Friday 22 March Spring Term 2024
On Tuesday evening we were treated to a fabulous PerformingArts Evening. A special thank you to Ms Rockley, Mr Nichols and all the Junior School staff team that work extremely hard by the scenes to put on these events. All the girls showcased their musical and artistic talents showing tremendous character, dedication and flair.
As Women's History Month comes to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the parent and staff volunteers who generously shared their time and wisdom by speaking to our students. Their insightful talks not only illuminated the remarkable achievements of women throughout history but also showcased the endless possibilities for our young learners. Witnessing these diverse perspectives has undoubtedly inspired and empowered our students, fostering a deeper appreciation for the contributions of women in shaping our world. Thank you to all parents who volunteered for your invaluable support in making this month of celebration and learning truly memorable for our girls.
Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing break.
Mrs Claire Brown Head of Junior SchoolNext half term marks the beginning of the ‘Changing Me’ unit of our PSHE curriculum. This very important unit teaches students to understand and respect their bodies, and develop positive and healthy relationships, appropriate to their age and development. A letter including full details of exactly what is covered in each year group was shared with parents earlier this half term. Some pupils have a much greater understanding than others about these topics and we would therefore encourage you to talk to your child about what they are learning in PSHE next half term and be open to any questions they may have. You may find some of the Tooled Up links below helpful in supporting you with such discussions.
The School PIN for logging in is HGJ2009. We would ask that parents do not share this login outside of the Habs Junior School community.
Supporting Girls Through Puberty: Your Questions Answered | Tooled Up Education
Books About Puberty and Growing Up | Tooled Up Education
Puberty: General Advice for Parenting Girls | Tooled Up Education
Seven Simple Resources to Help Boost Young People’s Body Image | Tooled Up Education
WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 25 MARCH
Please click here to view our Rainbow and KS1 lunch
Please click here to view our KS2 lunch
WEEK COMMENCING TUESDAY 16 APRIL
Please click here to view our Rainbow and KS1 lunch
Please click here to view our KS2 lunch
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Please take some time to look at the menu with your child, in advance. If your child has any food intolerances, please ensure they understand the food choices for each day. Pupils have been reminded that there are always Allergy Champions in the serveries who they can speak to if they are unsure about appropriate food choices for them.
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Please kindly remember that, in line with government guidance, grapes or olives should be cut in half and cherries should be de-stoned if these foods are brought in for snacks. A full list of permitted breaktime snacks can be found in the Parent Information Booklet.
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Please click here to review updated Attendance Policy shared with parents on Monday 11 March.
Summer uniform may be worn from the start of next term. Until May half term and in the first half of the autumn term, this is optional for all year groups.
For Rainbow to Year 4 this becomes compulsory after the May half term. The options are:
• a summer dress worn with short or long white socks (not tights) and school jumper
• a short sleeve, revere collar shirt with tailored shorts and school jumper, worn with short or long white socks (not tights). If wearing the green uniform, this is a green shirt and black tailored shorts. For the navy uniform, this is a white shirt with navy tailored shorts. Please be reminded the Parent Handbook has detailed information about uniform on pages 34-39
Please click here to review the information about the new uniform phasing in plans.
Monday 25 to Wednesday 27 March is our off- timetable week. This year we have chosen to celebrate diversity and inclusion, with a focus on valuing and respecting differences in gender, race, culture, religion and the ways in which we learn. The activities we have chosen will promote the value of our individual differences in creating strong teams and communities. There will be drama and dance workshops as well as age-appropriate information sessions about different disabilities highlighting the importance of representing everyone in society. On the final day, the children will be working in houses to create performances for the rest of the school. As many of the sessions will be quite active, all pupils must wear their full PE kit including their tracksuits for this week, with the addition of house t-shirts for pupils in Y3 to Y6 on Wednesday 27 March. If your child does not have a house t-shirt, they can wear a plain t-shirt in their house colour or their regular PE top.
The lessons have been planned to fit in with this theme for the three days and we have arranged a number of workshops:
Big Foot Education workshop - I like myself: This story telling workshop encourages us to like everything about ourselves, inside and out! This workshop will be for Year 1 to 2.
Big Foot Education workshop -Respect: this refers not only to how you feel and act towards other, but also yourself! This workshop for Year 3 to 4, will explore how we form and maintain relationships with each other as well as a range of peer mediation techniques to foster kindness, whilst also learning the importance of embracing and celebrating our differences.
Big Foot Education workshop - Gender stereotypes: this workshop encourages students in Year 5 and 6 to respect their own, as well as each other's differences and similarities, irrespective of gender. It will raise awareness about what gender stereotyping is and how the opinions we form about each other should be based on the personal attributes we possess rather than preconceived ideas based on gender.
The KAOS Organisation is a youth arts charity which has a motto of excellence through teamwork and fun! They will be running singing and signing workshops for Rainbows to Year 6.
Eleanor Morrison: Years 3 to 6 will have a session run by Eleanor Morrison, a barrister with ADHD and ASD. She will be talking about how her unique perspectives on the world and approaches to learning have actually become her strengths, helping her to build a successful career and relationships.
