Weekly Newsletter

Thoughts from the Study

A very warm welcome back to the entire school community. It has been, as ever, a positively busy festive period in school, with a number of capital projects completed around the site. One of the main strategic strands for us is a progressive focus on reducing our carbon footprint, and with it, our reliance on gas as the main source of our school heating. As a single example of the capital work completed, I am pleased to report that over the holidays, as what the children would describe as a kindness for the planet, we have further reduced our reliance on gas by installing a discrete, environmentally friendly electric heating system in the oldest parts of the Broomfield House building.

Linking to making decisions based on kindness, in assembly this morning, I spoke to the children about the Ripple Effect, the idea that our actions can, at times, unknowingly contribute to external outcomes that are not always possible to predict at the time. Now, if you are an economist reading the next part of this, the following calculations are ‘high-level’ and do not incorporate the multitude of other factors that could alter the total number. I am, however, very happy to accept corrections that incorporate multiplier effects, which I would be interested to read.

Let us consider that as adults, on average, we make 35,000 decisions each day, while younger children make around 5,000 on average. If we consider that for a single adult, this equates to potentially 35,000 separate ripple effects, the ownership we place on self-awareness and emotional intelligence must be profound and intentional. The concept, therefore, with forty colleagues in school (40 × 35,000) and 180 children (180 × 5,000), is that on a single day at Broomfield we have 2.3 million potential decision-based ripples permeating around the place, with the ability to contribute to and, in turn, alter the course of how the day turns out for all of us.

We do, of course, need to consider the length of time that we all, on average, spend in school. If we consider 8:30 am – 4:30 pm as a mean length, equating to 8 hours a day, this is one third of a 24-hour day. Therefore, a more accurate number is that 33.33% of our decisions occur during school hours, which equates to approximately 766,590 decision based ripples made within the school between children and staff during the course of an average day.

Now, let us add in the parent influence. With approximately 350 parents as part of our wonderful community, we can calculate this contribution as (350 × 35,000)/33.33%, giving us an additional 4,082,925 decisions being made during the course of the school day. This brings us to a total of 4,849,515 decisions for an eight-hour standard school day.

Having roughly calculated these numbers, our focus now needs to shift to the debate about making decisions to be ‘nice’ versus making decisions to be ‘kind.’

Being ‘nice’ often implies a surface level attempt to avoid conflict or maintain a pleasant demeanor. It can sometimes lack the depth required to genuinely consider the needs and feelings of others. Kindness, on the other hand, involves a deliberate act of empathy and care, often requiring courage and thoughtfulness. Kindness considers the long-term impact of our actions and the wellbeing of others, even when it is challenging or uncomfortable. Although the installation of an eco-friendly heating system may not have tangible notable returns initially, over time, the longer term impact will be significant.

In the context of our school community, this distinction is critical. When we consciously aim to make kind decisions rather than simply nice ones, we foster a culture of genuine support, empathy, and growth. This means we are not just avoiding harm but actively contributing to the wellbeing and development of those around us. For example, a kind decision might involve giving honest yet constructive feedback or stepping in to help someone in need, even if it requires extra effort.

The premise is that if, as a community, we make 4.85 million kind decisions during a school day and each decision-based ripple causes 10 more ripples at every stage, repeated 10 times, then this gives us a staggering 48.5 billion (4.85 × 10^10 = 48,500,000,000) opportunities to be collectively kind each day.

This incredible number highlights the power and responsibility we have as a community. Each decision we make, from the smallest interaction to the most significant choice, has the potential to create a cascading effect of positivity and kindness. By embracing this mindset, we actively shape the culture of our school and equip our children with the values and tools to create their own ripples of kindness in the wider world.

As we move into the weekend, I asked the children to reflect on this idea. The Ripple Effect reminds us that our decisions matter, not just in the moment but far beyond. By choosing kindness over niceness, we can create a culture where every action, however small, contributes to a collective atmosphere of empathy, courage, and care. This is the foundation upon which our thriving community is built and how it is sustained, one ripple at a time.

All the very best for the weekend.

Mr. Anstey
Headmaster

 

Reminders
and Notices

Clubs

There is still time to sign up to Technokids and Cookery Club this term! Please see more information on the flyers below:

Year 3 and 4

Open Class Coffee Morning – Year 3 and Year 4 

We would like to invite parents of our Year 3 and Year 4 children to come for our Open Class Coffee Morning on Friday 24th January after drop off at 8:30am. The Open Class gives parents the opportunity to see your child’s classroom. Then parents are invited for coffee with some of our SLT team to discuss any questions you may have. 

Year 2

YEAR 2 TRIP TO RED BEARD FOREST SCHOOL 

Year 2 are excited for their upcoming trip to the amazing Red Beard Forest School at Syon Park on Friday 17th January. The children will depart school at 9am and will return at approximately 12pm. The children should wrap up well in their school PE kit, with layers of clothing and warm boots/shoes as they will be outside for the entire session. If they would like to wear additional tracksuit bottoms, over their skins, they can.  They must wear their Broomfield sports coat, scarf and beanie hat.  Chef Nay will prepare snacks and the class will be back at school in time for a warm lunch. They will be exploring winter in the great outdoors, woodland crafts and building a campfire. 

