Newsletters

Dear Parents,

Once again we have been very busy bees this last week!

Our Year 1 children had the opportunity to experience Victorian life, particularly during the Christmas season. The children learnt all about the origins of many of the Christmas traditions we have today and participated in several festive activities. They created Victorian-style Christmas cards and handmade Christmas crackers, sang carols, and even played traditional parlour games. The children embraced the strict Victorian teacher, Mrs. Victoria, who made appearances throughout the day. It was an enjoyable and educational experience for all involved. 

Despite all the excitement, the children were unanimous in their verdict – modern-day school is much easier! Our children love their comfortable classrooms, engaging activities, and the kindness of their teachers. It is heart-warming to see the next generation appreciate the opportunities they have to learn and grow.

All of our children had an amazing time on Christmas Jumper Day. Not only did they get to enjoy a delicious Christmas Lunch, prepared by our talented chefs, early years and key stage 1 children also enjoyed their fabulous Christmas party with a very special visitor. The school was filled with laughter, festive cheer, and of course, some seriously stylish jumpers! 

On Thursday and Friday evening, our Year 5 & 6 children put on an incredible production of The Wizard of Oz, and it was truly magical! From the stunning costumes to the mesmerising performances, every aspect of the show was outstanding.

The children worked tirelessly to bring this classic tale to life, and their dedication shone through in every scene. The audience was completely enchanted by their amazing talent and enthusiasm!

A big round of applause is in order for the entire cast and crew, as well as our fantastic staff, for their hard work and commitment which made this production possible.

This breathtaking performance is a testament to the creativity and passion of our children and a shining example of the incredible opportunities our school provides for artistic expression and personal development. 

On Tuesday, the entire school had a wonderful time at the Theatre Royal Windsor watching the fantastic Aladdin Panto! There was laughter, unforgettable performances, and pure entertainment that made it an unforgettable day.

The children were captivated by the stunning production and the enchanting performances of the talented cast. The classic tale of Aladdin was brought to life in front of their eyes, making it a delightful experience.

Witnessing the children's joy as they joined in the fun and laughter of the panto, created memories that will last a lifetime. It was heart-warming to see everyone singing and dancing, and we even had our own stars who went up on stage.

On Tuesday Mrs. Weait shared the Best Handwriting and Runner-Up awards to our talented students from Year 1 to Year 6.

During this ceremony Lamy pens were also awarded to several children in year 4 and 5 who have proved their handwriting is outstanding.

Handwriting is a skill which takes time and patience to master, and we are incredibly proud of our children who have shown such dedication to this art form. The winners of the Best Handwriting and Runner Up awards have demonstrated not only beautiful penmanship, but also a true love for the written word.

In an age where technology is taking over, it is refreshing to see young minds taking pride in something as simple as their handwriting. The art of handwriting not only improves fine motor skills, but also enhances cognitive development and improves memory retention.

Congratulations to our winners and runners up in this competition, and to all the children who received their Lamy pens. Keep up the good work.

Today, the whole school took a stroll over to the St Bernard's Chapel at the Grammar School for a heart-warming Carol Service. The atmosphere was filled with festive cheer, as we sang our classic carols, spreading the joy of the holiday season.

It was a delightful experience as we all came together to celebrate this special time of year. The beautiful surroundings of the chapel created the perfect setting for our uplifting gathering. 

House Points

During the term our children have once again participated in collecting as many points as they could for their respective Houses, in order to compete for the termly House Shield.

Awarding House Points:

These are just some of the areas where house points are awarded:

• A very good piece of schoolwork / homework.
• A child who is being helpful. (Both to children and adults).
• A good deed/gesture.
• Tidy Uniform / Tidy desk / Tidy Lockers.
• Showing politeness and being well-mannered.
• Inter-House Competitions.

As expected, there was strong competition amongst the four Houses across the school and in the end, the final scores were very close. A very well done to House John who were the overall winners this term. In 2^nd  place it was Mark, Luke were in 3^rd place and Matthew were placed 4^th.

Well done to all the children for keeping up this inter-house rivalry! We look forward to plenty more of this throughout the course of the year with competitions such as Football, Netball, Rounders and Athletics still to come.

Bags of Kindness

This Christmas, our children and parents have come together to create Bags of Kindness for those in need. With a focus on making a difference, they have thoughtfully assembled bags for girls, boys, families, and the elderly. Our Faith Ambassadors successfully filled a car load with these bags. We are incredibly proud of our children's generosity and compassion towards those who may not be as fortunate this holiday season.

