Pioneer Centre – Year 3/4 Visit – FOBCS

Just a very quick update to let you know that FOBCS have very kindly offered to pay for part of all children’s visit to the Pioneer Centre in December.

 

This will mean that the total cost for the visit will be £134 per pupil.

 

If you have already paid this in full, £10 will be returned in due course.

 

Mrs. Heath will be sending out further information regarding the visit itself in the upcoming weeks.

Create Club

Create Club with Kath Banks, is now open to the whole school (KS1 and KS2)

The date has been moved from Wednesday to Thursday

The first date will be Thursday 9th September.

This is a fun craft club with a different activity each week.

 

Nasal Flu Immunisation – Wednesday 24th September

The Immunisation Team from Shropshire Community Health will be visiting the school on Wednesday 24th September to administer the Nasal Flu Immunisation to all of our pupils.
Please find attached a letter giving further details and  which includes the link for you to provide or deny your consent for your child to have the Nasal Flu Immunisation. This link closes at 9.00am on Wednesday 17th September.  If you miss this deadline there is also a form for you to complete and return to the school office.

Reminder: After-school Clubs – Aut (1)

Just a quick reminder that after-school clubs start next week.

If you would like to book your child onto any clubs, this can be done on ParentPay. If you are having any issues with this, please get in touch.

Afterschool Clubs – Aut 25

 

Just as a note: Create Club is not £50 for the 7 weeks – but is £42. This has now been changed. If you have already paid, Mrs. Godfrey will be in touch.

 

Currently, there are still places in all of our clubs.

Year 6 – applying for a place in Secondary School September 2026

The Year 6 children should have brought a letter home regarding applying for a place at Secondary School in September 2026. The Admissions Team at Shropshire Council have asked us to share the following message with the parents of Year 6 children –

Dear Parent

Your child is due to transfer to secondary school in September 2026.  The online application process opens on the 1 September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025.  A letter will be sent home with your child, outlining the process.  Alternatively, please follow this link – Apply to start or transfer school | Shropshire Council  which takes you to the Shropshire Council Admissions website.  Details about secondary school open evenings can be found in the Parents’ Guide to Education in Shropshire booklet, on the same website

 Applications received by Shropshire Council after the closing date will be classed as late, which may result in your child being disadvantaged, so please ensure you make your application on-time. Late applications will not be processed until all on-time applications have been offered.

 Please note your child’s cohort is larger than in previous years.  You can name up to four schools on your application – we encourage parents to make full use of these preferences.  If only one preference is named, and we cannot offer this, we will have no choice on National Offer Day but to offer a place at the next nearest school with a vacancy, which could be a considerable distance from your home address.

 Kind Regards

 The School Admissions Team

After-School Clubs: Autumn (1) ’25

Please see the clubs for next half term.

Afterschool Clubs – Aut (1) ’25

 

As usual, these can be booked via ParentPay. After-school clubs for this half term will begin in the 2nd week back (i.e. week commencing 8th September).

 

Bookings for Careclub can be made by contacting Mrs. Godfrey (careclub@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk).

 

If making payments for an after-school club or careclub via tax-free payments, please also contact Mrs. Godfrey.

Uniform Update – September ’25

We have recently received an update from Lads and Lasses that, following the tweaks to the uniform, the tweaked uniform options have gone into production and should be available to order very soon. There had been an error with the printing, causing the delay – which had meant that our uniform was printing with a white misprint. This has now been rectified.

Although already shared several times, the uniform tweaks are very minor (following feedback from parents) and will be as follows:

  • Green mositure-wicking t-shirt (w/BC logo on front and “Brown Clee” on back). This has changed from the previous “pitted” material to a smoother fabric.
  • An option of…
    • Black hoodie (w/ green BC logo on front and “Brown Clee” on back). This remains unchanged.
    • Green hoodie (w/ black BC logo on front and “Brown Clee” on back).
    • Black full-zip hoodie (w/ green BC logo on front and “Brown Clee” on back).
  • An option of…
    • Black/navy shorts (these can be purchased from anywhere)
    • Black/navy leggings (these can be purchased from anywhere)
    • Black/navy jogging/tracksuit bottoms (these can be purchased from anywhere)
    • Black/navy “skorts” (these can be purchased from anywhere)
  • Trainers (any colour)

 

All previous versions of the active uniform can be worn as long as you wish.

