Dear Parents,

This week has been action-packed at school, with rehearsals for both The Nativity and The Wizard of Oz in full swing, as well as our "Letting off STEAM" event.

The atmosphere was buzzing with activity wherever you looked!

Our teachers led incredible STEAM activities that the children thoroughly enjoyed! From imaginative experiments to thrilling projects, we had a fantastic time delving into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

The children were engaged in exciting experiments, constructing impressive structures, and sculpting unique creations to help them develop their ingenuity. They also used their problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills and collaborative skills to decode the puzzles they were given. 

The children were beaming with excitement and joy, embracing every moment of so many hands-on activities. It is wonderful to see them grow, explore and have fun whilst learning important STEAM concepts! 

LETTING OFF STEAM

Early Years - Stables and Halos

To challenge their creative and critical thinking skills, our talented Early Years children have dived into a series of STEAM activities. They were given an exciting challenge to construct stables and halos.

They put on their thinking caps and worked wonders with their nimble fingers. The stables they constructed were amazing and the halos were glowing with brilliance.

Our little geniuses not only enjoyed the process of creating, but they also developed essential skills like problem-solving, teamwork and attention to detail. 

Year 1 - Lost Toy Museum

Mrs Gabb shared a thrilling tale with Year 1 called "The Lost Toy Museum." Imagine their shock when they discovered someone had swiped all the toys from the museum! Mrs Gabb and Mrs Hupalo asked the children, 'Could we help create NEW toys?'

With their thinking caps on, they came up with the most amazing toy designs. From speedy cars to interactive robots, cuddly teddy bears, delightful puppets, flying helicopters and even a zoo bus, filled with different animals  – their creativity knew no bounds! 

Every new invention came with its fair share of challenges. The children had to overcome obstacles, such as making wheels turn, batteries work, propellers spin and joining materials to create a teddy bear. Through brainstorming, problem-solving, tinkering and refining their designs, they persevered until they achieved perfection, making Mrs Gabb and Mrs Hupalo the proudest year 1 teachers at St Bernard's.

Year 2 - Big Ben

Our Year 2 children's STEAM challenge was to design and construct their very own replica of one of London's iconic landmark, Big Ben.

Our budding engineers explored the world of shapes and creativity and problem-solved the various challenges that come with this awe-inspiring project. 

With the help of a design sheet and their imaginations, the children brought Big Ben to life. They incorporated intricate details and used recycled materials to construct their wonderful models.

Year 3 - Robotic Brain Test

Our Year 3 children put their STEAM skills to the test this week with a very exciting challenge from a make-believe robotic company.

They had to design and create a futuristic skull structure to protect a robotic brain (aka a delicious chocolate teacake). Robot AI wrote a letter to Year 3 to recruit talented young minds to join their design team. They needed to design a durable and reliable skull that could withstand any harm that may come its way. 

The children had to think about materials, shapes and innovative features to make their skull structure robust and protective. Once their design was complete the fun really started - it was time to test! 

The children secured the robotic brain inside their newly made skull and held their breath, as they watched to see if it would survive a one-meter drop. 

Regrettably, there were a few brain casualties. However, there were also several successful designs that emerged. Despite the challenges, everyone agreed that the highlight of all their efforts was the opportunity to indulge in the delicious teacake together.

Year 4 - Building a dam

Our Year 4 children have been busy channeling their inner beavers and getting immersed in the enchanting world of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!" Inspired by the industrious creatures, they embarked on an exciting STEAM project, creating dams using everyday materials. 

Armed with plastic shoe boxes, lolly sticks and plasticine, our young engineers dived head first into the world of construction. They experimented with different designs, all while learning about the essential role of beaver dams in creating habitats and preserving ecosystems. 

These imaginative dams showcase the creativity and problem-solving skills of our Year 4 pupils. Their attention to detail and teamwork has truly brought their projects to life, making Miss Kirk and Mrs Kottler the proudest year 4 teachers at St Bernard's.