Lauren Press: We are delighted to welcome Lauren back to the Junior School where she started her academic journey in Rainbow class – she is now a student in the Senior School. Lauren has been named the Child and Young Person winner in the first Claire Campbell Awards for Outstanding Achievement. She was diagnosed as profoundly deaf soon after she was born and will be talking to Years 2 to 6 about her experiences and the impact that the right kind of support has had, helping her on her academic journey.
Zest Dance workshops: These dance workshops for all classes across the school will teach different dance styles from around the world in a fun, engaging and inclusive environment.
Afro-Caribbean Society: We are delighted that Omi and Anaya from the ACS will be visiting us from the Senior School to talk to Year 2 to 4 about why they set up ACS, their role models and why they are important to them. This will be a great opportunity for the girls to think about who inspires them and why, and how having role models can support the achievement of goals and dreams!
Jewish Blind & Disabled Charity will be talking to students from Rainbow to Year 3 about how adaptations can change people’s lives. This interactive workshop will show children innovations that help people to live independently.
Zebedee Inclusive Modelling Agency: Zebedee is a leading inclusive talent agency established in 2017 by inspirational founders who share a passion for diversity. Today they promote hundreds of models with varying disabilities. Their online workshop for Year 3 to 6 will discuss some of their modelling campaigns and answer questions posed by the students.
As part of this week, we would like to put together a Diversity and Inclusion online booklet to share with parents, children and staff. This will include pictures of the activities that have taken place during the week, but we’d like to extend it further to invite you to submit anything that reflects your family and community: this could be a family recipe, information about a local charity that does amazing work in your local area, photographs of one of your family/religious celebrations, a poem that you or your child loves with a theme of inclusion, a picture your child has drawn to represent the things that are important to her.
You may also have other ideas that we haven’t thought of that would also be perfect for our Diversity and Inclusion booklet, so please do email over anything that you think is appropriate. Please email any contributions or questions to js-dot3d@habsgirls.org.uk by Monday 25 March.
Are you a budding photographer who enjoys exploring the great outdoors? If so, we encourage you to take some sensational snaps and enter our exciting Geography Photography Competition. The theme is ‘Our Beautiful World’ and we would love to see all kinds of images taken outside. Be creative! Think landscapes, people, vehicles, wildlife, water etc. Pupils from Rainbow to Year 6 can submit up to THREE photographs they have taken themselves. Please email the photographs to csawkins@habsgirls.org.uk (email subject heading – ‘Geography Photography Competition’) with your name, class and photo captions included in the body of the email The deadline for entries is Friday 19 April Prizes will be awarded to the winners in each year group.
Ariyan and Anaiya (Junior School Geography Ambassadors)
On Tuesday 30 April, Year 6 will be running a charity fundraising event in support of Herts Young Homeless (HYH). HYH is a charity which helps young people aged 16-24 who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as offering support to those whose families may be at risk of relationship breakdown.
Our Year 6 pupils have been diligently preparing lots of games and activities for younger, Middle and Upper phase year groups to keep them entertained. These games include Hoopla, Throw the Bean Bag in the Basket and Splat the Rat, to name but a few!
To raise money for this worthy cause, we would be grateful if your daughter could bring in up to £5 in change on Tuesday 30 April.
We believe that this event presents a great opportunity for pupils to have fun, while also actively supporting those who are less fortunate than themselves. By participating, they will actively contribute to making a positive difference to the lives of others.
On Wednesday 27 March, the last day of the Spring Term, After School Care will run from 3.30 to 4pm only.
All students must either be collected from school at 4pm or use the 4.15pm coach service. There will be no 5.30pm coach service running on this day.
Please click here to book your daughter into Wraparound Care.
Please click here to review the Parent Information Booklet for 2023/24. Please be reminded that this includes information about uniform on pages 34-39.
COMPETITION DEADLINE WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH
Please click here to view the letter.
REMINDER
All Spring Term ACE activities have ended today, Friday 22 March. There will be no ACE on the final three days of the spring term.
ACE Karate
DEADLINE MONDAY 22 APRIL AT 12PM
In order for Mr Patel to contact you regarding your daughter's participation in events and gradings, please complete this form if you consent for us to share your email address and for Mr Patel to contact you directly. The form will close on Monday 22 April at 12pm.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
As we approach the Festival of Passover, your child is welcome to bring in a packed lunch that adheres to the dietary requirements associated with this festival. We kindly request that all packed lunches be nut-free. This is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of all our students, particularly those with severe nut allergies. We wish all those that celebrate a happy and peaceful Passover.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The curriculum overviews below, for Years 1 to 6, outline the curriculum areas that will be covered in Summer 1.
Learning in Rainbow will continue to be led by the children’s interests and key events.
Girls in Year 1 to Year 6 will once again have an opportunity to embark on a wide range of co-curricular activities through our ACE (Additional Curriculum Enrichment) programme.
To view the activities on offer for the Summer Term, please refer to the relevant year group booklet using the links below:
Key dates
Monday 25 March to
Wednesday 27 March
Girls register their interest at school for lunchtime ACE.
Wednesday 27 March Emails sent where places have not been allocated.
Thursday 28 March
Tuesday 16 April
Tuesday 4 June
Monday 24 June to
Friday 28 June
All ACE activities confirmed on SOCS.
All ACE activities begin.
All ACE resumes after half term.
Last Spring Term ACE sessions.
Pupils will register their interest for lunch time activities, during the last week of this term. Please take the time to review the activities on offer with your daughter before this date
After Easter all of the pupils in Rainbow will take part in water familiarisation sessions as part of our PE provision. Each Rainbow class will have three sessions in the swimming pool. The Rainbow swimming lessons will take place on the following dates:
Monday 22 April
Monday 29 April
Monday 13 May
Monday 20 May
Monday 10 June
Monday 17 June
Rainbow Red
Rainbow Red
Rainbow Red
Rainbow Blue
Rainbow Blue
Rainbow Blue
The main objective of these sessions is to build up the pupils’ confidence with being in the swimming pool facility – including getting into the water in small groups.
Your child should come to school on these days in her school uniform and will change into her swimming costume before the session. Please send your child to school with a one-piece swimming costume and towel in a waterproof bag. All items should be named. Additionally, your child will need a swimming hat, which can be purchased from Mrs Walsh for £5.
So we have an indication of your child’s previous swimming experience, please click here to complete the form, by Friday 19 April.
MONDAY
1 Purple will be delivering their class assembly on Monday 29 April from 8.45am to 9.15am in the Prevett Hall. Parents and guardians are warmly invited . Attending parents should park in the visitor's car park and walk to the Prevett Hall entrance doors, where you will be registered from 8.30am.
Spaces remain on the following activities:
If you would like your child to participate in either of these activities, please email Miss Sultana directly on rsultana@habsgirls.org.uk
These remaining spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Please note Morning Club (8.10am) will not be running on the following dates:
Spring Term
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term
Tuesday 16 April
Wednesday 17 April
Thursday 25 April
Friday 26 April
Spaces remain on the following activities:
If you would like your child to participate in either of these activities, please email Miss Sultana directly on rsultana@habsgirls.org.uk
These remaining spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note Morning Club (8.10am) will not be running on the following dates:
Spring Term
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term
Tuesday 16 April
Wednesday 17 April
Thursday 25 April
Friday 26 April
THURSDAY 16 MAY TO FRIDAY 17 MAY
Please click here to access the Year 3 Camp Night residential brochure
If you have any questions that have not been covered in this trip brochure, you are invited to submit these via the form in the brochure or you are welcome to attend an in-person session on the following dates and times:
Wednesday 17 April between 8am to 8.30am or
Monday 22 April between 4pm to 4.30pm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note Morning Club (8.10am) will not be running on the following dates:
Spring Term
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term
Tuesday 16 April
Wednesday 17 April
Thursday 25 April
Friday 26 April
WEDNESDAY 15 MAY TO FRIDAY 17 MAY
Please click here to access the Year 4 PGL Marchants Hill residential brochure.
If you have any questions that have not been covered in this trip brochure, you are invited to submit these via the form in the brochure or you are welcome to attend an in-person session on the following dates and times:
Tuesday 23 April between 8am to 8.30am or
Thursday 25 April between 4pm to 4.30pm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note Morning Club (8.10am) will not be running on the following dates:
Spring Term
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term
Tuesday 16 April
Wednesday 17 April
Thursday 25 April
Friday 26 April
TUESDAY 7 MAY TO FRIDAY 10 MAY
Please click here to access the Year 5 Skern Lodge residential brochure.
If you have any questions that have not been covered in this trip brochure, you are invited to submit these via the form in the brochure or you are welcome to attend an in-person session on the following dates and times:
Tuesday 16 April between 4pm to 4.30pm
Or
Friday 19 April between 8am to 8.30am
Please click here for more information.
Please click here for more information.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note Morning Club (8.10am) will not be running on the following dates:
Spring Term
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term
Tuesday 16 April
Wednesday 17 April
Thursday 25 April
Friday 26 April
FRIDAY 19 APRIL
On Friday 19 April we will be embarking on a journey to explore the Golden Hinde, a remarkable replica of Sir Francis Drake’s flagship This excursion is an integral part of our current ‘Explorers’ topic and promises to be an enriching experience for all participating students. We will travel by coach, departing from school promptly at 10am. Our anticipated return time to school is approximately 3.45pm. As we will be travelling through Central London, please ensure you have access to your emails and mobile phone for any updates we may share with estimated return details should we be delayed.
Students will be required to wear full school uniform, including their coat, as we will be outside for much of the day. For those students who have opted for a home-packed lunch, please remember to send it with your child on the day of the trip, and all packed lunches should be free from nuts, sesame and fizzy drinks. For students who have opted for a schoolmade, pre-ordered packed lunch, this will be provided to your child before departure on the day of the trip.
