Jessica's Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 12th June 2026

Fri 12 Jun 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you have had a lovely week. We have, especially Year 6, who had an amazing week away in France, visiting a goat farm and a chocolate factory, as well as taking part in many other exciting activities. It is lovely to see them back and to hear how much fun they had. They behaved brilliantly and were a credit to the school. Well done to Year 6 and all the staff who accompanied them.

Thank you to those of you who attended our Eid Celebration on Monday. It was a wonderful success, bringing our school community together for a happy afternoon of celebration, friendship, and delicious food. Everyone had a fantastic time. Thank you for all the hard work that went into planning and preparing the delicious food, and for the kind donations.

Year 5 went on an exciting trip to the Natural History Museum this week. They used their creativity to design, build, evaluate, and share a solution to a real-world sustainability challenge using LEGO® bricks in a hands-on workshop.

On Monday, Year 2 went on a trip to the Estorick Collection of Italian Art. First, they looked at one of the exhibitions and discussed why certain pieces of art had been displayed together. Then the children explored the gallery and discussed which artworks featured geometric or organic shapes, warm or cool colours, and whether they were abstract or realistic. Finally, they had a go at being mini curators and decided which pieces of art they wanted to group together, creating their own class art exhibition.

We look forward to seeing you at Sports Day on Friday in Clissold Park. I hope the weather will be kind to us. Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will be there in the morning, and KS2 will be there in the afternoon. We ask that you stand behind the barriers provided. Children will walk back to school afterwards and will be picked up from school as normal. We look forward to the parents/carers race, too. A letter with all the information has been emailed, and we ask that the children wear their Team Betty t-shirts.

Please check the school calendar for any upcoming events. We have Parents and Carers Week coming up, during which the children will be doing STEM activities with you. Parents and carers will be invited in the afternoons, and your child can share their work from the year with you.

The school has recently partnered with an exciting new local food business in a fundraising initiative. Based in N16, Larder, makes delicious frozen ready meals using great British ingredients with no additives, and delivers to your door. Input the code BETTY at checkout and 5% of your purchase will go back to the school. In addition, you can sign up with the following link to get 15% off your first order here.

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 5th June 2026

Thu 04 Jun 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you had a lovely half-term break. It is lovely to see everyone back. Thank you for coming to Blastonbury yesterday and coping with the change in the weather. The children were amazing, and thank you for being such a good audience. It was a wonderful celebration of country music.

On Monday, Year 6 visited the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art for an Art in Motion workshop. They explored a range of artworks, focusing on how different artists captured movement in their pieces. Inspired by what they saw, the pupils practised sketching motion using several techniques observed in the galleries. To finish, they combined their new skills to create their very own flipbooks. A lot of our classes have had a trip to this gallery, as it is local, and we love an art trip where specialists support the children and their learning in Art.

Year 4 Fuchsia have had the wonderful experience of working with the London Symphony Orchestra, and on Thursday, they attended the LSO St. Luke's. They performed their own composition inspired by Holst's The Planets with musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra. All the children were incredible and really showed their musical abilities. Well done to Fuchsia class and Zoe.

On Saturday, 16th May 2026, 116 children from Betty Layward School took part in the Hackney Schools Challenge at Hackney Marshes. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather, and the children enjoyed a fun, energetic day, demonstrating great teamwork, enthusiasm and sportsmanship throughout. Thank you to Richard Babington for organising such a well-run and enjoyable event and for helping to create a memorable experience for all the children involved. Well done to Stanley in Year 4, who came first.

The week before half term, Y1 Lavender delivered an exciting assembly all about the Great Fire of London. The children confidently shared facts, sang songs, and acted out key moments from the famous event. They worked incredibly hard to learn their lines and performed with great enthusiasm and confidence. It was great to see all the hard work that had gone into the homework projects, which looked fantastic. Well done, Lavender class.

A group of children from our cricket club participated in a school cricket festival. It was an exciting sporting event where children from different local schools came together to compete in friendly cricket matches. The festival provided young players with the opportunity to develop their cricket skills, teamwork, sportsmanship, and confidence in a fun and supportive environment. The children really enjoyed the event.

