Jessica's Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 16th May 2025

Fri 16 May 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you had a good week. We have been busy, and Year 6 completed their SATs this week. They were amazing; not only did they work hard, but they did so with positivity and a fantastic attitude. I was so impressed, and we are incredibly proud of them. I tell them that they are much more than a SATs result. They are individual, independent people who are kind, thoughtful, and so much more. They can act, sing, and dance. They might shine at playing an instrument or in sports. There are countless reasons why they are more than just a SATs result.

This week, even in the midst of SATs, the children came together for Mental Health Awareness Week with the theme of Community. A strong sense of community can be a powerful support for our mental health, helping us feel connected, valued, and safe. Our brilliant Wellbeing Ambassadors led thoughtful activities across classes, encouraging everyone to reflect on who is part of their “circle” and what community really means to us. One of the highlights was the creation of our Kindness Chains, with each link representing an act of kindness. They're already growing long and colourful, serving as an excellent visual reminder of how caring and supportive our children truly are.

Our VE Day lunch was delicious this week. We have attached some photos. This week, Reception also began exploring an exciting new book, Faruq and the Wiri Wiri Pepper. The story sparked lots of curiosity, especially about different flavours and ingredients from around the world. They talked about our own families’ traditional dishes and the special memories they hold. It was lovely seeing the children take pride in sharing their food stories. From this book, the children in Reception made bread with Damian, and the results were great. Please see the photos. It looked delicious.

This weekend, the Hackney Half Marathon is taking place, and I am truly grateful to all the children, parents, and carers who are running to raise money for the school. I hope you have a great time and that the sun shines for you. An email with all the details was sent out yesterday. Please encourage friends and family to donate using this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/betty-layward-is-running-the-2025-hackney-half-marathon There are also other activities going on alongside https://www.hackneymoves.com/saturday-festival-lineup.

Thank you to all the organisers; you have done a marvellous job. Good luck, runners.

On Thursday, 22nd May, Year 6 will sell baked goods and bracelets after school to raise money for their upcoming trip to France. Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you there.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday for Blastonbury. It starts at 2pm. Please stand where we ask you to so children can enter and exit. We hope you enjoy it.

Please remember we close at the normal school time on Thursday for half term. We hope you have a great week.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 9th May 2025

Fri 09 May 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We’ve had a wonderful week filled with great activities. Tuesday was particularly fantastic as we celebrated Maths Rock Star Day. The children looked remarkable as Timetable Rock Stars, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing them. They had a fun day packed with various maths activities, discussing how mathematics is present in our lives and how we can apply our number skills across different areas.

Year 2 Apricot presented a delightful assembly about transport through time. They spoke confidently and shared many fascinating facts. Well done, Apricot class.

Year 3 children enjoyed two exciting and memorable class trips this week. Firstly, they visited a circus school, where they had the unique opportunity to practice circus tricks under the guidance of professionals and watch their training. The children also loved learning a few juggling tricks and even tried their hand at spinning plates. They also explored the fascinating Sir John Soane Museum, where they toured the historic house and participated in engaging workshops on Ancient Greece. During both trips, the children had a fantastic time and splendidly represented the school with enthusiasm, curiosity, and excellent behaviour.

This week, a group of children competed in a Year 3 and 4 tennis competition. They fought hard until the end, reaching the finals and competing against five schools from Hackney. We are so proud of you; it was a joy to watch. Well done.

Year 2 embarked on an exciting trip to The Garden Classroom to learn more about plants and their growth. The children had the chance to explore the gardens, where they could look for, smell, and sketch various plants. They also dug up some weeds and examined their roots with magnifying glasses. Year 2 enjoyed sharing their knowledge about the parts of plants and their functions, learning a fun poem on the topic, and creating their own plant diagrams using different vegetables. Finally, they had the opportunity to plant peas in pots to take home and care for.

The children learnt about VE Day yesterday, and we are having a special VE Day lunch on Wednesday. We have emailed the menu.

Some of our children attended a girls’ football festival. Here’s what Bonnie has to say about it: Last weekend, Martha, Emilia, Olivia, and I travelled to Swansea with the Hackney Schools District Football team to take part in the Swansea Girls Festival 2025. There were 30 teams from all over England and Wales that came to compete in the tournament. It was a lot of fun, and we made it through the group stages; however, we were unfortunately knocked out in the knockout rounds. Overall, it was an amazing experience. We also visited an extreme water park and enjoyed numerous water slides. – By Bonnie Wong

Thank you to those of you who came and purchased items from our eco-shop, Betty's Refillery, yesterday after school. We greatly appreciate your support in our journey to reduce plastic usage. Keep an eye out for our next date when Betty's Refillery will be open.

Our Year 6 children have their SATs next week. I am immensely proud of them and the hard work they have put in. A child is more than just a SATs result; they are kind, thoughtful, curious, fun, and so much more. Our children are exceptional and have worked so hard. I have told them that these tests are only a small part of who they are, and there is so much more to them. They should be proud of themselves, as we are proud of them. I know you will join me in wishing them luck, and we will ensure that the week includes many lovely activities too.

We are excited to announce that our water station will soon be open in the playground for OPAL. If you have any spare metal pots, pans, or colanders, we would greatly appreciate them. We can distribute them between our mud kitchen and water station. Thank you in advance for your support.

This is a gentle reminder to please get your child sponsored for the Hackney Half next Saturday. Here's the link you can share with everyone: https://gofund.me/7da4ca9d. Please also share it if you are an adult running on Sunday. Even if your child is not running on the day, they will have run 12 miles at school and can complete the half marathon by running the final mile at their own pace. Every penny raised will help the school purchase new interactive whiteboards for the children’s classrooms. Thank you in advance for all your efforts to support this fundraising event during these challenging times. T-shirt and bib collection will be at school pick-up next Friday, 16th May, from 3pm to 4:30pm, so please mark this date in your diaries or ask a friend to collect for you if you can’t make it. Timings for the day (Saturday, 17th May) are approximately 8:30am to 12pm at Hackney Marshes, but we will provide more details soon. We appreciate your support and we know it will be an enjoyable day.

Please remember that Blastonbury will be in the playground on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 20th. We look forward to seeing you there.

Have a lovely weekend, and I hope you enjoy the sunshine.

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 2nd May 2025

Thu 01 May 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have had a lovely week and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I have observed the children playing outside during lunch and playtimes, and they have been truly enjoying it, especially with the OPAL resources. We have reminded them to wear hats, drink plenty of water, and stay in the shade when possible. The sail shades really benefit us during weather like this.

Year 1 Lavender class performed a fantastic assembly about continents this week. They were exceptional. The microphone stopped working, but they continued like the true professionals they are. They spoke confidently and did an excellent job. We all learned a great deal about the different continents. Well done, Lavender class.

On Wednesday, 30th April, a group of Year 1 and 2 children participated in a tennis competition at Clissold Park. We played against Grazebrook, Woodberry Downs, Shacklewell, and Betty Layward, with Betty Layward emerging as the overall winner. Well done to all the children who took part. We are incredibly proud of you. Thank you to the parent volunteers who came and helped. It is heartwarming to see the children so proud of their achievements.

Year 5 Saffron 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.

We have our Times Table Rock Star day on Tuesday. Your child is welcome to dress up as a rock star if they wish, and there will be plenty of fun maths activities for them throughout the day. We are genuinely looking forward to this. Please use clothing they already have at home. There is no need to buy anything new, and they do not need to wear school uniform.

We have discovered a local author, and we thought sharing some information about her and her book would be lovely. *Made of Magic* is written by local author and mother Annie Campbell. It is a joyful and empowering children’s book that affirms the value, beauty, and brilliance of Black and Brown boys while reminding every child that they are worthy, loved, and full of potential. This book celebrates self-esteem, confidence, and identity with vibrant illustrations and a heartfelt message. It is recommended for ages 6 – 11.

More info: www.madeofmagicbooks.com

Instagram: @madeofmagicbooks

Enjoy your bank holiday weekend, and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.

Jessica

Headteacher