Our Governors and Staff

Governance

St. Helen's College Ltd. is part of the Forfar Education Group and as such the Forfar Education Group Governance Board acts as governors of St. Helen's College.

Chairman

Mr. John Forsyth

Email:  jf@forfareducation.co.uk             Tel: 07443 103805

 

  

 Safeguarding Governor

Mrs. Jo Storey

Email:  js@forfareducation.co.uk             Tel: 07990 045810
 

Advisory Governors

  
Miss L. E. Beckett BEd Hons  
Mr. D. A. Crehan BSc  BA  MSc  MEd C.Phys  ARCS  
Mrs. G. R. Crehan BA  MA  PGCE  
Mr. J. Crehan BSc MSc Chartered MCSI QTS        

Head Teacher

  
Ms S. Drummond  BEd (Hons) MEd      Shirley Drummond

Senior Leadership Team

  
Deputy Head
Mr. A. McLaughlin  BA PGCE
 		 Aidan McLaughlin

Head of Lower School
Mrs. L. Hunt Mont Dip  BEd   

 Lucy Hunt

Director of Studies
Mr. M. Lewis BSc PGCE

 Mark Lewis

Director of Co-Curriculum
Mr. L. Harrington BEd QTS

 Leo Harrington

Director of Administration 
Mrs. S. Smith  BA (Hons), MA, PG Dip.

 Su Smith

Teaching Staff                  

Form Teachers - Lower School
Mrs. N. Mann BA  PGCE, Senco
Miss M. Carmichael  BA Early Years                       
Miss L Yates BA Early Years FdA
Ms J. Matthews BSc PGCE Early Years Lead, Deputy DSL
Miss A. Cooper  BEd RE Lead
Miss C Owens PGCE BA

Form Teachers - Upper School                                  
Mrs. C. Reid  BA  PGCE (Maternity leave)
Mrs J Sohail BEd
Mrs. A. Coker  BSc PGCE Computing Lead             
Mr. J. Bustard BSc History Lead                                           
Mrs. P. McLaughlin BA  PSHCE Lead
Mrs. B. Cipollone  BEd                     
Mrs. K. Thompson BEd                             
Mrs. E. Gilham BTec  BSc  PGCE Science Lead/ACE
Mr. S. Roche  BA PGCE  English Lead
Mr. L. Harrington BA  PE/Games Lead
Miss K. Linton  BSc PGCE Maths Lead

Art      
Mrs. N. Pruce  HLTA

MFL  
Mrs. S. Martinez CACHE3 MFL Lead

Drama
Mr. A. McLaughlin BA  PGCE Drama Lead
Mrs. L. Moore  BTec Dip. Perf. Arts   

PE/Games      
Mr. L. Harrington BA PGCE PE/Games Lead
Mr. M. Dyson Cert. PE    
Miss S. Ward  BA, PGCE                   
Miss E. Barham  BTec Dip. Sport
Mrs. B. Webb  BSc (Hons)     

Computing    
Mr. M. Lewis BSc PGCE 

Music  
Mrs. C. Fawbert  BMus LRAM  Director of Music
Mr. T. Chan BMus PGDip  Guitar
Mrs. E. Edwards BMus PGCE  Music
Mr. I. Lynch DipRAM Trumpet
Mrs. J. Maclean HNC  BA  LTCL  Cello
Mrs. K. Nash MMus GRSM LRAM  Violin
Mrs. J. Smith GMus RNCM  Flute/Piano
Mrs M. Garnes BA  Choir, Clarinet
Mr. R. James BA MA  Singing, Choir

Additional Needs
Mrs. D. Hopkins BAEd NASENCo                    
Mrs. N. Mann BA  PGCE     

Counsellor
Mrs. J. Brooker  CACHE3, Dip. L4                                                                  

Ducklings Staff        
Mrs. C. McGee NVQ3, EYFD  Ducklings Manager           
Miss A. Thompson NVQ3                         
Mrs. M. Warwick-Bowman BTec CACHE3                                                

Teaching and Learning Assistants (TALAs)         

