Woodcroft was presented with TfLs highest Gold Award for the third year running on Monday 20th November. Two of our pupil Travel Ambassadors accepted the award on behalf of the school at a presentation ceremony held at The Camden Centre, London. The STARS award is recognition of our outstanding achievements promoting healthy travel.

A report by Julia, Y6 Travel Ambassador

We had an interesting expedition on Monday and set off to the ceremony using the Northern Line from Burnt Oak. Unfortunately, due to points failure we had to change trains and our journey took a little longer than expected. When we arrived at the Camden Centre there were lots of workshops that were great fun . My favourite was when we competed in quizzes about road safety against other schools. We also found out about some very good ideas that we would like to put into practise at Woodcroft.  Collecting our Gold STARS Award was very exciting and we felt very proud representing our school. It was a really great day.

About STARS – Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe

STARS is TfL’s accreditation scheme for London schools. It is designed to inspire young Londoners to travel to school sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely by championing walking, scooting and cycling.

The programme supports pupils’ wellbeing, helps to reduce congestion at the school gates and improve road safety and air quality. Schools submit detailed Travel Plans for bronze, silver or gold accreditation based on your achievements over the year.

The Parents’ Promise Licence

The Police set our pupils an assignment (see Newsletter 292) to encourage safer driving in the community. Pupils interviewed parents and carers about their driving habits and aksed them to sign a pledge. They then issued drivers with a special licence that they had decorated.

For more information about the project visit: http://dontriskit.info/kidsinthecar

Competition Time

Prizes for the best licences from each class are being awarded – take a look at the entries below. The winners will be judge by PC Rolfe from the Metropolitan Police Roads and Transport Team. They will then be submitted into a Metropolitan Police competition involving schools from across the local area.

Can you spot your licence below? Who would be your winner?

Carmen Poster

Excitement is growing as the performance of Carmen draws ever closer! Year 6 will be performing their final production of this dramatic opera at 2:30 on 9th November for families and friends.

Year 6 have been working with the Royal Opera House on their national programme ‘Create and Sing Carmen.’ It has allowed the pupils to involve themselves in every aspect of staging an opera; including rehearsing the songs, choreographing dances, creating costumes, arranging the set and lighting design. This project also forms part of their Bronze Arts Award.

Take a look at our rehearsal video…

Pupils dressed in traditional costume representing their home nation.

We enjoyed the highlight of our International Week on Wednesday 18th October with our National Dress and Colours Day. Thank you to everyone for their enthusiasm and support of this event, as we celebrate the rich diversity of culture that makes Woodcroft so special. Our theme of One World, One Community, One Woodcroft supports our school ethos, ‘Together Towards Success’. When children paraded in assembly we had representatives from every continent of the world!    

Parents and carers click here to view the password protected: International Week Gallery

International Cake Sale
Our cake sale after school was the best ever! The cakes on offer were fantastic. Thank you to everyone who contributed a sweet treat. Lots of effort had been put into representing home countries; some of the creations wouldn’t have looked out of place on ‘Bake Off’! 

Harvest Festival Success – Share What You Can

Thank you to everyone for their generosity towards our Harvest Festival collections this week. We hope that you have an opportunity to take a look at the wonderful class hamper display and coin picture after school.

Coin Picture Collection

Pupils add their donations to the coin picture

The ‘coin-picture’ collection this year was in aid of ‘Age UK Barnet’ and the Mayor’s Appeal fund for ‘Homeless Action Barnet’. It looked fantastic by the end of the day when parents came in to see the finished design made entirely of pupil donations. We will report the total raised after we have had an opportunity to count it!

Harvest Hamper Display

Look at our amazing class hampers.

Each class displayed their own hamper in our assembly showcase on Friday. In the harvest celebration we sang songs, learnt about the importance of sharing and had a fun a smoothie making competition. Parents were then invited into school at the end of the day to see the amazing harvest display. Thank you to everyone for your generous donations.

Food parcels will now be distributed to nominated people in our community and the class hampers taken to Age UK Barnet.

Barnet Boccia Champions 2017

On Monday 9th October a team of five players from Woodcroft’s Boccia Club competed in the annual Barnet Tournament at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre. They competed against 20 other Barnet schools in a competition run by Barnet School Sport Partnership (BPSS).

After some fantastic play, Woodcroft’s all conquering squad progressed through the group stages eventually winning an exciting final against Tudor Primary. Woodcroft will now represent Barnet at The London Youth Games. Well done to our coaches, Mrs Ditchman & Miss Lisa, who run our weekly club.  (more…)

Our Class of 2017 Year 6 Leavers collecting their Arts Award Certificates

Forty pupils who left us in the summer made an emotional return to Woodcroft to receive their Bronze Arts Award Certificates. It was lovely to see so many of our Y6 Leavers come back for our annual Arts Award party and presentation evening held on Thursday 21st September.

To achieve Bronze, a Level 1 national qualification, pupils present detailed evidence to show they have taken part in arts activities, experienced arts events, research their arts inspiration and shared their skills with others. Bronze is available to young people aged 11 to 25 and is accredited by Arts Council England and Trinity College.

Year 6 plan their work and create online Arts Award portfolio folders to submit to Trinity College London for assessment. Over the year our pupils needed to have demonstrated evidence of over 40 hours of arts activities and study to be successful.

Well done to to all of our amazing pupils. Thank you to the Woodcroft staff who have trained as Arts Award Advisers to be able to the run this programme.

Woodcroft has received notification that we have been successfully reaccredited with the GOLD Level STARS for our  2016 -17 journey to school action planning. This is the highest STARS award for promoting Sustainable Travel (Active, Responsible and Safe)  in Transport for London’s (TfL) strategic framework. This programme encourages and rewards schools for adopting  safer and more active travel behaviour. For more information follow: https://stars.tfl.gov.uk/.

Woodcroft has been invited to the Gold Awards Ceremony in London on 20th November.