Thoughts from the Study
Welcome Back
A very warm welcome back to you all, after what I hope has been a restful and fun-filled break. This week, it has been wonderful to welcome back our pupils. The school is once again a hub of activity and learning, with their stories from the break certainly bringing a renewed energy to our corridors.
On a personal note, this Christmas reminded me of the simple joys and unexpected lessons of childhood. Watching Indigo, my two-year-old, more fascinated with boxes and wrapping paper than the actual gifts inside, was a delightful reminder of the wonder and imagination in children. It underscores what we often see in education: sometimes, it’s the simplest resources that inspire the greatest creativity.
I am delighted to write my first ‘Thoughts from the Study’ in 2024, knowing that it will appear in the inaugural issue of our school’s newly designed online newsletter. We are very much a school that values feedback, and I believe it crucial to stay humble and keep listening. This new design aims to make information more readable across a range of devices, with the ability to keep up with whole school news as needed, as well as filter out only the key pieces of information pertinent to a child’s year group. As part of the design process, we completed a communication-focused parent survey, before seeking further feedback from a test group of parents on the content and design. As we progress into the spring term, I hope this new format will serve as an efficient and streamlined source of information which includes many more fun highlights from the week in picture form as well as a fortnightly calendar.
The holidays are always a busy time in school as we continue to invest in the site and undertake further significant refurbishments. I am pleased to report that the Year One classroom and Music room have now been completely transformed, in line with the Scandinavian palette and research-backed design, similar to that in many of our other classrooms. Working across the holidays, we have created spaces that are not only conducive to learning but are also warm, cosy, and homely, creating a home away from home atmosphere for the children to enjoy. These environments are crafted to ensure our children can focus on the content being taught while enjoying their learning experience in a modern space.
Our commitment to sustainability is further reflected in the upgrade of our school kitchen to three-phase electrics, a significant step in reducing our reliance on gas. Chef Tom is very happy with his new induction oven too, which is easily worth the investment, considering Jam Sponge Puddings may be back on the menu (reduced sugar, of course).
The server rooms have also been updated to support our growing digital needs, and Harrow House’s hallways have been revitalised, creating a more inviting environment for our community with a nod to our Edwardian heritage, with more parquet flooring. We continue to reflect on the impact of climate change and London’s variable temperatures and have installed split-unit heating and cooling air conditioning systems in the PK and K classrooms. The staff and children are already enjoying the impact of these units as temperatures plummeted this week. We now have aircon across much of the school site with plans to offset the carbon footprint of these units with future plans to install Broomfield’s own solar panel solution.
As we move forward, I am confident that these improvements will further enrich the experience the children have when in school. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement as we maintain our forward-thinking approach and, as with the newsletter, please keep the feedback coming. We have further considerable work planned this academic year with planning already in motion.
I look forward to catching up with you all over the next few weeks. If we have not had a chance to speak yet this term, please do catch me at drop off and pick up if you have a moment to say hello.
All the best for a cold yet relaxing weekend.
Mr Anstey
Headmaster
Happy New Year from all of us at Broomfield!
On Monday we kicked off the spring term with the Dukes Education Conference at Wembley. 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.
With the theme “The Heart of Education” the conference provided a fantastic opportunity for professional development. Thought-provoking discussions explored the impact of AI, the future of education, and the critical importance of character development in shaping the young leaders of tomorrow.
Happy New Year from all of us at Broomfield!
On Monday we kicked off the spring term with the Dukes Education Conference at Wembley. 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.
With the theme “The Heart of Education” the conference provided a fantastic opportunity for professional development. Thought-provoking discussions explored the impact of AI, the future of education, and the critical importance of character development in shaping the young leaders of tomorrow. ...
We are excited to welcome all our families back to school for another great term at Broomfield! 🌟
We are excited to welcome all our families back to school for another great term at Broomfield! 🌟 ...
At the end of the term, we reflect on many events, trips, and achievements. From the early days of settling into routines in Early Years to the progress made across all year groups, it’s been a wonderfully busy term.
Wishing all families a restful break! 🎄🌟
At the end of the term, we reflect on many events, trips, and achievements. From the early days of settling into routines in Early Years to the progress made across all year groups, it’s been a wonderfully busy term.
