School News and Head's Blog
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.
Posted on: 13/09/2024Weekly News - Friday 13th September 2024
Eco Team Litter Picking
Two eco conscious St. Helen's College pupils have been putting their green passion into action cleaning up their local area over the summer holidays. Siara and Shayla, Upper School members of the Eco Team, spent many days over the holidays picking up litter in Ickenham Village. Their hard work has not gone unnoticed as many local residents have taken the time to chat to the girls and thank them for their community spirit. Well done to the girls for being wonderful ambassadors for the school.
Celebrating British Farming Day
Pupils and staff celebrated the best of British produce yesterday for 'Back British Farming Day' on Wednesday, an initiative from the National Farmers Union. The national event aims to highlight the importance of agriculture to communities and the economy. It is also a wonderful opportunity to educate children about the 'farm to fork' process and how important it is to support sustainable farming for the future.
The Accent Catering team put together a terrific display of home grown goods and the children had fun colouring in posters to celebrate our farming heroes. Well done to Simar in 2C who won the colouring competition and to everyone who took part!
Co-Curriculum Clubs
The co-curricular clubs programme begins on Monday, so please double check your allocations and ensure you send children with any equipment required on the correct days! As a reminder, any query regarding the co-curricular programme should be addressed to Mr. Harrington at lharrington@sthelenscollege.com.
Parent Survey Feedback
Many thanks to all of you who completed the end of year Parent Survey earlier in the summer. We were grateful for the very many positive comments and thanks from parents for all that school staff do to keep the children safe, happy and making good progress in all areas of school life. Many of you commented on the supportive environment, strong sense of community, excellent leadership and expertise of staff.
We always want to make improvements and in response to points raised, we will be trialling some tweaks to routines and events this term, as follows.
Funtasia After School Care for Nursery children will be based in the Nursery classrooms from Monday 16th September. Breakfast Club will also be based at Lower School. We hope that these two changes will provide a more enjoyable and appropriate environment for our youngest children.
To ease with the transition to Upper School, Year 2 children are now having a 'soft start' to their day, as they did in Year 1.
We are exploring options for a regular second hand uniform sale to be run at school by the PA. This will be a huge benefit for parents so if you are interested in helping with this, please contact the PA at pa@sthelenscollege.com to offer your support.
We would also like to remind parents that if you have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of your child’s schooling, it is important that you contact your child’s class teacher immediately so that we may take prompt action to ensure the best outcome for your child.
Once again, thank you for all of the feedback and kind words. We were particularly proud to hear the following from a parent with an older child at senior school, and wanted to share this anonymous comment with the whole community:
'With an older child in secondary school I can appreciate even more what SHC offers. SHC should be extremely proud of the range of performances, assemblies, concerts and competitions. This is a real selling point for the school as all children take part in some way and learn from this in terms of managing anxiety, teamwork and presentation/performance skills. SHC produces shows which other schools with older children are not capable of staging. Staff turnover is also low with everyone making a huge effort as part of the community which suggests a happy working environment. Diversity and sustainability is discussed with the children regularly and children seem very aware of different cultures and respecting each other. Subjects like science, geography, RE and history are also very well taught with techniques directly useful for secondary education which place the children far ahead on starting.'
Cycle To School Week
We hope that many families will bring fun to the school run by taking part in Bikeability's 'Cycle to School' campaign from Monday 23rd - Friday 27th September. Championed by our Junior Travel Ambassadors, a pedal powered commute is good for health, the school and the planet. And, of course, we have a lovely new bike shed to keep all of the bikes safe and dry! Please take this opportunity to check the safety of bikes and ensure pupils' helmets are well fitting. We look forward to seeing as many children as possible take part.
Money Day - 4th October
Financial literacy forms one of the threads in our Life Skills programme here at St. Helen's College. To support this we will be holding a 'Money Day' on Friday 4th October for pupils across the school. The 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 much more. Supporting our ethos of sustainability, the overarching theme for the day will be: Saving Money and Protecting our Planet. We would welcome parent input so if you work in finance and would like to get involved in running a session or contributing to an assembly please look out for an email from SchoolsBuddy with more information.
