Dear Parents and Carers It has been another very busy term at Bryony School. We hope this newsletter gives you a small insight. A particular highlight has been our excellent results in the Medway and Kent 11 plus tests. We are as always, very proud of our pupils. However, as this newsletter also helps illustrate – its not all about academic achievement. We are also very proud of the talents of all our children whether they are creative, musical, sporty or simply unique! Other enjoyable events have been the Pre -School Christmas Nativity Performance and the ‘’Baa..Baa ... Bethlehem” School Christmas Performance. Thank you to Mrs Clarke and Mrs Jarvis and the Friends of Bryony School (FoBs) team for organising the Christmas Shop, and Fayre, children’s presents and Halloween party. A separate note has been sent regarding the unavoidable fee increase next term. We have held off an increase at cost to ourselves. We hope you understand our position.

School Christmas Nativity Performance All children from Reception to Year 6 put on a wonderful Christmas performance of ‘Baa.. Baa.. Bethlehem’ at St Luke’s Church in Gillingham. The performance started with a colourful procession of children dressed as Sheep, Shepherds, Donkeys, Villagers, Angels and Stars. The performance included eloquent narration by Lucy Brown, Luca Clark, David Folk and Rosie Lawrence, a beautifully sung solo by Alex Creedon-Kitchen and lots of upbeat songs which the children had clearly worked hard to learn. Thank you to Mr Johnson and Mrs Harrison for producing and directing the event, to Mr Ware for the loan of the sound equipment and to all staff for their help and support in preparing for the performance. Well done Scarlett Brown and Aylin Raza for their excellent artwork which featured on the programme. Thank you to those who generously donated to the church at the end of the performance. This will help them continue their valuable work.

Pre-School Christmas Nativity Performance

Sadly we have had to say goodbye, and good luck to two long standing members of staff: Mr Ferguson and Mrs Bennett who have been with us for 17 and 26 years respectively. We wish them both well for the future. We offer a warm welcome to Mr Michael, an experienced teacher who will focus on Year 6 mathematics and Mrs Prenter who has joined our School Office. May we wish our pupils, parents and staff a happy and well – deserved holiday over the festive period. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2016 – when we will be celebrating the 60th (Diamond) anniversary of Bryony School! Mr and Mrs Edmunds

Our Pre-School children and their teachers worked very hard to put on an entertaining Christmas Nativity performances to the Infant school and to their parents. Children enjoyed singing songs such as ‘Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star’ and ‘Knock Knock’. Parents were treated to some cakes made by Miss Bower and mince pies! Well done Miss Bower, Mrs Reid and Mr Nye for all your hard work and Mr and Mrs Saroya for producing a fantastic DVD of the performance.

Pre School Trip to Capstone Country Park , September 2015 What an exciting day we had! The weather forecast was for rain, rain and more rain so it was good weather for ducks. Everyone was very excited to be travelling by school bus and we soon arrived at Capstone Farm. Mr. Reid was there to meet us. We walked around the lake spotting the ducks, cormorants, geese and the heron. Up in the woods we gathered leaves, stones and sticks and took these down to the trees below. Mr. Reid mixed up a pile of soil with water to make lots of mud. Then he took a handful and put the mud on a tree. He did this for each child, with the help of Mrs Reid so that everyone could make their own tree face. Lots of children wanted to make a second one. What a lot of fun! Next we washed our hands and chased our ranger back to the visitor centre, ready to make sticky sticks. The children found petals, herbs and leaves to stick on. We had a lovely picnic lunch indoors while Mr Reid and Mr Hills braved the rain to use fish nets to find us mini beasts in the pond. When they came back with six trays of pond life, they were so wet, that they looked as though they had been in the pond! We used magnifying glasses to look at a water spider, a caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymph, water boatman, newts and lots of other strange creatures. Afterwards, Mr. Reid brought two slow worms to show us. Everyone drew a picture of their favourite thing at Capstone and then it was time to go back to school, tired but happy. Many thanks to Mr. Reid, Mr Hills, Mrs. Hills and Miss Hills for helping us through the day. By Mrs. Reid, Miss Bower and Mr. Nye

Nursery News We have enjoyed a very busy and fun term. This has included learning about our families. The children were so excited to show photos and speak about every member of their family as well as their pets. For our nature topic, we have been on walks to the local woods where we have searched for birds, squirrels and other wildlife and insects and explored autumn leaves and nuts. It didn’t stop there! The children participated with ‘Children in Need’ and raised money by dressing up as people who help us or princess heroines and decorating their own cakes and biscuits. We have particularly enjoyed Christmas time. We have made Christmas Cards and Calendars and posted letters to Santa on a class trip to the local post box. We enjoyed singing Christmas songs and learning about road safety on the way. The children also helped to find some of Santa’s presents that he accidently dropped in the playground and were so excited when they found their gifts that they kept. We have also enjoyed our own Nursery Christmas party this term, a visit from Father Christmas, the Christmas shop, Christmas Fayre, Christmas dinner and entertainment by Captain Fantastic. The Nursery Christmas Bounce and Rhyme was a new idea this year. The parents and children sang Christmas songs together and parents enjoyed some mince pies, cakes and mulled wine. Thank you to all the parents for your support this term – see you in the New Year! By Mrs Saroya and Mrs Robinson Page 2

Year 1 Visit to Maidstone Museum, November 2015 Year 1’s visit was in order to extend their knowledge of local explorer Julius Brenchley as part of our History curriculum incorporating heroic historic figures. This was our first of three trips to Maidstone Museum this coming year. We saw the canoe used by Brenchley in his travels and

many of the artefacts, including native masks that he brought back in the Cabinets of Curiosities. After lunch we had the chance to make our very own native masks. We were all very pleased with our creations! Ms. Caller and Mrs Tovey

Year 2 Ancient Egypt Day at Kent Life The highlight of this term was our trip to the Ancient Egypt Day at the Museum of Kent Life in November. We all had a really interesting day which helped bring our class topic on Ancient Egypt to life. The children looked splendid dressed up as Ancient Egyptians for their trip. We participated in a series of workshops which included: Fashion and Make up, Mummification, House and Home and Myths and Legends. We particularly enjoyed building pyramids, dancing for the Pharaoh, making ropes using a traditional technique and making hieroglyphics. On return to school the children wrote about their day. Here are some extracts: “A beautiful lady showed us how to dance. Some people held instruments and the others danced” (Lara Mutabchi) “My best bit was the mummy wrapping because it was interesting” (Lucca Russell-Gridley) “The girls were Queens and the boys were Tutankhamen” (Taim Abu-Sayf) . ‘My favourite [workshop] was the pyramid building and we won!’ (Stanley Bucknall) By Mrs. Farnes and Mrs. Paice

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Christmas Fun Day - 4th December! We have all enjoyed a great build up to Christmas in School this December. This has included a fun and festive day organised by FoBs. In the morning, the Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children went by class to meet Father Christmas and were excited to receive a present (kindly donated by FoBs).

The Christm as Fayre was great fun with Year 2 helping to run the stalls. These included: ‘Pin the Nose on Rudolf’ and ‘Make your own sparkly Reindeer Food’ to sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve. The children loved buying presents for their families at the Christmas shop. In the afternoon, it was the turn of the Juniors, with stalls run by our Year 6. Children especially enjoyed guessing where the hidden treasure was and decorating and eating the gingerbread men and cakes!

A special thanks goes to Mrs Jarvis and Mrs Clarke and the rest of the FoBs team of parents for all their help in organising and running these Christmas events. Thanks too to Mrs Bucknall for organising the Christmas cards which raised £206.10 We are so very lucky to have you all on the Bryony FoBs team!

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Bryony Carol Singers A group of Junior children proudly represented Bryony School by Carol Singing at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre. Thank you to Mr Johnson for preparing the children for this performance, for Mrs Harrison who joined in the singing, to Mrs Saroya who organised this event and to all the parents who turned up to watch. An incredible £150.50 was raised for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Well done everyone!

Carol Singing, Platters Farm Lodge

He’s Behind You! The whole school has been able to see some fabulous local Christmas productions. Our Pre- Sc hool and Rec eption children enjoyed participating in the interactive performance of The T im id Hedgehog an d the Forgotten Christmas Forest at the Brook Theatre.

Another group of Junior children proudly represented Bryony School at the Platters Farm Lodge which offers respite care and day centre facilities for elderly people in the community. Thank you to Mr Johnson for preparing the children for this performance and for the generous Platter’s Farm team for their gifts for our children.

On the last day of term, we hav e been doing our bit in a Christmas Knit! Thanks to you all –we have raised £125 by wearing Christmas jumpers. This will go to ITV Text Santa. Proceeds are then shared between MacMillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish and Save the Children charities. The Infants enjoyed magic fun and dancing with Captain Fantastic on the last day of term and the Juniors had their Christmas party after Christmas dinner on Tuesday.

Year 1 to Year 6 had a great time watching the pantomime of Beauty and the Beast in the Central Theatre. Thank you to Mrs Notley for organising the trips and to all staff and our helpers on the day.

Friends of Bryony School (FoBs) A huge thank you to our F.O.B.S for organising such exciting activities for our children – the Halloween disco, the Christmas Cards, the Christmas shops, the Christmas Fayres, Pre-school and Infant presents from Father Christmas, the presents for the Juniors, Christmas crackers for the Christmas dinner and funding the fabulous Christmas party entertainments. A special mention must be made of Mrs Jarvis and Mrs L. Clarke for their particular effort this term as well as all the many parents who have given up their time to help. We are so very grateful for your support and commitment. New members always welcome! Please email: [email protected] or become a member of the Friends of Bryony School Facebook page.

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On Friday 13th November we held a Hero Day. The children dressed as a number of different ‘heros’ - from doctors, nurses, soldiers, and superheros! Thank you to Miss Collier for organising this event and to all children and parents who baked and helped sell all the delicious cakes. Many of the classes held sponsored events such as; sponsored colouring which helped to raise even more money, so a big thank to those who sponsored our children. During playtime, the children in the infants brought in all their spare change to cover our giant Pudsey Bear. The final total raised by the Juniors and Infants was an impressive

£500.50

Well done and thank you to everyone! Harvest Festival, October 2015 Thank you to Reverend Paul Matthias from St. Luke’s Church in Gillingham for conducting two wonderful assemblies for our Harvest Festival.

Growing Pumpkins We would like to say a big thank you Mrs Batchelor, a parent (and owner of PYO Pumpkins, Beluncle Farm, Hoo) who came to speak to the Infants about how pumpkins are grown and showed us lots of different varieties. Mrs Batchelor even kindly left lots of pumpkins for us to carve and to enjoy at the FoBs Halloween Party.

It is important to take time to think about and help those less fortunate than ourselves. Thank you to all who contributed gifts. Year 2 and year 5 delivered the gifts to older members of our local community including Platters Farm Lodge. It was a lovely opportunity for our children to see first hand who their gifts were going to.

It was an extremely busy time of year for the Batchelor family at their farm so we are even more grateful Mrs Batchelor was able to come and visit us.

Extra Curricular Clubs The Infants have enjoyed a series of lunchtime clubs. Year 2 have enjoyed learning French songs and games with Madame Jarvis who kindly volunteered her spare time. Thank you! Ms Caller has been busy teaching the children how to make sock snowmen and create Autumn leaf pictures . Miss Collier made Christmas lantern craft and Mrs Kilbourne ran a drawing club and dance club. The Infants and Juniors have also enjoyed After School Multi Sports Clubs with Longshore Coaching. These will continue next term. Please sign up via the ParentMail form if you wish you child to be included in these sports clubs next term! Bookings are already open for the exclusive Bryony School Multi-sports Holiday Clubs in 2016 over May Half Term and July : http://www.lcssportscamps.co.uk/bryony-school-exclusive-camps.php

