At Pilgrims we encourage all pupils to adopt a Growth Mindset to improve their learning.

The term “Growth Mindset” was coined by American psychologist Carol Dweck in her 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Dweck’s studies show that students with a growth mindset consistently outperform students with a fixed mindset.

A simple definition of a Growth Mindset is the belief that knowledge and skills can be improved with effort and persistence. Those with a Growth Mindset embrace challenges, stay resilient, learn from constructive criticism and are inspired by other people’s success.

Those with a Fixed Mindset, however, will often avoid taking risks and view mistakes as failures rather than opportunities.

Here our Deputy Headteacher, Mrs Quince, explains the different strategies we use across the school to support our children to develop skills that allow them to flourish.

A healthy Growth Mindset starts at a young age, which is why we look to instil all the right characteristics at the early stages of the children’s learning journey. Strategies are introduced, developed and built upon from Little Pilgrims to Year 2.

At Pilgrims we celebrate mistakes and view them as an opportunity to learn. The children then learn that they do not need to be afraid of making mistakes, but to embrace them and reflect on what they could do differently next time.

When facing a challenge, instead of thinking “this is too hard” or “I’ll never be that smart”, we encourage children to think “this may take some time” and “I will learn how to do this”.

We also encourage positive thoughts through the power of “yet”. The concept is that it’s not that they can’t do something, but that they can’t quite do it yet. I’m not good at this… yet. By adding “yet” to the end of a sentence, pupils believe that there is the opportunity to learn and improve knowledge and skills, promoting resilience and determination to succeed.

Our staff have been trained to praise the children’s learning process rather than just the outcome or achievement. Praising their effort, perseverance, motivation and strategies helps us show the children we value their learning journey and not just the end result.

We use our Learning Power Superhero Ragdolls inspired by Professor Guy Claxton’s Building Learning Powers; Doctor Reflection, Reciprocity Ranger, Professor Resourceful and Captain Resilience, to support a Growth Mindset throughout the children’s learning journey at Pilgrims. For example, Captain Resilience’s skills and habits are perseverance, absorption, noticing and managing distractions.

Developing a Growth Mindset from an early age not only helps the children with learning at school but will also enable the children to embrace new opportunities and experiences later in life.

At Pilgrims Pre-Prep, our children flourish in an environment that champions the core British values of inclusivity, community, liberty, respect and tolerance – no matter a person’s background or beliefs.

One way we actively teach and promote these values is through incorporating various religious festivals into our curriculum. By exploring  these religious and cultural celebrations, we help our children understand and appreciate the diverse world around them.

October will see the children learn about several important religious festivals celebrated by different communities here in the UK and around the world. Our Religious Education Co-ordinator, Mrs Woodworth, takes a look at what they have already learnt, and what is coming up for the rest of the month.

Rosh Hashanah Festival

At the beginning of the month, we taught the children about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which means ‘head of the year’.

This is a time for self-reflection, where Jewish people seek forgiveness for any wrongdoings over the past year. It’s a solemn holiday, unlike the lively New Year’s Eve celebrations in other cultures, with many Jewish people spending lots of the holiday in prayer at a synagogue.

Rosh Hashanah ends on Yom Kippur, also called the Day of Atonement. Jewish people may be forgiven for previous mistakes and misdeeds on this day.

After the religious services, many Jewish families come together for festive meals, often featuring symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey, representing the hope for a sweet new year, and challah bread, signifying the cycle of the year.

Through this festival, we aim to teach our children about the values of reflection and forgiveness.

Gandhi Jayanti

This month, we also introduced the children to the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Born on 2nd October 1869, Gandhi is remembered for his role in leading non-violent protests against British rule in India.

Gandhi was a leader of India’s independence movement and an advocate for non-violent resistance. His teachings on peace and tolerance are still influential worldwide.

His birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India and the International Day of Non-Violence worldwide.

Through discussing Gandhi’s legacy, we introduced the children to concepts of peaceful protest, respect for others and equality for all.

Harvest Festival

In October, we also celebrated Harvest Festival, a time of gratitude for the abundance of good food we have and a reminder of the importance of helping those who have less.

This Christian celebration is a British tradition which dates back centuries and originally gave thanks for successful crop harvests.

At Pilgrims, we teach the children to be grateful not only for the food on their plates but also for the farmers who grow it, the workers who produce it, and the community that helps make it possible.

Thanks to your generosity, we collected lots of produce during our harvest festival, from fresh and tinned foods to flowers and baked goods.

We then sold the produce to parents and raised £230 for this year’s school charity, Making Me

Any leftover items were given to Bedford Food Bank, which provides three days’ worth of nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred to them in crisis.

