Weekly Newsletter

Thoughts from the Study

Community

Insights from behavioural economics and psychological research reveal that, as human beings, we have a deep need for connection, belonging, purpose, and meaning, particularly within our school, place of work, and local community. Leading in the education sector, presents a unique case, because the school, is the place of work, where a community come together in the single entity that is Broomfield.

Reflecting on the idea of community, and defining it here as a group of individuals with shared values, this week has been a testament to the strength of the Broomfield community and the holistic importance it brings to the school’s culture. This shared sense of purpose creates the wonderfully positive atmosphere for which I am immensely grateful.

A great example of this was Thursday morning, when we welcomed over 150 parents, friends, and grandparents to the Early Years Nativity plays and the Year 1 and 2 junior festive performance. I was so proud of all of the children. Eventbrite provided a data-driven indicator of demand for tickets to these events, with tickets (offered free of charge) ‘selling out’ in just over an hour after launch. In simple terms, it shows that people want to be in school. Just as the children often skip through the gates without even glancing back at their parents at drop-off, this enthusiasm reflects a shared desire to be part of the Broomfield community, with an energy and commitment to ensuring no one misses out.

I am, of course, naturally inclined to believe that Broomfield is the best prep school in London. While we have robust holistic data to support this claim, comparing at both national and local level, we also hear directly from the children through pupil voice initiatives and happiness surveys, which affirm that we are providing them with an excellent experience. However, what truly sets Broomfield apart, though less easily measurable, is our outstanding community. This sense of connection and shared purpose forms the foundation of everything we stand for and significantly enhances the school’s positive impact.

This sense of community was equally evident at our wonderful Christmas Market this morning, another extremely popular event well-organised by our active and supportive PTA. The school was jam-packed with attendees enjoying the festive atmosphere. Coffee at 7:30am on a Friday morning, chocolate crêpes, and a wide variety of stalls selling wares all helped, but the biggest factor was the opportunity to come together, to share ideas, check in, laugh, and perhaps buy some brightly coloured toys that we will soon regret. These moments remind us how great it feels to be part of a community made up of brilliant people.

For those of us fortunate enough to call Broomfield our place of work, this sense of community is something we experience every day. Whether in assemblies, classrooms, choir practice, the Dining Hall, on the sports field, or on stage, there is a tangible positivity in the air that makes us all feel greater than the sum of our parts.

Let me take this opportunity to thank you all (and my brilliant staff) for being so invested in our school, for your support, for sharing your ideas, and for ensuring that the link between school and home is strong and deeply rooted. Research often highlights the home school relationship as one of the biggest contributing factors to children’s learning and development, and I am grateful that this connection is firmly established at Broomfield.

As we head into the weekend, perhaps putting up Christmas trees at home or attending local community events, we now look forward to our Carol Service next week. This more formal occasion will give us another opportunity to come together, reflect, and celebrate what has been a truly superb year in the history of our school.

All the very best for the weekend.

Mr Anstey

Headmaster

Reminders
and Notices

Whole School

Christmas Jumper Day and Kew Sparkle – 6th December

Don’t forget to wear your sparkliest Christmas Jumper to school on Friday 6th December.  Through this, we will be helping to raise money for the Kew Village Christmas lights which are already shining brightly in the village! The children can come to school wearing Christmas themed mufti and we would be grateful for a small donation of £1 or £2 which can be given to the class teacher.

A message from the Kew Sparkle Team

And its Sparkle time! Every year for one evening only, we turn the village into a pedestrian only winter wonderland with stalls, a grotto, children rides and all the festive fun we can squeeze into 3 hours. The village is adorned with festive lights from late November until January, the Christmas lights bring a lot of happiness to the locals everyday as they go about the village. All of this comes at a cost, for months each year the Sparkle team begin the fundraising campaign, firstly hosting a dinner, then canvass local businesses, and we even post 3000 postcards through the doors of Kew. The wonderful local schools host a Christmas Jumper day and donate all proceeds to the fund, thank you to all the parents that support by donating to the jumper day. On the evening of Kew Sparkle the children sing so beautifully on the stage for everyone to enjoy, it’s all very magical. It is with the generosity of the community that we can bring the community together at Kew Sparkle and really enjoy this wonderful time of year. 

Please do visit our website and consider making a donation to keep the tradition of lighting up Kew Village going for another year: www.kewsparkle.org 

 

Winter Uniform Reminder 

A reminder, as the weather has become colder, please make sure all children are wearing coats to school. Staff will make sure the children are wearing them when outside at break/lunch times and when going to the sports field. Reminder: Year 1 – 6 children should wear the smart grey coat with their uniform and the red sports coat only with PE/Games kit. 

All children will need their grey coats and school hats for the following Christmas events: 

Year 2 – 6 for the Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal – Monday 2nd December 

Year 2 – 6 for the Christmas Carol Service – Tuesday 3rd December 

Year 3 for Kew Sparkle – Fri 6th December 

Year 5 and 6 for Cecil Court – Tue 10th December 

 

Christmas Carol Service at St Anne’s 

The Year 2 – Year 6 children have been busy rehearsing for our annual Carol Service at St Anne’s Church on Tuesday 3rd December at 1:45pm. Children should attend school in their full winter uniform including grey coats and school hats (no beanies). (There will also be a Church Rehearsal on Monday 2nd December.) 

After the service on Tuesday 3rd, all children will be dismissed from St Anne’s Church at approximately 3:15pm. All Tuesday clubs will still be running and the children attending these clubs will be brought back to school. If you would like your child to return to school for collection or if someone else will be collecting your child, please let the office know by Monday 2nd December as the dismissal registers are completed the day before the event. 

Parents of our Year 2 – Year 6 children are invited to join us for the Carol Service at St Anne’s Church and for a minced pie beforehand. Please arrive from 1:30pm for a prompt 1:45pm start.  

We ask parents not to take photographs or videos on the day as this is not permitted in the church. Photographs will be taken at the dress rehearsal, and a link will be shared with parents.  

 

Swimming 

A reminder, there will be no swimming on Tuesday 3rd December because of the Carol Service. This means that it will be a normal school day with no breakfast for Year 5 and 6. Tuesday 10th December is our last swim for 2024.  

 

Christmas Trees 

Broomfield House School has received a kind donation of a beautiful Christmas tree by Pines and Needles. The lovely team at Pines and Needles have annually provided the school with a Christmas Tree and have also provided our Broomfield parents with a discount for their own Christmas tree. Their local pop up shop is located in Richmond Rugby Club at Richmond Athletic Ground. 

DISCOUNT CODE: BROOMFIELD10 

 

IMPORTANT NEWS REGARDING SPRING TERM CLUBS

Please see the below flyers for the fabulous Technokids which takes place every Monday at Broomfield.  Technokids has been running at Broomfield for many years now and is always very popular, to book in please use the attached link Technokids Broomfield.  Our new cookery club, Bake ‘n’ Play, is going from strength to strength.  This currently takes place on a Monday in the dining room, however if we do have enough interest we can look at introducing this on a Thursday also.  If you are interested, please book here Bake n Play.  Gymnastics, Monday Science Club (Y4-6) and Broomfield Runners unfortunately have had very low interest, at this moment in time those clubs will not be taking place in the spring term.  Multisports on Tuesday (Year 2) will be joining the Multisports group on Monday (Year 1) next term as there is very low interest, if this day does not suit please contact Mrs Crocker on admin@broomfieldhouse.com who will accommodate any requests.  Mrs Crocker will be leaving us on Friday 13th December after which point please contact  office@broomfieldhouse.com for any future queries.  You can double check all your bookings on the SOCS platform in you require further clarification.

 

National Archives

Visit The National Archives on Saturday 7th December for a fun-filled festive family day.  Join us for wintery storytelling, document workshops, crafts, facepainting, messy play and more!  Plus, mince pies and mulled wine for the grown-ups!  See the attached pdf for a QR code to book tickets, or visit Eventbrite here.