Before half term, Year 6 were delighted to welcome back Eric Huang, our Writer-in-Residence, for an inspiring writing workshop. Eric spoke to the children about his journey to becoming a writer, explaining that many of his ideas stem from his own life experiences, and encouraged them to see that they, too, can draw inspiration from the world around them. He then challenged the pupils to write a fantasy or science fiction story based on a newspaper report about a dog called Hades who survived after being lost in the desert for three months. The workshop sparked creativity and enthusiasm, and the children produced some fantastic ideas. We would like to thank Eric for such an engaging session, and we look forward to welcoming him back to work with the rest of the school in the future.

We are proud to share that the children from Betty Layward came second out of 11 schools in the Hackney chess league competition. Their focus, teamwork and determination were outstanding throughout the competition. Well done to Gene, Sacha, Jacob, Lucas, Henry, Al and Acer.

In May, Hackney District Girls made history by reaching the semi-finals of the Southern Counties Cup for the first time ever. It’s one of the most prestigious cups you can win. After successfully beating Newbury in the semi-final, they went straight to the final to play Chiltern and Bucks and won. This is such a huge achievement for the team and we are immensely proud of them. Both Clara and Livvie are representing Hackney District for the second year, after playing a year up last year. They are both very proud to be representing Betty Layward and we thought you’d be pleased to hear of their success. I’m not sure if you are aware of this stat- Betty Layward has provided the largest number of girls for Hackney District teams since it started.

On bank holiday Monday, Luiza and Georgie set up a stall outside The Spence bakery on Stoke Newington Church Street to fundraise for our school. They sold rolls, watermelon, cookies, ice lollies and lemonade. They raised a total of £292.75 for the school, with £141.25 in cash and £151.50 by card. The day before the fundraiser, they made flyers and put them around Stoke Newington. On the day of our fundraiser, Chloe, Sunday and Raisa came to help us at the stall. Louisa sang some songs. A huge thank you to everyone who supported them, to their mums, Joanna and Aida, who helped with the set-up and items sold on the day, and to The Spence bakery for being closed on a Monday. They had a great location. Well done Luiza and Georgie. We are very impressed by all your efforts.

The silent disco was really fun this afternoon and we loved watching the children dancing around the playground.

We are holding an Eid event on Monday, 8th June, in the playground after school. I hope you can join us. Any food donations would be greatly appreciated. We look forward to seeing you there.

Year 6 are off to France on Monday for a week, and we hope they have the most wonderful, well-deserved time.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 15th May 2026

Fri 15 May 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

This week, we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week with the theme “Action,” and the children truly embraced it. To show our support and raise awareness, children and staff wore green on Monday. Pupils also took part in outdoor movement activities, promoting real-life connections and the positive impact of movement on mental well-being. They created supportive postcards for one another, spreading kindness and encouragement across the school. This has been particularly helpful for our Year 6 pupils during SATs week, as they supported each other with encouragement. The feedback has been wonderful, with many children feeling more supported by their peers. We have noticed a very cheerful and positive atmosphere around school this week.

Year 6 sat their SATs this week, and they did an amazing job. We are so proud of them. They approached the tests with confidence and positivity and they worked incredibly hard. Well done, Year 6. We made sure they also know that they are so much more than an SAT’s result. I am really excited to see Year 6 enjoying their last weeks at Betty Layward. We will ensure they have the best time.

This week in Opal, the children thoroughly enjoyed den-building and construction on the playground, working together to create imaginative structures from a variety of materials. They demonstrated excellent teamwork and problem-solving skills as they planned, built, and adapted their dens. The children also enjoyed recreating Curling, a winter Olympic sport.

On Wednesday, Year 2 went on a wonderful trip to the Garden Classroom. They discussed how plants grow and what they need to stay healthy, then explored the gardens by observing, smelling and tasting different plants, and by drawing pictures of them. After this, they dug up some weeds to examine the roots under a magnifying glass and they created an oversized plant using different vegetables as the roots, stem, leaves and flowers. Lastly, they planted their own peas to take home. Despite the weather, the children took part in the activities with enthusiasm and were commended by the Garden Classroom staff for their scientific knowledge and great behaviour.

