School News and Head's Blog
Posted on: 23/02/2024Weekly News - Friday 23rd February 2024
Owls Class Assembly
Our Owls Reception class delivered a charming assembly to parents on Thursday all about the effect of climate change on the ice caps of Antarctica. They shared a story about Eddie the penguin who was on a journey to find out why his home was melting. He visited many countries, exploring how we could help stop the earth getting warmer and save the polar regions. The solutions he found, communicated by the Owls through wonderful songs, included walking or cycling to school, recycling our rubbish and turning off lights to save energy. The children finished with thoughtful messages about how important it is to protect our amazing planet and a prayer that we might find helpful in doing so.
The Owls children told us before the assembly about some of the topics they have been exploring in class. You can see a short video here.
Month End Music Recital
We rounded off the week with another super Month End Music Recital in the Evans Hall, where children from Years 1 to 6 entertained us by singing and playing piano, violin and guitar. Very well done to everyone involved. It is a testament to the music department that so many children wish to perform after school on a Friday - these recitals are growing and growing! Thank you also to the families and friends who came along to watch. You can watch a clip of one of our fabulous musicians rehearsing here.
Cookery Club
Cookery Club is back! This week the children from Year 5 enjoyed whipping up a tasty feast of nachos with cheese, cauliflower buffalo wings, chicken wings and Mexican rice. This is a terrific opportunity for pupils to get 'hands on' with food preparation and put into practice many aspects of food science they learn in the classroom.
Languagenut Success
We are very proud of how hard the children have been trying on Languagenut, the online learning platform where they practise their modern foreign language (Spanish and French) vocabulary and grammar skills.
Our top five achievers in the school are currently:
Aiden T (Year 6)
Giuseppe D (Year 5)
Riya S (Year 6)
Anika C (Year 6)
Vansh K (Year 5)
Not only are the pupils achieving individually, but in the last fortnight St. Helen's College placed 12th overall in the United Kingdom primary schools challenge, which is a considerable success!
Another LAMDA Distinction!
Congratulations to Anika C (3B), who achieved a distinction in her recent LAMDA exam, scoring 90% overall!
Re-Purposing Heroes In Year 1
Year 1 are thoroughly enjoying re-purposing old t-shirts into useful bags. They have shown dexterity and control when using the real sewing machine and we have all been delighted with the finished product!
You can see some 'before and after' pictures of their creations here.
Could you be a re-purposing hero too?
TCS Mini Marathon
The TCS Mini London Marathon is back on Saturday 20th April, the day before the 2024 TCS London Marathon. We can’t wait to make this amazing event bigger and better in its third year! We have only been allocated 50 tickets in the 1 mile race and 50 tickets in the 1.6 km race. So if you would like to join us, please fill in this form as soon as possible.
The deadline for this is Friday 1st March. It is open to children from Reception to Year 6. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and you may be given a place in either distance. If at any point you are no longer able to attend, please contact Mr. Harrington as there are sure to be pupils on the waiting list.
Short Story Competition
We hope that pupils aged 8-11 will want to enter a fabulous short story competition being run by the Royal Mint Museum. Children are invited to write a story (under 500 words) about a ship carrying a cargo including gold coins, which runs into a storm. What happens next? You can find inspiration and details of how to enter at the link below. Good luck!
https://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/learning/short-story-competition/
Author Visit: Zanib Mian
On Tuesday 5th March, children in Years 2 to 5 will be visited by author Zanib Mian, who will inspire them with a talk about becoming an author. There will be an opportunity to pre-order copies of Mian's books which can be signed and dedicated on the day. Full details, including the order link, are available here. Listen to a review of a Planet Omar book by one of our Year 4 pupils here.
World Book Day
We will be celebrating World Book Day on Friday 8th March. Our theme this year is Read, Recycle, Reuse.
Children may dress up as any book character (no superheroes or footballers please!) We urge you NOT to buy a new outfit for your child; instead, please reuse or recycle outfits where you can. Parents might find Classlist useful for this purpose.