 

These tweaks should hopefully help remove some issues raised (such as the snagging and pulling on the t-shirts) – and, whilst we would like all children in “Brown Clee” uniform, we appreciate this is not always possible. The addition of a full-zip hoodie is not only a preferred option for some pupils, but means an unbranded alternative is easily purchasable and pupil doing so will not stand out as much as previously. Please remember that pupils in receipt of “Pupil Premium” funding (free-school meals) can received help with purchasing uniform and parents/carers should contact the school office (admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk) to arrange this. Please also rememebr that FOBCS have a second-hand uniform shop – where uniform can be donated and “purchased” for a small donation.

 

Please note that pupil premium funding (free-school meals) is different to “Universal Infant Free-School Meals”. All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are eligible for UIFSM – meaning they can receive a school meal for free. “Free-School Meals” is funding that is given to the school that is spent in a variety of ways to help those that need it (e.g. help with uniform costs, discounts with the cost of wraparound or after-school clubs and residential trips).

 

All parents/carers of all pupils (includuing those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) can apply for this at any age. For more information on eligibility and on how to apply, please see the following: https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/ – and we would recommend any parents/carers that feel they could be eligible to apply as early on in their child’s schooling as possible.

Summer Choir Concert – ’25

Several children in KS2 took part in a mixed choir concert at the Village Hall this term. They joined “Of One Accord” and “Brown Clee Community Choir” to perform a series of different songs. We even had two brillaint performances by Sam R on the cornet – alongside Zac accompanying him on the piano for one of these.

The singing on show was spectacular, and we are hoping for another joint choir performance around Christmas time – where we would love to take an even bigger contingent of pupils for the next performance.

Rounders – School Games Final ’25

Our rounders team took part in the School Games County Finals – representing East Shropshire – last term.

 

After some very close games, missing out on winning by half a rounder, the team did incredibly well in finishing 2nd overall.

Summer Term in Fireflies

This term, our topic has been Africa. The children have thoroughly enjpyed learning all about the continent of Africa and what it would be like to live there.

As part of our Geography, we have been comparing life in Ditton Priors to life in an African village. We went on a bus trip, using our map skills to find the important features of Ditton Priors. We then compared our village to an African Village. The children used their knowledge to create a 3D map of a Kenyan village and Ditton Priors.

The children have also thoroughly enjoyed learning the skill of weaving to create a loom fish. In DT the children chose an African animal to re-create using clay. I think you will agree the results are fantastic.

As an end of term treat, we had a African themed day where the children made binoculars to use on a safari hunt for African Animals, had their faces painted as an African animal, listened to Mrs Robinson who spoke to them about her time in Africa. In Forest School, they made African jewellery and African flatbread which we cooked on the fire. Despite the weather, we all had a great day!

Finally, to end the year on a high, we found out that the Y1s in Fireflies had won the poster competition organised by Burwarton Show! The school will now recieve money to spend on art equipment. Well done Y1s!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Summer break!

Mrs Fox

 

 

HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) brochure

Shropshire Council is again running the HAF programme over the Summer holidays.  Children in receipt of Free School Meals can access these free of charge using the code which has been sent home.  Many of these activities are also open to other children for a small fee, please see the brochure below.

HAF Summer What’s On 2025-WEB

Nature Hunt – Mr Smith’s Garden

Last Thursday morning, Grasshoppers went on a Nature Walk through the village to Mr Smith’s beautiful garden.

The children had two sheets with photographs of a variety of different plants, flowers and trees. The children had to find each one and tick them off their sheet. They then had some time sketching their favourite ones.

Thank you very much to Mr Smith for inviting us to spend time enjoying his garden.

Last Forest School Session

On Monday afternoon, Grasshoppers had their last Forest School session together.

They had a lovely time playing in the mud kitchen, making dens and pushing each other on the tractor. They also used elder to make beads by hollowing out the middle. They then threaded the pieces onto string to make bracelets and necklaces.

