented Year 5s and 6s who played their roles brilliantly. Interspersed with the story were some rousing songs led by Mr Carden: Give me Oil in my Lamp, A New Commandment, Far Away from the Rush of the Crowd, and A Cold Tomb. He ended the service with a cliffhanger – one that he will continue at the service at SSWSJ on Good Friday!
Bible Teaching of the Week: The story of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Good Friday.
Jesus is crucified, dies on the cross, and is buried.
We focussed on Mothering Sunday this week in lieu of our usual collective worship Bible reading.
Community Questions:
- How does the story of Jesus rising from the dead give us hope
- Why is it important to share good news with others, like the women did?
- How can we live our lives remembering that love is stronger than anything?
Community Challenge:
This week, share a bit of hope or kindness with someone else. Think of it as spreading the “good news” in your everyday life.
Summer Term Class Assemblies:
Class assemblies take place on Fridays, starting at 09:05.
Please ensure that you are on time and that your mobile phones are turned off. Kindly note that no filming or photography is permitted at any time.
Summer Class Assemblies will be listed next in next week’s newsletter.
Our PTA: The Friends of Burdett-Coutts
If you are a parent, carer or a guardian of a child that attends our school, then you are automatically a member of our Parent Staff Association, Friends of Burdett-Coutts.
Being part of our PSA offers an exciting opportunity for you to meet other parents, whilst supporting our school, through organising fundraising events, volunteering and much more.
Even if you can only give a small amount of time, you will be making a difference to the school experience for your child and other pupils in our school.
Our meetings take place on Wednesday mornings from 09:00 – 10:00 in the Ground Floor Hall, with refreshments. Everyone is welcome!
Our next event: TBC
Summer Term meeting dates:
- Summer dates will be listed next in next week’s newsletter.
Upcoming Events
April 2026:
- Monday 13th: School Resumes for all pupils.
- Monday 20th: Extended School Day Clubs Begin
- Monday 20th: Year 6: Black and Blue Drugs Education Workshop with Peter Daniels
- Tuesday 21st: Reception Trip to London Zoo
- Thursday 23rd: Year 6 out at Kensington Library: Freshwater Theatre Session
- Monday 27th: Year 6 visit to The Abbey Centre – Intergenerational Project
- Monday 27th: Y2 Trip to Camley Street Natural Park Habitats Workshop
May 2026:
- Monday 4th May – May bank holiday – School Closed to all pupils
- Tuesday 5th May: Y1 Trip to Camley Street Natural Park – Plants Workshop
- Tuesday 5th May: Y6 Parents SATS meeting @ 09:00 in the Ground Floor Hall
- Monday 11th – Friday 15th : Key Stage 2 SATS week. Good luck to all our Year 6 pupils🙂
- Wednesday 20th May: Keep Smiling, Tooth Brushing & Fluoride Application Program (Day 2/2)
- Monday 25th – Friday 29th: May Half Term – School Closed to all pupils.
1. Pupil Medications
A polite reminder to parents and carers that we are unable to give over the counter or prescription medicines to pupils unless they have an agreed medical plan in place.
Should your child requires medication to be taken 3 times per day due to winter season illnesses, please give them their doses before school, after school and before bed time.
Alternatively, if you’re able to do so, you can pop into school during your child’s lunch break (12:30 – 13:30) to administer a midday dose if required.
Please do not put any medications, creams, ointments etc in your child’s book bag. This can be very dangerous for other pupils or adults who may have allergies or if other children access these items.
If you have any questions, please email the school office and a member of staff will get back you. Many thanks for your understanding with this important Health & Safety issue.
2. Pupil Permission Forms for Trips
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.
3. School & PE Uniform:
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.
Term Dates 2025-2026
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:
Preschool, Nursery & Reception Admissions
We currently have the following availability for places in our Early Years provision from January 2026:
- Nursery Class (3-year olds): 1 part-time (afternoon) place available at present.
- Preschool (2-year olds): From April 2026 we have 4 full-time places and 2 part-time (afternoon) places available
September 2026 Reception class vacancies will be announced in May 2026.
If you are looking for a Preschool, Nursery or Reception place for your child, please come along for a 30-minute bespoke EYFS tour. Here, you’ll have the chance explore our Early Years setting, speak to key staff and ask any questions regarding admissions, and your child starting with us at Burdett-Coutts.
Contact us to register for our tours which take place every Thursday, with times available from 09:15 – 14:30 during term time.
- To book your tour place, please call 0207 828 6790
- For further information about starting Reception at Burdett-Coutts, please click here >
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:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & App Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
- Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
- 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:
This week in Preschool, the children explored a fun and sensory paint activity using cling wrap! Paint was placed on paper and covered, allowing the children to push, press, and move the colours around together, discovering how they mix and change. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience, sharing ideas, working alongside each other, and engaging in lots of collaborative learning while having plenty of fun.
Nursery:
This term, we have been learning all about Easter and why it is such an important celebration. The children have loved finding out about the different traditions and why people celebrate this special time. To join in the fun, everyone got creative, making Easter cards for their families and decorating Easter pictures with lots of bright colours and patterns. It was wonderful to see how proud they were of their work and how excited they were to share it with friends and loved ones. The children really enjoyed exploring different materials and letting their imaginations run wild, all while learning about Easter in a fun, hands-on way. We’ve also had lots of fun with mark-making activities in the sun, using paint dotters to make colourful patterns and practise our writing and drawing skills.