Year 4 had a fantastic time taking part in a science workshop all about sound and how it travels. Throughout the session, the children explored a variety of hands-on activities to help them understand how sounds are made, how vibrations work and how sound waves travel through different materials. The children showed great enthusiasm, curiosity and teamwork throughout the workshop. We are very proud of their participation and scientific thinking.

Thanks to those of you who are running the Hackney Half this weekend, and to those taking their children along to run too. We are very grateful for your support and for helping raise money for the school. Good luck. We know you will be amazing.

We look forward to seeing you at Blastonbury on Tuesday at 2pm. We hope the weather is kind to us. I know it is not always easy to see, but I know the children’s singing will make up for it.

We were lucky to have 3 new additions to Betty Layward this week, as the Nursery children watched 3 ducklings hatch from their eggs. They are very lovely.

There is no school next Friday, as it is an Inset Day. This will be the last newsletter of this term. We are really looking forward to next term, and hopefully the sun will shine.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 8th May 2026

Fri 08 May 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a lovely week, and we hope you have too. Peach class delivered a fantastic class assembly explaining the life cycle of a bean, showing how a seed grows into a plant through stages such as germination, growth, and flowering. They also told the story of Jim and the Beanstalk, in which Jim climbs a giant beanstalk and helps a giant using kindness and clever ideas. The children clearly intertwined storytelling with science. Well done, Peach class.

On Thursday, the children were visited by Fab Science, who led a workshop on forces. These sessions explored how air pressure can be used to squeeze a hard-boiled egg into a glass beaker. How the difference in pressure between gravity and air pressure can help a ping pong ball stop water from rushing out of a container. And, how the Bernoulli Principle can be created by a leaf blower to keep a beach ball floating in mid-air, just like when an aeroplane creates lift to fly. The children very much enjoyed the workshops and asked lots of probing questions about forces.

It is Mental Health Week next week, and the theme is Action, Action, this year’s theme, because while awareness is vital, real change comes when we take action too. Being kind to others and to ourselves is a key part of that. We are asking that the children wear as much green as possible on Monday (including school uniform), as green is the colour that represents Mental Health and it is a lovely way to start Mental Health Week. The children will be carrying out different activities all week. We are always letting the children know the importance of talking and being kind to each other. It is important that we all take care of our own mental health and look after each other.

Next week is the Year 6 SATs. We are so proud of all our Year 6 children and how well they are doing. We know they will do their best. Year 6 children can come in early for breakfast Monday to Thursday. We also know that all children are more than their SATs results, and they should be incredibly proud of who they are and what they have already achieved. We are very proud of them. Good luck, Year 6.

A massive thank you to all the children who are fundraising. This includes Emmett, Freddy, Silas and Luca, amongst others. We know who you are and how great you are. It is quite incredible to see all the enthusiasm and kindness from them. It is also lovely to see how proud they are of the fundraising. Thank you for your support with this, too.

Today marks Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday. To honour a remarkable champion of the natural world, the children took part in a live Picture News assembly that commemorated his life and legacy on his 100th birthday. Together, they explored his work, the wonders of the natural world, and why protecting our planet matters more than ever. Through images, discussion and thoughtful questions, pupils reflected on how one person’s voice can inspire global change and what each of them can do to care for the world around them.

On 16th May, a record 116 children and 20 parents will run the final mile of the Hackney School Challenge at Hackney Marshes. This is the largest number of entries from any school in Hackney, which is amazing. This final mile will complete a full half-marathon, following a series of similar runs at school over the spring and summer terms. There is no cost to enter, and even the t-shirt every runner receives is covered. There is a GoFundMe to raise funds for the event, with a £25 sponsorship target per runner. All money raised will go directly towards essential equipment and learning resources at Betty Layward. Here is the donation link: https://gofund.me/df92af551. Thank you for all your support with this, and to the parents and carers who are organising.