Lower School                         
Mrs. E. Coyle CACHE3                    
Mrs. E. Cotterill BEd                             
Miss H. Durkin BA    
Mrs. D. Gallacher  EYFD                                                                                 
Mrs. S. Lawrence NNEB/NVQ3                                      
Mrs. L. Coker NVQ3                         
Mrs. V. Edgson NNEB    
Ms M. Krawiel NVQ3                                          
Miss G. Oakshott NVQ3
Mrs. I. Pierce  BA 
Mrs. R. Place NNEB                       
Ms S. Thomas NVQ3 HLTA 
Miss J. Maylon-Williams BA                              
Miss K. Boden  NVQ3
Mrs. S. Sonigra CACHE3   
Mrs Y Nelson  BA FdA                                           

Upper School
Miss R. Fox  TAL3                                  
Mrs. S. Hill NVQ3 HLTA                                                           
Mrs. K. Mahesaratnam BA (Hons) HLTA                             
Mrs. T. Parker  NVQ3                          
Ms A. Raja-Ross BA, CACHE2, Found. Deg.
Mrs. S. Schlachter CACHE2
Mrs. B. Webb BSc (Hons)

Gap Student
Mr. L. Nash 

Administration Staff                           

Director of Administration
Mrs. S. Smith  BA (Hons), MA, PG Dip.

Business Manager
Mrs. S. Cargill   SBM Dip.                                                                     

Finance Manager
Mrs. F. Bool  Dip. Business Management   

Finance Assistant
Mrs. N. Sonigra AAT                        

IT Manager
Mr. P. Puchinszki  NSA, CCNA  

Marketing Assistant   
Ms. E. Furniss   BA, Dip. Nutritional Therapy                                              

Librarian                                   
Mrs. S. Emanuel  BA                                          

School Secretary
Mrs. S. Clements                                                       

Office Assistant
Mrs. K. Rumney                                                         

Lower School Receptionist
Mrs. L. Rooney  HND                        

Welfare and Attendance Officer
Mrs. A. Gilbey L3 Paediatric First Aid           

Welfare Assistant
Miss G. Oakshott NVQ3                                                           

School Meals Supervisory Assistants (SMSAs)

Lower School 
Mrs. J. Fong                                                                 
Mrs. S. Daly
Mrs. I. Fijalkowska
Mrs. L. Maskell
Mrs E. Bryce
Mrs M. Chatterjee

Upper School 
Miss J. Brooks                                                           
Mrs. J. Hunter                                                            
Mrs. S. Hawkins                                                        

School Patrol
Mrs. J. Hunter                                                            
Mrs. T. Beale                                                                                

Funtasia/Holiday Club                                 
Mrs. T. Beale
Mrs. E. Coyle CACHE3                                
Mrs. E. Cotterill BEd                                        
Miss H. Durkin BA                                                                  
Mrs. S. Lawrence NNEB/NVQ3 Funtasia Manager                                                      
Ms S. Porteous NNEB                                     
Miss J. Malyon-Williams BA                                                                                          
Miss A. Gilbey NVQ2, CACHE2    
Miss S. Lawrence
Miss S. Nash
Miss R. Nash 
Mrs. M. Warwick-Bowman BTec CACHE3
Mrs. J. Fong
Ms S. Daly
Miss P. Patel
Mr. J. Bustard  BSc PGCE
Mrs. C. McGee  NVQ3 EYFD
Mrs. I. Fijalkowsa
Mrs. S. Sonigra  CACHE3
Mrs. A. Thompson NVQ3
Miss D. Velani
Miss M. Pannu
Miss T. Rahman
Miss L. Parker
Miss A. Walters
Miss S. Valabhji 
Miss H. Hanshaw                                      

Premises Manager   
Mr. P. Graddon                                                          

Premises Assistants
Mr. C. Smith             
Mr. A. Fitzgerald                                                  

Cleaning Staff
Mrs. I. Fijalkowska
                                                     

News

Posted on: 25/04/2025

Weekly News - Friday 25th April 2025

Welcome back to everyone and a warm welcome to the new pupils and families who have joined us this term. We hope that you have all enjoyed a restful Easter break and are ready for the very busy summer term ahead!  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 Pupils Win Gold at British Karate Championships Last weekend a group of St. Helen's College pupils represented the HKK National Team at the British Karate Federation Championships in Edinburgh and delivered a world class performance. Huge congratulations to Rania Q (5R) and Naiya L (5G) who competed as part of the girls kumite team and won gold medals, becoming British champions! Well done also to Hadi Q (2C) and Adam H (3M) who put in an outstanding performance as part of the boys team, becoming British silver medallists. Together the efforts of these pupils contributed to the team placing 7th out of 39 teams on the overall medal table for this event. This is a fantastic reflection of their dedication, determination and grit faced with stiff competition, and demonstrates they have a very bright future ahead of them in the world of karate. Singing Competition Our very exciting Singing Competition gets underway this term.The competition is open to all children from Years 2 - 6, important dates to note are as follows:  Friday 16th May - Song(s) choices must be approved by this date, using this form Friday 30th May - Video Entry must be received. Friday 6th June - Finalists Announced Friday 13th June - Singing Competition Final Y2/3 -1:00-2:00 p.m. Y4/5/6 - 2:15-3:30 p.m. 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. For full competition details, key dates and to enter please complete this form. Best of luck to all the entrants, we look forward to reviewing submissions in due course! LAMDA Lessons - Spaces Available We are expanding our LAMDA offering and will have some spaces available for individual or duo lessons on Saturdays between 12.00 p.m - 2.30 p.m. for children in Years 1 - 6. If you are interested in your child learning LAMDA and would like to book a lesson for him/her (or them, if you can find two friends who would like to learn together), please contact Ms. Smith as soon as possible at Gsmith@sthelenscollege.com. Lessons cost £24 for an individual 30 minute lesson or £12 per pupil for a 30 minute duo lesson. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Staff News We will be bidding farewell to Mr. Bustard (Y3) at the end of the summer term as he has secured an exciting new teaching role in Dubai at the GEMS School of Research and Innovation.  Mr. Bustard has been with the school for twelve years and he and his family are looking forward to a new life overseas.  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. TCS Mini Marathon Best of luck to all of the children taking part in the TCS Mini Marathon tomorrow. This is an amazing opportunity to run part of the world famous track the day before the London Marathon takes place, and experience crossing the iconic finish line to receive a medal. Good luck to all the runners!  Life Skills Day Many thanks for the wonderful response from parents to our call to lead sessions for the children on our forthcoming Life Skills Day on Tuesday 13th May. Mrs. McLaughlin has now scheduled a full day of exciting and varied workshops across the school so we are unfortunately unable to accept any further volunteers. Mrs. McLaughlin is in contact with parents regarding the timetable for the day. Thank you for your input, it promises to a busy day which we hope the children will enjoy and find very valuable.  Baby Mindfulness Classes Mrs. McLaughlin's next set of FREE Baby Mindfulness classes will begin 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! Buddy is a Hillingdon Hero! Huge congratulations are in order for Buddy the popular Pets As Therapy cavapoochon who has been awarded a bronze medal at the 2025 Hillingdon Community Awards in recognition of his outstanding work with local residents. Buddy, who is a regular, and much loved, visitor to St. Helen's College received the accolade alongside his owners Harpal and Harpreet (former SHC parents and local residents) at a special event held at the Civic Centre earlier this month. We are looking forward to welcoming Buddy back to school this term where he will be joining children at Upper School for play sessions in the library and listening to them read.     Junior Cricket at Ickenham Cricket Club Ickenham Cricket Club will be running Junior Foundation sessions for boys and girls every Friday evening, from 5.00 p.m. - 6.15 p.m., commencing this Friday. All children, aged 6 - 11 years, from complete beginners to more experienced players, are very welcome to attend. For more information please email colts@ickenhamcc.co.uk.         Summer Camp Mr. Harrington will be running his popular Mini-Me Camp at PACCAR Scout Camp over the summer holidays, from July 28th to August 1st, for children aged 6 - 12. These weeks are very popular and include lots of exciting activities such as zip wires, laser tag, giant swing, archery, climbing, abseiling and caving which help to build and enhance friendships, improve fitness and foster a love of activity and outdoor fun! Lots of St. Helen's College children attend and it is also a great opportunity for your children to make new friends from outside of school. Full details and bookings are available here. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis so please book early! Next Week Monday 28th April - Friday 2nd May - Y5 Residential Trip, Isle of Wight Wednesday 30th April - Y4 Flatford Mill Parents Information Evening Friday 2nd May - 4C Coffee Morning and Class Assembly      
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)  
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