Latest News

Keep up to date with all the news happening in school

• Mental Health support workshop

  Thu 15 Jan 2026
  

• Weekly Update Friday 9th January

  Mon 12 Jan 2026

   

  Welcome back after the Christmas break! We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and a joyful New Year. It’s been wonderful to see the children return with big smiles and lots of energy.

   

  We had a chilly start back to school, and the children were thrilled by the small flurries of snow we experienced. They had great fun trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues and enjoyed playing outside, all wrapped up warm in their coats, hats, and scarves. It was a magical way to begin the new term!

   

   A Magical Pantomime Experience:
  This week, we were treated to an amazing pantomime performance of Sleeping Beauty by M&M Productions. The children were absolutely transfixed by the awe and wonder of seeing a live performance by professional actors.
  Maleficent was a fantastic ‘baddie’, and the children loved joining in with the traditional pantomime fun—booing her loudly and cheering for the heroes!
  A huge thank you to BWIS PTA for their relentless fundraising efforts, which enabled us to provide this incredible experience at no extra cost to families. Your support makes these magical moments possible!

   

  Around the School

   It has been amazing to walk around the school and see BWIS Learning Values reflected in every classroom. The children have had a fabulous start back and are already deeply engaged in their new projects: designing Wacky Vehicles, f inding Dragon Eggs and reading the traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs.

   

  They’ve told us more than once this week that they “don’t want to go home”—a wonderful sign that our learning has been lots of fun!

   

  📅 Important Dates

   Sponsored Bounce Day:
  We’re excited to announce that our Sponsored Disco Bounce Day will be happening again in February! We would love everyone to take part, and all funds raised will go towards resources for the curriculum. More details will follow soon—thank you in advance for your support!

   

  Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact the school office.

   

  Warm regards,

  
  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

  

• Happy New Year to all our lovely families

  Wed 31 Dec 2025

  On the last day of term we held our special ‘Wishing Assembly’, where we gathered in the hall, and lit candles to represent our children’s wishes for the world in 2026. 
   

  Their unique perspective of the type of world they would like to grow up in, never fails to move myself and all the teachers in our school. As we reflect tonight, whether celebrating or having a quiet night with family, we wish you all a Happy New Year, and hope you enjoy reading the wishes from BWIS children.

   

  With warm wishes 

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

  

• Weekly Update Friday 19th December

  Fri 19 Dec 2025

   

  🎄We have had a really exciting end of term at BWIS, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed performing, making and celebrating together

   

  🎄On Monday afternoon, we enjoyed our second Key Stage 1 performance, which was just as magical as Friday's show.
  Thank you again to everyone who made this show so special!

   

  🎄On Tuesday, it was Year R's turn to shine!
  They performed beautifully for their parents, singing all the songs and speaking their parts with confidence. Parents loved watching their first nativity at BWIS.

   

  🎄Wednesday was all about Christmas lunch and party fun!
  The children were bubbling with excitement all day, and when Father Christmas and his special helper arrived with presents, their faces lit up! Thank you so much to the amazing Tim Dancer from Trojans Rugby Club, who stepped in to 'HO HO HO' with us!

   

  Very sadly on Thursday, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Our internet went down, including our telephone lines. The rain came in much heavier than anticipated, including local flooding and we had to make a late decision to cancel our Grandparents service. We are so very  sorry for the lateness of this notification and appreciate parents (and grandparents) understanding.  We have recorded a little message for all of the parents and grandparents at our school. Please click here. 

   

  Friday marked our final Christmas events.
  We had our annual Christmas Jumper day and donations from the day from our 200 pupils raised  £43.54.  We raised £185.61 from our three Christmas collections at the end of the performances.  We are going to donate all of the money to the Naomi House Charity, and do further fundraising for our school later in the year. If any families would like to make donations directly to the school, please use the donation button through ARBOR-everything is very gratefully received.