Y5 and Y6 Netball

There is a netball match next week for Year 5 and 6 netball players v Falcons. Parents are welcome to watch from 2.15pm at Westerley Ware. We also have Sophie Nicholas (U13 Middlesex netball academy coach) coming to give the team a masterclass, which we are very excited about.

Y1 - Y5 Report Evenings

Years 1-5 Report Evenings – Mon 2nd and Wed 4th December

The class teachers are looking forward to meeting parents on Monday 2nd and Wednesday 4th December for the Y1-5 Report Evenings. Thank you for booking your time slot on the link sent by the office. We would be grateful to all families for helping the teachers to stick to their time slots, to avoid delays for those with later appointments. The sessions are taking place in the relevant classrooms. Please wait outside on the chairs provided before being invited in. The children’s autumn term reports will be published on the Parent Portal this evening. Please let us know if you have any problems accessing them and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Year 3

Kew Sparkle – Fri 6th Dec 2024 

On Friday 6th December, everyone is invited to join in the fun at Kew Sparkle, (from 5pm – 8pm). There will be great stalls, fabulous food vans, fun activities for children and Santa will be in his grotto. Our Year 3 children will be singing on the stage in front of the station at 5.20pm, so please come and at this time to show your support for the children if you can.  

For Year 3 Parents: Year 3 children will need to change out of their Christmas mufti and return to school for 4:45pm in full school uniform including school hats and grey coats. They will walk together into Kew Village in time for their performance. They will be dismissed to their parent/guardian following their performance. Please contact the office before midday if you are sending someone different to collect your child. 

PK, K and Y1

Pee Wee Karate Grading 

Our talented karate kids will be demonstrating their karate skills on Monday 2nd December. Parents are invited to watch as the children complete their grading in PK, K and Y1. Parents are asked to enter via the main reception gate on Broomfield Road at the allotted times below: 

Grading times: 

Pre-Kindergarten: 12pm 

Kindergarten: 12:30pm 

Year 1: 1pm 

As a result, there will be no Pee Wee Karate on Monday 9th December 

Dukes Club - Christmas Countdown

It will be December this weekend, time to start getting really Christmassy. We have come up with FIVE of the best seasonal treats.
Seasonal markets have been a feature of the run-up to Christmas in Northern Europe for centuries; the Striezelmarkt in Dresden opens for its 590th year this weekend. Today, clusters of wooden stalls selling handicrafts and warming drinks are common the world over. At worst, they are tourist traps filled with over-priced tat but if you find a good one, you can enjoy a festive day of Christmas shopping in a historic setting. We have done the legwork for you. All of the out-of-town options below are easily achievable in a day trip from London.

Dukes Club - Dukes Festival of the Arts

Dukes Festival of the Arts:
Dukes Festival of the Arts is a showcase of talent from over 900 students from across the group, in celebration of Dukes’ 10th anniversary. Tickets are now on sale and selling very fast here https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/dukes-festival-of-the-arts/.
Any proceeds will go to the Dukes Foundation.

Highlights

Junior Christmas Performances

Pre-K delighted us with their heartwarming Nativity, while Year 1 captivated the audience with Scarecrow’s Christmas. Year 2 impressed us with their performance of The King’s Magic Cloak, and Kindergarten brought a unique twist with their charming roles as ladybirds, caterpillars, and even bees! Each performance was a triumph, showcasing the incredible talent, creativity, and confidence of our pupils.

Thank you to parents for the fantastic costumes that brought the characters to life on stage. And, of course, special thanks goes to Miss Travis for her creative direction, Miss Fourie for the magical music, and Ms Frey for the stunning artwork.

It was truly a show to remember!

Photos – Parent Portal >>

Videos will be uploaded to the Parent Portal next week.

Imperial War Museum Trip

Building on their learning of WWI, Year 5 enjoyed a trip to the Imperial War Museum on Monday. There, they continued to explore life on the home front, trench warfare and weaponry, and read personal letters from the trenches. In the afternoon, the children worked in teams to create documentaries as journalists and filmmakers to retell the events of WWI. They explored what life was like in the trenches and the significant contributions of women during the war. Well done on a fantastic trip, Year 5.

