As we reach the end of another academic year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what has been an incredibly successful and rewarding year for our school community.
This year has been one of significant change, but throughout every challenge and opportunity, our children, staff and families have demonstrated remarkable resilience, dedication and commitment. I am immensely proud of all that we have accomplished together. The progress we have made as a school is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the Birklands community.
It was a pleasure to welcome so many parents and carers to our final consultation evenings of the academic year. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Working together is vital in ensuring the very best outcomes for our children, and it was wonderful to celebrate their achievements and discuss their next steps with you.
I was also delighted to see so many dads, grandads and significant male role models joining us for our Father's Day Ploughman’s Picnics. These events were a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the important role that positive male figures play in our children’s lives, and it was heartwarming to see so many families enjoying time together in school.
We are incredibly proud of the academic outcomes our pupils have achieved at each of the key milestone assessment points this year. Their achievements reflect their hard work, determination and the dedication of our staff team. We look forward to formally sharing these outcomes with our community in the autumn term.
Alongside these achievements, we are equally pleased with our recent Ofsted inspection. While we are not yet able to share the outcome, we look forward to doing so as soon as we are permitted and will communicate this with families at the earliest opportunity.
Our commitment to continuous improvement remains unwavering, and work will continue throughout the summer holiday period to further enhance our school environment. This includes the installation of new pupil toilets, redecoration projects across the school and ongoing plans to improve our Key Stage 1 and Early Years outdoor learning spaces, ensuring that our children have the very best facilities to support their learning and development.
Finally, I would like to thank our wonderful children, dedicated staff, supportive governors and fantastic families for everything you have contributed this year. Together, we have achieved a great deal, and there is so much to celebrate.
I wish you all a safe, happy and restful summer break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in September and are excited to see what the next academic year will bring for Birklands.
What a fantastic way to bring the school year to a close - our talented Year 6 pupils delighted audiences with their wonderful performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, bringing Roald Dahl’s much-loved story to life with energy, humour and confidence.
From the moment Charlie Bucket stepped through the gates of Willy Wonka’s magical chocolate factory, the audience was transported into a world of imagination, adventure and unforgettable characters. The colourful performances, memorable songs and creative staging showcased not only the pupils’ acting talents but also their hard work, dedication and teamwork.
We are incredibly proud of every pupil who took part. Whether they were performing under the spotlight, singing, dancing or supporting behind the scenes, each child played an important role in making the production such a resounding success. Their confidence, enthusiasm and talent were evident throughout and made for a truly memorable evening.
Like Charlie himself, our Year 6 children have demonstrated kindness, perseverance and determination throughout their time at primary school. Seeing them shine on stage was a fitting celebration of all they have achieved and of the exciting journey that lies ahead as they prepare for the next chapter of their education.
A huge thank you also goes to the staff, families and friends who supported the production. Together, you helped create a magical performance that will be remembered for years to come.
Year 5 recently enjoyed an unforgettable residential trip to London, packed with exciting experiences, famous landmarks and memorable learning opportunities.
The adventure began with a Thames River Cruise, giving pupils a unique view of some of London’s most iconic sights. As we travelled along the river, children spotted famous landmarks and learned more about the capital’s rich history, bringing their classroom learning to life.
Later, we headed to the West End to watch the spectacular production of Hercules. The outstanding performances, impressive costumes and incredible music captivated everyone and provided a wonderful introduction to the magic of live theatre. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious meal together in the vibrant surroundings of Covent Garden before settling into our hotel for an overnight stay.
The following day was filled with discovery and exploration as we visited both the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Pupils were fascinated by the interactive exhibits, remarkable inventions and hands-on learning opportunities at the Science Museum. At the Natural History Museum, they marvelled at the dinosaur skeletons, incredible animal displays and fascinating exhibits exploring the natural world.
A group of Key Stage 2 pupils recently enjoyed an exciting visit to the Parish Council at the Town Hall. During their visit, the children had the opportunity to sit in the Council Chamber around the Chair's seat and experience how local decisions are made. They even held their own election to choose a Chair before discussing ideas for the new park being built on Swallow's Green.
The pupils then took part in a mock council meeting where they considered concerns raised by residents of Warsop. Working together, they debated the issues, shared their opinions and voted on what they felt would be the best course of action. It was wonderful to see the children demonstrating such thoughtful discussion, teamwork and citizenship skills.
The visit also included a fascinating tour of the Town Hall's clock mechanism, as well as the chance to wear the Councillor's Chains and even slam the gavel! The children represented Birklands brilliantly throughout the visit, showing enthusiasm, maturity and excellent behaviour. It was a memorable experience and one that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Our recent Sports Day was a fantastic celebration of teamwork, determination and sporting spirit. Representing their house teams with pride, pupils from across the school gave their very best in a variety of events, earning plenty of cheers from spectators along the way.
