Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• What's happening at Bishop Chavasse?

  Wed 08 Nov 2023

  Did you know all that's happening at Bishop Chavasse Primary School and our ‘Outstanding’ Early Years!

   

  Our popular open afternoons are filling up fast, where the children can take part in a special Outdoor Learning session, and due to high demand, we are holding another open evening on 30^th November 6-7pm. You can also join us for any of our Tuesday morning tours at 10am.

   

  - Our Early Years has been rated Outstanding - Ofsted (2022) said: “Children in Early Years are confident, independent and happy – they love their school. The quality of Early Years provision stands out.”

   

  - Ofsted rated the school Good in July 2022, saying “Pupils are proud of their school. The values of respect and honesty were clear to see. This is a school with purpose and new direction.” Read more at: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/144634

   

  - We are proud to be a Church of England school, underpinned by a sound Christian ethos and our values of compassion, honesty and wisdom, which welcomes children of all faiths.

   

  - Our Two Form Entry school opened in 2017, and our modern school building opened in 2019, complete with brand new facilities such as: a dedicated music room, play therapy rooms, extensive outdoor play and learning areas, and a wooded area for Outdoor Learning.

   

  - In 2023, 76.7% of our EY children were “Reaching a Good Level of Development in key curriculum areas” compared with 67.3% nationally.

   

  - Key Stage 2 data 2023 showed that 79.2% were ‘reaching the expected standard’ in reading (68.3% national average); 69.8% in writing (60.1% national average) and 81.1% in maths (70.4% national average)

   

  - We offer wrap-around care from 7.30am to 6.30pm. Our incredible range of after school enrichment clubs includes a different sport every day (from hockey to tag ruby to dodgeball), pottery, painting, dance, French, girls’ football, boxing, gardening and sewing, and a special Early Years club in terms 1 and 2.

   

  - We have a full time, dedicated SENDCO, and play therapists at school: “Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Parents … were particularly positive about this aspect of the school” (Ofsted 2022).

   

  - Parents say: “my children love going to Bishop Chavasse: they are thriving academically and socially. There is a real sense of energy and excitement at the school, with lots of special events such as Book Week, and special services at the local churches. My kids particularly loved Sports Week with a mini marathon, climbing wall and different activities every day”.

   

  - Children in every year group receive Outdoor Learning sessions with our two accredited Outdoor Learning teachers. Children learn to swim at a local private school pool. We have a football team, netball team, two choirs and regular music lessons at school.

   

  - We have a thriving PTA, with regular fundraising and fun events for the children. Last term, they raised over £1,000 with a hugely popular disco. Coming up, the children will visit Santa in his grotto, enjoy a pantomime and our Christmas fair is on 3^rd December: do come along!

  

• Prospective Early Years 2024

  Thu 14 Sep 2023

  Prospective Early Years Families 2024

  Please join us for an exciting afternoon of activities for children due to start reception in 2024.

   

  Tuesday 19th September

  Tuesday 10th October

  Tuesday 14th November

  Tuesday 5th December

  Tuesday 9th January

   

  Children will get to enjoy an outdoor learning activity, sample some freshly cooked food from our kitchen, explore the Early Years classrooms and enjoy a story.

   

  We are also holding Open Evenings on Thursday 28th September and Monday 6th November for parents, and weekly tours of the school at 10am every Tuesday.

   

  Please email office@bishopchavasseschool.org.uk to book a place or call us on 01732 676040.

  

• Book week

  Sat 25 Feb 2023

  It's Book Week from 27th Feb to 3rd March. Here's a summary of what's happening:

   

  Monday 27th: Book Swap Shop – please bring books in for the book swap shop. Children will receive up to 5 tokens to spend swapping.

   

  Tuesday 28th: Bring a Teddy to school – a special author will be delivering a workshop to all year groups.

   

  Weds 1st: Pyjama Day – children are invited to wear pyjamas for a bedtime story with Mrs Strand and Mrs Hood. Please wear underwear and a top underneath and trainers or school shoes.

   

  Thurs 2nd: Book Fair – Usborne Books will be holding a book fair in the school hall in the afternoon from 3.15pm for parents.

   

  Fri 3rd: Book dress up day – children can dress up as a book character and bring the book to school with them to discuss in class. Please ensure footwear is suitable for running in playground.

• Choir visit to Barnes Lodge

  Thu 23 Feb 2023 N Stanton

  Our choir visited the local care home Barnes Lodge on 22nd February. The residents particularly enjoyed the performances of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', and 'When the saints go marching in'. Miss Clare, who leads our choir, aims to visit the care home once a month - a visit which the children love and the residents really appreciate.

  

• Press release from Tenax Schools Trust

  Tue 03 Jan 2023

  We are delighted to announce that the CEO of Tenax Schools Trust, Ian Bauckham CBE, has been awarded a knighthood by His Majesty the King in recognition of his services to education at a national level. 

