Thoughts from the Study
Rising 3s and Summer Projects
It has been such a super week in school, the Year 6 production of the Lion King has been nothing short of spectacular and I feel immensely proud of all who have taken to the stage with such confidence, demonstrating both talent and growth. I am also delighted to share that we have just been notified Broomfield has been shortlisted for the Independent School of the Year Award, with finalists to be announced in early September. This is fantastic news to receive as we approach the end of another successful academic year for our entire school community.
Broomfield has always been a forward-thinking school that refuses to stand still when it comes to capital investment and ensuring our facilities match our world class educational ambitions. I am therefore, pleased to share an important and exciting development for our school community. In response to the recent announcement, just before the May half term, that Kew Montessori will be closing, Broomfield will open a dedicated Rising 3s class from September 2025. There is much more information on this in the attached flyer to this newsletter that aims to answer many initial FAQs.
As a school at the heart of our local community, we listen carefully to families who over the past few years have expressed the need for a local high-quality early years provision and a seamless transition into our Pre-Kindergarten. Several families, especially those with younger siblings, have highlighted the challenges presented by multiple drop offs and the desire for an earlier start within the Broomfield environment. We believe this initiative is the right and responsible response to those needs, ensuring we continue to support our community while also maintaining a level playing field with other prep schools across London that already offer a Rising 3 provision.
Our decision has been firmly guided by our unwavering commitment to quality and the exceptional experience Broomfield is known for. We will be thoughtfully sharing news of this provision within the local community, rather than conducting a broad campaign, to preserve the nurturing and personal atmosphere that is so valued by our current families.
Importantly, we will continue to prioritise the strength of our current Early Years team. Rather than redeploying existing staff, we are actively recruiting additional colleagues who will further enrich the quality of provision and uphold the high standards for which Broomfield is renowned. This is a further demonstration of out commitment to staffing our school way above that of statutory guidance.
The new Rising 3s space will be a beautifully designed, biophilic-inspired environment that draws on nature-based principles to connect children to the outdoors, supporting their sense of calm, focus, and wellbeing. I am pleased to confirm that we received approval for this significant capital investment last Friday, and since then we have been working closely with our trusted contractors to prepare for a busy summer, meaning work on this exciting new space will begin next weekend.
In keeping with our vision for sustainable investment, this project will also support the wider school, with the atrium serving an additional breakout area for Year 1 and Year 2 children at times, further enhancing their opportunities for flexible learning and exploration. The current Harrow House girl’s toilets will be moved slightly, with a brand-new space created for children to use when in that building. As part of our ongoing sustainability strategy, we have been gradually reducing our reliance on gas for heating, and with this project, only a single gas boiler will remain on site. This is a meaningful and tangible step forward, reflecting Broomfield’s commitment to lowering our carbon footprint. It places us in a strong position to introduce energy generation and storage capacity in the coming years, supporting our ambition to become net zero but and climate positive, giving back to the grid.
Alongside this project, we will also be upgrading the atrium, Year 1 and 2 class rooms, and the school hall with a full air-conditioning system over the summer, ensuring comfort throughout the year. In parallel, we are further investing in our IT network to keep Broomfield future proofed, all while preserving our philosophy of intentional, only purposeful screen use. New early toilets will be installed as well as new furniture and some improvements to the school hall.
Our outdoor learning approach will continue to be central to this next chapter, encouraging our children to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air, discovering, exploring, and engaging with the world around them. We are confident that this significant investment in both our environment and our people will bring a positive addition to our already world-class early years experience, while responding to the evolving needs of our local families in a way that feels sensitive, sustainable, and true to Broomfield’s values.
If you have any questions at this stage, or would like to learn more about these plans, please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to sharing further updates with you in the coming months and over the summer.
All the best for the weekend.
Mr Anstey
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