Newsletter2nd May

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach not only SATs week but assessments across different year groups, I wanted to take a moment to talk about what these tests mean—and, more importantly, what they don't.

Tests provide a snapshot of your child’s progress in key areas like reading, writing and maths. They help us as a school to reflect on our teaching and ensure we’re supporting every learner in the right way. We’re proud of how hard our children have worked, and we know they’ll do their very best.

But please remember: these tests do not measure your child’s creativity, kindness, resilience, sense of humour or the many unique qualities that make them who they are. These things are not tested—but they are deeply valued here at Birklands, and by you, their families.

Our children are so much more than a score. While we encourage them to take pride in their learning, we also want them to know that their well-being, confidence and happiness are just as important.

We’ll be supporting them over the next couple of weeks with lots of encouragement, calm routines and even a few treats along the way. Thank you for all you do at home to reassure and uplift them.

Let’s help them approach the coming weeks feeling confident, cared for and proud of how far they’ve come.

Before the Easter break, we were thrilled to see three classes achieve an incredible 100% attendance—a fantastic accomplishment!

A huge well done to Siskin, Jay and Nightingale classes. As a reward for their brilliant commitment, all three classes enjoyed a well-deserved non-uniform day this week.

This weeks winners with 97% are Jay class - Miss Lounds will let you know which day will be non-uniform next week.

As always if you have any questions or need support with attendance please contact Mrs Hunt - nhunt@birklandsschool.co.uk

Celebrating Outstanding Attendance!

Achieving 100% attendance is no easy feat—it takes commitment, resilience and a real team effort from both pupils and families. That’s why we are so proud to recognise this impressive accomplishment.

As a special treat, children who have attended school every single day since September were rewarded with a well-deserved visit from the ice cream van—a sweet way to celebrate their dedication!

Well done to each and every one of you for this fantastic achievement!

 

Hands on Heritage

Saturday 17th May 2025

10am – 2pm

Mansfield Central Library

Free family-friendly event – no booking necessary.

 

This year’s event is packed with interactive fun for all ages, including:

Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality experiences

Live 1940s music to mark 80 years since VE Day

Heritage group stalls, creative workshops, crafts and more!

 

With support from 20+ local organisations, it’s a fantastic hands-on day out for all ages.

Further information can be found on the website https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/whats-on/events/hands-on-heritage-day-2025/

 

Also coming up: We’re hosting a brilliant series of Virtual Reality masterclasses and workshops, kicking off at Mansfield library – find out more here:

https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/whats-on/events/virtual-reality-library-mansfield-central-library/

 

Jack from Dove class has impressed his whole class, Miss Scrivener and Mrs Henderson with his amazing independent writing with a post card all the way from Cyprus.  Jack applied his learning from last term when the class looked at writing postcards! Amazing work Jack!

 

 

I feel truly honoured to work with the children and families that make up our school community. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is receiving messages like the one below.

It’s a perfect reminder that our amazing children are so much more than just a score on a test. Their kindness, character and effort shine through every day—and that’s what really matters

Well done Rose - what a super star!

 

Hi Mr Cohen I hope you are well. 

I just wanted to share with you Rose's amazing achievements this weekend. 

Rose has just performed 4 sell out Matilda shows with 'Voices of Vale' and her confidence and brilliance has made us super proud.

She managed to score a hat-trick in her last game of the season. With a grand total of 37 goals scored in this season for Meden Vale girls under 7’s. 

She then went on to win the colouring competition at Mansfield pet store.

And before this she proudly and well deservedly brought home a 'work hard' certificate from school, for being the best role model. 

I think she’s smashing life! We couldn’t be prouder! 

 

Years 4 and 5 Get Scientific at Nottingham University!

Last week, our Year 4 and 5 pupils had the fantastic opportunity to attend a science fair at the University of Nottingham—and what a day it was! The event was packed full of hands-on workshops and mind-blowing demonstrations, all run by real scientists who were just as excited to share their knowledge as the children were to learn.

