Weekly News - Friday 1st March 2024

Online Safety Session For Parents

Thank you to those parents who attended the Online Safety training on Wednesday. We appreciate the positive feedback and are really glad you found it informative and helpful. 

Speech Competition

It is almost time for our annual Speech Competition for pupils in Years 1 to 6 and, as usual, the standard promises to be very high. We have provided the children with interesting and challenging poems to learn off by heart and we are looking forward to hearing them recite these over the next few weeks. As ever, the judging criteria are threefold: expression, projection and clarity. Semi-finalists will be chosen by class teachers and finalists will be chosen by senior members of staff. Parents of finalists will be invited to attend the finals, which will take place on Thursday 21st March at the following times:

Year 1 & Year 2  9.00 a.m.
Year 3 & Year 4  1.50 p.m.
Year 5 & Year 6  2.50 p.m.

It is inevitable in any competition that some children will be disappointed. Please support your child to learn and recite their piece to the very best of their ability, and to enjoy the process whatever the outcome.

Every Nursery and Reception child is also busy learning a poem and all Nursery and Reception parents are warmly invited to join us for their recitals which will take place on:

Reception -  Tuesday 19th March at 9.00 a.m. (coffee served from 8.15 a.m.)
Nursery - Wednesday 20th March at 9.00 a.m. (coffee served from 8.15 a.m.)

JTA Dragons Den Pitch

On Thursday, our Year 5 Junior Travel Ambassadors visited the Battle of Britain Bunker in Uxbridge, where they made a Dragons Den style pitch to Cllr. Jonathan Bianco, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport. This was a terrific opportunity for St. Helen's College, alongside neighbouring schools, to pitch for funding to be used for a school initiative supporting road safety and/or sustainable travel activities within the school.

The JTA team researched and presented an exciting initiative for a bike safety workshop to be held at St. Helen's College for pupils, but also the wider community, in association with Bikeability. Our road safety leaders demonstrated brilliant research skills and budget management when considering the advertising, promotion and incentives for the scheme. They delivered their pitch with confidence and were able to answer the questions put to them sensibly and maturely. In the end, they were awarded £550 - more than they had originally asked for - to use for their initiative. They will now begin organising and promoting the bike workshop. Very well done to our JTAs - what an experience and what an outcome! You can see more photographs here. 

Kingfishers Class Assembly

A big well done to our Reception Kingfishers class, who presented such a wonderful assembly on Thursday. The theme was 'Do the little things in life' celebrating the life of St. David, the Patron Saint of Wales, whose last words in his final sermon before he died on the 1st March were: 'Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do.’

The children shared a visual representation of a wall built on the solid foundations of values we at St. Helen's College cherish: patience, helpfulness, courtesy, determination, co-operation, courage, kindness, perseverance, friendliness, respect, forgiveness, gratitude and honesty. They also shared simple ways we can all help to change the world for better, for example by picking up litter and recycling. The children were a joy to watch, delivering their lines with great confidence and singing together beautifully. You can see more photographs here. 

Music News

Congratulations to the 23 students who took their ABRSM exams in school last Saturday. If your child has taken a music exam outside of school this term, please let Mrs. Fawbert know so that the results can be celebrated at the end of the term. 

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument in school, please use this Google Form to register interest. 

Sports News

On Tuesday, our Year 3 and Year 4 netballers all took part in a series of small sided friendly netball games at Orley Farm School. This was, for some pupils, their first ever fixture so excitement levels were high! The children represented St. Helen's College with confidence and demonstrated how their technical skills have developed and progressed since the start of term.

On Wednesday, the football team met Heathrow Primary School. Despite playing well the boys lost 3-1. Thank you to Kal-El for stepping in at late notice and to Mrs. Thompson who helped at the fixture. The Player of the Match was Aaron B, who scored the St. Helen's College goal too.

6L have very much enjoyed their intensive week of swimming and their water skills have certainly developed during the sessions.
 

Spring Garden In A Box

Our latest House challenge is for pupils to create a 'spring garden in a box'. Pupils are asked to find an old shoe box or similar and, using only natural or recycled materials, to create their own mini spring garden. The children may be as colourful and creative as they like - not all gardens are the same! They might like to include paths, ponds, fences, plants and wildlife. The garden creations should be brought to school on 18th and 19th March. Each entry will receive two house points. Winners for each year group will receive more and will appear on the school website!

Waste Week

Next week we will take part in National Waste Week, with a focus on electricals and batteries.  

Recycle to Read Batteries Collection

Our school is recycling batteries (and other unwanted tech) to protect the planet, and for a chance to win book vouchers for the school.

Please encourage your child to carry out a 'Tech Treasure Hunt' at home. Please can your child bring any old/used batteries into school for their house boxes. Two house points will be given to them per battery. The boxes will be available from next Monday until the following Monday (4th to 11th).

We are also keen to help with any unwanted 'tech'. Your child can also bring these items into school or you can use this website to find your local electrical and battery drop off points: www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk. 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

Author Visit: Zanib Mian

On Tuesday 5th March, children in Years 2 to 5 will be visited by author Zanib Mian, who will inspire them with a talk about becoming an author. There will be an opportunity to pre-order copies of Mian's books which can be signed and dedicated on the day. Full details, including the order link, are available here. Listen to a review of a Planet Omar book by one of our Year 4 pupils here. 

September Entry 2024 - Ducklings and Nursery

If you have a sibling due for entry in September to either Ducklings or Nursery, and have not yet registered him/her, you must do so now. Places are filling up quickly and we are unable to reserve spaces for siblings who are not registered. You should register using the online registration form here. 

Gaza Charity Day 

On Friday 15th March we will be raising money for Save The Children, to support children currently suffering in Gaza. We have been thinking about how lucky we are to have warm homes and cosy beds and so on Friday 15th, pupils and staff may come to school in pyjamas in return for a donation of their choice to Save The Children. You can make donations via our JustGiving page here. We thank you in advance for your support.

World Book Day Menu 

Accent catering team have created a special World Book Day menu, including 'wormy spaghetti' inspired by The Twits and carrot cake in honour of Peter Rabbit, which will be served on Friday 8th March. For more recipe inspiration, our red-themed 'Eat The Rainbow' recipe cards for March can be found here. 

Parenting Support

The Parent Practice, with whom we have been working for some years, have sent us details of a session on Wednesday evening entitled Generational Healing: Tools For Breaking Dysfunctional Patterns. This session will take a look at how our parenting style is often affected by our own childhood experiences, offering an in-depth exploration into how to heal our own childhood wounds while offering our children loving, secure attachment. The material covered in this class will help parents of toddlers through to young adults.

The session will take place on Wednesday March 6th at 8 p.m. A replay will be available soon afterwards, with no expiration date.

If you are interested, you can find out more information and book your place here.

Next Week

Monday 4th March - Monday 11th March - Waste Week (bring in old batteries for house points)
Tuesday 5th March - Author Zanib Mian visiting Years 2 - 5
Tuesday 5th March - Chamber Choir at Barnado's National Finals in Birmingham
Wednesday 6th March - 1R coffee morning and class assembly 8.15 a.m.
Wednesday 6th March - Football v. St. Andrew's School (A) 4.00 p.m.
Thursday 7th March - Year 6 Junior Citizens visit to Brunel (a.m.)
Thursday 7th March - Year 3 Production at Compass Theatre 7.00 p.m.
Friday 8th March - World Book Day