Jessica's Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 28th November 2026

Fri 28 Nov 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you had a good week. The dates for all our Christmas events are on the calendar, so please take a look and add them to your diary.

We will have a non-uniform day next Friday, and we kindly ask if children could bring in donations for the Winter Fair. These may include bottles of unopened alcohol, new toiletries, new children’s games, toys, and new or nearly new children's books. Any contributions are very much appreciated, and we look forward to receiving them. We also require volunteers for the fair, so if you are able to help, it would be greatly appreciated, as we cannot run these events without you. Thank you for your support.

Year 1 and 2 attended workshops with ACEN (African Caribbean Education Network) this week, where the children took part in activities that promoted anti-racist practices, celebrated Black identity and cultural heritage, and equipped them with the skills and confidence to challenge inequality in life. The children were using the vocabulary of fairness, equality, and inclusion. They contributed thoughtfully and responded well, and we are very proud of them. ACEN has been working with us over the past few years, and this is what they say about the school: "Working with your school is always a personal favourite for the ACEN team. It’s clear that meaningful work, particularly around racial inclusion, difference and empathy, is already embedded before we even arrive and that you do not approach this as a ‘one and done’, but as an ongoing journey for staff and students alike. The children ask thoughtful, reflective questions, staff lean in with genuine curiosity, and the school radiates a strong sense of community ethos. It is evident that you have created a happy, safe and welcoming setting where diversity and inclusion are woven through both the curriculum and the wider school culture. We are proud to support your continued work and to help students connect with diverse stories, histories and identities in meaningful ways.” We enjoy working with ACEN and are very proud of the work we are doing with them.

Today, we were delighted to welcome Marion, who works for the United Nations, to our school. She spoke to the children about the UN’s member countries and their vital roles in promoting peace, cooperation, and global wellbeing. Marion also shared fascinating insights into her own work supporting the UN’s efforts to care for the planet and address climate change. The children were thoroughly engaged and asked thoughtful, insightful questions throughout her visit. A big thank you to Barbara Pick for organising this wonderful opportunity and to Sacha for running the exciting UN quiz during the assembly.

In OPAL, this week, we have been enhancing our water play by creating imaginative potion-making activities that encourage creativity, exploration, and sensory learning. The children have really enjoyed using the water in this way. We have also added table tennis to our OPAL Play. This week, we were very fortunate to receive a donation of loose parts to support our construction development. Thank you very much for any donations to our OPAL Play. We are very grateful for anything you can donate, as the children are amazing at finding new ways to play with almost anything.

On Tuesday, 25th November, a group of Year 5 and 6 children took part in the Hackney Primary Schools Cross Country League at Hackney Downs Park. This was our second race and the squad was very motivated after their first experience. The boys started the race with Otto finishing in the top 20, followed by Lorcan, Deniz, and Devon in the top 30 out of 175 boys. The girls’ race followed, with Aurora and Mia finishing in the top 10, followed by Indy and Gwen in the top 20 out of 175. Well done to all the participants; we are all very proud of you, and a big thank you to the parent volunteers supporting us.

We have two new co-opted governors: Shevelle Furlonge, a parent at the school, and Adrienne Archibald, who works for Amazon. They were interviewed by members of the governing board. Shevelle was successful for several reasons, notably the valuable perspective she offers as a member of an underrepresented group within our parent community, which will enhance the board's diversity and inclusivity. She is a strong and motivated candidate who expressed a desire to “give back to the school that has given so much support to her and her family.” Adrienne was successful as she addressed the gap in IT expertise identified in the recent skills audit of the Governing Body. She lives locally, is highly motivated, and brings substantial IT experience that will be of great benefit to the board. We are very pleased that they have joined our governing body and our wonderful school community.

We look forward to seeing some of you at the quiz this evening. It’s always a fantastic night. Thank you to the volunteers and organisers. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 21st November 2025

Fri 21 Nov 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have enjoyed a wonderful week filled with sunshine and cold weather. Our School Improvement Officer from Hackney visited and was genuinely impressed with the children’s learning behaviour and their level of engagement. She observed their dedication and we were very proud to show her around.

This week, Buttercup Class went on a fantastic trip to the Houses of Parliament. They began with a tour and were lucky enough to see many well-known politicians, including former Prime Minister Theresa May. Afterwards, they took part in a workshop exploring the history of Parliament, British democracy, and even 'Parliamentary ping-pong' (which isn’t what it sounds like!). What an exciting and educational day Buttercup Class had.

The children are really enjoying Opal and all the different activities it offers. Your support makes a significant difference during our playtimes, and we couldn’t run Opal sessions without your generous donations. Thank you for all the kind donations that enable such play experiences. Our children are fully engaged with Opal play, showing creativity and imagination with all the items we receive. To make our outdoor play areas even more stimulating, we are collecting a variety of resources and equipment for the children to use during play. These don’t need to be brand new—many items can be reused or recycled.

We would be very grateful for donations of any of the following:

• Clean pots, pans, utensils, and kitchen items (for our mud kitchen)

• Tarpaulins, ropes, cable reels (for building and den-making)

• Costumes, fabric, old suitcases or bags (for imaginative play)

• Small world toys, toy cars, or figures

• Buckets, crates, pipes, tyres, or planks

If you have any of these items at home and are happy to donate them, please bring them to school and there is a labelled area where you can put them.

You may have noticed our wonderful school road safety officers. These children have volunteered to help keep the school entrance clear and safe for all children to enter. You might be asked to move if you are standing in the wrong place. They will also let you know when the gate is closing. A big thank you to all these children and their dedication to their role.

Please remember, we can only administer antibiotics if they need to be given four times a day. You would need to come into the office and complete a form if this applies. We cannot provide Calpol or any other medication unless a doctor prescribes it. We also ask that children do not bring in any creams, medicines, or lip balms, as other children could get hold of them, which is not safe, especially if children have allergies. Thank you for your support with this.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 14th November 2025

Fri 14 Nov 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

It was wonderful to see you at the parent/carer meetings yesterday. The teachers really enjoyed meeting and talking with you about your child.

This week, Year 6 impressed us with a fantastic assembly inspired by Grim Tales, based on the classic stories collected by the Brothers Grimm. During their assembly, Year 6 explored how these traditional stories have changed over time and the important lessons they contain. The children performed confidently, with humour and excellent storytelling skills. Well done, Ruby class.

Year 5 Saffron went on an exciting trip to the Houses of Parliament. They enjoyed a guided tour, where they even had the chance to sit in the House of Lords. Afterwards, they took part in an interactive workshop that included a sensory activity, helping them explore the different sights, sounds, and objects in Parliament. It was a memorable way to learn about how Parliament works and experience history firsthand.

On Thursday, Year Four Cerise had a very special visit from two musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra and a music composer. Together, the children created their own piece of music with the professional musicians and performed it to Fuchsia class. Descriptions like "outstanding” and “amazing” were used to describe their performance.

On Tuesday, 11th November, a group of Year 5 and 6 children took part in the Hackney Primary Schools Cross-Country Competition at Hackney Downs Park. The course was around 2km long, and the children did an incredible job at the event. Everyone showed excellent effort, determination, and team spirit throughout the races. We are very proud of how well they represented Betty Layward — from their positive attitude to their outstanding contributions. Well done to all the runners for giving their best and making us all very proud.

I was fortunate this week to be invited to Highbury Fields School, where 12 of our girls joined in September. The children gave me a tour of the school and afterwards, I enjoyed tea and biscuits with them. It was lovely to see them so settled and happy in Year 7. Some staff members were also invited to a tea party at Stoke Newington on Wednesday, where we enjoyed seeing the Year 7 pupils, their work, and discussing secondary school with them. It was a pleasure to see how happy they are in their new secondary school.

Al, Coco, and Simiy, children at Betty Layward, met local Clissold ward Councillor Sade Etti at her drop-in session this week. Both families attended to discuss the way cars speed down Church Street beside Clissold Park, outside homes, to see if additional traffic measures could be introduced to reduce the risk of a serious accident. The children were all fantastic and spoke to her about their concerns, and Coco showed her on a map where the problem was. Al also mentioned an accident involving a child from BL about a year ago at the crossing. We hope she genuinely took on board what they had to say and she was very pleased to hear from them. Well done Al, Coco and Simiy for raising this important issue.

We are delighted to share that our school continues to develop our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) project. OPAL supports children in learning through play, fostering creativity, teamwork, resilience, and a love of the outdoors. Recently, we acquired some kayaks, which the children have enjoyed playing with and transforming into see-saws, vehicles, castles, and many other imaginative creations. To further enhance our outdoor play spaces, we are seeking a variety of resources and equipment for the children to use during playtime. These don’t need to be brand new — many items can be reused or recycled. We would be very grateful for donations of any of the following:

- Clean pots, pans, utensils, and kitchen items (for our mud kitchen)

- Tarpaulins, ropes, cable reels (for building and den-making)

- Costumes, fabric, old suitcases or bags (for imaginative play)

- Small world toys, toy cars, or figures

- Buckets, crates, pipes, tyres, or planks

If you have any of these items at home or know someone who could donate them, please bring them to school or contact us to arrange a suitable drop-off time. Your support makes a big difference. Thank you for helping us provide our children with a rich, creative, and joyful experience.

BETTER Open Weekend on 22nd & 23rd November, where all Hackney leisure centres will offer free activities throughout the weekend. The theme is 'Try Something New'. There will be opportunities to access these free activities at various centres: gym sessions, group fitness classes, badminton, and pickleball. In the pools, there will be free Swimbies taster sessions, taster sessions for junior swim school classes, and adult beginner swimming lessons. There are also some free spaces at West Reservoir's Youth Club, allowing young people to try out the water sports club. The activities will be hosted at Britannia LC, Clissold LC, King's Hall LC, London Fields Lido, Queensbridge SCC, and West Reservoir. Please see the link: https://linktr.ee/hackneyleisurecentres, where you can view and book all the free sessions.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 7th November 2025

Fri 07 Nov 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you enjoyed a lovely half-term break and it's wonderful to see the children back this week.

This week, Year 6 visited Hoxton Street Monster Supplies to take part in a Gothic fiction writing workshop organised by the Ministry of Stories. The workshop offered a great opportunity for pupils to dive into the Gothic genre, which they have also been studying in their class writing lessons. Pupils were given a selection of intriguing, themed objects to inspire their stories and they rose to the challenge, creating some wonderfully eerie and imaginative pieces. The session encouraged them to develop ideas freely and creatively, resulting in some truly impressive writing.

On Wednesday, Year 4 Cerise enjoyed an exciting trip to The Barbican Centre, where they watched the London Symphony Orchestra perform. They appreciated the chance to sing, perform various rhythms and listen to the dynamics and techniques employed by many professional musicians. It was a wonderful musical experience.

Year 2 welcomed Perform this week for an engaging workshop all about the Gunpowder Plot. They journeyed back in time to 1605, hiding out under the Houses of Parliament, waiting to steal Guy Fawkes' matches and thwart the Gunpowder Plot. They also discussed fireworks and how to stay safe on bonfire night.

This week, we were very fortunate to have a visit from the London Fire Brigade at our school. The firefighters worked with Year 2 and Year 5, teaching us about fire safety and the vital role they play in keeping people safe. The children in Year 2 learnt what to do if there is a fire, how to stay safe at home, and how to call 999 in an emergency. They also talked about smoke alarms and the importance of having them in every home. The Year 5 pupils participated in more detailed sessions, learning about fire prevention, emergency procedures, and how to make safe choices as they grow older. They also discussed how firefighters work together as a team and the different types of equipment they use. Everyone really enjoyed meeting the firefighters and had plenty of opportunities to ask questions. It was an exciting and educational experience that helped us understand how to stay safe and appreciate the vital work carried out by the London Fire Brigade.

This week during OPAL play, the children had an amazing time outside in the playground. They loved exploring and playing with the crunchy autumn leaves—throwing them in the air, making piles, and inventing their own leaf games. There was plenty of laughter and imagination everywhere. We also worked together to clean our brand-new kayaks, ensuring they’re clean and ready for more exciting adventures. Teamwork made the task enjoyable, and everyone showed great care and responsibility while playing together.

Hackney Council is hosting two exciting festive art competitions this year, in which we will be participating. The first involves designing the official festive greeting card for the council and the second requires creating an image for the t-shirt worn by Hackney’s float during the New Year’s Day Parade in central London. The theme for this year’s parade is 'Celebrating Diversity’, so designs should reflect this vibrant and inclusive spirit. All entries must be submitted on the square template provided and handed in by Monday, 1st December. There will be prizes for runners-up and overall winners, so we would love the children to get festive and showcase their artistic talents.

We were delighted to have five candidates for the Parent Governor elections. Thank you for voting. We received a total of 309 votes, which was fantastic, and the results were very close. We now have two new parent governors, Cheikh Tato and Kezia Tobin. We look forward to welcoming them to the board. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Shevelle Furlonge, Josie Marwick, and Emily Ware for their time and support as candidates. I truly hope to involve them in school life in some way, as I very much appreciate them putting themselves forward.

We have decided to stop requesting treats for birthdays, such as cakes, due to increasing allergy concerns. Instead, we aim to do something special for each child on their birthday, keeping it a surprise to help them feel celebrated. Thank you for your support with this.

There is an app that children have been telling me they are using, and I am aware that there is a chat room on it. This app is called Zepeto and lacks built-in parental controls, which poses risks for your child if they are using it. It is also designed for children aged over 13/14, and the child should be entering their birthday to ensure they are the correct age. Please look at this link about the app-

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Please ensure that the children are not bringing money or sweets to school. Thank you for your support with this.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher