School News and Head's Blog
Posted on: 20/11/2020After School Restraint Collapse
Nearly every teacher, at one point or another, has had the experience of speaking to parents at the school gates, or at a parents’ evening, waxing lyrical about how fantastic and enthusiastic their child is in class, only to be met with a wry smile. Some cannot believe that the demanding infants or sulky pre-adolescents that return home on some days can be the same child receiving glowing praise for their consistent diligence and participation in lessons. They are bursting with pride, but also wondering why such model behaviour does not always occur at home.
The school day undoubtedly takes a lot of effort for children. Hours spent having fun, learning new things, managing relationships, following instructions and remembering equipment can be mentally and physically draining. It is no surprise then that some children get home and allow their bubble to burst from time to time. This year in particular, children will be adjusting to several small differences in many of their usual routines at school and at home. For them, using a lot of energy to maintain self control for long periods of time can temporarily decrease their ability to self regulate.
Canadian teacher and psychotherapist Andrea Loewen Nair coined the term ‘after school restraint collapse’ in response to hearing these stories so regularly from parents. We are living in an age where everything seems to come with a label and people may argue that this is simply a bit of good old-fashioned defiance or misbehaviour. I am certainly no expert in the field of psychotherapy but I have encountered some anecdotal evidence in my years as a teacher, enough to believe there is at least a modicum of truth in the idea. At the very least, some families out there are affected by this pattern of behaviour.
While it can happen with any child, those with additional needs will feel the strain more acutely. Imagine the will power necessary for a child with dyslexia to work with words for several hours a day? Or for a child with ADHD to sit still for large periods? Tiredness and hunger can lead any child to frustration (and, I have observed, any adult too, me included!). So, if you have noticed this occurring with your child, I have managed - whilst researching the ideas behind ‘after school restraint collapse’ - to compile a list of advice from parents across the world wide web on how to provide the sort of environment conducive to a peaceful transition from school to home.
No matter how your day has gone, or how your child’s day has gone, greet them with a hug and a smile.
Avoid bombarding your child with questions about their day. They may need some time and space to settle, so save the conversations about school until later.
Address basic needs, such as tiredness and hunger.
While some children need a quiet, still space directly after school, others may benefit from physical activity. Try walking, scooting or cycling home or rhythmic activities like swinging or bouncing on a trampoline.
If you travel by car, try playing some music or an audiobook on your journey to create a calm space and allow your child time to decompress.
Leave homework until a little later if you can – after several hours at school, your child will likely need a brain break before starting on more work.
Try to maintain a predictable routine around home time.
Make sure you are taking care of yourself. If post-school difficulties have been a feature in your home for some time, it is likely that you feel your own anxiety and tension levels rising as home time approaches, so make sure you are doing what it takes to look after yourself before you welcome your child home.
Finally, if a meltdown does happen, understanding and support will help a child to feel secure. One tactic that has perhaps never succeeded in the history of trying to calm people down, is telling them to calm down!
These tips are entirely stolen from others but I do endorse them. I am not yet six months into my own personal parenting journey and I am only just beginning to understand the very complex, difficult, but ultimately very rewarding job of being a parent. If this issue does resonate with you, I would love to hear your views and I hope that the ideas gathered will prove helpful in easing transitions on those difficult days.
Mr. McLaughlin
https://www.andrealoewennair.com/articles/7-ways-to-help-your-child-handle-their-after-school-restraint-collapse
Posted on: 13/11/2020Weekly News - Friday 13th November 2020
The highlight of this week for our pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 was undoubtedly our online author visit from Cressida Cowell, the author of the amazing 'How To Train Your Dragon' series and of a new book series entitled 'The Wizard of Once'. Cressida is also currently the Children's Laureate.
From her home, Cressida spoke to the children about the inspiration behind her books, the importance of research, how to write creatively by using ideas born in the real world and much more.
Her enthusiasm, expertise and friendliness made her an absolute inspiration for the children and we are so grateful to her for sharing her time and her boundless energy with us. It was clear from the children's questions to Cressida how engaged they were in the event and Cressida answered their questions with real understanding and empathy.
Many children have ordered signed copies of Cressida's books and we hope that they will enjoy reading them. Ordering is still open - signed books can be ordered using the following link: https://chilternbookshops.co.uk/product-category/cressidacowell-sthelenscollege/ Please ignore all shipping options as you go through the checkout process. Just note down your child's name and class in the 'order notes' box to ensure they receive it promptly.
Cressida also suggested that the children might like to start their own special scrapbooks for ideas, drawings and creative writing and we hope that parents will support children in buying scrapbooks and reminding them to record their ideas.
Children in Need
The school was a riot of colour and spots today as staff and pupils joined together to dress in fluorescent colours and wear spots/stripes to show support for Children in Need.
Thank you to all who have so far donated to the St. Helen's College fundraiser for this most worthy of causes; the current total stands at £1057. The donation link will remain active until Sunday, so if you have not yet made a donation and would like to do so, please follow this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-BBCChildrenInNeed2020utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=bac5394f-7efe-42ce-9956a54faf62bc03&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656370830
You can see more photographs of our Children in Need day on our Galleries page.
Assembly/ Music Recital
The children at Upper School were treated to an array of performers who sang, played piano pieces and performed on the clarinet and saxophone in our first remote mini-recital during our Friday commendations assembly. Well done to Arshia (4L), Anjika (5G), Georgia (6R), Jessica (6R), Riya (6M) and Vidhit (6M).
Remembrance
On Wednesday (11th November), our school community joined together to pay tribute to those members of our armed services who have given their lives in the line of duty, and all those who still serve today. Our morning assembly focussed solely on Remembrance, the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and the role of our armed forces, and at 11 a.m. pupils came together for a two minute silence. At Upper School, Mrs. Fawbert performed The Last Post for us as we lined up in our bubble groups in the playground. It was a meaningful occasion indeed.
Many thanks to all parents, pupils and staff who have donated to our Fundraising page for the Poppy Appeal. The school community has raised a total of £208 so far. The page will remain open until Sunday 15th November so if you would like to make a donation there is still time to do so. The donation link is here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-TheRoyalBritishLegion?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=8aa41a46-0298-4a41-88b9-88c3288b2c7c&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656771013
Happy Diwali!
We would like to wish everybody a happy Diwali and we hope that all families celebrating manage to find a way to connect with friends and relatives this weekend.
If you have any photos, videos or stories that you would like to share from this year's very different Diwali celebrations, please share these with Mrs. Drummond to be shown or discussed in assembly on Wednesday morning (18th November).
Co-Curriculum: Virtual After School Club and December Science Camp
Youth Sport Trust After School Club
The Youth Sport Trust have taken the step to deliver a free virtual after school club as part of a national response to the second lockdown. The 30 minute club will take place at 5 p.m. each weekday and will be led by a different member of the YST’s athlete mentor network, starting on Thursday 12 November with world no.1 female inline skater and 10-time British Champion Jenna Downing. Aimed mainly at primary-aged children, a different theme has been assigned for each day of the club: Adventure Monday, Tuesday Play, Wild Wednesday, Thinking Thursday and Fun Friday.
Here is the link to the information for parents - we hope that many of your children will want to take part.
Mother Nature Holiday Activities
Early Bird booking is now available for the Mother Nature December Christmas Science Activity Holiday Camp - Santa’s Workshop! (14th -18th Dec 2020). To book Science Activity Camps for your child click here.
Use special Parent Discount Code ‘coolschool’ for an extra £10-off list price for full-week places and £5-off day places.
Switch Off Fortnight
Next week will see St. Helen's College, led by the Eco Team, take part in Switch-Off Fortnight. Switch off Fortnight is a campaign that will encourage everyone at school to become interested in saving energy and cutting their carbon footprint. We would also like to encourage everyone to take the switch-off challenge home, where we hope to inspire our families to take part in saving energy too. The more people involved, the greater the energy savings will be, which in turn will help our environment.
The Eco Team will kick start Switch Off Fortnight during Monday's assembly and it will last from Monday 16th November until Friday 27th November. Throughout the fortnight, the Eco Team will carry out several audits to see how many lights and appliances have been left on in their classrooms. The team will also be running an awareness campaign by designing posters which will be displayed in their classrooms, encouraging everyone to save energy. At the end of the second week, the team will monitor the results they have collected and will look to see if the campaign has been successful in persuading people to use electricity more carefully. Certificates will be awarded to the classes that perform the best. One small click can make a big difference, so happy energy saving everyone!
Heath Robinson Museum Competition
Although the Heath Robinson Museum (Pinner) are in lockdown and their doors are temporarily shut, they still want to spread some creativity and fun! They are inviting children aged 6-16 to take part in the #kidsinmuseums #digitaltakeoverday on Friday 20th November by submitting photographs of artwork to an online art competition.
The events of this year have really highlighted the importance of our home and our loved ones. Heath Robinson often got his inspiration from his family, his home and the town he lived in, so the museum wants children to use the theme of 'home' to get creative. They may use any material and make their artwork big or small and as literal or metaphorical as they like! If your child would like to enter, they must submit a photograph of their artwork to their class teacher by Tuesday 17th November. This will allow Mrs. Pruce time to submit the school's entries by the museum deadline. The runners up entries will be published on the Heath Robinson Museum website in the news section and there will be a prize for the winning entry.
COVID and Car Sharing
Please see the link here for updated guidance for parents from the Department of Education. This update provides information on the national restrictions that came into force on 5th November, the latest advice for clinically extremely vulnerable children and young people and advice on the use of face coverings in education settings.
The school has advocated car sharing for many years in an effort to reduce congestion and pollution in the local area. During the current COVID-19 restrictions, we urge parents who are car sharing to ensure that all drivers and passengers wear masks or visors, and to travel with windows open where possible for ventilation, to mitigate against the risks of transmitting the virus. Parents should also inform school formally now of car sharing arrangements, please, so that we have a record of potential contacts. This will enable us to triage quickly and effectively in the case of a positive case of COVID coming to light in the pupil community. Please see the government guidance for safer guidance for passengers here.
Holiday Club
Once again, we have had to take the decision not to offer Holiday Club over the Christmas holidays. We are so disappointed not to be able to offer our full wraparound care provision as we would in normal times, but we are sure that parents appreciate that the current in-school bubble group restrictions make staffing Holiday Club unsustainable.
Pupil to Pupil Christmas Cards
As usual, we will run a pupil postbox system for Christmas cards this year, so that pupils may post cards to their friends. However, please note that pupils may only send cards through this school system to friends in their own class bubble group. They must not send cards to children in other classes as these cannot be delivered.
Christmas Gift Ideas
If you have a budding artist in the household, or would like to inspire your child(ren)'s artistic interest, Mrs. Pruce recommends these items as Christmas gifts or stocking fillers. The links shown are to Amazon but you should be able to find these paints/brushes at most retailers which sell art supplies - particularly during these times, it would be good to support local businesses where possible.
Major Brushes Artist Watercolour Paint Tin - 36 Blocks Red Metal Lid
£5.95
Winsor & Newton Foundation Water Colour Short Handle 6 Pack Brush, Multicoloured, 7 x 1 x 4.3 cm
£6.95
EasyFundraising
If you are embarking on Christmas shopping, we would like to remind you that you can raise money for the St. Helen's College Development Fund, at absolutely no cost to yourself, whenever you shop online at a huge number of retailers, by signing up to our EasyFundraising cause. Retailers include Amazon, Ebay, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Asos, Argos, Selfridges, Harrods, House of Fraser, Booking.com, Just Eat and many, many more.
We launched our EasyFundraising cause last year and it is proving successful so far, but we have only a few supporters. We would really love to increase the number of supporters so that we can establish a meaningful fund, with the eventual aim to use this fund both for development projects at St. Helen's College and to support educational development projects in developing countries. The power of schemes like this one is in the number of people who use the scheme, and in making it a habit to use it for every purchase - each individual donation may seem small, but every penny counts.
Until 17th November, the fund will receive a free £5 donation for every new member who signs up to support our EasyFundraising cause and makes a qualifying purchase, if you do so using this link:
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/sthelencoldevfund/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=refmailshare
The easiest way to make this fundraising a regular part of your shopping is to download the EasyFundraising app onto your phone or tablet and open this every time you want to shop online, following the links to your retailer of choice. If you shop using a desktop computer, you can add the Easyfundraising extension onto your desktop computer browser and you will then receive an automatic reminder every time you shop.
If you would like to support the cause but are not sure how, please do contact Mrs. Smith who will be pleased to help.
Thank you very much indeed for your support.
Posted on: 13/11/2020Nurturing A Love Of Science
It seems very fitting that Wednesday 10th November was ‘World Science Day for Peace and Development’. This day is celebrated to highlight the important role that science has in society and to promote the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues.
Since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, more than 170 teams of researchers have been racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Reports this week have been encouraging with Pfizer and the German company BioNTech announcing that they had encouraging results from a phase 3 clinical trial for their vaccine.
While we all await further results from the world’s top class researchers working on the Covid vaccine, I have been inspired closer to home by what is actually happening with your children at St. Helen’s College and the passion that they have as our future scientists, who will in time take responsibility for the world’s emerging scientific issues.
There are key skills that young scientists need to develop:
Observing - by far one of the most important skills and one which children need to learn and develop.
Inferring/predicting/taking an educated guess
Measuring - maths is the language of science and is a key skill, underpinning scientific inquiry and investigation
Communication - demonstrating their understanding and using scientific vocabulary.
These skills are being developed in your children each and every day, from the Early Years through to Year 6, as our staff encourage your children to ‘notice’ what is around them. Staff utilise their questioning skills to encourage children’s awe and wonder from an early age, and to help move children towards using more advanced critical thinking skills to help predict the outcomes of investigations as they grow older.
This week alone I have been so impressed at the learning I have observed. In Reception, children have been investigating their bodies using the stimulus of the wonderful book ‘Funny Bones’. They have also enjoyed outdoor maths where shape, space and number come to life and experienced intrigue as they grow their own cress.
Year 1 pupils have enjoyed a Noticing Nature walk with Mrs. Hunt as they explored our school grounds, discovering evergreen and deciduous trees and discussing the differences in our natural environment in the autumn term. Questions, questions galore!
In Year 5 I was proud to observe the children working together throughout the week to investigate thermal insulators and independently set up their experiments, then later in the week they utilised a range of skills in IT, maths and English to explain the results of their findings using high level scientific vocabulary.
Year 6 have been researching other known viruses, building models and information leaflets using well-established skills they have gained throughout their time at St. Helen’s College.
Our great outdoors is such a wonderful vehicle for you as parents to engage your children with the building blocks for scientific enquiry. Not only is being in the outdoors good for mental wellbeing but it opens up so many opportunities for learning.
It is no surprise that the recent results from the Children and Nature Survey to understand how the Covid-19 Pandemic impacted on children’s experience with nature has highlighted the following:
“The positive role of nature in supporting well-being has also been revealed, with eight in ten children agreeing that being in nature made them very happy, while 70% said that they want to spend more time outdoors with friends post-pandemic. These findings build on Natural England’s latest People and Nature Survey, which reveals that the nation’s gardens, parks, woodlands and rivers have played a huge part in helping with mental health during the coronavirus pandemic, with almost nine in ten adults in England reporting that being in nature makes them very happy.”
A happy child is a child who will learn. So please embrace those outdoor activities and those ‘Why?’ questions, get your children to make predictions, test things out and allow them to try out simple investigations (see this wonderful website here for 40+ backyard experiments). Enrich their vocabulary with appropriate but challenging scientific vocabulary - (you may find some of the lists here which are recommended for 5- 7, 7-9 and 9- 11 year olds useful).
Science is so exciting. It surrounds us and it is fundamental for our next generation to be well equipped and skilled for what lies ahead. As I engage with the children every day at St. Helen’s College, I see future scientists and researchers who will influence the way forward. I am sure you are excited as I am to be a part of their journey!
Mrs, Drummond
Posted on: 6/11/2020Weekly News - Friday 6th November 2020
We are delighted that we able to remain open throughout the lockdown and thank you all for your continued support in making sure that we follow all the school protocols to keep the children, parents and staff all safe.
The children have returned to school after the half term holiday full of enthusiasm and we look forward to the forthcoming half term with lots of exciting activities planned in the build up to Christmas.
Early Years Online Open Morning and Video
This morning we held a very successful online Early Years Open Morning for prospective parents, at which we were able to broadcast, for the first time, our brand new Early Years video. We are sure that you will enjoy watching this too - you can see it here.
Cressida Cowell Author Visit
Next Thursday morning, November 12th, St. Helen's College welcomes Cressida Cowell MBE, Children's Laureate and award-winning author, for a special online event with the children in Years 1-6.
The children were very excited when they heard about her visit in assembly! Cressida is the author of the hugely popular 'How to Train Your Dragon' series which has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and has since been made into a blockbuster series of animated films. She will be talking about her latest critically acclaimed series, 'The Wizards of Once.'
Signed books can be ordered using the following link: https://chilternbookshops.co.uk/product-category/cressidacowell-sthelenscollege/
Please ignore all shipping options as you go through the checkout process. Just note down your child's name and class in the 'order notes' box to ensure they receive it promptly. We look forward to an inspiring talk from one of the nation's most prominent children's authors.
Full details have been sent out to parents by email and are also available here.
Be Bright, Be Seen Road Safety Competition
Congratulations to the overall winners of the Be Bright, Be Seen competition, run by our Junior Road Safety Officers. They are:
Year 2-3 winner: Grace O'H
Year 4/5/6 winner: Abdullah S
Congratulations to all of the other children who entered, who will all also receive a small prize for their entries.
Christmas Card Designs
PA Christmas Card Scheme
The PA are running a Christmas card scheme this year, which will give parents the opportunity to purchase packs of Christmas cards, and other products, featuring a design by your child! Order forms and instructions have been sent home with your child. The younger children will have had the opportunity to produce a complete design in school and older classes may have started their design in art lessons at school, but should complete their designs at home over the weekend. ALL ORDERS MUST BE RETURNED TO SCHOOL (AND ALL PAYMENTS MADE BY BACS) BY MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER in order for the cards to be delivered before the end of term, so please check your book bags carefully and return the order form promptly! Every order raises money for the PA too, so we hope you will be generous when placing your orders. Thank you very much for your support.
St. Helen's College Christmas Card Competition
We are also inviting children to design a festive St. Helen's College card and the winner will be printed professionally and sent out to our alumni and to colleagues at other schools in our community. The closing date for entries is next Friday, 13th November. Full details have been posted to Google Classrooms so please do encourage your child to take part. We look forward to seeing the children's festive designs!
Pupil to Pupil Christmas Cards
As usual, we will run a pupil postbox system for Christmas cards this year, so that pupils may post cards to their friends. However, please note that pupils may only send cards through this school system to friends in their own class bubble group. They must not send cards to children in other classes as these cannot be delivered.
Children in Need - Friday 13th November
On Friday 13th November, when we will be supporting Children in Need, children may come to school in their own clothes. The theme is Fluorescent and Reflective, so the children may like to wear something fluorescent, or perhaps to add funky fluorescent and reflective spots and stripes to their outfits. This theme will link with our Road Safety initiative: Be Safe, Be Seen.
Families are asked to make their donations (suggested £2 minimum donation, but all donations gratefully accepted) online via this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-BBCChildrenInNeed2020?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=bac5394f-7efe-42ce-9956-a54faf62bc03&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656370830
The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
We will be marking Remembrance Day on Wednesday 11th November as usual, with assemblies discussing the significance of the day and a two minute silence at school at 11.00 a.m. to enable us to remember those who have given their lives to secure our freedom, and those who continue to serve in the British armed forces.
This year poppies will NOT be on sale at school, but you can still bring your own poppies from home. We hope that parents and pupils will also wish to make a donation to this cause - even a really small amount is appreciated. You can donate by following this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-TheRoyalBritishLegion?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=8aa41a46-0298-4a41-88b9-88c3288b2c7c&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656771013
PA Forum Meeting and Class Rep Vacancy
The next PA Forum meeting will take place on Tuesday 17th November at 7.00 p.m. and will be held remotely using Google Meet. If you have any points that you would like to raise for discussion, please do share these with your class rep as soon as possible. Class representatives should send any points for discussion to Mrs. Smith by Friday 13th November at the latest please, at susmith@sthelenscollege.com.
The PA have a vacancy for a class rep for Kingfishers class. If any parent in Kingfishers would like to become the class rep, please contact the PA at pa@sthelenscollege.com.
Flu Vaccinations - Reminder
Flu vaccinations are being offered at school on Wednesday 2nd December to all children in Reception to Year 6. Parents of children in these classes are reminded to return their flu vaccination forms as soon as possible. These forms should still be completed even if you do not wish for your child(ren) to have the immunisation. If you do not wish for your child(ren) to be immunised, please complete the 'Do not consent' section.
Christmas Gift Ideas
If you are looking for some interesting family games for Christmas please take a look at the following sites:
Cracker Games: https://www.thedarkimp.com/product/cracker-games/
(This site includes some super logical thinking family and individual board games)
Logical thinking games - always a favourite: https://www.happypuzzle.co.uk/
For pupils under 8, a super range of board games: https://www.orchardtoys.com/
For families who wish to do some mindfulness activities with their children at home:
https://mindfulmonsters.co.uk/About
Posted on: 6/11/2020Children Learn What They Live
This week’s blog is from Mrs. Smith and I am sure that this poignant and thoughtful poem will resonate with us all.
Children Learn What They Live
I grew up in Rochester, in Kent, where my twin brother was a member of the Rochester Cathedral Choir. I have fond memories of afternoons spent in the great, draughty crypt of Rochester Cathedral with my mum, where we would prepare ‘choir teas’ for the choristers, to be consumed between rehearsals and evensongs, or between services.
The crypt also included the cathedral book shop, where not just books but other items of merchandise were sold. It was there, in the mid-1980s, that I first came across a poem that has stuck with me all my life. The poem was printed on a ‘card of inspiration’, of which the shop sold several. I used 50p of my pocket money to buy the card, and stuck it on my bedroom wall by my bed, because I loved the words so much. I instinctively felt the poem to be true as a young teenager, I believed it to be true when I first became a mother in my mid-twenties, and I absolutely know it to be true now as a mother of older teenagers and a senior leader of a prep school. The poem was written in 1954 by a lady named Dorothy Law Nolte, an American writer and family counsellor. In 1972, she copyrighted the poem and it became more widely published and finally, in 1998, the poem’s themes were expanded into a book, which Dorothy Law Nolte co-authored. To me, it sums up everything that is true about child-rearing and it is also very much in tune with the St. Helen’s College values of love, harmony and growth.
There are several shortened versions of the poem available but I think the original, longest version is the most powerful. I am sharing it with you in the hope that you will agree that my 50p was well spent! I hope that you will find these words as meaningful as I did then, and still do now.
Mrs. Smith
Children Learn What They Live
by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in the world.
Posted on: 16/10/2020Weekly News - Friday 16th October 2020
Romans Everywhere!
Well done to Class 3B, who presented a very interesting, informative and well-rehearsed assembly today all about Romans. Through a well-delivered script and performance, they taught us about Roman history: the life of a Roman soldier, the invasion of Britain and battles between Romans and Celts. We heard the stories of Caratacus, whose bravery was recognised by both Celts and Romans, and of Boudicca, including an explanation of why she is also known as Boadicea and why we shouldn't always trust what is written in the history books. There was plenty of humour, too - we learnt that Hadrian's Wall is not at the end of Hadrian's garden and that the saying 'Rome wasn't built in a day' doesn't mean that Rome was built at night time! 3B also presented a fantastic song about the Romans and led us in our assembly prayer. Very well done, 3B!
You can watch the video of their assembly here.
Music: Year 4's Body Percussion Sequences
Year 4 have been working very creatively in their music lessons this week. They have taken inspiration from sounds found in their own names to compose a body percussion sequence. You can see the videos here: 4L and 4T.
Water Pipe Challenge
Our Year 5 pupils got some hands on engineering experience in their geography lessons last week when they took part in the Water Pipe Challenge.
The challenge was to use what they had learnt about water infrastructure in lessons to construct a pipe system to transport one litre of water over a distance of three metres.
It was a wonderful opportunity for some outdoor learning and collaboration in teams to come up with designs which were successful and had no leaks!
This week Year 5 took part in more outdoor learning, with a 'water walk' during which they surveyed the Upper School site to investigate how water is used on site and where water might be used more efficiently. They even read the school water meter!
Junior Road Safety Officers
Our Year 6 Junior Road Safety Officers presented a wonderful assembly on Wednesday, entitled 'Be Bright Be Seen'. Their message was all about being safe pedestrians when the clocks change at the end of October and the darker mornings and evenings arrive. They shared a lovely story about how celebrations at this time of year such as Halloween, Diwali and Bonfire Night are a great time to be with friends and how we can be seen in the dark at these celebrations. Please see copies of the presentation and story in these links.
The JRSOs also told the children in Years 2-6 about a half term 'Be Bright Be Seen' competition in which they are invited to take part. The challenge is to design their own fluorescent or reflective piece of clothing or a fluorescent or reflective school bag. The closing date for entries is Tuesday 3rd November. Information about the competition can be seen here. We hope lots of the children at Upper School will take part and we will have a wonderful display of designer outfits when we come back to school after half term.
Inter House Sports Competition
Children in Years 3 - 6 took part in the inter house sports competition this week in their games lessons. Games and competitions were set up in netball, football, hockey and tag rugby sessions for the children and they all thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to play for their houses. Results were as follows.
4L Hockey - winners were Windsor
4T Netball - it was a draw
3M Football - winners were Cambria
3B Tag Rugby - winners were Cambria
5A Football - it was a draw
5G Netball - winners were Windsor
6M Hockey - winners were Windsor
6R Tag rugby - winners were Windsor
So Windsor lead the inter house sports competition after round 1. More inter house matches will be played next half term.
RHS Secret Garden Competition
RHS Campaign for School Gardening, in partnership with the Sky Film release of ‘The Secret Garden’, would like you to be inspired and join a competition! If you are a budding gardener and a keen artist, you can find yourself in a ‘secret garden’ of your own design! What would be in your dream garden? Why would it be special? Combine your knowledge and enjoyment of gardens with your artistic flair to come up with a drawing, a painting, a collage or a miniature model of your very own secret garden. If you would like to talk about your design or need help, please see Mrs. Pruce or Ms Gilham. Enjoy designing over the half term! All entries must be made by 19th November and children may submit their designs themselves or bring them to Mrs. Pruce or Ms Gilham, who will arrange to submit them directly from school.
All information can be found from the link below: https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/getmedia/6a85a4e8-9048-41eb-8d85-7d28fe562a17/RHS_Secret_Garden_A4_Childrens_Booklet-(web)
We hope the children have lots of fun imagining and creating their secret gardens!
Upper School Parents' Evenings - Bookings Now Open
Upper School parents' evenings will take place when we return from the half term break, on the following days:
Tuesday 3rd November (4.00 - 7.00 p.m.)
Thursday 12th November (5.00 - 8.00 p.m.)
We will be holding the appointments online, using the video conference function of our usual Parents' Evening booking system. To book your appointment(s), please use the following link. Bookings will be available from 4 p.m. on Friday (16th October).
https://sthelens.schoolcloud.co.uk/
We look forward to seeing many parents across the two evenings.
PA Forum Meeting and Class Rep Vacancy
The next PA Forum meeting will take place on Tuesday 17th November at 7.00 p.m. and will be held remotely using Google Meet. If you have any points that you would like to raise for discussion, please do share these with your class rep as soon as possible. Class representatives should send any points for discussion to Mrs. Smith by Friday 13th November at the latest please, at susmith@sthelenscollege.com.
The PA have a vacancy for a class rep for Kingfishers class. If any parent in Kingfishers would like to become the class rep, please contact the PA at pa@sthelenscollege.com.
Charity Fundraising
Our pupil charity representatives have been meeting to discuss fundraising for the Autumn term and we will, as usual, be taking part in two nationwide initiatives: Children in Need and the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Parents are often very generous when it comes to charity giving, and we know that many of you will wish to donate. This year, we are unable to accept cash donations in school but we have set up two JustGiving fundraising pages so that we can fundraise as a community - the links are in the relevant sections below. Some of our charity representatives have written these short pieces to introduce our fundraising for this term.
Children in Need - Friday 13th November
On Friday 13th November, children may come to school in their own clothes. The theme is Fluorescent and Reflective, so the children may like to wear something fluorescent, or perhaps to add funky fluorescent and reflective spots and stripes to their outfits.
This theme will link with our Road safety for Be Safe, Be Seen.
Families are asked to make their donations (suggested £2 minimum donation, but all donations gratefully accepted) online via this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-BBCChildrenInNeed2020?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=bac5394f-7efe-42ce-9956-a54faf62bc03&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656370830
(by Georgia)
The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
This is a charity which helps raise awareness for the soldiers who unfortunately died during their work for our country during the war. It also raises money for the army and soldiers who have retired and are looking for career advice.
The war ended at 11.00 a.m. on the 11th day of the month of November (the eleventh month of the year). So that’s why on 11th November at 11.00 a.m. our school will have a 2 minute silence, during which we remember those who have died fighting courageously. Also we salute those who are thankfully still alive all because of their perseverance in World War II.
St. Helen's College cares about the soldiers too. This is why we are asking that you donate to this cause - even a really small amount is appreciated. You can donate by following this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sthelenscollege-TheRoyalBritishLegion?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=8aa41a46-0298-4a41-88b9-88c3288b2c7c&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1599656771013
This year poppies will NOT be on sale at school, but you can still bring your own poppies from home. So please on 11th November, when we stand and are silent, think about all those soldiers who risked their lives and think about all the nurses as well, some died too. Luckily, a lot of those soldiers are alive and we thank them for their bravery for England!
Just think about it, if these courageous soldiers had not existed then our country would most likely be in peril right now! So this will be our day to reflect on the selfless soldiers who went out of their way to help us become a better country!
(by Reece and James)
Early Years Virtual Open Morning
If you have a son or daughter who will be eligible for Ducklings or Nursery entry next September or subsequently, or if you have friends and family members who fall into this category, then you may be interested in our upcoming Early Years Open Morning. This will take place, online, on the morning of Friday 6th November. Mrs. Drummond, Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. Smith will all be available on the morning to present a virtual tour of our Early Years environment/provision and to answer questions about the application and entry procedures.
You can register for this event here, or by following the link on the homepage of the school website. Please do share this link and make sure your friends and family are aware of the event, so that they do not miss out on the opportunity to join us.
If you have a child born after 1st September 2017 and you have not yet registered him or her for entry at the school, please do so at your earliest convenience. The entry process for next year's Ducklings Kindergarten and Nursery intake is beginning now and all children, including siblings, must be registered in good time!
Staff Farewells
Today we said goodbye to two members of staff who will be greatly missed at St. Helen's College.
Mrs. Harker, one of our Lower School Teaching and Learning Assistants, is leaving us after eighteen years to move further away to a village near Preston and spend time with her family. She will be very sadly missed by all. The Lower School staff gave Mrs. Harker a wonderful send off today which was accompanied by a thoughtful and memorable 'So Long, Farewell' video featuring all members of the staff.
Mr. Barnard, one of our Premises team, has decided to make the move down to the West Country to join his daughter Mrs. Haar, who many will remember from her time with us at St. Helen's College! Mr. Barnard has been with us for two and a half years, driving the school minibus, working at Breakfast Club and assisting the Premises team with the upkeep and development of the school estates. We thank him for his work and wish him all the very best for his new life in Devon!
Posted on: 16/10/2020What's All The Fuss About?
On 9 October, the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 was announced, recognising the outstanding achievements of people from across the United Kingdom. On this year’s list were 133 individuals who have been recognised for their services to education during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. These include teachers, head teachers and principals who have gone above and beyond to provide education to young people.
One Head who has very deservedly been recognised is Katharine Birbalsingh. Katharine is the Head and founder of the Michaela Community School, an 11–18 mixed, free secondary school and sixth form in Wembley, established in September 2014. I have followed the work of the school and Katherine’s social media presence over the years and sadly Katharine has, on several occasions, had to defend what she and her staff do at Michaela to inspire the pupils to be their best. I have always stood back and refrained from judgement; I feel that much of what her school stands for reflects what any good school should be doing.
For example, her school has a stringent behaviour policy which the pupils are expected to fulfil, the school has “family lunches” where staff sit with the pupils and the children are expected to make conversation, use their cutlery correctly, pour drinks, and clear their guests’ plates. The school asks children to walk on a particular side of the corridor when passing each other; the school asks children not to ‘loiter’ between lessons, arriving promptly for their next lesson, and the pupils are asked to memorise poetry by heart and recite it back.
Over the years of reading about Michaela and watching Katherine being interviewed I have reflected on life at St. Helen’s College. Many of the Michaela Community School routines and expected behaviours resonate so closely to what we expect of our children here at St. Helen’s College! So what is all the fuss about it being branded ‘Britain’s Strictest School’?
Our Ducklings may only be 2 years old but, with encouragement, they tidy up their toys, they sit beautifully at snack and lunch around their tables, they say please and thank you and they recite a little prayer and song of thanks for the food they receive.
Our Nursery pupils learn poems off by heart and recite these to their peers and parents in a special poetry assembly - the beginnings of our annual speech recitation event which, as you know, continues throughout the school.
Pupils at Lower School and Upper School walk calmly along corridors, with the Upper School children knowing that they stick to the left hand side on the stairs. At both Lower and Upper School the children understand the behaviour expected of them and the children sign a classroom pledge together to state that they will uphold the standards expected from them. Those who find it difficult to uphold these behaviours are supported appropriately and there may be the occasion for further actions if required. Ultimately, the children know that behaviour routines are based on our mantra of ‘Ready, Respectful, Safe’ and, as a school, we have taken the best aspects from UK behaviour specialist Paul Dix and embedded them into our daily routines with the children.
I truly believe that children enjoy structure and routines and they need consistency, but most importantly they need to feel safe and loved. I take my hat off to how the staff at Michaela Community School have weathered the social media storm over their routines and how the school is run - but I say keep up the great work!
I feel so blessed to have the most amazing staff here at St. Helen’s College and this half term has been a testament to their stamina and professionalism as they are back doing what comes naturally to them all - bringing out the best in your children. I also feel blessed to have the parent body we have! You are truly invested in St. Helen’s College and what we do TOGETHER brings out the best in your children!
Have a wonderful half term break with your children and do speak with them about the activities and lessons they have engaged with this half term but also discuss some of the routines which we have at school - I am sure that you will agree that your children - ‘our’ children - are not in the ‘strictest’ school, but that they feel loved, safe and are thriving in a school environment which has good solid routines and boundaries. And that is a good thing!
I leave you with an interesting article written back in 2016 by ResearchED’s Tom Bennett and his impressions of Michaela Community School some years ago in the early days - I would love to hear your impressions!
Mrs. Drummond
Posted on: 9/10/2020Weekly News - Friday 9th October 2020
Prizegiving
It was super to see the children who left Year 6 this summer on Thursday evening, as we held our annual Year 7 Prizegiving event. This year we held the event online and were pleased that proceedings were able to run in the same way as usual, albeit virtually! As well as the presentation of the prizes, we enjoyed some pre-recorded music from the Chamber Choir and a thought-provoking story from Lucy Crehan, Educational Advisor to our Board of Governors, who inspired us all by asking one simple question: 'Why not?'. Mr. Crehan was quite right when, in his closing remarks, he commented on the potential that all of our children have to ask 'Why not?' and carve out their own path in life. Well done also to our new Head Girl, Jena, and Head Boy, Zail, who gave a confident and meaningful vote of thanks - a great start to their tenure!
It was delightful to see our Year 6 leavers in their new school uniforms and we are very proud of how they have all begun their senior school journeys. We congratulate them on their well-deserved prizes and wish them all the very best for the forthcoming academic year, during which we know they will use their well-established St. Helen's College values and work ethic to underpin further success.
On Wednesday we held a special Prizegiving assembly here at school, at which the form prizewinners from last year's Year 3, 4 and 5 were recognised. In every class, one child was awarded the Excellence prize, one child received an Effort prize, and two children received special prizes to recognise individual contributions and achievements. Mrs. Drummond presented children with their certificates and book tokens and every child recognised should feel very proud of themselves.
Artist of the Week
Each week, Mrs. Pruce chooses a child who has made a particular contribution to art lessons and recognises them with an 'Artist of the Week' certificate. However, this week, the standard of commitment and work has been incredible, making it difficult for her to choose. This week, therefore, the award goes to a whole class, 3M, for their wonderful still life studies. Well done, 3M!
Ukeleles Everywhere!
It has been very exciting over the last couple of weeks to see our Year 5 and 6 children with their new ukeleles. They have been learning how to tune their own ukeleles, learning notation and composing their own pieces of music. We look forward to our first performances in due course.
Head Boy/Head Girl team
Mrs Drummond touched base with Jena and Zail this week to see how they were settling into their new roles thus far having already had two opportunities to speak on behalf of the school in public. Jena said, 'it feels good to represent the school and have a positive impact on the other children',while Zail noted, 'it's great to have more responsibilities and to be a role model to others'.
We are feeling exceptionally proud of all of our pupils this term; they have settled well into new routines and all have embraced being back together again.
Mindful Sit
Pupils from Year 2 - Year 6 participated in the Mindfulness in Schools Project 'Sit Together' today and managed to remain focussed for the full 6 minutes - quite a testament to our pupils at the end of a very busy week. They have all received a certificate in recognition of sitting together and I would recommend that you read this week's Head's Blog which has a link to an interesting article for you to enjoy.
Lower School Parents' Evenings
Thank you to all of the Nursery, Reception and Year 1 parents who attended our first ever video parent consultations this week. The new technology worked well and the evening ran very smoothly. The second evening will take place on Thursday 15th October from 5.00 to 8.00 p.m.
Mrs. Rooney and Mrs. Rumney Run!
Huge congratulations to Mrs. Rooney, who braved the wind and rain on Sunday morning to complete her second London Marathon, this one virtual!
Having only signed up six weeks ago, she was extremely pleased to gain a personal best of 5 hrs 11.
Mrs. Rooney tells us that running around the streets of Hillingdon, Ickenham and Ruislip gave her time to think about people that inspire her.
Mrs. Rumney also spent Sunday morning running, as she ran 15 miles alongside a friend who was running the virtual London Marathon in Oxford. Her friend, the Head of a school in Oxford, was accompanied by various friends and family throughout different sections of the 'race' and Mrs. Rumney ran further than a half marathon herself!
As with so many things during the current pandemic, this adapted way of running required extra determination and resilience as there were no crowds and no finish line to spur runners on. Well done indeed, Mrs. Rooney and Mrs. Rumney - you are an inspiration to us all!
Posted on: 9/10/2020Does It Matter?
For those of you interested in Mindfulness, I am linking below a super article which has recently been written by Claire Kelly, the Director of Curricula and Training at the Mindfulness in Schools Project.
The article resonated with me, since we frequently hear the notion of Mindfulness or the word ‘mindful’ bandied around, but it is often misunderstood.
I am delighted that, at St. Helen’s College, our children are increasingly becoming more aware of what exactly Mindfulness is and is not. Today in assembly the children were led through a Mindfulness practice by one of the MiSP (Mindfulness in Schools Project) experts, Niamh. They were encouraged to notice what was going on in their body, in their mind, and eventually to bring attention to their breath.
What the pupils participated in may have been really challenging for some of them. Do ask them about the experience which they had in assembly today and ask if they will strive to take time to pay attention to their breath at least once a week.
The number of St. Helen’s College staff who have participated in training to spread our mindfulness education around the school is also increasing; we now have Mrs. Crehan, myself, Mrs. McLaughlin, Mrs. Hunt and Mr. Roche, with more staff showing an interest in taking the next steps to becoming a qualified Mindfulness teacher.
https://mindfulnessinschools.org/just-calling-something-mindful-does-not-make-it-mindful/
I will leave you with this quote from Jon Kabat Zin, a Mindfulness Master, as he explains what Mindfulness is...
“… a way of being in wise and purposeful relationship with one’s experience both inwardly and outwardly. It is cultivated by systematically exercising one’s capacity for paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally, and by learning to inhabit and make use of the clarity, discernment, ethical understanding, and awareness that arises from tapping into one’s own deep and innate interior resources for learning, growing, healing and transformation, available to us across the lifespan by virtue of being human.”
Please do read the article. Namaste.
Mrs. Drummond.
Category / All Articles
Categories
Archive
