Newsletters

Dear Parents,

This week, the entire school has been brimming with a spirit of festive celebration.

Our Early Years children truly outdid themselves with their Nativity play, "Busy Busy Bethlehem". The Christmas story came alive through the passionate performances of the youngest members of our school.

The children put on a spectacular production, and I was especially touched by the sign language they used in their songs. It was truly heart-warming to see them embrace inclusivity, spreading the joy of Christmas in such a special way. 

From the adorable angels to the charming shepherds, each child's portrayal was a joy to witness. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and confidence in their roles was truly touching. It was a special moment to see so many of our little ones take their first steps into the spotlight.

I am immensely proud of our children's hard work and commitment to making this Nativity such a memorable experience. We extend our thanks to the amazing staff who guided and supported them each step of the way. You are all amazing! The creativity of our little performers and the dedication of our teachers made this a truly unforgettable event for one and all.

At St Bernard's we believe in nurturing, not just academic skills, but also empathy, understanding, and respect for all members of our community and this Nativity was a shining example of this.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, the Friends of Prep School (FOPS) organised the annual Christmas Bazaar which set the whole school buzzing with excitement and festive spirit! The atmosphere was simply electric, with stalls offering 'tasty treats', 'scrumptious sweets', and obviously culminating with the 'ridiculously roaring raffle' for everyone to enjoy. The bustling stalls and joyful laughter truly made it a day to remember. 

Using Thinking Frames in our "Thinking Families"

The children from Yr 4-6 collaborated as ‘Thinking Families’ to showcase their understanding of Graeme Muscat's journey and the Royal Air Force. Great discussions were had, and they gave great answers to their reflective lens questions. So proud of our children!

Faith Ambassadors Liturgy

Our Faith Ambassadors delivered a beautiful Christingle Liturgy this week, conveying the message of Christ's light shining in the darkness. For those unfamiliar, a Christingle is a symbolic object that represents Christ as the "Light of the World". During the Liturgy, our children learnt about the significance of each element of the Christingle, including the orange symbolising the world, the red ribbon representing the blood of Christ, the four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruits and sweets symbolising the four seasons and God's creations, and the lit candle representing Jesus, who brings light and hope to those living in darkness.

A big thank you to Mrs Hupalo and the Faith Ambassadors for organising such a meaningful Liturgy.

Christmas Wreath Making Night

Our staff and governors enjoyed a fabulous wreath-making evening this week. It was an evening filled with creativity, laughter, and festive spirit, as everyone came together to craft beautiful Christmas wreaths.

Our dedicated staff and governors poured their creativity into making stunning wreaths, each reflecting their individual styles and personalities. The sense of community and camaraderie was truly heart-warming, and we are so grateful to Mrs King for organising such a lovely evening.

From traditional designs to modern twists, the variety of wreaths created was truly impressive. It's clear that our school is filled with talented individuals who always bring their unique flair to everything they do.

Achievements

Congratulations to Arha and Melia (Yr1) for playing the lead parts of Peter Pan and Tinkerball in their stagecoach production at the weekend. They brought the enchanting world of Neverland to life on stage and dazzled the audience with their outstanding performance.

Congratulations to Reece (Yr3) who has been awarded the MPV award in his football academy. Reece's hard work and persistence have paid off, and he deserves this recognition.

Congratulations to Saarth for being voted MVP for his team - well done!

Wellbeing

Why is sleep important for children?

Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of young minds. In addition to having a direct effect on happiness, research shows that sleep impacts alertness and attention, cognitive performance, mood, resiliency, vocabulary acquisition, learning and memory. 

Quality sleep is essential for children’s growth and development. A proper night’s sleep will help them to do better at school, allow them to react more quickly to situations, have a more developed memory, learn more effectively and solve problems, plus it will make them less susceptible to colds and other minor ailments, less irritable and better behaved.

Thank you Pinewood Nurseries

We want to extend a huge thank you to Pinewood Nurseries for their incredibly generous donation of a beautiful Christmas tree to St Bernard's School. Their support is helping us bring festive cheer to our school and local community.

Pop into Pinewood Nurseries and have a look at their stunning real Christmas trees - the perfect centrepiece for your festive celebrations. While you are there, don't forget to check out their delicious turkeys, the ideal addition to your Christmas dinner. By shopping locally, not only are you getting the finest quality products, but you're also supporting our wonderful St Bernard's family. 

Let's spread the festive spirit and show some love to Pinewood Nurseries for their incredible kindness. Your support means the world!

Sports News

This week we ended our Rugby Season on a phenomenal high, when both of our Under 9 and Under 11 Rugby teams took to the pitches representing our school.

Under 9s

The under 9’s took part in a five-school Rugby Festival on Tuesday the 28^th of November at Caldicott School in Farnham Royal. Our boys put up a wonderful display of rugby in matches that were very physical with some big hits and tackles. In total, our teams played 6 matches, winning 3, drawing 2 and losing just one. The try scorers for St B’s were Akaal, Harmanjot, Veeran, Anuj, Siddharth, Younis, Aadarshan and Pranav. Well done to all the players and special congratulations to both Harmanjot and Siddharth  who were awarded MVPs for their performances on the day.

Under 11s

The following day saw our Under 11 sides travel to Old Windsor to play against St John’s Beaumont. Both matches provided entertaining, end to end running rugby, and as a result some great tries were scored. There were some big hits and tackles, and both teams came off the field rather exhausted and covered in mud. Raman, Jayan, Arbaaz, Safi, Eesah, Archie, Saacha and Kaiden all scored tries for their respective teams. Congratulations on an outstanding performance lads! A special mention to both Jayan and Archie who were nominated as their teams’ MVPS.

I would like to finish this week by saying thank you...

Thank you to all the parents, grandparents, and family members who joined us to watch the delightful Early Years Nativity and the captivating Ballet performance. Your presence meant the world to our talented children, and your support is truly appreciated.

Thank you to all the members of FOPS for their hard work in organising the wonderful Christmas Bazaar. Your dedication made the event a tremendous success, and I am so grateful for your contribution to the school community.

Thank you again to Pinewood Nurseries (Ellie Yr6) for our beautiful Christmas Tree.

Thank you to our own Mrs King for organising the amazing wreath-making night and sharing her incredible flower arranging skills with us all. Your expertise and dedication truly made the evening special. We are so grateful for your time and effort.

I will leave you with this photograph taken by Mrs Ali this afternoon. As you can see, I cannot help but beam with joy at the incredible support we receive from our dedicated staff, enthusiastic children, and the whole school community. Thank you! 

Mrs A. Verma

Headteacher