Broadgate Primary School

Dear parents, carers and friends of Broadgate,

Welcome back! We hope you had a restful Easter break. As we begin the summer term, we look forward to the busy and exciting weeks ahead, filled with new learning opportunities, events and (hopefully) lots of sunshine! Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are pleased to bring key dates for this half term to your attention, along with early warning of later school events you may wish to put in your calendars.

Dates/Events

Tues 22nd April Y5 cycle training begins

Wed 23rd April ‘Hands on History’ - Great Fire of London visitor to Y2

Mon 5 th May School closed – May Day Bank Holiday

Wed 7th May ‘Hands on History’ - Viking visitor to Y3

Wed 7th May Open evening for new Reception parents (Sept 2025)

Mon 12th May Y6 SATs week begins

Mon 19th May Robinwood Residential - information meeting for parents 3.15pm

Tues 20th/21st May Reception visits to Skelton Grange

Wed 21/22nd May Whole school skipping workshops

Fri 23rd May Y1 visit to Hesketh Farm

Fri 23rd May School closes for half term 3.05pm

Mon 2nd Jun Staff training day – school closed for pupils

Wed 4th Jun Y2 visit to Harlow Carr

Wed 4th Jun Meetings for new Reception parents (Sept 2025) 9am and 7pm

w/b 9th Jun Y1 Phonic Screening week

w/b 9th Jun Y4 Multiplication Tables Check week

w/b 9th Jun Scholastic Book Fayre in school hall

Midsummer Night’s Dream

A massive ‘well done’ to all members of Theatre Club who gave a fantastic showcase performance of scenes from Midsummer Night’s Dream at the end of last term. Thank you to the voice coaches, the lighting, props and costume departments, the scene shifters and to all those parents (and grandparents!) who devoted hours of their time helping the children create period costumes, portable toadstools and a mighty fine wall! A special thank you to Mr. Donnison and Miss Weatherill (without whom it wouldn’t have happened) for their enthusiasm and commitment. Theatre Club is already planning their next event – a summer term spectacular for July. Watch this space! 

Y5 Cycle Training

All Y5 pupils have received a letter regarding our annual cycle training sessions. The training will be taking place over the course of a week and a half and all children will be allocated specific sessions. Cycle training is a vital skill helping children build up confidence, independence and road safety awareness as well as encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle. Let’s hope that the weather is kind to them. Fingers crossed!

Y6 SATs Week

Our Y6 pupils will be sitting their Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) during week beginning 12th May. The timetable below is just for your information: -

Mon 12th May Spelling, punctuation and grammar

Tues 13th May Reading

Wed 14th May Maths Paper 1 and Maths Paper 2

Thurs 15th May Maths Paper 3

Please join with me in wishing our Y6 pupils all the best with their endeavours. They have worked so hard this year. No matter what the outcome, it’s ‘trying their best’ that counts. We are so very proud of them all and they will certainly deserve to celebrate when SATs are over. As a reminder, the special Y6 breakfast club will start each day that week (Monday to Thursday inclusive) at 8am. This is an opportunity for everyone to focus and be energised in a calm, supportive environment, where Y6 pupils can relax, chat to friends and ready themselves for the daily challenge. Good luck to them all.

Playtime Leaders

A big thank you to Mrs Devlin and Mrs Karvounidou for training up our new pupil Playtime Leaders. It’s lovely to see so many children captivated and enthralled by traditional playtime games under the able direction of our new leaders, complete with high-vis vests!

Parents’ Evening

It was lovely to welcome so many of you into school for parents’ evenings just before Easter and to share with you the wonderful work your children have been doing and the progress they have made. To follow-up from the last parental survey, we were very reassured when 100% of respondents agreed (many agreeing strongly) that the children felt happy and safe at Broadgate. However, a small minority of respondents (6%) indicated they would like more information about the content of what their children were learning. Please be aware that a whole wealth of information linked specifically to the learning in each class can be found on both the class and curriculum pages of our website. https://www.broadgateprimary.org.uk/leeds/primary/broadgate

Skipping Workshops

A big thank you to Mrs Devlin, for arranging two days of skipping workshops across the whole school on 21st and 22nd May. Skipping is such a beneficial activity, promoting physical fitness, improving coordination and motor skills. These workshops are specifically tailored to different age-groups and designed to help children develop balance, rhythm and timing, whilst also boosting self-esteem and encouraging teamwork – skills not only useful in sport but in everyday life too. Above all the workshops are great fun. More details to follow nearer the time.

Sports Days (early warning of dates)

Our sports days always take place on the school field, but following the atrocious, soggy weather we faced last summer, we have planned a little differently this year, to try to ensure we have fewer hitches. Parents are warmly invited to come along and support.

EYFS Sports Day (Wednesday 25 th June)

Y5/Y6 Sports Day (Wednesday 2nd July)

KS1 Sports Day (Wednesday 9th July)

All the above sports days are planned to start at 10.00am (giving us the opportunity to move them to the afternoons if conditions are too wet/unsafe on any of those particular mornings).

Y3/Y4 Sports Day (Wed 2nd July) is planned to begin at 1.30pm.

This year, we have also provisionally allocated a ‘back-up’ sports day on Wednesday 16th July, so that if any of our days are a complete wash-out, we have a ready-made contingency plan.

The joys of British summertime!

Thanks to the PTA

Many thanks to the PTA for their ongoing work behind the scenes to enrich the children’s environment and experiences in school. Their Wonka style ‘Wonderlicious chocolate bars’ were extremely well received. Congratulations to the ‘golden ticket’ winners too! The PTA have kindly offered to fund a replacement climbing structure for the playground, following the winter snow damage to our existing wall. The new traversing frame will take ‘pride of place’ on the main playground and will undoubtedly be as well-loved as its predecessor! Thank you again to the PTA. Broadgate is very fortunate to have you! The PTA is always on the lookout for extra pairs of hands to aid in their noble cause. Please email broadgatepta@hotmail.com if you are able to offer your time – I know it would be MUCH appreciated.

Nursery Waiting List

As always, we would be pleased to hear from any parents who are considering sending their children to our Nursery. The earlier the children are registered, the easier it is for us to plan for the future. Please contact the school office for more details on the dedicated email address: nurseryadmissions@broadgateprimary.org.uk

Reception Places for September 2025

Just for your information, we currently (and very unusually) have places available in our Reception classes for September, due entirely to falling birth-rates in Horsforth (a trend replicated across Leeds and much of the UK). So, if someone you know is looking for a welcoming, nurturing and high-quality learning environment for their child, we would love to hear from them. We offer a fantastic early years’ experience, with a strong focus on personal development, creativity and a deep love of learning. For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact the school office.

Promoting ‘Awe and Wonder’ and Enriching the Curriculum

This year we have been delighted to further extend the already wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer to the children. Participation in extra-curricular activities is so beneficial to children, providing opportunities to enhance ‘awe and wonder’, to develop citizenship and essential life-skills as well as exploring interests and passions beyond the academic. Sincere thanks are expressed to staff for providing an ever-expanding list - their breadth and variety are a direct reflection not only of staff commitment to the children, but also the extent of staff’s wider professional commitment to the life of the school. Thank you to all the children who have participated too. Their enthusiasm and willingness to engage beyond the classroom is truly commendable!

Sorry for yet another lengthy newsletter – there always seems so much to say!

Once again, thank you for your continued support. It is always appreciated and never taken for granted. Your encouragement and involvement make a huge difference to the children’s learning and school experience.

Warm regards,

Sarah Qualtrough