Jessica's Newsletters

Newsletter Friday 19th September 2025

Fri 19 Sep 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you have had a lovely week. We have enjoyed ours. I am so impressed with how the children have settled back into their learning and how they approach it with positivity and enthusiasm. It is so wonderful to see.

We celebrated World Afro Day on Monday this week. We took a moment to emphasise and honour the beauty, diversity, and power of Afro hair. World Afro Day is far more than a celebratory occasion; it’s a global movement recognising the cultural significance and natural splendour of Afro-textured hair, worldwide.

“World Afro Day is a global day of celebration and liberation for Afro hair and identity, endorsed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We work with organisations, companies, authorities and people from all backgrounds to tackle hair discrimination. We produce events, tools and training to empower people with Afro hair and to equip everyone for change”

– Michelle De Leon, Founder of World Afro Day.

Please remember, our 25th Birthday party is next Friday in the playground from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. Thank you to those of you who have already bought tickets. There are still some available. We will not be selling tickets at the door, so please make sure you purchase yours this week. The ticket includes food. There will be a bar and dancing, including an outdoor dance floor. Tickets are for our current families and for families who attended Betty Layward in the past. We would love to see everyone there. Thank you to those who have offered to help. We still need a few more helpers. Please join us to celebrate 25 years of our school.

Nursery had a lovely Family Friday today, and it was wonderful to see so many families there. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Family Friday event. It was a pleasure to welcome you into the nursery and share a glimpse of your child’s learning and daily routines. We loved seeing families participate in activities such as story time, painting, sensory play, construction, and mark making. Thank you for coming.

Please can I remind everyone not to wait by the school entrance in the morning, but to wait across the road instead. The children find it difficult to get in when parents and carers are waiting there. We also ask adults not to bring their bikes into the school and to leave them at the front, as this causes a bottleneck for families trying to enter. Additionally, please walk around and do not come back to the front entrance when you are leaving. Thank you for being so supportive with this.

Have a lovely weekend and don’t forget to buy your tickets,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 12th September 2025

Fri 12 Sep 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a wonderful week. It was lovely seeing so many Reception parents and carers at Family Friday today. The children really enjoyed showing you their classrooms. It was heartening to see everyone sharing stories together. We are extremely impressed with how well the children have settled in. They are fantastic. It is also a pleasure to welcome our new Nursery children.

Year 1 had a fantastic tea party today and the children did a brilliant job making sandwiches. We hope you enjoyed it and it was lovely to see so many of you there.

Thank you to those of you who have already purchased tickets for the Betty Layward 25th Birthday party. Some tickets are still available. The price includes food, while drinks will be sold separately. There will be music and it promises to be a lot of fun. We hope it will be held outside—fingers crossed. If you can help with setting up, tidying, running the bar, or offering other assistance at the event, I would be very grateful. Please email me and let me know.

Congratulations to us; we are now a RRSA Bronze: Rights Committed School. This year, we will be working towards obtaining silver.

Grandparent Week is this term, when we invite grandparents to visit and talk to their grandchild’s class about what school was like for them or share an interest. They could also read a story to the class if they wish. Slots are available during the week beginning 20th October and you can sign grandparents up. More information will follow. We truly enjoy having them there, as they are a vital part of the children’s lives. We look forward to seeing them then.

Please can I remind you to wait across the road in the morning, rather than by the entrance. Children need the space to enter. Please also remind your child not to scoot or cycle on the school premises.

Please remember to use the app Studybugs to let us know if your child is unwell. It works very efficiently for us, so thank you for using it.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 5th September 2025

Fri 05 Sep 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back. It is wonderful to see everyone after the summer holidays. The children have settled into their new year groups very well. It has been a fantastic start to the school year. The Reception children have settled in so quickly that we think they have been here for years. Well done, Reception, and we look forward to our new Nursery starters joining us soon.

Thank you for your support regarding the ban on smartphones (hopefully no mobile phones) in school. The children also understood why we are doing this and how important it is to keep them safe.

We are having a very special event on Friday, 26th September, from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Betty Layward turns 25 this year and we will be celebrating on this day. Families who attended here in the past are also welcome, so please help spread the word. If you would like tickets, please use this link to purchase them:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/betty-laywards-25th-birthday-party-tickets-1659121008599?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish

It promises to be a wonderful event, and we look forward to seeing you there.

We counted our 20p coins last term, and the children raised £2013.92. This is an incredible amount and it is the most it has ever raised. Emerald class won with £261.81, so well done, Emerald class. Other classes were very close. Thank you so much for all your support with this.

