Latest News Round Up

24th November

Nativity Costume Donations

The preparations for our Nativity Plays have begun!!! In the past we have allocated the children parts and asked you as parents/carers if you would be able to support us with providing costumes.

In days gone by, this usually meant providing a checked tea towel which would be worn as a head dress or an oversized t-shirt which would be worn as a robe.

However, in recent years with the "support" of many retailers, the request from schools to provide a costume has changed dramatically.

I would like to assure you that there is NO pressure from us to provide an expensive costume, in fact we love a tea towel.... it reminds us of when we were actors and actresses in a nativity play many years ago!!!!!

In the forthcoming days we will be informing parents/carers which part your child will play in our Reception / Year 1 Nativity play to ask if you have a costume your child could wear.

To save parents unnecessary expense as well as saving our planet from deposable clothing, it would be amazing if anyone who had any old costumes suitable for a Nativity play would donate them to the school.

If you have anything you think would be suitable please drop it off at the school office or with the class teacher. We will sort through and compile a list of costumes available and share this list with the reception parents/carers.

If your child is given a part and you see we have a costume suitable for that part, please let us know if you would like it. The Year 1 children will be asked to wear coloured clothing ( eg all white or all black etc ) and they will be designing and making their own headress to wear as a costume for the play.

Many thanks in advance for your support  

Pupil Voice Christmas 2 - Secret Santa

During whole school assembly on the theme of Christmas, Ava also made a super suggestion of having class Secret Santa.

Ava explained that this would mean that instead of the children buying presents for their friends in class, they purchased 1 gift which would be wrapped and placed into a box.

On the last day of term all the children who had chosen to participate in the Secret Santa would select one gift. I thought this was a wonderful idea and as such would like to invite all the children interested an opportunity to participate.

If your child would like to participate they can bring a wrapped gift into school from 4th December and give them to the class teacher for safe keeping. Gifts must be suitable for either a boy or a girl and must cost less than £2

Pupil Voice Christmas 1 - Elf on the Shelf

Yesterday I delivered my weekly whole school assembly and I discussed with the children the events we had on offer over the Christmas period at Burnside.

As always the children wanted to contribute some ideas of their own and as always I love to hear their ideas.

I would like to thank Layton who suggested each class had their own "Elf on the Shelf" who would get up to mischief and provide fun for the children in the class. I thought this was a wonderful idea and have booked 16 Elves to arrive at Burnside for the 1st December!!!

Carol Concert Ticket

We have sent out tickets for the Carol Concert. Should you not need your ticket(s) we would be most grateful if you would return them to the school office so we can re allocate them. 

We have started a waiting list for those hoping for an extra ticket. Should you like to be placed on the waiting list for another ticket please contact the school office. 

Mental Health Drop In Sessions- KS2 children

Could you do with someone to talk to?

Come along to chat with our Mental Health Lead, Mrs Akram.
She will be happy to listen and can advise on further support where required.
Tuesdays: 21st November, 5th December, 19th December

12.30pm – 1pm in Wellness Room.

Data Sheet

Your child will bring home a white envelope over the next few days with a data sheet enclosed, please read, sign & make any amendments and return to school ASAP.

Outstanding Lunch Money

Please pay any outstanding lunch money ASAP

Latest News Round Up

Friday 17th November

Autism Family Drop In Sessions

Come along for a cuppa and chat. 0-19 years. No diagnosis needed!

Join us at:
Blyth Central Family Hub – Monday 20th November 2023 & Monday 15th January 2024    9.30am-12pm

Hexham Family Hub – Thursday 30th November 2023 & Tuesday 16th January 2024    1pm-3.30pm

Ashington Family Hub – Monday 4th December 2023 & Tuesday 13th February 2024   1pm-3.30pm

Berwick Family Hub – Tuesday 12thDecember 2023 & Thursday 8th February 2024   1pm-3.30pm

Facilitator - robyn.mcgregor@northumberland.gov.uk

Mental Health Drop-in sessions for KS2 children

Could you do with someone to talk to?