Often, we don’t take enough time to say thank you and yet these two little words can mean so much.

Diwali

Hindus

As October comes to an end, we will be preparing for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which will take place on Friday, 1st November this year.

Diwali is the most important holiday in India and symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It’s celebrated by lighting small oil lamps called diyas to mark the return of Ram, Sita and Lakshman to their kingdom, after defeating the evil demon king Ravan, and honouring  Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

Other ways that Hindus celebrate the festival include spring-cleaning the home, wearing new clothes, exchanging gifts, preparing festive meals, decorating buildings with fancy lights and huge fireworks displays.

Sikhs

Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs. For Sikhs, Diwali is particularly important because it celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib, and 52 other princes with him, in 1619. When Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the prisoners got back to their home town of Amritsar, it was the day of Diwali. Sikhs called the day Bandi Chhor Divas, which means ‘Prisoner Release Day’.

Today, many Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas by giving and receiving gifts, lighting diyas and spending time with family and friends.

By teaching about these festivals, we help our children at Pilgrims Pre-Prep understand and appreciate the diverse cultures, faiths and traditions that make up our world.

Through activities, stories and discussions, we foster a sense of respect and tolerance, encouraging the children to embrace the differences that enrich our community.

At Pilgrims, fostering positive thinking is central to our ethos.

We aim to nurture an environment where our children are encouraged to develop a growth mindset, seeing challenges as opportunities for learning and personal development.

Here, to mark Positive Thinking Day, our Headteacher Mrs Webster highlights how Pilgrims encourages a positive thinking mindset, not just on one day, but all year round.

We love to see the benefits of positive thinking blossom in our children. By providing a nurturing environment which encourages a positive, can-do attitude, we help them develop the resilience and confidence they need to overcome any challenges they face.

Reinforcing the importance of positive thinking highly benefits our children as they progress through their educational journey.

Growth mindset

At Pilgrims, we promote a supportive environment where mistakes are viewed as stepping stones to success, helping children build a growth mindset and maintain a positive outlook.

A growth mindset is a belief that abilities and success can be attained through dedication and hard work.

That’s why we encourage the children to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than obstacles.

We teach them that persistence and hard work can lead to improvement, with the aim to build their resilience and confidence in their abilities.

Teach problem-solving skills

We encourage our children to develop their problem-solving skills to navigate challenges effectively.

For example, we encourage them to brainstorm solutions, think creatively and consider different perspectives.

By fostering resilience and teaching them how to approach problems from different points of view, we help empower them to overcome any obstacles that come their way.

Celebrate successes and progress

Positive reinforcement is crucial to our educational approach. No matter how small, we recognise all our children’s efforts and acknowledge their achievements.

By praising effort and progress, rather than just outcomes, our children learn the value of perseverance and self-belief.

This aligns with the essence of Positive Thinking Day, where individuals are encouraged to embrace optimism and a can-do attitude in all aspects of life.

And remember … if you think you can’t do something, it just means that you “can’t do it yet!”

If you would like to learn more about how we designed our curriculum to encourage positive thinking, click here.

To foster well-rounded development, we offer a diverse range of extra-curricular activities that support children’s learning, growth and wellbeing. From swimming to football and yoga, to music and gymnastics, we offer an array of activities here at Pilgrims.

Our Headteacher, Jo Webster, explains how extra-curricular activities offer a wealth of benefits that extend far beyond the classroom, impacting the children’s social, emotional and cognitive growth. They provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment for children to try something new and challenge themselves that may be outside of their comfort zone.

Enhancing social skills

One of the primary benefits of extra-curricular activities is the opportunity they provide for children to develop their social skills.

Whether it’s collaborating in arts and crafts, playing on a football team or participating in a LAMDA drama club, these activities teach children how to interact with their peers, work as part of a team and communicate effectively.

These experiences also foster a sense of belonging and community, which is essential for building confidence and self-esteem.

Encouraging physical and mental wellbeing

Participation in physical activities, such as sports or dance, is vital for a child’s physical and mental health.

Regular exercise helps children improve their cardiovascular health and build strong bones and muscles. Additionally, physical activity has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and enhance cognitive function, contributing to better academic performance.

Extra-curricular activities also support mental wellbeing by providing a creative outlet for self-expression. Whether it’s painting, dancing or playing a musical instrument, these activities allow children to explore their passions and interests.

Providing a sense of achievement, purpose and skills for life

Extracurricular activities offer children a sense of achievement that is separate from their academic success.

Whether it’s scoring a goal or mastering a difficult piece of music, these accomplishments give children a sense of pride and purpose.

This positive reinforcement encourages children to set and pursue goals, not only within their chosen activities but also in other areas of their lives.

The skills they develop are transferable and beneficial across all aspects of their education and personal development. These include discipline in attendance and practice, resilience to bounce back from failure and perseverance to continue through the ebbs and flows of their learning journey.

Joining extra-curricular activities at Pilgrims

At Pilgrims we encourage all children to take advantage of the opportunities available, explore new skills, interest and passions, while discovering the many benefits that extra-curricular activities have to offer.

We strive to ensure that every child has the opportunity to participate in their chosen extra-curricular activities.

Nurturing talent

We understand how a keen interest in an activity can go hand in hand with development, so we inspire our children to build a lifelong love of the activities they enjoy. Our advice to parents would be to sit with their children and discuss the activities on offer to find out what each child might like and want to try.  Sometimes this involves trying more than one activity to find out what they really enjoy.

If staff at Pilgrims notice a child’s keen interest or natural ability towards an activity, we will mention this to parents, which can form the basis for a discussion. Alternatively, parents are welcome to approach staff to understand what might be suitable for their child.

Due to the popularity of some clubs and the limited number of places available, we encourage our parents to book early to avoid disappointment.

For information on availability and bookings, please contact Mrs. Cole in the main office, either in person or via email at s.cole@pilgrims-school.org.uk.

As the academic year draws to a close, we reflect on a year filled with musical achievements at Pilgrims.

Mrs Knight, Head of Music, and Mrs Bagnall, Visiting Music Teacher, share their highlights and proudest accomplishments from this incredible academic year.

Mrs Knight’s highlights and achievements

One of my standout achievements has been the remarkable growth of the string ensemble. Through dedicated recruitment efforts, the ensemble now boasts a record number of talented students.

I am particularly proud of the students who took their ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) examinations in violin, singing and piano. Their hard work paid off with excellent results.

I am also proud of the number of entrants we had for the Bedford Festival this year. We had individual pianists, singers, violinists, a choir, drama group, string ensemble and school orchestra.

This year, we have continued to enjoy our visits to local retirement homes with the choir children from Year 1 and 2.  We always have a great time singing and playing games with the residents.

We also had a brilliant bassoon quartet visit this year. The visit was great for the children to hear more unusual instruments.

On a personal level, I hosted a music guidance day for teachers from other schools who wanted guidance on teaching music and running a choir.

Mrs Bagnall’s highlights and achievements

My biggest highlight from this school year has been String Group. We have a record number of students playing every week and making a terrific sound.

We play lots of fun repertoire in anything from one to three parts, and we have recently started developing the children’s improvisation skills too.

A standout achievement for me this year has been introducing the viola as an instrument option for children this year.  I gave an assembly last year with the cello teacher to Year 1 and Reception to talk about string instruments. I brought my friend’s viola in to demonstrate to the children what a beautiful instrument it is.  The next week I had my first sign-up and I have another student starting next year.

I feel really proud to be introducing the viola to the children at Pilgrims. I am passionate about keeping the next generation of orchestras going and viola players are always in short supply.

My other great achievement is putting one of my violin students in for her Grade 1 exam.

Attempting Grade 1 at this young age is unusual and takes a lot of dedication from the student (and her parents).

We have never had a Pilgrims student take Grade 1 violin before, so it’s been a lovely milestone for me as a teacher too.

I am proud of all my exam students for how hard they have worked this year and hope that they have enjoyed the process and found the challenges exciting!

As we celebrate these achievements, we also look forward to the continued growth and success of our music department. Angela and Lottie are both excited to see what the next academic year will bring, confident that their students will continue to thrive and make beautiful music.

Summer has arrived, bringing with it a variety of sporting occasions, such as the Olympics and the European Championship.

At Pilgrims, we emphasise the importance of sports and regular exercise for our children, aiming to instil a lifelong love for physical activity.

Engaging in sports not only enhances physical health and fitness but also significantly benefits mental wellbeing.

Physical health and fitness

Exercise is crucial for maintaining a healthy body. Regular physical activity helps children build strong bones and muscles and improve their cardiovascular health.

Activities like running, jumping and playing sports enhance their motor skills, agility and overall physical development.

Mental health benefits

The benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health.

Engaging in sports and physical activities helps reduce anxiety and stress, contributing to better mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.

We encourage the children to watch the determination and focus of Olympic athletes or the passion and resilience of footballers in the Euros to inspire similar qualities.

Exercise also helps children pay better attention in school and promotes good sleep, which is critical for brain development.

These factors combined help children get the most out of their school experience.

