School News and Head's Blog
Posted on: 12/07/2024Anastasiia by Mrs. Smith
Many of you will remember the 2022 blog I wrote about Anastasiia, the Ukrainian refugee whom my husband and I were sponsoring through the Homes For Ukraine scheme in 2022. I can’t believe over two years have passed since then.
In the end, Anastasiia did not come to us in 2022. She reached Barcelona and, by the time her UK visa came through, she had already found a job and decided, understandably, to stay, even though she spoke no Spanish. She spent over two years there, but she finally arrived to live with us last week. We are really enjoying getting to know her: she is a resilient, courageous young woman who has suffered more uncertainty and trauma in her short life than we can imagine. It is unbelievable that, just as Covid was coming to an end, her country was invaded and life became completely unsafe and unbearable for her and other Ukrainians. The conversations we have had in just one week about the things she has seen and overcome, and her associated emotional and practical struggles, related in her trademark matter-of-fact tone, have been frankly heart-breaking.
My husband and I met almost 30 years ago at university in London. We have been married for 25 years, worked hard, raised a family and suffered serious illnesses and bereavements as well as some of the most joyous times. Last year I completed my MA and in October I begin my PHD. We have seen our sons make their way through prep school, grammar school, university and the world of work. But in seven days, Anastasiia has taught our family more than we might ever have learned without meeting her. Is there any lesson more important than how to find the courage and resilience to look adversity squarely in the face, discover fearlessly who you really are, and push yourself to work to become the best person you can be for yourself and the world?
Anastasiia was just 18 when she fled Ukraine, two weeks after the war started, and made her way across Europe alone with just a suitcase and backpack. Her mother had already left; her brother, father and grandmother remained behind in Kherson, which was under attack. I am glad to say that they are all now out of Ukraine and safe in different countries. While in Barcelona, alongside working full time in any job she could find to support herself, Anastasiia continued her passion of drawing and design and submitted a portfolio of work and an application (which she managed herself, in a foreign language!) to the University of Arts, London. Only around a quarter of applicants to this prestigious university are successful, and she was one of them. She is living with us now with a view to moving into university halls in London to complete her foundation year and then a three year Bachelor of Arts. It has been her dream for several years to do so and, because of the terrible circumstances of her life, she is starting her studies three years later than most UK students would. She arrived in London exhausted and under a lot of stress, still with just one suitcase of belongings, but enormously excited about the prospect of student life ahead of her.
However, there is already another sizeable bump in the road. Anastasiia is determined to keep working online for the website/graphic design company employing her, although - run by another displaced Ukrainian - it is not well-paid. She has applied for a loan for her university tuition fees, which she will have to re-pay. But it turns out that she cannot apply for a loan for maintenance costs, as UK students can, because her foundation year is not an integrated part of a four year degree. We have discovered that, once her tuition fee loan is approved, she can apply for a hardship bursary to help with living costs, but it would not cover all of her accommodation costs. And because of one of those frustrating bureaucratic glitches, she can’t apply for the bursary - which there is, anyway, no guarantee she will get - until she’s already enrolled at the college in September. Meanwhile, her accommodation have already sent an advance bill of almost £3000 which must be paid by mid-August.
Anastasiia is an incredible young woman and her journey is just beginning. She is extremely upset by this latest hurdle, and trying to be practical about the fact that she might not be able to take up the university place she has earned. Watching on, I am enormously proud of what she has achieved and coped with over the last three years and humbled by her attitude in the face of every obstacle. I feel so deeply that she deserves the chance to pursue her dream. Many of you asked how you could help and wanted to send money for Anastasiia when she was due to arrive in England in 2022 and news of the Ukraine war was shocking us all. The situation in Ukraine is still shocking; it is still completely unsafe for Anastasiia to return to her home country. Her family, all now refugees, have lost their homes and are scattered across Eastern and Western Europe each doing their best to survive and, hopefully, to keep physically and mentally strong. So if you would like to help Anastasiia take the next step of her extraordinary journey, please consider donating anything, however small, to a collection fund to help her on her way to her foundation year, and to the freedom, she’s so determined to achieve. The fund will remain open for donations until the end of July. I know that Anastasiia will do it alone, somehow, someday, if she has to. But I hope you’ll agree that she deserves a chance to do it now, with our love and support.
Anastasiia’s Fund
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Mrs. Smith
Posted on: 5/07/2024Weekly News - Friday 5th July 2024
Year 6 Prizegiving
On Thursday it was an evening of achievement and celebration at the St. Helen's College annual Prizegiving reception and ceremony. This special evening for Year 6, held in the Evans Garden, recognises the children's remarkable talents, hard work and personal development during their time at St. Helen's College. Our Principals, Mr. and Mrs. Crehan, delivered an inspiring speech and lovely song and offered words of encouragement for the children as they embark on new beginnings and many exciting adventures ahead. Thank you to Samara P for her wonderful solo performance and to the Chamber Choir for their beautiful renditions of 'Rhythm Of Life' and 'You'll Never Walk Alone', a fitting sentiment as we prepare to bid Year 6 a final farewell next week.
Lower School Art Exhibition
Lower School celebrated the many talents of our gifted pupils today at their Centenary Art Exhibition. Every child had a piece of art beautifully mounted, framed and displayed and enjoyed showing them off to their parents! The mini masterpieces were available for parents to buy, with extra copies and postcards also available to order. We hope that all of the families who visited enjoyed the exhibition as much as we did!
Ducklings parents were also able to view and buy framed artwork created by our youngest Helenians. What an artistic bunch they are!
We are looking forward to the Upper School Art Exhibition next Thursday too. As a reminder, the exhibition will be open at the Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip from 3 - 5 p.m. and from 6 - 8 p.m. on Thursday 11th July.
Year 2 Trip To Iver Environment Centre
On Tuesday Year 2 visited Iver Environment Centre for a full day of outdoor activities. The children relished a day in nature, taking part in a mini beast hunt, pond dipping and building bug houses as part of work on wildlife habitats. The day was rounded off in the fun adventure play area which proved to be very popular. The school were kindly gifted two bird boxes which will be decorated by the children and installed in the school grounds. We hope the boxes will make a cosy home for nesting birds and we look forward to monitoring them for life in the coming months!
Wimbledon Visit
A lucky group of pupils from Year 5 and 6 had an exciting day out at Wimbledon Tennis Championships on Tuesday. Arjun S, Tiya T, Amaya L, Rian M, Marco K, Simar C, Avar D and Shanaya P watched two thrilling matches on Court 1 featuring the world number 4 women's player (Elena Rybakina), followed by the world number 4 men's player (Alexander Zverev). Both players won convincingly and demonstrated incredible skill. The children also had the opportunity to tour the whole Wimbledon complex and watch world class tennis action on the smaller courts. It was a fantastic day and we hope the children will be inspired to excel in their own sporting endeavours.
Election Day
The children had the chance to experience democracy in action here at St. Helen's College on Thursday when the School Council ran its own ballot to tie in with the General Election. Year 6 representatives shared the key manifesto promises from four leading political parties; Conservative, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party, in rousing speeches during morning assembly. The Upper School children then took to the ballot box at breaktime to cast their vote. All the candidates were very convincing. We may have one or two budding politicians in our midst!
In total, 173 votes were cast and counted overnight. The results were announced in assembly this morning, as follows:
Conservative Party - 79
Liberal Democrats - 41
Labour Party - 35
SNP - 18
Move Up Mornings
On Monday children from Years 1 - 5 participated in 'Move Up Morning'. This is always an eagerly anticipated event, offering children a glimpse into next year's classroom and some of the activities they will be doing. It is also a chance for them to meet and get to know their new teacher for the academic year ahead. On Tuesday it was the Nursery and Reception children's chance to do the same. We hope all the children feel reassured by the visit and excited for the new academic year in September!
NSPCC Workshop
On Thursday, representatives from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) visited Years 2 - 6 for a workshop on staying safe. The session educated pupils on recognising the signs of bullying and abuse and the importance of always speaking to a trusted adult about any concerns they may have. This was illustrated by the fun NSPCC mascot 'Buddy', a bright green inflatable in the shape of a speech bubble! All the children participated in the group discussions and found the workshop a valuable addition to their personal development education.
Maths Success
We strive for excellence in maths here at St. Helen's College and it is wonderful to see pupils go above and beyond to achieve success. Huge congratulations to Aryan (6L), Aaryav (5R) and Raiden (6L) who took part in the demanding UK Maths Trust Junior Challenge Kangaroo and Olympiad follow-on challenges. A special mention to Aryan who came in the top scoring 25% of participants in the Kangaroo, achieving a Certificate of Merit!
Well done to all the children from Reception - Y3 who took part in the First Maths Challenge over the past couple of weeks. The results are now in and certificates are being prepared for all participants. These will be handed out next week.
Library Summer Reading Challenge
On Friday the children were treated to a visit from Esha Chaman of Hillingdon Libraries who introduced the exciting Summer Reading Challenge. The theme this year is 'Marvellous Makers!' and it's all about celebrating children's creativity. Children aged 4 to 11-years-old are invited to fire up their imagination and unleash storytelling and creativity through the power of reading.
The Summer Reading Challenge is a free initiative whereby children are encouraged to read six books across the summer holidays and in return receive free gifts. You can watch a short video explaining more about the challenge here.
So, why not camp out at your local library this summer to make the most of all the wonderful books on offer! Our local library at Oak Farm, on Long Lane, is just a hop and a skip from the lovely Court Park where you could picnic and read the books you have borrowed. Also well worth a visit is the library in Hayes. This is found within Botwell Sports and Leisure Centre so families can spend the morning swimming and splashing and the afternoon relaxing in the library. We would love to hear in September how you have used your library!
Summer School 2024
There are now just a handful of spaces left for Summer School which 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, if you would like to book a space for your child, you can do so through your SchoolsBuddy account. Please note the deadline to book is next Thursday 11th July. The St. Helen’s College Holiday Club will run at school for children in Nursery - Year 2 as usual during this week. There are also a few spaces left at the Mini Me Camps at PACCAR from 29th July - 2nd August for children in Years 2- 6.
Centenary Fun Day Menu
The team at Accent Catering have devised a special 'street party' lunch for our Centenary Fun Day next week. You can see the menu here.
Next Week
Tuesday 9th July - Centenary Fun Day (children to wear House colours)
Tuesday 9th July - Year 6 Coffee Morning and Project Exhibition
Wednesday 10th July - Year 1 Trip to Mad Bess Woods
Wednesday 10th July - Year 6 Teacher For A Day
Wednesday 10th July - New Year 1 (6 p.m.) and Year 2 (7 p.m.) Parent Meetings
Thursday 11th July - Ducklings Sports Day
Thursday 11th July - Centenary Concert & Art Exhibition
Friday 12th July - End of Term (Half Day) Pick up times: 11.50 (Ducklings & Nursery); 12.00 p.m. (Reception); 12.10 p.m. (Y1 and Y2); 12.20 p.m. (Y3 and Y4); 12.30 p.m. (Y5 and Y6)
Posted on: 5/07/2024Leaving St. Helen's College by Mrs. Briggs
I have ‘only’ been here for four years. For me, as someone whose husband is in the Army, this is a long time in one job as we have moved frequently during our married life. But by St. Helen’s College standards I am still quite new! I started as a maternity cover teacher for Mrs. McLaughlin, baby Remi having arrived in June. It was September 2020, between covid lockdowns. I arrived into a world of social distancing, of not meeting families properly for the first year I was here, of remote parents’ evenings and assemblies and lots of time on Google Meets. I struggled with the technology and am forever grateful to Mr. Bustard for always being on hand, socially distanced and wearing a face mask, to help.
Despite all of this, I loved it immediately. On my second day of teaching Year 3, I asked if the children could give me a better descriptive word than nice. Jeena’s hand went up immediately; ‘phenomenal’ was her suggestion. She then spelt it accurately and I knew I had come to the right place! That class, now leaving as 6H, was the best class I had had in my many years of teaching. They were so pleased to be back at school following remote learning, so bright and engaged, so much fun and so hard working and empathetic towards each other.
I now know that this is how things are throughout the school here; a sharp contrast to some of my experiences in other schools. The pupils are mindful and polite, they are considerate and chat easily to adults and to each other. Due to the nature of my husband’s job, I have worked in fifteen different schools, including in Germany, Kenya and in the USA. St. Helen’s College is my favourite. It is a very special community of children, families and staff. Everyone really does work together for the good of the children and it is such a happy, committed and aspirational place.
I feel so lucky to have worked here and that my daughter got to experience being a pupil here for two years. I am very, very reluctant to leave. If you see me next week please don’t be too nice to me as I may well cry!
Mrs. Briggs
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
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