15th January 2026

Dear families,

Thank you for such a positive first full week back. Classrooms have settled quickly and it has been lovely to see the children reconnecting with friends and routines.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be focusing on good learning habits: arriving on time, being ready to learn, and taking pride in presentation. Small things done consistently make a big difference, and we really appreciate your support at home.

Warm regards,
Mrs. Anika Patel
Headteacher

A reminder that the PTA planning meeting is tonight. Everyone is welcome, whether you can help regularly or just want to dip in for one event.

A massive thank you to everybody who’s already signed-up to volunteer at the Easter Fair. We’re still looking for more volunteers – even if you can just cover one slot on a stall it would make a huge difference.

We’re also looking for raffle prizes. If you run a local business and are able to donate any products or a gift voucher, please get in touch.

Reception classes RJ and RS are enjoying their winter topic and will be focusing on talk and storytelling over the next fortnight. We’ll be practising:

• Retelling stories in order
• Using describing words
• Speaking in full sentences

At home, a lovely prompt is: “Tell me three things you noticed on the way to school.” It’s simple, but it builds confidence fast.

Year 4 classes 4L and 4R are starting a short English unit on performance poetry this term. As well as reading poems on the page, pupils will be exploring how poets use voice, pace, expression and pauses to bring a poem to life.

To launch the unit, we’ll be watching poet Michael Rosen perform No Breathing In Class. It’s a brilliant example of how performance can change the meaning and mood of a poem and it usually gets a few laughs too.

If you’d like to watch at home with your child, it makes a great conversation starter. Try asking:

• Which lines were funniest and why?
• How did his voice and facial expressions change the poem?
• What would you do differently if you performed it?

Year 5 classes 5C and 5N are beginning a science topic on Earth and Space. Over the half-term pupils will learn about:

• The movement of the Earth and Moon
• Day and night
• Phases of the moon
• Why we get seasons

If your child has a simple torch at home, they can try the classic “moon phases” demo using a torch and a ball. No need for anything fancy, just curiosity.

Year 6 classes 6T and 6B are launching a unit on persuasive writing. Pupils will be exploring how writers use:

• Strong openings and signposting
• Evidence and examples
• Rhetorical questions and emotive language
• Counter-arguments

You can help at home by encouraging your child to talk through their opinions on everyday topics (Should homework be shorter? Should we ban plastic bottles?). Explaining their reasoning out loud is brilliant preparation for writing.

We’ve received a number of complaints from our neighbours and some parents about driveways being blocks and cars parking right outside school. Please remember that parking on the zigzag lines, even for a short time, is dangerous. As always, we encourage everyone to walk or cycle to school if possible, but if you must drive, please park responsibly and be considerate of our neighbours.

Remember, you can park for 20 minutes for free in the Harbour Road car park just around the corner.

Brunel Bridge remains a nut-free school to protect pupils with severe allergies. Please avoid sending:

• Nuts of any kind
• Nut spreads (including peanut butter and hazelnut spread)
• Pesto
• Cereal or cake bars containing nuts

If you’re unsure, a simple rule is: if it says “may contain nuts”, please choose something else.

If your child is unwell, please let us know by 9:00am on the first day of absence:

• Call the school office and leave a voicemail, or
• Use the absence form on the school website

Please include your child’s full name, class code, and the reason for absence. If your child has sickness or diarrhoea, they should remain at home for 48 hours after the last episode.