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Posted on: 29/11/2024

Weekly News - Friday 29th November 2024

2S Coffee Morning And Class Assembly On Friday 2S took us on a happy journey around the world to see how Christmas is celebrated in different countries. The children shared traditional Christmas customs from far flung places such as China, India and the Philippines. Well done to all of the children for speaking their lines with attention to expression and projection and for singing so beautifully. The assembly ended with important messages about gratitude at this festive time of year and about sharing kindness and respect for others. You can listen to the children singing here.      Month End Music Recital Today we enjoyed a super Month End Music Recital with performances from children in Years 1-6 on a range of different instruments. The audience enjoyed some wonderful vocal performances and accomplished solos on the violin, flute, piano, clarinet and even a guitar ensemble piece. Thank you to our team of top specialist music teachers who run a busy timetable of music lessons to promote and develop the children's musical abilities. Many thanks also to the parents and other family members who facilitate the children's musical development by encouraging daily practice. You can see some of the performers rehearsing here.    Sports News Last Friday our Year 5 netball players took part in a series of friendly but competitive matches against Highgate School at home. All of the pupils played extremely well and showed great versatility when changing positions throughout the games. St. Helen's College won overall with a final score of 4-2. The pupils displayed how much they have progressed this term with their movement and understanding of the game.  This week the Year 6 netball team faced two tough matches. On Tuesday they played against Hermitage Primary School at home. They fought hard throughout the game and created lots of good chances to score but unfortunately in the end lost the match to Hermitage 4-1. On Thursday they faced St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. Again the girls had some great chances to score in the first half, but only managed one goal. They demonstrated fantastic play in the second half bringing the ball down the court to the shooters. The final score was 5-4 to St Mary’s. Well done to all the girls involved.  Free Story Time Taster Sessions For Reception Applicants We will be running some free Story Time Taster Sessions in the spring term for children who are eligible by age for entry to the St. Helen's College Reception class in September 2025, and who do not currently attend the St. Helen's College Nursery. Reception Entry - Story Time Taster Sessions Thursday 16th January @ 3.30 p.m. Thursday 27th February @ 3.30 p.m. At these sessions, our Reception teachers will entertain children with some stories and rhymes and there will be refreshments on offer too. The sessions will take place in the classrooms at the St. Helen's College Lower School site (260a Long Lane, Hillingdon, UB10 9PB) and each session will last around an hour. Families are welcome to attend one or both sessions, and should book in by completing the very short form below or via the St. Helen's College website. If you know of any families with eligible children, please do let them know. Their child does not have to be registered with St. Helen's College and the sessions are completely free. Reception Taster Sessions - Booking Form   Chamber Choir Barnardo's Competition This week the Chamber Choir recorded the two songs which they have entered for this year's Barnado's National Choral Competition. St. Helen's College has a strong track record in this competition and we wish our elite singers the best of luck this year! Christmas Post Box The Christmas post boxes will be open from Monday at both Upper and Lower School. If your child would like to post cards for others in their class or other classes across the school, they may pop them into the post boxes and our Year 6 pupils will sort and deliver them. Please do not put chocolate or other edible treats or gifts into the cards.         Carols Around The Christmas Tree  We warmly invite families to join us for our seasonal Carols Around The Christmas Tree at Upper School on Friday 6th December from 3.30 - 4.00 p.m. Our talented choir will be leading the singing, including lots of festive favourites, and refreshments will be served.          Christmas Lunch Menu The annual St. Helen's College Christmas lunch will be on Thursday 12th December which is also Christmas Jumper Day. The catering team will be preparing a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings and creating a special vegan offering. The full menu is available to view here.   To celebrate the humble yet seasonal brussels sprout, the catering team have been getting creative in the kitchen! To encourage children to give them a try, they have each been given a special card and receive a stamp each time they choose sprouts. All the children who receive eight stamps by the end of term will be entered into a draw to win a festive prize!  If you would like some recipe inspiration to try at home you will find some ideas here.  Christmas Tree Decoration Competition This year the Christmas Tree Decoration Competition is taking an eco-friendly twist! Upper School children are invited to create decorations for the school Christmas tree using recycled or upcycled materials. Pupils may be as creative and inventive as they please to make their designs stand out from the crowd. Please bring the completed decorations into school from Monday 2nd December to be displayed and then judged on Thursday 12th December. All entries will receive a small gift and the winners from each class will receive a special prize.      Festive Footsteps Festive Footsteps is popular annual event organised by the JTA (Junior Travel Ambassador) team and will be held on Thursday 12th December. Parents and children are encouraged to walk, scoot or cycle for either part or all of the journey to school using our park and stride map. Our JTA team will be out and about marshalling on the route through Court Park. We look forward to seeing lots of Santa hats and tinsel adorned bikes and scooters!  Spring Term Co-curricular Clubs  Booking for the spring 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 midnight on Monday 2nd December, when bookings will close.  Holiday Club Christmas Holiday Club will run from Monday 16th - Friday 20th December, and bookings will open today at 4 p.m. Please log into SchoolsBuddy to make your booking. Places must be booked in advance in order to arrange staffing rotas. Please note that bookings will close on Wednesday 11th December at 4.00 p.m., and any bookings made after this date cannot be cancelled or amended for any reason.  Next Week Tuesday 3rd December - Robins Coffee Morning And Class Assembly Wednesday 4th December - Wrens Coffee Morning And Class Assembly Thursday 5th December - Owls Coffee Morning And Class Assembly Friday 6th December - Kingfishers Coffee Morning And Class Assembly Friday 6th December - Y2/3 Snow White At Compass Theatre, Ickenham Friday 6th December - Carols Around The Christmas Tree Monday 9th December - 1C Coffee Morning And Class Assembly  Tuesday 10th December - 1O Coffee Morning And Class Assembly Tuesday 10th December - Y4/5/6 Robin Hood At Rose Theatre, Kingston Wednesday 11th December - US Santa Dash in Court Park Thursday 12th December - Festive Footsteps Thursday 12th December - Christmas Lunch and Jumper Day  Friday 13th December - US Carol Service at All Saints' Church Friday 13th December - Term Ends (11.50 a.m. Ducklings; 12.00 Reception; 12.10 p.m. Y1/2; 12.20 p.m. Y3/4 and 12.30 p.m. Y5/6)  
Posted on: 22/11/2024

Weekly News - Friday 22nd November 2024

ISI Inspection Results In September we welcomed the Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) into School and we are delighted to share their superb report which recognises the enormous passion, expertise and commitment of our staff to ensure superb outcomes for our pupils.  In particular, we are extremely proud that inspectors recognised the exceptional oral communication skills of our pupils by awarding St. Helen's College an 'area of significant strength'. Commenting on the oracy skills of your children, inspectors said,  'Leaders have high aspirations for pupils. The decision to prioritise oracy skills and to provide opportunities for pupils to use them, results in highly articulate, confident individuals. Pupils readily express their thoughts and opinions. This is a significant strength of the school. Pupils use verbal reasoning skills to explain their independent thinking. They are empowered to be dynamic individuals who lead initiatives that make a positive and impactful contribution to the school and wider community.' A full copy of the 2024 report is available on Inspection Results page of the school website here. Primary Maths Challenge Over the past fortnight Years 4-6 have successfully completed the Primary Maths Challenge. This is a fun and exciting mathematical challenge organised by The Mathematical Association which aims to build children’s enthusiasm and resilience in maths. The children have participated in online problem solving puzzles and will each receive an individual score in due course. Once the results are published, bronze, silver or gold certificates will be awarded. This is a terrific exercise to develop competency and boost confidence in maths. Very well done to all of the children who took part! House Art Competition On Monday the winners of the House Art Competition were announced. The children were tasked with recreating a famous work of art and the standard of entries was extremely high. Ms. Drummond had the difficult task of judging the finalists and finally reached a conclusion. The winners were: Upper School winner - Sammy H (Y6 Cambria) and highly commended Evie J (Y6 Windsor).  Middle School winner - Zoravar D (Y2 Hibernia) and highly commended Naseeb D (Y2 Cambria). All entries were awarded valuable House points, so well done to everyone for the effort that went into their submission. The winners earned 20 points for their House and the runners up 10 points. Sports News On Tuesday St. Helen's College U9 A and B teams participated in the Reddiford Football Festival. Both teams played four games in total against other local independent schools with neither team conceding any goals. Both the A and B team won two of their matches and drew the other two matches. Well done to all the players for demonstrating great progress and teamwork.  Staff News Sadly we will be bidding farewell to Miss Linton (6L) at the end of this term. Miss Linton has been at St. Helen's College for the past four years and has had a significant impact on the education of many pupils.  However, having moved house recently, her long daily commute is becoming unsustainable and thus she is seeking a position closer to home.  It is also with sadness that we say goodbye to Mrs. Gallagher who will be leaving on the 29th November. Mrs. Gallagher has been with us at Lower School since 2022 and is a most valued member of the Nursery team. However, she too has a long commute and as such, she has made the difficult decision to leave. We wish both Miss Linton and Mrs Gallagher well for the future and thank them for making a valuable contribution to the school.  We look forward to welcoming two new members of staff to the team at St. Helen's College. Mr Reilly will join as the new Year 6 form teacher and Head of Maths in January 2024. Mrs. Odeniyi will be joining as a Teaching and Learning Assistant in Robins on the 18th November.  Music News Congratulations to Zinnia M in Y6 who has been selected to sing the solo part in 'Once In Royal David's City' at the end of term Christmas church service. There was a very high standard in auditions this year, so well done to everyone who took part.  PA Christmas Cards & Gifts Personalised Christmas cards and gifts featuring the children's individual artwork are now available to order online. To place an order please use the login details provided here and to use the early bird discount please place your order in the next two weeks. Every child in Lower School has artwork ready to order, however in Upper School designs will only be available for the children who participated. Thank you to the PA for organising this for the school.  Children in Need Fundraising Last Friday the children enjoyed a fun day marking BBC Children in Need and came into school in bright yellow or spotty clothes in exchange for a charity donation. We are thrilled to have raised an incredible £935 towards this important fundraiser. Many thanks to everyone who kindly donated and to the school Charity Reps for supporting this.           Speed Awareness Poster Competition Please be reminded that the deadline for children to submit artwork for the speed awareness poster competition is next Friday 29th November. St. Helen’s College are working with Hillingdon Council to make the roads around the school safer and pupils are invited to enter a 'Design a Sign' competition to create new 20mph signage on Parkway. Children should use the template application form here to enter their design in the competition and should follow these guidelines:   Designs should be drawn (no computers or images) Designs must be bright and to the point The theme is 20mph, to encourage drivers to slow down Please assist and support your children with their designs where you can; however, please refrain from drawing the designs yourself. The guidelines and an example design can be found here. The winning design will be chosen by the council and made into a formal 20mph sign for all to see!  Black Friday Uniform Discount Pullens (www.uniform4kids.com) are having a Black Friday online sale offering a 20% discount. The offer is valid for one day only on Friday 29th November 2024. The 20% discount applies to all products including school wear, sportswear, footwear and accessories.  Please note this offer is available online only using discount code BLACKFRIDAY20 at the checkout. Please note a discount cannot be added retrospectively to an order already placed. Click & collect or delivery to school during this event will not be available; orders will be dispatched via courier and may take up to one week to process. Next Week Monday 25th November - Ducklings Individual Photographs Monday 25th November - Nursery and Reception Nativity Photographs Tuesday 26th November - Chamber Choir Barnardo's Recording  Tuesday 26th November - Year 6 Netball v. Hermitage (H) Thursday 28th November - Year 6 Netball v. St. Mary's  Friday 29th November - 2S Coffee Morning & Class Assembly Friday 29th November - Month End Music Recital
Posted on: 15/11/2024

Weekly News - Friday 15th November 2024

Remembrance Pupils across the school came together to mark Remembrance on Monday in age appropriate ways. At Upper School, pupils lined up in the playground just before 11 a.m. to hear poems and prayers read by senior pupils, before Old Helenian Leo N (who is currently working with us as a gap student) played The Last Post. Leo also played The Last Post for us while he was a pupil here at St. Helen's College, so it was very poignant for him to play for us again. As the guns sounded from RAF Northolt, we observed a traditional two minutes of silence. At Lower School the children marked the occasion in a similar fashion by gathering together to hold a respectful two minute silence in the playground. At Ducklings, the children were involved in a range of poppy related activities including creating and colouring in poppies and icing poppy biscuits. They too joined together outside to pay their respects at 11 a.m. Thank you to everyone who bought poppies to support the Royal British Legion and to our Charity Representatives for selling them.  BBC Children in Need  The school has been a vibrant array of yellow and multi coloured spots today as the children all dressed up to support BBC Children in Need fundraising. At Lower School the children have enjoyed lots of themed activities including an outdoor Pudsey bear hunt, icing biscuits, colouring in and more.  Thank you to everyone who has donated already. There is still time to donate if you would like to via the school fundraising page here.      Mrs. Joan Evans Remembered An online tribute page has been set up to remember Mrs. Evans, former Head at St. Helen's College, who recently passed away. Please feel free to add any special memories or thoughts, or to make a donation to the St. Helen's College Charitable Trust in her memory. The funeral for Mrs. Evans is on Monday 25th November at 11.15 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Denham. All are welcome and the family have requested those attending should wear bright colours or florals to celebrate her colourful life.      4C Class Assembly  4C presented a thought-provoking assembly this morning all about well known inspirational figures. The children have delved into the lives of influential characters from across the spectrum. Artists, politicians, musicians, royalty, campaigners and religious figures all demonstrate how our actions can have a legacy long after our lifetime. The children each delivered their lines clearly and with confidence and invited the audience to reflect on how we can all make our mark in the world with big or small actions. Well done 4C, the world is your oyster!     House News Our programme of House events is in full swing!  In the House cross country competition, Windsor finished first in each Year category winning a total of 50 House points, followed by Hibernia (40 points), Caledonia (30 points) and Cambria (20 points). The running totals so far are very close, as follows: Cambria  - 1046 Windsor - 1031 Hibernia - 1027 Caledonia - 908 There has been a terrific response to the House art competition. Entries are of an extremely high standard and each one has earned valuable House points. Ms. Drummond will be judging Middle School and Upper School winners in assembly next week, when the winning entry and runner up for each will be awarded 20 and 10 points respectively. Good luck everyone! Sports News It's been a busy week for the Upper School football team. On Monday they played against St. Martin's School at home but were unfortunately defeated 3-0. The team rallied however on Thursday when they faced stiff opposition in the Reddiford Challenge Cup Tournament playing against other local independent schools. St. Helen's College won two of their matches, drew two and lost one, finishing fourth overall. Well done to Mark D in 6H, our player of the tournament, who scored 5 goals.  Congratulations to 3B for completing their week of intensive swimming lessons at Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex. It will be the turn of 3M next week.  Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening  Thank you to all of the parents who attended parents' evening at Upper School this week. It was good to see you all and we hope that you found the conversations helpful. Speed Awareness Poster Competition Calling all budding artists! St. Helen’s College are working with Hillingdon Council to make the roads around the school safer and are launching an exciting new initiative. Pupils are invited to enter a 'Design a Sign' competition to create new 20mph signage on Parkway to encourage vehicles to slow down. Children should use the template application form here to enter their design in the competition and should follow these guidelines:   Designs should be drawn (no computers or images) Designs must be bright and to the point The theme is 20mph, to encourage drivers to slow down Please assist and support your children with their designs where you can; however, please refrain from drawing the designs yourself. The guidelines and an example design can be found here. Children should hand in designs to their class teacher by Friday 29th November. The winning design will be chosen by the council and made into a formal 20mph sign for all to see!  Switch Off Fortnight The St. Helen's College Eco Team are hard at work facilitating the school's efforts for Switch Off Fortnight. This green initiative encourages everyone to switch off lights and electrical devices when not in use in order to save energy.  Our dedicated Eco Warriors are patrolling the school during this week and next to ensure that we all remember to switch off. So far, so good!        Flu Vaccinations A final reminder to please complete consent forms for the seasonal 'flu vaccinations which will take place in school on Tuesday 19th November (Reception - Y6). The consent form can be found here and should be completed whether or not you intend for your child to be vaccinated.  Parkway Roadworks Cadent, who manage the gas pipes in our area, will be replacing pipework in Parkway from 18th November 2024 for approximately 5 weeks. We do not yet know exactly how this might impact traffic along Parkway but the work, which is essential, is likely to cause some disruption and you may like to allow some extra time for your journey to/from school as a result. We would like to thank parents in advance for being patient during any disruption, and mindful of the school's relationships and reputation with neighbours and the local community. Next Week Monday 18th - Friday 22nd November - 3M Swimming Lessons  Tuesday 19th November - Flu Vaccinations Reception - Year 6 Wednesday 20th November - Football v. Cowley St. Lawrence (A) Friday 22nd November - Year 5 Football and Netball v. Highgate School (H)
Posted on: 8/11/2024

Weekly News - Friday 8th November 2024

Mrs. Joan Evans It is with great sadness that we share the news that Mrs. Joan Evans, much-loved former Head of St. Helen's College, passed away on Wednesday 30th October, aged 95. Mrs. Evans was a hugely well respected part of the St. Helen's College story and history, and known to generations of pupils and staff. Mrs. Evans was Head for seventeen years, from 1970 - 1987, and in particular she brought to the school a great passion for theatre and the performing arts, writing and producing many successful shows. She inspired countless pupils during her career and left a wonderful legacy here at St. Helen's College, where every child is encouraged to shine in annual productions and creative performances.  Her funeral will be held at St. Mary's Church in Denham at 11.00 a.m. on Monday 25th November and all are welcome to attend. Year 1 Visit To Roald Dahl Gallery On Tuesday Year 1 had a phizz-whizzing day at the Roald Dahl Gallery in Aylesbury. The children enjoyed listening to a revolting re-enactment from the 'The Twits' and took part in a role play from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. They visited the 'Giant' peach and Mr Fox's underground tunnel, and had a great time exploring the amazing exhibits in the museum. They were fascinated to learn about Roald Dahl's life and the real people Roald Dahl knew who inspired characters such as the BFG and Miss Trunchbull. A highlight was making their own dream bottles, using the museum as the inspiration for all of their dreams. Everyone had a wonderful day!  2C Class Assembly 2C have been discovering all about the Isle of Coll in geography this year and today they shared their work in a very polished class assembly. The children have been busy researching this Hebridean island and shared lots of fascinating facts, jaunty songs and wonderful artwork inspired by the distinctive landscape. The island was once home to Mairi Hedderwick, author of the Katie Morag series, whose fictional island of Struay is inspired by the Isle of Coll. The children put on a charming performance of one of her stories, which delivered an important message about never being afraid to ask for help when you need it. You can see a short clip of the children singing here.  Sports News On Monday Year 5 and 6 visited Highgate School for a series of friendly football and netball matches. Excitement levels were high and the competition was stiff. The pupils displayed brilliant character skills and resilience against strong opposition and made lots of positive progress along the way. Well done to all of the children for great teamwork and for being such positive ambassadors for St. Helen's College. Many thanks to Highgate School for hosting this fun event.  The St. Helen's College football team played a competitive match against St. Catherine's School on Thursday. Despite showing improvement and playing well, particularly in the second half, in the end they lost the match 4-1. This was a great effort from the team who are showing consistent progress. Nursery Trip to Playtrain On Thursday the Nursery children had a fun packed visit to Playtrain in High Wycombe for their first 'school trip' experience. The children had a super time at this thrilling soft play activity centre. They loved climbing, swinging, jumping, sliding and so much more!  All the children were extremely well behaved and a credit to the school.        Music News Half Term String Workshop Over the half term break, three of our young violinists, Simar C, Aria M and Alicia Z, attended the Leading Notes Chamber Music Course held at Merchant Taylor’s School.  The three day course offers high quality tuition from experienced professional tutors for talented young musicians as they develop their chamber music experience. The girls thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the course and their enthusiasm was noted. Well done girls for representing St. Helen’s College so well.      Charity Flute Performance Congratulations to Zoe in Year 4 who has raised £154 for BBC Children in Need by performing a recital on the flute in Uxbridge over the half term break. Zoe took to the town centre for her street performance, where she collected donations from passers by. Well done to Zoe for using her creative talents to fundraise for such an important children's charity.        Karate Club Success Two talented St. Helen's College pupils achieved success last weekend competing at the Dutch Youth Open Karate Championships in Almere. Huge congratulations to Rania Q and Naiya L in Year 5 who performed extremely well against challenging opponents in a very tough competition.  Naiya performed exceptionally well, reaching the bronze medal match. Although in the end she didn’t win, she gave it her all, demonstrating technical skill and maximum effort.  Rania was also very determined and faced some challenging opponents, making it all the way to the final against a club mate. The final was intense but in the end Rania earned a silver medal, proving that she is a top international karate athlete. Well done to both girls for their amazing achievement and for representing their club so confidently at an international level. BBC Children In Need St. Helen's College will be raising money for BBC Children In Need on Friday 15th November. All children are invited to wear yellow and/or spots or to wear a Children In Need top, to raise money and awareness. We are asking for each child to donate online (suggested minimum £2 but all donations gratefully received). Please donate via the Just Giving page here, thank you in advance for your support.  Flu Vaccination  Please be reminded the seasonal 'flu vaccinations will take place in school on Tuesday 19th November. Please ensure that you have completed the consent form which can be found here.  Parents' Evening  Thank you to all of the Year 2 - 6 parents who attended Parents' Evening on Thursday evening. This is a valuable meeting to update and share information on the individual progress of your child and to set future goals. We look forward to seeing parents at the next Parents' Evening on Tuesday 12th November.  Resilient Families Summit Parenting coach Elaine Halligan from The Parent Practice, who recently held a popular webinar for St. Helen's College parents, is a featured speaker at the Resilient Families Summit, an online parenting event to support parents to help their children thrive. The event consists of a series of free events from 18th - 22nd November, and parents can register free here.  Next Week Monday 11th - Friday 15th November - 3B Swimming Lessons  Monday 11th November - Football v. St. Martin's (H) Tuesday 12th November - Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening  Wednesday 13th November - Football v. St. Mary's (H) Thursday 14th - Friday 15th - Reddiford Challenge Cup Football Friday 15th November - 4C Class Assembly  Friday 15th November - Children in Need - Wear Yellow/Spots/Children In Need clothing
Posted on: 18/10/2024

Weekly News - Friday 18th October 2024

It has been a typically busy half term at St. Helen's College and the children have worked very hard, adapting to their new year groups and environments, learning new routines, establishing new relationships and having a go at new activities and learning both inside and outside the classroom. We have been very impressed with their commitment and determination to get involved and to do their best. We hope that they will have an enjoyable half term break and will make the most of time with family and friends, staying active and curious about the world around them. Please note that all pupils should return in full, smart winter uniform after the half term break. Lower School Harvest Assemblies  This week Lower School celebrated Harvest Festival, inviting parents into school for two special class assemblies.  On Tuesday Year 1 presented an accomplished assembly explaining where our food comes from and giving thanks for the abundance of food we are lucky to enjoy. It was wonderful to hear the children speak their remembered lines to parents so confidently and sing Harvest songs with gusto. They finished the assembly with a recital of a Harvest poem which you can listen to here.        On Wednesday it was the turn of Reception who delivered a very upbeat assembly, reciting their lines from memory and singing popular Harvest songs. They celebrated the array of colourful food we receive at Harvest time and sang in appreciation for the vibrant autumn season.  Thank you to the Revd. Ken Kingston from the North Hillingdon Methodist Church for sharing an important message of gratitude with the children at both assemblies. Many thanks also to everyone who sent in donations of food for our Harvest appeal. These will be distributed by the Salvation Army to those in need in Hillingdon.    Year 6 Visit The Houses of Parliament On Tuesday, Year 6 travelled to Westminster on the tube to visit the Houses of Parliament and learn about our country's systems of democracy. They were guided on a tour of the historic buildings, which included sitting in the House of Lords and observing a fierce debate around health care in the House of Commons.  The group were warmly greeted by Conservative MP and former PM Rishi Sunak in the famous Westminster Hall. He answered questions about his career, his life and his time at Downing Street with great humour.  After this, the children went back to the education centre for a workshop exploring how laws are made and the parliamentary process of bills.  At the end of the tour, the children also met local Labour MP Danny Beales. He took questions from the children about his journey to becoming MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip and gave the children some insight into the day-to-day working life of an MP. Year 3 Visit To St. Albans Year 3 visited St. Albans Cathedral on Thursday for a busy day of workshops to support their work on the Romans. The children toured the impressive Cathedral discovering all about its history, and enjoyed taking part in an exciting drama workshop where they dressed up in Roman clothes and even encountered a Roman soldier!  They also had the opportunity to express themselves creatively by delving into mosaic design and creating beautiful pieces of mosaic art of their own.      Sports News On Wednesday the Upper School football team played a confident match against St. Matthew's Primary School drawing 1-1 at home. They boys played well as a team and are steadily building on their skills. Congratulations to Maicen M who scored from a free kick in the boys' best game so far this season.  Well done to Year 5 for completing their intensive swimming programme this week at Hillingdon Sport & Leisure Complex.  Upper School Parents' Evening  Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evenings will be held on Thursday 7th and Tuesday 12th November. Booking is now open; parents can book a time slot here.  PA Christmas Card Project Once again the Parents' Association are organising the school Christmas card project, whereby parents can order personalised cards featuring their child's individual artwork. The Upper School children have been sent forms and artwork sheets which must be completed at home. Please ensure the name of the child and class are clearly written on the sheet. All completed artwork must be returned to the class teacher or the Upper School office by Tuesday 5 November 2024 at the very latest. The Lower School children will be completing their artwork in school. Once submitted the artwork will be uploaded to an online portal. When login details for the portal are available these will be shared with parents who will be able to view their child's artwork and place an order directly. PA Quiz Night On Tuesday the Parents' Association hosted a lively Quiz Night at the White Bear in Ruislip. Eight teams were put through their paces during rounds of trivia covering everything from history to pop culture. The evening was not just about testing knowledge - laughter and the spirit of fun and friendly competition filled the room and kept everyone on their toes!  Congratulations to the winning team, "Brainy Bustards", who won a £10 White Bear voucher each! The event raised vital funds for the PA, thank you to all the parents who supported this event. And a big thank you to the PA for organising such an enjoyable evening, the next Quiz Night is already eagerly anticipated! Dr. Zob's Monster Academy Show  Popular children's entertainer 'Captain Fantastic' will be presenting his Halloween Show 'Dr Zob's Monster Academy' in the Lower School Hall on Thursday 31st October at 3.00 - 4.00 p.m. The show, which is suitable for children aged 5 - 11, promises to be great fun including magically flying objects, mysterious potions, eerie science experiments and a friendly Frankenstein! More information and booking details can be found here.  Boys' & Girls' Brigade The 1st Hillingdon Boys' Brigade and Girls' Association run weekly groups at North Hillingdon Methodist Church on Long Lane and welcome new members. The organisation is a Christian youth group which offers boys and girls aged 5 - 18 the opportunity to learn, grow and discover in a safe and fun environment. Boys meet every Tuesday during term time at various times depending on age group, and the girls meet on Friday evenings. More information can be found here.  After Half Term Monday 4th November - Y5/6 Football and Netball at Highgate School Tuesday 5th November - Y1 Visit to Roald Dahl Museum Wednesday 6th November - Football v's St. Catherine's School  Thursday 7th November - Nursery Trip to Playtrain Thursday 7th November - Year 2 - 6 Parents' Evening  Friday 8th November - 2C Coffee Morning and Class Assembly Saturday 9th November - Packham Cup Football Tournament
Posted on: 11/10/2024

Weekly 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: 11/10/2024

Volunteering 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: 4/10/2024

Weekly 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: 27/09/2024

Weekly 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)

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