Habs Weekly Junior School Edition Friday 19 January 2024 Spring Term
Head of Junior School’s message Thank you to all the parents who have signed up to be part of our Parent Voice Group on Wednesday 7 February, if you would like to be involved, please complete this form by Friday 26 January. Since September we have been focusing on Student Voice and ensuring that every girls’ voice in the Junior School is heard. We have listened carefully to their ideas to improve play times and we have already made some improvements, purchased new sports equipment, football goals and many items for imaginative play. We are still waiting for the netball hoops. As the weather to improves we plan to repaint the playhouse and make outdoor chalk boards for the girls to be able to create art work. Thank you for all the props and dressing up clothes for the stage area we have received. At Habs, we are passionate about sustainability and the environment, so if you do have any more props or dressing up clothes that you no longer need, we would love to have them.
The girls are currently discussing in student voice what they enjoy about our ‘Personal Social Health and Citizenship Education’ (PSHCE) curriculum and how it can be improved. The Student Voice leaders are also researching about becoming a UNICEF Rights Respecting School and I am looking forward to meeting them next week to hear what they have discovered. I hope you have a wonderful weekend
Mrs Claire Brown Head of Junior School
Cornflower Assembly Friday 12 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 with us too.
Ambition
Community
Amara (Rainbow Blue) Emily (5 Aleph) Ellen (Rainbow Blue) Mimi (5 Aleph) Shanaya (1 Purple) Serena (6 Aesc) Bea (2A) Norah (6 Aleph) Maya (4 Aleph) Sadie (5 Aesc)
Harriet (Rainbow Red) Surya (3 Alpha) Rosalyn (2 Alpha) Elsa (4 Aesc) Thea (2 Ansuz) Aanya (6 Aesc) Khushi (2 Ansuz) Eva (6 Aleph) Rosalyn (2 Alpha) Zahra (3A)
Curiosity
Courage
Ryeona (3A) Issra (3 Alpha) Emilie (4 Aleph)
Ivy (1 Purple) Alayna (4 Aesc) Ivy (5 Aesc)
Rainbow to Year 6 Information Lunch Menu
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WEEK COMMENCING 22 JANUARY Please click here to view our Rainbow and KS1 lunch menu. Please click here to view our KS2 lunch menu.
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.
Snacks 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.
Habs Elstree Schools Foundation WOMEN IN BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT - WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY Please click here to view invitation letter.
Royal Academy Young Artists’ Summer Show 2024
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COMPETITION Please click here to view letter.
Cold Weather - Uniform Reminder REMINDER With the winter weather now in full swing, please may we remind all families that all pupils will be outside before school and for breaktimes and lunchtimes and as such, need to wrap up warmly remembering that long socks or tights should be worn with winter uniform.. Only school uniform colour (matching the version of uniform your child is wearing) hats, scarves and gloves should be worn; all items must be clearly named. Please click here to review the information about the new uniform phasing in plans.
Outgrown Uniform Sale MONDAY 22 JANUARY Please click here to view the flier for more information.
RAINBOW TO YEAR 6 INFORMATION
Wraparound Care BOOKING LINK Please click here to book your daughter into Wraparound Care.
Parent Handbook REMINDER Please click here to review the Parent Information Booklet for 2023/24.
RAINBOW TO YEAR 6 INFORMATION CONTINUED
Family Friday Once again, we look forward to welcoming all families into school for our Spring term Family Friday events, giving an opportunity for your daughters to share their work and learning environment with you. Key dates:
Friday 9 February 2024 (8am to 8.30am)
Rainbow, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5, followed by Parent Talks
Friday 22 March 2024 (8am to 8.30am)
Rainbow, Years 2, Year 4 and Year 6, followed by Parent Talks
Classrooms will be open from 8am and you are welcome to pop in any time up until 8.30am, when we will revert to normal registration and lessons. In line with our safeguarding policy, no taking of photos or filming is permitted during the ‘Family Friday’ sessions. On arrival at school, please use the car park, as opposed to the drop off lanes, and walk to the Junior School. The middle doors will be open from 8am and from there you will head to your child’s classroom, where you will sign in. If you have more than one child involved in the event, older siblings will collect their work and meet you in the classroom of the younger sibling. Should you be unable to join your child, they will have the opportunity to bring home some of the work to share with you the evening before. If you would like your child to bring work home because you are unable to attend, please contact their class teacher.