The day featured all the traditional Sports Day favourites, including exciting sprints, challenging hurdle races and the ever-popular egg and spoon race. This year, a blustery wind added an extra challenge, making it even more difficult for competitors to keep their ‘eggs’ balanced on their spoons as they raced towards the finish line!
It was wonderful to see children encouraging one another, celebrating success and demonstrating excellent sportsmanship. We are incredibly proud of all the children for their enthusiasm, effort and positive attitudes. Whether they crossed the finish line first or simply gave their all, every pupil was a winner in demonstrating our school values and house team pride. Congratulations to Rufford House who were the overall winners!
Although the final result was not the one we had hoped for, the tournament has created some truly special memories for our children. Celebrating together in school has brought a real sense of unity and excitement across our community, with pupils thoroughly enjoying the occasion.
We are incredibly proud of the support, sportsmanship and enthusiasm shown by our children throughout. The tournament has been a wonderful opportunity to come together, and we remain proud of the Three Lions and all they have achieved.
We are incredibly proud of the amazing progress being made by our Reception children as they begin their journey as writers. Every day, our youngest learners are developing the confidence, independence and enthusiasm needed to become successful writers, and it is wonderful to see their skills growing before our eyes.
At Birklands, we know that strong writing starts with strong foundations. From developing fine motor control and pencil grip, to building vocabulary through stories, conversations and play, we are working tirelessly on the essential building blocks of literacy from the very grass roots. Our Reception team carefully nurtures these foundational skills every day, ensuring that children have the knowledge, confidence and physical skills they need to flourish as writers.
The children are already demonstrating fantastic resilience and determination as they form letters, write simple words and begin to compose their own sentences. Their excitement when they see themselves as authors is truly inspiring. Whether they are labelling pictures, writing captions, or attempting independent sentences, every mark they make represents an important step in their learning journey.
We are particularly impressed by the children's enthusiasm for applying their phonics knowledge to their writing. They are becoming increasingly confident at hearing sounds in words and using these to write independently, showing just how much progress they are making.
These early writing experiences are laying the foundations for future success, and we are immensely proud of what our Reception children have achieved so far. Well done to all of our budding writers - we cannot wait to see where your writing journey takes you next!
Over the past five months, our Year 4 pupils have shown fantastic enthusiasm, determination and resilience during their weekly swimming lessons. They have embraced every challenge with positive attitudes and have made excellent progress in developing both their confidence and independence in the water.
Throughout the programme, pupils have practised a range of essential swimming skills, including safe water entry, effective leg and arm movements, and a variety of swimming strokes. They have worked hard to improve their technique, stamina and overall water confidence.
As part of their learning, the children also took part in an important water safety and survival skills session. They learned what to do if they unexpectedly fall into water, how to remain calm and stay safe, and explored ways to help someone in difficulty without putting themselves at risk. These valuable life skills will help them make safe choices around water in the future.
We are incredibly proud of the effort, perseverance and positive attitude shown by pupils. Their commitment throughout the swimming programme has been outstanding, and pupils will receive certificates recognising their achievements.
A huge congratulations to all of the pupils who have been awarded Work Hard and Be Kind certificates in our celebration assemblies this week.
These awards recognise children who consistently embody our school values through their actions, attitude and commitment to others. Whether demonstrating perseverance in their learning, showing resilience when faced with challenges, going the extra mile to improve their work, or displaying kindness, empathy and respect towards their peers, these pupils have been wonderful role models for our school community.
We are incredibly proud of every child who has received a certificate. Their achievements remind us that success is not only measured by what we learn, but also by how we treat others and the positive difference we make each day.
Well done to all of our certificate winners – thank you for helping to make our school a place where we all strive to Work Hard and Be Kind.
A huge congratulations to Kingfisher Class, who have topped our attendance league for three consecutive weeks - a fantastic achievement that reflects their commitment to being in school and ready to learn every day. An extra well done goes to Jay, who topped the individual attendance leaderboard this week.
We are also delighted to share that Kingfisher currently hold the title for the best overall attendance across the whole school this year. Keep up the excellent work!
A big congratulations as well to the lucky winners of our £10 Co-op prize draw: Patrick (Year 3), Lucy (Year 2), Jacob (Year 5) and Ayla-Rose (Year 5).
Thank you to everyone for your continued support in making attendance a priority - every day in school really does matter!
