Jessica's Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 19th April 2024

Fri 19 Apr 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back. It is so lovely to see you and your children back. I hope you had a lovely holiday. The children are back with big smiles which is lovely to see. I cannot believe we are already in the summer term. The academic year is flying by. We have lots of lovely things coming up so please look at the calendar on the website for dates. Blastonbury is on the afternoon of 23rd May.

Reception hosted Family Friday today and the parents and carers came into their child’s classroom and read together. It was so lovely to see and thank you to those of you who were able to make it. There are photos attached to this newsletter.

Thank you for attending your parent’s meeting before the holidays. I hope you found them helpful. We have given you your child’s report so we can work with you on their next steps this term.

This week we celebrated Autism Appreciation Week with a special assembly. We discussed what autism is, why differences are positive, and talked about some famous people who are neurodivergent. Martin in Year 4 presented confidently to the school, and showed us a brilliant lego animation video he had made. Classes have had discussions about appreciating each others' differences, and being kind, and have designed Kahoot quizzes about autism.

This is the last term for Year 6 and we will ensure that they have a really brilliant one. They deserve it as they have been and are absolutely amazing.

Year 5 Saffron are having their class assembly on Wednesday 24th April at 9:15am. We look forward to seeing the parents and carers of Saffron class then.

We have some great events coming up. There is a vintage and designer sale on Wednesday 24th April from 7:30-11pm at the Red Lion Pub (upstairs). Please help by donating one or two pieces of good condition pre-loved, vintage, designer, or high street clothing, shoes, and accessories including bags, jewellery and sunglasses. The focus is on women’s items but men’s and children’s clothes etc are welcome too. This could be anything you would sell on Vinted or eBay (washed & ironed on a hanger will help us). Thank you to the organisers, and those of you who donated, are helping or attending. It is great to have so much support.

Betty's Disco Bingo is on Friday 26th April 7.30pm at the school. Tickets are still available here: https://bit.ly/betty's-disco-bingo-2024 We look forward to seeing you there.

Please can I ask you to walk around the building to leave in the morning and after school. A lot of parents and carers are walking out of the main gates and it is becoming too congested. Thank you for your help with this and please can you tell anyone who does not receive these emails and comes to pick up or drop off to do the same. Thank you.

We are aware that a lot of children have smartphones or iPads and we are reminding them about how to keep safe on them. Establishing the rules on safety and wellbeing for using the phone or iPad is key. This means talking to your child about how and when they use them, why they shouldn’t answer unknown texts and calls, be aware of not giving out personal information online, and the importance of being kind online. Please encourage your child to always talk to you if they have a weird or bad experience online. We will continue to support this area too.

There is a meeting for Year 6 parents and carers about SATs and how it is managed on Wednesday 24th April at 3:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

I am sad to say nits are back. They never seem to go away. Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat them if you find anything. Thank you for doing this.

I hope you have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 22nd March 2024

Fri 22 Mar 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a brilliant week this week. We had a fabulous child led assembly about Spring. The children taught about Spring, Passover and Easter. They did an amazing job and we were all very impressed. Well done Juno, Manu, Livia and Bobbi. You are all fantastic.

The children have started leading our Star of the Week and Kindness Assemblies. A child in Year 6 will lead Key Stage 2 Assemblies and a child in Year 2 will lead Key Stage 1 assemblies. The children can volunteer if they would like to do it. We had two fantastic children do it this week. Well done.

As part of their ‘Living things and their Habitats’ topic, Year four went on a trip to Hampstead Heath this week to discover the secret life of invertebrates. They explored the Heath with a hands-on bug hunt and even went pond dipping to see how many creatures they could find. They learnt about how to classify these animals using scientific keys and got a chance to create their own eco-art. Lots of fun was had.

On Tuesday 19th March, the Betty Layward Girls football team represented Hackney at the London Youth Games. The Girls played teams from Haringey, Waltham Forest, Brent, Camden, Merton, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge. The girls did very well and showed great team spirit. Well done everyone, we are very proud of you all.

On Thursday 21st March, a group of year 6 children took part in a Kayaking competition at Leaside. The day started with 5 heats, the top 2 children would go into the quarter-finals then into the semi-finals and final. Well done to Rocky and Wilf who were the overall winners with Pearse and Sam coming second. Well done to everyone who took part.

We had a lovely lunch today to celebrate Holi. The children had Vegetarian Baked Samosas with Rice & Sweetcorn and Mango Lassi for dessert.