Family Friday teacher-led workshops We are continuing to offer a range of short teacher-led workshops . These will take place between 8.30am and 9am, straight after Family Friday class based time; these will consist of a short talk followed by an opportunity to ask related questions. The workshops will be repeated in both halves of the term, and you are welcome to attend even if your daughter’s year group do not have Family Friday on that date. The programme for this term is below:
Spring Term (Friday 9 February and Friday 22 March 2024)
• Using Devices to Complement Learning • Developing a Curious Mind • Negotiating Friendships
Please use this form to indicate if you wish to attend this term. The form will remain open until Monday 5 February, and then reopen again after the half term holiday.
Rainbow Rainbow and KS1 Production 'Super Star' Photographs IMPORTANT INFORMATION Photographs taken at the dress rehearsal of 'Super Star' are available to view and purchase. Please use this link to view a slideshow of all the images available to purchase. Please use this form to order photographs. All proceeds from photograph sales will be donated to the St Catherine Parents’ Guild. Please use this link to view the recording of the production.
NEW
Rainbow Family Fridays SPRING TERM The dates for Rainbow Family Fridays for the Spring Term are as follows: Friday 9 February 2024
8am – 8:30am
Friday 1 March 2024
3pm – 3:30pm (Rainbow only)
Friday 22 March 2024
8am – 8:30am
Please note that on Friday 1 March 2024, you will be able to take your child home from the classroom. On Friday 9 February and Friday 22 March 2024, there will be the opportunity for you to sign up to a variety of teacher-led workshops that will run from 8.30am to 9am (more details on page 8 of this publication) In line with our safeguarding policy, no taking of photos or filming will be permitted during the ‘Family Friday’ sessions. We hope that you will enjoy this opportunity to spend some time with your child and enjoy their learning environment.
Year 1 Rainbow and KS1 Production 'Super Star' Photographs IMPORTANT INFORMATION Photographs taken at the dress rehearsal of 'Super Star' are available to view and purchase. Please use this link to view a slideshow of all the images available to purchase. Please use this form to order photographs. All proceeds from photograph sales will be donated to the St Catherine Parents’ Guild. Please use this link to view the recording of the production.
NEW
Year 2 Rainbow and KS1 Production 'Super Star' Photographs IMPORTANT INFORMATION Photographs taken at the dress rehearsal of 'Super Star' are available to view and purchase. Please use this link to view a slideshow of all the images available to purchase. Please use this form to order photographs. All proceeds from photograph sales will be donated to the St Catherine Parents’ Guild. Please use this link to view the recording of the production.
NEW
ACE Chess Tournament Please click here to view a letter from Mr Eden regarding an exciting opportunity to take part in a Chess tournament here at Habs on Saturday 20 January.
2 Alpha Class Assembly MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2 Alpha will be delivering their class assembly on Monday 22 January at 8.45am to 9.15am in the Performance Space, which parents and guardians are warmly invited to. Attending parents should park in the visitor's car park and walk round to the Dining Hall doors, where you will be registered from 8.30am and directed to the Performance Space.
2A Class Assembly
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MONDAY 29 JANUARY 2A will be delivering their class assembly on Monday 29 January at 8.45am to 9.15am in the Performance Space, which parents and guardians are warmly invited to. Attending parents should park in the visitor's car park and walk round to the Dining Hall doors, where you will be registered from 8.30am and directed to the Performance Space.
Year 3 ABRSM Practical Music Examinations – Spring 2024
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REMINDER This is a reminder that the deadline for examination entry is Monday 22 January by 4pm. Please click here to view letter sent earlier this week from Director of Music, Ms Mea Jenkins.