The Parent Practice Webinar - 25th September
Parents are warmly invited to join a special free webinar 'Bringing out the best in your child', by Elaine Halligan from The Parent Practice on Wednesday 25th September. Elaine is a trusted parenting coach, author and speaker well known to St. Helen's College. Her coaching sessions have proved to be invaluable, providing supportive, insightful and practical advice and guidance for parents and staff alike. Many, many parents have found her ‘Harmony at Home’ training course transformative. At St. Helen's College we truly value our parents and want to offer support in negotiating the joyful, yet often tricky, pathway that is parenting. Please do save the date and join the online webinar. Full details about how to join will be sent nearer the time.
Dining Room Etiquette
Lunchtime is always a highlight of the school day and we place a firm emphasis on encouraging the children to take pride in their table manners and dining room etiquette. Please support your child at home by teaching them how to use cutlery correctly and by modelling family meals eaten at a table without any distractions. This is a valuable time to converse and connect with your child and is a life skill that will stand them in good stead for years to come. We will be looking out for and rewarding children who make a big effort to demonstrate these skills.
St. Helen's College Open Morning
Our next 'School At Work' Open Morning for prospective new families is on Wednesday 9th October. If you know of anyone with a child aged three or below who might be interested in visiting the school, please do let them know. They can book their appointments via the school website here.
PA Welcome Event
The Parents' Association very much hope that all new families will come along to their Welcome Event on Saturday 14th September from 2 - 4 p.m. The event will take place in the Evans Hall at Upper School and is a lovely opportunity to meet the PA and other new families. The PA relies on parental support to run a busy programme of fundraising events for the children so please do get involved, everyone is welcome.
Legacy Football School
Places are available for boys and girls aged 5 -14 at Legacy Football School a local club that trains at Court Park on Saturdays. Sessions are run by FA qualified coaches and include fun games and drills based on developing skills in passing, dribbling, defending and shooting. There is also the opportunity for children to join a team squad to play league and cup matches. More information and booking details can be found here.
Home-Start Hillingdon Coffee Morning
Home-Start Hillingdon, 306 Lane Lane (next door to Ducklings) are hosting coffee mornings to meet their volunteers on Tueday 24th September and Wednesday 2nd October. Find out more about the vital work the charity do and how you could help change the lives of local families by joining their volunteer training programme. Coffee and drop in runs from 10.00 a.m. - 12 noon and the volunteer talks begin at 11.00 a.m. The next volunteer training course starts on 8th October and runs every Tuesday for eight weeks, during school hours in Hillingdon.
Next Week
Monday 16th September - Co-curriculum clubs begin
Wednesday 18th September - Year 1 Phonics Evening 6 - 7 p.m.
Posted on: 6/09/2024Weekly News - Friday 6th September 2024
It has been wonderful to welcome the children back to school this week, and to get to know our new joiners too. There is such a happy, purposeful feeling all across the school and we are all very much looking forward to the year ahead! It has also been super to see so many parents in school this week at individual Early Years parent meetings, the Meet the Teacher evening at Upper School and the Year 2 coffee morning.
As we begin a new year, we would like to remind all parents of the importance of regular communication and of the best routes for this. Your class teacher is always your first port of call for any queries concerning your child, and we encourage you to keep in touch with them. Prompt, clear communication between school and home is crucial to enable the best care for your child and to support their progress most effectively. Email is usually a good way to contact your class teacher; they are also available at the end of the school day if you need a quick chat, and they will be happy to arrange a longer appointment should that be needed. If your class teacher is unable to assist for some reason, please feel free to contact a member of the Senior Leadership Team directly on the email addresses below:
Ducklings and Lower School queries - Mrs. Hunt at lhunt@sthelenscollege.com.
Upper School pastoral queries - Mr. McLaughlin at amclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com.
Upper School teaching and learning queries - Mr. Lewis at mlewis@sthelenscollege.com.
Co-Curriculum/sports queries - Mr. Harrington at lharrington@sthelenscollege.com.
Administration/admissions/communications/any other query - Mrs. Smith at susmith@sthelenscollege.com.
PA Welcome Event
The Parents' Association very much hope that all new families will come along to their Welcome Event on Saturday 14th September from 2 - 4 p.m. The event will take place in the Evans Hall at Upper School and is a lovely opportunity to meet the PA and other new families.
Eco News
SHC Achieves Eco-Schools Green Flag Award - With Distinction!
We were delighted to learn, over the summer, that St. Helen's College has again achieved our Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. Not only have we retained our award, but this time we have been awarded a Distinction for our eco work!
SHC Achieves Plastic Free School Status!
We have also now completed Objective 5 of the Plastic Free Schools Campaign and have been awarded Plastic Free Schools Status!
Plastic Free Schools is a pupil-led, ground-breaking programme that equips young people with the tools to understand the problems of single-use plastic, speak to politicians and eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic from their schools, for good. The children focused on eliminating plastic food packaging in school for this final step; sandwiches for trips will now be packaged using cardboard not cling film or other plastic snack wrapping.
We are so delighted to have achieved these goals, and would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work, especially the diligent and passionate Eco Team.
New Upper School Bike Shed
Our hard working maintenance team have been very busy over the summer break, updating facilities and equipment across the school sites. At Upper School the children have been excited to see a beautiful new bike shed, an terrific addition to the school grounds.
The new shed has plenty of space to keep bikes, helmets and scooters tidy and dry. It also features eco 'living walls', areas dedicated to growing lavendar, strawberry plants and herbs for the school kitchen. Bikeability's Cycle To School week takes place from 23rd -27th September and is the perfect opportunity for pupils to get involved. Not only will the children benefit from fresh air and exercise before school, it also supports our important environmental work as an eco school.
Fundraising Success
Naiya (Year 5) has raised over £5000 for cancer support charity The Little Princess Trust! Through a sponsored haircut, Naiya donated over 14 inches of her long locks, which will be made into wigs for children who have lost hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. Her efforts for this valuable cause have placed her in the charity's top 5% of fundraisers for July, an amazing achievement. Well done, Naiya!
Autumn Co-curricular Clubs
Booking for autumn term co-curricular clubs will go live on SchoolsBuddy today at 4 p.m. There are plenty of fun and exciting clubs for the children to get involved with, from sports and games to art, music and languages. The timetable can be found here. Please log into SchoolsBuddy for more information and to make your selection by Sunday night, when bookings will close.
Music Lessons
A range of one-to-one 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, 'Cello and Singing. 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.
Upper School Swimming
As usual, each class in Years 2 to 6 will enjoy an intensive week of swimming lessons this year at Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex. Here are the dates for your diary:
w/c Monday 30th September 4C
w/c Monday 7th October 4T
w/c Monday 14th October 5R and 5G
w/c Monday 11th November 3B
w/c Monday 18th November 3M
w/c Monday Jan 27th 2C
w/c Monday February 3rd 6H and 6L
w/c Monday Feb 10th 2S
Baby Mindfulness Classes
Mrs. McLaughlin's next set of FREE Mother/Baby Mindfulness classes will begin on Wednesday 11th September. These classes are for mothers and babies aged from six weeks until crawling. They run on Wednesday mornings (9 a.m.) at St. Helen's College Upper School and provide a safe space for mums and babies to bond, taking part in breathing, gentle yoga and other mindfulness exercises. There is also the opportunity to meet other local mums and babies and to socialise with them.
If you have a baby of the right age and are interested in joining these classes, please email Mrs. McLaughlin on pmclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com to reserve your spot. The classes are free of charge and are open to everyone, whether they have a child at St. Helen's College or not, so please do spread the word!
Ducklings, Nursery and Reception Entry - September 2025
If you have a child who will be eligible by age for entry into Ducklings, Nursery or Reception in September 2025, and have not yet registered him/her with St. Helen's College, please do so as soon as possible by completing the online registration form. Our entry processes now take place earlier than in the past; places for next year's Ducklings and Nursery entry points will be allocated during this term.
Siblings of children currently at the school receive priority when places are allocated, but must be registered now in order to be sure of a place.
St. Helen's College Open Morning
Our next 'School At Work' Open Morning for prospective new families is on Wednesday 9th October. If you know of anyone with a child aged three or below who might be interested in visiting the school, please do let them know. They can book their appointments via the school website here.
Methodist Church Service
St. Helen's College pupils and families are warmly invited to a community service at North Hillingdon Methodist Church on Long Lane on Sunday 8th September at 9.30 a.m. The service will include special prayers for the new academic year ahead and children are invited to bring along school book bags for blessing.
Chiswick Book Festival 13th - 15th September
The Chiswick Book Festival, which boasts its own Children's Book Festival, is running next weekend, 13th - 15th September. This is a fantastic opportunity for children to join events with a fun and diverse line-up of authors and illustrators. The exciting programme includes Rob Biddulph, Zanib Mian (a favourite visitor at St. Helen's College last year), Ken Wilson-Max and Zoe Antoniades. Fans of CBeebies Swashbuckle will be thrilled to see Joseph Elliott (Pirate ‘Cook’) with his new younger chapter book about a very exciting grandmother! Mariesa Dulak will be introducing her debut, 'There’s a Tiger on the Train', and fans of graphic novels and comics will love Kev F Sutherland’s workshop. You can book here for all children’s events, which take place in family friendly venues near public transport.
Mini Me October Half Term Camps
Mini-Me Camps are running a half term holiday camp at PACCAR Scout Camp from 28th - 31st October. Booking is now available and all friends and family are welcome! Full details, including booking details, are available here.
Next Week
Monday 9th September - Nursery individual new parent meetings (3.15 p.m. - 5.15 p.m.)
Saturday 14th September - PA Welcome Event in Evans Hall (2 - 4 p.m.)
Posted on: 6/09/2024Giving Blood
This week we have a guest blog from Mrs. Mann, one of our Nursery teachers. Reading this blog brought back memories for me from when I started to give blood as a student at university back in the day as an 18 year old when I really did not appreciate the full impact of what it meant to give blood. Unfortunately, I am now no longer able to give blood and am proud to hear of the efforts of so many members of our community. Thank you, Mrs. Mann, for your reflection and inspiration.
Giving Blood
During the summer break I attended a blood donation session. This is something I try to do every three months, although it is not always possible for a variety of reasons. From a very early age I remember my parents going into a room with lots of people and nurses (at this time children could wait in the waiting room quietly). After a while they would come out with a white plaster on their arm, a sticker and a chocolate bar. As I got older I began to ask more questions about what was happening. I remember being told that the nurses were taking some blood out to give to people who needed it.
Our bodies are incredible things - we can give our healthy blood (which is thoroughly tested) to others and our own bodies efficiently recover. This blew my mind as a child and was something I was keen to do when I was old enough. Having joined the St. John’s Ambulance from the age of 6 until 20, I had seen first hand how a simple accident could result in an emergency trip to the hospital and the potential need for that patient to require ‘someone else's blood’.
My attendance to give blood this summer was not just any, it was my 50th. I feel incredibly proud that by giving blood on 50 separate occasions I have potentially helped to save and improve the lives of 100 patients. Life is precious and we never know when we may need someone's donation.
The process has changed greatly over the years: now, you have to book your session in advance (which reduces your wait time) and no children are allowed. The sugary treats at the end are still very much available and appreciated!
Giving blood is not completely pain free but honestly it really does not hurt that much. The nurses are wonderful and they take good care of you from testing your iron levels (which I am generally more anxious about), making you comfortable during the donation and making sure you are ready to go on your way.
If you can, please, please ‘do something amazing and give blood’. Every single donation is a great achievement. We never know when family, friends or even ourselves may need it.
You can check if you are able to here: https://www.blood.co.uk/.
‘Let’s save lives together’.
Mrs. Mann
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