School News and Head's Blog
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Posted on: 15/11/2024Weekly News - Friday 15th November 2024
Remembrance
Pupils across the school came together to mark Remembrance on Monday in age appropriate ways.
At Upper School, pupils lined up in the playground just before 11 a.m. to hear poems and prayers read by senior pupils, before Old Helenian Leo N (who is currently working with us as a gap student) played The Last Post. Leo also played The Last Post for us while he was a pupil here at St. Helen's College, so it was very poignant for him to play for us again. As the guns sounded from RAF Northolt, we observed a traditional two minutes of silence.
At Lower School the children marked the occasion in a similar fashion by gathering together to hold a respectful two minute silence in the playground. At Ducklings, the children were involved in a range of poppy related activities including creating and colouring in poppies and icing poppy biscuits. They too joined together outside to pay their respects at 11 a.m.
Thank you to everyone who bought poppies to support the Royal British Legion and to our Charity Representatives for selling them.
BBC Children in Need
The school has been a vibrant array of yellow and multi coloured spots today as the children all dressed up to support BBC Children in Need fundraising. At Lower School the children have enjoyed lots of themed activities including an outdoor Pudsey bear hunt, icing biscuits, colouring in and more.
Thank you to everyone who has donated already. There is still time to donate if you would like to via the school fundraising page here.
Mrs. Joan Evans Remembered
An online tribute page has been set up to remember Mrs. Evans, former Head at St. Helen's College, who recently passed away. Please feel free to add any special memories or thoughts, or to make a donation to the St. Helen's College Charitable Trust in her memory. The funeral for Mrs. Evans is on Monday 25th November at 11.15 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Denham. All are welcome and the family have requested those attending should wear bright colours or florals to celebrate her colourful life.
4C Class Assembly
4C presented a thought-provoking assembly this morning all about well known inspirational figures. The children have delved into the lives of influential characters from across the spectrum. Artists, politicians, musicians, royalty, campaigners and religious figures all demonstrate how our actions can have a legacy long after our lifetime. The children each delivered their lines clearly and with confidence and invited the audience to reflect on how we can all make our mark in the world with big or small actions. Well done 4C, the world is your oyster!
House News
Our programme of House events is in full swing! In the House cross country competition, Windsor finished first in each Year category winning a total of 50 House points, followed by Hibernia (40 points), Caledonia (30 points) and Cambria (20 points). The running totals so far are very close, as follows:
Cambria - 1046
Windsor - 1031
Hibernia - 1027
Caledonia - 908
There has been a terrific response to the House art competition. Entries are of an extremely high standard and each one has earned valuable House points. Ms. Drummond will be judging Middle School and Upper School winners in assembly next week, when the winning entry and runner up for each will be awarded 20 and 10 points respectively. Good luck everyone!
Sports News
It's been a busy week for the Upper School football team. On Monday they played against St. Martin's School at home but were unfortunately defeated 3-0. The team rallied however on Thursday when they faced stiff opposition in the Reddiford Challenge Cup Tournament playing against other local independent schools. St. Helen's College won two of their matches, drew two and lost one, finishing fourth overall. Well done to Mark D in 6H, our player of the tournament, who scored 5 goals.
Congratulations to 3B for completing their week of intensive swimming lessons at Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex. It will be the turn of 3M next week.
Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening
Thank you to all of the parents who attended parents' evening at Upper School this week. It was good to see you all and we hope that you found the conversations helpful.
Speed Awareness Poster Competition
Calling all budding artists! St. Helen’s College are working with Hillingdon Council to make the roads around the school safer and are launching an exciting new initiative. Pupils are invited to enter a 'Design a Sign' competition to create new 20mph signage on Parkway to encourage vehicles to slow down. Children should use the template application form here to enter their design in the competition and should follow these guidelines:
Designs should be drawn (no computers or images)
Designs must be bright and to the point
The theme is 20mph, to encourage drivers to slow down
Please assist and support your children with their designs where you can; however, please refrain from drawing the designs yourself.
The guidelines and an example design can be found here. Children should hand in designs to their class teacher by Friday 29th November. The winning design will be chosen by the council and made into a formal 20mph sign for all to see!
Switch Off Fortnight
The St. Helen's College Eco Team are hard at work facilitating the school's efforts for Switch Off Fortnight. This green initiative encourages everyone to switch off lights and electrical devices when not in use in order to save energy.
Our dedicated Eco Warriors are patrolling the school during this week and next to ensure that we all remember to switch off. So far, so good!
Flu Vaccinations
A final reminder to please complete consent forms for the seasonal 'flu vaccinations which will take place in school on Tuesday 19th November (Reception - Y6). The consent form can be found here and should be completed whether or not you intend for your child to be vaccinated.
Parkway Roadworks
Cadent, who manage the gas pipes in our area, will be replacing pipework in Parkway from 18th November 2024 for approximately 5 weeks. We do not yet know exactly how this might impact traffic along Parkway but the work, which is essential, is likely to cause some disruption and you may like to allow some extra time for your journey to/from school as a result. We would like to thank parents in advance for being patient during any disruption, and mindful of the school's relationships and reputation with neighbours and the local community.