   

  We ended the day with our special Wishing Assembly, where the children shared their very thoughtful wishes for the world in 2026-please pop along and see them by my office, when you are next in school.

   

  As we take down the decorations, it’s time for you to start your own celebrations at home. We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you on 5th January 2026!

   

  🎅 Merry Christmas from all of us at BWIS! 🎅

   

  With warmest wishes

  Mrs Riches

  Headetacher
   

  

• Weekly Update Friday 12th December 2025

  Fri 12 Dec 2025

  What a busy week we have had this week! Thank you to all the parent helpers who came for our Christmas shopping morning. Our PTA did a fantastic job of organising everyone, and the children had a great time-we hope you all enjoy opening your gifts on Christmas morning.

   

  Year 1 and 2 performed their first Christmas show this morning-it was superb, and I think the story of the lost angel and shepherd will be remembered for a very long time. Monday's performance is fully booked, so please remember to bring your ticket with you when you come. 

   

  Year 2 had their brilliant New Zealand Outcome this week-from Hakas to carols, the children have been so busy!

   

  Our school looks so lovely and Christmassy and the children have been very excited. Some children find the lack of routine a little trickier, and this is perfectly normal. We have areas where all children can calm and regulate using Trickbox techniques, which the teachers will remind them of.

   

  Please see the date reminder in the post below for what is happening next week. Some classes are struggling for parent helpers to walk to church on Thursday. Remember if you ae a parent helper, you are the only parents who can stay in the church for the grandparent service.

   

  Wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher

• What's on in December

  Tue 09 Dec 2025

  Here's a reminder what is on over the next few weeks for parents and families!

   

  Wednesday 10th December

   

  Children's Christmas Shopping Bazaar

  Shopping lists were sent home on Monday for the Christmas shopping event. You can choose up to 6 family members-please write ages next to aunt/uncle/brother/sister to help our shopping helpers. All will be gift wrapped and labelled ready to go under your tree.

   

  Your child will need: A named carrier bag and the correct amount of money secured in an envelope/purse. It is £4 per gift.

   

  Friday 12th December

  
  9.30am Year 1 and 2 Performance

  There is a creche available for this performance, which need to be booked at the office. There are no young children (under 12) allowed in the hall and this includes babies/newborns

   

  Monday 15th December

   

  1.45pm Year 1 and 2 Performance

  (No creche-There are no young children (under 12) allowed in the hall and this includes babies/newborns)

   

  Tuesday 16th December

  
  9.30am Year R Performance

  There is a creche available for this performance, which need to be booked at the office. There are no young children (under 12) allowed in the hall and this includes babies/newborns. 

   

  Wednesday 17th December

   

  Christmas Lunch and Party afternoon

   

  Children can wear party clothes and sensible shoes to school. Playtimes will be happening as normal, so please make sure their clothes are warm enough for this.

   

  Thursday 18th December

   

  1.30pm Grandparents Service at St Peter's Church

  (a reminder that this is for Grandparents only-not parents/aunties/uncles, as there is no room. Please do not turn up, as non grandparents will be politely asked to leave-we have hardly ever had to do this as the majority of our families understand that there is not any room in the church for them.)

   

  Friday 19th December

   

  Christmas Jumper Charity Day

  Our suggested donation is £1. This year's charity is the amazing Naomi House, which supports many Bishops Waltham families.

   

  Just a reminder... 

  We do not charge for our performances (like some schools), but we do have a collection at the end of each performance. This enables us to replenish things for the plays, such as face paint and costumes. We allow parents to record the performance for their own personal use only. Nothing is to be posted on social media, as many children's parents do not want their children on social media/not allowed to be on social media. Parents at Bishops Waltham have been brilliant regarding this, and understand the need to protect children in our school, so please continue with this tradition. 

