Newsletter

It has been another incredibly busy month in school, with so many exciting things taking place across all year groups. There is a real sense of energy and enthusiasm in the air, and it has been wonderful to see our children so engaged in their learning and wider school life.

One of the highlights recently has been the growing buzz around our new playground. It has been lovely to hear the children’s comments each morning as they watch it quite literally being built before our eyes. Their excitement has been infectious, and we are very much looking forward to its completion. We are planning an official opening after half-term once the final touches have been made, and we cannot wait to share this special moment with the children.

This time of year always brings a strong focus on learning, as pupils make their final push towards their statutory assessments. Our Year 6 pupils have sat their end of Key Stage 2 SATs this week, and we are incredibly proud of them. They have shown an exceptional work ethic and real dedication, approaching the week with maturity and determination. They have been a credit to themselves and to the school.

Looking ahead, our Year 1 pupils will soon be taking their phonics screening check, and our Year 4 pupils will be completing their Multiplication Tables Check. We know they will all give of their best, and we are proud of the effort they continue to show.

After all of this hard work, there is plenty of excitement still to come. Year 6 are heading off to Dearne Valley next week for their residential visit, Year 4 will be enjoying an overnight stay at The Mill, and our Year 5 pupils will soon be travelling to London for an exciting overnight experience. These opportunities are always so valuable, helping to build independence, confidence and lasting memories.

As we approach the end of this half-term, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all of our families a restful and enjoyable break when it arrives next week (22.05.26). We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for the final half-term of the academic year.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Miss Watson

A group of our Year 5 pupils recently had the fantastic opportunity to take part in the Catapult Dance Festival at Mansfield Palace Theatre. After attending a series of workshops and rehearsals, they performed alongside other dance schools in an evening show on 22nd April. Their piece, Special Delivery, was inspired by the tribal music of the Amazon and was brought to life with full costumes and professional lighting. The children truly exceeded expectations, surprising even themselves with their talent, confidence and stage presence. It was incredibly moving to watch their journey come together in such a powerful performance. Parents, carers and staff in the audience were blown away by their dedication, maturity and amazing dancing. The children represented Birklands brilliantly, and we are all incredibly proud of them.

Key Stage one visit from a miner

We were delighted to welcome a very special visitor into school this half-term. Mr Cox came to visit Key stage one as a miner and the children were immediately fascinated and full of brilliant questions! 

They were eager to find out all about what life was like working down the mines, what the equipment was used for, and how miners stayed safe underground. It was a lovely opportunity to spark curiosity and to encourage thoughtful discussion. 

Key Stage One visit to Pleasley Pit

Last week, Key Stage One visited Pleasley Pit, where the children had a fantastic day taking part in three exciting and engaging sessions.

We explored the mining museum, learning about the area’s rich mining history and gaining an insight into what life was like for a miner. The children  investigated real fossils and artefacts. They also enjoyed a scenic walk around the country park, where they developed their map reading skills and used compasses to find their way.

The children were fascinated and showed great curiosity and enthusiasm during each activity. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring our learning to life and create lasting memories. It has been lovely to hear the children excitedly share how much they enjoyed the trip on their return to school.

We were delighted to celebrate the hard work of our Year 6 cohort with a special Subway lunch reward after they successfully completed an Easter Homework Challenge. Pupils showed fantastic commitment to revising key skills and topics in preparation for their upcoming SATs, demonstrating resilience, responsibility and a positive attitude to learning. The challenge was designed to encourage consistent revision at home, and the reward was a well‑earned treat recognising their effort and determination. Well done to all of Year 6 – we are incredibly proud of you!

A group of our Key Stage 1 and Year 5 pupils have recently taken part in a series of Musical Theatre workshops delivered by Little Voices. This proved to be a fabulously enriching experience for all involved. It was wonderful to see the children stepping out of their comfort zones, growing in confidence and truly blossoming as the sessions progressed. Their enthusiasm, creativity and willingness to try something new were a real joy to witness, and we are very proud of everything they achieved.

Here's what some of our KS1 pupils thought of the experience:

Congratulations to Dominic in Year 5, who has earned a Blue Peter badge for his fantastic achievement of building a harbour out of Lego. This is another impressive milestone in the ‘11 things to do by 11’ that Dominic has successfully ticked off - well done on your creativity and dedication!

Suvannah completed her very first dance examinations last week in Ballet, Tap, Freestyle and Musical Theatre. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and her teacher commented on how well she performed. We are very proud of her and look forward to hearing her results in September.

We would also like to recognise a group of our pupils who recently took part in the Filey 2026 Cup. The boys were incredibly enthusiastic and were keen to share their match reports with staff and peers on their return to school, proudly showing off their well-earned silverware. Well done to everyone involved!

A huge congratulations to Rosie in Year 5, who wowed the judges and audience alike to win at a recent talent competition that she entered! Performing a confident solo line dance to Achy Breaky Heart, Rosie showed incredible bravery in taking to the stage - and it truly paid off. Her energy, skill and determination made her stand out, earning her the top prize of tickets to Britain’s Got Talent. We are so proud of Rosie’s achievement and admire the confidence she showed throughout. Well done, Rosie!

We are very pleased that Eddison Gallagher has been retained following a successful season (U10) at Mansfield Town Football Club. This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of his hard work, commitment and dedication to his sport. We are incredibly proud of Eddison and all that he has accomplished.

We are incredibly proud of the many children who have recently been recognised with our Work Hard and Be Kind certificates. These awards celebrate pupils who consistently demonstrate our school values through their effort, perseverance, and the care they show towards others. Whether it is showing determination in their learning, supporting a friend, or making positive choices around school, these children are fantastic role models for our community. Well done to all those who have received a certificate - we are very proud of you, and we look forward to celebrating many more successes in the weeks ahead.

Well done to all our pupils for their continued effort and positive contributions this week. Every child plays an important part in earning points for their house through their behaviour, effort and attitude to learning.

This week’s totals are:

• 1st – Sherwood: 1,347

• 2nd – Clumber: 1,249

• 3rd – Thoresby: 1,225

• 4th – Rufford: 1,201

Congratulations to Sherwood for taking the top spot this week!

A reminder to parents that house points are awarded daily, recognising pupils who demonstrate our school values through both their work ethic and behaviour. Every contribution counts, and it’s wonderful to see such commitment across the whole school.

Attendance Raffle Incentive Launch

After the May half term, we will be introducing a new weekly attendance raffle to encourage excellent attendance during our final half term. Pupils who achieve 100% attendance each week will be entered into a Friday draw to win a £10 Co-op voucher, with winners celebrated in our newsletter.

We hope this initiative provides a fun motivation for pupils—remember, “you’ve got to be in it to win it!” Thank you for your continued support in promoting regular and punctual attendance.

Here are the class attendance figures for the past four weeks; well done to the top attendees who have earned non-uniform days (and an extra playtime if they achieved 100%).

Following the success of last year’s event, we are delighted to announce that we will once again be hosting our popular Father’s Day ‘Ploughman’s Picnic’. This special event is an opportunity to celebrate and say thank you for the important role that dads, grandads and other male relatives play in our children’s lives. The picnics will take place on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th June, with two sittings available each afternoon to accommodate as many families as possible. We are looking forward to welcoming families back for what promises to be another memorable occasion, and further information regarding how to book your place will be sent out next week.