Latest News
Keep up to date with all the news happening in school
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Welcome Back
Wed 03 Sep 2025Welcome back to our Year 1 and 2 children today. Everyone started back with the biggest smiles! It has been lovely to see you all again and already feels like we've never been away! Year R Staff have been visiting our new Year R children at home and we look forward meeting them next week.
We have had a very large refurbishment of windows and doors in Year R, Year 1, the corridor, the office and Lilypads. As with most building projects, it has over-run (we've all seen 'Grand Designs'), and this aspect is being overseen and managed by Hampshire Property Services who are in charge of the project. The staff have been superstars and worked very hard to get classrooms ready amid the building works and delays. There are still some bits to finish off, and hopefully everything will be completed by the end of October half term. We have also had our new corridor refurbishment fitted, which has been done with money raised by the PTA and a donation from a local education charity. It looks fantastic and the children will enjoy learning in the space, and snuggling with a book.
Some of you may have seen the announcement by the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP regarding behaviour and attendance, last week. Good habits start from the moment children come into school, and we want our children to achieve their best and enjoy school, working in partnership with parents. If you have not seen it yet, and would like to read it, please follow the link below:
Government to crackdown on bad behaviour and boost attendance - GOV.UK
In our school assembly today I talked about staying safe online. Nearly all children have been online at some point during the summer break. I definitely shocked them when I told them there was no online when I was their age and only three channels on the television (what a simpler world it was, and yes I am very old!). We discussed the importance of breaks, not giving information out, and most importantly who to talk to-who are their trusted adults. The assembly is available on Childnet and you can look at it via the link below (age 3-7):
https://www.childnet.com/resources/back-to-school-assemblies/
The weather looks as if it is picking up a little, and we have managed to dodge the showers for most of the day. Fingers crossed for a sunny weekend!
Warm wishes
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Kids Eat Free Summer 2025
Tue 22 Jul 2025
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Last Update of the Year
Mon 21 Jul 2025We cannot believe the end of the year is today. It has been another year of exciting learning and memorable experiences. I am never prouder than when I see the amazing children our children have grown into during each year and during their time with us. Our Year 2 children are just smashing, and all of their parents deserve a pat on the back too. We had a special Leavers' Assembly just for them today, where they were given a gift to treasure long after they leave us. We also had a slide show, and they delighted in spotting themselves and remembering the whole of Year 2.
Our whole school had a story with their new teachers yesterday, and the finale of the year was our ‘Break the Rules’ day! The school is covered in glitter and colour-with lots of smiley faces! We raised £375.60 towards new phonic reading books to expand our book choices.
We understand that sometimes things are a little more tricky for some during the summer break. Please remember our 'Healthy Heart, healthy Mind' section on our website, where local directory numbers can be found in Hampshire. It really is a place that a lot of parents go to as their first port of call, if they need support.
https://www.bwis.org.uk/healthy-heart-and-mind-at-bwis/
We are also putting a full list of where 'kids eat for free' is advertised during the 6 week break in the next post.
This year we are competing with other local schools to see which school can read the most books in the library reading challenge-our children are very keen to win, so don't forget to visit the library in Bishops Waltham to sign up!
The children are definitely ready to have fun with their families ( and so are their teachers). I’d like to thank all of the staff, governors, PTA and parents for continuing to support the school throughout the year and for making BWIS such a special place to learn and work.
We wish everyone a lovely summer break.
Warm wishes
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Help for Year R Family
Mon 21 Jul 2025On the weekend, one of our Year R families had a house fire, which has very sadly destroyed their home. We are sharing the page set up for the family, and we are sure any help would be gratefully received.
Kind regards
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Weekly Update Friday 18th July
Fri 18 Jul 2025What a week it’s been! As we move ever closer to the end of term, the school has been bursting with excitement, joy, and a fair bit of dancing!
🎭 Year 2's Show-Stopping Leavers' Assembly
Our amazing Year 2 children absolutely stole the show this week with their unforgettable Leavers’ Assembly. With Pirates, Jellyfish, Mermaids, Turtles (and so much more!), it was a singing and dancing extravaganza that had us all laughing one moment and welling up the next.