MONDAY 20 MAY TO FRIDAY 24 MAY
Please click here to access the Year 6 PGL Osmington Bay residential brochure. If you have any questions that have not been covered in this trip brochure, you are invited to submit these via the form in the brochure or you are welcome to attend an in-person session on the following dates and times:
Tuesday 16 April between 8am to 8.30am or
Friday 19 April between 4pm to 4.30pm
Thank you to those of you who completed the form confirming your daughter's availability to attend a planned rehearsal on Sunday 9 June. We have decided to schedule a full day rehearsal, which will run from 10am to 3pm with a break for lunch. Girls who can attend only a morning or an afternoon rehearsal will be able to join when they can. More information will follow next term.
Please click here for more information.
Please click here for more information.
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 with us too.
Ambition
Serena (3A)
Aarna(4Aesc)
Ivy (5 Aesc)
Rio (6 Aesc)
Community
Olympia (Rainbow Blue)
Annabelle (2A)
Surya (3 Alpha)
Nirvani (4 Aesc)
Saffia (5 Aesc)
Maanya (5 Aleph)
Ari (5 Aleph)
Courage
Vani (Rainbow Red)
Zoya (Rainbow Red)
Zivah (1 Orange)
Reya (1 Orange)
Aliya (2 Alpha)
Sia (4 Aleph)
Aggie (6 Aesc)
Curiosity
Anaya (Rainbow Blue)
Ayla (1 Purple)
Ella (1 Purple)
Rosie (3 Alpha)
Remy (3A)
Zoi (4 Aleph)
Comic Book Club is all about using your imagination and exploring creative ideas. So far this term, we have looked closely at examples of different types of comic books for inspiration. We then learnt about the technical aspect of how to set out a comic and some of the features used by real life illustrators. We are now using everything we have learnt to make our own comic book masterpieces!
"My favourite thing about Comic Book Club is that it expands our imagination and lets us be free with our ideas." Zoi 4 Aleph
"I love comic book club because it is very creative and fun. It's the best and is always a highlight of the week! Now I want to read more comics." Daya 3A
In Sing-Along Songs, the girls have been singing and dancing to their favourite songs. We have covered a range of different artists, with Taylor Swift and Disney classics being particularly popular. A highlight was Encanto week, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
"I really like sing-along songs because you get to dance and sing to the lyrics." Myla 1 Purple
“I really enjoy sing-along songs because I like dancing and singing.” Janvi 1 Purple
"I like sing-along songs because I get to sing along to my favourite songs. We vote and sometimes it's my choice that we sing." Audrey 1 Orange
This term, the vibrant rhythms of Bollywood have infused the Prevett Hall, thanks to the enthusiastic guidance of two talented sixth form students, Tarushia and Arichana. Through their patient instruction and encouragement, Year 1 and Year 2 girls have not only mastered intricate routines but have also discovered the joy of self-expression through dance.
“I enjoy Bollywood Dancing because I love the music we dance to.” Anvi 2 Alpha
“Bollywood Dancing is amazing because it’s very active.” Amalia 1 Orange
The Junior School Orchestra offers a wonderful opportunity for personal growth, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for music. This term, we have been focusing on improving our performance skills and learning the iconic song ‘Rock Around the Clock’ by Bill Haley, as part of our Performing Arts Evening which took place on Tuesday 19 March.
“I love being orchestra and being creative- it is so much fun. I love working as an ensemble and hearing all the different parts and harmonies come together.” Miranda 4Aesc
“I really enjoy performing with friends in concerts and learning new pieces, some which I have never heard of.” Eva 6Aleph
Lacrosse is one of the fastest invasion games you can play. It involved learning and practising your throwing, catching and picking up skills. In Lacrosse Club this term we have been practising these skills in a variety of fun and competitive games and every child has made pleasing progress. The number games has been a clear favourite where they have learnt and created their own attacking tactics to enable them to gain possession of the ball and try to score a goal. They have also worked hard on their body position defending and have shown excellent determination when trying to slow down and steer their opponent away from their goal. We have enjoyed playing lacrosse on the muddy fields and grown in confidence, courage and knowledge!
“I learnt that you can around the back of the goal with the ball and when you are defending, you run the opposite way round the goal when the attacker has the ball. I enjoyed playing the lacrosse games.” Leila 5 Aesc
“I really enjoyed lacrosse club because I learnt new skills and how to defend the ball. I learnt that you can run with the ball. It is such an exciting and fun sport!” Lia 5 Aesc
This term we have been reading ‘The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day.’ The book has inspired us to learn more about the universe and concepts of science, space and time, such as mobius strips, black holes, and entropy. We have also had fun exploring how we can embed scientific fact into science fiction, plotting our own stories using some weird and wonderful facts we have found in science books and magazines.