Thank you for booking your parent meeting. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday. The school will close at 1pm. Please ensure you pick up then. Junior Adventure Group are taking bookings. This is also the last day of term and we return on Monday 15th April. I hope you have a fantastic holiday and the sun shines. Thank you for all your brilliant support and we look forward to the summer term.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 15th March 2024

Fri 15 Mar 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for all your support with the jumble sale. We raised an amazing £3900. Thank you for all your donations, support and time. I am so impressed with how well the PTFA are doing and thank you so much for all the amazing fundraising. It means a lot to us and to the children. It makes a real difference. Dining with Damian has been postponed to the summer so we will have it outside and it is something to look forward to. The Team Betty t-shirts have currently sold out and they will be available. Please also follow Team Betty (PTFA) on Instagram – TeambettyPTFA.

Chilli class performed an amazing class assembly on William Shakespeare this week. They were brilliant. They shared a lot of facts about him and his work. They were confident, clear and just amazing. Well done Chilli class.

Thank you for signing up for your Parent’s meeting. The school will close at 1pm on Thursday 28th March and the meetings will start shortly after. This is also the last day of term.

There is a creche for children if you need it during your appointment time. This is not for the whole afternoon. JAGS will be here from 1pm so you can book a spot with them if you need it.

Jojo, a year 4 child, won Headteacher of the Day at the auction and carried out his duties yesterday. He was amazing. He led assembly, gave out gold certificates and was on playground duty. Well done Jojo. What an excellent Headteacher you are. I have attached a photo.

20p day will happen in July. This is when we ask the children to fundraise. We ask the children to find as many ways as they can to collect 20ps and then bring them into school in July. The class that raises the most wins £20 to spend as they choose. We have also said there will be a surprise treat for that class too. Thank you for supporting this.

Our Eco-committee received a grant of £250 for plants and had a lovely time buying plants this week. These will be put in classrooms and around school as we all benefit from having plants around us. Well done to the Eco- committee. You can see them with their plants in the photo attached.

A neighbour has come in and complained about children dropping litter in the gardens next to the school. Please can you ensure that they do not do this. Please can I also ask you to not stand at the main entrance and block it when children are still trying to enter. We have also started walking around the school so please come in through the main entrance and out through the car park entrance. Thank you for supporting us with this.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 8th March 2024

Fri 08 Mar 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are very glad the sun is shining and hopefully it continues. We have our Jumble Sale tomorrow and we look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for all your donations and to those of you who are helping on the day.

We are also looking forward to Dining with Damian on Friday 22nd March. It should be a lovely evening and we look forward to seeing you there. A massive thank you to the PTFA for all your support and time with all these events. I was so impressed with the auction raising £6,981.00 . A massive well done and thank you to all parents and carers who donated and those of you who also bought an item. I am looking forward to one of the children being headteacher for the day this month. I know they will be brilliant.

We had an amazing World Book day yesterday. The children looked amazing and made some excellent story characters out of a range of items. Thank you for supporting us with this. It was a really great day. Please see attached photos.

On Wednesday 6th March 2024 the year 4 and 5 girls football team took part in the Young Hackney Biggest Girls Football competition at Mabley Green, to celebrate International Women's Day. The girls took part in several carousel activities in the morning as a warm up followed by a football tournament with victories over St Dominic's, William Pattern and Millfields which meant we qualified for the finals. Unfortunately, we lost in the finals 1-0 to Queensbridge. Well done to all the girls that took part and Bonnie who won player of the tournament! We are all very proud of you.

Reception visited the farm today and were so well behaved. They loved seeing all the different animals. This was their first trip and they were brilliant. Well done Reception.

On Thursday 21st March we will be celebrating World Down Syndrome Day, and the theme this year is 'End the Stereotypes'. We are asking children to wear interesting, fun, or mismatched socks to school. The aim is to create a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome. Your voice (and your socks) can help us to be heard.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. We are all proud of who we are at Betty Layward. Happy International Women's Day.

Have a lovely weekend and see you at the jumble sale tomorrow,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 1st March 2024

Fri 01 Mar 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have had a good week. We had a lovely assembly this week led by children in Year 6. Tessa, Zoe, Emily, Nellie and Hugo taught the whole school about saving energy and looking after the planet. They told us about solar panels and will be fundraising to support the installation of them at school. Well done to all these amazing children and I look forward to their fundraising endeavours.

It is World Book Day on Thursday 7th March. The children can decorate an item however they like, as long as it relates to a book. They could choose a paper plate, potato, pebble, wooden spoon, shoe box, lolly stick, paper lantern, pillowcase, t-shirt, poster - the options are endless. Please can they then bring these into school on World Book Day to show their class. We would also like to ask the children to bring in their favourite book to share with their class on World Book Day.