The Lion King Theatre Trip WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY 2024 We are looking forward to taking Year 3 and Year 4 to see The Lion King at the theatre. For further information please refer to the Evolve letter already published. Please note that if your daughter is coming back to school to be collected after the trip to The Lion King, children should now be collected from the student shelter in the main girls’ school car park.
ACE Chess Tournament Please click here to view a letter from Mr Eden regarding an exciting opportunity to take part in a Chess tournament here at Habs on Saturday 20 January.
Year 4 ACE Chess Tournament Please click here to view a letter from Mr Eden regarding an exciting opportunity to take part in a Chess tournament here at Habs on Saturday 20 January.
The Lion King Theatre Trip WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY 2024 We are looking forward to taking Year 3 and Year 4 to see The Lion King at the theatre. For further information please refer to the Evolve letter already published. Please note that if your daughter is coming back to school to be collected after the trip to The Lion King, children should now be collected from the student shelter in the main girls’ school car park.
Year 4 Parents’ Transition Talk THURSDAY 25 JANUARY 7PM TO 8PM We look forward to welcoming Year 4 parents into school for a presentation from Mrs Wright and Mrs Brown regarding future transition to Senior School and an opportunity to ask any questions. Attending parents should park in the visitor's car park and follow signs to the Dining Hall doors, where you will be directed to the Performance Space.
Year 4 Play 'Peter Pan’
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WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2PM AND THURSDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2PM We have had another fantastic week of rehearsals for 'Peter Pan' and we are so excited about welcoming you all in to watch. Tickets for the performances can be reserved online using the box office from Friday 2 February at 9pm. A direct link can be found here. There is a limit of 2 tickets per child per performance for this production. The booking form will close on Wednesday 7 February at 8am. Thank you again for all the support and encouragement with line-learning and songpractising, click here for song link, that you continue to show your daughters through the rehearsal process. It has such a huge impact on their progress and is much appreciated.
PE Spring Term 2 2024 IMPORTANT INFORMATION All students in Years 4 will need to have football boots and football socks (any colour) for their football lessons which will take place during their PE curriculum lessons from after the February half term to Easter during Spring 2.
YEAR 4 INFORMATION
ABRSM Practical Music Examinations – Spring 2024
NEW
REMINDER This is a reminder that the deadline for examination entry is Monday 22 January by 4pm. Please click here to view letter sent earlier this week from Director of Music, Ms Mea Jenkins.
Year 5 ACE Chess Tournament Please click here to view a letter from Mr Eden regarding an exciting opportunity to take part in a Chess tournament here at Habs on Saturday 20 January.
Wicked Theatre Trip WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2024 We are looking forward to taking Year 5 and Year 6 to see Wicked at the theatre. For further information please refer to the Evolve letter sent last week for payment and consent. Please note that if your daughter is coming back to school to be collected after the trip to Wicked, children should now be collected from the student shelter in the main girls’ school car park.
Lacrosse from Spring Term 2024 IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please be reminded that students in Year 5 and 6 will be playing both lacrosse and football as part of their PE curriculum lessons in the Spring term. For these lessons, all students will need football boots and football socks (navy if wearing new navy kit, any colour if in green kit) and in addition, for lacrosse, a mouth guard and lacrosse goggles. The lacrosse googles can be purchased from Hattersleys, their website is Hattersleys (hattersleysonline.co.uk). There are specific goggles that can be worn over glasses too if required, these are called Unique Over Specs Lacrosse goggles. The school will provide all of the students with a lacrosse stick for their lessons and cocurricular lunchtime club.
Year 5 and Year 6 Performance Opportunity
NEW
Once again, we are pleased to offer our Year 5 and Year 6 girls the opportunity to audition to perform a solo or a small group piece in our forthcoming Performing Arts Evening. Girls are invited to submit themselves via video audition which should be uploaded to the folder entitled 'Performing Arts Evening Auditions' in their Performing Arts Showbie folder. Pieces should be limited to 3 minutes in length and be 'performance ready' at the time of submission. We are keen to welcome drama and dance performances in particular, as well as music, as the evening is a celebration of all the performing arts. The deadline to submit audition videos will be 5pm on Monday 26 February and girls will be notified whether they have been chosen to perform or not later that week.
