The festive season is packed with activities in school, arts and crafts, music and drama. It’s such a lovely and busy time of year and brings a lot of joy to many people. It is so wonderful to be spending time with the wider school community and in our local community in Kew too.
A highlight is our annual Carol Service, which we are so pleased to be able to hold at St Anne’s Church on Kew Green. It is such a magnificent building and the stained glass and interior lighting made it look amazing, singing there is such a joy. We introduced a Broomfield first into this year’s programme, a lovely Spanish song about a little donkey, sung with such happiness by Year 3. The Year 6 children stepped up to the pulpit to read the Nine Lessons clearly and confidently, filling the huge building with their words. The service began with Elias, Year 6, playing the Trumpet Voluntary from the balcony with such heart that almost all the adults were wiping a tear from their eye. What a happy afternoon.
The parents of our younger children joined us in school for the Junior Christmas Plays, and made a perfect, appreciative audience to encourage the little performers. We saw the Star of Bethlehem reigning in the heavens during Pre-Kindergarten’s tender Nativity, there were penguins galore in Kindergarten’s adventure involving thieving polar bears and icicles coming to the rescue. Year 1 reminded us that there were lots of other creatures in that stable in Bethlehem, not just donkeys and sheep but also ants, bees, butterflies, caterpillars, ladybirds and even woodlice, this was a feast for the eyes with the most amazing costumes! Finally, Year 2 gave a storming performance, telling the tale of Norman Gnome whose offers of help were rejected by Santa who thought he was too small! But after all Santa’s other helpers, the elves and fairies, had tired themselves out, who is left to do the most important job of all? Norman was so happy to be joining Santa on his sleigh to deliver the presents on Christmas Day.
We also introduced another new Broomfield first, when the staff put on the pantomime Cinderella for the children. Mrs Pache was all charm and sweetness as she swept the floors with only her mouse friends for company. Much booing ensued as wicked stepmother, Baroness Anstey, and her ugly daughters (Mr Kennedy and Mr Pache) prevented our heroine from attending the ball. Fate took a hand as Cinder’s Fairy Godmother (Mrs Byers) waved her magic wand setting the scene for a fairy tale ending, as Cinderella fell into the arms of handsome Prince Charming (Mrs Brown). The faithful page (Mrs Hill) tried to fit the glass slipper on the chunky feet of the ugly sisters, before Cinderella’s dainty toes showed who it really belonged to. What a performance! We also enjoyed a professional Panto from M&M Productions who brought Aladdin to Broomfield. It was such a hit with staff and children alike that we have already booked them again for next year.
Christmas is a time to enjoy what is all around you and so we were delighted to be participating in our local Christmas event, Kew Sparkle. This lovely local occasion brings the whole community together. Business and voluntary organisations work in harmony to sprinkle magic fairy dust and light up Kew Village. An army of volunteers pull out all the stops and Santa drops in too. Broomfield’s Year 3 class performed a few well known carols on the Sparkle Stage, even singing a Spanish song this year , Arre Borriquito, about a little donkey. Thank you to the many, many people who bring this Sparkle to Kew every year.
We were also delighted to be back visiting Cecil Court Care Home for some cheerful carolling. Children from Years 4, 5 and 6 joined the residents to sing some rousing Christmas favourites, and to enjoy a cosy chat afterwards. There is something so special when different generations come together in common purpose.
The children also got to enjoy a host of Christmas arts and crafts. Iona in Year 6 designed our school Christmas card, an exquisite picture of ice skating and trumpeting angels. Our Christmas tree was laden with decorations created by each of the classes and we hope you enjoy seeing the wide variety of them in the gallery of pictures below.
Our wonderful PTA organised a terrific Christmas Fair with lots of games and stalls, scrumptious food and warming bubble tea and mulled wine. It was a lot of fun and raised funds for Dandelion Time, a charity supporting traumatised children and their families. There were prizes galore in the tombola, lucky dip and raffle, one lucky family even won tickets to see Blur at Wembley next year! Thank you to all the team who worked so hard to make this a fabulously fun evening.
The final Christmas swansong was to welcome PC Mick into school with his special friend, Santa. Imagine the excitement as the big man in red strode into our final assembly of 2022!
Broomfield wishes you all the joy of the festive season and hope you are able to spend it with the people you love. Let’s hope 2023 is a great year for everyone.
Categories: Academics