   

  Alongside his leadership of the Tenax Schools Trust, including our own teacher training and Teaching School Hub, Sir Ian has played a leading role as chair of the Oak National Academy, which was initiated to provide good quality remote education during the pandemic.  He also serves as chair of Ofqual, which has overseen the successful reintroduction of examinations after the disruption of the pandemic and has led important national reform programmes in initial teacher training, relationships and sex education (RSHE) and the teaching of modern foreign languages.

  Commenting on the announcement, Sir Ian said: “I was surprised and humbled to receive this honour.  It has been a huge privilege to have worked alongside so many exceptional leaders and colleagues in all areas of education where I have been able to make a contribution in recent years. 

   

  To bring about change and improvement is rarely easy and always requires clear vision, collective effort and resilience.  I am very grateful both to those who have given me the opportunities to play a part across a range of roles and projects, and to those who have worked incredibly hard to deliver in the interests of our young people.”

   

  Sacha Strand, Executive Headteacher expressed her good wishes to Sir Ian.

  "We are thrilled that Sir Ian’s wider services to education, as well as his continuing work with our Trust schools and with the Kent Teaching School hub, has been recognised with a knighthood. Our warmest congratulations."

  

• We are open in the snow!

  Mon 12 Dec 2022 BCS Team

  If children would like to play in the snow today please send them in with appropriate clothing; a warm waterproof coat, waterproof or snow trousers (or a spare pare of trousers), wellies or snow boots, gloves and a hat.

   

  We look forward to having lots of fun today!

• Ofsted Inspection July 2022

  Sat 01 Oct 2022

  Bishop Chavasse Primary School was inspected by Ofsted on 5^th and 6^th July 2022.  This was a two-day inspection which looked at all areas of the school’s work and the report was published in September.  We are a new school, housed in a brand-new purpose-built building and now have pupils up to and including year 5. 

   

  Commenting on the inspection Mrs Sacha Strand, executive headteacher of the school, which is part of the Tenax Schools Trust, said:

   

  “I am delighted that following the rigorous 2-day inspection in July, our school has been graded as Good with some areas which are Outstanding.  The inspectors in particular noted that ‘high aspirations are reflected across all phases of the school’.  They graded our Early Years provision as Outstanding, making it one of very few school-based Early Years provisions in the area to have the top grade.”

   

  Mrs Strand continued: “This is a great achievement and has only been possible through the hard work and dedication of all our staff and support from the wider school community.  We are determined as a school to continue to strive to get better and better in all we do.”

  

• Our New School Building Unveiled

  Thu 25 Apr 2019 Donna Weeks

  Thursday, this week saw our school move into its new school building for the next part of its history.

   

  Headteacher, Mrs Donna Weeks said “It is a rare opportunity as a Headteacher to be able to be part of the process to shape the design of a brand new school; it has enabled me to ensure that our children and the community have bright and spacious purpose-built school with stunning outdoor spaces.

   

  'I knew how I wanted the school look and the outstanding provision I aimed to create, with specialist classrooms for food technology, nurture, themed group spaces, an inspiring library in addition to spacious classrooms for every year group, but never imagined the finished school would be as impressive as it is.'

   

  The new school building is a calm and spacious learning environment which provides great opportunities for learning both inside and outside the classrooms which will ensure that we are able to focus on the development of every child, enabling everyone to fulfill their potential and achieve excellence. 

   

  As a school, we are delighted by the support of their parents and local community who believed in our vision for the school, the first Church of England school in Tonbridge, from its inception four years ago to its move into the new building.

   

  The school currently has Years R and 1, and will have Year 2 from September when our current founding children move into their new year group.

  

• History in the making- Time capsule buried on our new school site

  Tue 17 Jul 2018 Mrs Donna Weeks

  This afternoon, Tuesday 17th July 2018, the pupils at Bishop Chavasse School made history when they visited the site of their new school building, and buried a time capsule with special contents celebrating our schools current achievements.

   

  As the time capsule was prepared ready for the burial on site, the children recorded their memories from their founding year and their achievements.  As well as including these memories from the children, it also contained:

  A photograph of our founding children,

  A USB stick containing photographic memories from the past year,

  One of our founder's ties,

  A picture of The Bishop of Chavasse

  Our first monitoring visit report

  and hard copy of section C, a copy of the original bid and the vision submitted for Bishop Chavasse School.

   

  Children, staff and Galliford builders alike recognised what a momentous occasion it was, one which marked a such a memorable part of the school's history.   

  

• Off to the seaside

  Fri 18 May 2018

  A wonderful day was spent beside the sea exploring this watery habitat and the creatures who make it their home.  For many children, one of the most memorable parts to the day was the visit to the Blue Reef Aquarium where the children enjoyed watching  sea horses, eels, sea turtles and even sharks, to name but a few,  swimming before their eyes.

   

  This visit supported the children's learning this term all about under the sea and about the impact that humans have on this habitat.