Wishing all families a restful break! 🎄🌟 ...
This week, on Wednesday, we welcomed M&M Theatrical Productions for a fun and engaging pantomime performance. The actors performed brilliantly, captivating both children and staff alike. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to immerse themselves in live theatre and enjoy a well-deserved treat in the last week of term.
This week, on Wednesday, we welcomed M&M Theatrical Productions for a fun and engaging pantomime performance. The actors performed brilliantly, captivating both children and staff alike. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to immerse themselves in live theatre and enjoy a well-deserved treat in the last week of term. ...
On Tuesday last week, children from Years 2 - 6 gathered at St. Anne’s Church to kick off the festive season with our annual Christmas Carol Service. Each year group contributed beautifully, and we felt immense pride listening to their lovely singing and instrument playing. An extra ‘well done’ to Year 6 who read the nine lessons brilliantly, telling us the story of the birth of Jesus. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this wonderful occasion.
On Tuesday last week, children from Years 2 - 6 gathered at St. Anne’s Church to kick off the festive season with our annual Christmas Carol Service. Each year group contributed beautifully, and we felt immense pride listening to their lovely singing and instrument playing. An extra ‘well done’ to Year 6 who read the nine lessons brilliantly, telling us the story of the birth of Jesus. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this wonderful occasion. ...
A huge thank you to parents who supported the PTA in organising the Broomfield Christmas Market this year. There were beautiful gifts, delicious market food and a lovely community rendition of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. Thank you to Halletts Estate Agents for sponsoring the event.
A huge thank you to parents who supported the PTA in organising the Broomfield Christmas Market this year. There were beautiful gifts, delicious market food and a lovely community rendition of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. Thank you to Halletts Estate Agents for sponsoring the event. ...
This morning, the Junior School children impressed us with fabulous Nativity and Christmas performances. Kindergarten brought a unique twist with their charming roles as ladybirds, caterpillars, and even bees. 🐝 Each performance was a triumph!
This morning, the Junior School children impressed us with fabulous Nativity and Christmas performances. Kindergarten brought a unique twist with their charming roles as ladybirds, caterpillars, and even bees. 🐝 Each performance was a triumph! ...
We are excited to share that we won 1st prize for 3D group work (Key Stage 2) with our stunning mosaic at the ISA National Art Competition! Every child in school contributed to this art project. A huge congratulations also to Evelyn, whose tiger painting was highly commended. @isaartsuk
We are excited to share that we won 1st prize for 3D group work (Key Stage 2) with our stunning mosaic at the ISA National Art Competition! Every child in school contributed to this art project. A huge congratulations also to Evelyn, whose tiger painting was highly commended. @isaartsuk ...
Children are spending plenty of time exploring and enjoying the new garden. A favourite activity has been transforming fallen leaves into beautiful, creative decorations 🍂🍁.
Children are spending plenty of time exploring and enjoying the new garden. A favourite activity has been transforming fallen leaves into beautiful, creative decorations 🍂🍁. ...
Roasting marshmallows over the fire – what a fantastic way for Year 2 to end a busy week at school!
Roasting marshmallows over the fire – what a fantastic way for Year 2 to end a busy week at school! ...
Thanks to all Broomfield families for your generous donations to our local food bank. We also continued our tradition of our harvest boxes, which were delivered by our Year 6 children, staff and parent volunteers to the elderly in our local area. It was a heartwarming event, reminding us of the value of kindness and generosity during this season of harvest.
Thanks to all Broomfield families for your generous donations to our local food bank. We also continued our tradition of our harvest boxes, which were delivered by our Year 6 children, staff and parent volunteers to the elderly in our local area. It was a heartwarming event, reminding us of the value of kindness and generosity during this season of harvest. ...
Well done to Year 3 for creating these wonderful harvest cards which were given to the elderly in our community. The children worked on their water colour technique and collage skills. Fantastic work!
Well done to Year 3 for creating these wonderful harvest cards which were given to the elderly in our community. The children worked on their water colour technique and collage skills. Fantastic work! ...