There will be a variety of book themed activities in school on that day, including a house quiz, and pupils may bring in a book to swap with a friend (something appropriate to each child's year group, please).
We are looking forward to celebrating all things book-related and thank you, in advance for your support.
IAPS iArt Competition
The annual IAPS iArt 2024 competition is now open for submissions. The theme this year is 'Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together', a translation of the Olympic motto to celebrate this summer's games. Submissions may be inspired by the Olympics or the theme may resonate in another way; children are encouraged to be as creative as they wish! Shortlisted entrants will receive vouchers for local independent bookshops. There is no set format for entries and artwork can be submitted in any medium; paintings, drawings or models, and of any size and using any art supplies. Full submission details can be found here. To submit an entry, please email a photograph of your named artwork to Mrs. Pruce including the art materials used, your name and class by 19th April. Pupils must complete the following sentence as part of their submission (using 100 words maximum): The theme 'Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together' inspired me to create this piece because... Shortlisted entries will be invited to an awards ceremony in London in June. Good luck!
Online Safety Evening
We would like to remind you about our upcoming Online Safety session for parents from Ducklings to Year 6 on Wednesday 28th February 2024 at 7.00 p.m. We hope to see as many of you there as possible to discuss what is a growing and vitally important area of child safety in the modern world. The joining link has been sent via SchoolsBuddy.
Gaza Charity Day
This year our school are not going to be taking part in Red Nose Day. Instead, on Friday 15th March, we will be raising money for Save The Children to support children currently suffering in Gaza. We have been thinking about how lucky we are to have warm homes and cosy beds and so on Friday 15th, pupils and staff may come to school in pyjamas in return for a donation of their choice to Save The Children. We will share a JustGiving page in due course and would prefer donations to be made in this way, but children may also bring money into school which will be paid into the same account. We thank you in advance for your support.
New Funtasia Telephone Numbers
From Monday 19th February the new Funtasia contact numbers will be as follows.
Lower School - 01895 699845
Upper School - 01895 699835
Blaze Netball
Our Year 2 pupils thoroughly enjoyed taster sessions run by Blaze Netball Club during their PE sessions today.
Blaze run sessions on Saturday mornings at Douay Martyrs School for boys and girls looking to start or develop their netball skills, as follows:
Year 1 - 4: 9.30 - 10.30 a.m.
Year 5 & 6: 10.45 a.m. - 12 noon.
If your child is interested in joining in, you can find full details on the Blaze Netball Club website here.
Mini-Me Camps
Mini-Me Camps are running an Easter holiday camp at PACCAR Scout Camp. There are limited spaces left available and all friends and family are welcome! Full details, including booking details, are available here.
Next Week
6L swimming all week
Tuesday 27th February - Year 3/Year 4 netball v. Orley Farm 2.30 p.m. (A)
Wednesday 28th February - Football v. Heathrow Primary School 4.00 p.m. (H)
Wednesday 28th February - Online Safety Seminar for Parents 7.00 p.m.
Thursday 29th February - Kingfishers coffee morning/class assembly 8.15 a.m.
Thursday 29th February - JTA Dragons Den pitch at The Battle of Britain Bunker
Friday 1st March - Year 5 netball v. Highgate School 2.45 p.m. (H)
Posted on: 23/02/2024The Five Pillars Of Wellbeing
Health and wellbeing are of the utmost importance to us all. While it is absolutely normal for everyone to experience poor physical and/or mental health sometimes, generally keeping ourselves ‘well’ is most people’s goal. Parents often ask how they can best support their children’s academic and co-curricular endeavours, friendships and happiness. The answer is, focus on the five pillars of wellbeing, which are: Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, Purpose and Connections.
