Weekly News - Friday 17th May 2024

Nursery Visit To Hobbledown Heath

On Thursday Robins and Wrens enjoyed a fun day trip to Hobbledown Heath. The children were captivated by a fascinating talk from 'Zac the zookeeper' about capybaras, which are large rodents native to South America. They had a brilliant time exploring many other farm animals including goats, cattle, rabbits and alpacas. The children even had the opportunity to feed the meerkats which was great fun!  They finished the day playing in the sand pit, climbing on the play equipment and jumping on the 'water pillows'. The children had a terrific experience and their behaviour was impeccable throughout the day. 

 

Owls Class Assembly

Owls performed an impressive class assembly this week all about traditional fairy tales and the important moral messages they impart. The children retold the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood', reciting their lines clearly and with great confidence. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the jaunty songs and actions. It was wonderful to be reminded of the enduring power of traditional tales passed down through the generations. You can hear from some of the children here. 

 

 

 

Mini School Marathon

Following the recent success of our runners at the TCS Mini London Marathon event, this week St. Helen's College pupils put their best foot forward again for our own Mini School Marathon in Court Park.  The lunchtime run offered children in Years 2 to 6 the option to complete between 1 km and 2.5 km with many opting for the longer challenge! It was inspiring to see over one hundred children choosing to be involved and demonstrating admirable pace, stamina and positivity. A great achievement for everyone involved!

 

 

Charity Fundraising Achievement

A group of St. Helen's College pupils have raised an incredible £24,000 for The Ghassan Abu Sittah Children's Fund, a charity providing critical medical care for the children of Gaza. Over the last two weekends the children have participated in a sponsored hike of the four hills in Northala Fields and managed to smash their original fundraising target of £5000. Incredible work!

A huge well done to the following children who took part: Ali A 2R, Hassan A Kingfishers, Zoe B Robins, George B 2R, Kyan K 2R, Noah K 2R, Aarav L 2R, Amaya L 6H, Rania Q 4T, Hadi Q 1R, Zara F 6L, Dawud H Kingfishers.

 

Junior Chess Tournament 

Uxbridge Junior Chess Club are hosting a tournament on Saturday 13th July at St. Catherine Primary School in West Drayton. Categories include under 8, under 10 and under 12. The best local juniors will be invited to compete for the London Borough of Hillingdon chess teams in national events. More detailed entry information for the tournament is available here. 

Year 6 Author Visit

St. Helen's College will be hosting a visit from children's author Caroline Boxall on Monday 3rd June for Year 6 pupils. The author of 'The Secret Children of Mumbai' and 'The Runaway Children of Chennai' will be here to talk about her experience as an author and how to become a published writer. She will also be introducing her International Creative Writing Competition for children to have the opportunity to write their own story and win a copies of her books.

Signed and personalised books are available to order in advance here. 

Singing Competition

Today is the final day to submit song choices for approval using this form so don't miss out! Video entries must be received by Friday 31st May, please record these at home and upload using this form. Backing tracks must not contain the main vocal line. Singing from memory is preferred and will be required for the live final. The finalists will be announced on Friday 7th June. Good luck! 

News From The PA

As we enter the final half term of this academic year, we have some exciting events to look forward to! 

The Parents' Association (PA) will be hosting refreshment stalls at both the Upper and Lower School Sports Days, as well as a special gift stall for Father’s Day. Here, children can purchase gifts to celebrate significant male figures in their lives. Additionally, the PA is organising our much-anticipated Summer Fete. This year is a special Centenary Fete, and we encourage all parents to play a part in this unique celebration.

With these events on the horizon, expect to receive plenty of communication through the school newsletter, ClassList and class reps. If you haven't signed up for ClassList yet, please do so to ensure you receive all updates and information.

The PA is always in need of volunteers to help make these events successful. Whether you can contribute a little time or a lot, your involvement is invaluable. Volunteering is a great way to support our school community and demonstrate to our children the importance of participating in school events. If you’re interested in helping out, please contact your class rep, who can connect you with a committee member. Or why not come along to our next meeting on Tuesday 4th June at 7 p.m. in The Evans Hall at Upper School? All are welcome.

Thank you for your continued support and participation. Together, we can help to make this final half term of the 2024 academic year and the St. Helen's College Centenary year a very special, memorable one for our children.

Next Week

All week - Year 6 residential trip to France

Monday 20th May - District cross country (Uxbridge)

Tuesday 21st May - U9 cricket v. Buckingham Prep

Wednesday 22nd - Friday 24th May - Year 4 residential trip to Flatford Mill

Thursday 23rd May - Wrens coffee morning and class assembly

Thursday 23rd May - Year 5 transfer meeting 6.30 p.m.