Next Week
Monday 18th - Friday 22nd November - 3M Swimming Lessons
Tuesday 19th November - Flu Vaccinations Reception - Year 6
Wednesday 20th November - Football v. Cowley St. Lawrence (A)
Friday 22nd November - Year 5 Football and Netball v. Highgate School (H)
Posted on: 8/11/2024Weekly News - Friday 8th November 2024
Mrs. Joan Evans
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Mrs. Joan Evans, much-loved former Head of St. Helen's College, passed away on Wednesday 30th October, aged 95. Mrs. Evans was a hugely well respected part of the St. Helen's College story and history, and known to generations of pupils and staff.
Mrs. Evans was Head for seventeen years, from 1970 - 1987, and in particular she brought to the school a great passion for theatre and the performing arts, writing and producing many successful shows. She inspired countless pupils during her career and left a wonderful legacy here at St. Helen's College, where every child is encouraged to shine in annual productions and creative performances.
Her funeral will be held at St. Mary's Church in Denham at 11.00 a.m. on Monday 25th November and all are welcome to attend.
Year 1 Visit To Roald Dahl Gallery
On Tuesday Year 1 had a phizz-whizzing day at the Roald Dahl Gallery in Aylesbury.
The children enjoyed listening to a revolting re-enactment from the 'The Twits' and took part in a role play from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. They visited the 'Giant' peach and Mr Fox's underground tunnel, and had a great time exploring the amazing exhibits in the museum.
They were fascinated to learn about Roald Dahl's life and the real people Roald Dahl knew who inspired characters such as the BFG and Miss Trunchbull. A highlight was making their own dream bottles, using the museum as the inspiration for all of their dreams. Everyone had a wonderful day!
2C Class Assembly
2C have been discovering all about the Isle of Coll in geography this year and today they shared their work in a very polished class assembly. The children have been busy researching this Hebridean island and shared lots of fascinating facts, jaunty songs and wonderful artwork inspired by the distinctive landscape.
The island was once home to Mairi Hedderwick, author of the Katie Morag series, whose fictional island of Struay is inspired by the Isle of Coll. The children put on a charming performance of one of her stories, which delivered an important message about never being afraid to ask for help when you need it. You can see a short clip of the children singing here.
Sports News
On Monday Year 5 and 6 visited Highgate School for a series of friendly football and netball matches. Excitement levels were high and the competition was stiff. The pupils displayed brilliant character skills and resilience against strong opposition and made lots of positive progress along the way. Well done to all of the children for great teamwork and for being such positive ambassadors for St. Helen's College. Many thanks to Highgate School for hosting this fun event.
The St. Helen's College football team played a competitive match against St. Catherine's School on Thursday. Despite showing improvement and playing well, particularly in the second half, in the end they lost the match 4-1. This was a great effort from the team who are showing consistent progress.
Nursery Trip to Playtrain
On Thursday the Nursery children had a fun packed visit to Playtrain in High Wycombe for their first 'school trip' experience.
The children had a super time at this thrilling soft play activity centre. They loved climbing, swinging, jumping, sliding and so much more! All the children were extremely well behaved and a credit to the school.
Music News
Half Term String Workshop
Over the half term break, three of our young violinists, Simar C, Aria M and Alicia Z, attended the Leading Notes Chamber Music Course held at Merchant Taylor’s School.
The three day course offers high quality tuition from experienced professional tutors for talented young musicians as they develop their chamber music experience. The girls thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the course and their enthusiasm was noted. Well done girls for representing St. Helen’s College so well.
Charity Flute Performance
Congratulations to Zoe in Year 4 who has raised £154 for BBC Children in Need by performing a recital on the flute in Uxbridge over the half term break. Zoe took to the town centre for her street performance, where she collected donations from passers by. Well done to Zoe for using her creative talents to fundraise for such an important children's charity.
Karate Club Success
Two talented St. Helen's College pupils achieved success last weekend competing at the Dutch Youth Open Karate Championships in Almere. Huge congratulations to Rania Q and Naiya L in Year 5 who performed extremely well against challenging opponents in a very tough competition.
Naiya performed exceptionally well, reaching the bronze medal match. Although in the end she didn’t win, she gave it her all, demonstrating technical skill and maximum effort.
Rania was also very determined and faced some challenging opponents, making it all the way to the final against a club mate. The final was intense but in the end Rania earned a silver medal, proving that she is a top international karate athlete. Well done to both girls for their amazing achievement and for representing their club so confidently at an international level.
BBC Children In Need
St. Helen's College will be raising money for BBC Children In Need on Friday 15th November. All children are invited to wear yellow and/or spots or to wear a Children In Need top, to raise money and awareness. We are asking for each child to donate online (suggested minimum £2 but all donations gratefully received). Please donate via the Just Giving page here, thank you in advance for your support.
Flu Vaccination
Please be reminded the seasonal 'flu vaccinations will take place in school on Tuesday 19th November. Please ensure that you have completed the consent form which can be found here.
Parents' Evening
Thank you to all of the Year 2 - 6 parents who attended Parents' Evening on Thursday evening. This is a valuable meeting to update and share information on the individual progress of your child and to set future goals. We look forward to seeing parents at the next Parents' Evening on Tuesday 12th November.
Resilient Families Summit
Parenting coach Elaine Halligan from The Parent Practice, who recently held a popular webinar for St. Helen's College parents, is a featured speaker at the Resilient Families Summit, an online parenting event to support parents to help their children thrive. The event consists of a series of free events from 18th - 22nd November, and parents can register free here.
Next Week
Monday 11th - Friday 15th November - 3B Swimming Lessons
Monday 11th November - Football v. St. Martin's (H)
Tuesday 12th November - Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening
Wednesday 13th November - Football v. St. Mary's (H)
Thursday 14th - Friday 15th - Reddiford Challenge Cup Football
Friday 15th November - 4C Class Assembly
Friday 15th November - Children in Need - Wear Yellow/Spots/Children In Need clothing
Posted on: 18/10/2024Weekly News - Friday 18th October 2024
It has been a typically busy half term at St. Helen's College and the children have worked very hard, adapting to their new year groups and environments, learning new routines, establishing new relationships and having a go at new activities and learning both inside and outside the classroom. We have been very impressed with their commitment and determination to get involved and to do their best. We hope that they will have an enjoyable half term break and will make the most of time with family and friends, staying active and curious about the world around them.
Please note that all pupils should return in full, smart winter uniform after the half term break.
Lower School Harvest Assemblies
This week Lower School celebrated Harvest Festival, inviting parents into school for two special class assemblies.
On Tuesday Year 1 presented an accomplished assembly explaining where our food comes from and giving thanks for the abundance of food we are lucky to enjoy. It was wonderful to hear the children speak their remembered lines to parents so confidently and sing Harvest songs with gusto. They finished the assembly with a recital of a Harvest poem which you can listen to here.
On Wednesday it was the turn of Reception who delivered a very upbeat assembly, reciting their lines from memory and singing popular Harvest songs. They celebrated the array of colourful food we receive at Harvest time and sang in appreciation for the vibrant autumn season.
Thank you to the Revd. Ken Kingston from the North Hillingdon Methodist Church for sharing an important message of gratitude with the children at both assemblies. Many thanks also to everyone who sent in donations of food for our Harvest appeal. These will be distributed by the Salvation Army to those in need in Hillingdon.
Year 6 Visit The Houses of Parliament
On Tuesday, Year 6 travelled to Westminster on the tube to visit the Houses of Parliament and learn about our country's systems of democracy. They were guided on a tour of the historic buildings, which included sitting in the House of Lords and observing a fierce debate around health care in the House of Commons.
The group were warmly greeted by Conservative MP and former PM Rishi Sunak in the famous Westminster Hall. He answered questions about his career, his life and his time at Downing Street with great humour. After this, the children went back to the education centre for a workshop exploring how laws are made and the parliamentary process of bills.
At the end of the tour, the children also met local Labour MP Danny Beales. He took questions from the children about his journey to becoming MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip and gave the children some insight into the day-to-day working life of an MP.
Year 3 Visit To St. Albans
Year 3 visited St. Albans Cathedral on Thursday for a busy day of workshops to support their work on the Romans. The children toured the impressive Cathedral discovering all about its history, and enjoyed taking part in an exciting drama workshop where they dressed up in Roman clothes and even encountered a Roman soldier!
They also had the opportunity to express themselves creatively by delving into mosaic design and creating beautiful pieces of mosaic art of their own.
Sports News
On Wednesday the Upper School football team played a confident match against St. Matthew's Primary School drawing 1-1 at home. They boys played well as a team and are steadily building on their skills. Congratulations to Maicen M who scored from a free kick in the boys' best game so far this season.
Well done to Year 5 for completing their intensive swimming programme this week at Hillingdon Sport & Leisure Complex.
Upper School Parents' Evening
Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evenings will be held on Thursday 7th and Tuesday 12th November. Booking is now open; parents can book a time slot here.
PA Christmas Card Project
Once again the Parents' Association are organising the school Christmas card project, whereby parents can order personalised cards featuring their child's individual artwork. The Upper School children have been sent forms and artwork sheets which must be completed at home. Please ensure the name of the child and class are clearly written on the sheet. All completed artwork must be returned to the class teacher or the Upper School office by Tuesday 5 November 2024 at the very latest.
The Lower School children will be completing their artwork in school. Once submitted the artwork will be uploaded to an online portal. When login details for the portal are available these will be shared with parents who will be able to view their child's artwork and place an order directly.
PA Quiz Night
On Tuesday the Parents' Association hosted a lively Quiz Night at the White Bear in Ruislip. Eight teams were put through their paces during rounds of trivia covering everything from history to pop culture. The evening was not just about testing knowledge - laughter and the spirit of fun and friendly competition filled the room and kept everyone on their toes!
Congratulations to the winning team, "Brainy Bustards", who won a £10 White Bear voucher each! The event raised vital funds for the PA, thank you to all the parents who supported this event. And a big thank you to the PA for organising such an enjoyable evening, the next Quiz Night is already eagerly anticipated!
Dr. Zob's Monster Academy Show
Popular children's entertainer 'Captain Fantastic' will be presenting his Halloween Show 'Dr Zob's Monster Academy' in the Lower School Hall on Thursday 31st October at 3.00 - 4.00 p.m. The show, which is suitable for children aged 5 - 11, promises to be great fun including magically flying objects, mysterious potions, eerie science experiments and a friendly Frankenstein! More information and booking details can be found here.
Boys' & Girls' Brigade
The 1st Hillingdon Boys' Brigade and Girls' Association run weekly groups at North Hillingdon Methodist Church on Long Lane and welcome new members. The organisation is a Christian youth group which offers boys and girls aged 5 - 18 the opportunity to learn, grow and discover in a safe and fun environment. Boys meet every Tuesday during term time at various times depending on age group, and the girls meet on Friday evenings. More information can be found here.
After Half Term
Monday 4th November - Y5/6 Football and Netball at Highgate School
Tuesday 5th November - Y1 Visit to Roald Dahl Museum
Wednesday 6th November - Football v's St. Catherine's School
Thursday 7th November - Nursery Trip to Playtrain
Thursday 7th November - Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening
Friday 8th November - 2C Coffee Morning and Class Assembly
Saturday 9th November - Packham Cup Football Tournament
Posted on: 11/10/2024Weekly News - Friday 11th October 2024
Upper School Harvest Festival Service
Thank you to those Upper School parents who joined us for a special Harvest Festival service at All Saints' Church this morning. We thoroughly enjoyed performances from the school orchestra and the choirs. Well done to 5R, 5G and to our Head Girl and Head Boy for their thoughtful and well delivered readings.
The Harvest service is always an important event in the school calendar, providing an opportunity to reflect on and show gratitude for our blessings. Many thanks to all those who sent in donations of food. These will be distributed by the Salvation Army to those in need in Hillingdon.
We are looking forward to the Lower School Harvest Assemblies which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Sports News
This week both the girls' and boys' football teams had the opportunity to participate in the BPSFA Football Tournament. This was a great experience for both teams to play competitive matches against other schools in the area and put into practise their training. Both teams were up against stiff competition but managed some fantastic goals, including one from the halfway line!
On Thursday afternoon the Year 6 netball team took to the court. The highly anticipated first netball match of the year saw the Year 6 team play Cowley St. Lawrence in an exciting display of skill and teamwork. With a fantastic winning score of 8-2, the team was full of enthusiasm and energy, showing how much they have developed in their training sessions during the lead up to this match. Well done to all involved!
Year 4 Swimming
Well done to Year 4 for completing a very successful week of intensive swimming lessons at Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex. It will be the turn of Year 5 next week and we are looking forward to seeing them enjoy this opportunity to develop their skills and make strong progress across the week.
Open Morning
It was wonderful to welcome so many new families to the St. Helen's College Open Morning on Wednesday. A huge thank you to our Year 6 ambassadors who toured visiting families around Upper School, showing off our school at work. We received very positive feedback from visiting parents who found the children to be confident, friendly and informative guides. Well done Year 6!
Lower School Parents' Evening
Thank you to all of the parents who attended Lower School Parents' Evening on Thursday. It was delightful to meet parents and share more about how the children have settled into their new classes. We heartily encourage open communication channels between home and school so please don't hesitate to contact your child's class teacher if you have any queries, comments or concerns.
Chess Camp and Tournament
Uxbridge Chess Club is running a half term Chess Camp on Tuesday 29th - Thursday 31st October from 10.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m. The camp will include fun games, puzzles and lessons providing the perfect opportunity for chess players to perfect their skills and participate in competitive matches. The camp will be held at Lady of Lourdes & St. Michael Catholic Church hall. Hillingdon Chess Club are also hosting a Junior Chess Competition on Sunday 27th October; more details on how to enter can be found here, and the terms and conditions here.
Lebanon Donations
Many, many thanks to everyone who has donated clothes, blankets, hygiene products, pyjamas, toys and more for the Red Cross Lebanon. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the school community for this vital cause. All items will be distributed by the Lebanese Red Cross in Beirut to those most in need.
Next Week
Monday 14th - Friday 18th October - Year 5 Swimming
Tuesday 15th October - Year 6 Visit to Houses of Parliament
Tuesday 15th October - Year 1 Coffee Morning and Harvest Festival Assembly
Tuesday 15th October - PA Quiz Night
Wednesday 16th October - Reception Coffee Morning and Harvest Festival Assembly
Wednesday 16th October - Football St. Helen's College v. St. Matthews
Thursday 17th October - Year 3 Visit to St. Albans
Posted on: 11/10/2024Volunteering at GOSH by Miss Raja-Ross
I have been a volunteer at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) since 2014. Ten years! I chose to volunteer because I was treated there as a child for a rare blood cancer. My time at GOSH as a child was memorable and happy despite undergoing treatment for my condition. I loved all the kind nurses and doctors as they were so welcoming and the care they showed me was second to none. But my favourite part was the Activity Centre because they had a rabbit called Flopsy who I absolutely adored! Also, my mother became good friends with the lady who ran the centre as well as some of the nurses.
Now, I am part of the Weekend Club Team where we volunteer either on a Saturday or a Sunday (or both!) and we operate from The Cove, which is the new activity centre. We can also go up to the wards in pairs and visit those patients who cannot come down due to surgery or treatment. We have the most amazing therapy dogs of all breeds and sizes and I cannot begin to tell you how fantastic it is to have the dogs and their owners with us for our Weekend Club. They do a wonderful job, especially for those children who are missing their own pets at home. Whilst the Weekend Club is a happy, joyful place, there are, albeit few and far between, some sad moments particularly if we know a child is going through palliative care. Still, we try hard to maintain a positive outlook for the children and their families.
The other thing I love about being a volunteer is being able to participate in the quarterly parties which have themes based on various Roald Dahl books, and seasonal celebrations such as Halloween and Easter. I love to dress up for this, my alter ego is always Wonder Woman! There are lots and lots of fantastic things at the party; candy floss, TV entertainers, painting, face painting, various animals such as giant rabbits, lizards, tarantulas and so much more! Unfortunately, parties have been put on hold since Covid but will hopefully return soon.
On Saturday 12th October 2024, I will be doing a 5K run in Hyde Park (well, a stroll for me!) for GOSH along with several of my Weekend Club colleagues. So if you are free, please come along and support us! You can also sponsor me here, all funds raised will be donated towards a new Children’s Cancer Centre at GOSH.
Posted on: 4/10/2024Weekly News - Friday 4th October 2024
Battle of Britain Bunker Visit
On Tuesday Year 6 visited the Battle of Britain Bunker to immerse themselves in some very important local history. The children investigated different aspects of the secret work that was completed at the site during World War II, exploring precious artefacts from the time in a series of activities looking at communications. They also had the opportunity to go down the 76 steps into the Bunker itself to discover first hand how the plotting room operated. The children enjoyed putting themselves into the position of the Controller and Plotters who worked there and walk in the footsteps of Churchill himself.
The Plotting Room is frozen in time at 11.30am on 15th September 1940, a historic day for the RAF ('Battle of Britain Day') and the turning point in the battle, when the RAF managed to repel attacks from Luftwaffe planes and forced Hitler to reconsider his decision to attempt an invasion of the United Kingdom. As Churchill famously said, 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few,' and the Year 6 children certainly seemed to appreciate and understand this sentiment after their visit.
Money Day
Children across Lower and Upper School participated in an exciting and informative Money Day today. Financial literacy is essential and forms one of the threads of our life skills programme here at St. Helen's College. The children took part in a range of interactive activities, games and workshops to educate them about shopping, budgeting, spending, saving, currency, work and careers.
A huge thank you to the parents and staff members who contributed to talks and workshops at Upper School and in doing so shared a valuable insight into careers in the financial sector. We would encourage parents to take this opportunity to review your child's life skills progress in their green Information and Reading Record book where you can sign off their achievements together.
4T Class Assembly
To coincide with Money Day 4T presented a very polished class assembly to parents and their peers showcasing work on the topic. The children explained why money is needed, how it drives the economy and how it is sourced primarily from work and wages. The children demonstrated great global knowledge of different currencies used internationally. Then they treated the audience to a fun retelling of fairy tales 'Rapunzel', 'The Sleeping Beauty' and 'Cinderella' complete with very entrepreneurial leading characters! The children rounded off the assembly performing the poem 'The Money Tree'.
Lower School Parents' Evening
Thank you to all the parents at Lower School who attended parents' evening this week. The children have settled very quickly into their new classes and are already making wonderful progress. We look forward to meeting those parents who will be attending Parents' Evening next week.
Harvest Festival
Parents of Upper School children are warmly invited to join the Upper School Harvest Festival Service which will take place next Friday 11th October at All Saints' Church, Long Lane at 9.15 a.m.
We would be most grateful for Harvest donations ahead of the service. These should be dropped into the Upper School office on Wednesday or Thursday next week. We would really appreciate made up boxes/hampers filled with long-life food such as canned goods, rice, pasta, etc. If anyone has a few fruits, vegetables or flowers from their garden that could enhance the display in the church, that would be lovely (but please note that only a few would be needed and these are NOT suitable items for donations so should not be purchased!). All donations will be distributed by the Salvation Army to those in need in Hillingdon.
Lower School Harvest Assemblies will take place slightly later in the term and we will send the arrangements for these in due course.
Holiday Club - October Half Term
Holiday Club bookings will open to parents on Friday 4th October at 4 p.m. and close on Wednesday 16th October at 4 p.m. Please log in to your SchoolsBuddy account to make your bookings.
Mr. Lynch Performs With The Hillingdon Philharmonic Orchestra
Our brass teacher, Mr. Lynch, will be performing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto with the Hillingdon Philharmonic Orchestra at the Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip on Saturday 12th October. Details are here. Children's tickets are free and the orchestra will also be performing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Mozart's Magic Flute Overture. We do hope that many of you will want to go and support Mr. Lynch and enjoy a super evening of music!
Parking Reminder
Sadly we are receiving an increasing number of complaints from our neighbours regarding inconsiderate parking at both drop off and pick up - particularly on Grosvenor Crescent and Long Lane. Please adhere to our parking regulations, which can be found here, and be aware of our school reputation in the local community. Thank you to the majority of parents who are incredibly thoughtful and mindful of their parking.
Next Week
Monday 7th - Friday 11th October - 4T swimming
Tuesday 8th October - BPSFA Girls Football Tournament Radlett Prep (Under 11)
Wednesday 9th October - BPSFA Boys Football Tournament Manor Lodge (Under 11)
Wednesday 9th October - School At Work Open Morning
Thursday 10th October - Y6 Netball v's Cowley St. Lawrence (H)
Thursday 10th October - Ducklings, Nursery and Y1 Parents' Evening
Friday 11th October - Upper School Harvest Festival Service at All Saints' Church
Posted on: 27/09/2024Weekly News - Friday 27th September 2024
Trips And Workshops Galore!
It has been a busy week of learning for the children both inside and outside of the classrooms, with our 2024-2025 enrichment programme getting off to a flying start this week.
Year 4 Ancient Greek Day
The Year 4 children enhanced their history learning with a full day immersive workshop about the Ancient Greeks on Tuesday, delivered by The FreshWater Theatre Company. First, the pupils watched a show during which an Athenian helped a time traveller to answer questions about many aspects of Ancient Greek life: Sparta, Homer, clothing, myths, battles and the Greek Gods to name a few!
Afterwards, the children took part in workshops, acting out Ancient Greek daily life and special events, and learning all about the Olympics. The day really brought history to life for our Year 4 children.
Year 2 Stone Age Studies At The Chiltern Open Air Museum
At the same time on Tuesday, our Year 2 pupils were bringing their Stone Age studies outside the classroom with a visit to the wonderful Chiltern Open Air Museum, where they were transported back in time to experience what it was like to live in a Mesolithic Stone Age camp, learning to make fire (safely!), re-enacting hunting and gathering, and building shelters. They also became archaeologists, learning how to look for clues about the past, had a chance to create their own spears and, of course, enjoyed the beautiful play areas. The staff at the museum were very impressed by the children's knowledge and enthusiasm. If you have not visited the Chiltern Open Air Museum, we heartily recommend it to all families. The children had a super time.
Year 5 Trip to Hampton Court Palace
Wednesday saw our Year 5 children take a trip to Hampton Court Palace to enhance their understanding of The Tudors. The children were full of enthusiasm and the staff were impressed with their behaviour.
Our pupils explored the outside grounds including the gardens, real tennis court, chapel and impressive range of kitchens and had tours of the Tudor state apartments. They also took part in a workshop session (‘Tudor Palaces and World Trade’), which helped to link their first two units of History in Year 5: ‘The problems faced by Elizabeth I’ and ‘The British Empire’.
In the workshop session, the children went on a voyage of discovery to find out how new technology began making the world a smaller place in the 16th Century and what the real cost of trading overseas might be. Journeying through the palace, they looked for evidence to show which commodities the Tudors wanted and who paid the human price for the legacy of Elizabethan exploration. What a lot they learnt!
Reception Trip To Odds Farm
Our Reception children have been learning all about farming and life on the farm and have been enjoying farm role play - we currently have a farm shop in both the Owls and Kingfishers classrooms. They have also been painting farm animals which they would like to meet on a real farm. They took their learning further on Wednesday with a visit to Odds Farm Park near High Wycombe, where they had opportunities to see and touch different breeds of animals including rabbits, sheep and goats. They were also able to see first hand how the farmer milks a cow and there was even time for an exciting and rather bumpy tractor ride across the field!
Month End Music Recital
Well done to all of the performers who took part in our first Month End Music Recital of the year today. It is always so wonderful to see our musicians building their confidence by having the chance to perform in an informal arena with a hugely supportive audience. Thank you to all of the parents and friends who came to watch too.
If your child is not yet learning an instrument and you would like to sign them up for lessons, please contact Mrs. Fawbert at cfawbert@sthelenscollege.com.
Parent Practice Webinar: 'Bringing Out The Best In Your Child'
Thank you to all of the parents who joined us on Wednesday evening for Elaine Halligan's extremely useful webinar, 'Bringing Out The Best In Your Child'. We hope that you found the content of the session both informative and useful. We have worked with The Parent Practice for many years and we recommend their resources to parents regularly.
We would like to remind you that, while your class teacher is your first point of contact for matters concerning your child, Mrs. Hunt (Lower School) and Mr. McLaughlin (Upper School) are our Pastoral Leads and are available to meet with parents who may feel they need some extra support with aspects of children's wellbeing or behaviour. You may contact them at the email addresses below.
Mrs. Hunt: lhunt@sthelenscollege.com
Mr. McLaughlin: amclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com
ISI Inspection
We were delighted to welcome a team of ISI inspectors to the school this week and to be able to showcase our pupils and their positive attitudes, diverse talents and excellent class work. We would like to thank all of the parents who responded so promptly to the ISI parent survey. The inspectors seemed to enjoy their time with us and we are looking forward to reading their report in due course. We will of course share it with you as soon as we are allowed to do so!
Ducklings, Nursery, Reception, Year 1 Parents' Evenings
Our next parents' evening for Ducklings, Nursery, Reception and Year 1 will take place on Wednesday 2nd October. Bookings are still open so if you have not yet booked your meeting please do so before the system closes on Sunday 29th September. You should follow the link below to make your booking.
https://sthelens.schoolcloud.co.uk/
PA Quiz Night - Book Your Place Now!
The PA are organising another of their very popular Quiz Nights on Tuesday 15th October at The White Bear in Ruislip. You can see the poster/flyer here. Please complete the Google form below to book your spot - you will need a team of 4-6 people with a team name in order to book.
https://forms.gle/Z9VPgLBzNGTKFw8s8
News From The PA
Thank you for your continued support with the food donations. We’ve now been running this for nearly a year now and the volunteers at the Hillingdon Food Bank are extremely overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of SHC community.
Just a gentle reminder that if you would like to donate any items of non-perishable food items, the boxes are held by the entrance of Lower School and going forward, children in Upper School will be able to drop their food items at the start of the day at the Parkway entrance by the first two classrooms (2S/2C) after they enter the school gates.
PA Co-Secretary
There is a vacancy for someone to assist on the executive committee as the co-secretary. Please do consider this role if you have a little time to spare in helping the work of the Parents' Association. The Executive Committee are now sharing all the roles to enable us to share the tasks to make it more manageable. Your support is very much valued. You can express your interest by emailing us at pa@sthelenscollege.com.