Reception:
As part of our learning about real-life superheroes in our community, we had a very special visit from one of our parents, who is an eye doctor and surgeon! The children were fascinated as they learned how she helps people to see clearly and keeps eyes healthy. She shared her knowledge about the eye, explaining key parts such as the front of the eye, which helps focus light, and the back of the eye, where images are sent to the brain so we can understand what we see. The children were especially excited to explore the different lenses and tools she uses in her work, discovering how looking through certain lenses can make everything appear upside down and how these help doctors understand and improve our vision. They loved having the chance to try these out themselves, gaining a real hands-on insight into her role. She also taught us about the importance of hygiene in a medical setting, including careful handwashing and how she prepares for surgery, as well as the special clothing she wears to keep safe.
What made the visit even more special was the children’s amazing curiosity. They asked fantastic questions, from how nurses help and where doctors operate to how she became an eye doctor and why she loves her job. They were also keen to know how she keeps everything clean and even what happens if her gloves get dirty! It was wonderful to see their confidence, enthusiasm, and thoughtful questioning in action – a class full of future superheroes in the making!
Year 1:
This week in Year 1, the children have been busy developing their understanding of mass through hands-on and engaging activities. Using balance scales and cubes, they explored how to compare objects and began to measure how heavy different items are.
The children showed fantastic focus and determination as they carefully counted cubes, made comparisons, and recorded their answers. It was wonderful to see them using mathematical language such as heavier, lighter, and equal, while explaining their thinking with growing confidence.
We are so proud of the independence and resilience the children have shown as they worked through these challenges — a brilliant way to end the term!
Year 2:
This half term, Year 2 have been learning all about the fascinating country of Kenya in our Geography lessons. The children have enjoyed discovering what makes Kenya such a unique and vibrant place. We began by learning about national parks and game reserves, exploring how these protected areas help to keep animals safe in their natural habitats. The children then applied their knowledge, creating their own maps of national parks, thinking carefully about where different features would be located. We also learnt about the Maasai tribe, discovering interesting facts about their traditions, clothing and way of life. The children made thoughtful comparisons between Maasai culture and their own, discussing similarities and differences with great curiosity and respect. To finish our topic, the children explored African art by designing and creating their own colourful patterns on paper plate necklaces. They showed fantastic creativity and took great pride in their work. It has been wonderful to see the children so engaged and enthusiastic throughout this topic!
Year 3:
Year 4:
Year 4 have had such a fun half term: it’s absolutely whizzed by, but we still managed to cover so many fascinating topics. This week, we were treated to a visit from Vicar Graham to talk to the class about different Christian views on forgiveness. He told us the story of the prodigal son, one of his personal favourites! We also had a really exciting Geography lesson where we had to follow a set of cocoa beans around the world, using knowledge of the cardinal directions and lines of longitude/latitude to track their directions using clues. In Writing, we’ve been looking at descriptive writing as we finish off reading our half term story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We watched the classic song by Gene Wilder and thought about all the different senses we could write about as we utilised expanded noun phrases and direct speech punctuation. The end of the half term also meant showing off our home learning projects: well done to some really creative work from Isanio, Ren, Robyn, Alexander and Raina! I want to end this week’s newsletter with a huge well done for such great effort from all the children in Year 4 this Spring term. I know you’ll all have a rejuvenating and relaxing Easter break, and I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone back for the Summer term!
Year 5:
This has been a very busy and productive term. The children have worked incredibly hard across all subjects and should be very proud of their achievements. In English, the children completed their “bargain letter,” applying the persuasive skills they developed while reading The Promise. They used powerful language to convince a thief to carry out a good deed with the item they had stolen. In Maths, the children learned how to calculate the perimeter and area of rectangles, rectilinear shapes, and polygons, building confidence in applying these skills to a range of problems. In RE, we finished our unit by exploring whether it was Jesus’ destiny to die for us and deepened our understanding of the meaning of Easter. In PSHE, we focused on healthy eating and body image, as well as how we can look after ourselves both physically and mentally. In Geography, we explored coastal erosion, learning how landscapes change over time. The children looked at how cliffs can transform into stacks and sorted images to show this progression. We wish everyone a very happy Easter and hope you enjoy a well-deserved break.
Year 6:
As we reach the end of Spring 2, Year 6 children have had a busy and memorable half term filled with learning, creativity and exciting experiences. Over the past two weeks, children have shown great focus and resilience while completing their assessments, approaching each challenge with maturity and determination. This term, we have enjoyed reading the novel The Explorer, reflecting on powerful themes such as perseverance, courage and the importance of sticking together when facing challenges. These ideas inspired thoughtful discussions and were carried into the children’s writing, where pupils crafted engaging diary entries using ambitious vocabulary and descriptive language to bring their ideas to life.
Alongside our classroom learning, the children have taken part in several special events. We celebrated World Book Day, enjoyed the fun and fundraising of Red Nose Day, and marked Science Week with exciting activities, including an immersive VR session exploring ocean life. We also celebrated Biscuits’ birthday, which brought plenty of smiles to the class.