Habs Weekly - Junior School edition - Friday 27 January 2023

Habs Weekly Junior School edition

Friday 27 January 2023

Spring Term

Head of Junior School’s Message

Mrs L Flynn

At this time in the school year, attention begins to turn to the planning of the residential trips for Years 3 to 6. Taking place across the summer term, our pupils experience a range of opportunities from camping to kayaking, river exploration to orienteering, archery to abseiling. Aside from copious amounts of fun, residential trips provide the pupils with vital experience in developing core life skills which support their growing levels of independence and agency as they move through the junior age range.

Away from their home environment, pupils are challenged to step outside of their comfort zone, often finding new levels of courage. This, in turn, develops greater confidence, resilience and self-belief. Simple tasks, such as children taking full responsibility for their belongings and packing their own bags allow pupils to experience new levels of independence. Pupils make lifelong memories and new friendships as they see their peers in a different context.

One of the greatest moments for teachers, on returning from residential trips, is seeing how these core skills translate into the classroom and the impact they have on positive learning behaviours across the curriculum; pupils take greater risks in their learning, they have greater levels of belief in their own abilities and are less afraid to make mistakes.

Tooled Up has some great resources which support the development of these core learning skills which will support your child as they prepare for their time away from home.

Cornflower Assembly

Friday 20 January

Friday afternoon assemblies are always a time of joy and celebration in the Junior School. Our weekly Cornflower Assembly celebrates individuals who have particularly demonstrated ways in which they have embodied our school values: Courage, Curiosity, Community and Ambition. We cherish our Cornflower Assemblies, and hope that you enjoy celebrating weekly with us too.

Ambition

Alaya (Rainbow Red)

Amy (Rainbow Blue)

Amia (1 Purple)

Rosie (2A)

Melina (2A)

Raina (2 Alpha)

Emilie (3A)

Davina (3A)

Anika (3 Alpha)

Elise (4 Aesc)

Anaiya (5 Aleph)

Rio (5 Aleph)

Alexa (6 Aesc)

Gracie (6 Aesc)

Courage

Suzie (Rainbow Blue)

Lara (Rainbow Red)

Community

Moon (1 Green)

Siya (1 Orange)

Anoushka (2 Alpha)

Ava (6 Aesc)

Curiosity

Bea (1 Purple)

Ziyana-Fatema (1 Green)

Anthea (3 Alpha)

Leila (4 Aesc)

Kiera (6 Aleph)

Looking ahead

Whole School

Family Friday

INFORMATION FOR RAINBOW TO YEAR 6

Now that all the Rainbow children are very well settled into Habs life and as we slowly start to think about their transition towards Year 1, Rainbow Family Friday will be held fortnightly this term. This will remain an opportunity for you to come into the classroom with your children, share a book with them and see the wonderful work that they have been doing. We very much look forward to continuing to welcome you into our Habs community.

Rainbow 8am to 8.30am

Years 1, 3 and 5 8am to 8.30am 10 February

Years 2, 4 and 6 8am to 8.30am 24 March

and 24 March

On these two dates, 10 February and 24 March, we will be continuing our parent talks across a range of topics. This term we will be addressing:

• Developing independence in your child

• Learning at Home

• Developing a curious mind

There will also be a chance to have coffee with members of the Junior School Leadership Team.

Please complete this form to indicate your attendance at the talks of your choice. All parents are welcome to attend on one or both of these dates.

Performing Arts Evening

THURSDAY 23 MARCH, 7PM

PREVETT HALL

A celebration of music, dance and drama featuring:

• Junior Orchestra

• Wind Band

• Junior Choir

• Brass Ensemble

• Guitar Ensemble

• Super Saxes

• Senior Choir

• Descant Recorders

• Year 3 Recorders

• Golden Bones

• Junior Chamber Strings

• KS2 Chorus (involving every KS2 pupil)

• KS2 Performing Arts Club

• Double Reed Ensemble

• Street Dance

• Bollywood Dance

• Multiple solo items by Year 5 and 6 pupils

Pupils in ensembles and soloists will need to bring their instruments in for rehearsal on the day of the concert. Pupils should also dress in plain, black clothing for the evening. Instrumentalists should arrive no later than 6.15pm and the rest of the pupils participating should arrive at 6.30pm. Pre-concert drinks will be available from 6.3 0pm in the Prevett Hall entrance.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS FROM FRIDAY 17 MARCH AT 9PM

Two tickets per family. Participating students do not need tickets. Booking will close at 8am on Thursday 23 March.

Looking ahead

Lunchtime Parkour - Years 5 and 6

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

There are additional spaces are available for Parkour, which runs as part of the Junior School ACE programme, for the remainder of the Spring Term.

Parkour is the practice of crossing obstacles through the use of running, vaulting, jumping, climbing, rolling and other movements, in order to travel from one point to another in the quickest and most efficient way possible without the use of equipment.

Parkour takes place at lunchtime on Thursdays 12.10pm to 12.35pm and is available to pupils in Years 5 and 6, who do not already have an existing Thursday lunchtime commitment. There is a charge of £12 per session. Due to the timing of Parkour, students attending this activity will require a packed lunch.

If you would like your child to attend Parkour from Thursday 2 February, please complete this form before midday on Tuesday 31 January.

Chess Competition SAVE THE DATE

Mr D’Costa, who leads some of our chess clubs in the Junior School, is running a chess event in West London on Sunday 26 February as part of the ‘She Plays To Win’ project. This is open to all students, whether they attend school chess or not, and is free of charge. Click here for details on how to sign up. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Mr D’Costa directly by clicking here.

Habs Giving Day 2023

TUESDAY 7 MARCH

Celebrations will include a special ‘mini-dash’ for all pupils from Rainbow to Year 6. We will be inviting parents to come along and join the fun this year, so break out those trainers and start limbering up! Details to follow.

Staffing News

Mrs Langdon

Mrs Langdon will begin her maternity leave after half term. Mrs Kennedy joins the Junior School as Year 4 class teacher to cover Mrs Langdon’s maternity leave. We wish Mrs Langdon all the best for her maternity leave.

Mrs Whiteley

Mrs Whiteley will be leaving the Junior School at Easter to take up the role of Head of Music at Bute House. Mrs Whiteley has transformed the provision of performing arts in the Junior School, we wish her well on her new adventure. Ms Rockley will cover Mrs Whiteley’s timetable in the summer term and we are in the process of recruiting a replacement for Mrs Whiteley for the Autumn Term.

Residential Trips

In the Summer Term, Years 3 to 6 will have the opportunity to take part in overnight residential experiences, each of these offering unique enrichment opportunities for the students to develop skills, engage with new activities and build relationships with their peers outside of their everyday learning environment and, for the Upper Phase, away from the school setting.

Later this term, comprehensive trip brochures will be shared in the newsletter and there will be an opportunity to ask questions both electronically and in person.

Who? When?

Year 3 Thursday 18 to Friday 19 May

Where?

Philosophers’ Garden, Habs Girls

Why?

To learn new skills and survival techniques and experience an overnight stay in a familiar environment.

Year 4 Wednesday 17 to Friday 19 May

Year 5 Tuesday 9 to Friday 12 May

PGL, Marchants Hill, Surrey

Skern Lodge, Devon

Year 6 Monday 12 to Friday 16 June PGL, Liddington, Wiltshire

To develop independence, teamwork and challenge themselves to be courageous.

To explore coasts, rivers and urban geography and develop field work skills; to encourage personal challenge through adventurous activities.

To develop teamwork, resilience and communication skills.

Reminders

Whole School

Children’s Mental Health Week

MONDAY

6 TO SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY

Children's Mental Health Week is taking place from Monday 6 to Sunday 12 February with the theme Let's Connect. We are very lucky to have Beyond join us on Monday 30 January to speak to our pupils in assembly. Beyond is a youth mental health charity that exists to improve young people's mental health in the UK. Find out more here.

During the week, every class will have the opportunity to participate in activities designed to encourage pupils to consider how they can make meaningful connections that support their mental health, in preparation for understanding why they are participating in Inside Out Day on Wednesday 8 February.

Inside Out Day calls for all children and adults to wear an item of clothing (school uniform) inside out to help us stop and think about how appearances can be deceptive. Someone may look fine on the outside but inside they may be feeling sad or worried.

The aim of Inside Out Day is to remind everyone to always be kind and think of others, as no one knows how another person may be feeling. This initiative is also a meaningful way to engage pupils in discussions around emotional wellbeing.

We hope that you will show your support by encouraging your child to wear an item of school uniform inside out and hopefully do the same yourself, reminding us all that talking about mental health is an important thing to do.

Reminders

Swim Squad cancellation dates

THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY AND THURSDAY 2, THURSDAY 9, THURSDAY 16 MARCH

Due to Division 10 swimming galas taking place on Thursday 26 January and Thursday 9 March there will be no Swim Squad taking place on these afternoons. There is also a Year 3 and 4 swimming gala taking place on Thursday 16 March and therefore there will be no Year 5 and 6 swim squad taking place on this afternoon. As per the brochure, there will also be no swim squad on Thursday 2 March due to staff training. Normal going home arrangements will therefore apply on these dates.