Come along to chat with our Mental Health Lead, Mrs Akram.
She will be happy to listen and can advise on further support where required.
Tuesdays: 21st November, 5th December, 19th December 12.30pm – 1pm in Wellness Room.

Key stage 2 attainment: National headlines/Burnside Headlines

Headline facts and figures

2022/23

These statistics cover the attainment of year 6 pupils who took assessments in summer 2023. These pupils experienced disruption to their learning during the pandemic, particularly at the end of year 3 and in year 4.

Unfortunately, not all our pupils attended school on the day on the test. They therefore are recorded as not achieving the national standard and as such lower our overall score, as had they attended and taken the test we are confident they would have passed.

READING

73% of pupils nationally met the expected standard,

77% of Burnside pupils met the expected standard

MATHS

73% of pupils nationally met the expected standard,

87% of Burnside pupils met the expected standard

WRITING

71% of pupils nationally met the expected standard, 

85% of Burnside pupils met the expected standard

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

72% of pupils nationally met the expected standard

85% of Burnside pupils met the expected standard

In all of reading, writing and maths

59% of pupils nationally met the expected standard

72% of Burnside pupils met the expected standard

New Times Table Rock Stars Parent/Carer Page

Times Table Rock Stars  have recently introduced a new parent page on their website to help parents and carers better support their children's learning at home. The page is full of some really useful information and features including;

• Rationale of the importance of times tables
• TTRS introduction video
• PDF Parent Guide
• Free downloadables
• FAQs answered.

As you know, we ask that children in KS2 are practising their times tables on TTRS. Not only does practising online support children's ability to fluently recall multiplication facts, practising using a keyboard allows them to become more familiar with the format which children in Year 4 will be taking in the summer term.

Check out the link below for the new TTRS parent and carer page and have fun supporting your child's maths learning at home.

https://ttrockstars.com/parents/

Nursery - Flood Damage

Dear Parents

Firstly, we would like to thank you for your understanding and support today. I'm sure you can imagine the shock and upset we all felt on discovering the flood this morning. All nursery staff are busy trying to save what we can and clean what we can. We will however require the nursery to be cleaned and sanitised professionally before we can put the classroom back together again.

Unfortunately this means we will be unable to open Nursery on Monday 20th November.

We will do everything we can to be up and running as soon as possible and we will keep you informed and updated as news develops. Thank you again for your support, patience and understanding.

Christmas Lunch Date

Tuesday 12th December is Christmas Lunch Day, children can wear their Christmas jumper/non uniform if they wish.

School Lunch Money/Childcare

Please pay your outstanding lunch money/childcare  ASAP

Latest News Round Up 10th November 2023

Parent Consultations

Please remember to check the date and book a parent consultation for your child

Winning with Numbers

Charity

It is becoming a tradition that at Burnside we select three charities that we would like to support over the academic year. 

Our first charity was a local one and we selected the Cramlington Food Bank. The Project Manager at the Cramlington Food bank has written to thank us for our kind donations and inform us we donated 91.6 kg of food for local people in need of such help. Thank you everyone!

Our curriculum explores being charitable and supporting our community which links with our core school value of being kind. 

At the request of pupils the second charity we will support this academic year is a National Charity, Child Autism UK.

A Year 5 pupil, (Elliott H)  wrote to me and asked if Year 5 could hold a cake stall to raise money. I agreed immediately. When we finalise the details we will share dates etc with you.

Cut Your Carbon

Throughout November, we're challenging pupils to complete 9 small carbon-cutting activities at home. (see leaflet on website)

These actions will reduce your emissions and benefit our planet.

Wellbeing

This week, we had a lovely parcel delivered to us from the fantastic charity Knit-for-Nowt - these beautiful worry monsters will be used in school with children to support them with their well-being. The amount of work that's gone into them is phenomenal and we are so lucky to have them!

Dinner Money

Please pay your outstanding lunch money account ASAP. Thank You

Photographs

Pease remember photographs orders must be returned by Wednesday 15th November.