One of our children, Gill, had an idea to collect shells, paint them, and sell them as bath bomb holders to raise funds while on holiday. With help from his sister, Elsie, who was his main sales representative, he managed to sell all his stock and raised £50. His dad’s company also donated, bringing the total amount raised to £200. Well done, Gill and Elsie — what an incredible effort and demonstration of kindness.

I know that each class or year group has a WhatsApp group, and it is lovely to hear how they are used to support school events. The purpose of a class WhatsApp group is to enable collective conversations with other parents for sharing information related to the PTFA and school events. Newsletters and the school website can be checked before contacting the class rep. It also helps gather support from parent volunteers for school events. A WhatsApp group should not be used to send personal messages or content, to be derogatory about the school, or to offer biased views of individual parents. Thank you for following these guidelines. We are very grateful for the support you give the school and for all the fundraising you do, as it makes a significant difference.

Have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 18th July 2025

Fri 18 Jul 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I cannot believe this is the final newsletter of the school year. It has flown by. We welcome new children for September and say farewell to our wonderful Year 6 children. Year 6 performed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang yesterday as their leavers' production, and they were fantastic. They acted brilliantly, displaying confidence and enthusiasm. It was incredible, and what a way to conclude their time at Betty Layward. We are very proud of them, and their new secondary schools are lucky to have such wonderful students. Watching these children grow from the moment they joined us has been a privilege and a delight. Thank you to all the families we also bid farewell to. Your support has been invaluable and you will always be welcome at Betty Layward.

It has been lovely seeing many of you at the Parent and Carer OPAL sessions this week. I saw numerous smiles and shared moments of fun. I hope you enjoyed it too.

Year 1 had a delightful trip to the theatre this week to see 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a book they studied this year, so it was wonderful for them to watch the performance.

Reception had an impressive gallery of photos today, which they shared with their parents and carers. These were photos they had taken themselves and they were very impressive. Well done, Reception.

On Friday, 11th July, a group of Year 4 and 5 children took part in a girls' football competition to celebrate the Women's Euros 2025. The event was held at Mabley Green, with 14 schools competing overall. We played against Halley House, Parkwood, Queensbridge, Gayhurst, and Mossbourne. The Betty Layward girls finished in third place. Well done to all the children who participated, and thank you to all the parents able to join us. Your support is greatly appreciated.

The summer fair raised over £8000, which is fantastic. Well done, everyone, and thank you to the PTFA, parents, and carers for their tireless efforts and unwavering support throughout the year. It genuinely makes a difference for our children.

Finally, I want to sincerely thank all of you for your kindness, support, and dedication to Betty Layward. It is a pleasure to be part of such a wonderful community, and I feel privileged to work here. I am sure you will join me in recognising all the staff for their hard work and dedication this year. They are outstanding, and it is a fantastic team to be part of. Best wishes to all our leavers, and a warm welcome to our new children and families.

Betty Layward is celebrating its 25th anniversary in September. There will be a celebration, and we will invite all our past children and families to join us. More information will follow.

We open for children on Tuesday, 2nd September. Nursery and Reception have different starting dates, as per the information shared with parents and carers.

I hope you all have a fantastic summer.

Thanks for everything,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 11th July 2025

Fri 11 Jul 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a fantastic week. The Year 6 SATs results were exceptional, and we are very proud of them. They worked incredibly hard and truly deserved it. I reminded them that they are more than just SATs results. They are well-rounded, wonderful individuals who can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Today, we were privileged to welcome some remarkable visitors. Maggie Baird (the mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell) and Dale Vince OBE, Chairman of the world’s greenest football club, Forest Green Rovers, came to speak about sustainability and plant-based food. Maggie runs a charity in America called Support and Feed, which she explained aims to support and feed people while combating the climate crisis and food insecurity by promoting a global shift to an equitable, plant-based food system. Dale shared his work, including how he creates diamonds from the sky and his ambitions to build the first electric aircraft. He also owns a kitchen called Devil’s Kitchen, which provided us with an Airstream catering van and we enjoyed his plant-based hot dogs and meatballs. Maggie’s recipe for buffalo cauliflower was shared and the children are taking the recipe card home. They ate lunch outside, and it was a lovely experience. The guests were very impressed by the children’s behaviour and kindness.

Thank you for attending the Parent/Carer Sharing afternoon this week. It was wonderful to see so many of you there and to watch the children show you their work and take pride in their achievements this year. Thank you for coming.