Considerate Parking Reminder ...... For the safety of all please do not park on the double yellow lines or zig zags outside the Infants. It is not only illegal but very dangerous to other road users and pedestrians – including our own school children. Thank you! Page 6

News from our Reception Classes Wow! What a busy term! We have covered so much in class, produced four assemblies, been on several school trips and had visitors in to school as part of our class topics. Below is a quick snapshot of activities not covered in the rest of this newsletter! Thank you to Mrs Bannar-Martin who kindly gave up her time to come in and talk about her job as a Paediatric nurse, in connection with our class learning topic about ‘People who help us’. The children enjoyed playing with medical equipment, looking at x-rays, learning how to make casts, and practising putting on bandages and plasters. It was great fun! ‘’An x-ray is a photograph of the inside of your body’’ – Sophie-Alice . ‘’The nurses help Mummy have a baby out of her tummy’’ – Sophie . ‘’Nurses put bandages on you’’ – Isaac A big thank you to PCSO Brooks and PSO Beattie for coming in to talk about their roles as police officers and show us the equipment they use and helped the children make their own finger print. Thank you also to Matt Pay who came in to talk about being a scaffolder and how to be safe on a building site. The children enjoyed trying on all the different safety equipment. ‘’It was a lot of fun!’- Jayden. We have explored the woodlands for our Autumn topic and collected leaves to make our own animal leaf pictures. Whilst learning about Harvest Festival we went on the ‘Farm to Fork’ Trail in Tesco in Gillingham. There we found out about wheat and tasted all different types of breads. We all liked the sweet breads! Yum! We also went on Christmas trips to the Brook theatre to watch the Timid Hedgehog and the Forgotten Forest and to Mid Kent College where we made Christmas crafts and decorated cakes! Thank you to all the students for inspiring our young children. Our children also learnt their lines for their assemblies, including about ‘People who help us’ and ‘Our senses’. They also worked hard to learn songs for the school Christmas Performance. We are very proud of all our children and their efforts. Well done! A very Merry Christmas to you all and we look forward to seeing you in January!

Year 6 Trip to the Battle of Britain Experience In October, year 6 visited both the Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge and the Memorial wall in Capel Le Ferne to link in with their study of the Second World War in Kent. Our visit to the Memorial wall enabled the children to realise how many men lost their lives in this war and to look at the wing of the newly built centre. Once we arrived at the Museum the children were interested in investigating the exhibits of the Hurricane

aeroplanes and all the memorabilia in the display area. They were especially keen to try out the Morrison, Anderson and Bell shelters and understand why there was more than one type of shelter needed. A worthwhile visit to studies. By Mrs. Harrison

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LCS Schools Cup Tag Rugby Development Competition 26th September Our first event of the term was Tag Rugby against St. Andrews. Excellent results from our children with particular congratulations to our Year 5 team who won the Cup Final 4-3 ! We are ever so proud of you all! LCS Schools Cup - Cross Country Development Competition - 21st November Well done Bryony children! We came second place overall in what was a very cold and wet morning. Special mention must go to Thea Walker for winning the Year 3 Girls race and Kieron Morgan for winning the Year 5 Boys Race. Thank you to the children for participating and for parents for their support in all weather conditions! Medway Mini-Youth Games Tag Rugby 6th October

LCS Schools Cup - Ultimate Frisbee Development Competition—7th November

A team of ten year 6 children participated in the first of this year’s m ini youth games events at Medway Rugby Club.

A total of over 50 schools competed in the event. We won all of our m o r n i n g games and came top of our group. This allowed us to compete for the main ‘Rugby World Cup.’ In the afternoon we played another 4 games but only won one of them. However we came a very creditable 14th place overall which was a tremendous achievement.

Our Year 5 and 6 children battled the blustery conditions to win the Year 5 Plate and our Year 6 to be Runners Up in a close final. Well done Bryony !

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