There will be a new PTFA event on Friday, 5th June. There is a cocktail-making class for parents and carers, and a silent disco in the playground for the children. More details to follow and tickets can be purchased soon.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 1st May 2026

Fri 01 May 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have had some opportunity to enjoy the sunshine this week. We have had a lovely week with Reception Aqua class delivering an amazing assembly. Their assembly focused on the life cycles of different animals. During the assembly, the children presented their very own nature programme, Nature News Live, which was full of fantastic facts about the natural world. The children also shared a letter they received from Ranger Jo at Clissold Park, who thanked them for the nature reports they wrote about the animals that make their homes there. Ranger Jo also set the children the challenge of looking after some caterpillars. Aqua class showed everyone how these caterpillars changed from crawly creatures into majestic butterflies. The children spoke very confidently and clearly. We are very proud of them and they should be very proud of themselves.

A group of Year 5 boys proudly represented the school at last Friday’s football tournament, showing great enthusiasm, teamwork, and determination throughout the competition. They played brilliantly against strong opposition, demonstrating excellent sportsmanship and skill in every match. The team performed exceptionally well and should be very proud of their achievements. We are incredibly proud of their effort, positive attitude, and the way they represented the school. Well done to all involved.

The fundraising by the children has already begun and we are so impressed. Emma, Alice, Ottie and Elsie from Cerise class set up a lemonade stand last weekend (with help from Iris y2 and Maddie y1) to raise money for the school. They raised £78 and had a lot of fun together creating their posters for the stand and making and selling lemonade after football in Clissold Park. Well done, we think this is amazing.

Last weekend, George (Year 4) and Max (Year 1), with help from Dylan (Year 4), Miles and Lenny (Year 1), put on their selling hats and sold lemonade on the street outside their house. They were really proud of their efforts and we are very proud of them. Thankfully, there was a long queue at the ice cream shop on Saturday, which made for a captive audience. They raised £115 from lemonade sales, which is amazing. Having caught the bug, Max headed back out on Sunday to sell some old toys and clothes. He raised a further £11. We think this is amazing and thank them all for their wonderful support. All money from both fundraising events will go towards their class totals for 20p day. Those classes are definitely off to a good start.

We were thrilled to welcome back the wonderful children's author Eric Huang this week, who previously visited the children as part of our World Book Day celebrations. We are excited to announce that Eric has officially taken on the role of Betty Layward’s Author-in-Residence. During his visit, Eric spent time with our staff to share his unique approach to generating creative writing ideas, and he has kindly agreed to run writing workshops for the children in the near future. We highly recommend checking out Eric’s fantastic novel series, Guardians of the New Moon, for reading inspiration at home.

We shared a video with the children about dyslexia and some of them have asked me to share it with you. Made by dyslexia's mission is to teach the world the brilliance of Dyslexic Thinking, and to empower it in every home, every workplace, and every school. Here is the link - https://www.madebydyslexia.org

We hope you have a lovely long weekend and see you on Tuesday.
Jessica

Newsletter Friday 24th April 2026

Fri 24 Apr 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have really enjoyed the sunshine this week. It has been a lovely change and it is great to see the children enjoying OPAL at lunchtime. The children have had a wonderful time playing in the sunshine. The warm weather has created the perfect opportunity for them to explore, be active and engage their imaginations outdoors. They have especially loved building, creating and role-playing with the Opal resources, using open-ended materials to invent their own games and stories. The children delighted in making fairy creations, using natural materials and their imaginations to create worlds full of tiny details and wonder. The children also had great fun getting the water out to clean the saucepans and pots in the mud kitchen, especially while enjoying the warm sunshine.

On Friday, 17th April, Betty Layward's children competed in the Hackney League chess tournament and finished first, outperforming six other schools. Well done to Sacha, Henry, Al, Gene, Luca, Acer and Cyrus. Their hard work and preparation paid off as they secured first place, an impressive achievement that reflects both their individual talent and their strong spirit.

On Tuesday and Friday, as part of their science topic, Living Things and Their Habitats, Year 4 visited Hampstead Heath to take part in the Heath Beasts Exploration session. During the trip, the children discovered the secret lives of invertebrates. They explored Hampstead Heath through a hands-on bug hunt and pond dipping, trying to find as many creatures as possible. They then tested their knowledge by challenging themselves to identify and classify each creature they found. These activities encouraged curiosity, close observation, and a deeper understanding of the diversity of living things in the local ecosystem. They really enjoyed it and were great ambassadors for the school.

We are really pleased to have been asked to work with Barnardo’s on its SEEN's Safeguarding Children from Racial Harm Programme. Barnardo’s SEEN is developing a national resource and safeguarding toolkit to help schools better safeguard children from racial harm and to better protect children of different ethnicities, faiths and beliefs from harm. To ensure it reflects the lived experiences, needs and realities of school communities, they will be working with 5 schools to understand the relevant social and structural context of school communities, collaborating through co-creation with children, staff, governors, parents/carers and mental health/wellbeing teams. They have selected schools to work with by targeting schools across England from a range of different contexts (different age groups, SEND schools, independent) that advocate for improved anti-racist practice in education. We are delighted to have been invited to participate in this exciting new project. We will be working with the charity Barnardo’s to continue our work on diversity, particularly understanding racism. Barnardo’s will use this work to support schools in safeguarding children and in teaching them to understand racism. On Thursday, Year 3 and Year 5 took part in workshops run by Barnardo’s as part of this SEEN project. What the children said will help Barnardo’s develop a national resource and safeguarding toolkit to better protect children of different ethnicities, faiths and beliefs from harm. During the workshop, the children were given a safe space to share and discuss their experiences and feelings about racist incidents and how they should be addressed at school. The children were incredibly honest, respectful and open about their feelings, and we are very proud of the contributions they made to support this extremely important project. The staff were also involved and asked about how they felt dealing with racist incidents. The information Barnardo’s has collated from us will be used to help create this project for use in schools. Barnardo’s will be returning to trial workshops and would also like to work with parents and carers. We are pleased to be part of this very important work.

We are looking forward to seeing you at Blastonbury at 2pm on Tuesday, 19th May, in the school playground. The theme this year is Country Music and we are really looking forward to performing these songs for you. We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Please can I remind you that we no longer provide cakes for children's birthdays. We provide the children with a small treat. We felt that, with allergies in schools becoming more difficult, it was better to do this for the children instead. Thank you for your support with this.

It is 20p time again. This is when children fundraise for the school. This year, we have added a new aspect, allowing children to fundraise themselves in any way they want, which does not have to be collecting 20ps. They could organise a cake or a toy sale. Any ideas are welcome. The winning class will win £40 to spend as they choose. Thank you for your support with this, as it raises a lot of money for school and encourages children to understand the importance of fundraising.

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine,
Jessica
Headteacher

Jessica Bailey
Headteacher
The Betty Layward Primary School

Friday 17th April 2016

Fri 17 Apr 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you had a lovely holiday, and it is great to see everyone back. I can’t believe we are already in the summer term. There will be lots of exciting things happening this term, so please keep an eye on the website calendar, where all dates will be posted. You can sync this calendar with your own to ensure you always receive notifications.

Year 3 enjoyed an exciting and educational trip to the Sir John Soane Museum as part of their topic on Ancient Greece. During the visit, the children took part in three engaging activities that deepened their understanding of Greek architecture and design. First, they created their own temples dedicated to a Greek god, carefully considering structure and purpose. They also crafted detailed designs for key architectural features, including the Parthenon, its frieze, capitals, and columns, demonstrating great creativity and attention to detail. The children then explored different areas of the museum, searching for examples of Ancient Greek influence. They visited the crypt, the painting room, the Dome area, and the library-dining room, observing fascinating artefacts and architectural features.

On Thursday, a group of Year 3 children took part in a Chess in Schools chess event at St John's Highbury Vale Primary School. The children had the opportunity to make a few moves against visiting chess masters and then went on to play three games against children from other schools. The children played incredibly well and placed third in the event. A massive well done to all the children who participated.