Kindergarten

KINDERGARTEN TRIP TO RED BEARD FOREST SCHOOL 

Kindergarten are excited for their upcoming trip to the amazing Red Beard Forest School at Syon Park on Friday 24th January. The children will depart school at 9am and will return at approximately 12pm. The children should wrap up well in their school uniform, with layers of clothing and warm boots/shoes as they will be outside for the entire session. Chef Nay will prepare snacks and the class will be back at school in time for a warm lunch. They will be exploring winter in the great outdoors, woodland crafts and building a campfire. 

Netball - Red Team

Sophie Nicholas (Middlesex County Coach) is coming for a follow up session next Wednesday during our games session. The ISA (London West) Regional tournament is being held next Friday (17th). Broomfield Red Team will be attending (squad to be announced shortly).  Unfortunately parents cannot attend.

Interhouse netball will be held on 29th January.

Highlights

The power of the collective

Happy New Year from all of us at Broomfield!

There was something truly powerful about the collective energy when all Dukes settings came together for a day of professional development at Wembley Stadium on Monday. It was a unique opportunity to learn from one another and celebrate achievements across the group. Together, we were reminded that our combined efforts have a far greater impact than any single contribution alone. We are excited to explore further opportunities for collaboration and to make the most of the fantastic Dukes Plus offerings for our families, including application support, day camps, and summer schools.

We would also like to encourage parents to sign up for the Dukes Hub if you haven’t already in the past: https://dukeseducation.com/dukes-club/. Belonging to the Dukes Club will give you and your family access to expert advice from leaders in the worlds of education and parenting. We will keep you updated with the latest information via this newsletter.

Wellbeing Initiative Award

We are delighted to share that our Headmaster, Adam Anstey, and the school were honoured with the Wellbeing Initiative Award in recognition of the effective efforts to promote wellbeing among both children and staff. This award is a true testament to what is one of the cornerstones of our philosophy and work at Broomfield.

“Approaching almost two decades serving in the educational sector, it is clear that children have the best experiences, cultivate the deepest curiosity, and create the most lasting memories when surrounded by teaching professionals who are empowered with the space to be creative, alongside the resources and culture that enable them to perform at their very best for the benefit of those children.

This is why the positive impact of wellbeing on human performance is a subject of immense importance to me. Ultimately, when we prioritise wellbeing within an educational organisation, this empowers colleagues to flourish professionally, which in turn allows them to provide the very best learning experiences and culture for our children to thrive. ” – Mr Anstey, Headmaster

The Dukes Foundation

Dukes Foundation was born out of a belief that the early years are their most formative and shape us into who we will be one day. The Dukes Foundation is the charitable arm of the group supporting life-changing charities and organisations nationally and internationally. Last year the group launched their campaign to become the largest provider of transformational bursaries in the UK which will support young people from low-income backgrounds.

At Monday’s conference, every attendee across every single Dukes setting received a £5 token to donate to one of four wonderful charitable causes – a fantastic initiative!

Saved Souls Foundation

Ms. Frey, Art Teacher, is back from volunteering at The Saved Souls Foundation, a dedicated organisation that rescues and cares for abandoned and injured dogs. Based in Thailand, this small organisation faces significant financial challenges and needs support to continue its vital work. Every donation makes a difference, and sponsoring one of their dogs is a meaningful way to contribute directly to their care. To learn more or sponsor a dog, visit the Saved Souls Foundation. 🐾❤️

Creative Winter Artwork from PK and K

Just before the end of last term, Kindergarten painted a series of snowmen while improving their brush skills and experimenting with the interaction between oil pastel and ink. PK explored the use of blue ink and white gouache to craft stunning abstract winter landscapes.

Weekly Awards

Sports Star of the Week
Eleanor (Y5)
Drama Star of the Week
Everly (K)
Artist of the Week
Haru (K)
Music Star of the Week
Merlin (Y1)

Polite Person of the Week

Pre-Kindergarten: Aliya: Aliya has been very focused and engaged this week. She has done wonderful listening and has been keen to offer her ideas- Well done!
Kindergarten: Emilia: Emilia always shows great kindness and care for her peers. She is always the first to help a friend that is feeling sad and always shares. Emilia displayed her kindness lots this week when helping Georgina and when comforting her friends who were missing home.

Year 1: Ilaan: You always act with kindness and put others first. It’s wonderful to watch you cheer on other children when they do well and celebrate everyone equally. You are a real asset to our class and today we all celebrate you 😊
Year 2: Grace: You show thoughtful consideration when interacting with other children in class, always finding something positive to say. Your gentle words make others smile.

Year 3: Lucca: For a great start to the Spring term and showing great determination with tricky tasks in English. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Well done Lucca!
Year 4: Gigi: A great start back, she has already been working very hard in maths and produced a super recount about her Christmas break. Well done Gigi!

Year 5: Simran: For her brilliant engagement and knowledge of Greek mythology and for producing a wonderful summary piece of writing!
Year 6: Charlotte B: For her excellent participation and effort in all of her lessons.

Upcoming Events

Monday 13th Jan
Tuesday 14th Jan

First swim of spring term

Wednesday 15th Jan
Thursday 16th Jan
Friday 17th Jan

8:45am – 4pm: ISA Netball Competition

9am: Y2 trip to Forest School

4pm: Stagecoach

Monday 20th Jan

6:45pm for a 7pm start: PTA Meeting

Tuesday 21st Jan
Wednesday 22nd Jan
Thursday 23rd Jan
Friday 24th Jan

8:30am: Y3 and Y4 Open Class Coffee Morning

9am: K trip to Forest School

Playground Snapshots