Pillar 1: Sleep
No child will be able to enjoy life to the full, maintain their emotional equilibrium or reach their potential if they are chronically sleep-deprived. Every child therefore needs a regular, appropriate sleep routine. The NHS guidelines on how much sleep children should have in each 24 hour period are:
Infants 4 to 12 months 12 to 16 hours including naps
Children 1 to 2 years 11 to 14 hours including naps
Children 3 to 5 years 10 to 13 hours including naps
Children 6 to 12 years 9 to 12 hours
Teenagers 13 to 18 years 8 to 10 hours
A child’s bedtime routine should start at a consistent time each day, around 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Screens and other distractions should be avoided during this time; the focus should be on bathing, brushing teeth, reading, practising mindful breathing or simply cuddling/chatting. When bedtime comes, there should be no electronic devices in a child’s bedroom to distract them from sleep. If a child does rouse after their bedtime, they should be re-settled as quickly as possible. With consistency, all children can adopt a healthy and enjoyable sleep routine.
Pillar 2: Nutrition
NHS research shows that children who stay a healthy weight are fitter, healthier, better able to learn and more self-confident. They are also less likely to have health problems in childhood and later life.
Children learn by example, so adults should model enjoying a balanced, healthy diet at regular mealtimes. We should all ‘eat a rainbow’ every day! When offering a balanced diet for children, adults may need to be patient. Children may need to try a certain food over and over again before they grow used to it. We can start off by serving children fairly small portions, giving more if they are still hungry after finishing.
Just like adults, children should eat at least five portions of fruit/vegetables every day (fresh, tinned, frozen or dried fruits and vegetables are fine, but fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to a combined total of 150ml per day as these contain so much sugar).
Starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread and potatoes should make up around a third of a child’s diet and wholemeal/wholegrain varieties are best. With potatoes, skins should be kept on whenever possible as these are a good source of fibre.
A child’s protein portion at each meal should be around the size of their palm. Meat, fish, pulses, beans and eggs are good sources of protein and the NHS recommends including one or two portions of oily fish per week and avoiding processed meats like sausages, bacon and ham. It is better to opt instead for lean meat or fish, limiting red meat.
Children should have some dairy (cheese, milk, yoghurts) or dairy alternatives (e.g. soya drinks and yoghurts) as these provide protein, calcium and some vitamins. Ideally, these should be whole/natural versions and it is best to avoid flavoured yoghurts or fromage frais packed full of sugar.
When using oils/fats for cooking or in spreads, we should all choose unsaturated fats such as vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils.
For everyone, high sugar items such as cakes, biscuits or ice creams should be a ‘once in a while’ treat.
The full NHS Eat Well guide is available here:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/
Pillar 3: Exercise
Regular exercise is essential for keeping bodies and minds fit and healthy. There are many distractions in the modern world which might encourage children to stay indoors: televisions, computers, tablets and other screens, exciting indoor toys. It is up to adults to schedule time in the great outdoors for younger children and to inspire children to be active. This might include going for walks, using play equipment at local parks, cycling, skipping, scooting, swimming, trampolining or taking part in organised sports. Many traditional childhood outdoor activities are free, such as climbing trees, catching falling leaves, collecting rocks, pebbles or twigs, going on a bug hunt or jumping in puddles!
Children will inevitably spend lots of time indoors too, and much of this can also be active. Rather than sitting still while staring at a screen, children could build indoor dens, do some cooking, try a bit of yoga or other stretching, or take part in active online games such as those based on sports or dancing. Tidying up, laying the table or helping to hang clothes on the line or put the laundry away are activities which inspire responsibility as well as movement! Gardening is good for the soul and it is never too early for children to learn how to plant, water and care for growing things.
When a child is tired, even worn out, by being active, they - and their adults - can really appreciate the still, quiet times. There is something special about curling up after an active day to read a book, watch television, listen to music, do puzzles or simply sit and focus on our breath. Being active will also support children in getting enough sleep, as a tired child is more likely to sleep soundly.
Pillar 4: Purpose
Children are physically and mentally supported by a good sleep routine, a balanced, healthy diet, and a good amount of activity. The two final pillars of wellbeing are purpose and connections. If sleep, diet and exercise are the ‘hows’ of our lives, purpose and connections are the ‘whys’. Giving a child purpose is not as daunting as it might sound; here are some tips.
