Newsletter

 

It has certainly been a hive of activity in school over the past few weeks. Our Year 1 pupils have approached their Phonics Screening Check with great enthusiasm and resilience, proudly demonstrating the progress they have made this year. Similarly, our Year 4 pupils have completed their Multiplication Tables Check, showing determination and growing confidence in their recall skills.

In Year 6, the focus has been on producing high-quality writing as part of their teacher assessments. I have been incredibly impressed by the maturity, creativity and dedication they have shown, and I know staff are very proud of all they have achieved.

Beyond the classroom, there has been an exciting programme of enrichment taking place. Our Year 4 and Year 6 pupils have thoroughly enjoyed their residential visits, developing independence, resilience and teamwork, while representing the school brilliantly. Year 5 pupils are very much looking forward to heading off to London next week for what promises to be a fantastic visit.

Alongside all of this, there has still been plenty of time for play, laughter and friendship across the school. It has been wonderful to see children enjoying time outdoors and making the most of being together, and our new playground will only add to the opportunities for outdoor fun and active play.

We are also looking forward to welcoming the important men in our children’s lives to our upcoming Ploughman’s Picnics – a lovely opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the special relationships that support our children every day.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Miss Watson

Year 6 enjoyed a fantastic residential visit to PGL Dearne Valley just before half-term – a truly well-earned break following their hard work and dedication in the build-up to their end of Key Stage 2 SATs.

During their action-packed few days, pupils took part in a wide range of exciting activities, including climbing, archery, problem-solving and the ever-popular leap of faith, to name just a few. They showed great resilience, courage and determination as they stepped out of their comfort zones and supported one another throughout each activity.

The trip was also a wonderful opportunity for pupils to develop independence, strengthen friendships and create lasting memories as they prepare for the next stage of their school journey. Staff were incredibly proud of the pupils’ behaviour, teamwork and enthusiasm, which reflected the very best of Birklands Primary School.

Our Year 2 and Year 3 pupils were lucky to attend a fantastic “Meet the Author” event at Warsop Library as part of the InspiRead Book Awards. They met Claire Powell, the talented author and illustrator of the Marty Moose series.

The children thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Claire’s journey to becoming an author and illustrator, meeting some of the characters from her stories, and listening to her read aloud. They also had the opportunity to get creative themselves, illustrating Marty Moose and designing their own characters.

It was wonderful to see how engaged and enthusiastic the children were throughout the sessions. One group even commented, “We’ve heard we’re going to meet a great artist today,” which brought a smile to Claire’s face!

A truly inspiring experience for our young readers and artists.

 

This week, our Year 4 pupils enjoyed an unforgettable residential trip to The Mill Adventure Base, packed with excitement, challenge, and new experiences. Over the course of two activity-filled days, the children embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and courage, making the most of this special time away with their classmates.

The adventure began as soon as the children arrived, eager to take on a wide range of outdoor activities. From scaling the impressive Gladiator wall to testing their bravery with climbing, the pupils showed fantastic determination and resilience. Many stepped outside their comfort zones, pushing themselves to achieve things they may not have thought possible, all while supporting one another every step of the way.

The children also took part in kayaking, where they learned to work as a team on the water while building confidence and coordination. Archery was another highlight, with pupils demonstrating focus, patience, and growing skill as they aimed for the targets. Equally exciting was the tunnelling experience, which challenged them to navigate enclosed spaces and rely on problem-solving skills. Throughout all of the activities, staff were incredibly proud of the children’s positive attitudes and willingness to persevere, even when tasks felt difficult.

Away from the activities, the children thoroughly enjoyed the social side of the residential. Spending the night in the camping pods was a brand-new experience for many, and it was wonderful to see friendships grow stronger as they shared this adventure together. The excitement of camping with friends, combined with the independence of staying away from home, made it a truly memorable experience.

Overall, the trip was a tremendous success, not only in providing fun and adventure but also in helping the children to develop resilience, confidence, and teamwork skills. The Year 4 pupils represented the school brilliantly, and we are all incredibly proud of their achievements.

Please check Siskin’s class page for more photos of our brilliant time!

We are already looking forward to offering this fantastic opportunity again next year—and we are sure our current Year 3 pupils will be just as excited to take part in their own Mill Adventure Base experience!

We are pleased to share an update on our new playground, which is now nearing completion. Thank you for your patience and understanding whilst final works have been completed and all the necessary health and safety checks and documentation have been put firmly in place.

We were delighted to welcome Nadine McGuinness - the Chair of Warsop Parish Council - this week, who officially opened the new space. Unfortunately, the rain quite literally stopped play shortly after, delaying pupils from making immediate use of it.

Pupils will begin to enjoy the space from Monday. We kindly ask that, during drop-off and pick-up, adults remain on the concreted areas and that children do not access the equipment.

Our KS1 playground will also be receiving some exciting enhancements soon; we will share further updates on this in due course.

Earlier this year, we were proud to launch our 11 by 11 initiative – a key part of our commitment to ensuring every child at Birklands has a rich, memorable and inspiring primary school experience.

The 11 by 11 programme is a carefully designed set of meaningful experiences that we would like all children to complete during each phase of their time with us. Many of these will take place in school through our curriculum and enrichment opportunities; however, some will involve experiences at home, giving children the chance to explore, discover and learn beyond the classroom.