Eco Club

In eco club this week, children learnt about the unsung hero the earthworm and our eco club members built a wormery.

Some facts about these fabulous soil shifters…..

  • There are 26 different worm species in the UK.
  • The channels they create add oxygen to the soil, allow carbon dioxide to escape and rain to drain.
  • They can eat their own body weight in soil in one day.
  • Earthworms breathe through their skin.
  • They do not have eyes and prefer the dark.
  • They range in length from 1 mm to 3m!! Thankfully we didn’t find any that big in the Broomfield House  garden.

A Special Visitor

Kindergarten had an amazing time learning how to keep their teeth pearly white! Mr Bamrah showed the children how to brush using small circles and taught them all about good and bad foods for teeth.

Art Highlight

PK created penguins and Kindergarten worked on snowmen. They looked at shapes and practised their brush control. Great work!

Christmas Market Fun

What a fantastic Friday morning at the Christmas Market! A huge thank you to the PTA for organising such a wonderful event. It was brimming with beautifully crafted homemade gifts, delicious treats, and plenty of festive cheer. Special thanks to Ms. Fourie for coordinating the carol performance by Year 1 and Year 2, as well as a lovely community rendition of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’ The market was filled with smiles and laughter, set against the backdrop of a crisp, frosty morning – the perfect way to start off the festive period. Thank you to Lukasz for turning the school into a winter wonderland!

Weekly Awards

Polite Person of the Week

Pre-Kindergarten: Matilda: Matilda shows great perseverance and determination in everything she does. Well done.
Kindergarten: Georgina: Georgina is a role model to her friends. She always chooses a sensible spot on the carpet, always has her listening ears switch on and always tries her best. Well done!

Year 1: Kanna: Everything you do is with a smile, kindness and grace! You were especially brave this week and performed beautifully in the play, even though you were nervous. Well done for showing such courage Kanna, we are very proud of you.
Year 2: Edward: You always show keen engagement in lessons, being exceptionally respectful to your friends, especially when sharing your ideas and answers.

Year 3: Gabriel: For demonstrating kindness towards others in the class and a curiosity towards your learning. You are keen to help your friends and teachers and always try your best in your learning. Well done Gabriel!
Year 4: Ismayil: Always polite and engaged, he has been working consistently hard this term, and I have been particularly impressed by his contributions in class this week.

Year 5: Grace: For always being fun, bubbly and positive. You always have a smile on your face and you brighten up our class with positivity.
Year 6: Teoman: Teoman has shown positive engagement in all of his lessons this week and has shown warmth and kindness towards his friends.

Upcoming Events

Monday 2nd Dec

9am – 3pm: Church Rehearsal at St Annes (Y2-Y6) 

12 – 1:30pm: Pee Wee Karate Grading (PK,K & Y1) 

3:45pm – 7pm: Y1 – Y5 Report Evening 1  

Tuesday 3rd Dec

No Swimming  

9am: Consortium Exams for some Y6 children 

1:45pm – 3:30pm: Senior Christmas Carol Service (Y2-Y6)  

Wednesday 4th Dec

8:15am – 12pm: PK and K to Raymond Briggs Fr Christmas 

3:45pm – 7pm: Y1 – Y5 Report Evening 2  

Thursday 5th Dec

12:30 – 3:30pm: Y5 to see Aladdin at Hammersmith Lyric 

Friday 6th Dec

Christmas Jumper Day 

3:30pm – 8pm: Stagecoach 

4:45pm:  Kew Sparkle – performance 5:20pm 

Monday 9th Dec

NO PEE WEE KARATE 

Tuesday 10th Dec

11am – 12:30pm: Cecil Court Christmas Carols Y5 & Y6 

Wednesday 11th Dec

1:30pm – 3:30pm: Pantomine (School Hall)No games for Y4 – 6 

Thursday 12th Dec

12pm: Christmas Lunch  

Friday 13th Dec

Last Day of Term – School finishes at 12pm / No Lunch for Children 

Playground Snapshots