YEAR 5 INFORMATION
ABRSM Practical Music Examinations – Spring 2024
NEW
REMINDER This is a reminder that the deadline for examination entry is Monday 22 January by 4pm. Please click here to view letter sent earlier this week from Director of Music, Ms Mea Jenkins.
Jazz Summer School 2024
NEW
Please click here for more information.
Habs Indian Music Course 2024 Please click here for more information.
NEW
Year 6 ACE Chess Tournament Please click here to view a letter from Mr Eden regarding an exciting opportunity to take part in a Chess tournament here at Habs on Saturday 20 January.
Wicked Theatre Trip WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2024 We are looking forward to taking Year 5 and Year 6 to see Wicked at the theatre. For further information please refer to the Evolve letter sent last week for payment and consent. Please note that if your daughter is coming back to school to be collected after the trip to Wicked, children should now be collected from the student shelter in the main girls’ school car park.
Lacrosse from Spring Term 2024 IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please be reminded that students in Year 5 and 6 will be playing both lacrosse and football as part of their PE curriculum lessons in the Spring term. For these lessons, all students will need football boots and football socks (navy if wearing new navy kit, any colour if in green kit) and in addition, for lacrosse, a mouth guard and lacrosse goggles. The lacrosse googles can be purchased from Hattersleys, their website is Hattersleys (hattersleysonline.co.uk). There are specific goggles that can be worn over glasses too if required, these are called Unique Over Specs Lacrosse goggles. The school will provide all of the students with a lacrosse stick for their lessons and cocurricular lunchtime club.
Year 5 and Year 6 Performance Opportunity
NEW
Once again, we are pleased to offer our Year 5 and Year 6 girls the opportunity to audition to perform a solo or a small group piece in our forthcoming Performing Arts Evening. Girls are invited to submit themselves via video audition which should be uploaded to the folder entitled 'Performing Arts Evening Auditions' in their Performing Arts Showbie folder. Pieces should be limited to 3 minutes in length and be 'performance ready' at the time of submission. We are keen to welcome drama and dance performances in particular, as well as music, as the evening is a celebration of all the performing arts. The deadline to submit audition videos will be 5pm on Monday 26 February and girls will be notified whether they have been chosen to perform or not later that week.
YEAR 6 INFORMATION
ABRSM Practical Music Examinations – Spring 2024
NEW
REMINDER This is a reminder that the deadline for examination entry is Monday 22 January by 4pm. Please click here to view letter sent earlier this week from Director of Music, Ms Mea Jenkins.
Jazz Summer School 2024
NEW
Please click here for more information.
Habs Indian Music Course 2024 Please click here for more information.
NEW
SAVE THE DATE
Year 3 to Year 6
Junior Performing Arts Evening Tuesday 19 March at 7pm in The Prevett Hall You are warmly invited to our Junior Performing Arts Evening, which will take place on Tuesday 19 March at 7pm in the Prevett Hall. The evening is entitled 'A Celebration of Music, Dance and Drama through the Ages', and will feature the following: KS2 Chorus - this involves every pupil from Year 3 to Year 6 Junior Orchestra Junior Choir Senior Choir Brass Ensemble Guitar Ensemble Super Saxes Recorder Consort (formerly Descant Recorders) Year 3 Recorders Golden Bones Junior Chamber Strings Fabulous Four-Stringers KS2 Performing Arts Club Joint Year 5 Performance Squad Flamenco Dance There will also be solo and small group items interspersed in the programme, provided by performers from Year 5 and Year 6. Please note that girls in the ensembles and the Year 5 and Year 6 solo/group performers will need to bring their instruments into school for a rehearsal on the day of the concert. For the concert itself, instrumentalists should arrive at the Prevett Hall no later than 6.15pm, and the rest of the pupils who are taking part should arrive by 6.30pm. Pre-concert refreshments will be available for the audience in the Prevett Hall foyer. We expect the concert to end by 8.20pm. Tickets for the evening can be reserved online using the box office from Friday 15 March at 9pm. A direct link to the box office will be shared closer to the event date. There will be a limit of 2 tickets per family at £5 for each ticket for this concert. Students taking part in the concert do not need tickets. The booking form will close on Tuesday 19 March at 8am. The dress for the evening is all black: Plain black trousers or leggings and black top (with no embellishments) and plain black shoes and socks (school shoes are fine). We look forward to seeing you at the Performing Arts Evening which promises to be a varied programme and a real showcase for all involved.