Adults can help children to discover the joy of creativity with activities such as drawing, painting, learning to sing or play music, planting and nurturing a seed, building Lego structures or car/train tracks, making up stories or doing some cooking. Creating home-made items such as birthday cards and wrapping paper are a great starting point even for very young children.
We can also inspire children’s curiosity, the basis for their lifelong learning, by talking with them about the world around them. For children, everything is a question. Why is the sky blue? What’s that girl doing? What makes the bubbles in water? Why do bees buzz? Adults might help children to uncover the answers for themselves, or perhaps join them on the journey of discovery! A curious child is likely to enjoy their educational journey and enjoying something is likely to make us do well at it.
Children should be encouraged to find inspiration and wonder all around them. From the beauty of blossom to the enormity of elephants, from how sand feels between toes to the smell of freshly cut grass, there is always something to notice and appreciate. Adults should help children to recognise the beauty and wonder in the world, such as the new shoots in spring or the beauty of freshly-fallen snow, so that children may develop a sense of the wider world and of spirituality, awe and faith.
Pillar 5: Connections
This should, perhaps, be Pillar 1, because with strong and healthy connections, everything else becomes easier. Connections are relationships and our earliest relationships form the blueprint for healthy relationships throughout the rest of our lives.
Relationships are not perfect all of the time, and we should not expect them to be. We should aim not to be perfect, but to be ‘good enough’. Healthy relationships are formed and enhanced by showing kindness, respect and patience, by listening attentively and communicating clearly. It is also important to set and maintain the right boundaries for both participants’ wellbeing. Between adults and children a crucial boundary is this one: ‘I am the adult, you are the child. I have knowledge and experience that you do not yet have. So, while I will listen to you with respect and kindness, I may not be able to grant your every wish.’
Helping a child with building their five pillars of wellbeing is not always an easy job. Often adults must spend time explaining the reasons for their decisions or justifying the boundaries they set. The good news is that if we can consistently ensure that children get the right amount of sleep, good nutrition, enough exercise, a sense of purpose and healthy connections, we will be enhancing their mental and physical wellbeing not just during their childhood but for their entire life. Which is, perhaps, the best gift of all.
Posted on: 9/02/2024Mindfulness in Schools
There has been a lot in the news this week about the tragic murder of Brianna Ghey and the way in which her mother has responded. The BBC have reported that she has launched a local campaign in Warrington which has raised £50,000 to deliver Mindfulness training in schools, and is now backing a nationwide campaign which is calling upon the government to fund Mindfulness training for every school in England. You can read their report here and find out more about the Mindfulness in Schools Project here.
While it is enormously sad that it has taken such a tragedy to bring this issue to the fore, I could not agree with Brianna's mother more. There is an urgent need for all children, and school staff, to be taught Mindfulness principles and techniques, and to use these regularly.
Those who know St. Helen's College well know that we have been teaching Mindfulness to the children for many, many years. More than this, we have embedded Mindfulness as a school principle and staff and children practise Mindfulness daily, using a toolkit of techniques to combat the inevitable strains of modern, busy lives. Children here take on the role of Mindfulness ambassadors and over the last few years have led meditation sessions in assemblies and written about the effects of Mindfulness upon them.
This week, some of the Year 3 children have been talking about what being a part of a mindful school is like for them. They described how they have mindful moments in their classroom on Thursdays, when they lie down and put cucumber slices on their eyes. They also talked, unprompted, about liking how calm it is when they go into their classroom, about mindful moments in assemblies and about practising finger breathing to help them to stay calm and be in the present moment. One boy explained how our breath is always with us, and can be relied upon to calm us down if we can slow down and notice it. These ideas are clearly not unusual to St. Helen's College children, and it was obvious from the way they spoke that they do not see being mindful as something they have learnt, but as something they are. For children aged 7 and 8 to be able to articulate how and why Mindfulness is used in their day to day lives is wonderful and gives us all great hope for the future. I have no doubt that children throughout St. Helen's College feel the same, given that we have been embedding Mindfulness right from the start of a child's journey with us for so many years. This includes at Ducklings, our 2+ setting, where we use age-appropriate sessions such as teddy breathing to help our youngest children to experience and enjoy moments of calm self-awareness.
