And finally...

What a fantastic last day of school we had today. the children loved breaking the rules and we raised £208.15. We will be spending this on our classroom play boxes when we come back in September. As we reach the end of another fantastic year at BWIS, it is hard to believe just how quickly the time has flown by. Looking back, we have so much to celebrate and be proud of as a school community.

This year has been filled with incredible learning, achievement, laughter and growth. Our children have worked hard, embraced challenges and continued to amaze us with their enthusiasm, kindness and resilience. We are immensely proud of every single one of them.

One of the real highlights of the year has been the strong partnership between home and school. Parental engagement with learning outcomes, parents' evenings and meetings has been exceptionally high, and we are so grateful for the support, encouragement and trust that families continue to place in us. Many parents have taken advantage of our open-door policy to talk with us about their children, and the positive feedback we regularly receive about this approach means a great deal. Working together in partnership is one of the things that makes BWIS such a special place.

We would like to wish our wonderful Year 2 children the happiest of summers as they prepare for their next adventure. Following their fantastic Leavers' Assembly, they enjoyed their own special Year 2 Assembly today, where they received their leavers' gifts and took a trip down memory lane looking at photographs from their years at BWIS. There was certainly plenty of laughter as they spotted themselves in their earlier pictures! The Leavers' Banner is now up and available for photo opportunities, and as our Year 2 children move on, we hope they continue to believe in themselves, be proud of who they are, and always try their very best. We know they have bright futures ahead of them.

The last few days have certainly been a rollercoaster of emotions as we have celebrated and said goodbye to several valued members of our BWIS family.

A week ago, we held a lovely retirement tea for Penny Campone. Staff past and present came together to celebrate Penny's remarkable contribution to our school and wish her every happiness for the next chapter of her life. There were thoughtful poems, speeches, music and, of course, plenty of treats. Penny has truly left her mark on BWIS, supporting countless families and teaching hundreds of children throughout her career. We are also incredibly grateful to Penny and Neil for their very generous donation towards the development of our courtyard area. Their kindness will leave a lasting legacy, and we will ensure it is put to excellent use for our children.

This week we held a leavers' assembly for Mrs Briscoe and Mrs Graham. Both originally joined BWIS as classroom helpers and became treasured members of our staff team.

Mrs Graham has been with us for an incredible 19 years and has been a much-loved Learning Support Assistant throughout that time. She has always gone above and beyond to help children succeed, whether that meant sitting under a table reading with a child who lacked confidence or delivering phonics sessions that can only be described as a masterclass. Her dedication, patience and warmth have touched the lives of so many children and families, and she will be greatly missed. We wish her every happiness in her next chapter and hope she enjoys many exciting travels with her husband and family.

We were also treated to Miss Martin's delicious cakes at lunchtime, which helped make the celebrations even sweeter!

Mrs Briscoe will be looking forward to spending more precious time with her new grandchild, although we are hopeful that we may still see her from time to time helping us with staff cover when needed.

We would also like to wish Miss Spiers all the very best as she moves on to take up a full-time role in another school. Although she has only been with us for a short period of time, she has made a positive contribution to school life and we thank her for all her hard work.

Finally, Miss Ely has now started her maternity leave. We send her our warmest wishes and look forward to hearing news of her exciting new arrival. We wish her all the happiness as she begins this special new chapter.

Looking ahead to September, the yellow date sheet will be sent out at the start of term.

Years 1 and 2 return to school on 2nd September.
On 1st September, staff will be completing their annual safeguarding training in preparation for the new academic year.
Year R teachers will be carrying out home visits before the children start school.
Year R children will begin part-time on Monday 7th September and move to full-time attendance on Monday 14th September.
Welcome to Year 1 meeting will be held at 9am Thursday 10th September
Welcome to Year 2 meeting will be held at 9am Friday 11th September
Clubs will be available to sign up to on the 7th September

As we come to the close of another successful year, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who makes BWIS the wonderful school it is. To our children, thank you for your energy, curiosity, kindness and determination. To our staff, thank you for your unwavering commitment, professionalism and care. To our parents and families, thank you for your support, trust and partnership. To our PTA thank you, thank you, thank you for your time, dedication and energy. To our governors and volunteers, thank you for the time, expertise and encouragement you generously give.

BWIS is much more than a school; it is a community built on strong relationships, shared values and a commitment to helping every child flourish. Together, we have created a nurturing, ambitious and happy environment where children feel safe, valued and inspired to learn. Every success this year, whether large or small, has been achieved through the collective efforts of our entire school family.

We wish you all a happy, peaceful and well-deserved summer break. (Please remember that safeguarding does not stop during the holidays, and any safeguarding concerns will continue to be directed to our safeguarding inbox.)

We look forward to welcoming everyone back in September for another exciting year of learning, friendship and success.

Have a fantastic summer and take care. ☀️🌻

With warm wishes

Mrs Riches

Headteacher