The costumes were fantastic – thank you so much to all our wonderful parents for your support! The children performed first to the rest of the school and our Year 3 pupils – the excitement as they left the hall was infectious! A HUGE well done and thank you to the brilliant Year 2 team for putting on such a special performance. Just fantastic!
🐾 Year R’s Menagerie!
It’s a zoo in Year R – quite literally! Their classroom has been transformed with all the wonderful animal creations they’ve made. A special mention to Gracie, whose cat in assembly was simply purr-fect! Well done Year R!
✍️ Year 1's Handwriting Heroes
Our Year 1 children have been working so hard on their handwriting, and it’s really paying off. Ophelia was our ‘Star of the Week’ – she could hardly believe her own progress when her name was called! Keep it up, everyone – we’re so proud.
📚 Celebrating Outstanding Standards
We’re thrilled to share that our published results this year continue to be outstanding:
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92.4% of our Year 1 pupils passed their Phonics Screening Check
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85% of our Year R children achieved a Good Level of Development
Although Year 2 no longer have formal tests, we continue to teacher-assess and are delighted to report fantastic results again this year. To see how we compare to Hampshire and national averages, please do visit the Standards page on our school website.
https://www.bwis.org.uk/standards/
🍭 PTA Treat Sale & Exciting Furniture News
Our lovely PTA brought forward their Mega Treat Sale today (because Monday’s looking a bit rainy!) – thank you to everyone who came along and supported.
We’re also excited to share that the furniture for our brand-new Learning Corridor has now been ordered – we can’t wait for its grand opening next term!
☕ Afternoon Tea – A Big Thank You
On Thursday, our fantastic governors hosted a lovely Afternoon Tea for our staff and PTA to say thank you for all their hard work. A special thanks to Helen for organising everything – it was greatly appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed by all!
🎉 Break the Rules Day Returns!
Get ready – ‘Break the Rules Day’ returns this Tuesday! The children have been buzzing with ideas and excitement, and we can’t wait to see what they get up to! For details on which rules they can break, please see the posters up around our school.
🪩 Year 2’s Magical Leavers’ Party
To round off their week in style, Year 2 had their Leavers’ Party on Thursday evening – and what a party it was! With Crazy M leading the fun, there was limbo dancing, cha-cha sliding, magic, and even snow! The children had a fantastic time – and so did all the teachers who came along for a boogie! Thank you to Crazy M and our brilliant PTA for organising such a fun-filled evening.
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend – and enjoy your final days of term next week!
Warm regards,
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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BREAK THE RULES DAY
Wed 16 Jul 2025BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
BREAK THE RULES DAY
When?
Tuesday 22nd July
(Last day of term)
Here's how it works
Pay 50p for every rule you would like to break This can be paid directly on ARBOR under 'DONATIONS' or in cash directly to teachers on the day. Please note no change can be given, so exact money only
Rules to be broken include:
- School uniform must be worn
- Hair must be natural hair colours and tied back
- Games from home must not be brought into school
- Telling jokes in class is never permitted
- Children are not allowed squash or juice in their water bottles
- There shall be no body/hair glitter anywhere
- Children are not allowed to choose music played in class
- Football kits and other sportswear are not permitted
- No sweets or chocolate bars allowed in lunchboxes/brought in for snack
- Tattoos (temporary) must be hidden under clothing
We will see you there (Remember teachers are not allowed to break the rules either!)
https://sway.cloud.microsoft/FrArhC37v3flWsKV?ref=Link
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Weekly Update Friday 11th July
Fri 11 Jul 2025🌞 Summer Sunshine and Super Stars! 🌞
What a glorious week we've had! The sun has been shining, and the children have been reminded to take regular sips of water, enjoy some shade time, and practise their sun safety skills. It's been lovely to see hats, sun cream and big smiles all around the playground!
🌟 Open Afternoon Success 🌟
Tuesday’s Open Afternoon was such a special event. The children proudly shared their learning with you and took home their FANTASTIC Records of Achievement. We are so proud of all our children's accomplishments and the progress they've made this year.
A huge thank you to everyone who came – it was a joyful afternoon enjoyed by all. And a big thank you to Mrs Palmer for running the café in the hall – a few lucky children enjoyed a well-earned cake after showing off their super learning!