You might like also to read a piece that I wrote about Mindlessness v. Mindfulness from 2021 here.
There is no guarantee that Mindfulness training would have prevented Brianna Ghey's terrible murder. But there is certainly evidence that Mindfulness can help children and adults to push away negative thoughts and to embrace the positive, to ground themselves and to experience peace, self-awareness and acceptance. Mindfulness can help us all deal with impulses which may not be productive or good for ourselves or others, and give us time to examine and process our thoughts before acting upon them. I hope that Brianna's mother is successful in her efforts to bring Mindfulness training to all schools, and to all children, in the United Kingdom. Our love and thoughts go with her.
I wish you all a mindful, happy half term break.
Posted on: 9/02/2024Weekly News - Friday 9th February 2024
Class Assemblies
The children of our Wrens Nursery class delighted parents and staff at their class assembly on Thursday. The children delivered a charming performance all about the weather. They sang beautifully about snow, rain and suitable clothing before reciting, in unison, a poem about the wind. They finished with a gorgeous rendition of 'I Can Sing A Rainbow', using coloured scarves for corresponding colours of the rainbow. Well done Wrens, it was a delight to watch you all perform.
On Friday it was 6L's turn to present a thought provoking class assembly on the concept of 'community'. The children demonstrated the importance of social responsibility, emphasising that everyone has a part to play if our communities are to thrive. Exploring British values and democracy, Year 6 wrote and delivered impassioned speeches as prospective MPs, promising improvements in key areas of the local community including education, the NHS, road safety, transport, housing and accessibility. The sentiment to count our blessings was a fitting end to the assembly, alongside a reminder that we can all do small things within our communities to make a big change. Well done, 6L, for a very confident and accomplished assembly.
Sports News
Football
The U11 football team played two matches this week. On Monday they took on St. Mary's. They played extremely well but were unable to take their chances and ended up losing 0-1, with Sean R named the player of the match. On Wednesday the team battled hard again to draw 1-1 against a very strong St. Bernadette's team, and Marco K was the player of the match.
The House football competition took place this week and the results were:
Year 3/4
1st - Windsor
2nd - Cambria
3rd - Caledonia & Hibernia
Year 5/6
1st - Windsor
2nd - Hibernia
3rd - Cambria
4th - Caledonia
Netball
House netball was also played this week. The results were as follows:
Year 3/4
1st Caledonia
2nd Windsor
3rd Hibernia
4th Cambria
Year 5/6
1st Cambria
2nd Windsor
3rd Hibernia
4th Caledonia
Karate News
Several St. Helen's College pupils attended the English Karate Federation Kyu Grade National Championships over the weekend as part of KML Karate Club. The KML squad was crowned EKF National Champions in an impressive seven categories and secured 4th position on the association leader board. Nya O-A became the EKF Kyu Grade National Champion, while Avleen P, Rania Q and Naiya L won the team silver medal. In addition, Freya K and Aleya S earned team bronze medals and also earned individual bronze medals. Well done to all involved!
Free Basketball Tickets
St. Helen's College pupils are being offered free tickets to the London Lions women’s Eurocup quarter final game on Wednesday 28th February at 7 p.m. at the Copper Box Arena. To redeem the offer, please click here and enter the code ‘LYG783’ as your promo code.
The Thames Cavaliers are playing the Birmingham Rockets on Sunday 11th February at 5.30 p.m. at Uxbridge College Sports Centre, and tickets to this game are also free for St. Helen's College pupils. Details are here.
