School News and Head's Blog
Posted on: 28/06/2024Weekly News - Friday 28th June 2024
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
Wow, wow, wow! Anyone who has seen a performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The Compass Theatre so far this week will have been blown away by the talent, confidence and commitment of our Year 6 pupils. Every single one of them has a part in the play and the performances on Thursday evening and Friday morning showcased their extraordinary vocal and dramatic skills. There were amazing whole cast ensemble pieces, small group numbers and astonishingly accomplished solo singing. The scenery and staging was superb and the choreography and dramatic performances of the children were truly awesome.
Once the final performance is over, we will be adding lots of photographs of the children in their Chitty Chitty Bang Bang costumes onto our Galleries page here, so do keep a look out.
Well done, Year 6, and best of luck for your sold-out final performance tonight!
PA Summer Fete
A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in organising the Centenary Summer Fete last Saturday, and to all those who attended. It was wonderful to see the whole community come together for fun and sunshine, and to welcome so many Old Helenians back to visit too. What a super day!
We were also thrilled to reveal a specially commissioned sculpture by Jessica Wetherly to mark the Centenary. This beautiful statue, representing two St. Helen's College children holding the globe, is the perfect symbol of our pupils' vital role in shaping the future of the world.
You can see more photographs of the Fete on the Galleries page here. There is also a gallery showing the creative process of the statue's development.
Farm Visit to Ducklings
Ducklings enjoyed a very exciting morning on Wednesday when Ark Farm paid them a visit. Animal pens were set up in the garden where the children had the opportunity to come into close contact with sheep, a donkey, goats, rabbits, chickens and ducks. The children had great fun petting the animals and learning some interesting facts about them too. The visit was a valuable experience, bringing to life their current topic work all about the farm.
Reception Visit Whipsnade Zoo
On Thursday, our Kingfishers and Owls Reception classes had a magnificent outing to Whipsnade Zoo. The day began with a fascinating workshop all about African and Asian animals, where the children were especially impressed to see the skull of a lion! They had a terrific time exploring the zoo and were lucky enough to see several very young animals, including a ten day old baby giraffe, a baby elephant, baby rhino and meerkats. The day was rounded off with a fun train ride in the sunshine.
The children thoroughly enjoyed the trip and it was a fantastic learning opportunity to support their classroom topic work. You can hear from some of the children here.
Nursery Visit To Campbell Dentist
Today it was the turn of our Robins and Wrens Nursery classes to enjoy a summer outing. They visited Campbell Dentist where they learnt how important it is to look after our teeth by brushing them thoroughly twice a day. The children had a chance to explore the dental surgery and find out all about the instruments, such as mirrors and special glasses, used in the clinic room. They left with an important message: don't eat too many sweets and brush your teeth carefully to keep them healthy.
Reminder - Centenary Concert/Art Exhibition
If you have not already done so, please don't forget to buy your tickets for the Centenary Concert and Art Exhibition at the Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip on Thursday 11th July. This should be a super end to our centenary year, and is an opportunity for you to see the amazing standards the Year 2 - 6 children have reached in their art, music and public speaking this year. The art exhibition will be open and we will be serving refreshments from 3 - 5 p.m. and again from 6 p.m. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets should be booked through your SchoolsBuddy account.
Sports News
Our Year 2 classes have enjoyed their intensive week of swimming this week at Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex.
Library Books
As we near the end of term please note that all library books on loan should be returned on or by Monday 8th July. Please take this opportunity to search your shelves over the weekend for any overdue books. Any overdue books outstanding past Monday 1st July will be presumed lost and, as per our policy, may require a replacement at the parents' expense.
Holiday Club
Bookings for our summer Holiday Club open today at 4 p.m. Holiday Club will run from Monday 15th July - Friday 30th August (excluding Bank Holiday Monday 26th August). Parents must provide a packed lunch, water bottle, two snacks and a change of clothes for Nursery and Reception children.
Places for Holiday Club must be booked in advance as we need to arrange staffing rotas. Bookings will close on Wednesday 10th July at 4 p.m.
(Please note that, once booked, sessions cannot be cancelled or refunded for any reason, including illness. By booking and paying for sessions you confirm that you understand and will abide by these terms and conditions.)
Please log in to your SchoolsBuddy account to make your bookings.
Upcoming Events
Monday 1st July - Year 1 - 5 'Move Up Morning'
Tuesday 2nd July - Nursery and Reception 'Move Up Morning'
Tuesday 2nd July - Year 2 trip to Iver Environment Centre
Wednesday 3rd July - Ducklings parents' evening
Thursday 4th July - Year 6 Prizegiving (6.15 p.m.)
Friday 5th July - Lower School Art Exhibition (3.00 to 5.00 p.m.)
Saturday 6th July - ABRSM examinations at Upper School
Posted on: 28/06/2024Early Years by Mrs. Hunt
As we move towards the end of another school year, I find myself in a reflective mood. In my role it is easy to get caught up in the organisation of events, constantly having to look ahead and put planning in place. I have to remind myself to stay in the moment and appreciate the here and now.
I had such a moment this week and took myself off to the nursery. I found the most delightful atmosphere, where the children were absorbed in activities both inside and outdoors. I sat with a group of children who were engrossed with kneading lavender flowers into dough. We chatted easily and in those moments I witnessed numerous learning opportunities unfold and, being the Early Years educator I am at heart, I was delighted to facilitate. Sadly, Mrs. Rooney soon came to find me, as I was needed in a meeting. I could have happily stayed longer and openly expressed my reluctance to go. I was heartwarmingly reassured by a child not to worry and that they would still be there if I wanted to play again later!
At the Summer Fete on Saturday, I sat with a parent who told me she would rather like my job! I have been at St. Helen’s College a long time now and have seen many children come and go. I feel privileged to have spent so much time with the children, since being with them is my happy place. Equally, having a team of colleagues who understand the importance of Early Years education and development is vital. We know that these formative years from 0 - 5 are so important for the children and our interactions have a huge impact. Of course, we couldn’t be effective without working with our St. Helen’s College families, working together for a common goal: the best outcomes for the children.
Life is tricky for all of us at times - we are all pushing treacle of some kind or another. But if we allow ourselves to take a moment and look for the learning opportunities children give us, I promise we won’t have to look far.
So to the lovely parent at the Summer Fete - sorry, but my job is not available! Our current value at school is gratitude and I am grateful in so many ways: to the parents who entrust us with their children’s care and education, to the incredible team of colleagues I work alongside and, most of all, to the children for their awe and wonder as they learn and discover, for their kindness, their humour and their open heartedness.
I am sure you all know how important the Early Years are, and how we, as the grown ups, have a duty to play our part. However, if you need further convincing and you have about eight minutes to spare I encourage you to watch this link.
Mrs. Hunt
Posted on: 21/06/2024Weekly News - Friday 21st June 2024
Year 1 and 2 Performances at Compass Theatre
On Thursday afternoon, Year 1 and Year 2 took to the stage at the Compass Theatre for their respective dramatic productions. What an afternoon we had in store!
Year 1 performed 'Project Planet', a charming tale about a rewilding project which is sabotaged by unruly scarecrows! All the children played their parts brilliantly. They treated the audience to whole-cast songs and demonstrated outstanding stage presence and confidence. Well done Year 1, you are all stars!
Year 2's production, 'Plastic Pirates', was a hugely entertaining play which also delivered a serious message: how to save the oceans from plastic pollution. The audience were enthralled by all of the characters, from Captain Clingfilm and Polly Styrene to the turtles, starfish and seabirds. It was wonderful to see all of the children give it their all in such a vibrant production. Congratulations to Year 2!
A huge thank you to all of the staff involved in both productions who have worked tirelessly to pull together these wonderful theatrical experiences for the children, and to all of the families who came along to watch.
Prep Sports Day
Today Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 put their best foot forward at Prep Sports Day held at Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex. The children participated in a range of track and field events, competing to win House points for their respective teams. Pupils had the opportunity to take part in the long jump, high jump, sprint races, hurdles, javelin, shot put, relay and more. It was wonderful to see everyone get into the team spirit and achieve great results. You can see some photographs of the day on our Galleries page.
Centenary Concert And Art Exhibition
Tickets for the Centenary Concert and Art Exhibition are now available to all families in the school. We hope that you will join us for this special occasion on Thursday 11th July, which will round off our centenary year in style. Many of our talented Upper School pupils will be performing at the concert, including our Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra and several solo vocal and instrumental performances. There will also be some spoken word performances. If you have younger children, why not come along to see what the future holds in store at St. Helen's College!
You may book tickets by logging in to your SchoolsBuddy account, with the options as follows. All tickets include refreshments.