Congratulations on a fantastic Summer Fair last Saturday. It was wonderful. It was great to see so many of you there, helping as well as enjoying yourselves. Thank you for your support, time, and kindness. It means a lot.

We invite children to contribute to our new blog on our website—the theme is YOU. Similar to the half-term projects, submissions can be in any form, including writing, pictures, sculpture, or song. The children are encouraged to be as creative as they like. Please email their submissions to blog@bettylayward.org.

Our children are remarkable at fundraising, and much of it they do independently, without prompting. They are fantastic. Here are some of their recent activities: Luna, Kitty, Beth, and Susanna baked and held a cake sale today in Clissold Park to raise money for 20p day, raising an impressive £108.30. Simiy, Anita, Julia, Felix, Teddy, Lily, and Freya organised their own jumble sale, which raised £186. They divided the proceeds between Betty Layward and Hackney Night Shelter. Poppy, Karolina, Lennie, and Didem from Cerise Class Y4 held a yard sale, selling homemade jewellery, biscuits, lemonade, drawings, second-hand toys, and even playing the clarinet to entertain passersby. They plan to donate some of the money to Betty Layward’s 20p fund and some to the Teenage Cancer Trust at UCH, where Karolina’s older brother was treated several years ago. Poppy and Karolina visited patients and nurses at UCH’s Teenage Cancer Ward to give them doughnuts bought with the sale money. What incredible children we have; they are true role models. Well done to everyone.

There will be a Year 5 fundraiser on Friday, 18th July, after school. We will be selling drinks, cakes, and handmade arts and crafts. All money raised will go towards reducing Betty Layward's carbon footprint.

In OPAL Playground, we have been building dens, pirate ships, monster trucks, and more. It will be exciting for the children to show you the OPAL Playground next week if you can visit during your parent and carer sessions. We look forward to seeing you there.

Next week, the Year 6 children will perform their show for their parents and carers. We can’t wait to see the dress rehearsal on Tuesday. If you or someone you know can attend the dress rehearsal and film it for the parents to keep, that would be wonderful. It might also require some editing, which we would greatly appreciate. Please let me know if you can help.

You will have received an email regarding the school's plastic collection initiative. Starting Monday, a large bag will be provided for you to place your plastic in. Please assist us in winning the prize for the bench made from all of it. Thank you for your support with this.

20p day will be the last day of term, on Tuesday, 22nd July. Please bring in any 20p coins before then, as I know your child will want their class to win, and every contribution helps.

I hope you have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 4th July 2025

Fri 04 Jul 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a busy week with a Key Stage 2 trip to the Rio cinema, Year 4 visiting St Paul’s Cathedral, a Year 1 Violet Class assembly and everyone enjoying Sports Day.

On Monday, Year 4 had a fantastic trip to St Paul's Cathedral. The children were amazed by the stunning architecture and enjoyed exploring the grand interior. During the visit, they learned all about the history of the cathedral, including how it was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London. They also discovered why St Paul's is such an important landmark in British history. They explored maths, science, and architecture within the context of Christopher Wren’s design. They took a journey around the Cathedral and went behind the scenes to identify the engineering challenges of such a large build. Finally, they became engineers to determine how to construct a strong and stable dome.

Year 1 Violet Class presented a lovely assembly that took us back in time. They spoke clearly and showed confidence. It was a fantastic assembly, and they should be very proud of their efforts. Well done, Violet Class.

On Wednesday, as part of the school's Hispanic Week celebrations, the children in KS2 visited the Rio Cinema to watch a Spanish-inspired film called Vivo. This film, set in Cuba, follows a small South American creature called a kinkajú as he travels from Havana to Florida to fulfil his destiny by delivering a love song to a famous Latin singer named Marta Snadoval. The movie was full of adventure, amusing characters, and fantastic Latin songs. The children had a wonderful time and displayed exemplary behaviour.

Sports Day today was a lot of fun. The children were fantastic, and thank you for being so supportive and for participating in the most interesting parents and carers race we have had so far. It was such a wonderful day, and lovely to see you all there. Thank you for coming. It just shows what a great community Betty Layward is.

I am really looking forward to seeing you at the Summer Fair tomorrow. Thank you to the organisers, helpers, and everyone who has donated. Events like this really make a difference for our school.

Have a lovely weekend, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at the Fair.