We will be celebrating reading throughout the day and having some fun lessons and activities. Children can also dress up as a book character if they wish. We ask that we do not wear masks or costumes that are not book characters. Children do not have to dress up if they do not want to. Thank you for being so supportive of this.

Thank you for your support with fundraising for the solar panels. We need to keep going. This is a great project - not only will it reduce our bills and our carbon footprint, but it is also an opportunity to teach our pupils about the importance of working together as a community for a more sustainable future. There are likely to be further ways we can change our behaviours and equipment to reduce the school's energy use and mitigate its impact on the environment so we are keen to hear ideas from the school community. Ticking the Gift Aid box when you donate will raise an extra 25% on top of your donation, at no cost to you. All the donations given towards this project will be used for this project. If we raise more than we expect, or if for any reason the funds are not needed, the funds raised will be used to engage in activities or provide facilities or equipment which support the school and advance the education of our pupils. Thank you so much for supporting this. The link to the Just Giving Page is https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-betty-layward-primary-school-go-solar

We are looking forward to the jumble sale on Saturday 9th March. Please sign up if you are able to help, please donate items or come along to support it. We look forward to seeing you there.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 23rd February 2024

Thu 22 Feb 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back after half term. I hope you had a lovely break. It is lovely to see you and the children back.

Well done to George and Edith for their fantastic child-led assembly this week. It was about people who have made a difference in the world and they had done some amazing research. We all learnt about someone we had never heard about before. Well done George and Edith, it was a great assembly.

We have an exciting new event on the evening of Friday 22nd March – Dining with Damian. This will be a lovely sit-down meal in the school hall cooked by our chef, Damian. Damian has been a head chef in a variety of restaurants and the menu looks amazing. The tickets are £50 per head. This might sound a lot but when you see the menu you will understand. There will also be two sets of two seats raffled for £5 per ticket. I hope you will want to come and raise money for the school. It will be a lot of fun with very delicious food. More details on how to buy tickets will come from the PTFA. Thank you for supporting this.

We are fundraising to install solar panels on our school roof. Having solar panels will enable us to reduce our carbon footprint and work towards a more climate-friendly future. It will help us spend less on bills and more on the children's education.

The story so far …

A brilliant local community energy non-profit, set up by several former Betty Layward parents, Stokey Energy, carried out a successful solar panel Feasibility Assessment at Betty Layward earlier in 2023.

The assessment has shown that installing solar panels would help the school:

lower our energy bills
cut our carbon emissions, by generating energy from the sun
shade our roof, to keep kids and teachers cooler in summer with less need for electric fans

So … what could we do?

During the Feasibility Assessment the school's roof was checked and measured and planning permission for installing the panels was obtained.

We think we could fit up to 135 panels on our roof, which could potentially:

generate up to 40% of the electricity we need to run our school
save between £13,000-£23,000 each year
reduce our carbon emissions by 10 tonnes every year

But what would it cost?

Buying and installing the solar panels might cost up to £60,000.

Each panel, bought, installed and generating energy on our roof will cost around £400.

An inverter, needed to complete the system and turn it into usable energy, will cost around £1800.

We will need racking to house the solar panels on the roof, wiring to connect them, and a professional, MCS-accredited team to design, install and commission the system with a 10-year warranty.

With Stokey Energy's support, we will be applying for a grant of up to 66% available from Hackney Council's Community Energy Fund, but we will need to fundraise for the remaining 30% of the costs. We will be looking for other sources of grant funding, and we will need your help to raise the rest. Every pound we raise will bring us one step closer to another panel on the roof, another metre of wiring, and another hour of the team's time to supply and fit the system and set it working.

What can you do?

We have been spreading the word about this project and we've got some great feedback from the school community. Here are a few comments from our information stand at the Winter Fair:

'It is important to leave a legacy for our whole community - this doesn't just benefit our kids but the wider Stokey community.'

'This is a really good way to help the future generation to understand climate change'.

'Energy independence is key.'

'So good to see Betty getting greener!'

Whether you donate now (please don't forget to add GiftAid), research sources of grant fundraising, organise an event, take on a challenge, or fundraise your way, we would be hugely grateful for your support.

Please spread the word to family, friends and co-workers.

- Could you ask your employer about match-funding your donation or fundraising?

- Could you challenge your work colleagues or friends to a fundraising goal?

This is a GREAT project - not only will it reduce our bills and our carbon footprint, but it is also an opportunity to teach our pupils about the importance of working together as a community for a more sustainable future.