Mrs Rollings and Trish got the campfire going and the children toasted marshmallows to make S’mores.

Grasshoppers would like to thank Mrs Rollings and Trish for the wonderful sessions they have provided for them, throughout the year.

 

Leavers’ Service

Just a reminder that Brown Clee Benefice will be holding a Leavers’ Service at St. John the Baptist Church on Monday at 2:00pm.

 

All parents, grandparents etc. of our Year 6 pupils are also invited (along with the Year 6s themselves!) to refreshments after the service itself.

Uniform – Update and Sizing Event

Just to update you on the requested tweaks to the uniform.

 

We will be remaining with previous supply (Lads and Lasses) – who have informed us of some improvements they are making (e.g. a heat press being installed at the Bridgnorth site to allow on-site printing).

 

There will be some minor tweaks to the uniform – which will be phased in as existing stock is used up.

  • The 1/4 zip option will no longer be in place. This is because the there a stocking issues with the top itself – as well as printing concerns. We did explore alternative options; however, these were either of poor quality or significantly more expensive.
  • The black hoodie with green vinyl option will still remain.
  • A green hoodie with black vinyl will be introduced.
  • A black full-zip hoodie with green vinyl will also be introduced.
  • We are currently in discussion of changing the t-shirt material used for the t-shirts to a “smoother”-type fabric – and hopefully can find a suitable solution with this.

As previously mentioned, previous versions of uniforms will still be allowed to be used for as long as you wish.

 

Please also remember that FOBCS do have a second-hand uniform stock that can be purchased for a small donation. Please get in touch if you have any unifrom of your own that you would like to donate to this or if you wish to purchase some of your own.

 

Lads and Lasses will be holding a sizing event after school on Tuesday 15th July – where sizing can be checked in person.

 

KS2 Performance (Reminder)

A reminder that tickets are available from the school office for the KS2 performance.

We will be opening this up to more than 4 tickets and to KS1 from Friday.

Sports Day: Packed Lunches

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to this year’s sports day.

 

See our post from last week (https://browncleeschool.org.uk/sports-day-7/) for information on the day.

 

As the event will be outside all day, children will either need to have a packed lunch via ParentPay ordered or bring one from home. As per the recent update (https://browncleeschool.org.uk/parent-pay-clubs-and-meals/), these can be done up to 09:00am on the day itself.

Celebration Assembly – Cancelled

Unfortunately, this week’s celebration assembly will be cancelled.

We will double up certificates in the following celebration assembly (11th July). This will be our last “normal” celebration assembly this academic year.

 

Our final celebration assembly (July 18th) will be led by our Year 6s (who don’t actually know that they will be doing it yet).

 

Shropshire Parenting Team – Information

The parenting team at Shropshire have aked for the following to be shared with parents:

Shropshire Parenting Help and Support Line

NEW – Shropshire Parenting Help & Support Line

Please see below for information on Shropshire’s new parenting help and support line:

 

Free Sleep Tight Groups

Sleep Tight Poster Autumn 2025

Please see below for information on the parenting team’s sleep workshops for those children experiencing issues around sleep.

 

Understanding your Child: From Toddler to Teen

Understanding Your Child Poster ALL Autumn 2025

Please see below for information on group sessions on helping and supporting with your child’s development.

 

Further information on Shropshire’s parenting team – and the support they can offer can be found here: https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/early-help/family-help-services/the-parenting-team/

 

Sports Day

As mentioned in previous diary date updates, Sports Day will be on 8th July.

This will follow the same format as last year – beginning at 10:00am and finishing at around 15:00

The children will be split into three different teams for the day – and will be competing together with points collected throughout and the winners announced at the end of the day.

 

In the morning (beginning at 10:00), children will rotate around a series of different stations in smaller groups.

Everybody will be having a lunch break together at around 12:00.

 

In the afternoon (beginning at 13:00), they will take part in races in their year groups.

 

We will then present the winners for the day with their trophy – as well as presenting medals and certificates for our KS2 athletics competition that has been taking place over the last couple of weeks in school.

We hope to see you all for the event. Same as last year, the day has been designed so that you can attend part or the whole day, depending on preference.

Brown Clee School Choir Performance – 11th July

Please see below information on a summer choir performances involving a choir from school, Brown Clee Community Choir and Of One Accord Choir at Ditton Priors VIllage Hall on Firday 11th July at 7:30pm.

Summer concert 2025

 

Children performing in this have already had letters – which have been returned. If your child is in KS2 and would like to take part, please let Mrs. Heath (dragonflies@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk) know as soon as possible. It would be great to have as many as possible performing.

FOBCS – Summer Fete

Raffle
We couldn’t have a raffle without the generous prize donations from our friends, family and connections, and we are so grateful for the prizes we have for our Summer Fete. They include:
🎁A signed copy of her latest recipe book by Sunday Times Bestselling Author Poppy O’Toole
🎁A voucher from Steele’s Family Bakery
🎁A printed slate from Mollabells Creations
🎁A flower bouquet from The Petal Bar
🎁Tickets for Jungleland, Telford
🎁A voucher for Reg May Butchers
🎁Tickets for Spirited Adventure
🎁TWO hampers from Shropshire Homes
🎁Tickets for Monkey Mania, Ludlow
🎁A voucher for Apley Farm Shop
🎁Two adult passes for Burwarton Show
🎁A voucher for Natasha’s Tearoom, Bridgnorth
🎁A pass for 4, for Hawkstone Park and Follies
🎁Two family portrait vouchers for Bill Leighton photography studio
🎁A candle from Lavender Moon, Ludlow
There’s just 4 days left to buy/sell raffle tickets.
Please can all money, stubs and spare tickets be returned to school or pre-school by Friday.
🎊Thank you @everyone🎊
Water or Wine?
We have lots of water thanks to the donations of empty bottles, but of course now we need some wine to finish the game!
We would be very grateful for bottles of wine from our lovely Friends Of Brown Clee School and Little Explorers Preschool – Ditton Priors community.
Please drop them off at Brown Clee C.E. Primary School or Pre-School this week.
Thank you @everyone

Calling all Bakers!

Parents, carers, family and Friends Of Brown Clee School, we would be VERY grateful for contributions to our cake stall at the Summer Fete on Saturday 28th June.
Pre-portioned cakes for the refreshment stall, or whole cakes/bakes (or both 😉) will be very gratefully received.
If you can find the time to help, please let us or the ladies at Little Explorers Preschool – Ditton Priors know 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 😘😘😘😘
Thank you everyone for your support😬😬😬

Menu Changes

Laura and Carla have made two changes to the menu up until the end of term.

Tuesday 1st July they will be serving mac ‘n’ cheese instead of fish cakes.  All other choices will be the same as the menu in ParentPay.

Wednesday 16th July instead of roast they will be serving pulled pork baps, gravy, stuffing, apple sauce with roast potatoes and salad bar.  The vegetarian option will be a veg goujons bap.  If your child would like the pulled pork baps please choose the meat option and if they would like the veg goujons option please choose the vegetarian option. There will still be the option to book jacket potatoes and sandwiches.

Staying Safe Online – Update Post – 28.05.25

Here is this week’s Staying Safe Online post: Ofcom Media Report 2025.

 

This is a summary of the key data from Ofcom’s Media report for 2025. The report looks at media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 3-17 – and gives a bigger picture of media use across the country.

The report itself can be found in its full detail here: Children and parents: media use and attitudes report 2025 – interactive data – Ofcom.

 

Alongside this, there are some free short courses available for any parent/carer regarding online safety that can be found below:

Online Safety for Parents of Children aged 3-7 | National Online Safety

Online Safety Training Course for Parents of Children Aged 7-11

Online Safety for Parents of Children aged 14-18 | National Online Safety

 

Here are the previous posts:

Impromptu FOBCS non-uniform day: Friday 27th June

We are holding a non-uniform day this Friday in an attempt to gain some last-minute raffle prizes and/or bottles of wine for the “Water or Wine?” stall for FOBCS Summer Fete.

 

All children can come to school in non-uniform for the day – and, if possible, any donations of raffle prizes or bottles of wine would be very much appreciated for FOBCS’s Summer Fete.