Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 8th October

Dear Parents,

We began this week with an Anti Bullying Assembly and we finished the week with our Faith Ambassadors Assembly. The two top and tailed the week nicely, underlining the values and ethos of the school by focusing on the importance of respect and compassion. Our new Faith Ambassadors retold the story of St Jospeh and how his qualities of kindness and patience are examples to us all.

Throughout the rest of the week we have enjoyed class readers, learnt about binary code in Enrichment and our Under 10s played their first football fixture of the year. We celebrated National Poetry Day - I've made some recommendations for books to share with your children in Mrs Verma's Big Ideas - and Miss Mehta has suggested some tasks to enhance the wellbeing of the whole family in recognition of World Mental Health Day.

Spotlight on Success

This week I would like to shine a spotlight on Ryan in Year 1. Ryan was wonderfully engaged in assembly and really listened and understood the themes. Well done Ryan. Congratulations to Divya in Year 6, who received a Distinction in grade 1 piano exam, to Kaiden in Year 4 who achieved grade 5 in his music theory exam and to Kashvi in Year 2, who passed her Karate exam and has moved from a Green belt to Purple. Great achievements everyone.

St Bernard's Prep Follow

We look forward to welcoming @thorpehousesch this afternoon for our first Under 10 football fixtures of the year. Good luck to all the players involved and enjoy the matches! ⚽#SBPSfootball https://t.co/HSuIxMa1L6

7 hours ago

World Mental Health Day

At St Bernard’s Preparatory School, we’re supporting our children’s wellbeing this World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Sunday 10th October. Children can have a look at different types of self-care and reflect on what works for them. Activities include observing your surroundings, mindfulness activities, learning something new and carrying out acts of kindness. We’re encouraging children to continue to try different activities at home - why not try some as a family? Parents there is a World Mental Health Day challenge for you too!

Miss Mehta’s World Mental Health Day Challenge

Miss Mehta has set a challenge which involves creating your own Thought Superhero! Wouldn’t it be great if we had a tiny superhero inside our heads, that could defend us from unhelpful (negative) thoughts? What would your tiny superhero, inside your head, look like? It is entirely up to you! You are going to design your own Thought Superhero who you can imagine helping you whenever you need help. Miss Mehta looks forward to seeing your creations!

For more tips and information about looking after your child’s mental health go to www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/supporting-others/childrens-mental-health/

As a parent, looking after your own wellbeing is also important and Every Mind Matters enables you to get tailored wellbeing support. Use the Mind Plan to see what works for you: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/your-mind-plan-quiz/

Reminders and dates for your diary:

Pick up: At pick up, please leave promptly at 4.45pm and children are not to play on the equipment at the back of school for Health & Safety reasons and so that we can get on with site jobs.

Uniform: Please ensure children have all the correct PE kit and are wearing the regulation shoes and coats.

11th - 14th October - Parents' Evening. Class teachers will contact you to organise an appointment.

11th - 15th October - Open Week.

9th November - Flu jabs

Mrs Verma's Big Ideas for Curious Minds

As a school we love to stretch and challenge our children, to enrich their education beyond the curriculum. Every week I will be sharing with you some discussion topics, new vocabulary, Maths riddles and book recommendations, that will infect our children with a love of learning. These will all be posted in the Parent Portal section of our website as well.

Word of the week

Feuillemort - Adjective. The colour of dying or fading leaves, literally from the French mort - dead and feuille - leaf.

As the summer turned to autumn, the earth grew cooler and the feuillement colours took hold of the forest.

Latin Word of the Week

Ferus - Adjective. Savage, fierce

Musica delenit bestiam feram. Music soothes the savage beast.

The World This Week - Scotland

Scotland is in the news this week because of a new project aiming to rewild a large area in the Highlands so that habitats and native wildlife can recover and flourish. Over a period of 30 years, mountains, hills, lakes, woodland and forests will be left to natural processes. Native animals like deer, red squirrels and even lynx with be reintroduced!

What do you think would happen if nature everywhere was left to its natural processes?

Calling all poets - This week we celebrated National Poetry Day. You're never too young or too old to enjoy poetry. Here are some of my recommendations.

Ages 2-5: Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg

Ages 5-7: Poems Out Loud! First poems to read and perform

Ages 7-10: 50 Ways to Score a Goal and Other Football Poems by Brian Bilston

Ages 7-11: Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl

All ages: I Am The Seed That Grew That Tree: A nature poem for every day of the year by Fiona Waters

“Be the wisdom your support. Be the compassion your guide and listen to the Divine Music that beats in every heart.”

Guru Nanak

"Christ came to be Father's compassion to the world. Be kind in your actions"

Mother Teresa

Have a wonderful weekend.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs A Verma