Encouraging participation and enjoyment

At Pilgrims, we understand that while some children naturally enjoy sports, others may need encouragement.

Our dedicated staff work hard to find activities that each child enjoys to foster a love for movement.

Events like the Olympics help to showcase to the children the vast variety of sporting activities.

We give the children the opportunity to learn different sports and discover which ones they are good at and most importantly, the ones they enjoy most.

Healthy competition

We want all of the children to enjoy sports and so we teach them healthy competition, but also that having fun is not all about winning, it’s about taking part.

Healthy competition is encouraged, promoting values like teamwork, perseverance and sportsmanship.

We regularly take part in inter-school competitions such as tennis and mini-cricket tournaments, competing with pupils from other schools.

The European Championship, with its intense competition, is a perfect example of how sports can test and build character.

The children can watch their favourite teams and players navigate the highs and lows of the tournament, learning valuable lessons about dealing with success and failure, setting goals and working hard to achieve them.

Sports Day

Sports Day is a highlight of our sporting calendar, where children and parents come together for a day of fun and friendly competition.

Parents are invited to attend to support their children as they take part in a series of races to win points for their House. These are fun races, and the children do not feel they are competing against each other, instead they simply want to run as fast as they can, whilst hearing their parents cheer them on.

The same goes for the older children in main school, although the parent races can get a little more competitive!

These events reinforce the idea that sports are about effort, enjoyment and community spirit.

Sport is a very important part of school life for the children at Pilgrims.

We are committed to providing diverse and enjoyable sporting opportunities, fostering a love for physical activity that our students will carry with them long after they leave our school.

As the summer term begins here at Pilgrims, our Headteacher, Mrs Webster, explains what each year group will be getting up to this term.

Fresh from the Easter break, we have lots planned for the summer term – from preparing for main school to discovering creatures, exciting residential trips and more.

Pre School

It is amazing how quickly this year is flying by.

The children are all now in their final term of Pre School before they join ‘Big School’ in September. To aid your child during this transition period, you can support them by having an open dialogue about the exciting experiences to come and how they will be helped by the adults around them.

You may wish to help them build their independence, from putting their shoes away as they arrive home or setting the table for dinner, to writing their own name or tying their shoelaces.

Perhaps they could think about a game they could play with new friends or questions they might like to ask the new adults they will meet. All these skills build their self-confidence and growth mindset ready for the new challenges to come.

The children have lots of other exciting topics planned for their last term. From learning about jungle animals and discovering about bees on World Bee Day, to finding out about the different oceans and places all around the world, there are lots of fun activities planned.

Reception

It has been great to welcome back the children and to see them full of enthusiasm for our new topic ‘Wild and Wonderful’.

We have begun our new topic by creating mind maps to show what we would like to find out about various creatures.

The children have been lucky enough to have some of their questions answered by Chris from Animal Encounters. When he visited, he brought so many interesting species for the children to meet.

Also, the children will also be getting creative this term by constructing animals using kits or recyclable materials.

We can’t wait to see what the children create!

Year 1

This term’s topic for the children in Year 1 is ‘Stick Together Whatever the Weather’.

The children will be spending lots of time outdoors this term. We will be venturing into the local area, participating in forest school sessions and exploring the school pond – we can’t wait to see what we will discover.

Over the half term, you might like to visit some of the country parks in Bedford or plant some bulbs and watch them flourish.

Year 2

Year 2 are set for an exciting start to the summer term, with a three-day residential trip to Hindleap Warren.

On the trip they’ll experience lots of thrilling outdoor adventure activities and take part in teambuilding tasks like den building – as well as jumping into muddy pools.

These fun and engaging activities will help Year 2 build their communication, physical skills and mental agility while learning about different team dynamics and leadership styles.

We can’t wait to hear all about it and to share the photographic evidence with you all!

We have lots of new things to learn and fun activities taking place this term. We can’t wait!

As we welcome spring, we are looking forward to taking our learning and play outdoors even more – we can’t wait to see what we will discover!

Here, our Headteacher, Jo Webster, explains the role of outdoor play in cognitive development for Early Years.

With the clocks going forward and the change of the seasons upon us, we are definitely experiencing spring here at Pilgrims.

Our outdoor areas are beginning to look green and fresh, and our wildlife pond is brimming with new life.

The great outdoors offers endless opportunities for exploration, creativity and learning for our children. From running around the school field to playing in our mud kitchen, outdoor play not only promotes physical health but also plays a crucial role in cognitive development.

Enhancing cognitive skills

Engaging in outdoor play promotes the development of various cognitive skills which are essential for our Early Years learners.

For example, navigating uneven terrain and climbing structures helps improve spatial awareness and problem-solving abilities.