Next Week
Monday 1st - Friday 4th October - 4C swimming
Tuesday 1st October - Year 6 trip to Battle Of Britain Bunker
Wednesday 2nd October - Nursery coffee morning (8.15 a.m. in Lower School Hall)
Wednesday 2nd October - Ducklings, Nursery, Reception & Year 1 parents' evenings (4 - 7 p.m. at Lower School)
Friday 4th October - Money Focus Day
Friday 4th October - 4T coffee morning/class assembly (Upper School Hall)
Posted on: 27/09/2024A Mile In My Shoes by Ms Drummond
Only recently my daughter and I realised that we were like ships passing in the night and we managed to catch each other last Sunday and spent the day celebrating her 25th birthday in a lovely restaurant in Selfridges. Over lunch we shared what we had both been up to, professionally and personally. Both of us have been so busy this month - both love our jobs (she is a wedding and events planner) and we both have busy social lives! It is not until we slow down and actually reflect on what we have achieved, experienced and enjoyed that we can be truly grateful for the lives we have. So, coming to the end of this week I am spending this time reflecting and sharing with you all - my second family - some of the highlights for me (not all of them I may add!!)
Last week I attended the IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools) annual conference in Wales along with 400 other Preparatory School Headteachers from across the UK and overseas. It was, as ever, a busy programme of events with Keynote speakers and seminars to attend then superb networking opportunities with other Heads and exhibitors.
The conference was opened by a panel of experts discussing ‘What could the next 5 years look like for independent schools under this government’, chaired by Julie Robinson, the Chair of the Independent Schools Council. Julie was joined by expert guests including Ed Dorrel, Lord David Hacking and Alex Chalk (Former Lord Chancellor and Secretary Of State for Justice). It was fascinating to hear the sparky discussions between all three speakers on what the future may be like under the new Labour government. Later that morning I managed to speak with the inspiring Lord Hacking (aged 86) to thank him for his support of the independent sector and for standing against his own party. Having being privately educated himself, he understands the sector and the sacrifices that many parents make to choose to send their children to an independent school. This lively discussion set the tone for the next few days.
I attended and participated in many more interesting sessions over the course of the few days, including these.
The future of education in a world of artificial intelligence and augmented reality - Ian Symmonds.
Handling a crisis: managing your school and your reputation in the toughest of times.
(This session was emotional as three Headteachers shared their experiences of dealing with critical incidents, all of a different nature, which all of us hope we will never experience as leaders).
Strategies for success in a challenging business environment - David Woodgate.
The conference was closed by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee in conversation with Emilie Darwin as he gave the delegates simple steps to enable us all to thrive not just survive in Headship. I am thankful and grateful to have the most incredible team at St. Helen’s College who all support each other and it is a testament to them that I am able to be out of school attending such events and school life continues as per normal!
Dr. Chatterjee has been involved in a new two part documentary, Swiped: The School that Banned Smartphones, from BOLDPRINT Studios with Matt and Emma Willis, which will be aired on Channel 4 very shortly. I highly recommend that all parents and educators tune in. Shocking research which he discussed with us that we all need to be aware of included the following.
50% of all 9 year olds in the UK own a smartphone [1] with 43% of UK teens using their smartphones during school lessons [2]. Alarmingly, frequent social media use has been found to increase a child’s risk of depression by 27% [3] and a recent Education Select Committee report revealed that one in four children now use their phones in a manner resembling behavioural addiction [4]. Even more concerning, half of children have accessed violent pornography on a screen by the age of 13 [5] and 21% of 9 – 12 year olds agree that it is normal for children their age to share nude or semi-nude images online [6].
As well as attending the IAPS conference last week, we have also been visited by a reviewer from The Good Schools Guide. They spent a morning in school on Monday, speaking and touring with me to find out more about St. Helen’s College, and we now await their written review.
We have had prospective parents touring the school almost every day since we returned to school and of course many of you know that on Monday morning I also received the call from ISI (The Independent Schools Inspectorate) to inform us that a team of inspectors would be arriving on Tuesday morning. The school is inspected every three years by ISI. ISI is an organisation responsible for the inspection of Independent schools in England. It is a government-approved, independent body that provides objective evaluations of schools, focusing on educational quality and the well-being of students.
So this week we have had the pleasure of a team of five inspectors immersing themselves in the daily life of St. Helen’s College and experiencing what your children do: attending lessons, observing playtimes, eating with the children, speaking with your children and the staff about the school. Leadership and management and the safeguarding of the pupil are overarching aspects of the ISI new framework and it has been a very thorough process. Thank you to those of you who completed the parent surveys which helps the team enormously. Inspectors also met with Mr. and Mrs. Crehan, Miss Beckett and our new Chair Mr. Forsyth and safeguarding governor and Director of Education Ms Storey, to enable them to have oversight of the governance of the school since our last inspection.
The stars of our inspection process though are your children! They have represented the beating heart of the school and why we do what we do and, as you might expect, they have done so with confidence, enthusiasm, joy and humility. I am sure that many of you have heard about the various meetings that your children have had with the team and the lessons in which their learning has been observed.
The staff have also enjoyed showcasing their expertise and as I sit here awaiting the feedback from the inspectors I can share with you the great pride I have in being part of this incredible community!
On Wednesday evening we also had 79 members of the school community engaged in the Parent Practice webinar run by Elaine Halligan. The feedback on this session has been so positive and we all left the session with excellent tips to enable us all to continue being the best parents we can be!
All in all it has been an incredibly busy two weeks! I may not have done much outside of my professional life but tonight I will enjoy reconnecting with my well-being and participating in my yoga, pilates and swimming. I will also be relaxing with friends over the weekend!
Happy weekend!
Ms Drummond
Posted on: 20/09/2024Weekly News - Friday 20th September 2024
Fun in Year 1
It has been a busy, fun week in Year 1 filled with learning. Both classes enjoyed taking a walk to the local postbox to post letters home.
