Friday 8th May 2026
Today, David Attenborough, the legendary British broadcaster, natural historian, and conservationist is celebrating his 100th birthday! To celebrate the children are taking part in different activities across school. In EYFS, for example, the children in Teams Esk and Nidd celebrated by making their own ‘Turning Journey Sticks‘ using things they found in Forest School to represent his journey through nature. They had lots of fun and, as you can see from the pictures above, they really focused hard! Well done Team!
Meanwhile, the children in Team Derwent, have been working hard in their Art lessons this week, linked to their History topic learning about life in the Stoneage. The children have been exploring prehistoric cave art created in the stone age. This week they have designed their own cave art using a range of techniques to add
texture. They used sticks, cotton balls and corks to add paint and charcoal to draw animals. They did a fantastic job and their pictures are very effective! Well done Team Derwent!
Finally, please can I remind all members of our community to be safe and respectful on and around the school grounds with bikes and scooters by not riding them on school grounds. Also, please ensure that your child does not come down onto the school site before 08:25 in order for us to be able to keep everyone safe at the beginning of the school day.
Thank you for your continued support and see you next week, Mr Greene
Attendance:
Update
Our school target is 97%
This week our attendance was : 96%
Nidd – 96%
Aire – 91%
Ouse – 99%
Derwent – 97%
Foss – 97%
Calder – 98%
Humber – 99%
From April 2026 – school lunches and breakfast club must be booked and paid for on Arbor. Bookings should be made and paid for at least 24 hours in advance of the day required.
NEW MENU
Dates for your diary:
| WC Monday 11th May 2026 | Year 6 SATs Week |
| Monday 18th May 2026 | KS1 Showcase 2.45pm |
| Wednesday 20th May 2026 | Y6 – Parent Briefing for Newby Wiske Residential 3.15pm in Y6 Classroom |
| Friday 22nd May 2026 | Break up for half term – 3.15pm |
There is a blog, “Stay Calm & Confident During Exams,” which offers simple, practical tools to help children and young people feel more grounded, focused, and emotionally supported during this time.
You can read and share it here:
https://www.theschoolyogaproject.co.uk/post/stay-calm-confident-during-exams
The blog includes:
- Easy breathing techniques to calm the nervous system
- Gentle movement and yoga practices to release tension
- Mindfulness strategies to support focus and emotional regulation
- Tips for building a positive, confident mindset around exams
These kinds of approaches can make a real difference, helping students manage stress, improve focus, and feel more in control during high-pressure moments.
Are there any enthusiastic cyclists?
This year cyclists can pay to enter and then fundraise for Brotherton & Byram School or a charity of their choice. The event is marshalled and family friendly as the short and long distance riders set off 15 minutes apart.