Playing with natural materials such as sand, water and sticks stimulates creativity and imagination.

Outdoor play fosters a sense of resilience and adaptability as children learn to navigate unpredictable environments and overcome challenges.

Social and emotional development

Beyond cognitive development, outdoor play also supports social and emotional growth.

Outdoor spaces provide lots of opportunities for cooperative play, communication and conflict resolution.

Whether it’s negotiating roles in a pretend play scenario or working together to build a den, children learn important social skills that are crucial for forming friendships and navigating social interactions.

Encouraging curiosity and exploration

Outdoor play encourages children to ask questions, explore their surroundings and make discoveries independently.

Unlike structured indoor activities, outdoor play allows children to follow their curiosity and discover things which interest them.

Whether it’s observing insects, building forts or collecting rocks, these experiences foster a sense of wonder and curiosity that lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

How Pilgrims supports outdoor play and learning

Our curriculum is divided between indoor and outdoor learning and is designed to encourage the children’s imagination and creativity.

One of our school values is ‘curiosity’ and our curriculum is built on this basis. From growing fruit and vegetables to going on sensory walks, and from den-building and mini beast hunts on the field to climbing trees – it all happens at Pilgrims!

We are also proud to be a Forest School. The Forest School approach uses the natural environment and outdoor facilities to offer children an alternative approach to learning. We aim to inspire the children to build a respect for nature and a passion for the outdoors.

We are also extremely fortunate to have our own school pond and wildlife area for the children to discover new creatures and learn about plant life.

The outdoors provides our children with a rich and dynamic learning space. Unlike indoor settings, the outdoors is constantly changing, creating curiosity and opportunity for lots of things to be discovered.

From fostering exploration to enhancing cognitive skills and promoting social-emotional development, outdoor play offers a multitude of benefits for Early Years children.

Learn more about our curriculum here.

Reading plays such an important part in a child’s development.

Not only does it teach them how to form words and sentences, it helps concentration while strengthening the memory and encouraging imagination and creativity.

Here, to celebrate World Book Day, Mrs Webster looks at the power of reading with your child. 

From babies to children in their early years and through to early teens, reading brings a wide range of benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact.

At Pilgrims, we foster a love for learning. We recognise the correlation between reading and academic success is unmistakable.

As the saying goes – practice makes perfect, so the more books your child reads at home, the faster they will learn, and this will help them at school.

Emotional development 

Beyond academic benefits, shared reading fosters emotional development.

Children who engage in reading with their families are more likely to experience enhanced happiness, better mental wellbeing and increased self-esteem.

Shared reading in the early years also builds a secure attachment between the child and their parent or caregiver.

Emotional closeness, expressed through cuddles, smiles and shared laughter during reading sessions, activates a child’s brain and contributes to a sense of safety.

Reading routine 

At Pilgrims, we encourage all our parents and carers to establish a reading routine with their children.

I recommend reading with your child as much as possible, but three to four times a week as a minimum.

Regular reading not only forges a connection between parent and child from early on but also strengthens family bonds.

Families that share the joy of reading together create opportunities for meaningful discussions, empathy-building and attachment formation, providing a solid foundation for the child’s overall development.

By starting to build a love of reading for pleasure, parents are giving their children the opportunity to be the best they can be.

Children who read for fun do better in a wide range of subjects at school and it also positively impacts children’s wellbeing.

Bedtime reading

Bedtime reading is a great way to relax, unwind and get ready for a new day so, if you can fit it into an evening it will benefit both you and your child.

Reading bedtime stories for as long as your children want them will extend that special time with your child and continue to help them experience stories in different ways.

Whether it’s Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or Room on a Broom, hearing a story being read to you is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things you can experience, at any age.

Research has also found children aged 3-5 who are read to at bedtime sleep longer.

Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of children, impacting their growth, motor skills, attention, behavioural regulation, memory, mood and resilience.

Read Their Way 

This year’s World Book Day theme, ‘Read Their Way’, emphasises the importance of letting children choose their books and enjoy the process of reading.

Pilgrims encourages families to bring reading to life at home through activities like a family book club, where even the youngest members can share their thoughts and opinions.

Perhaps you could encourage your child to pick up one of their favourite books from when they were younger. This may rekindle memories of learning to read for the first time. It will also show them just how far they have progressed and maybe how their taste in books has changed.

This approach not only makes reading enjoyable but also nurtures a lifelong love for books.

So, whether you’re reading to your children, hearing them read, or sharing a book together, the power of reading together should not be overlooked.

The world of imagination which reading opens up and the information they learn emphasises the importance of reading with your children.