“I couldn’t believe the twist at the end of the book we’re reading, I just cried and cried, I loved it.” Anara 6 Aesc
Parents who ran with their children in the Habs Giving Day MiniDash on 5 March have been given access to an online portfolio with hundreds of images from the day. But we thought those of you unable to join us that morning might also like to click here to see a selection of photos from the 2024 MiniDash which was a truly fun, joyous and entirely silly morning.
In all, 340 parents joined their children from both Prep and Junior Schools for the fun run. Together they smashed all the challenges set by donors, ‘unlocking’ £100,000 in extra funding. All told, the schools have received £250,000 from more than 600 donors to support the Bursary Fund and Habs Community Partnerships. We hope to see you on the croquet lawn next year for Habs Giving Day 2025!
We were delighted to welcome Holly Webb to the Junior School on Wednesday 6 March as part of our World Book Day celebrations. Here is what the girls had to say about the visit.
“Holly Webb is an excellent writer, and she gets lots of inspiration from her pets, wild animals and news reports.”
“We really loved the news report about bears in someone’s pool which has inspired Holly.” “When she was little, her mum made up lots of stories with her and now those stories have been turned into books.”
“Holly Webb is one of the most inspirational women we have met!”
Quotes from pupils in 2Ansuz
“Holly showed us a really funny video about the bears in the pool which made me laugh. I liked that it inspired her story” Remy 3A
“I find it really interesting that Holly Webb takes inspiration from other people’s pets for her stories” Neya 3A
“I love that Holly Webb explains exactly what the animals in her stories are thinking” Daya 3A
“I enjoyed watching the video about the cat jumping down from the fridge and hearing how that inspired her story” Sarah 3A
“Holly Webb is one of my favourite authors, so I loved her visit. My favourite book of hers is Puppy’s First Christmas” Serena 3A
On Wednesday, an author named Holly Webb came to our school to talk about her career and where she takes her inspiration from. Holly Webb loves animals, and she has a series of 61 books about cats and dogs. Holly gets a lot of her inspiration from the pets she owns or owned. Holly told us about where she got the idea for her first book and how she used the story from her own cat's life. Holly doesn't just get her ideas from her pets but other people's pets too. For example, she told us that she made one of her books using one of her fan’s pets stories. Holly Webb also gets her stories from looking at animal stories on the internet or listening to the radio. We really enjoyed Holly Webb’s visit to Habs and we had lots of fun.
Sia 4 AlephA few weeks ago, Habs met the incredible Holly Webb. She talked about quite a few of her books from the animal collection. We learnt she had already written 160 books in her animal collection showing her passionate love of animals. Each book has an inspirational story behind it. For example, she told us that her mother and herself would tell stories at bedtime when she was little and now it is one of her books! She gets her ideas from her readers, her own pets, news and friends. Holly Webb is a fantastic writer and I recommend reading her books.
Anika 5 Aleph
On Friday 15 March, Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed an activity based Financial Workshop which was run by Mrs Haynes. Throughout the morning, we found out about managing and growing our own pot of money along with budgeting, compound interest, profit, risk and loss. It was a lot of fun and gave everyone a great understanding of how to handle money.
'I really enjoyed the Financial Workshop. It showed me how dealing with money can be difficult, but if you work hard you can earn a good income. I also loved the games.' Katie 5 Aleph
'I found out how to avoid risks and spend money carefully. The Financial Workshop taught me a lot about money.' Vrinda 5 Aesc
'I learned how to manage and understand money. The Financial Workshop was very helpful for our futures.' Ivy 5 Aesc
5 AESC
Just after half term, 5 Aesc marked World Thinking Day by performing an awesome assembly to pupils, parents and teachers alike. They explained that the day has been celebrated annually since 1926 by Girl Guides and Scouts from around the world and that the date (Thursday 22 February) was chosen as it was the joint birthday of their founders, Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. The class then shared their research on famous thinkers including Martin Luther-King, Ada Lovelace, Emmeline Pankhurst and Thomas Edison. Next, they performed the story ‘What do you do with an idea?, sharing the message that we should embrace our ideas no matter how small they might seem because ideas can change the world! To end the assembly, the class recited ‘Thinking’ by Walter D Wintle. The poem is a great reminder of the power of mindset and positive attitude in life. 5 Aesc worked incredibly hard preparing their assembly and delivered their lines confidently. Well done!
5 ALEPH
For their class assembly linked to Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, 5 Aleph firstly researched inspirational women in history and presented their findings. Then, the children thought about women in their own lives who provide inspiration and talked about this too. The children consider themselves very fortunate to have such fantastic role models in their lives!
When the composer Errollyn Wallen wrote about her creative life, her story echoed those of female composers through the centuries. ‘Wherever I turned there was rejection’, she said. ‘Nothing about me fitted the picture of a composer. I didn’t even fit the image to myself - I wasn’t white, male, in a wig, or on a wall.’
Historically, the musical world has been dominated by men, with only a few women breaking through to reach high acclaim. In the past, composing was often seen as an improper activity for women. Those who did pursue it tended to use male pseudonyms to get published and perform, and consequently many works have not been attributed correctly.
Despite the somewhat bleak picture, we are now witnessing positive steps for women working in the music industry. In January of this this year, Bachtrack released its annual statistics of classical music performances and revealed that over the past 10 years there has been a steady increase in programming of music by living composers. Women composers made up seven out of the top 20 mostperformed living composers; by contrast, in 2013, there were none. Organisations such as Donne, Women in Music, Boulanger Initiative and Composeher are dedicated to achieving gender equality in the music industry and shining the spotlight on women composers. Positive change is happening.
This is where the musical life at Habs’ can help too. If we are to recognise the contributions of all composers, I believe it starts in the classroom. At school and University, I was rarely exposed to music by women or composers of colour. However, we can now make up for it by exposing the children we teach with resources, click here to access a free ‘Women’s History Month Listening Calendar’, and by sharing the stories of women working in composing and music education. A musical journey is rarely, if ever, taken alone and it is interesting to see how we can influence girls in music education and in pursuit of their musical aspirations. I believe that three common themes emerge: 1. The impact of strong role models; 2 the importance of networks; 3. Our responsibility to promote a diverse range of music.
As teachers, we understand all too well the importance of positive role models. When a young person has someone to they can look up to as a ‘model of inspiration’, the effect can be transformational and long lasting. The composer Dr Kirsty Devaney has pointed out there hadn’t been any female composers presented to her at school, and it was not until she met Errollyn Wallen at a BBC event that she realised composing could be a career option. She then went on to study it at degree level, before gaining a PhD focusing on how composing is taught in the classroom. We have a responsibility as educators to ensure that students are exposed toa diverse range of musicians, and we never know how far that influence may go.
Positive role models and networks may go some way to supporting women’s careers in music, but international promotion in the classroom is also necessary. Are students aware of and learning about music written by both men and women? Also, students can have a different focus each year for Black History Month – black female pianists such as Jeneba Kanneh-Mason and the pianist and educator Zenobia Powell Perry.
Times are changing as we discover more great works written by women from previous times. We can build on this further by aspiring to have equality among men and women composers, where music is included in the classroom and on concert programmes on the basis of merit alone.
FRIDAY 22 MARCH
On Friday 22 March, Year 5 students enjoyed a fascinating day spent in the Auriga Star Dome. Here is what the girls had to say about their joyous experience:
“I enjoyed when we asked questions because I learned so many astonishing facts in a very short space of time.” Livi 5 Aleph
“In the Planetarium, I learned lots of new things. My favourite thing was learning about Artemis. I also learned that it takes around 3-4 days to fly to the moon.” Ivy 5 Aesc
“I really enjoyed it today because I learnt lots about all of the planets, moon landings and NASA.” Mayya 5 Aleph
“I didn’t realise mankind hasn’t been to the moon in over 50 years.” Siya 5 Aesc
“I will never forget it, I wish I could do it all again!” Sienna 5 Aleph
“I learnt so much from the planetarium, all of it was so fascinating and fun. I really enjoyed this because of how many facts I have now learnt compared to what I knew before. My favourite part of the session was when we watched a really interesting video about all of the planets in our Solar System.” Lia 5 Aesc
Our Under 9 Team - Miranda, Shaylee, Alayna, Maya, Emilie and competed in the ISGA National Championship which was held at Tormead School on Saturday 24 February. The gymnasts had to compete in 5 disciplines - set floor, voluntary floor and group floor and two vaults set vault and voluntary vault. The team had qualified for this competition back in November, but at that competition the top 6 schools from the previous year were not present, so we knew this competition would be more intense. The under 9s competed with determination and great team spirit to win a third place bronze medal not only in the group routine section but also in the team event!
On Monday 26 February, Year 5 played a netball match against Highgate at Habs. They did not go easy on us and all 5 teams from Highgate and Habs did their very best and put blood, sweat and tears into the match. Although Highgate did win, the tactics that they taught us are incredible and we will put them towards further matches.
Maanya 5 Aleph
TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY
The gym squad - years 4, 5 & 6 had a friendly competition with Maltmans' Green on Tuesday 27 February and it was a friendly event! When all the gymnasts had arrived, we handed around a bag full of different coloured scrunchies (hair bands) everyone drew out one and that denoted which team they were in. This meant that each team had some members of Habs and some members of Maltmans, they competed as a ‘colour’ and won or lost in that group. They also competed as individuals, competing for the chance to win a medal for their vault and another medal for their floor routine.
WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY
On Wednesday afternoon 28 February, Year 5&6 had netball matches against Orley Farm. Habs teams had high spirits and were determined to win. Fine interceptions were made, superb goals were shot and amazing centre passes were in order. At half time all teams were level with each other which meant that the Habs teams needed to keep working hard and showing lots of determination and teamwork. As the games reached their ends, the Year 5 girls were tired out. We had won all our matches. The final scores were 4‐2 to Habs, 6‐0 to Habs and 5‐1 to Habs.