Please remember to donate to OPAL. We really appreciate all the scooters, wellies, etc. We are also asking whether anyone has any unused Yoto players (a storytelling device), as we would love these in Nursery or Reception.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 27th March 2026

Fri 27 Mar 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I cannot believe it is the end of term today. Where is the time going? We have had a lovely term and are looking forward to a fabulous summer term as well. On Monday, Year 4 children took part in a tour around the National Gallery. They explored various paintings and worked together to uncover the hidden meanings behind the objects, animals, and figures in the artworks. It was interesting how each child interpreted the paintings differently. They had the opportunity to engage in a collaborative discussion and sit in front of some famous paintings. It was a great day.

Thank you for all your help at the Jumble Sale. It was a great success. Including the sponsorship money from Oakwood for the boards, we made £3358.41 in total, which is £200 more than last year. This is fantastic and will really make a difference. Thanks to those of you who came and bought items, helped set up, ran a stall, and cleared up. It was a lovely event. A massive thank you to Fleur, who organised it all. As her child is in Year 6, it was her last jumble sale and I thank her for all her hard work organising them. Also, a huge well done to some Year 6 children who made nearly £100 for the French trip by selling their homemade items.

We had our school Eid lunch on Tuesday. We enjoyed very delicious food and each other' s company.

Year 1 Violet's assembly this week focused on hot and cold environments and it was very exciting. The children learned about icy places like the Arctic and very hot deserts and how people and animals survive there. A real-life explorer spoke to Violet class and answered many of their questions. This was a fantastic way to bring learning to life. Well done, Violet class.

The children are enjoying OPAL and the sunshine, eagerly exploring science through play, drawing around shadows and observing how shapes change. They have been having a fantastic time moving the kayaks on wheels and working together to create imaginative structures. They are really enjoying working together with energy, curiosity, and laughter.

Thank you for attending your parent/carers' meetings this week. It was lovely to see you and I hope you found the reports helpful for children in Years 1 to 6. Reception and Nursery will receive their reports at the end of the academic year.

Thank you for another great term. We feel very lucky to have you and your children at our school. I am proud of them every day, and their enthusiasm and kindness make it a pleasure to come to work.

I wish you a very restful and happy spring break. Have a very Happy Easter and Happy Passover.

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 20th March 2026

Thu 19 Mar 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a lovely week, and we hope you have too. Tuesday was a beautiful, sunny day with perfect conditions for running, and our pupils took part in the final cross-country race of the year. It was wonderful to see so many children giving their best effort, showing determination, resilience, and great sportsmanship throughout. A special well done goes to Mia for her fantastic 8th-place finish and to Aurora for her excellent performance competing against other schools in Hackney. We’d also like to congratulate Otto for finishing in the top 30 in the boys’ race, an impressive achievement. We are incredibly proud of all the participants who represented the school so brilliantly. Well done, everyone.

This week, Apricot class had a very special chance to help our local environment. They planted 70 trees in Clissold Park, which felt like a truly meaningful experience because we were contributing to nature and making a lasting difference for future generations. There are a total of 600 trees being planted, including Birch, Cherry, and Oak trees. This small woodland can be found near the start of the park, close to the zebra crossing by the Clissold Tavern if you would like to visit.

This week was Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a special occasion for us to recognise and celebrate the different ways our brains function. We held a special assembly where we discussed how everyone thinks, learns, and experiences the world in their own unique way, and why this diversity strengthens our school community. We are proud to promote kindness, understanding, and inclusion, ensuring every child feels valued and supported.

Saturday, the 21st of March, is World Down Syndrome Day, which we celebrated in school today. It is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about Down Syndrome. The children have been learning about the importance of inclusion and recognising that everyone is unique and valued. We wore our bright, colourful socks to celebrate differences and show our support.

We have our Jumble Sale tomorrow and we look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your very kind donations, and thank you if you are volunteering to help, as any help makes a massive difference. Thanks to the organisers. Events like this make a big difference to the school, especially as budgets are very tight.

