We've reached the end of the shortest half term in the year, but while it's been short, it's certainly been packed.  It's hard to believe that Liddington was only three weeks ago: since then, so much has happened!

Last week, the children did their final run of practice SATS tests before the real things in May.  They've made some excellent progress since the beginning of the year, and we are delighted by the scores they achieved this time.  With four weeks of revision to go after Easter, we're ready for one last push to see what we can manage - but we're very optimistic about our final results.

More interestingly, the last three weeks have seen us take part in World Book Day, bake our own bread recipes, visit the church for the Easter Project, enjoy the activities of World Maths Day, and visit the Science Dome - and that's on top of all the regular day-to-day learning that's taken place.  Suffice to say, we're now fully ready for a short holiday to recharge our batteries before we head into the final leg of the year...

Last week, members of our school’s swim squad took part in the Hampshire Primary Schools Relay Championships at Waterlooville Pool. This prestigious County-level event brings together teams from across Hampshire and is overseen by qualified referees and stroke judges. Every dive, stroke and takeover is closely monitored to ensure full compliance with Swim England rules, making the competition both exciting and nerve‑wracking for young swimmers.

Our pupils rose to the challenge brilliantly, showing skill, determination, and excellent teamwork throughout the event.

Outstanding Results

Freestyle Relay

• Girls A Team – Gold Medal (1st place) 🥇
• Boys A Team – Silver Medal (2nd place) 🥈
• Girls B Team – 5th place
• Boys B Team – Disqualified (takeover)

Mixed Stroke Relay

• Girls A Team – Gold Medal (1st place) 🥇
• Girls B Team – 5th place
• Boys A Team – Disqualified (takeover, although their time would have secured 2nd place)
• Boys B Team – 5th place

Looking Ahead: Regional Finals in April

We are incredibly proud that:

• Girls A Mixed Stroke Team
• Girls A Freestyle Team
• Boys A Freestyle Team

have all qualified for the South East of England Finals, taking place in Guildford at the end of April.

They will represent Hampshire against leading school teams from Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire.

Every swimmer who competed gave their absolute best and represented the school wonderfully. Their hard work, commitment, and team spirit were clear to see, and we could not be more proud of their achievements.

A massive congratulations to all involved—and good luck to our qualifying teams as they prepare for the South East finals!

Yesterday, every pupil across the school took part in World Maths Day, and what an incredible day it was!

We were delighted to welcome The Happy Puzzle Company, who worked with each class to deliver exciting, hands‑on problem‑solving workshops. These fantastic sessions were generously funded by our wonderful PTA – thank you for making this possible! 💛

Alongside the workshops, pupils enjoyed a wide range of maths activities throughout the day, from puzzles and challenges to games that celebrated the joy of mathematics.

A special thank you to Mrs Mars (Maths Lead) for organising the day so brilliantly for the whole school. Your hard work ensured a fun, engaging and inspiring experience for all our pupils. 🌟

It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm, teamwork, and mathematical curiosity across the school. Well done, everyone!

This week we said heartfelt goodbyes to two long‑serving and much‑loved members of the BWJS team.

After 22 wonderful years of dedicated teaching, we bid farewell to Mrs Katy Zillwood. Katy has inspired countless children with her warmth, passion and commitment. She will be greatly missed by pupils, staff and families alike. We wish her every happiness for the future.

We also said goodbye to Mrs Sam Baldwin, our highly respected Finance Officer, who has been part of BWJS since September 2000. Sam has been a true professional throughout, keeping a careful and watchful eye on the school budget and ensuring everything behind the scenes ran smoothly. Our sincere thanks go to her for her many years of service.

To both Katy and Sam — thank you for everything. You have each played a huge part in the life of our school, and you leave with our warmest wishes for the future. 💛

We've reached the end of the shortest half term in the year, but while it's been short, it's certainly been packed.  It's hard to believe that Liddington was only three weeks ago: since then, so much has happened!

Last week, the children did their final run of practice SATS tests before the real things in May.  They've made some excellent progress since the beginning of the year, and we are delighted by the scores they achieved this time.  With four weeks of revision to go after Easter, we're ready for one last push to see what we can manage - but we're very optimistic about our final results.

More interestingly, the last three weeks have seen us take part in World Book Day, bake our own bread recipes, visit the church for the Easter Project, enjoy the activities of World Maths Day, and visit the Science Dome - and that's on top of all the regular day-to-day learning that's taken place.  Suffice to say, we're now fully ready for a short holiday to recharge our batteries before we head into the final leg of the year...

Last week, members of our school’s swim squad took part in the Hampshire Primary Schools Relay Championships at Waterlooville Pool. This prestigious County-level event brings together teams from across Hampshire and is overseen by qualified referees and stroke judges. Every dive, stroke and takeover is closely monitored to ensure full compliance with Swim England rules, making the competition both exciting and nerve‑wracking for young swimmers.

Our pupils rose to the challenge brilliantly, showing skill, determination, and excellent teamwork throughout the event.

Outstanding Results

Freestyle Relay

• Girls A Team – Gold Medal (1st place) 🥇
• Boys A Team – Silver Medal (2nd place) 🥈
• Girls B Team – 5th place
• Boys B Team – Disqualified (takeover)

Mixed Stroke Relay

• Girls A Team – Gold Medal (1st place) 🥇
• Girls B Team – 5th place
• Boys A Team – Disqualified (takeover, although their time would have secured 2nd place)
• Boys B Team – 5th place

Looking Ahead: Regional Finals in April

We are incredibly proud that:

• Girls A Mixed Stroke Team
• Girls A Freestyle Team
• Boys A Freestyle Team

have all qualified for the South East of England Finals, taking place in Guildford at the end of April.

They will represent Hampshire against leading school teams from Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire.

Every swimmer who competed gave their absolute best and represented the school wonderfully. Their hard work, commitment, and team spirit were clear to see, and we could not be more proud of their achievements.

A massive congratulations to all involved—and good luck to our qualifying teams as they prepare for the South East finals!