Ophelia 5 Aesc
THURSDAY 29 FEBRUARY
On Thursday 29 February, 32 girls in year 4, 5 and 6 took part in a Division 10 swimming gala at Habs Boys swimming pool. We were competing against Maltman’s Green and Northwood College. There was a particularly high standard of swimming shown throughout the age groups and there were some particularly exciting races! Congratulations to all swimmers who were excellent ambassadors for Habs everyone showed courage, ambition and fantastic Habs spirit and encouragement!
The Under 10 gymnasts competed at the ISGA National Championships on 3March which was held at Habs Boys. Having won the qualifier in November, albeit without last years top 6 schools, and seeing the success of the under 9s the previous weekend, the gymnasts in the under 10s were filled with aspirations to do their very best. The competition was of a very high standard and our teamSienna, Eliara, Sophia, Tammy and Saffia finished third in the group sequence and 4th in the team competition. Sienna came 8th as an individual and Eliara 10th - with only 0.1 between them!
On Wednesday 6 March, the Year 6 Girls made their way to Berkhamsted to take part in the first football fixture to involve the entire year group. Everyone had a great time playing a new sport, learning new skills and working together. What a great start to the Habs Football journey!
SATURDAY 9 MARCH
On Saturday 9 March, Our Year 6 Gymnastics squad travelled up to Stoke-on-Trent to take part in the Trio Nationals Competition. Rio, Georgia and Sienna performed both a group and solo floor routine, showcasing wonderful control and finesse. Serena showed excellent power and control on the vault, as did Rio and Sienna. What an incredible opportunity to represent Habs on the national stage, Well done girls!
WEDNESDAY 13MARCH
On Wednesday 13 March, the Year 6 Girls took to the Netball Courts for the last time this year to play their final Netball match in the Junior School against RMS. All of the girls worked tirelessly to chase down the ball, run into space and score lots of goals. What a great end to the netball season.
THURSDAY 14 MARCH
As the sun finally came out on Thursday 14 March, Year 5 took to the fields to take part in their Interhouse Football competition. Taking on the challenge of working together and showcasing their football skills, each of the games was filled with goals and great teamwork. The matches were close, with all houses performing brilliantly, but it was the Aardvarks who took the victory with some excellent team performances.
On Friday 15 March, all of Year 3 made their way to the netball courts to take part in the first ever Year 3 Interhouse Netball tournament. With the sun finally shining, the games got underway, with fantastic netball shown by all teams, passing well and communicating to score. It was a closely fought contest with only 5 points separating 4th from 1st, but it was the Puffins who came out victorious. What a fantastic afternoon.
On Monday 19 March, the Year 4 girls took the Fields to take part in their Interhouse Football tournament, embracing the slightly warmer but extremely muddy conditions. The girls performed brilliantly, showcasing fantastic skills and shooting, allowing for lots of goals. It was tightly contested competition, with each house leading the way at one point. It was however the Chameleons that took the title, well done all for such a great morning of football.
WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH
We have had a wonderful afternoon playing netball in the sun at Orley Farm School on Wednesday 20 March. All the teams performed really well, achieving a second place, two, third place and a 4th place in the different tournaments.
“I loved playing against a large number of schools.” Stella 5 Aleph
“You had to try really hard and work as a team to keep possession.” Ellie 5 Aleph
“You have to, at times, keep calm and carry on!” Diya 5 Aleph
THURSDAY 21 MARCH
One of the highlights of the swimming calendar took place on Thursday: the year 5 and 6 Interhouse Swimming Gala. All those taking part competed brilliantly in their events and cheered each other on. It was a great competition with Puffins taking a narrow win.
On Tuesday evening, our ensembles and soloists delighted an audience of family and friends with their dedication to and enthusiasm for performing arts. It was a joyous evening, which showcased the abundance of talent for music, drama and dance we are so lucky to have in the Junior School. The girls performed brilliantly, and they should be incredibly proud of themselves.
A video of the performance will be available for you to view next term
We are excited to begin rehearsals for our Year 6 production of Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins Jr.' Girls will receive their parts and scripts on the last day of term, and we would like all girls to read the script and learn their lines and the songs between now and the beginning of next term, so that we can make a start on rehearsals when we return in April. It is important they read the whole script, so that they have an understanding of the storyline and the characters, and how their role fits into the production as a whole.
The songs can be accessed via this link.
Girls are encouraged to take ownership of their role so they can develop and think creatively about their character portrayal. We intend that, by the end of the process, they will see the value in being part of a production; all pupils will develop their performance skills in their cast role. We hope to give them a full appreciation of stage craft including the devising process as well as the opportunity to perform on stage, so that they end the production with understanding and experience that there is no such thing as ‘a small part’.
We always try to ensure that girls get as equal as possible stage time. Along with performing to a large audience, they will learn about teamwork, dealing with pressure and creativity; most of this takes place during the rehearsal process not during the performances. It is also worth mentioning that not all opportunities are evident within a script, especially when just looking at dialogue. ‘Mary Poppins Jr.’ is demanding on its ensemble, as you will see when you come to watch, with numerous company numbers, all comprising multiple vocal lines and choreography. Each girl, regardless of their named part, will be involved in most, if not all, of these numbers which will challenge them all individually. Please also remind your daughter that we will be working creatively as a production company on the play and all creative contributions are welcome!