Year 5 - NASA Challenge 

Our Year 5 children embarked on an incredible journey to NASA! They delved into the captivating world of space exploration and tackled a challenging mission: developing a protection and parachute landing system for a brand-new Mars Rover.

Armed with their knowledge of gravity and air resistance, their imaginative minds worked tirelessly to plan, construct, test, and evaluate a range of materials for their ingenious designs. 

From pooling resources to fabricating prototypes, the energy and creativity in the room was palpable, as each team passionately sought the ideal solution.

But here's the twist! Instead of using extravagant space equipment, our final test involved a humble, yet precious item – a raw egg. Dun, Dun, Dunnn!!! The icing on the cake? Prizes were joyously awarded to the teams whose inventions proved successful, safeguarding their eggs' integrity and keeping them intact throughout the daring experiment. 

Mrs Young and Mrs Weait were incredibly proud of our young astronauts' dedication and scientific acumen. They've embraced the thrill of discovery, while fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills along the way.

Year 6 - Cuboids and volume

Our Year 6 children tackled yet another exciting STEAM challenge this week!

In their challenge, they were tasked with creating a cuboid with the biggest surface area using a single piece of A4 paper. Their creativity and problem-solving skills were put to the test as they explored different folding techniques and mathematical concepts. 

Not only did our Year 6 children excel in crafting visually stunning cuboids, but they also aced the calculations involving volume and areas. They used their mathematical prowess to determine the dimensions required to maximise surface area while maintaining a specific volume.

Congratulations to all our Year 6 learners for their incredible efforts and remarkable achievements. Your dedication to learning and embracing STEAM challenges is truly inspiring. Keep reaching for those stars.

Trans EK Liturgy - Christ the King

Trans EK delivered a beautiful Liturgy this week to celebrate the feast of 'Christ the King'.

The Gospel, served as a reminder of the incredible influence kindness and compassion has. We are called to treat everyone with love and respect, whether it's by nourishing the hungry, befriending the lonely, or offering aid to the sick.

When we extend our care and support to others, it is as if we are doing the same for God. By walking this path of love and kindness, we can all journey towards heaven together. 

We are truly blessed to have such a caring community at St Bernard's Preparatory School, where we all strive to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us. Let us continue to spread kindness, understanding, and love every day - it makes us stronger. 

Early Years - Baby Bank

This year we continued our support towards a local charity called 'The Baby Bank’, which is dedicated to providing essential items for newborns and children facing extreme need.  

Year 3 - Trip to the museum

On Wednesday 22nd November, the Lower Transition classes went on an exciting adventure to Slough Museum on the Trading Estate. The children have been learning about how Slough has developed and changed in their history lessons, and the trip allowed them to explore how the manufacturing industry has evolved in Slough over the past 100 years. The children looked at Slough in the past, in the present and even in the future! The children enjoyed a wide range of activities including games, thinking skills tasks, a walk around the Trading Estate and a tour of the museum. We were fascinated to learn that Slough Trading Estate is the world’s second-largest data centre hub.  Nearly half of all the UK data transferred in online shopping activity to social media, video games to streaming television programmes, will go through the Slough Trading Estate. We really do learn something new every day!

Staff Charity

The staff have also been thinking about how they can help those who are less fortunate during Advent.  We have been working with ‘Children’s Hospital Pyjamas’, a UK charity, who collect donations of new pyjamas and gift them to children who are in hospital over the Christmas period. This helps them to feel more cosy and at home during their hospital stay as well as saving their parents unnecessary trips home if they live far away. This year the charity is supporting both Wexham Park and Watford General Hospitals. This morning our donations were handed over to Rebecca by our year 4 Faith Ambassadors, Anaya and Anya.

Wellbeing

The importance of breakfast for health and educational attainment in school-aged children.

A new review on the importance of breakfast for health and educational attainment in school-aged children, written by the British Nutrition Foundation and supported by the charity Magic Breakfast was published on 21st November 2023.