If there is any change to your child’s normal going home arrangements, please contact Mrs Walsh or if you would like your child to attend after school care on these afternoons please book via the Firefly Parent Portal.

Spring Term curriculum overviews

INFORMATION

The Spring Term brings exciting new learning across the whole of the Junior School and once again there is a lot to look forward to. The curriculum overviews below, for Years 1 to 6, outline the topics that will be covered in class when we return in the new year.

Learning in Rainbow will continue to be led by the children’s interests and key events.

Reminders

The Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show 2023

INFORMATION

Click here to read a letter regarding The Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show 2023, an exciting creative opportunity, with pupils between the ages of 5 and 19 getting the chance to exhibit their artwork online and on-site at the Royal Academy.

Lunch Menu

Click here to view our Rainbow and KS1 menu.

Click here to view our KS2 menu.

Wraparound Care

INFORMATION

Information about our Wraparound Care provision can be found in the resources section on Firefly and in the Parent Handbook. Please use this link for quick booking access.

Reminders

Y1 to 6

Spring Term reporting INFORMATION

This term, parents of students in Years 1 to 6 will receive a full written report that details strengths and targets for taught subjects as well as general information about your child as a learner. These will be available via Firefly on the following dates:

Years 4, 5 and 6

Years 1, 2 and 3

Friday 3 February

Friday 17 March

Once you have read your child’s report, there will be an opportunity to ask any specific questions relating to the report content in the following week. Details of how to submit such questions will be communicated in the newsletters published on the day when the reports are released.

If your child is in Rainbow, you will receive a written report at the end of the Summer Term and there will be an opportunity to meet with the class teacher, in person, one of the following dates and times:

Tuesday 14 March, 4pm to 6pm

Monday 20 March, 4pm to 6pm

Further details of how to book appointments will be shared in the newsletter before half term.

Reminders

Violin Playstrings ‘Concert’ INFORMATION

Year 2 were excited to start their Playstrings sessions with Mrs Boyle this week. Parents and guardians of children learning the violin this term are warmly invited to sit in on their child’s last session this term. This will take the form of an informal performance on Tuesday 21 March:

2 A 9.15am to 10.15am

2 Alpha 1.55pm to 2.55pm

If you would like to attend the performance for your child’s class and see what they have been getting up to on the Playstrings course, please park in the car park and make your way directly to the Sime Hall, where you will be asked to sign in.

Y3 to 6

Forest School INFORMATION

We are very pleased to share with you that all the Key Stage 2 classes will continue to enjoy a Forest School experience during the Spring or the Summer term. Forest School provides a valuable opportunity for children to connect to nature and understand more about the world around them. Research has shown that it helps to foster teamwork, problem solving, risk taking, independent thinking and creativity alongside developing practical skills.

Please click here for further information, including dates and outdoor kit advice for your child.

Reminders

Sports Festival

SATURDAY 4 MARCH

On Saturday 4 March, students in Years 3 to 6 are invited to attend a collaborative sporting morning with the Prep School where they will take part in activities centred around netball and football. Students will be grouped in mixed abilities and there will be opportunities for skill development, match play and fun. Further details will be shared in the newsletter closer to the event.

Library Online Resources for KS2 INFORMATION

Now we have settled into the new school term, we wanted to remind you of some of the online resources provided by the Library for our KS2 pupils. Please click here.

Year 4 production of Rock Bottom

WEDNESDAY 8 AND THURSDAY 9 FEBRUARY

Performances will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 8 February and at 9.15am on Thursday 9 February. For the Thursday performance refreshments in the dining hall will be available from 8.30am. Both performances will take place in the Performance Space please follow the signage from the car park.

Tickets can be reserved here for free from Friday 3 February at 9pm until Tuesday 7 February at 8am. Ticket allocations will be two per family for each performance. Please note that admission will be by ticket only and we cannot guarantee that there will be any spare seats on the day. We request that you do not photograph or make any recordings of the production, although photographs will be available for you to purchase, with the proceeds going to the St Catherine Parents’ Guild. A link to a recording of the play will be shared with you at the end of the term.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CALENDAR DATES

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY Years 4, 5 and 6 Reports Live to Parents

WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY Year 4 Play Performance 1

THURSDAY 9 FEBRAURY Year 4 Play Performance 2

FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY Rainbow and Years 1, 3, and 5 Family Friday (including Parent Talks, 8.30am to 9am)

SATURDAY 4 MARCH Sports Festival

For further dates and timings, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.