£5 - family ticket to the art exhibition (3 - 5 p.m.)
£15 - ticket to the evening concert including art exhibition (exhibition from 6 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m.)
Chess Match
On Thursday, St. Helen's College chess players from Years 2 - 6 played a series of exciting matches against St. Bernadette's Primary School. The competition consisted of two rounds, both very closely contested, however in the end St. Bernadette's just had the edge, winning overall.
The competition was a great opportunity for the children to gain vital experience and put their knowledge and game skills to the test. Well done to all of the members of the team and a special mention to both the captains, Parth K (A team) and Ali B (B team) and to Aakash B, the only pupil to win both of his games, well done!
Finally, congratulations to Ishani A (2R) and Leonard S (3M), the youngest players in the team who played extremely well against Year 5 and 6 in the opposing team, demonstrating that age is no barrier to success! A big thank you to St. Bernadette's for hosting a thrilling match and providing refreshments.
Tennis Finals
Year 5 and 6 tennis players hit the court this week in the annual SHC Tennis Competition. The finalists, who successfully completed the earlier knock out rounds, played a series of first to 11 point matches. The children all played with flair and a lively sense of competition. It is terrific to see their skills and technique progressing. In the end the winners were:
Year 5: Avar D and Simar C
Year 6: Tiya T and Zakariya M
Centenary Teddy Bear Is Named!
The St. Helen's College Centenary Bear is now officially named Coco! The overall winner was drawn on Monday from the winning class entries drawn last week. Well done Sanaya M!
A huge thank you to all who donated to the naming raffle, a grand total of £205.80 has been raised for the Four Paws animal preservation charity to support their important work.
'Recycle to Read' Books
In March, children across all school sites donated old and used batteries for the 'Recycle To Read' initiative, part of a National Waste Week. Overall the school managed to collect sixteen kilograms of used batteries to be recycled. Thank you to everyone for your support. In exchange, we received this week a collection of lovely new books. Well done to our Eco Warriors for leading this project!
We heartily encourage all families to continue to recycle unwanted 'tech', you can find out more information on local electrical and battery drop off points here. Please remove batteries from electricals and recycle them separately. You can find out more information on the these links:
Material Focus hello@materialfocus.org.uk
www.recycleyourelectrical.org.uk
facebook.com/recycleyourelectricals
@recycleelectric
@recycleyourelectricals_
linkedin.com/company/materialfocus
Centenary PA Summer Fete
We are looking forward to welcoming pupils and their families, alumni and the local community to a fun-packed family afternoon at tomorrow's PA Centenary Summer Fete. There will be all the usual exciting games, fun stalls, a raffle, face painting, a BBQ and more, plus plenty of entertainment as choirs and soloists take to the stage to perform. The Summer Fete is always a highlight in the school calendar so please come along to show your support for the terrific fundraising work of the PA.
Next Week
Monday 24th - Friday 28th June Year 2 Swimming
Monday 24th - Friday 28th June Year 6 at The Compass Theatre
Tuesday 25th June - Ducklings Parents' Evening
Thursday 27th June - Reception Trip to Whipsnade Zoo
Friday 28th June a.m. - Years 4 and 5 Visit to The Compass Theatre
Thursday 27th and Friday 28th June - Year 6 Evening Performance at The Compass Theatre
Friday 28th June - Nursery Visit to Campbell Dentist
Posted on: 21/06/2024Perfectly Normal by Mrs. Smith
Last Friday’s Middle and Upper School Singing Competitions were spectacular. Children from Years 2 to 6 performed throughout the afternoon in solo and group categories and the standard was astonishingly high. I’m sure that everyone who attended one or both of the two events left school, like I did, feeling proud and fulfilled.
At the Middle School Competition, something very normal and yet very special happened. One of the Year 2 girls, competing in the solo category, walked up to the stage, looked out at the hall full of children, judges and parents, became tearful and did not want to perform. She looked to Mrs. Garnes, who was stageside managing the music, and immediately left the stage. With a minimum of fuss, Mrs. Garnes wisely directed her to re-take her seat with the other competitors at the front of the hall, and moved on to the next competitor.
I happened to be the member of staff sitting closest to Amina when she returned to her seat so I leant forward, put my hand on her back, passed her a tissue and asked if she was okay. Amina knows me, of course, but not as well as she knows other members of staff. I glanced back to Mrs. Hussein, her form teacher, who was standing to offer help, and I could sense that other staff around the hall felt just as I did - that we’d like to take Amina, wipe away her tears and offer words of reassurance and encouragement. I expect her parents, watching, felt the same. I asked Amina in a whisper if she’d like to go to Mrs. Hussein and she bravely shook her head.