   

   

• Weekly Update Friday 21st November

  Fri 21 Nov 2025

   

  ❄️ Chilly Weather
  Brrr, it’s been a chilly week! We’re so pleased to see all the children wrapping up warm for school – those cosy hats and scarves are definitely helping to keep the cold at bay.
   

  🔤 Year R Phonics Talk
  Our Year R Phonics Talk was very well attended, and it was lovely to hear that parents left feeling more confident about how our phonics scheme, Little Wandle, works. If you have any further questions, Miss Turner is always happy to help.
   

  🎉 Celebration Assembly
  We shared some truly smashing learning today in Celebration Assembly

  • Year 2 wowed us with their volcano poetry, using alliterative phrases, the power of three for repetition, and incredibly descriptive adjectives – just amazing!
     
  • Year 1 impressed us with their Three Billy Goats Gruff story writing and an excellent troll wanted poster, showing real mastery of using media in learning.

   

  A big well done to all our Stars of the Week for your fantastic efforts.

   

  This week, I would also like to give a special mention to Jesse in Hedgehog Class, who created the most incredible sleigh and reindeer center piece at home with his dad. What a work of art! It will look beautiful in his house at Christmas time – well done, Jesse, for your creativity!
   

  🎄 PTA Christmas Events
  Our PTA are busy behind the scenes preparing for our Christmas events. In December, we’ll have our Children’s Shopping Bazaar Day, where children can buy up to six presents for family members, then wrap and label them ready for under your Christmas tree. A shopping list will come home the week before so you know what to bring.
   

  📚 Reading Matters
  We’d also like to say a huge thank you for a very kind £100 donation from a parent this week, which will help us restock our Home Reader book boxes. We’ve also used commission from the Book Fayre for this. Reading is so important to us as a school, and it was lovely to hear prospective Year R parents comment on our beautiful reading spaces and the ‘real’ books children take home.

  
  Congratulations to Eleanor in Year 1 this week, who was our lucky Reading Raffle winner this week! She was thrilled – it was her first time winning!
   

  📅 Reminder
  Monday is an INSET day for staff training as part of our continuous professional development. School will be closed, and we look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday 25th November.
   

  💚 Healthy Hearts Healthy Minds
  Don’t forget, our Healthy Hearts Healthy Minds page Health Hearts Healthy Minds (click link) has lots of links to different agencies that can offer support for parents, families, or children. Please take a look if you need any advice or help.

   

  We hope everyone has a lovely weekend with their family. Take care.

   

  With warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher
   

  

• Scholastic book fair

  Tue 18 Nov 2025

  Thank you to everyone who came to the Scholastic book Fair. The school got some great new books from the rewards. 

  

• Weekly Update Friday 14th November

  Sat 15 Nov 2025

  We have had a busy week at school this week, with lots going on. The drainage works are nearly fixed at the front of our school, so should be back to normal out by reception soon.
   

  Thank you to all the parents who attended Parent Teacher meetings. These were the first ones of the year, to discuss how your child has settled into the year group, and what targets they will primarily be working towards over the coming months. During our data meetings these last few weeks with year leaders, it has become very obvious that sporadic attendance is severely impacting learning, and children are struggling to keep up with their peers and make good progress, when attendance is an issue. We are also seeing a dip in reading, for the first time ever, and this correlates with the lack of reading entries into our book raffle every week. To be in the book raffle, children have to practise reading at least 3 times at home. Very sadly, only around 40% of children are currently succeeding in this. These formative years are so important for language acquisition, and reading unlocks all learning. We are hoping that all families are now going to be practising reading more regularly and improving low attendance, so that their children can make big strides in their learning journeys. Let’s make a change together!

   

  Thank you also, to all contributions towards ‘Children in Need’. This year we raised £258 for the charity. Well done to our BWIS community. 
   

  There has been an acquisition of Cleverchefs, and it is now known as Cleverchefs Catering. We will be monitoring the new company carefully for good quality and value for money. There will continue to be a choice of 4 meals per day, and these are free for all infant children. Thank you to our current chef for the cake selection on Parents Evening. Many parents were very complimentary about our lovely puddings. 
   