Yuvraj Receives Award From Mayor
Yuvraj R (Year 4) received his award from the Mayor of Hillingdon this week for his entry in the recent walk to school road safety competition. What a special event. Well done, Yuvraj!
Author Visit: Zanib Mian
On Tuesday 5th March, children in Years 2 to 6 will be visited by author Zanib Mian, who will inspire them with a talk about becoming an author. There will be an opportunity to pre-order copies of Mian's books which can be signed and dedicated on the day. Full details, including the order link, are available here.
Half Term Holiday Club
We have a new telephone number for Holiday Club. If you need to contact Holiday Club staff during the half term week, you can reach them at 01895 699835.
Rainbow Recipes - February
Chef Soula has shared these 'Eat the rainbow' recipes for February, themed around the colour purple. We hope you will enjoy making some of these with your children.
Robotics Half Term Camp
Robothink will be running a February half term robotics camp in the Lower School Hall at St. Helen's College from 12th to 16th February. Details, including how to book, are available here.
Upcoming Dates
Monday 19th February - 6H swimming all week
Tuesday 20th February - PA coffee morning in the Evans Hall
Wednesday 21st February - Football v. St. Matthews
Thursday 22nd February - Owls coffee morning and class assembly
Friday 23rd February - Month End Music Recital
Posted on: 2/02/2024Weekly News - Friday 2nd February 2024
Class Assemblies
Our Robins Nursery class took to the 'stage' on Thursday to perform a 'winter' themed class assembly to an excited audience of parents and staff. The children were dressed for the chilly weather in cosy hats and scarves as they sang beautifully about this magical season. There were even some mini snowmen and penguins to add to the wintery scene! The singing and accompanying actions were a joy to watch. Well done to Robins for a great performance; it is a privilege to observe every child growing in confidence.
The children of 5G presented their assembly on Friday which, most impressively, they had written themselves. The theme was a question: What Makes A Good Life? Each of the children shared their thoughts about what makes a good life, and it was heartening to hear them tell us, in their own words, what they think is most important. Their ideas included kindness, love, family and friends, helping others in need and being creative. They also considered questions about what leads to happiness, and which careers they might choose when they are older. They sang and danced for us all beautifully and led us in thoughtful prayers too. Well done, 5G. There is no doubt that the future is bright for you all. You can view some clips of the children here and here.
Tree Planting Workshops
Ahead of the Trees for Cities public tree planting event tomorrow at Court Park, we were delighted for St. Helen's College to be invited to make our own special contribution to this important community project.
Years 2 and 5 donned wellington boots and embraced the muddy conditions for a bracing outdoor workshop, learning how to plant successfully for sustainability and putting it into practice by planting maple and dogwood saplings on the northern boundary of the park.
Thank you to Trees for Cities and to our green-fingered pupils for representing the school. We hope to see the saplings grow into thriving trees for people to enjoy for many years to come.
We hope many other pupils and parents will join the community tree planting day tomorrow, Saturday 3rd February, in Court Park. There will be food and hot drink provided for volunteers and the aim is to plant a mix of both small and large trees in the park. The groups of small trees will increase the diversity and resilience of the existing woodland areas by adding new species and younger trees to the space. The new trees will eventually add depth to the northern border of the park and assist with drainage in the often waterlogged soil area.
We encourage your children to wear their school PE kits to take part in this event so that it is obvious which children are from St. Helen's College. You can sign up to take part here:
https://www.treesforcities.org/hillingdon-court-park.
Travelling Natural History Museum Visit Nursery!
On Friday our Nursery children were enthralled when the Travelling Natural History Museum came to visit, complete with dinosaur models, exploding interactive experiments and even fossilised dinosaur faeces! The workshop, led by 'Dino Girl', included fascinating facts about the food different dinosaurs ate, how they hunted and their enormous size. The children were thoroughly engaged and particularly enjoyed an exploding meteorite experiment demonstrated to explain one of the theories about why dinosaurs became extinct.
Year 6 Riot Act Workshop (Road Safety)
On Monday our Year 6 children enjoyed a visit from The Riot Act, who delivered an interactive workshop about road safety and active travel. The lively, engaging performance certainly got the children thinking more deeply about how they travel and how important it is for each of us to play our part in reducing pollution as well as keeping ourselves healthy and safe.
General Knowledge Quiz
On Wednesday, two teams from our popular Quiz Club represented St. Helen's College in the annual inter-school General Knowledge Quiz. Children from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 collaborated in this online event, competing with 70 other schools from across the UK in this hotly contested competition.
From questions on the Great Plague to Harry Potter, our team members had great fun demonstrating their knowledge under strict time pressure. Congratulations to Anika (6L), Sofia (5R), Armaan (4B) and Rian (3B), whose team reached twelfth position and are through to the semi-final! Well done also to Ashvika (5R), Mustafa (5R), William (4T) and Oliver (3B) who put in a great effort and reached a very respectable 41st place.
LAMDA Results
Mrs. Moore's LAMDA pupils have been taking their first set of exams and we are delighted to report the following results.
Eva J - Entry Level (Distinction)
Riya S - Entry Level (Distinction)
There are several more LAMDA pupils entering for examination soon and we wish them all the best of luck.
Sports News
It has been a busy week of sport.
Last Friday girls from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 attended a football festival at Radlett Prep School. They all really enjoyed taking part in this fun event and developing their skills. During the afternoon, the U9s won a game, lost a game and drew a game and the U11s were undefeated, drawing two games and winning one.
On Wednesday the boys' football team met with Cowley St. Lawrence. Despite dominating the game, the St. Helen's College team struggled to convert their chances and the end result was a 1-1 draw.
On Tuesday this week the Year 6 netball team played Laurel Lane School in their last league match of the year. The girls showed how far they have progressed as a team since September, communicating well with each other, making some fantastic attacking plays and delivering some very sharp shooting. They won 9-1, finishing on a high!
On Wednesday, Year 5 and 6 netball players travelled to Orley Farm School for an away fixture. It was great to see all the pupils representing St. Helen's College so brilliantly. The games were competitive and well matched, enabling the pupils to put everything they have learnt during games sessions into practice on the court. Well done to all involved!
Parents who are looking for something active for children to do over the half term break might be interested to know that Pro Soccer Coaching will be running a February half term camp from Monday 12th to Friday 16th February at Swakeleys School. You may book for a full week or single days, and there is a reduced price for additional brothers and sisters. The course is run by FA qualified coaches and at the end of the week, each child receives an engraved trophy. The company, its staff and the course have no affiliation with St. Helen's College but if you are interested you can find details here.
News From The PA
Comedy Night
The date of the upcoming PA comedy night at Uxbridge Golf Club has now changed to Friday 19th April. Details are here.
The booking link is open and will close at the end of term before we break up for Easter holidays. Please book your tickets here: https://forms.gle/4GjXNdkAxmDsTYZG9.
Applications Invited For PA Chair
As we are now halfway through the academic year, it is time to begin reflecting on the incredible dedication and leadership of Nikki O'Halloran, our current PA Committee Chairperson. Nikki has steered us through many successful initiatives and as her tenure draws to a close, we extend our deepest gratitude for her tireless efforts and invaluable contributions.
Looking ahead to the academic year commencing in September 2024, we are now seeking a new Chairperson to lead the Parents' Association Committee. This role is vital to the continued success of our school community engagement efforts and the enhancement of our school experience.
If you have a passion for fostering connections, organising events, and contributing to the betterment of our school community, we invite you to consider stepping into the role of PA Committee Chairperson. Your enthusiasm and commitment will be instrumental in shaping the future of our school community.
To express your interest, please contact sthelenscollegepa@gmail.com. We encourage all interested individuals to apply and be part of this rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
Those who express an interest will have the opportunity to be voted into the position. This democratic process ensures that our community has a say in selecting the individual best suited to lead the PA Committee.
Sick Child Training
Several parents attended a Sick Child Training session on Monday evening with Dr. Dharsi. This workshop taught parents about common childhood illnesses, how to recognise them and when it is (and is not) necessary to consult a doctor. We hope that it helped to give parents confidence in dealing with childhood health issues.
Early Years Parents' Evenings
Thank you to all of those parents who attended our Ducklings and Nursery parents' evenings on Wednesday. We hope that you found the conversations useful.
Next Week - Reminders
Wednesday 7th February - Football v. St. Bernadette's (H)
Thursday 8th February - Wrens coffee morning and class assembly
Friday 9th February - 6L coffee morning and class assembly
Posted on: 2/02/2024Fairness by Mrs. Kahol
Our school value over the past couple of weeks has been Fairness and we have had several opportunities in assemblies and around the school to discuss and see fairness in action and reflect on how we perceive fairness.
Many of you may know that I am an avid supporter of an organisation called WomenED and one of the key principles associated with this organisation is ‘fairness’. See the link here on the four WomenEd Campaigns.
I have had many conversations with parents regarding equality and fairness and I am aware that many of you are active proponents of this in your work places and home lives. I am delighted to share this blog written by Mrs. Kahol, a parent who works at GSK. It is written with the pupils as an audience but so relevant for us all.
Ms Drummond
Dear Pupils,
As you start the new year, I wanted to discuss the important topic of equality with you.
Did you know that only around 100 years ago, women weren’t allowed to get a proper education? You might be surprised to know that the first college which allowed women to get into higher studies was the University of London, and that the first women ever to receive degrees got them in 1878. Education, which is now a basic right for all, wasn’t granted to girls in this country just one hundred years ago.
Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, these issues still exist. While the right to vote for women arrived in the early 1900s in the UK as a result of the suffragette movement, true equality for women is far from achieved, both in the UK and globally. Let me give you an example to explain more clearly. Two girls and two boys participate in an activity and receive the same score. Should they receive the same award for it – say two chocolates each? How would you feel if the boys were given three chocolates each and the girls were given only two? Would that feel fair? This idea of rewarding men and women differently for doing the same job is called Gender Pay Discrimination and it has been illegal in the UK for 45 years. But it still exists in some other parts of the world.
However if, in the above scenario, girls were asked to complete five more tasks in parallel to the tasks they have been given, they would of course take longer hours to complete the tasks, get more exhausted and likely leave the initial two tasks to the boys. This would lead to the boys getting all the chocolates. This is what is known as the Gender Pay Gap: because women still do more of the unpaid work of a family (e.g. childcare and housework) than men do, they have less time for paid work. The causes of the Gender Pay Gap are complex and overlapping. While some women may choose to work less and earn less, others may be forced into this situation and may not be happy.
According to the Women in Work Index 2021, at the rate the Gender Pay Gap is currently closing, it will take more than 50 years to reach gender pay parity. For every 100 men in the workforce, 69 women are in the workforce in the UK. That number is much lower for developing nations. Currently in the top 500 companies of the world (Fortune 500) only 9% of the CEOs are women. This equates to fewer role models for women which may lead women to have lower aspirations overall for their careers, a phenomenon called The Glass Ceiling.
Inequality like this between men and women at work may have a negative impact not only on women but on men too. It boxes men and women in to assume that they want to take on gender roles as they were defined centuries ago, with women staying at home and men outside. Things have changed in the last few centuries. Both men and women can work now if they want to, they can take care of a family together and support each other. Financial freedom is no longer limited by gender.
Boys and girls, you all have the opportunity to change this world. Each one of you can help in continuing to close this gap. It is important that the pupils of St. Helen’s College study hard and have equal opportunities to make names for themselves in fields of their choice in the future. Don’t let stereotypes box you into gender roles. You are the future and a good education from an esteemed school such as St. Helen’s College puts you in a great position to make your dreams come true. The world needs role models like you, prepared to call out any discrimination you see around you.
Mrs. Kahol
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