Year 4 - Kandinsky inspired art

Our talented children in Transition have poured their creativity into their latest masterpiece inspired by the renowned artist Kandinsky. Using a delightful mix of watercolours and crayons, they brought their imagination to life on canvas. The vibrant swirls and bold colours are a true testament to their artistic flair.

Check out their incredible artwork and be amazed by the sheer talent on display. 

Busy Christmas Little St B's

We had a jolly good time at Little St B's Christmas Crafts toddler morning on Friday. The little ones got stuck in enjoying lots of festive crafting fun, creating beautiful decorations and spreading Christmas cheer.  If you have a toddler, do not miss out on all the joy and creativity at our next event on Friday 12th January.

Achievements

Congratulations to Arjen (Yr 3). He graded in karate to 8th KYU and has obtained his green belt. Well Done Arjen.

Congratulations to Taashvi (Yr 3) who has earned her first "Achievement Award" from Stage Coach School. This recognition is a testament to her dedicated two years with Stage Coach, culminating in a stellar end-of-term performance. 

A double congratulations for Myra (Yr 3). Firstly on Sunday 11th of December Myra took part in Thames Valley Tennis Championship. She played very well and came in top 4 in the red ball category.

Secondly, as some of you may recall, earlier this year Myra submitted a piece of writing to the 500 Words competition. We are thrilled to announce that she has made it through to the next round! Congratulations, Myra, we are incredibly proud of you and wish you all the best in the upcoming stages of the competition.

Five Ways to Wellbeing!

It's really important to find, and practice, positive ways of thinking as they can help us through life's ups and downs. There are some simple things that we can do to help boost our mood and keep us happy. They're easy to do and don't have to cost a penny.

They're known as the 5 ways to wellbeing and they are:

• keep active
• take notice
• connect
• keep learning
• give

Here are some ideas of how our children could fit the ‘5 ways’ into everyday life.

Keep active

• dance to your favourite song
• walk a dog
• hula hoop
• join a sports team
• play a game in the playground
• walk or cycle to school
• help in the garden
• run a race with friends
• make up your own sport

Take notice

• look what you can see out of your window and how it changes
• paint or draw a picture of what you've seen today
• think about how you are feeling today
• listen to the sounds of nature like the wind and rain
• play I spy
• notice how your friends or family are feeling today

Connect

• talk to your friends and family
• help a friend or neighbour
• eat a meal with your family
• make a new friend
• say hello
• bake some cakes and share them

Keep learning

• learn a new word each day
• visit a museum or art gallery
• try out a musical instrument
• do a word search
• try a new food
• learn to cook a new recipe
• study an animal or bug
• visit a new place
• write a story or song

Give

• smile and say thank you
• make a home-made present or card for someone
• hold a door open for someone
• give someone you love a hug
• send your old toys to a charity shop
• share with others
• help around the house - wash the dishes or do some dusting
• listen to someone else and how they are feeling

Why not give some of the ideas a try?

Tulsi's Book Review

Guitar Lessons

Guitar lessons vacancy 

One space is available for guitar lessons starting next term. Lessons are on  Tuesdays.

The student will need his/her own guitar. They will have an introduction into rock and pop songs with the intention to start grade one, after completing 3 introductory songs. 

Lessons are conducted by Travis Williams. Travis has been teaching at St Bernard's for more than ten years.

Please email the office if you are interested.

Sports News

Sports Summary – Advent Term 2023

It has been a very busy time for our Sports teams across KS2 this term. In total we have participated in 69 competitive matches against other Prep and Primary schools, with a very good rate of success. All in all, we have played 24 rugby matches, 18 Hockey matches, 5 Girls Football matches and 22 Netball matches in only 2 and a half months! On top of this, we have also participated in both Under 11 Netball and Under 11 Football Tournaments at The Marist School in Ascot, as well as an Under 9 Rugby Festival at Caldicott in Farnham Royal.

It has been phenomenal to see all our children in these age groups participate with great enthusiasm and determination, with every child getting the opportunity to represent the school’s teams on at least 2 or more occasions.   

Our statistics speak volumes about the amount of work and effort the children have put in, and also the enjoyment and success they have achieved. We are immensely proud of all our teams for these achievements.

We now look forward to the Lent term, which promises to be even more exciting and even busier than we have had in this Advent Term. We already have over 80 scheduled matches booked, along with 7 Sports Festivals/Tournaments which our teams will be attending.