It is hard to wait and watch when someone is upset or struggling. You want so much to make things better for them. It is, perhaps, one of the hardest parts of parenting or working in a school. I kept an eye on Amina as the competition continued. I watched her cry a little, dry her tears, and become engrossed in the other performances. Left alone, with the music to concentrate on, she soon moved past her difficult feelings and, when the other performers had finished, I leant forwards and asked her if she wanted to perform now. Amina nodded. I looked to Mrs. Garnes and, with no hesitation, Amina took the stage.
She gave a wonderful performance and, in the end, was deservedly crowned the Year 2 winner of the competition. She did not win because she had shown resilience and bravery, although that was certainly true (but so had all the other competitors); she won because her performance was really super.
Feeling anxious or becoming temporarily overwhelmed in a situation like this is absolutely normal, perfectly understandable and a healthy part of growing up. It can also be of great personal benefit: it is through experiencing, facing and moving past emotions like fear or nervousness that we build our self-awareness, self-esteem, confidence and resilience. The values-based education that we offer at St. Helen’s College takes one value a week - such as resilience, kindness, determination - and considers it. But teaching these values is not about describing them in words; it is the lived experience of them that embeds them and makes a person who they are. This is partly why we run our ‘value spotters’ system, through which children nominate other children who have demonstrated that week’s value.
It truly can be difficult to hold open a space while someone struggles with strong emotion. But it is crucial to allow children - and adults - to experience difficulty and find, somehow, the strength to overcome it themselves. We really do all have it in ourselves to do so.
For this reason, during our Year 4 Mindfulness programme ‘Paws b’ the children actually watch a video of a little girl who takes part in X Factor. She feels nerves kick in and her amygdala reacts so that her ‘flight, fright, freeze’ instinct is activated. We teach the children about our brains and how we can help to control our brains with the power of our minds and simple breathing techniques. This, of course, is a life long skill for us all when we feel anxious.
When I sought out Amina after the competition to congratulate her on her win, I deliberately did not mention her wobble. But she smiled an enormous smile, holding her medal, and said, ‘Thank you. And thank you for the tissue.’ I understood from those few words that she recognised that the difficulty she had experienced that afternoon, and her ability to overcome it, was also a huge part of her reward.
Thank you, Amina, and thank you to all of the other competitors who overcame their nerves to sing so brilliantly last Friday. Although I have written about one child, you will all have felt similar feelings and will all have experienced similar personal growth, which makes you all winners. Those of you who did not win a medal or trophy will, no doubt, have experienced and learnt to overcome disappointment - another hugely valuable skill. Thank you, all of you, for the wonderful music, and thank you for the lesson. Huge thanks also to all of the parents who supported the event and, we know, supported the children in their valuable lesson.
Mrs. Smith
Posted on: 14/06/2024Weekly News - Friday 14th June 2024
Singing Competition Final
Over the past few weeks the sound of children singing has been ringing out from the classrooms, corridors and playground at Upper School as anticipation has built for the annual Singing Competition. Pupils have entered into the competition with enthusiasm and have taken every opportunity to squeeze in extra practise! Today we welcomed parents of our talented finalists into school for the hotly contested final. All the children sang beautifully with backing accompaniment in solo and group numbers and certainly made the job for our guest judge, soprana and music teacher Jessica Bergman, extremely difficult. Finally a decision was reached...huge congratulations to the winners for their outstanding performance:
Year 2: Amina H
Year 3: Alicia Z
MS group: Eleanor, Alicia and Sanaya
Year 4: Gurdaya J (with Leo A highly commended)
Year 5: Rohan F
Year 6: Samara P
US group: Anna, Grace, Hana and Samara
A huge thank you to Jessica for not only taking on the difficult task of judging the competition but also for singing for us. To hear opera sung here at St. Helen's College was absolutely beautiful and so inspiring for the children.
Kingfishers Class Assembly
Kingfishers took parents on a whistle-stop tour around the world at their class assembly on Wednesday. The children presented their own 'St. Helen's College News', reporting on the art, music and culture from Africa, Asia and Europe, all in the spirit of celebrating world harmony. Parents were treated to beautiful Korean dress, traditional Morris dancing and a fun retelling of the famous Aesop's fable 'The Hare And The Tortoise'. It was also a lovely opportunity to wish St. Helen’s College a very happy 100th birthday!
It was wonderful to see how the confidence and poise of Reception has grown throughout the year and we look forward to seeing even greater things in Year 1!
Year 2 and 3 First Maths Challenge
This week children in Years 2 and 3, and selected children from Reception and Year 1, have put their maths knowledge to the test by taking part in the First Maths Challenge. This 45 minute online quiz, consisting of twenty multiple choice questions, has been specifically created for children aged 7-9 years. The challenge offers children the opportunity to demonstrate their maths knowledge, application and aptitude for problem solving. All participants will receive a certificate once the papers are marked and are banded into bronze, silver and gold categories. Well done to everyone who took part!
School Handwriting Competition
On Monday the Year 1 and 2 winners of the in-house handwriting competition were announced. The standard was very high and the competition stiff so congratulations to Amayra C in Year 1, and to Harleen P and Sikhya R who were joint winners in Year 2. Each winner received a certificate and special framed copy of their handwritten submitted poem.
Cricket News
Our U11 A team played in the The Uxbridge and District Primary School Sports Association (UDPSSA) best cricket tournament on Wednesday 12th June. The boys played extremely well and were just beaten in the final to a very strong Newnham School team. They should all be extremely proud of finishing as runners up.
Year 6 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Tickets are now on sale for the eagerly anticipated Year 6 production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Compass Theatre on 27th and 28th June. The children have been working hard on rehearsals before they take to the stage for their final performance at St. Helen's College. Tickets are available here.
Centenary Concert and Art Exhibition
Don't forget to buy your tickets for the art exhibition on Thursday 11th July. Every child in the class will have at least one piece of work in the exhibition and we have been working hard to mount and package the art beautifully to send home with your child the following day. Tickets are £5 per family and include refreshments. The exhibition is open from 3.00 - 5.00 p.m. on that day.
Concert tickets for the evening concert (starting at 7 p.m.) are also now on sale to parents of performers. These are £15 each and include refreshments and entry to the art exhibition, which will re-open at 6 p.m.
This should be a really special afternoon/evening so we hope you will support your child's artistic and/or musical efforts by coming along to celebrate their creativity!
Please log in to your SchoolsBuddy account to book your tickets.
Lower School Art Exhibition
Parents of children in Nursery, Reception and Year 1 are warmly invited to our Lower School Art Exhibition on Friday 5th July 2024, which is being hosted by MiniMasterworks. Refreshments will be served from 2.30 p.m. in the Lower School playground, weather permitting, and the exhibition will be open in the Lower School Hall from 3.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. on this day.
Each child has created a masterpiece that has been professionally mounted and framed. Your child’s piece of art will be available to purchase and take away with you on the day for the bargain price of £20. You will also be able to order extra prints and postcard sets featuring your child's artwork if you wish. We would love you all to attend with your child; however, if you are not able to do so, pre-order forms are available from Mrs. Rooney.
We are looking forward to celebrating all our future Monets and really hope you are able to attend to enjoy the occasion with your child!
Centenary Teddy Bear Naming Competition!
Thank you very much to all who allowed their children to pay £1 to enter the raffle to name our centenary teddy bear. We had lots of entries and today we drew the class winners, to great excitement. Each winner was awarded their own centenary bear to keep!
The overall winner will be drawn from the winning class entries on Monday and the centenary teddy bear's name will be revealed! We raised a wonderful £205.80 to be donated to the Four Paws animal preservation charity to support their important work.
Staff News
We will be bidding a fond farewell to some staff at the end of this academic year, and extending a warm welcome to some new colleagues.
After four years at St. Helen's College, Mrs. Briggs is leaving us to relocate with her family.
Mrs. Hussein has had a long association (eleven years) with St. Helen's College as a teacher and parent. She will be taking a well-deserved rest when she leaves us at the end of this term.
Miss Joiner has been a valued member of our Lower School team for six years and is leaving us to spend more time looking after her young family.
Mrs. Stark's St. Helen's College journey stretches back over 25 years, as a part-time teacher, full-time teacher, Deputy Head and, most recently, part time French teacher. She has been a huge part of the school.
We know that you will join us in wishing our staff leavers well on the next stage of their journey. They will be greatly missed by us all at St. Helen's College; they have each had a huge impact on so many young lives.
Uniform & Equipment Lists
The Uniform & Equipment lists for 2024-2025 have been posted to the School Documents page of the website. There are no changes to required items for the forthcoming year but please check the lists carefully and ensure that your child has all that they need by September for their next year group.
Next Week
Tuesday 18th June - Year 1 and 2 rehearsal at Compass Theatre
Wednesday 19th June - Year 1 and 2 rehearsal at Compass Theatre
Wednesday 19th June - Parents' evening for Ducklings, Nursery and Reception
Thursday 20th June - Year 1 and 2 performance for parents at Compass Theatre
Thursday 20th June - Chess match v St. Bernadette's Primary School
Friday 21st June - Prep Sports Day
Saturday 22nd June - Centenary PA Summer Fete
Posted on: 7/06/2024Empathy
Yesterday, Thursday 6th June, was marked as ‘Empathy Day’ and many schools across the country have been focussing on ‘empathy’ with their students. Our pupils at St. Helen’s College have all participated in assemblies and activities and the children have been encouraged to start noticing when they are demonstrating empathy and what it feels like. Please take a few minutes to watch this wonderful short animation which the children in Middle and Upper School watched together and then discussed - it is incredibly powerful for adults and children alike!
I have followed the work of ‘Empathy Lab’ for many years and it is most definitely a wonderful resource for adults to dip into if you are looking for a book to support in developing ‘empathy’ in our youngsters.
Empathy Day celebrates and grows empathy's power to create a better world. It shines a light on the role of books in raising an empathy-educated generation.
What is Empathy?
Empathy is our ability to imagine and share someone else’s feelings and perspectives. Research shows it is:
a pivotal social/emotional competence: influential frameworks include empathy as a key factor;
an essential ingredient in education: it builds the relationships pupils need to learn/feel safe (Settling Children to Learn, Bomber & Hughes, 2013) and
a key factor in moral behaviour: Empathy, Justice, and Moral Behavior, Decety & Cowell, 2015
Empathy is made up of three elements:
FEELING: where we resonate with other people’s feelings;
THINKING: where we use reason and imagination to work out how someone else feels and
ACTING: where we are inspired to help others, having experienced what they are feeling
For some people ‘empathy’ does not come easy and I am often saddened when I hear of and witness sometimes first hand when adults are not able to demonstrate empathetic behaviours towards each other. American researcher Brene Brown has spent over twenty years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. You may enjoy this very short video where she explains the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Parents, teachers, peers, society, and culture affect how people feel about kindness, empathy, compassion, and helping behaviours. Some conditions may play a role in a lack of empathy such as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), antisocial personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). We all have such an important role to play in shaping the young people around us to allow them to be immersed in an environment where empathy and kindness are consistently being modelled and recognised and even celebrated.
Our school values play an important role in your children’s daily life. Your children are encouraged to think for themselves, understand their place in the world around them, anticipate others’ needs and show confidence, determination, resilience, courage, love, empathy and gratitude.
At Upper School the children will celebrate by taking time to write a ‘values spotter’ postcard and pop it into the values box - these recognitions are then celebrated in assembly. The children do not receive ‘rewards’ for this achievement other than standing up in assembly to gain the recognition of their peers. It is so important that we do not ‘reward’ children with physical gifts for behaving in a manner that as a society we expect. The fact that we take time to recognise the person who has noticed the kind behaviours and acknowledge both parties is reward enough.
Let’s see if we can continue to embrace and demonstrate ‘empathy’ at home and in school to help our children develop the characteristics and values for them to build a happy, wholesome future.
Happy weekend.
Ms Drummond
Posted on: 7/06/2024Weekly News - Friday 7th June 2024
Centenary Celebrations
As we begin the final half term of our Centenary year we have some very special events coming up, so please make sure you have the following dates in your diary.
Saturday 22nd June - PA Centenary Summer Fete (please see below)
Friday 5th July - Lower School Art Exhibition
Tuesday 9th July - Centenary Fun Day for Pupils
Thursday 11th July - Upper School Centenary Concert and Art Exhibition (please see below)
TfL Top Schools Award and STARS Gold Accreditation
We are delighted to receive a TfL Travel for Life ‘Top Schools Award 2024’. St. Helen's College has been highly commended for ‘Creativity and Innovation' in support of active and safer travel initiatives. We have also received renewed Gold Level accreditation until 2026. This recognises the vital work of the passionate and committed STARS Junior Travel Ambassadors who have been instrumental in promoting the importance of this. Keep up the good work!
SATIPS Art Exhibition 'People's Choice' Winner
Artwork submitted by Pavan S (Year 6) has been awarded 'The People's Choice' at the SATIPS Art Exhibition hosted by Moreton Hall in Shropshire in April. This is a terrific achievement as the standard of entries from other prep schools across the country was extremely high this year. Pavan has been awarded a beautiful sketchbook and certificate to mark her success, and we hope she will enjoy creating many more beautiful pieces of art.
SATIPS Handwriting Competition
Pupils from Year 1 to 6 have submitted entries to the annual SATIPS handwriting competition. The children are required to write out a set poem for their age category, in pencil, in their very best handwriting to be judged against entries from other Prep schools from across the country. Winners will be announced at the beginning of the autumn term and receive a prize and certificate.
Meanwhile we are celebrating the talents of our students with our own St. Helen's College in-house handwriting competition. A winner from each year group has been selected, each of whom has received a special framed copy of their submitted handwritten poem. Year 4, 5 and 6 winners have been announced; congratulations to Amara B, Arya A and Pavan S. The winners for Year 1, 2 and 3 will be announced in assembly on Monday. Huge congratulations to the overall school winner, Amara B, who has been awarded a very smart fountain pen in recognition of her hard work.
Singing Competition Finalists
The finalists for the Singing Competition have been announced! We had a terrific response and would like to say well done to everyone who submitted an entry. The standard was very high. Congratulations to all of the pupils who have made it through to the final on Friday 14th June, when they will perform the song of their choice for their parents, peers and our guest judge Jessica Bergman (soprana and music teacher) . The finalists are:
Year 2: Amina H, Sikhya R, Anika S
Year 3: Alicia Z, Tansy M, Anoushka B
MS groups: Eleanor, Alicia and Sanaya; Arahya and Anika
Year 4: Avleen P, Alyssa P, Leo A, Gurdaya J
Year 5: Rohan F, Alexander A, Diya B, Zinnia M
Year 6: Hana H, Pavan S, Samara P, Senna G
US groups: Anna, Grace, Hana and Samara; Pavan and Zarifa; Avleen & Gurdaya
Author Caroline Boxall Visits Year 6
It was a great pleasure to welcome author Caroline Boxall to school on Monday. The author of 'The Secret Children of Mumbai' and 'The Runaway Children of Chennai', Caroline ran workshops for our two Year 6 classes and certainly inspired the children by telling them all about how she became an author, how she gets the ideas for her books and how the children could themselves become published writers! She also introduced her International Creative Writing Competition for children to have the opportunity to write their own story and win copies of her books.
Signed and personalised books are available to order here. The link will remain open for another week or so; please order asap if you would like a signed copy delivered to school.
Upper School Centenary Concert And Art Exhibition - Thursday 11th July
We are delighted to invite Upper School parents to join us for our Centenary Art Exhibition and Centenary Concert at the Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip on Thursday 11th July. This special event will celebrate the arts at St. Helen's College. Every child in Years 2 - 6 will have at least one piece on show at the art exhibition and all three school choirs, the school orchestra and many soloists will be performing at the evening concert. Our string group and guitar ensemble will be performing in the foyer before the concert, so parents of children who are performing only in these two groups will not necessarily need to book tickets for the concert (although are welcome to do so). Please read the following information carefully and book your tickets soon!
Art Exhibition
The exhibition will be open from 3.30 - 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 11th July, and again from 6.00 - 6.45 p.m.
The art exhibition is open to all SHC families. Every child in Years 2 - 6 will have at least one piece of art at the exhibition. We will also be offering you a drink to enjoy while you peruse the artwork.
Tickets for the art exhibition are priced at £5 per family (not per person) and you may come and go as many times as you please during the opening hours. Displayed work from the exhibition, which is being mounted and packaged appropriately, will be sent home with your child on the final day of the summer term.
Evening Concert
Many children will be performing at the concert in the evening on Thursday 11th July, including those in the school choirs and orchestra. Parents will need to buy tickets for this event, and these will be made available first to parents of performers. If any remain unsold after a fortnight, these will then be made available to other families.
Tickets are priced at £15 per person for the evening concert, which will begin at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6 p.m. for visits to the art exhibition).
Please book your tickets through SchoolsBuddy.
We hope that you will support this exciting event, which we are sure will provide a fitting end to our Centenary year!
New Reading Scheme Books
Reading is the key to success and we are huge champions here at St. Helen's College. Year 2 were excited today to discover some of the hundreds of new reading scheme books recently added to our extensive collection. The updated selection includes children's classics alongside titles exploring more current topics such as Black History Month, neurodiversity and wellbeing. We are lucky to have so many avid readers in the school, we hope parents will enjoy listening to children reading the new books at home too.
Sports News
On Thursday it was our Pre-Prep Sports Day at Court Park. Children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 had a wonderful day taking part in a variety of sports and games in the sunshine. It was a great day to see the children enjoying all the activities and the children were delighted with the rosettes they achieved. You can see some photographs of them having fun on the Galleries page here.
On Monday our cricket A team travelled to Highgate while the B team played a fixture against Highgate at home.
The A team played confidently and won by a comfortable 30 runs (56 - 86). The boys bowled and batted extremely well, taking 5 wickets in a 12 over game.
The B team had a lovely afternoon producing some excellent cricket, especially with the ball, and winning 58 - 9. The game finished quite quickly, so we played a second, shorter game and we were again victorious, 32 - 19.
It was super to see the boys all enjoying their cricket so much. They have all clearly improved over the season so far.
Name The Bear Competition
To celebrate our centenary year we are running a 'name the bear' competition for all pupils to have the opportunity to christen our new St. Helen's College special centenary teddy bear. Entry is £1 which should be brought into school by Wednesday 12th June. All funds raised will be donated to the Four Paws animal preservation charity. The winning entry in each class will receive a centenary teddy bear and will be entered into the final draw for the overall winner. Pupils can be as imaginative and fun as they please with their names for the bear, you can hear more about the competition here. We look forward to hearing their suggestions!
Month End Music Recital
Our Month End Music Recital today was, as always, very well attended by families, staff and pupils. It was a joy to hear the children's pieces on piano, recorder, trombone, violin, flute, cello and trumpet, as well as some beautiful vocal performances. Very well done to all those who took part and good luck to everyone who will be practising hard for ABRSM exams over the next month or so!
LAMDA Exams
We would like to wish our LAMDA pupils the best for tomorrow, when they will be taking a range of drama and public speaking LAMDA examinations here at St. Helen's College. Good luck!
Summer Fete, Father's Day And Sports Day - Messages From The PA
Only two weeks to go until the summer fete! The summer fete will be extra special this year as we will be celebrating the school's centenary year. The event is open to all SHC families, friends and the wider community. Please note that it is a cash only event.
The success of the much anticipated fete relies on the support of all families to give time and donations where they can. This year we are short on volunteers and donations, so please contact your class rep as soon as possible to see where you can help on your allocated stall.
There will be barrels out for donations of any toys, teddies and uniforms at both Upper and Lower School entrances from this Monday onwards.
The PA has two other events coming up, as follows.
A Father's Day stall will run on Friday 14th June for children to buy a gift for a cherished male figure in their life:
- Upper School: Before school, at break time and after school (cash only)
- Lower School: Before and after school (cash and card accepted).
The PA will also have a refreshments stall running at the Upper School Sports Day on Friday 21st June and we are in need of parents to volunteer some time on this stall; please contact your class rep if you are able to spare some time on the day.
Summer School 2024
Summer School will be running at PACCAR Scout camp from 5th - 9th August for Years 3 - 6. This will be a fun-packed week of thrilling outdoor activities including climbing, archery and a day of water sports at nearby Taplow lake. Full details have been sent directly to parents and there are now just a few places left. If you would like to book a space for your child, you can do so through your SchoolsBuddy account. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The St. Helen’s College Holiday Club will run at school for children in Nursery - Year 2 as usual during this week.
Reminders
All children from Reception to Year 6 should arrive at school in their summer uniform and wearing a blazer, unless it is a PE kit day. School hats (felt cap, summer boater) may be worn if children have them; sun hats must always be with your child.
Please ensure that you have applied sun cream to your child's skin on hot days.
Next Week
Tuesday 11th June - Friday 14th June - Y2 and 3 First Maths Challenge
Wednesday 12th June - Y2 and 3 First Maths Challenge
Wednesday 12th June - Kingfishers Coffee Morning and Class Assembly
Friday 14th June - Singing Competition
Friday 14th June - PA Father's Day Stalls
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