Weekly News - Friday 12th January 2024
Posted on: 12/01/2024It has been a super first week back at school! The children have been very busy with their learning indoors and out. If you would like to keep in touch with what is going on at school, please follow us on your preferred channel(s) by clicking the links below.
Barnardo's National Choral Competition Final Tickets
We are delighted that The Chamber Choir have once again reached the final of the prestigious Barnardo's National Choral Competition. The final will be held on Tuesday 5th March at Birmingham Symphony Hall. The competition will take place between 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. with an evening performance at 6.00 p.m. If you would like to attend the evening performance, tickets can be purchased here. There is a group rate available if 4+ tickets are booked together. Once you have added the tickets for the evening concert to the basket, there is an option to purchase a daytime ticket for £5 which allows you access to watch the competition, if you wish to do so. Please ensure that you book early; tickets are sold directly by the venue and we have no access to additional tickets once they are sold out.
100 Things To Do In Our Centenary Year
We hope you are enjoying working your way through the list of '100 Things To Do In Our Centenary Year'!
For the school magazine, we would like to collate photographs of pupils/families doing these activities. Mrs. Smith would be grateful if you would share photographs of your children/family enjoying some of the activities with her. You may email photos directly to susmith@sthelenscollege.com. Please feel free to send photographs throughout the year as you complete each activity.
Library Books
Libraries are a brilliant expression of community recycling - books and resources are borrowed, read, and returned to be shared again and again! By enjoying their library books and returning them to the school library on time, St. Helen's College children are part of this sustainable cycle in our school community.
Happy readers are the best way to promote reading, and the Upper School library is often busy with children asking for the books they have seen their friends enjoy! So please support sustainability and help to promote reading by encouraging your child to choose a particular place to keep their library books safe, and return them to school promptly when they are finished so that the books are available for another child.
Books are loaned for up to two weeks and may be renewed for "another turn" by visiting the library. Books which remain overdue since before Christmas will be assumed lost, and parents may be asked to replace these.
Court Park Wood Carvings
One of our staff members came across this beautiful wood carving from a fallen tree in Court Park. We are so lucky to have access to the park for our pupils for sports and more.
To take a look for yourselves follow these directions: walk through the park past the tennis courts and children's playground into Court Drive. Walk straight up the road to the top of the hill where the path starts then walk around the perimeter of the park. You will see the carving on the right hand side. What a good excuse to walk or scoot to school, or to visit the park for a bracing winter walk!
Parents' Evenings
Ducklings, Nursery and Reception parents' evenings will take place on Thursday 25th and Wednesday 31st January. Bookings are now open; information has been sent directly to parents by email.
Alumni News
Esme Stallard is an Old Helenian who is a science and climate reporter for the BBC. This week, she has written on the likelihood of Norway becoming the first country to approve commercial-scale deep sea mining. You can read her piece here.
Sports News
5G have enjoyed a week of swimming lessons this week at Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex. Sporting fixtures will resume next week; please ensure that all children come to school with plenty of layers to keep warm during outdoor sports in this cold weather.
Free Basketball Tickets: Euro Cup Women
London Lions Women v Lointek Gernika Bizkaia
Next Week
Monday 15th - Friday 19th January - 5R swimming all week
Tuesday 16th January - Year 5 transfer meetings with Ms Drummond (5 - 8 p.m.)
Wednesday 17th January - Reception entry meetings (for September 2024 entry)
Wednesday 17th January - PA meeting in The Evans Hall (7.30 p.m.)
Friday 19th January - 5R coffee morning (8.15 a.m.) and class assembly (8.40 a.m.)
Dates For Your Diaries
As always, there will be lots of opportunities this term for parents to see children's work and activities, and meet with staff. Important dates for parents for this term include:
Friday 19th January - 5R coffee morning/class assembly
Thursday 25th January - 1C coffee morning/class assembly
Thursday 25th January - Ducklings/Nursery/Reception parents' evenings
Friday 26th January - 6H coffee morning/class assembly
Friday 26th January - Month End Music Recital in Evans Hall
Wednesday 31st January - Ducklings/Nursery/Reception parents' evenings
Thursday 1st February - Robins coffee morning/class assembly
Friday 2nd February - 5G coffee morning/class assembly
Thursday 8th February - Wrens coffee morning/class assembly
Friday 9th February - 6L coffee morning/class assembly
Tuesday 20th February - PA coffee morning
Thursday 22nd February - Owls coffee morning/class assembly
Friday 23rd February - Month End Music Recital in Evans Hall
Thursday 29th February - Kingfishers coffee morning/class assembly
Tuesday 5th March - Chamber Choir performing at Barnardo's National Final (Birmingham Symphony Hall)
Wednesday 6th March - 1R coffee morning/class assembly
Thursday 7th March - Year 3 play performance at Compass Theatre
Tuesday 12th March - Year 4 parents' Senior School Transfer Meeting
Friday 15th March - Half Day (NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUB AVAILABLE)
Saturday 16th March - Centenary Exhibition Day
Tuesday 19th March - Nursery/Reception Poetry Recitation
Tuesday 19th March - Year 5 Isle of Wight Information Evening for parents
Thursday 21st March - Speech & Poetry Competition Y1-6 (parents of finalists will be invited)
Thursday 21st March - Year 3 PACCAR Information Evening for parents
Friday 22nd March - Year 2 - 6 Easter Service at All Saints Church (11 a.m.)
Easter Camp
MiniMe Camps will be running an Easter Camp at PACCAR for 6-11 year old children from 8th to 12th April, which will include activities such as zip wire, abseiling, laser tag, giant swing and more. A flyer can be found here and bookings should be made here.