We are delighted to share some fantastic news and celebrate an incredible achievement by one of our pupils, Rose.
Rose was recently identified by Nottingham Forest Football Club after being recommended by her previous football club as a player with outstanding potential. Following this recommendation, she was invited to attend Nottingham Forest’s trial programme and we are thrilled to announce that she was successful!
As a result, Rose will be joining Nottingham Forest’s Emerging Talent Centre this July as part of the 2026/27 season. This is a wonderful achievement and a testament to her hard work, dedication, resilience and passion for the game.
We are incredibly proud of Rose and all that she has accomplished so far. We look forward to following her journey and seeing what the future holds as she continues to develop her talents both on and off the pitch.
Congratulations, Rose - we know the whole Birklands community will join us in wishing you every success for this
exciting next chapter!
After a brilliant season with Shirebrook Rangers Under-10s Red, Bobby was eager to share his trophy and celebrate his achievement with others. We are incredibly proud of him for his hard work, dedication and sporting success.
As part of their History unit on History Makers, our Year 5 and 6 pupils transformed the hall into a wonderful Living Museum for parents and carers. Children researched influential figures from the past and brought them to life, proudly sharing their knowledge and explaining why their chosen person has made such a significant impact on the world.
The hall was truly a Hall of Fame, featuring an incredible range of historical icons. From Albert Einstein and Cleopatra to Muhammad Ali and Florence Nightingale, pupils captivated visitors with their enthusiasm, creativity and impressive subject knowledge.
It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to showcase their learning and celebrate the achievements of some of history's most inspirational individuals. We would like to thank all the parents and carers who came along to support the event and help make it such a memorable success.
As we reach the end of another successful academic year, we will be saying goodbye to three valued members of our team: Mrs Attwood, Mrs Breedon and Mr Agar.
We would like to thank each of them for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the children, families and wider school community during their time at Birklands. Their contributions have made a lasting difference, and they leave with our sincere gratitude.
On behalf of everyone at Birklands, we wish them every success and happiness in their new roles and future endeavours.
Looking Ahead to September
We are excited to share our teaching staff overview for September, which includes some new faces - Miss Pindar and Mr Marriott, who many pupils and parents met during our recent New Intake Day, will be joining our teaching team. We are also delighted to welcome Miss Miller, who has recently been appointed and will be joining our EYFS team.
In addition, Miss Fox will be supporting teaching and learning across the school as part of her Deputy Headteacher role, helping to further strengthen provision and outcomes for our pupils.
We are equally delighted to welcome back Miss Scrivener, who will be returning from maternity leave as our SENDCo. We know that many families will be pleased to see her back in school, and her expertise and commitment will continue to play an important role in supporting our children and families.
We know that all of our new and returning colleagues will make a fantastic contribution to our school community, and we look forward to an exciting year ahead.
The Class of 2026
As we say goodbye to our wonderful Year 6 pupils, we would like to celebrate the incredible young people they have become during their time at our school. They have shown resilience, kindness, determination and a fantastic attitude to learning, setting an excellent example for younger pupils. Throughout their final year, they have embraced every opportunity, created lasting memories and achieved so much both in and out of the classroom. While we will be sad to see them leave, we are immensely proud of all they have accomplished and have no doubt that they will continue to shine as they begin the next exciting chapter of their journey. We wish each and every one of them the very best for the future.
School Newspaper
The Birklands KS2 Journalism Club are proud to announce that the first edition of the Birklands Bulletin will be available next week!
Pupils will be able to purchase a copy for just 10p, with opportunities to buy one during the school day. There will also be a stall near reception at the end of the school day for families wishing to purchase a copy.
Our Journalism Club members have worked incredibly hard to professionally produce a fantastic publication that celebrates and reflects on an amazing year at Birklands. We thank them for all their dedication and look forward to sharing their work with the wider school community.
Non-Uniform Day
To mark the end of term, pupils are invited to come to school in non-uniform on Wednesday 22nd July.
Free Breakfast Club
Just a reminder to complete the expression of interest form that was sent out earlier this week.
EYFS Donations Request
The EYFS team would be very grateful for any donations of bikes and scooters that your child has outgrown and no longer uses, which could be enjoyed by children aged 3 – 5 years.
We would also welcome donations of children's reading books in good condition to help support and develop our reading areas.
If you are able to donate any items, please bring them to the EYFS entrance by Monday 20th July 2026 or speak to a member of the team.
Thank you for your continued support and generosity. It is greatly appreciated.
Summer Reading Challenge
Please click on the link below for information on how to get involved in this year's challenge.
Birklands Primary School
Train to teach with the Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT