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 27th July 2025

Thu 26 Jun 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have had a good week. We certainly have and Year 6 definitely enjoyed their time away in France. They visited many wonderful places, including a goat farm, the beach, and Thiepval Memorial, among others and also took part in activities such as a campfire and volleyball. We look forward to hearing all about it. A huge thank you to the staff who accompanied them on the trip and made it all possible.

To celebrate the start of Hispanic Week, we enjoyed music from the Mariachi band. It was a delight to arrive at school and listen to music from Mexican and Spanish cultures. The band visited all classes to share their wonderful music, and the children thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the adults. It was a perfect way to start a Monday morning.

Janie, the owner of Refugee Community Kitchen, gave a presentation about her work supporting refugees and the homeless outreach programmes across London during assembly on Monday. We learned about volunteering, support for refugees, and how we can help. Our Year 4 children had been working on a canvas that displayed their favourite dishes. Year 4 presented the canvas to Janie, who plans to display it in the kitchen to spread joy through the love of food. As a school, we reflected on the contributions we can make to help create a better world.

We will be holding our annual Sports Day in Clissold Park on Friday, 4th July.
Sports Day 1 – Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will be from 10:00 to 11:30 am

Sports Day 2 – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be from 1:30 to 3:00 pm

Please ensure your child has a PE kit, including a Team Betty t-shirt, trainers, a labelled water bottle, and a hat or long-sleeved top if necessary. Please also ensure they have sunscreen applied, as it could be hot. You are welcome to attend and meet us in the park to support Betty Layward Primary School's Sports Day. We would love to see you there.

Please remember the Summer Fair on 5th July. We have a non-school uniform day on Thursday in exchange for a donation of alcohol, toiletries, or new/nearly new toys. We genuinely appreciate any donations. The Summer Fair promises to be lots of fun, but to make it happen, we need plenty of help on Friday to set up and on Saturday to run stalls and clear away. Any assistance makes a significant difference. Also, please remember to send the QR code for the raffle to friends and family. We appreciate all your help, time, and support, and a big thank you to the organisers.

Charan and Brenda were celebrated this week as they have worked for Hackney and the school for 25 years. We are lucky to have them and I am pleased their hard work has been recognised. Well done, Brenda and Charan.

We will be holding Parents and Carers Week from Monday, 14th July. This is a great opportunity for you to join your child and their class. The children will also be demonstrating OPAL during this time. We look forward to seeing you then.

Parents and Carers Week Timetable:

Monday 14th July -
9:45-10:30 - Saffron

10. 10:45-11:30 - Buttercup

2:15-3:00 - Violet

Tuesday 15th July -
9:45-10:30 - Apricot

10. 10:45-11:30 - Peach

2. 2:15-3:00 - Emerald

Wednesday 16th July -
9:45-10:30 - Ocean

10. 10:45-11:30 - Aqua

2. 2:15-3:00 - Cerise

Thursday 17th July -
9:45-10:30 - Nursery

10. 10:45-11:30 - Fuchsia

2:15-3:00 - Jade

Friday 18th July -
9:45-10:30 - Ruby

10. 10:45-11:30 - Chilli

2:15-3:00 - Lavender

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine.
Jessica
Headteacher

Jessica Bailey

Headteacher
The Betty Layward Primary School

Newsletter Friday 20th June 2025

Fri 20 Jun 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a hot week it has been. The children have been brilliant at staying in the shade, wearing hats, and drinking plenty of water. It looks like the warm weather will continue, so please ensure your child has sunscreen on.

On Monday, during our music assembly, we were very fortunate to enjoy a musical performance by Daniel and Tommi, who played traditional Chinese instruments. The instruments are called Erhu and Yangqin. They performed three pieces: Butterfly Lovers, Golden Snake Dance, and General's Mandate. The children are very talented musicians, and it was a delight to hear them. Well done, Daniel and Tommi and a big thank you to their parents for their support.

Buttercup delivered an exciting assembly about Anansi the spider and his adventures. Buttercup class were confident and spoke with enthusiasm. Well done, Buttercup class.

Ocean class performed a wonderful assembly about food and its origins. This was their first assembly and they were brilliant. They spoke with confidence and sang beautifully. Well done, Ocean class.

On Wednesday, Year 1 enjoyed a magical day at the Discover Children’s Centre, where they participated in an engaging storytelling workshop based on the story of Billy and the Beast. The interactive session brought the story to life, inspiring the children to use their imaginations as they explored Billy’s world and her furry companion. The children were captivated by the storytelling and the creative activities that enhanced their understanding of the characters and plot. They also explored a specially themed Billy and the Beast circus area, filled with fun and engaging experiences. It was wonderful to see how inspired the children were by the story, and they behaved beautifully throughout the visit. Well done, Year 1.

On Thursday, Year 5 participated in an illustration workshop organised and led by author and illustrator Laura Carlin, who has been commissioned to create sculptures for the Quentin Blake Centre at its new location in New River Head, Islington. The centre is expected to be completed in 2026 and will showcase everything related to illustration, including galleries, workshops, and a café. Part of its design features a beautiful garden with an outdoor seating area, which includes a large horse sculpture. The horse reflects the site's history as a Water Company where horsepower was once utilised. The sculpture aims to represent the local area, the schools, and the children who are part of it. The children were asked to write about the borough where they live—favourite places, trees, cafés... how they get to school, what makes their community special, and what could be improved. They then sketched, wrote, and drew their ideas. Laura Carlin collected all of these, which will be incorporated into the horse sculpture that will be a highlight of the Quentin Blake Centre’s gardens. The children enjoyed the workshop and look forward to seeing their illustrations when the centre opens in 2026.

Nursery had a lovely family event today and please see the attached photos as they show what a great time they had.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch today to celebrate Windrush Day. The menu featured chicken or vegetarian Jamaican patties, rice and peas, grilled plantain, and coleslaw. For dessert, they had Jamaican banana bread or tropical fruit salad.

Next week, we will celebrate Hispanic Week. On Thursday, the children will enjoy grilled chicken or black bean and cheese tacos, served with rice, sweetcorn, salsa, guacamole, and chipotle cream. They will have pineapple upside-down cake or vegan coconut ice cream for pudding.

Our Summer Fair takes place on Saturday, 5th July, and we will need volunteers for stalls, tidying up, and clearing away. We are really looking forward to seeing you there. Please sign up; any help is greatly appreciated. We also have an exciting raffle with tickets available online. Please purchase tickets and encourage family and friends to do the same. The raffle proceeds significantly support our funds, so sharing the link below would be very helpful.

Here’s just a taste of what you could win:

- 1-month Platinum Membership at InstaGym

- £55 cake voucher at Luminary Bakery

- Polarised sunglasses worth £145 from Ollie Quinn

- Screenings at Rio Cinema

- Date night babysitting from Bubble

- Wine tasting at Yield

- Lunch or dinner at some of our favourite local pubs

- Hampers worth over £200

- Personal training sessions worth £255

- 3 days at Simon’s Sports Camp

- 2 tickets plus a book signing for *In Conversation with Asako Yuzuki*

- Haircuts at Mancave, Crops & Bobbers, and free coffee for a week

Link to raffle: https://galabid.com/bettylaywardraffle

More prizes are being added regularly, so please keep buying tickets. Good luck! The draw closes at 3pm on 5th July.

On Thursday, 3rd July, we will have a non-uniform day. Children may wear their own clothes in exchange for donating a bottle of alcohol, toiletries, or new or nearly new toys. All donations are warmly welcomed. Thank you for being so supportive.

Year 6 will be going on a residential trip to France next week, and we hope they have an amazing time.

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine,

Jessica

Headteacher

Newsletter Friday 13th June 2025

Fri 13 Jun 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is wonderful to see the sun shining and to enjoy some lovely weather. We have had a fantastic week, highlighted by two brilliant assemblies. Aqua Class performed their very first assembly this week, and it was evident that they had worked incredibly hard to master their lines and build their confidence in speaking before an audience. The children were outstanding, and their assembly showcased all the effort they have invested in planting and growing this term, as well as directing and filming their own video. Well done, Aqua Class. Year 5 Saffron Class also delivered an excellent assembly on how we should look after our rivers. Their message was confident, clear, and well-informed regarding how to care for our Earth and improve our world. They spoke with enthusiasm and assurance. Well done, Saffron Class.

We had a lovely Eid celebration this week. Thank you to all the parents and carers who made or donated food; it was incredibly delicious, and we appreciate everyone who came along. It was truly a delightful event.

On Monday, Year 3 and 4 were visited by ACEN (African, Caribbean Education Network). The children participated in a workshop where they explored the contributions of people of colour to the United Kingdom. They discovered that people of colour have long been part of our history and have made substantial contributions. In these workshops, the children learned about some amazing individuals, like Lucius Septimius Severus, who was Roman emperor from 193 to 211 CE, and John Blanke, who was a royal trumpeter in the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. The children thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and the opportunity to learn more about these remarkable figures.The staff also received training from ACEN. The facilitators commented on how wonderful our children and staff are, which is always lovely to hear.

