Birstwith CE Primary School

What a wonderful and busy final week of this academic year we have had!

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for our whole-school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. The children and staff put on a truly fantastic performance and should be incredibly proud of themselves.

Class 1 and Class 2 also enjoyed a memorable trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, where they loved seeing the amazing animals and taking part in a range of exciting activities.

Today, we said an emotional farewell to our Year 6 children. There were certainly a few tears from both the children and staff as we reflected on their time at Birstwith. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and wish them every success and happiness as they move on to the next stage of their education. We hope they continue to build on the strong foundations they have developed during their primary school years and carry with them many happy memories of their time with us.

As we reach the end of another successful year, we would like to thank all of our children, staff, governors, parents and carers for their continued support. We wish everyone a wonderful summer break and look forward to welcoming you back in September.

Gaming is a huge part of many young people's lives, but some online features can blur the line between gaming and gambling in ways that aren't always obvious.

Our latest guide explains what skin betting is, why it's becoming more common, and how parents, carers and educators can help children stay safe online.

The guide covers:

• What skin betting is and how it works
• Why virtual in-game items can have real-world value
• The risks of unregulated third-party platforms
• Social pressure and influencer promotion
• Warning signs to look out for
• Practical steps to reduce the risks through conversations and parental controls

By understanding how skin betting works, trusted adults can spot potential risks early and help young people make safer choices online.

Following our recent visit to the Houses of Parliament, we were delighted to receive the attached letter from Lord Timpson.

Our pupils made a wonderful impression during their visit, demonstrating enthusiasm, curiosity and exemplary behaviour throughout the day. They thoroughly enjoyed learning about British democracy, touring Parliament and meeting both Lord Timpson and our local MP, Julian Smith.

It is always lovely to receive such positive feedback, and we are incredibly proud of the way our children represented Birstwith CE Primary School.

Well done, everyone!

Summer Reading Challenge 2026 starts tomorrow!

The Summer Reading Challenge begins on Saturday 4th July, and we'd love to see lots of our children taking part!

This year's theme is 'Read to the Beat', celebrating the magic of stories and music. Children can sign up at their local library, enjoy reading throughout the summer, and collect rewards, stickers and certificates along the way. Children who complete the challenge will also receive a special music-themed edition of Storytime magazine.

Reading over the summer is a fantastic way to keep children engaged, build confidence and foster a lifelong love of books.

Why not visit your local library this weekend and get started?

Happy reading!

We are delighted to share that Birstwith CE Primary School has successfully graduated from the Department for Education's English Hub Partner School Programme 2026 and has been awarded a Partner School Certificate.

This recognition celebrates our commitment to ensuring the very best outcomes for our children in early reading and developing a strong love of reading throughout the school. The programme has provided valuable opportunities to strengthen our phonics and reading provision, helping us to give every child the best possible start on their reading journey.

A huge thank you to our dedicated staff, wonderful children and supportive families for their part in this achievement.

We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to continuing to build on this success.

Screens are now part of everyday family life, but for very young children, clear and predictable boundaries can help screen time feel calm rather than constant.

Our latest guide shares practical advice for families, nurseries and early years settings on supporting healthier digital habits for under-fives.

The guide covers:

• Choosing age-appropriate content
• Protecting bedtime routines
• Keeping devices in shared spaces
• Co-viewing and talking about what children see
• Using simple scripts and transition warnings
• Modelling balanced device use as adults

With supportive tips and realistic routines, this guide helps adults manage screen time with greater confidence.

🎻✨ What a Wonderful Afternoon of Music! ✨🎻

On Tuesday, we were treated to a fantastic End of Year String Extravaganza, showcasing the incredible talents of our young string players and the wonderful Birstwith Bowers.

The children performed with great confidence, skill and enthusiasm, and it was a joy to see their hard work and progress celebrated in front of such an appreciative audience.

A special thank you to Ms Laverick from Harrogate Music School for all her support and encouragement throughout the year, and for providing such a valuable opportunity for our pupils to share their musical achievements.

We are incredibly proud of all the children who took part and represented our school so brilliantly.

Well done, everyone! 🎶👏

A huge thank you to our amazing PTA and school community!

To everyone involved in the Summer Fair and the PTA Fewston Café takeover – we want to say a heartfelt thank you for all your hard work over the past two weekends.

While the events themselves were fantastic, we know the real effort goes into the planning, preparation, and clearing up – and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed!

On behalf of everyone at Birstwith School, we are incredibly grateful for the time you gave up, especially your precious weekends with family.

A big thank you as well to all the parents and friends who came along to support us – it truly means so much to our school community.

We’ve included some lovely photos from the events – with permission – so do take a look and enjoy!

It was fantastic to welcome pupils from Birstwith CE Primary School and Markington C of E Primary and Nursery School to Parliament last week.

The pupils enjoyed a tour of the Palace of Westminster and took part in a workshop with Parliament's Education Team before joining me for a Q&A session.

They asked some excellent questions and showed a real interest in how Parliament and democracy work.

Thank you to all the pupils, teachers and staff for making it such a great visit.

There is still time to buy tickets for our PTA Summer Raffle which will be drawn as they take over Fewston Tea Rooms this weekend - the raffle is being drawn on Sunday afternoon.
Tickets are £1.00 each and there are some amazing prizes to be won.
Additional tickets can be collected from the PTA or the school office. Please could ticket stubs and contributions (as well as any unsold tickets) be returned to school by Thursday of this week.