💬 Share Your Views
If you’d like to fill in your thoughts about the school on the OFSTED Parent View site, we’d be very grateful. This is a great way for new families to find out what you think about our school – and your feedback really matters. Please click the link below:https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/parent-view-results/survey/result/11670/15
🎨 Creative Classrooms
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Year R have amazed us with their fabulous papier-mâché animals – they’ll be heading home soon and you’re in for a treat!
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Year 1's corridor display of lighthouses is simply stunning – what creative ideas!
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Year 2 are putting the finishing touches on their Leavers’ Performance and amazing pirate creations. We even heard they sang the pirate songs around the campfire at Beaver Camp – what a memory!
🎭 Upcoming Events!
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Year R will be visiting our new starters at home next week – how exciting!
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Year 2's Leavers’ Performance is on Thursday 17th July at 1.45pm – don’t forget your tissues!
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That evening, they’ll return to school from 5–6.30pm for their Leavers' Disco – a free treat from our lovely PTA.
👩🏫 School & Governors Update
This week we held our final Full Governing Body meeting of the year. Governors were extremely impressed with the consistent high standard of learning and commented on how strongly our BADGER values shine through in school life. They also recognised the dedication and teamwork it takes from all our staff to maintain such high standards – thank you to our brilliant team!🎉 PTA Thank You & Call for Help
At our PTA meeting this week, we celebrated an incredible year of fundraising – thank you all! A special thank you to Andy (Vice-Chair), who is moving on. We’re now looking for new volunteers – if you’re a forms whizz, like to organise or a social media expert, we’d love to hear from you! We’re also looking for Class Reps for September – more information coming soon.☀️ Have Fun in the Sun!
Wishing you all a sunny and safe weekend filled with fun and laughter!Warmest wishes
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Weekly Update Friday 4th July
Mon 07 Jul 2025What an amazing Sports Day we had today! Year R started the day, followed by Year 1 and rounding off with Year 2 and their last Sports day with us. In their colour teams, the children demonstrated our BADGER values throughout. They showed BELONGING, not only to their team, but also to all children in their class and year group. They ASPIRED to try their best in the activities they did. They were DETERMINED when they missed a goal, or were pipped at the post, to continue to do better. Throughout they showed GOODNESS and kindness to their fellow classmates. A lot of children became EXCELLENT and more confident as they shared their skills. Lastly, they all showed RESPECT and sportsmanship to the fellow competitors. What a super day!
Thank you to all the children, staff and spectators for making such a magical memory for our children. It was a lovely day to remember.
On Monday 7th July, our PTA are having a Treat sale straight after school in the turning circle. Please bring your pennies to spend on all the lovely goodies.
Our Open Afternoon for current students in on Tuesday 8th July. It runs from 2pm-5pm. All the children's learning will be out to see, and children can take their Record of Achievement home then too. There will also be a cafe running in the hall for cake/teas/coffees cold drinks (cash only), so come along, sit in our beautiful grounds, share your children's learning and have a cake too!
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend
Best wishes
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Weekly Update Friday 27th June
Fri 27 Jun 2025🌟 We hope you are all keeping well. It's been another joyful and productive few weeks at school. The children have been working incredibly hard in class, and we are so proud of them all!
We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you to our Open Afternoon in a few weeks' time. The children are buzzing with excitement to share all their fantastic learning with you — there’s so much to be proud of.
✨ Classroom Highlights
📚 Reception
Our Reception children have been making brilliant progress with their key words and are growing in confidence every day with their reading – well done! They've also been working hard on their writing skills. A big well done to Felix, who read us his lovely story in assembly today!🎨 Year 1
Year 1 have created stunning seaside portholes as part of their topic work — they truly are little works of art, showing the key features of the seaside in such creative ways!💃 Year 2
Year 2 had a fantastic time Ceilidh dancing with other local schools in the palace ruins today. It was a joyful, energetic day full of smiles and teamwork. Thank you so much to all staff and parents helpers who made this special day possible — what a memorable experience for our children!🎉 Transition Morning – Thursday 3rd July
We’re getting ready for our Transition Morning next Thursday, when our Reception and Year 1 children will find out their new class and teacher for September. We know this can be a time of mixed emotions, but please rest assured — we’ve supported many successful transitions over the years. Children often come home smiling and excited to tell you all about their new class!
