Dear Parents and Carers,

I want to thank you all for your kind words and support during such a sad week. It truly reflects the wonderful community we are, full of kindness and compassion. The children have been incredible and it is important that we give them the time and space they need. I cannot thank the staff enough for their support and kindness during this difficult time. Please look after yourselves and give your children a big hug. Thank you for all your kind words, emails ands support. It means a lot. 

Next week is Children’s Mental Health Week. The theme for this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week is "This is my Place." This means feeling like you are part of something, such as your family, school, group of friends, or a team. These joyful moments help us feel connected, valued and accepted. When we feel like we belong, we feel happy, safe and ready to learn and play. It helps us grow strong in our minds and bodies and makes it easier to make friends, do well at school and feel good about ourselves. During Children’s Mental Health Week, we will discuss how we can help everyone feel like they belong. We will share "This is my Place" with the children so we can learn from each other about what makes us happy. We will learn about the importance of kindness, including others and ensuring no one feels left out. We want children to know that everyone deserves a place where they are accepted, cared for, and loved.

In Year 4 Cerise's assembly this week, we travelled back in time to the royal courts of the Tudor dynasty. The children delivered a fantastic assembly in the style of a Horrible Histories episode. Through their brilliantly engaging presentation, we learned all about Henry VIII and his famous six wives, the unique style and structure of Tudor houses, pastimes in Tudor England, including the works of William Shakespeare, and how Queen Elizabeth I successfully defeated the Spanish Armada. The children spoke with confidence and clarity. Well done, Cerise class. 

This week, we were delighted to welcome the North London Waste Authority for a whole-school assembly focused on the impact of food waste on our climate. Pupils learned just how much energy goes into producing the food we eat, and why it’s so important to take only what we can finish, do our best to eat what’s on our plate, and make sure any leftovers go in the correct bin. The NLWA has also been working closely with our Eco Committee to help us understand how much waste we produce as a school and how we can reduce it. This assembly supports our ongoing whole-school goal to reduce waste and make more sustainable choices as a community.

On Tuesday, Year 2 welcomed the Jewish Museum into school for a workshop about the Torah. They learned about the importance of the Torah in Judaism, how it is written and read and also had the opportunity to explore artefacts from the museum. Year 2 tried on a kippah and a tallit and examined a yad and a mezuzah. Finally, they attempted to write in Hebrew using calligraphy pens and did their best to write from right to left. Year 2 also went on a trip to St Mary's Church to learn more about Christianity and the Bible. The children got to explore the different areas of the church and noticed the story of Jesus in the stained-glass windows. After that, the children enjoyed acting out the Gospel story of Jesus calming the storm and listened to a piece of music about this story. Year 2 were brilliant during both the trip and the workshop. Well done, Year 2.

This week, Reception enjoyed an extremely successful visit to the London Canal Museum. The children explored the fascinating history of the canals, learning how canal boats were originally pulled by horses before tractors were introduced. They had the opportunity to step inside a section of a canal boat, which gave them a real sense of what life on board would have been like. The role-play ice cream shop was a particular highlight and the children were fascinated by the chance to peer into a large ice cave, once used to store ice transported by canal all the way from Norway. Throughout the visit, the children showed great curiosity and engagement, asking many thoughtful questions. Well done, Reception. I am so pleased you had such a lovely time and were so well behaved.

Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you once again for all your kindness, compassion, and thoughtfulness this week. It truly means a lot.

Jessica

Headteacher