This week, we enjoyed construction in the Opal playground, building vehicles and structures while also having quieter moments. The children have been reading in the woodlands and lounging in the tyres. We are also very pleased to have recently received some new dress-up donations, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed wearing these new items. We are always grateful for donations for our playground and would greatly appreciate any pots, pans, colanders, etc., for our water station and mud kitchen, if you are able to assist us. Thank you very much for any contributions you can make.

We have a Parents and Carers afternoon on Thursday, 3rd July. The school will be open from 2pm, and you can come into your child’s classroom where they can share their successes from this year with you. If you cannot visit between 2pm and 3pm, you can come along with your child between 3:30pm and 5:00pm. You do not need to make an appointment; just come along. This is a lovely opportunity for your child to showcase their work as we approach the end of this academic year. Please put this date in your diaries. Sports Day is on 4th July, and the Summer Fair is on 5th July, making it a busy and certainly fun week.

We have our Parents and Carers Week commencing 14th July. This is when you can spend some time with your child in the playground. We usually play rounders or have a different fun activity, but this year we thought it would be nice to do OPAL together so you can see what the playground now has to offer, especially since OPAL has been such a great success. Exact class times will be sent out very soon. We look forward to seeing you there.

Have a lovely weekend, and I hope the sun keeps shining.

Jessica

Headteacher teacher

Newsletter Friday 6th June 2025

Fri 06 Jun 2025 Jessica

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you had a lovely week. It is wonderful to see everyone back. We have had a fantastic week, and there are a few things from last term I would like to mention, as there wasn’t a newsletter in the last week of term.

Blastonbury was brilliant. We all loved it, and we hope you did too. The children performed exceptionally well, and as the songs were not easy to sing, we were especially impressed. A big thank you to Zoe for her support and to all the staff for their hard work. We hope you enjoyed it. I hope the children are still singing some of the songs at home. We can’t wait for next year.

On the Tuesday before half term, Year 5 Buttercup visited the Natural History Museum, explored worldwide environmental issues, and attempted to solve them using Lego. We also explored coral reefs and created fantastic displays of LEGO solutions. It was great fun, and the whole of Buttercup class learned a lot, by Ryan and Hugo.

During the last week of term, Year 3 Emerald class performed a fantastic assembly on Ancient Greece. Emerald class raced across the world, demonstrating knowledge, supportive partnerships, and confidence. Their performance was a joy to watch, and it was clear they had worked incredibly hard. Well done, Emerald Class.

On Monday, Year 3 were lucky enough to explore the Barbican conservatory as part of our science topic, Plants. We had the venue exclusively for our school and could listen to those who care for the plants and ask lots of questions. We also enjoyed time in the space to be creative and draw what inspired us. We had a great day.

This week, Year 4 visited Gillespie Nature Park. Enjoying the sunny day, the children explored the meadows and learned about sustainability, particularly how to make more environmentally friendly choices in our everyday lives. Along the way, they spotted various animals in their natural habitats. They concluded the trip with a fun and educational scavenger hunt, answering questions about caring for our planet.

Wishing our families a joyful and meaningful Eid. May this Eid mark the beginning of new hopes and beautiful memories. Eid Mubarak to all our families at Betty Layward. We have our Eid event after school on Wednesday in the playground. This is a lovely occasion featuring delicious food. We look forward to seeing you there.

This week, the children in OPAL have been enjoying the water station and bubbles in the playground. Much is planned for OPAL this term, and many new pieces of equipment will be available to the children.

This term, we will not be having a Parents/Carers evening. Instead, we will have an afternoon when you can come with your child and they can share all the work they have done this year. More information will be coming soon. We really want your children to celebrate all their hard work from this year with you.

I cannot believe that this is the last term of the academic year. Where is the time going? This is a busy term, so please keep an eye on the school calendar to ensure you have all the important dates. We are not having a parents' evening this term. Instead, we will invite you in with your child so they can share their work from the whole year with you, as they have done so well. More details about this will follow.

We have Sports Day on Friday, 4^th July. Nursery, Reception, and Key Stage 1 are in the morning, and Key Stage 2 is in the afternoon. This will take place in Clissold Park.

Eid Mubarak and have a lovely weekend,

Jessica

Headteacher