The Year 1 children have also been very busy in their Spanish lessons, learning the names of various minibeasts. After learning new vocabulary they took their learning outside to see if they could find arañas (spiders), hormigas (ants) and caracoles (snails).
Cycle To School Week
Next week is Bikeability's 'Cycle to School' week, an event championed by our Junior Travel Ambassadors. Cycling is a terrific way to stay healthy, protect the environment and save money. We are looking forward to seeing lots of children supporting this venture and making good use of our lovely new bike shed.
If your child is in need of a bike, you might be interested in a company recommended by one of our parents, who has recently used them. As well as selling great quality recycled bikes, being sustainable and repairing bikes, Recycle-A-Bike is a not-for-profit company who work on bringing adults with mental health illnesses back into employment. A lot of their staff at the bike shop and at the adjacent cafe within the park are supported by them. The prices are really economical - a new bike recently purchased by a St. Helen's College parent should have been around £650 but was on sale for £150!
The details are:
The Yard
Rockingham Parade
Uxbridge
UB8 2UW
(Within Fassnidge Park)
Bringing Out The Best In Your Child
We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming Elaine Halligan of The Parent Practice back to St. Helen's College for a parenting workshop, as she has been so well received in previous years. Elaine will be delivering her online workshop ‘Bringing Out The Best In Your Child’ on Wednesday 25th September at 7.30 p.m. The fact that she is able to reach so many parents via webinar is wonderful, so please do make every effort to attend this session, which is paid for by the school.
All parents want the very best for their children and want to see their children be successful and happy. Sometimes we worry that our children don’t seem to be achieving all they are capable of, we worry that they are not trying hard, that they won’t try new things or that they give up too easily. Elaine's webinar looks at ways of motivating children to do their best without nagging or pressurising them.
The talk covers:
- ways of motivating children to want to do their best
- the importance of self esteem to ensure cooperative children
- how to focus on the positive aspects of your child’s behaviour, no matter how small they are
- being aware of the negativity bias and the impact it has
- how to encourage your child to try hard and to persevere
- practical ways of setting things up so that children are likely to get it right.
All registered attendees will receive a comprehensive handout with an overview of the webinar content. In order to join you need to register via this link beforehand so please do so this week:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrf-mprzkoEtyiTguUIZUhBrrSQlPuK4xY
Co-Curricular Clubs
Co-curricular clubs started this week and it has been super to see the children enjoying the many activities on offer.
Please note that PE/Games kits are required for football, netball, running and basketball clubs; if your child would usually be wearing school uniform on the day of these clubs, they should bring their sports kit and change at break time or lunch time. For other sports clubs, your child should bring a pair of trainers in a drawstring bag on the day of the club, which they will wear with their school uniform.
School Photographs
Individual and sibling pupil photographs will be taken on Thursday 26th September for Nursery - Year 6. Sibling photographs will take place before school from 7.40 a.m. at Upper and Lower School. Ducklings individual photographs will take place on Monday 25th November; however, Ducklings are welcome to join siblings for group photographs on Thursday 26th September.
Ducklings and Lower School Parents' Evenings
Parents' evenings will take place for all of Ducklings, Nursery, Reception and Year 1 on 2nd and 10th October from 4 - 7 p.m. Please follow the link below to book your appointments.
Parents' Evening Bookings
Money Day - 4th October
We would very much like to hear from parents who wish to get involved in our upcoming Money Day on Friday 4th October. Financial literacy forms one of the threads in our Life Skills programme here at St. Helen's College and this special focus day will include a range of interactive workshops, exciting events and fun activities to educate pupils on spending and saving, bills and budgeting, online and electronic payments, career choices and more. The overarching theme for the day will be: Saving Money and Protecting our Planet. If any parents work in a maths or money related role and would like to get involved in running a session or contributing to an assembly, please email Mrs. McLaughlin at pmclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com as soon as possible so that staff may work with you to organise exciting and educational sessions for the children.
Music Lessons
Individual music lessons are offered at school taught by our team of specialist music teachers, many of whom work professionally in the music industry. From Reception, children can learn the violin or the cello, and from Year 2 children can learn a wider variety of instruments including flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, piano, singing and guitar (NB: guitar can be learnt from Year 3).
There are currently spaces available to begin this term for the following instruments: Flute, Trumpet, Trombone and 'Cello. The waiting list is open for all other instruments. Please complete this Google Form for further information and to register your child. For any further queries, please contact Mrs. Fawbert on cfawbert@sthelenscollege.com.
Voices In Accord: Melodies For Mind
North Hillingdon Methodist Church will be hosting an afternoon of song, conduction by Alison Elcoat, in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association on Saturday, 21st September at 2.45 p.m. No tickets are required to attend this event, but there will be a retiring collection for MND. All are welcome to turn up at the church in time for the music, at 260 Long Lane, Hillingdon, UB10 9PB, just in front of our Lower School site.
Next Week
Tuesday 24th September - Year 4 Ancient Greek Day
Tuesday 24th September - Year 2 Visit to Chiltern Open Air Museum
Wednesday 25th September - Reception Class Trip to Odds Farm
Wednesday 25th September - Year 5 Trip to Hampton Court
Wednesday 25th September - 'Bringing Out The Best In Your Child' webinar
Thursday 26th September - Individual and Optional Sibling School Photographs (Nursery - Y6)
Friday 27th September - Month End Music Recital
Mini-Me Camps - October Half Term
Mini-Me Camps will be running a holiday camp at PACCAR from 28th to 31st October (during half term). Details and onine booking are available here.
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