You’ll also receive an email that day confirming your child’s teacher. If any children need extra support, we will provide this, which may include a social story or additional visits. This support also extends to our Year 2 children moving to Year 3.
🧸 Stay and Play & All About Me Books
Thank you to all the families who attended our second Stay and Play session this week. It was so lovely to see you all! You should now have your child’s ‘All About Me’ book to complete over the summer – we look forward to learning all about your child in September.
🏅 Sports Day – Friday 4th July
We are excited to announce that Sports Day will take place next Friday morning (4th July)! Each year group will enjoy an hour of sport with 2–3 fun activities (weather permitting).
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Reception: 9.15am
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Year 1: 10.45am
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Year 2: 1.45pm
There will be refreshments and cakes available on the day – cash donations only, please. We’re keeping a close eye on the weather and will make adjustments if needed, but fingers crossed the sunshine stays with us! 🌞
💛 A Huge Thank You!
A big thank you to our incredible PTA, who ran a brilliant stall at the junior school last Friday. You’ve been absolute stars all year, and we are so grateful for all your hard work and support!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend,
With warmest regards,
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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Weekly Update Friday 20th June
Fri 20 Jun 2025☀️What a lovely week we’re having in the sunshine!
We've had a fabulous week filled with sunshine, smiles and super learning! The children have loved being outside, and our staff are reminding everyone to drink plenty of water and take shade time during hot playtimes.
🧢 Thank you to all our parents and carers for helping keep our children safe in the sun by applying lotion at home and making sure they have their sun hats!
✍️ Records of Achievement
Our teachers and children have been working hard to finish their Records of Achievement, ready to share with you during our Open Afternoon on Tuesday 8th July from 2pm–5pm. We are so proud of all the children’s progress this year!
🧸 Welcome New Year R Children!
This week we had our first ‘Stay and Play’ sessions for our new Year R children. They had a lovely time getting to know the classrooms and making new friends with our current Year R children.
We’re looking forward to the second session next week, and don’t forget our Transition Day is on Thursday 3rd July, where everyone will meet their new teacher and spend the morning in their new class.
🏊 Year 2 Cooling Off!
Year 2 were very lucky this week – they got to cool down in the school swimming pool! The children are growing in confidence each week and will build on these swimming skills as they move into Year 3.
🏴☠️ Learning Spotlight!
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Year 2: We’ve seen some brilliant pirate writing this week—creative stories and sea shanties! They’re really enjoying this project and looking forward to their Leavers’ Assembly.
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Year 1: Children have made beautiful portholes, showing what they’ve learned about physical and human features at the seaside. Their descriptive poetry has blown their teachers away!
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Year R: Our youngest learners have been learning all about animals, practising their writing and number skills. They are so proud of their work—and so are we!
🎉 PTA News & Community Help Needed
Our PTA are kindly helping the Junior School run their summer event tonight—please pop along and support them! They’ve also planned the much-loved Leavers’ Disco for Year 2 at the end of term.
They are always looking for volunteers—if you have some spare time, please get in touch!
🌿 Can You Help Our School?
We’re lucky to have a wonderful school community, and we need a little extra help with the following:
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🐸 Pond Maintenance – Mr Howell and his amazing family have been looking after our beautiful pond. We’d love more volunteers to join our Pond Group—even if just once or twice!
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🐝 Bee Problem – Bees have taken up residence in our outdoor classroom, and they haven’t moved on! If you have bee expertise, we’d really appreciate your help making the space safe again.
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⛺ Teepee Repairs – The wood under our Year R teepee is rotten. If you’re practical, strong or handy, we’d be so grateful for help in taking it away.
📞 If you can help with any of the above, please let the school office know.
Our budget is very stretched, so any support from our wonderful school community means so much.🌞 Wishing You a Lovely Weekend in the Sunshine!
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy a sunny, safe and restful weekend.
Best Wishes
Mrs Riches
Headteacher
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