Please know that a lot of thought and consideration has gone into the selection of this show, its suitability for our Year 6 girls and the allocation of roles and, as such, all decisions on casting are final.
We very much look forward to working with the pupils to prepare and present their final Junior School production.
As part of our Geography field studies, Year 4 ventured to Radlett on a very rainy Thursday morning. Despite the weather, Year 4 completed their fieldwork and collected data on local amenities and traffic. The kind public answered questions and helped them to complete their questionnaires.
After the outing, Year 4 analysed all the data they collected and created bar graphs about what the data showed. The girls also created posters titled ‘How to improve Radlett High Street’ and have had in depth conversations as to why the public would like to have access to more of specific amenities like banks.
Bourne Hall, 5.15pm to 8.15pm
The Habs Boys’ Parents’ Guild are delighted to announce Eid in the Bourne, an upcoming celebratory event for the whole school community.
Ticket price: Adult £20 / Child £15
Join us on this wonderful occasion that will mark the end of Ramadan and 30 days of fasting, celebrating with food, entertainment, henna, children's activities and more!
Please click the here for more information and to book tickets for this event.
Event queries: habs.eidcelebrations@gmail.com
We are delighted to invite you to our Quiz Night on Thursday 23 May. Doors will open at 6.45pm with the quiz starting promptly at 8pm in the Dining Hall. The event is open to all, so please bring along family and friends.
The ticket price includes supper which will be available from 7.15pm until 7.45pm and will include vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Dessert will be available during the quiz break around 8.45pm. There will also be bar serving drinks throughout the evening and a raffle (cash and cards accepted).
Online booking is now open via the school Box Office. Tickets cost £22 per adult and will be available to book until Monday 20 May. Please note tickets will not be available on the door. This is a popular event that is advertised across both Girls’ and Boys’ Schools, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
We would encourage teams of six to be formed. When booking, please ensure you coordinate with your team to ensure you are all seated at the same table.Alternatively, you are more than welcome to book individual places at any of the available tables and take the opportunity to meet other parents from other year groups.
Raffle tickets will be on sale for a chance to win some fantastic prizes which have been generously donated by local businesses and parents at the school. If you have any prizes you would like to donate, we would love to hear from you.
We look forward to welcoming you to the quiz; in the meantime, if you have any questions, want to make a donation or wish to volunteer at the event, please email the Guild at stcatherineparentsguild@gmail.com
Sunday 30 June 12pm to 4pm
Please click here to find out about our co-commercial Spring Term camps on offer at Habs Elstree Schools. For all weekday activities available, please click here.
Friday 26 April
*Years 5 & 6
ESSA Primary Teams Swimming Gala (AWAY)
Monday 29 April
Wednesday 1 May
Thursday 2 May
Tuesday 7 May
Thursday 9 May
Friday 10 May
Wednesday 15 May
Year 4
Inter House Cricket
Year 6
Inter House Cricket
Year 5
Inter House Cricket
*Years 4 & 6
Divisional 10 Swimming Finals (AWAY)
*Years 3 & 4
Friendly Swimming Gala v Prep Boys’ (Habs’ Boys’ School)
Year 3
Inter House Cross-Country
*Year 6
Cricket v Edge Grove (AWAY)
Wednesday 5 June
Saturday 8 June
Monday 10 June
Wednesday 12 June
Monday 17 June
Wednesday 19 June
Thursday 20 June
Thursday 27 June
*Years 3, 4 & 5
Athletics v RMS (AWAY)
Years 3, 4, 5 & 6
Collaborative Cricket Festival
Years 4
Inter House Cricket
Years 3 & 4
Inter House Swimming
Year 5
Inter House Cricket
Year 6
Inter House Cricket
*Years 3, 4, 5 & 6
Friendly Swimming Gala v NLCS
Junior School Sports Day
MONDAY 25 TO WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH
Off Timetable Week
THURSDAY 28 MARCH TO MONDAY 15 APRIL
School Holidays
MONDAY 15 APRIL
Staff Training Day (No Pupils In School)
TUESDAY 16 APRIL
Summer Term begins
TUESDAY 23 APRIL
Year 2 Cuffley Camp Trip
MONDAY 29 APRIL
1 Purple Class Assembly
FRIDAY 3 MAY
4 Aesc Forest School
MONDAY 6 MAY Bank Holiday (No Pupils In School)
TUESDAY 7 TO FRIDAY 10 MAY
Year 5 Skern Lodge Residential
WEDNESDAY 15 TO FRIDAY 17 MAY
Year 4 PGL Marchants Hill
THURSDAY 16 TO FRIDAY 17 MAY
Year 3 Camp Night
The reminder dates above cover the next four school weeks, if you require further information beyond this time frame, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.