  Lastly, we would like to congratulate Henry in Year 2, for obtaining a Blue Peter Badge for his Rock Steady music achievement of learning to play the keyboard.  Well Done Henry- what a great badge to collect! If you would like your child to have a special shout out in our celebration assembly or online, please write in with their achievements and let us know if we can add here to our latest news section. 
   

  Here’s hoping for a drier weekend, so we can all get out and about!

   

  Warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher
   

  

• Weekly Update Friday 7th November

  Fri 07 Nov 2025

  We’ve had a super fizzy week back after half term! It’s been lovely to hear all about the children’s exciting adventures—from pumpkin picking to bonfire night celebrations. Thank you for encouraging them to share their stories; it really helps build confidence and communication skills.

   

  🎇 In assembly, we reminded everyone about firework safety, especially for those attending displays or enjoying garden fireworks. The children listened beautifully and shared some great ideas about staying safe.

   

  🌺 We’ve also been learning about the importance of Remembrance Day. The children showed great respect during our assembly, and we will be observing a two-minute silence on Tuesday 11th November to honour those who have served. We still have poppies at reception, if anyone would like to purchase one.

   

  📚 Year Group Highlights

   

  🧹 Year R have had lots of fun reading Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom and exploring rhyming words. They’ve especially enjoyed shining torches in the amazing role play caves—lots of giggles and imagination!

   

  🎭 Year 1 have been working interdependently to develop their knowledge of puppets and plays. They’re loving the fairy stories and are beginning to create their own performances—what budding playwrights!

   

  🌍 Year 2 have been expanding their geographical knowledge, learning about hemispheres and discovering which countries are in the southern hemisphere. This is part of their exciting new project on New Zealand, and they’ve been chatting about it as they pass our big corridor map!

   

  🚧 Important Notices

   

  • On Monday, fencing will be placed around our flower bed due to a displaced sewage pipe. We’re unsure how long the repair will take, so please keep children away from this area while waiting for the gates to open—for their safety.
  • We’ve noticed a few hot drinks being brought into school recently. Please remember we have a no hot drinks policy due to the risk of scalding. We really appreciate your cooperation.

   

  🎉 Upcoming Events

   

  👕 Children in Need Day – Friday 15th November
  This year we’re having a “Come As You Like” Day! Children can wear any outfit they choose—including fancy dress. Just make sure they have a coat and sensible shoes to keep warm and dry.
  Donations can be made in cash on the day or via our online page:
  🔗 Children in Need Donation Page

   

  📖 Parent Teacher Meetings – Tuesday & Wednesday Evenings

  
  Please arrive 5–10 minutes early to look through your child’s learning. A creche will be available during your appointment.

   

  📚 Scholastic Book Fayre – Starts Tuesday
  Parents are welcome to browse the books during the parents' evenings and at drop-off/pick-up times.

   

  Arriving Promptly at Home Time

  If you are unable to arrive promptly at picking up time (3.10pm), please make alternative arrangements with family/friends/After School Club. The end of the school day is 3.10pm, and schools are not insured to have children on site after this time. We are having more  children brought to the office at the end of the school day due to parents regularly arriving later.  We cannot accommodate this and advise all parents to have a Plan B ready to put into action, in case an emergency happens. If children are not picked up on time, we will now be in discussions with our After School club (CM Sports) to help us accommodate children who haven't been picked up, and if they can, payment will need to be made to them for childcare.

   

  🎄 Christmas Card Orders
  Order forms went out this week—please return them promptly if you’d like to purchase packs.

   

  🔥 PTA at BWIS Community Fireworks – Saturday
  Our amazing PTA will be there selling sweets—please pop by and support them!

   

  Wishing everyone a lovely weekend

   

  With warm wishes

   

  Mrs Riches

  Headteacher