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This week at Bentley...

Many of us have been thinking back to this time in 2020 as we went into the first lockdown and this time in 2021 when we were coming out of the third lockdown. Whilst I am always keen to think of the positives and look at the amazing progress made with vaccines, I have been reflecting upon everything we have all experienced throughout this time. This academic year so far half of our two hundred Bentley pupils have not experienced any time out of school due to Covid, but 98 pupils have a shared 800 days of missing school. This is way beyond our typical patterns of absence. Whilst some children have been off for just a few days, a couple have missed a significant amount of time this year, and others have been in and out more than once. This is something we are very mindful of in our classes and encourage all parents to support any children who are self-isolating to engage with home learning through Seesaw and Tapestry.

As you know we have continued to have staff off, and at our Governing body meeting this week we decided it would be timely to remind you there is still the possibility of the need for year groups (plus childcare, clubs, transport etc) requiring to be put on hold due to high staff absence. We hope this will not be required but felt it was important to remind you of this as a possibility. Whilst we head into the ‘new normals’ of living with Covid we are seeing other schools closing classes or year groups as Covid numbers are on the rise.

In more happy spring news, the infants have been working hard in the RE work thinking about and celebrating new life. They have made and decorated spring chicks, nests and Easter eggs to give a blast of sunny joy to our office area. We were also delighted to have local Christian group Signposts back in school this week to lead Easter sessions with all the children. Years 5 and 6 have enjoyed their special Lent lunches this week too and Years 3 and 4 have been very busy rehearsing for their play next week – we can’t wait!

Mrs Katy Pinchess, Headteacher

 

Thank you to…

… everyone who baked, bought and shopped at our cake sale for Red Nose Day Cake Sale on Friday.  We raised a whopping £161.40

the Meagher family for the stationery supplies

everyone who took part in our Ready Steady Read competition.  You raised an amazing £733.30, smashing our £600 target!  These funds, along with an additional £438 from Usborne Books who pledged to donate 60% of the total raised, will enable us to buy some beautiful new books for our school library for all our children to enjoy.

James Aston for giving up his time to come and run some super experiments at Science Club this week

 

We are proud…

…of Sophia in Year 4.  She recently took part in Bugsy Malone with Strictly Showtime. She played a number of roles and sang a few solo songs – lots of hard work to remember all those lines!  Well done, Sophia! 

…of Florence in Year 4, who wanted to raise money for Comic Relief by challenging herself to something she hasn't done before.  She loves swimming, but has never swum lengths continuously so collected sponsorship to complete 25 x 25m and raised £190! Well done Florence! What a great accomplishment!

…of George in Year 6, who auditioned with over 500 children and was one of only 51 chosen to dance in the London Children’s Ballet’s ‘Anne of Green Gables’ at the Sadler’s Wells theatre in May.  Well done George on such an amazing achievement!  If you’d like to see George perform, you can book your tickets here.

 

Sitahuma Update

We are delighted to continue our international friendship and learning with Sitahuma school in The Gambia. In the past three years Bentley has supported the community by raising funds and working on some joint learning together. You can read all about our previous work and the latest news from them by clicking here.

 

Reminder…

… you still have time to enter the ‘Eat them to Defeat them’ competition.  You can find all the details here.

 

Closure of Bentley Village Surgery

If you were registered at Bentley Village Surgery and you now have details of your new medical practise, please let the school know by 8th April, so we may update our records. Thank you.

 

Governor of the week

I am Jo, a new Governor having joined in January.  I sit on the Curriculum and Standards Committee.  I’ve been in Bentley 2 1/2 years; I have Merryn in Year 4 and Bayden in Year 8 at More House School; he has autism and dyspraxia, so Merryn and I have a personal experience of having a sibling/child with additional needs.  I get it often feels like a fight, to get the support needed and navigate the EHCP process.

I have worked in the NHS for 26 years.  I qualified as a nurse and have since gone on to work in clinical education, managed acute hospital clinical services, commissioned a new hospital and now work across the SE region in quality improvement and covid pandemic recovery.

I became a Governor to contribute and support what is a wonderful school. I am keen to understand more about education and the challenges the school faces that comes with the inevitable do more with less resource!!!  I hope to bring some of my personal and professional experiences around additional needs, improvement and engaging with people to my role as Governor.     

It can be tricky juggling work and children though I try and make time to cycle and enjoy walking and pilates.  

 

Click here to find out what’s happening next week and

here to get more information about what’s going on in the local area