There are likely to be further ways we can change our behaviours and equipment to reduce the school's energy use and mitigate its impact on the environment so we are keen to hear ideas from the school community.

About donations

Ticking the GiftAid box when you donate will raise an extra 25% on top of your donation, at no cost to you. All the donations given towards this project will be used for this project. If we raise more than we expect, or if for any reason the funds are not needed, the funds raised will be used to engage in activities or provide facilities or equipment which support the school and advance the education of our pupils.

Thank you so much for supporting this. The link to the Just Giving Page is https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-betty-layward-primary-school-go-solar

Thank you for being so supportive of this; the children are also excited.

Love Productions are currently casting for the new series of the Channel 4 programme, Junior Bake Off. Filming will take place from July 2024 and applications close on Sunday 17th March 2024. Interested bakers can apply online at - www.applyforjuniorbakeoff.co.uk

Please do feel free to contact them on 0207 067 4833, should you have any questions regarding the above. I know we have some great bakers here and it would be great to have some children apply.

Our second online auction is live and will run until Saturday, March 2nd at 10pm! We have stunning holiday homes, signed artwork and PTFA babysitting all up for grabs, please register now and get ready to start bidding! https://app.galabid.com/bettysbids2

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed we are very grateful to our PTFA community! If anyone wants to add any last minute lots please contact renovatebetty@gmail.com

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 9th February 2024

Fri 09 Feb 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I cannot believe we have come to the end of another term and we are also halfway through the school year. It has been a great first half and we are looking forward to the second half.

We have been busy this week. Emerald class performed a wonderful assembly on the Ancient Egyptians and we learnt a lot. They were confident, had learnt all their lines and sang beautifully. It was very impressive. Well done Emerald class.

We have really enjoyed celebrating Kindness Day today and the children looked great wearing yellow. Each child has been given a daffodil bulb in a pot to grow at home. They learnt about the importance of nurturing and taking care of something and they also know this is how we should treat each other. Enjoy nurturing the bulbs at home.

Year 3 went on a trip to the British Museum today and they really enjoyed it. Year 6 have had a workshop with a local artist today and have produced some lovely pieces of artwork.

We have increased the number of trips and workshops to six this year. These are a wonderful opportunity for children to learn in different ways and to experience new things. They really enjoy them and are a valuable part of school life. Unfortunately, we are lacking funds and parent volunteers for these trips and if this continues we may not be able to have so many. We do say the trip payment is voluntary but if you are able to pay for it and can contribute we would really appreciate it as only about 20% of each trip is being paid for and we cannot keep funding 80% of each one. It is easy to pay on Arbor. If you are not able to pay I also completely understand. I just want trips to be able to continue. If you can accompany a school trip we would also really appreciate it as we have had a few trips with no parent helpers. We cannot always provide enough adults so any help is welcome. Thank you for your support with this.

The children enjoyed their Lunar New Year lunch today, especially the fortune cookies. I wish all our families and carers success and good luck in the Year of the Dragon.

I would like to say a massive thank you for all your continued support and kindness. I hope you have a lovely break next week and we look forward to seeing the children back on Tuesday 20th February 2024 at normal school time.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 2nd February 2024

Fri 02 Feb 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a great week. We have been really busy. Some Year 4 children presented a wonderful assembly on animals and their habitats. Well done Indy, Aurora, Illy, Edith and Betty. You did so well and the assembly was wonderfully prepared as well as presented. Apricot presented a fabulous assembly about Australia and we felt like we had flown there ourselves. Well done Apricot class. You were amazing.

Year 1 went to visit the Science Museum and had a great day. Their behaviour was amazing and we were really proud of them. Well done Year 1.

On Saturday 27th January the Betty Layward girl’s football team took part in the Inner London County Pokeman Cup competition at Douglas Eyre Sports Ground They represented Hackney. The girls played schools from Lewisham and Islington and as the tournament went on our girls grew with confidence despite the results going against us. We are very proud of the girls’ team for getting to this stage of the competition and representing Betty Layward and Hackney. Well done to all of them, we are very proud of them.

Over the past 2 weeks the year 3's have taken part in the Personal Best Programme, a sport and health lifestyle programme aimed at Year 3 pupils. The fully inclusive programme involves pupils competing against themselves in a variety of multi-skill-based activities to achieve their own personal bests. Well done to all of the year 3's.

Please remember it is our Kindness Day next Friday and all children can wear their own clothes and the colour yellow. The children here are very kind and we will be celebrating this on Friday.

We have been working with Damion on providing packed lunches for trips. From now on the school will provide the children with their lunch if they are going on a trip and will be given a sandwich, sweet treat and fruit. We ask that they still bring a bottle of water.

The PTFA have raised an incredible amount for the decoration of the classrooms and I would like to thank you for contributing towards this. The children love their new classrooms and it really does make a difference for them. Thank you again. Your fundraising makes such a difference for the children and we really appreciate it, especially as budgets are as tight as they are.

Our school jumble sale is on Saturday 9th March. We look forward to seeing you there. If you can help with the setting up, selling or clearing up it would be much appreciated as these events are not possible without your help.

I hope you have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 26th January 2024

Fri 26 Jan 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a lovely busy week this week and the children have been presenting their projects which are amazing. Thank you for your support with this. Year 6 had a lovely visit to the London Buddhist Centre. They really enjoyed it and were very well behaved. Well done Year 6.

We are going to have a Kindness Day on Friday 9th February. This will be part of Mental Health Week. The children can wear their own clothes but we ask them to wear the colour yellow to represent kindness. We will be doing some lovely activities that week too.

Aunt Joy, an online gallery exhibiting contemporary art created by women, is excited to announce ‘Girls Like Us’. A collaboration series launching on International Women's Day bringing together the incredible talent of creative young girls with established & emerging artists, a little hint at the future of art by women. Aunt Joy would like to invite girls between the ages of 8-14 to create an artwork based on JOY, and email to girls@auntjoygallery.com by 7th February. This is bringing together established female artists with future female artists to create collaborative works around the theme of JOY. We will be asking girls at school if they would like to take part but you are also welcome to do this at home. Here is the website - https://auntjoygallery.com/pages/girls-like-us

On Tuesday 23rd January, children from year 5 took part in a football match against Millfields and St John and St James primary schools. Despite the results, the team showed great character, determination and teamwork. Well done everyone.

I have asked the children to be independent and carry their own school bag to and from school. This does not mean they give it to you as they walk out of the front gates either. I have let them know I am monitoring this. I feel this is important as the bag belongs to them. Thank you for your support with this.

Please can I ask that you do not wait at the front gates at drop off and at pick up. Please keep that area completely clear as Key Stage 2 children are finding it hard to enter and exit. Please can you wait across the road. Thank you as it is important to keep the entrance clear.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 19th January 2024

Fri 19 Jan 2024 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a lovely week in this cold and sunny weather. The children have been working hard and Year 4 really enjoyed a trip to the Thames as part of their Tudor topic. The children went mudlarking (the act of searching the riverbed for historical treasures) and learnt about rivers and how the Tudors lived around the Thames and how they used the river. The children learnt how the Tudors unfortunately used it as a dumping ground. Photos are attached.

Thank you for the project homework. They are amazing and all staff are enjoying seeing them and the children are really enjoying presenting them.

We have registered for the children to participate in the Young Artists Summer Show competition run by the Royal Academy. Children aged 4 - 19 can enter their artwork which will be judged by a panel of artists. Successful pieces are exhibited online and some will be shown in the gallery. If you would like your child to partake please look at this website- https://youngartists.royalacademy.org.uk/get-involved

If you cannot upload their work please bring it in and we will attempt to do it for you. Please let us know if your child is successful.

The children are really enjoying the new menu. They loved the cooked salmon fillets today. They are also very good at complimenting the chef.

Thank you for your understanding about the car park entrance being closed and coming in and out of the front entrance. The matter in the driveway should be sorted soon and I will let you know when you can walk around again.

Dates are on the website calendar so please ensure that you put them in your diary.

On Tuesday 6th February, we will join schools and youth organisations across the UK to celebrate Safer Internet Day 2024. Safer Internet Day is a global campaign to promote the safe and responsible use of technology, which calls on young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers and more, to help to create a better internet.

This year the campaign will be focusing on change online, including covering:

• Young people’s perspective on new and emerging technology

• Using the internet to make change for the better

• The changes young people want to see online

• The things that can influence and change the way young people think, feel and act online and offline

Using the internet safely and positively is a key message that we promote in school, and celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year. We would be delighted if you could join us in celebrating the day by continuing the conversation at home. To help you with this, the UK Safer Internet Centre has created some free activities and information for parents and carers which are available at: saferinternet.org.uk/SID-parents.

Whether you have 5 minutes to start a conversation or hours to spare, there are top tips, quizzes and films which you can use at home with your child. If you have any concerns or questions about keeping your child safe online, please do get in touch with us.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica