Subjects Taught

Children at St. Helen’s College are taught the following subjects, some of which are combined into topic work in the Kindergarten, Nursery and Pre-Prep.

English
Reading and comprehension are the foundation of all learning in primary education and we inspire enthusiastic readers through our engaging approach. All children read every day; guided reading takes place throughout the school; our two libraries are popular, vibrant places (staffed at Upper School by a specialist librarian); we run reading clubs, reading sessions for parents and reading challenges; World Book Day is an annual whole-school highlight. High level, age appropriate questioning is employed to ensure that children are understanding  a range of texts and developing imaginative, inference and narrative skills. As they move through the school, children learn to produce writing of increasingly sophisticated style and content. Scholarship clubs are run for English scholarship candidates and to prepare children for the high level demands of senior school transfer English papers.

Maths
Maths is taught in a systematic and creative way to ensure that every child masters the building blocks of this incredible subject. As children progress through the school, the maths they are exposed to becomes more high level and in the upper years most children are working well above their national curriculum level and, in many cases, accessing senior school mathematics for fun! The subject is enriched with online maths competitions, high level Maths Clubs for the most able and pupil-run maths clinics for younger children.

Science
Most science is taught through hands-on investigation, and as pupils rise through the year groups, they become ever more able to devise their own experiments, make their own predictions and draw their own intellectual conclusions. Much enrichment takes place outside of the classroom, with fieldwork on day and residential trips, and visits to study centres such as the Amersham Field Centre to study Electricity.

Languages
We are proud to offer an exciting linguistic journey here at St. Helen's College. The children learn Spanish from Ducklings all the way to Year 6. There are optional language clubs available in French and in their last year, they learn Latin. Our comprehensive curriculum introduces students to diverse cultures. Through interactive activities, games and competitions, we aim to cultivate a love for language learning. The children’s language learning is crowned off with a week’s immersive residential trip during Year 6.

History
Through historical enquiry, independent research, story-telling, drama and trips to places of historical interest, children acquire a love for and appreciation of British and world history.

Geography
Our Geography curriculum equips pupils with the skills and knowledge to understand the world in which we live, its landscapes, peoples, places and environments, and is delivered creatively through a range of class based case study investigations, digital mapping activities and regular outdoor practical fieldwork. A particular highlight for children are the coastal studies undertaken on the Isle of Wight residential trip in Year 5. The school weather stations also provide pupils with the chance to be meteorologists!

Computing
Using a variety of hardware and software, children from the Early Years learn to use technology safely, confidently and creatively. By the end of their time with us, children are able to communicate their ideas through a range of media, including animations, videos and  websites. They learn how computer systems work and design and develop programs. Many children choose to attend Minecraft Club or other technology clubs.

Art
All creative subjects have a high priority at St. Helen’s College and art is taught throughout the school. At Upper School, pupils use our purpose-built art studio. Our focus is on skills building in many different mediums and how to evaluate and critique work. St. Helen’s College pupils’ work is shown at art exhibitions and we have a strong track record of pupils achieving art scholarships to the senior schools of their choice. Many co-curricular arts/crafts clubs are run.

Drama
St. Helen’s College pupils are known as confident and accomplished public speakers. Every child performs publicly throughout their time with us, through class assemblies, plays and our annual speech/poetry recital competition. In their final year with us, the children put on a grand musical production at The Compass Theatre in Ickenham (recent examples include Romeo and Juliet, The Lion King and Singin' In The Rain). Regular theatre trips are run for enrichment.

Music
We are a vibrant musical community. Every child has class music lessons from specialist music teachers and many children choose to take individual instrumental or vocal tuition or to join one of our many choirs or musical ensembles. There are regular opportunities for our singers and instrumentalists to perform, at informal month end music recitals, Harvest Festivals, Carol Services, Easter Services and our superb annual Singers’ and Musicians’ Concerts.

PSHCE
Our innovative personal development programme includes Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, Peer Support, Growth Mindset, Relationship and Sex Education and more. We focus on set values throughout the year such as kindness, perseverance and courage so that pupils become kind, compassionate, curious and mature listeners, thinkers and speakers. With our Charity Representatives leading the way, pupils have the opportunity throughout the year to raise money for charities, take part in selfless service projects and, through our Eco Representatives, they have the opportunity to make their school and local environments more eco-friendly. British Values are taught throughout the school and are led by our School Council Representatives.
As the children progress through the school, basic First Aid is taught.

