Newsletters

Newsletter

{item_alt_tag}

This month's value is Independence

Our well-being theme this half-term is Yoga & Meditation

17th January 2025

Dear parents & carers,

Welcome back to the Spring Term.

Thank you to our ever-generous community. Our family team put out a plea for equipment for a family this week, and we were inundated with responses. Thank you for your overwhelming support.

Next week is our Well-Being Week.  We want to banish Blue Monday, the unhappiest day of the year, so children can wear bright and colourful clothes on Monday 20th to cheer us all up!

You may be aware that our Safeguarding process is audited annually.  This is, quite rightly, a rigorous process. Our auditors upgraded our self-assessment and we received excellent feedback. Thank you to Mrs Davies, Mrs Doyle, Mrs Beeston, Mrs Blackley and our Safeguarding Governor Mrs Azubuine. As well as the teachers and children that were interviewed.

The Department for Education requires schools to complete the following statutory tests: 

  • reception baseline assessment (RBA),
  • phonics screening check,
  • multiplication tables check (MTC),
  • key stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum tests, teacher assessment and results.

Information for parents is available at national curriculum assessments: information for parents 

Please make sure you have checked these dates on the school calendar.  https://www.bushmeadprimaryschool.co.uk/page/?title=Term+Dates&pid=95

It is important to note that the statutory writing assessment for Year 6 will continue until the end of June.

Bushmead Nursery is opening on Monday 3rd February.  This is a wonderful development for our school and our community.  A great deal of work has gone into making this all happen. Thank you to our Leadership, Early Years, Admin and Site Teams for all their hard work.  If you are interested in sending your child to our nursery in the future, more information is here: BUSHMEAD NURSERY

Thank you to those who promptly pay for additional trips and events.  We ensure that there is one trip which involves a coach and one internal visit or a less expensive trip a year. We know that the cost of living is high. However, we also know these trips enhance learning and are valuable childhood experiences. 

Quite honestly, collecting funds on time from some is painful, we have to send multiple messages and make many phone calls, we have to consider cancelling and, sadly, children miss out on activities. So we have an idea!

If you paid in advance into your account via MCAS, it would:

  • ensure prompt booking of trips and visits,
  • be payable over the next seven months, so you have time to save,
  • be refundable if you leave school, your child cannot attend, or a trip is cancelled until the deposit is required,
  • not be used to fund those who don't pay.

We will obtain your permission before booking a trip.

As always, if anyone has difficulty paying for any activities, support is available and you should contact the school.

This fund would NOT include contributions to swimming or residential trip payments. 

I would value your opinion on this idea:  https://forms.gle/4Nmb3Xcf3mf3Nrpb6

Year 3 participated in an English National Opera project earlier this school year. Our compositions are now on their website, which you can hear here: https://www.eno.org/discover-opera/learning/finish-this/celebrating-finish-this-2024-25/

Here is to a lovely Spring Term.

Kind regards,

 

Joanne Travi

Headteacher

We love to celebrate the wonderful people in our community who go above and beyond in Luton.  

We are delighted to share that Mrs Boag's father, John Kingham, received a British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours List.  Mrs Boag writes:

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, my Dad, John Kingham, started an
Accountancy Practice from home at the age of twenty-four, which has now grown to
be the largest independent accountancy practice in Luton – Foxley Kingham.


Dad retired from full-time work in his practice in 1999 at the age of fifty-six. Since
then he has been actively involved in voluntary work utilising his accounting and
financial skills with numerous local charities and not-for-profit organisations. This
work has included:

  • Becoming a founding Director of Luton Culture (now called The Culture Trust Luton) – venues include Wardown Museum, Stockwood Discovery Centre and The Hat Factory Arts Centre.
  •  Hands of Mercy International – raising money to help deprived children in Manila in The Philippines receive an education and also assist with the welfare of their families.
  • Luton Museums Development Trust – A fundraising organisation for LutonMuseums.
  • For several years, before Covid, my Dad used to visit our school to talk about Walt Disney as part of our ‘Inspirational People’ series of lessons. This was at the invitation of Mrs Razzaq. After his talks, occasionally, pupils would write to him with questions to which he would reply.
  • A Governor at Luton Sixth Form College – he was Chair of the Finance Committee.
  • Hatters Heritage – Dad is a Founding Trustee and the Treasurer. HH preserves the Heritage and History of Luton Town Football Club – and will be establishing a Museum in the new stadium at Power Court and aiming to incorporate study facilities for students.
  • The biggest commitment to voluntary work which John has been involved in was from 1968 to date at St Thomas Church Stopsley. He has been a PCC member since 1968 and served as Treasurer for 50 years ending 2018.

Dad was awarded the British Empire Medal in the King’s New Year Honours List
2025. The citation reads ‘For services to the community in Luton Bedfordshire’.
The award will be presented at a ceremony in Bedford by the Lord-Lieutenant of
Bedfordshire and he will also receive an invitation to a Royal Garden Party. He is
also entitled to use the Chapel at St Paul’s Cathedral for baptisms, weddings etc!

Congratulations Mr Kingham on your well-deserved recognition.

{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}

Staying Safe online

{item_alt_tag}

Our Reception children are reading Owl Babies by Martin Waddell.  Our fantastic team arranged for the children to meet real Owls! A fantastic experience.

{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}

Year 3 has loaned some artefacts from Wardown Museum to support our
learning about The Stone Age.

{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}

Year 3 has been grouping and sharing in maths using counters and cereal.

{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}

{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}
{item_alt_tag}

Upcoming Events

Well-being Week
All Day
20
January
Year 5 Multi Sports Event
9:30am – 12:05pm
21
January
Choir Practice
3:30pm – 4:30pm
From 14 Jan and on Tuesday each week until 21 Jul
21
January
English National Opera Event For Year 3
1:00pm – 3:30pm
28
January
Choir Practice
3:30pm – 4:30pm
From 14 Jan and on Tuesday each week until 21 Jul
28
January
Lunar New Year
All Day
29
January
Choir Practice
3:30pm – 4:30pm
From 14 Jan and on Tuesday each week until 21 Jul
04
February
Individual School Photographs
8:00am – 11:45am
06
February
Year 6 Trip to The Natural History Museum
All Day
07
February
Young Voices - Choir
All Day
11
February
Choir Practice
3:30pm – 4:30pm
From 14 Jan and on Tuesday each week until 21 Jul
11
February