• Evidence suggests that children and young people, who regularly eat breakfast, are likely to have better nutrient intakes and dietary patterns than those who regularly skip breakfast.
• Healthier breakfast foods such as: lower sugar wholegrain breakfast cereals, wholewheat bread, nut butters, milk and lower sugar dairy foods, eggs and beans can be important providers of essential nutrients (e.g. fibre, calcium, iodine, iron).
• Breakfast skipping is common and if children continuously miss out on a nutritious breakfast, they may find it more difficult to get enough of the key nutrients that support healthy growth and development, as well as cognitive function.
• Breakfast will provide the energy they need for the day ahead and help alleviate feelings of hunger that might affect children’s ability to process information and learn.

Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast every day, so you are ready to think, learn and work hard when you arrive at school!

Primary Maths Challenge Awards

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our talented Year 6 children have excelled in the Primary Maths Challenge! They clinched bronze, silver, and gold awards, displaying their outstanding mathematical prowess.

The hard work of our children, dedication, and problem-solving skills have truly paid off. We are beyond proud of your achievements! 

The Primary Maths Challenge is a prestigious competition that tests students’ logical thinking, mathematical ability, and creativity. Our Year 6 pupils truly embraced the challenge and showcased their exceptional talent.

This accomplishment not only demonstrates the depth of knowledge and skills our students possess, but also highlights the excellent teaching and guidance they have received from our exceptional teachers.

Keep up the great work, Year 6! Your brilliance inspires us all!

Sports News

Under 8 Rugby vs Thorpe House

On Tuesday, our Under 8 Rugby team had a rugby match against Thorpe House. It was an excellent team effort from St. Bernard's, with four amazing tries scored! Although they lost 5-4, they can still be proud of their fantastic performance. Congratulations to Pranay, who was awarded the MVP.

Under 9 Rugby vs Thorpe House

On Tuesday the 22^nd of November, our Under 9A and B rugby teams welcomed Thorpe House to St Bernard’s Prep. The afternoon provided outstanding rugby with all the players from both teams linking up very well to score some fantastic tries. Our A team played very well and were unlucky to narrowly lose 10-9, and although our B’s lost 11-9, they showed plenty of guts to come back in the second half and play much better as a team. Veeran, Pranav, Shrey, Reyaansh, Akaal, Srihan, James and Josh all scored tries for their respective teams. Well done to all the players, and congratulations to both Younis and Aadarshan who got the MVP “Green Laces” accolades on the day.  

Under 11 Rugby vs Thorpe House

On Wednesday the 22^nd of November, our Under 11A and B Rugby Teams hosted Thorpe House. Both of our teams played wonderfully and produced some very exciting rugby, which resulted in plenty of fantastic tries being scored. Both of our sides drew their matches with the A’s drawing 6-6, and the B’s drawing 11-11. This was an outstanding performance from all the players. Eesah, Safi, Raman, Kaiden, Archie, Kishin, Saacha, Rohan and Zain all scored tries for their teams. Congratulations to all the players and a special well done to Safi and Saacha who received the MVP “Green Laces” awards.

Under 11 Netball vs Eton End 

On Wednesday 23rd November, our Under 11 A and B Netball teams played a home fixture against Eton End. The A team dominated the first and second quarter and led 7-0 at half time. Eton End came out fighting in the second third but were unable to stop St Bernard's, who ended the game with a convincing 11-0 victory. Well done to MVP Manpreet! 

The Under 11 B team also played against Eton End. Our B team played very well and were unlucky to lose 4-1. Well done to all girls and to the MVP Meena.

Under 10 Rugby vs Thorpe House

St Bernard's Under 10A team, along with Pranav and Aadarshan, braved the chilly weather to face a formidable opponent at Thorpe House this Friday afternoon. The team started slowly, conceding four tries without a response, and found themselves down 5-1 at half-time. However, St. Bernard's came back with a vengeance in the second half, showing tremendous courage and passion, and giving it their all. Although they lost the game 11-7, their display of resilience and fighting spirit was commendable. Congratulations to all the players, and a special shout-out to MVP Nihaal.