BSG Newsletter - March 24th

Over the last few weeks, our nursery class has been immersed in a wonderful learning journey exploring seeds, growth, and how to care for plants. This learning forms part of our core text, The Gigantic Turnip, and sits within our cross-curricular unit on Understanding the World. Through these hands-on experiences, the children are able to link their learning at school with the real world around them, making meaningful connections to their own lives and environments.

We are incredibly fortunate to have our own blueberry, strawberry, and tomato plantations here at school. This has been hugely engaging, with many children taking on the important responsibility of watering the plants each day. It has been wonderful to see the children develop a sense of care as they watch the plants grow and change over time. The children have observed the blueberries transform from green to blue and purple, the tomatoes progress through shades of green, yellow, and finally red,and have developed an understanding of the growth cycle. Once the fruits are ready to pick and have grown sufficiently, the children have had the joy of harvesting and tasting their own produce, creating a complete cycle from seed to table.

Our learning was further enriched by a wonderful field trip visit to a farm on Thursday. The children had the opportunity to plant seedlings, pull up vegetables, and learn firsthand about where food comes from. Beyond the gardening experiences, the children were also able to engage with a variety of animals including rabbits and pigs, learning about them through hands-on feeding and interaction.

Through these enriching, sensory-rich experiences, both at school and on our farm visit, children are developing holistic understanding across multiple areas of learning. This fosters curiosity and scientific thinking about the natural world, builds fine and gross motor skills, and develops language and vocabulary to describe growth and change.

Last week in Year 5, pupils took part in an exciting hands-on science experiment to explore the phases of the Moon. Working in small groups, the children were given a ping-pong ball, a lunar phase diagram, a torch, and an iPad. Their challenge was to recreate the different phases of the Moon by carefully positioning the light source and the “Moon” in a darkened environment.

Using their understanding of how light from the Sun reflects off the Moon, pupils experimented with angles and positioning to accurately model each phase. They then captured photographs of their results on the iPads, showing everything from a newmoon through to a full moon.

The final images have been combined into creative PicCollages, showcasing both their scientific understanding and their digital skills. These collages will be proudly displayed at our upcoming Year 5 Stay and Learn event, where families will be able to see the children’s fantastic work firsthand.

It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm, teamwork, and curiosity throughout the activity—well done, Year 5!

Excitement was in the air as our Year 4–6 students took to the court for a fast-paced House Netball Competition! With four teams battling it out in a thrilling tournament format, every game was packed with energy, teamwork, and determination.

Each match consisted of two quick 4-minute halves, keeping players on their toes and spectators cheering non-stop. Despite the short games, the skill level on display was fantastic, with sharp passing, great shooting, and impressive defensive efforts across all teams.

After a series of closely contested matches, it was the Saxons who emerged victorious, showing excellent teamwork and resilience to secure the win.

A huge well done to all participants for their enthusiasm and sportsmanship—you made the event a joy to watch!

We’re already looking forward to the next House competition!

What a great way to end the season!! On Tuesday, the girls team headed to CIS in Panyu to play in the GISSA cup. They won the first game, playing the best game they have played this season. They beat NAIS to take them into the Cup rather than the Plate. They showed great strength in the first game of the cup against AISG with the second set being 23-25. Losing the game was a hard point to come back from but the won the last match of the season with smile and laughter on and off the pitch. For many students, this will be the last game in U14 as they move into U19. It is now a chance for the U14 B team to start training and take part in some matches. Watch this space.

Last week, we celraebte Nuerodiversity Week—a tmie to regonize andapapericte the unqiue ways our birans wrok. Smoe of us lraen by lisetinng,smoe by seieeng, and smoe by dinog. Nuerodviesrty is abuot embrcnaigthese dffrneeces and cretanig an iunsclvie sptace where eervyone can thrvie.

You may have noticed the text above looks a little different. This is written in a dyslexia-friendly font, designed to make reading easier for some people with dyslexia. It was a small way for us to experience a tiny glimpse into how some of our students and colleagues process information every day.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is the idea that our brains come in all different shapes and sizes. Just as we celebrate different cultures and talents, neurodiversity reminds us there is no single "right" way of thinking, learning, or experiencing the world.

Informative Display Board

Our display board has been a hub of information all week:

Suggested Books – Fiction and non-fiction featuring neurodivergent characters and authors.

Famous Neurodivergent Personalities – Simone Biles (ADHD), Daniel Radcliffe (dyspraxia), Greta Thunberg (autism), and many more – proving neurodivergence is not a barrier to success.

Understanding Neurodiversity – Information on neurodivergent conditions, their strengths, and how we can be more inclusive.

PSHE Learning

In PSHE, students explored what neurodiversity means, the challenges some face, and the incredible strengths that come with thinking differently – and how we can make our school welcoming for every kind of mind.

Student-Led Assemblies

A special highlight was our Year 12 students Owen and Danno, who delivered an engaging, interactive, and informative assembly. They explained key concepts, shared powerful messages about embracing difference, and challenged us all to be better allies. A huge thank you to them for their confidence and passion.

At BSG, we celebrate every kind of mind.

For more information or resources, please speak to your child's Head of Year or our Learning Support team.