SAVE THE DATE
Habs Giving Day 2024 MiniDash TUESDAY 5 MARCH (after drop off)
Attention all Junior and Prep School parents and guardians! Get the silly hats ready, get set and go! Join your child(ren) on the morning of Tuesday 5 March for our annual fun run in support of Habs Giving Day. Last year over 300 parents and guardians took part and had a lot of fun! Click here to view the MiniDash 2023 photo gallery. Every parent/guardian and child who runs (or jogs, or walks…) in the MiniDash unlocks extra cash from our challenge donors, meaning more funding for Bursaries and Community Service Partnerships, the schools’ top priorities this year. Habs Giving Day is all about celebrating community, philanthropy and taking part. Registration for the event will open on Friday 2 February and more details will be shared in the coming weeks, but for now save the date and start stretching! Please contact Mrs Sonal Dhadphale, Alumni foundation@habselstree.org.uk if you have any queries.
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JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORTS FIXTURES SPRING 2024 FRIDAY 26 JANUARY
* Years 5 & 6 ISFA Football Festival at Radlett Prep (AWAY)
MONDAY 29 JANUARY
* Year 5 Netball vs Manor Lodge
THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY
* Years 4, 5, 6 Swimming Division 10 Gala
SATURDAY 3 FEBRUARY
* Year 6 HSAA Cross Country Championships
SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY
* Year 6 Gymnastics Trio Regionals
WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY
* Year 6 Netball vs Manor Lodge
*Invite only via Evolve
SPORTS FIXTURES SPRING 2024 CONTINUED TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY
* Years 3, 4,5,6 Gymnastics vs Maltmans Green at Habs’ Boys’.
WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY
* Year 5 & 6 Netball vs Orley Farm
THURSDAY 29 FEBRUARY
* Years 4, 5 & 6 Swimming Division 10 Gala at Habs’ Boys’.
SUNDAY 3 MARCH
* Year 6 ISGA Gymnastics (5 piece)
WEDNESDAY 6 MARCH
* Years 5 & 6 Football vs Berkhamsted (AWAY)
FRIDAY 8 MARCH
* ESSA Divisional Round at Woodside (AWAY)
*Invite only via Evolve
JUNIOR SCHOOL CALENDAR DATES SPRING TERM 2024
MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2 Alpha Class Assembly Outgrown Uniform Sale WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY Years 3 & 4 The Lion King Theatre Trip THURSDAY 25 JANUARY Year 4 Parents’ Transition Talk MONDAY 29 JANUARY 2A Class Assembly WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY Years 5 & 6 Wicked Theatre Trip
WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY Year 4 Online Safety Workshop Year 5 Online Safety Workshop Year 4 Play Performance THURSDAY 8 FEBRUARY Year 4 Online Safety Workshop Year 6 Online Safety Workshop Year 4 Play Performance FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY Family Friday – Rainbow, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5 Family Friday Parent Talks MONDAY 12 FEBRUARY TO FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY Half Term
THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY Years 5 & 6 Holocaust Memorial Speaker Parent Information Evening FRIDAY 2 FEBRUARY 5 Aleph Forest School
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.