Each experience has been thoughtfully linked to our school values, helping children to develop confidence, resilience, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. Every child has been provided with their own 11 by 11 booklet, which should have now come home. As experiences are completed, children can record and celebrate their achievements, share their evidence in school and collect their special 11 by 11 stamps.

We would love families to celebrate these moments with us - particularly when experiences are completed outside of school. Sharing these successes helps us recognise children’s achievements and makes the experience even more meaningful for them. If you would like your child’s achievement to be celebrated in our school newsletter, you are very welcome to email photos of them completing an activity to office@birklandsschool.co.uk.

We are incredibly proud of this initiative and the opportunities it provides, and we thank you for your continued support in helping your child complete these experiences. Together, we can ensure every child leaves Birklands with wonderful memories and a strong foundation for the future.

We are delighted to share that over the past three weeks, Jay, Kittiwake, Dove and Kingfisher have each topped the attendance leader board. This is a fantastic achievement and reflects their commitment to being in school every day, ready to learn. Well done to all pupils and staff involved - keep up the excellent effort

Week commencing: 18.5.26

Week commencing: 1.6.26

Week commencing: 8.6.26

100% Attendance – Week 1 (Summer 2)

As shared in our last newsletter; to promote attendance during Summer 2, we offered families the chance to win a £10 Co-op voucher for achieving 100% attendance during Week 1.

All eligible children’s names were entered into a draw, and one name was selected at random. We are delighted to announce that Aurora was our winner! She and her mum happily collected their £10 voucher after school on Friday.

Well done, Aurora—and thank you to all our families for supporting excellent attendance!

Week 2

Well done to Ben who is this week's lucky winner!

A Special End to the Term at After School Club

Charlie was treated to a very special surprise before the holidays when he was picked up from After School Club in style! To his delight, his mum arrived with “Pepper”, giving Charlie the chance to ride home in a truly memorable way.

The moment brought plenty of excitement, with all the After School Club children eagerly waving to Charlie and Pepper as they made their way up Appleton Street. It was a wonderful way to end the term and put big smiles on everyone’s faces!

 

Footballing Prowess

Ethan was proud to share the fantastic success of his football team, Shirebrook Rangers Red, who won the YEL Cup Final on 17 May 2026. Ethan played an important role in the team’s victory, scoring a goal and contributing to a brilliant team performance. Well done, Ethan!

Celebrating Success at Warsop Wheelies

Jace was proud to share his ‘Warsop Wheelies Rider of the Week’ trophy with us this week – a fantastic achievement!

He talked enthusiastically about the protective gear he wears when racing at Warsop Skate Park and explained how some parts of the track are more challenging than others. Jace also showed off an impressive graze on his arm, which he wore like a true badge of honour!

Well done, Jace – we’re very proud of you!

Voices of the Vale – Young Performers

The Voices of the Vale put on their biggest show yet—it was a fabulous showcase of dance, drama, singing and acro!

Everyone worked incredibly hard, and it was lovely to hear the children enthusiastically sharing their experiences and favourite moments from the performance. It has also been wonderful to receive emails from parents, filled with such kind and positive feedback about how amazing the show was.

Well done to all of our talented performers!

Lenny proudly shared his football trophies from this season, having been awarded both Player of the Season and Mr Solid in recognition of his outstanding defending. Well done, Lenny!

Over the past few weeks, we have been incredibly proud to recognise a number of children who have consistently demonstrated our core values of Working Hard and Being Kind. Whether it has been showing determination in their learning, persevering through challenges, or going out of their way to support and care for others, these pupils truly embody the spirit of our school community.

It has been wonderful to see so many children striving to do their very best and making positive choices each day. Well done to all those who have been recognised - we are very proud of you. Keep shining and continuing to set such a fantastic example to others!

Class Photos 

We are pleased to let you know that our class photos will be taking place next week on Tuesday 16th June.

Please note that Kingfisher and Nightingale classes will have their photos taken on Thursday 25th June at 1:15pm.

Please ensure your child comes to school in full school uniform on their photo day, looking smart and ready for their photograph. If your child usually has PE on this day, they should still come in their school uniform and can bring their PE kit to change into if needed.

We look forward to sharing these  with you!

 

Holiday Pattern Consultation

As previously shared via letter, we are exploring a proposal to align our school term dates with Nottinghamshire County Council from September 2027, helping to reduce mismatched holidays for families and support local community cohesion. There will be no changes to the current or upcoming academic year, and we are sharing this early to give everyone plenty of notice.

We are keen to hear your views as part of our consultation. If you would like to share your thoughts, please click on the link. Many of you have kindly voiced your opinions in passing, but we need to capture this feedback formally by emailling the school office by the 26th June. 

office@birklandsschool.co.uk

 

Staffing Update

We are delighted to welcome Mrs Hallgarth to our staffing team as our new School Administrator. Mrs Hallgarth will be a key part of our front office, supporting pupils, families and staff, and we are very pleased to have her join the Birklands community. We hope you will join us in giving her a warm welcome.

We would also like to share that Mr Graham has joined us as our new Site Manager. Mr Graham will play an important role in maintaining and developing our school environment, with responsibility for health and safety management across the site. We are equally pleased to welcome him to the team.

 

Parking 

A polite reminder to all families and visitors that cars should not enter the zig-zagged area directly outside school, as this is in place to ensure the safety of our pupils.

We also kindly ask that you are mindful of our neighbours on Appleton Street and avoid blocking driveways at any time. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our school community safe and considerate.