RE
Through a careful programme of learning about the major world religions, children enquire into life’s ‘big questions’.

Physical Education
Our wide-ranging physical education offering, split into PE lessons and Games afternoons, encompasses sports and games including football, rugby for boys and girls, hockey, netball, tennis, cricket, athletics, basketball, handball, rounders, gymnastics, swimming and more. Children have the opportunity to play representative sport at house level within the school and against other local schools. Our record of competitive sporting achievement is very strong indeed.

News

Posted on: 28/03/2025

Reflections On My First Term By Mr. Reilly

This term we welcomed Mr. Reilly to St. Helen’s College as a new member of the teaching staff. Throughout this term we have touched base several times to ensure that all was going well, that Mr. Reilly felt supported being new to the school but also that the children were benefiting from Mr. Reilly’s input at St. Helen’s College. It is with pleasure that I share his reflections on his first term below.   It is a testament to the community that a new member of staff already has appreciated who we are and is contributing to the life of St. Helen’s College with such energy, enthusiasm and professionalism. Have a wonderful Easter break with your families and friends and we look forward to seeing you all for a lively and action packed summer term! Ms Drummond   As I look back on my first term at St. Helen's College, I'm filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude. What a remarkable first term it has been! From the moment I arrived, I've been struck by the warmth and support that permeates every aspect of the school. The staff have been incredibly welcoming, making my transition into the school community seamless and comfortable. Their support has been instrumental in helping me find my footing and feel at home in this vibrant educational environment. My class has been nothing short of fantastic. During my first few weeks when everything felt new and slightly overwhelming, they were patient and kind, helping me navigate the intricacies of the school day. Their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn have been amazing to observe throughout. One aspect that has truly amazed me here is the children's remarkable oracy skills school-wide. Their ability to communicate, express ideas and engage in meaningful dialogue is exceptional and is certainly a testament to the school's commitment to developing well-rounded communicators. St. Helen's College is not just a school; it is a lovely site that offers an incredible array of opportunities for children to grow and explore. I very recently had the chance to pop into Lower School and was blown away by their site. The extra-curricular activities are particularly impressive, providing students with chances to develop skills and interests beyond the traditional classroom setting. Some of my personal highlights this term have been truly memorable. Leading the girls' football team and taking them to a tournament was a wonderful experience. Watching them demonstrate teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship was incredibly rewarding. Another exciting moment was the Intermediate Maths Challenge, where several of our children performed brilliantly, showcasing their mathematical talents and problem-solving skills. I have a real sense of anticipation when looking forward to next term. There are so many exciting activities and learning opportunities on the horizon, and I can't wait to continue this enjoyable journey with my students. This first term has been thoroughly enjoyable and a great reminder of why I became an educator – to inspire, to learn, and to be part of a community that values growth, curiosity and potential. Mr. Reilly Year 6 Teacher
Posted on: 28/03/2025

Weekly News - Friday 28th March 2025

St. Helen's College Easter Service Many thanks indeed to everyone who joined us at our Easter Service this morning - what a wonderful occasion it was! We were so proud of the Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra and Year 6 readers who all played their parts in the service with great confidence and demonstrated so much talent. The music was of an exceptionally high standard and it was really very special to be led through the Easter story and its meaning by our pupils. It is so easy to forget that the children 'performing' in this service were aged between 6 and 11 - their musical talents, their skills in performance and their self-discipline mark them out as exceptionally mature and well-rounded for their age. You can listen to a short clip from the Chamber Choir here.  Speech & Poetry Recitals/Competitions It has been an astonishing week of public speaking here at St. Helen's College, with the culmination of our poetry/speech competition for Years 1 - 6, and our annual poetry recitals in Nursery and Reception. On Wednesday, our Nursery children recited their poems to an audience of their parents and peers in their Nursery classrooms. Supported by teachers and friends, they spoke their memorised poems aloud. What a wonderful introduction to public speaking for such young children! They were delighted to receive applause and it was clear to see how proud they (and their parents) were at their bravery.  Meanwhile, every Reception child took to the stage in the Methodist Church Hall to recite their poem to an eager audience of almost 100 family and friends. They spoke their pieces clearly and with growing confidence and it was a joy to see the pleasure the children are beginning to take in speaking publicly. On Thursday, we held the finals of the Year 1 & 2, Year 3 & 4, and Year 5 & 6 competitions. As always, the standard was extremely high and the children had learnt some very sophisticated poems for their ages. Our judging criteria, this year applied by guest judges Mr. & Mrs. Crehan, places an emphasis on projection, clarity and expression, and it is no surprise that the finalists each showed great skill in each of these areas. The margins were fine and the judging difficult, but in the end the winners were: 1C: Colette T 1O: Hasan J 2C: Aahana G 2S: Aarya G Overall Pre-Prep Winner: Aarya G   3B: Siara R 3M: Zakariya S 4C: Emily K 4T: Eliana D Overall Junior Winner: Eliana D 5G: Ella K 5R: Gurdaya J & William B 6H: Evie J 6R: Rohan F & Inaaya S Overall Senior Winner: Ella K Many congratulations to every child who took part in the competitions and a special well done to the winners. We are grateful to Mr. & Mrs. Crehan for judging the competition and to all of the parents and other friends/family who have helped the pupils with their rehearsals! You can find some photographs from the event on our Galleries page. Year 1 Visit Natural History Museum On Tuesday, Year 1 visited the Natural History Museum in Tring as part of their history topic 'Significant Explorers' and their science topic 'Animals'. They attended an exciting workshop on the polar regions, where they examined specimens of different animals from the Arctic and Antarctic. They were amazed by a whale’s rib, penguin feathers, reindeer antlers and a walrus skull, to name but a few. The children thoroughly enjoyed looking around the museum at all the different animals and were in awe of all the wonderful creatures they saw and how huge they were up close!      Planetarium Visit Reception On Thursday our Kingfishers and Owls Reception classes were treated to a visiting Planetarium to enrich their learning about space! The children had great fun dressing as astronauts and learning about science through exploration and discovery. Inside a portable planetarium, they were presented with a 360 degree view of the night sky, evoking a sense of awe and wonder. It was a fascinating and inspiring workshop which thoroughly engaged the children to gain a deeper understanding of the wider world around them.   TfL Explorers Attend Dragon's Den Event  Our committed TfL Explorers (formerly known as JTAs) visited the Battle of Britain Bunker on Thursday morning to make a pitch for some money for their latest project. They plan to produce a professionally made video educating parents and neighbours about road safety around our school, and about all that the school does to promote road safety. You can hear about their pitch here. It was a daunting endeavour for the group of Year 5 children, who had to stand up in front of Councillor Tuckwell, Councillor O'Brien, Michael Kitchen from London Transport Museum and the London Borough of Hillingdon Head of Transport, David Knowles and speak persuasively about why their project deserves funding, explaining its benefits and the processes they would follow to produce the video. However, they clearly did a fantastic job because they have been awarded £400 and if they can fund raise themselves, London Borough of Hillingdon have also committed to match-fund another £50. We can't wait to see how the video turns out once the children get their project underway! On The Right Road: Hillingdon Road Safety Sessions For Years 1 And 2 Year 1 and 2 pupils spent Thursday afternoon learning about road safety. They enjoyed a fantastic puppet show from Wizard Theatre who reminded the children about commuting safely in the community and being safe on the school journey. Afterwards, Year 2 enjoyed a workshop based on their understanding on how to stay safe using different modes of transportation, including walking to school.        St. Helen's College Pupil Places Second In National General Knowledge Competition! Earlier this term Years 4, 5 and 6 all participated in the annual SATIPs Challenge Junior General Knowledge Quiz. Over 1000 students took part from independent schools across the country and the competition was stiff. We are delighted to share that Ashvika A (6R) reached second place scoring 88/100 (pipped to first place by just one point!). Mustafa F (6R) also scored highly acheiving a score of 74/100 and reaching the prestigious leader board. Huge congratulations to both children for their terrific achievement and well done to all the pupils who completed the quiz.  On Thursday children from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 represented St. Helen's College in the semi-final of the inter-school General Knowledge Quiz. The children worked in teams to tackle a broad range of challenging questions in this fun and competitive quiz hosted online by the Quiz Club. Out of the 46 teams who competed, our two teams placed 29th and 30th which was a very creditable effort indeed! Well done to the pupils involved: Melissa Do R, Mia S (3B), Rian S, Anjali S (4T), William B (5R), Armaan V (5G), Amelia L, Rohan F (6R). PA Easter Gifts/Raffle Many thanks to the Parents' Assocation, who have generously provided an Easter gift for every child in the school and have also organised their annual Easter Egg raffle. The raffle winners were: Ducklings: Kabir J Nursery Robins: Siya K Nursery Wrens: Clara P Reception Owls: Noah K Reception Kingfishers: Anaika U Year 1: Oliver N (1C) and Cameron G (1O) Year 2: Amaya A (2S) and Aan G (2S) Year 3: Feyi A (3B) and Sienna K (3M) Year 4: Emily K (4C) and Laksh K (4T)  Year 5: Aadhya M (5G) and Jana A (5R) Year 6: Diya B (6H) and Aaran P (6R)  Staffing We are delighted to announce that from September 2025 we will have two new Deputy Heads as part of our Senior Leadership Team.  We had a very strong field of applicants and candidates were put through a rigorous process last week.   Mr. Roche has been appointed as our new Deputy Head Academic. Mr. Roche has been with us for the past four years, is our current Head of English (and will remain so) and has also driven our teaching and learning over the past few years in developing our 'learning skills' throughout the school. Mr. Roche is currently working alongside Mr. Lewis for a smooth transition. We will also be welcoming Mrs. Gilbert as our new Deputy Head Pastoral who will be taking on the role from Mr. McLaughlin. Mrs. Gilbert comes with superb experience as she is currently Deputy at St. Hilda's School in Bushey. Mrs. Gilbert will be spending time in school next term and there will be opportunities for everyone to get to know her before September.   We will be welcoming Mrs. Reid back to Year 2 at the start of next term following her maternity leave. We are delighted that Mrs. Sohail will also remain with us to teach across Year 1 and Year 2. Mrs. Asia Aslam has recently joined our Nursery team and Mrs. Manni Pawha our Ducklings team. They are both enjoying getting to know the children. Singing Competition Our very exciting Singing Competition final will take place on Friday 13th June 2025. The competition is open to all children from Years 2-6.  The categories this year are as follows: Middle School Competition: Year 2 Solo, Year 3 Solo, MS duet/group and Best Overall Performance. Upper School Competition: Year 4 Solo, Year 5 Solo, Year 6 Solo, US duet/group and Best Overall Performance. Finalists will be chosen and announced on Friday 6th June 2025 in the school newsletter. For full competition details, key dates and to enter please complete this form. All entrants must complete a song approval form before entering which can be found here.  ABRSM Results The children have achieved another brilliant set of results in ABRSM examinations this term. Many congratulations to all entrants and thank you to our music team for supporting the children to succeed.  Spring 2025 Class Instrument Grade Result Ella C 3B Piano Prep Pass Callum B 2M Singing Prep Pass Mulenga M 2M Singing Prep Pass Ajit J 3B Cello Initial Merit Shriyan P 3M Cello Initial Distinction Shayla R 5G Piano Initial Merit Siara R 3B Piano Initial Merit Joshan D 2C Piano Initial Distinction Yaheeya K 5R Piano Grade 1 Pass Aaran P 6R Piano Grade 1 Pass Mahi B 5R Piano Grade 1 Merit Shanaiya K 6H Piano Grade 1 Merit Connor L 4T Piano Grade 1 Merit Anika S 3B Singing Grade 1 Merit Aayan B 3M Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 1 Merit Saskia O 4C Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 1 Pass Ajooni G 4C Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 1 Pass Eleanor G 4T Piano Grade 2 Pass Avleen P 5R Piano Grade 2 Pass Alba M 4C Piano Grade 2 Merit Amara B 5R Music Theory Grade 2 Distinction Aryan S 5R Piano Grade 2 Pass Dhani C 5G Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 2 Merit Zoe Fan 4T Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 2 Pass Parisa S 5R Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Merit Zinnia M 6H Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Merit Alicia Z 4T Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Distinction Anoushka B 4C Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Merit Shaylen P 5R Piano Grade 3 Merit Avleen P 5R Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Merit Leo A 5R Singing Grade 3 Merit Alex A 6H Singing Grade 3 Merit Avleen P 5R Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 3 Merit Eleanor G 4T Singing Grade 3 Merit Zoe F 4T Piano Grade 4 Merit Alyssa P 5G Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 4 Merit Gurdaya J 5R Singing for Musical Theatre Grade 4 Distinction Alicia Z 4T Violin Grade 5 Merit   Open Morning Our next Open Morning for prospective parents/families will take place on Wednesday 7th May. If you know of anyone who might be considering St. Helen's College for their child(ren), please do encourage them to book in for a tour on this morning. The booking form is available here. Baby Mindfulness Classes Mrs. McLaughlin's next set of FREE Baby Mindfulness classes will begin after the Easter break on Wednesday 30th April. These classes are for mothers and babies (aged from six weeks until crawling) and are held at St. Helen's College Upper School. Classes provide a safe space for mums and babies to bond, take part in breathing, gentle yoga and other mindfulness exercises. This is a great opportunity to meet other local mums and babies. To find out about joining these classes, please email Mrs. McLaughlin on pmclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com. The classes are open to everyone, whether they have a child at St. Helen's College or not, so please do spread the word! Summer Menu The menu for the summer term is now available to view here and there are some fun Easter recipes here which you may like to cook together with your children over the holidays.  Easter Holiday Library Events  Our local public library, Oak Farm Library, have some lovely events for children over the Easter holidays. Why not take your children along to explore this super resource and/or take part in one or more of their planned activities? You can find details here and a special workshop with The Dogs Trust here. Ickenham Youth Girls' Football If you have a girl who might be interested in trying football for the first time or developing her skills further, you might like to attend a free taster session at Ickenham Youth Girls' Football. Details can be found here.  Perform Classes Introductory Offer We were very pleased to receive a visit from Perform a few weeks ago. The children had a wonderfully energetic time exploring the theme of Under The Sea and using drama, dance and singing to help develop their confidence, concentration and social skills. Perform run regular weekly classes in the local area and they are offering a special introductory discount to all parents of St. Helen's College if they come along for a free trial session before Saturday 5th April. To claim your discount, call Perform on 020 7255 9120 quoting SHLE050425 or visit perform.org.uk to find out more. Happy Eid Mubarak We would like to wish Happy Eid Mubarak to all our families and children celebrating this weekend. We hope everyone enjoys all the festivities and special time with family and friends to mark this special celebration. Next Term We will hit the ground running as usual for the busy summer term ahead! Please take the opportunity over the holidays to check your child's uniform and equipment and to replenish as necessary so that they have all they need for the new term and so that uniform is smart and clean! Children should return to school in their summer uniform. Please remember that the girls' summer dress must be worn with white socks (ankle or knee length) and must NOT be worn with tights. Here are a few reminders of dates for the first two weeks of term: Thursday 24th April - Term begins Monday 28th April - Friday 2nd May - Year 5 residential trip to Isle of Wight Wednesday 30th April - Year 4 Flatford Mill information evening - 6.30 p.m. Thursday 1st May - Y5/6 UKMT Junior Mathematical challenge Thursday 1st May - House assembly Friday 2nd May - 4C coffee morning/class assembly We will continue to add reminders of forthcoming dates each week to the news, but please also make a note now of these major dates for later on in the summer term. We very much hope that parents of the children involved will be able to join us for these events.  Nursery/Reception Sports Day - Thursday 12th June (p.m.) Year 1/Year 2 Sports Day - Thursday 12th June (a.m.) Year 2 - 6 Singing Competition - Friday 13th June Year 1 Production at Compass Theatre - Thursday 19th June Year 3 - 6 Prep Sports Day - Friday 20th June Year 6 Musical Production at Compass Theatre - Thursday 26th & Friday 27th June PA Summer Fete (all year groups) - Saturday 28th June Year 2 - 6 Art Exhibition/Concert at Winston Churchill Hall - Tuesday 1st July Ducklings Sports Day - Thursday 3rd July Year 6 Coffee Morning/Project Exhibition (a.m.) and Prizegiving Evening - Tuesday 8th July
Posted on: 21/03/2025

Weekly News - Friday 21st March 2025

Exhibition Day  We are looking forward very much to welcoming parents to the school tomorrow, Saturday 22nd March, for our annual Exhibition Day. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to show parents, siblings and extended family members all that they have been working on. Ducklings, Lower School and Upper School will all be open and staff will be ready to greet you at each site. All children (in full, smart school uniform) and parents should arrive at school between 10.00 and 11.00 a.m. to allow enough time to visit your children's current classroom to see their work, and also to tour the rest of the school. The pupils love to reminisce by visiting their previous classrooms, and the day also presents a good opportunity to see what is in store for the children in the future as they move up through the year groups. Refreshments will be served in The Evans Hall at Upper School from 10 a.m. until approximately 11.30 a.m. We look forward to seeing you all there.  House Quiz Results! Congratulations to the finalists who took part in the culmination of the House Quiz on Thursday morning. There was one finalist for each House and year group and it was a fun and close-run competition! The children's general knowledge was of a very high standard indeed and it was clear to see that they had enjoyed learning even more facts in preparation for the final. Well done to the winning team, Caledonia, who just pipped the other Houses to the post and won 40 valuable House points! Hibernia were in second place (winning 30 House points), Windsor in third place (20 House points) and Cambria in fourth place (10 House points). All points will be added to the totals for the year so far. The finalists were: Caledonia Y2 Mulenga M Y3 Ali A-R Y4 Eleanor G Y5 Armaan V Y6 Avar D Cambria Y2 Amelia A-K Y3 Shriyan P Y4 Zora B Y5 Yuvraj R Y6 Amelia L Hibernia Y2 Shivansh P Y3 Sophie B Y4 Abir G Y5 Reyansh C Y6 Ayush A Windsor Y2 Hadi A Y3 Advik A Y4 Ivaan M Y5 Rayhan R Y6 Mustafa F Do you know who wrote The Secret Garden or which Roman leader was famously assassinated on the Ides of March? Why not try the Quiz for yourself to see how many questions you can answer correctly? Good luck! Easter Service Our annual Easter Service (for children in Years 2 - 6) will take place on Friday 28th March at 11.00 a.m. at All Saints' Church, Long Lane. We very much hope that parents will join us for this special occasion, at which our Upper School choirs and musicians will perform. Poetry Recitation And Speech Competition The St. Helen's College Poetry Recitation and Speech Competition is always eagerly anticipated and is a terrific opportunity for the children to hone their oracy skills and build confidence and resilience in the process. Next week all Nursery and Reception parents are warmly invited to come and hear your children perform their poems on Wednesday morning (26th March). Invitations have been sent out to the finalists of the Year 1 - 6 Speech Competition and we will look forward to seeing those parents on Thursday 27th March.  Sport News On Wednesday the Upper School football team won 1-0 against St. Mary's Primary School at home. The team played extremely well and delivered their best performance of the year so far. The boys dominated possession throughout the match and created lots of chances to score. This morning the football team visited Aldenham Prep School for the ISFA U11 Sevens South East Regional Tournament. The boys arrived anticipating to play four matches but actually played six matches in total as two schools had withdrawn. It was a tough morning for the team as the standard of the other prep chools was extremely high. However, St. Helen's College persevered and, finally, in their last match against Widford Lodge Prep School scored their first goals; Jack K (6H) 2, Daynan C (5R) 1, and won the match 3-1. It was a great experience for the team and hopefully they have learnt a great deal from playing at this level. Mr. Harrington and Mr. Dyson are very proud of the team for working hard and making terrific progress to develop their skills this season.  On Thursday a group of  Year 6 girls travelled to Newnham Primary School to participate in the Aspire Netball tournament. The girls played five matches in total, three of which they won. They worked brilliantly as a team and really improved throughout the games, making some fantastic interceptions and showing versatility when playing in different positions. Well done to all involved!        PA Mother's Day Stall  A huge thank you to the St. Helen's College Parents' Association which organised fundraising gift stalls for Mother's Day at Upper and Lower School on Thursday. There was a buzz in the air as the children patiently queued up to carefully select their gift for someone special. The stalls raised a grand total of £335 to fund extra activites / gifts for the children. We wish everyone a very happy Mother's Day for Sunday 30th March.       Red Nose Day - Comic Relief  Today St. Helen's College was awash with red noses as the children celebrated Red Nose Day and raised funds for Comic Relief. At Lower School the children were very excited to donate £1 to have their noses painted red! At Upper School Year 6 and the charity reps co-ordinated sales of red noses, home made bracelets and raffle tickets for a special draw. It was terrific to see so many children queuing up to support the fundraising effort. Congratulations to the raffle winners, Ali A-R (3B) and Lana Z (4T) who won a hamper of toys and a £20 Amazon voucher respectively. Well done to everyone who was involved in making Red Nose Day a big success!   Open Morning - Wednesday 7th May We are looking forward to welcoming prospective families into St. Helen's College for our next Open Morning on Wednesday 7th May from 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the school at work so if you have friends or family who would like to visit then please direct them to register online here.  Co-Curricular Clubs  Please be reminded that there will be no co-curricular clubs after school next week. The new co-curricular timetable will begin next term.  Next Week Tuesday 25th March - Year 1 Visiting Natural History Museum, Tring Tuesday 25th March - Easter Service Rehearsal at All Saints' Church Tuesday 25th March - Year 5 Isle of Wight Information Evening  Wednesday 26th March - Nursery/ Reception Poetry Recitation Thursday 27th March - Year 1-6 Speech and Poetry Competition Thursday 27th March - Planetarium Visiting Reception Thursday 27th March - JTA Dragon's Den Event  Thursday 27th March - Year 3 PACCAR Information Evening  Friday 28th March - Year 2-6 Easter Service at All Saints' Church Friday 28th March - 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: 14/03/2025

Weekly News - Friday 14th March 2025

Year 3 Visit Kew Gardens On Monday Year 3 visited Kew Gardens to enrich their learning about plant life. The children had a wonderful day exploring the gardens and participating in a range of interactive activities. They had great fun entering a specially constructed 'beehive' to experience the vibrations bees use to communicate. In the Princess of Wales Conservatory pupils explored different types of plants including lily pads, cacti and the Venus flytrap. In the Palm House, alongside cocoa and banana plants, the children were delighted to discover a rather unusual plant specimen; the 'smelly foot tree' whose leaves have a definite whiff of smelly socks!  Overall it was a terrific educational visit and an illuminating opportunity to see the true breadth of impact plant life has on the world around us.  Year 5 Trip to Bletchley Park Meanwhile, our Year 5 pupils spent the day at Bletchley Park, the world famous code breaking headquarters which changed the course of history during World War 2. The children toured the museum and discovered the vital work of the diligent code breakers who took top secret postings at Bletchley Park. They visited the huts to see the Enigma and Bombe code breaking machines and learnt about the development of modern computers, including the revolutionary work of Alan Turing. Later the children participated in an interactive workshop creating their own cipher and exploring radio communications. It was a fascinating day and a valuable educational trip which brought to life a critical episode of modern history.  Owls Class Assembly Wow! What an accomplished, mature performance we were treated to from our Owls Reception class at their assembly this week! Watched by families, friends and staff, the children presented their knowledge about space and shared some fascinating facts about the solar system. They spoke beautifully and we were very impressed with their colouful alien figures!  You can hear from some of the children here.        6L Class Assembly On Friday it was the turn of our oldest pupils to present their class assembly. The children of 6L did a wonderful job of planning, researching and presenting their work on the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The assembly cleverly drew together work the children have been covering about the rise of the Nazi party and the onset of World War 2 in history, and race relations and discrimination in RE. The children delivered their acting and speaking parts perfectly and shared an important message of overriding hatred with resilience, determination and enduring friendship. Well done 6L!   Chamber Choir Visit Sweetcroft Care Home Wednesday saw the Chamber Choir make a lunchtime visit to Sweetcroft Care Home as part of a calendar of events initiated by the St. Helen's College charity representatives. The children performed a selection of pieces accompanied by the piano and enjoyed speaking to the residents inbetween numbers. There were tears of joy from two of the residents as the performance evoked happy memories of singing in a choir. It was a lovely visit, well done to all of the children who took part for being such superb representatives of St. Helen's College.    Red Nose Day - Comic Relief It is Comic Relief Red Nose Day on Friday 21st March and Year 6 are co-ordinating fundraising activities. At Lower School the children may bring in £1 on Friday to have their nose painted red! At Upper School the Year 6 children will be selling the following items in the gazebo every day next week: Red noses - £2.50 Homemade bracelets - £1 Raffle tickets (to win a special prize) - £1 At Upper School the children can also donate £1 to tell a joke, so we hope they will enter into the spirit of things and come along with a hilarious joke to amuse their friends!  In addition the catering team will be providing special red nose cookies at lunchtime.  Sports News It has been a busy week for the Upper School girls this week!  Last Friday to mark International Women's Day the Upper School girls' football team participated in a football festival at Radlett Prep School. The girls faced stiff competition against seven other independent schools, but worked well together as a team and managed to draw three of their eight games. The girls had a thoroughly enjoyable time and even had the opportunity to meet Watford FC player ambassador Anna Filbey! Well done to Shayla in Year 5 who won best player for the St. Helen's College team and was awarded a special medal.     On Thursday our Year 4 netballers travelled to Newnham Primary School to take part in a dedicated netball event. The girls took part in lots of netball activities and small sided matches and demonstrated great teamwork, determination and resilience throughout.         Last Saturday the Year 6 netball team took part in the league netball tournament at Ryefield School. The weather was perfect and the girls played brilliantly throughout their group matches despite having some tough teams in their group. Unfortunately they were a few points short so didn’t progress to the finals on this occasion. However, it was a great way for them to finish off the season so well done to all involved!       Speech Competition The semi-finals of the Years 1 - 6 Speech Competitions are underway! Ms Drummond and Mrs. Smith are enjoying hearing the class semi-finalists recite their pieces and are, as ever, finding it extremely difficult to make decisions about which children to put through to the finals. Well done to every child who has learnt and recited their poem, whether or not they have made it through to the next stage of the competition. The experience of memorising and reciting poems and other pieces is such an important one for the development of oracy skills including projection, clarity, expression, audience engagement and stage presence/confidence. In a competition not everyone can win, but certainly every child will have gained so much from taking part. Although we have been unable to pinpoint its exact start date, we know that the St. Helen's College Speech Competition has been running for decades and that it plays no small part in what inspectors recently declared to be our school's 'significant strength' - the oracy and communication skills of our pupils. Many thanks to all of the parents who have supported the children in learning their poems. Parents of finalists will be contacted as soon as the semi-finals are complete and the finals will take place on Thursday 27th March. Nursery/Reception Poetry Recital If you have a child in Nursery and/or Reception, please make sure to keep the morning of Wednesday 26th March free so that you can come and watch them recite their poems. The development of public speaking skills starts from the Early Years here at St. Helen's College and your support at your children's performances means the world to your children and to us here at school! Online Safety Day Our Online Safety Day on Tuesday presented a valuable opportunity to teach and/or remind pupils, parents and staff about the potential risks associated with the online world. All children from Year 1 to 6 received a bespoke online safety workshop from specialist provider ECP Safeguarding exploring the online risks relevant to their specific age group. The session also celebrated the positive opportunities available in the online world if used safely.  The pupil sessions were followed by a teacher session after school and a parent event in the evening, covering a range of important topics for this vital area of safeguarding and readiness for the modern world. Summer Term Co-Curricular Clubs The timetable for co-curricular clubs for the summer term is now available. Please make your selections for your child(ren)'s co-curricular activities by logging into your SchoolsBuddy account. Baby Mindfulness Classes Mrs. McLaughlin's next set of FREE Baby Mindfulness classes will begin after the Easter break on Wednesday 30th April. These classes are for mothers and babies (aged from six weeks until crawling) and are held at St. Helen's College Upper School. Classes provide a safe space for mums and babies to bond, take part in breathing, gentle yoga and other mindfulness exercises. This is a great opportunity to meet other local mums and babies. To find out about joining these classes, please email Mrs. McLaughlin on pmclaughlin@sthelenscollege.com. The classes are open to everyone, whether they have a child at St. Helen's College or not, so please do spread the word!   Holiday Club Holiday Club bookings for the Easter holiday period are open from 4 p.m. today and will close on Wednesday 26th March at 4 p.m. Please log in to your SchoolsBuddy account to make your bookings. Next Week Tuesday 18th March - Year 4 Senior School Transfer Meeting Wednesday 19th March - Football v's St. Marys (H) Thursday 20th March - PA Mother's Day Gift Stalls at US/LS Thursday 20th March - Y6 Netball Tournament Newnham Primary School Friday 21st March - ISFA U11 Sevens South East Regional Tournament at Aldenham School Saturday 22nd March - Exhibition Day   
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