Please ensure you have scheduled a parent/carer meeting for Tuesday next week. Years 1-6 will receive their child's report via email on Monday, so please watch out for these. If you would like to, you can discuss them during your meeting on Tuesday. Please remember that school closes at 1pm and the creche we provide is not for childcare. It is only available for the duration of your 10 minute meeting. Please make sure your child is collected at 1pm. If you require afternoon childcare, you can book this through Premier. We look forward to seeing you at your meeting.

Eid Mubarak, may this special day bring peace, happiness and prosperity to everyone.

Have a lovely weekend and see you at the Jumble Sale,
Jessica
Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 13th March 2026

Fri 13 Mar 2026 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have enjoyed a wonderful week filled with exciting trips and workshops. This week, the children in Year 3 had an incredible time visiting the Pompeii immersive experience at the ExCeL Centre. Using VR headsets, they could walk through a Roman villa and see what it looked like before and after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. In the immersive hall, the children also listened to the story of Pompeii from different viewpoints, which helped bring the history to life. It was a fantastic experience and a valuable learning opportunity for all. The children were excellent ambassadors for our school, representing the school superbly throughout the visit.

On Wednesday, Year 2 enjoyed an engaging Florence Nightingale workshop. They travelled back to the Crimean War of 1854 and imagined they were soldiers preparing for battle. The children then became nurses, assisting Florence Nightingale in cleaning Scutari Hospital to prevent disease from spreading and save British soldiers. Finally, they created a freeze-frame timeline of Florence's life from 1820 to 1910 and learnt a poem about her role in the war.

Year 4 Fuchsia delivered a splendid class assembly on Tuesday, during which children, parents, and carers learned a great deal about rivers. The class spoke clearly and confidently, sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with the audience. A highlight was their passionate debate on the importance of protecting our rivers, which gave everyone plenty to consider. Their original song was a joy to listen to, performed with great confidence and energy. Well done, Fuchsia Class, for such a lively and thoughtful assembly.

As part of our ongoing celebration of World Book Day, we were delighted to welcome Eric Huang, author of the Guardians of the New Moon. Eric delivered an inspiring assembly, sharing his journey to becoming an author and discussing the ideas behind his books. He explained how his stories were influenced by Chinese mythology and his love of fantasy and science fiction growing up. The children were truly inspired by his talk, and some have already begun thinking about their own stories after hearing about Eric’s creative process. Eric kindly signed books for children who purchased copies, making the visit even more special.

On Tuesday, 10th March, a group of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils participated with great enthusiasm and determination in the Hackney primary schools' cross-country competition. The children represented the school brilliantly, demonstrating resilience and teamwork throughout. Special congratulations to Aurora and Illaria, who both achieved impressive top-10 finishes in the girls’ race, an outstanding achievement. We are very proud of all the children who participated and thank them for their effort and positive attitude.

You should have received information about the Parents and Carers’ meetings. Please make sure to book one, as it is a valuable opportunity to learn about your child's progress. If your child is in Years 1 to 6, you will receive their report by email the day before.

Please remember that, if your child is in Years 4 or 5, Tim Fox, the Headteacher of Highbury Girls’ School in Islington, will be coming in to speak to you about the school on Thursday, 19th March at 9am in the school library. This is an opportunity to come and hear all about secondary school, as you will soon need to start thinking about secondary schools for your child.

World Down Syndrome Day is on 21st March and we will be celebrating on Friday,y 20th March at school. Please could all children wear their favourite socks, making them colourful, mismatched, and as interesting as possible. The idea is to celebrate something we all have in common, but that is different. The theme for 2026 is "Together Against Loneliness." Everyone feels lonely sometimes. But for many people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities, loneliness is a more common and painful experience. Thank you for your support with this.

We have our Jumble Sale on Saturday, 21st March, so this weekend might be a good time to have a clear out. Please volunteer if you can, as the event cannot go ahead unless we have enough volunteers. We look forward to seeing you there. Have a lovely weekend.

Jessica

Headteacher