The children explored a wide-range of activities, each one designed to inspire curiosity and creativity. They began by becoming mini-paleontologists in 'What is a Fossil?', where they handled real fossils and pieced together the story of life on Earth.

Things got chilly (and loud!) in 'Cold Play', as flowers and fruit were flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen before being smashed into icy shards—safety goggles firmly on, of course! The excitement continued with 'Making Slime', where pupils explored polymers and created their own brightly coloured slime to take home.

In 'Doubling Numbers', we stretched our mathematical thinking to the limits, discovering how quickly numbers grow when you keep doubling them—some of us were amazed by just how big numbers can get!

There was also some serious science going on in 'Extracting DNA from Fruit', where children used real lab techniques to pull DNA strands from kiwis—blending biology, chemistry and physics in one go!

We also explored how our eyes and brains work together in 'Can You Believe Your Eyes?' by creating clever optical illusions. Then it was on to 'Light Fantastic', where children manipulated light using water, made sparkly rainbows with CDs and learned what sunglasses are really hiding!

To finish, pupils went on an out-of-this-world adventure with Moon Rocks and Meteorites, examining real pieces of space rock and learning how scientists study them to discover more about the universe.

The day was full of excitement, awe, and plenty of “wow” moments. Our children returned to school buzzing with questions and enthusiasm for science. A huge thank you to the University of Nottingham and their brilliant team of scientists for providing such a memorable experience!

 

UKS2 Visit to the National Holocaust Centre

As part of our World War Two history topic, Years 5 and 6 visited the National Holocaust Centre for a thought-provoking and moving experience that brought their classroom learning to life.

The children took part in The Journey exhibition, which follows the story of Leo, a young Jewish boy living in Nazi Germany. Through an immersive series of rooms, pupils explored key moments in Leo’s life — from a happy childhood, through the increasing discrimination of the 1930s, and eventually to his escape from persecution. Each part of the journey helped children understand what it might have felt like to live in that time. 

The exhibition was a powerful way to deepen the children’s understanding of the Holocaust, helping them connect with the real stories of those affected. They also took part in discussions about the importance of tolerance, respect and standing up to injustice—values we continue to encourage in all aspects of school life.

Our pupils were an absolute credit to the school, showing great respect, empathy, and curiosity throughout the visit.

This has been a significant part of our learning, and we encourage you to speak with your child about what they discovered and how it made them feel.

 

I felt solemn and down due to how serious the atmosphere was, and it was clearly a place of mourning and sadness, but my curiosity was piqued. It was both sad and interesting. I had many questions, such as: Who was really the bad guy? Was killing really necessary? Could we have done anything differently? “What if’s” filled my head. The place itself is relaxing, but the air was heavy and deep.

Kye

I felt really bad for what the people (especially the Jews) had to go through. If I had to shave off my hair and change my name/ identity, I really would not know what to do. I felt bad that Germany was manipulated into believing Hitler’s horrible lies that ended up starting World War 2. I thought about the reasons why Hitler would want to start the war, but I just can’t think of any good ones.

Paige

 

Thank You for a Brilliant Booster Season!

Across the school, staff have done an excellent job offering booster sessions to support a wide range of children. We’re incredibly grateful for their time, energy, and dedication in helping pupils feel confident and well prepared.

A big thank you also to our parents and carers for engaging so positively throughout—it’s been a real team effort.

Now that the booster sessions have come to an end, we’re excited to shift our focus to a new programme of after-school clubs.

Watch this space—more information will be coming very soon!

New Roof Project – Phase Two

We are pleased to share that the second phase of our roof replacement project will begin shortly.

Scaffolding will start to be put in place from 17th May. This next stage is significantly smaller than the first, so we anticipate much less disruption to the school site and daily routines.

We expect the entire roof project to be fully completed during the summer break, ensuring our school is ready and refreshed for the new academic year.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we improve our school environment.