newsletters
Dear parents, carers, staff, governors and friends,
This week at Brindishe Lee …
Year 3 were out and about, visiting the Horniman museum on Wednesday and experiencing life and discovery for the Egyptians. They had a fabulous time searching through unknown artefacts and learning about the different discoveries made many many years ago.
Challenge Partner Review
Last half term we had our Challenge Partner Quality Assurance Review. We have now received our full report and I am delighted to be able to share with you that the team, which included an Ofsted accredited inspector and two experienced senior leaders from schools outside London, judged each area to be outstanding. They agreed that Maths Mastery is an Area of Excellent Practice at Brindishe Lee and affirmed that Leading our Learning, our Area of Excellence last year, was still very much alive and celebrated across the school.
The full report will be published on the school website but I thought I would share some highlights from each area reviewed.
School improvement strategies
- The school atmosphere and ethos are characterised by passion and drive within a very attractive learning environment. Positive relationships between everyone create a shared sense of pride and ambition.
- Extensive know-how across all areas enables staff to devise imaginative, engaging and challenging approaches to the curriculum within the central framework.
Outcomes for pupils
- The smooth transition from Reception to Year 1 enables pupils to build quickly on their previous learning. Results of the Year 1 phonics checks tend to be above average. This contributes to the rapid progress they make in reading and writing through Key Stage 1.
- The results of SATs are typically above, and frequently well above, average. Those in 2018 were no exception, with almost all pupils reaching the expected standards in reading and writing and 100% doing so in mathematics.
Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
- Adults in the EYFS take every opportunity to stimulate children’s interest. Children thrive in the imaginatively designed and superbly equipped indoor and outdoor areas.
- Across the school, pupils take responsibility for their own learning. They are mutually supportive. In response to his classmate’s remark, ‘I don’t know what to do’, his neighbour said,’ ‘I’ll come over in a minute and help you.’
- Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning do not occur by accident. The teaching staff are entirely consistent in their expectations and frequently model learning behaviours. There are no ‘guess what I’m thinking’ questions. High quality questions lead to high quality responses.
- Staff have a continuous dialogue with pupils about their work and pupils are adept at reviewing their own progress. Pupils frequently refer to previous learning and readily seek feedback.
Area of Excellence: Maths Mastery
By teaching pupils the value of taking responsibility for their learning and supporting staff to feel confident with a new style of teaching and learning, the mastery approach has been embedded.
Within four years of implementing the mastery approach, there was an increase in the number of pupils achieving at the higher standards. In 2018, 100% of pupils left Key Stage 2 working at the expected standard, with 79% of pupils working at greater depth. These results were the highest in the Lewisham Borough.
Another striking outcome is pupils’ love of mathematics. They are highly enthusiastic and take pride in their achievements; attitudes that auger well for their future education.
This is a fantastic review of Brindishe Lee and a great reflection on the passion and energy for learning that is given every day by every child and every member of our staff team. Together we are more!
Safeguarding …
This week’s Online Safety tip revisits one of our core messages at Brindishe Manor, namely developing conversations with your child about using the internet safely, responsibly and positively. The following conversation starters are a great way to talk about these issues with children: What do you like most about the internet and why? What is your favourite game/app site? What could you do if being online is making you feel worse rather than better? What is different about talking online to someone compared to talking face to face? Is there anything that is the same? Can people say/do whatever they want online? Why/why not?
Special lunch on Thursday 16 May
A special lunch menu, including vegetarian options, is on offer to all our children next Thursday, 16 May, to celebrate our achievements in sports, and our upcoming sports day events this term.
If your child would like a lunch and they are in Year 3, 4, 5 or 6, the cost is £2.30. There is no lunch charge for children in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2.
We need to know as soon as possible if you will be taking up this special meal so that our school cook can order and prepare in good time.
Please complete and return the slip you received this week (only if your child is packed lunch) with your payment to the school office by Tuesday 14 May.
Attendance this week Top attendance this week goes to … Year 2 with 99.5% and Year 3 with 99% … SNAP FOR THE THIRD WEEK RUNNING!! What a healthy bunch you are!
Dates for your diary …
Next week ….
13-17 May KS2 SATs week for Y6
21 May Open evening for prospective families
(NB: Change of date)
22 May Online safety workshop for all parents
/ carers @ 09:30 & 17:30
23 May European Election, Polling Station
Y5 Y6 Tri school sports
27 – 31 May Half term holiday
03 June INSET for staff, school closed
04 June Summer half term, children back in
School
21 June F@B Summer Fair
Rights Respecting news Over the next week our assemblies and class discussions will be focused on Article 27 Every child has the right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet their physical, social and mental needs. This links with World Asthma Day and Mother Ocean Day and will be explored in assemblies and class discussions next week.
And finally…
Next week is Year 6 SATs week. Mrs Sharrock, Ikram and the children are all ready and can’t wait to get started now … as I heard one member of the class say yesterday, “I’m excited for it!” We look forward to welcoming them to breakfast on Monday morning and know you will join us in wishing them all a happy and successful week.
Have a lovely weekend.
Lisa Morris
Headteacher
Don’t forget you can translate this newsletter into more than 100 different languages on our website: www.brindishelee.lewisham.sch.uk
