Junior School Weekly - 15 September 2023

Habs Weekly Junior School edition

Friday 15 September 2023

Autumn Term

Junior School’s Message

Mrs Claire Brown (Head of Junior School)

It has been fantastic to welcome everyone back and the Junior School is buzzing with enthusiasm and the promise of a new school year filled with opportunities.

I have enjoyed spending time visiting lessons and starting to learn everyone’s name. Your warm welcome, insightful conversations and the opportunity to witness the dedication and enthusiasm of the girls’ engaged in learning has been a delight.

I wanted to thank our new Rainbows who treated their parents to an expert tour of their classrooms on Tuesday afternoon. The Rainbows have quickly settled into their new routines and I can see they are already enjoying themselves and their learning environment.

This week in assembly we were reminded about the importance of our school values; Ambition, Curiosity, Courage and Community and how they are celebrated each week in our Cornflower assemblies.

Our Academic Enrichment program also launched this week with a talk from Mr Elegbe emphasising the importance of fostering curiosity and a willingness to learn, especially in the context of Artificial Intelligence. Mr Elegbe finished his talk reminding us to be curious and willing to learn.

Rainbow to Year 6 Information

Lunch Menus

WEEK COMMENCING 18 SEPTEMBER

Click here to view our Rainbow and KS1 lunch menu.

Click here to view our KS2 lunch menu.

Wraparound Care

BOOKING LINK

Please click here to book your child into Wraparound Care.

Uniform

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please click here to view information on the new uniform phasing plans.

Parent Handbook

Please click here to review up to date Parent Information Booklet for 2023/24.

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.

Autumn 1 Curriculum Documents

There is so much to be excited about in the coming weeks. Learning in Rainbow will be led by the children’s interests and key events.

The curriculum overviews below, for Years 1 to 6, outline the topics that will be covered in class this half-term.

Year

Year

ACE - Autumn Term

Miss Sultana will now be overseeing the ACE programme so please direct any queries to her: rsultana@habsgirls.org.uk. All ACE will begin on Monday 18 September.

Lunchtime ACE

Year 1 to 6 pupils have selected their lunch time ACE activities in school this week. Where activities have been oversubscribed, we have sought to offer additional places or liaised with the girls to select an alternative. Waiting lists have been created, should these activities be offered in the Spring Term.

Wraparound ACE

If you have not been contacted to say otherwise, your daughter has been allocated the wraparound ACE activities that were selected last term using the electronic form.

Spaces remain on the following activities:

If you would like your daughter to participate in any of these activities, please email Miss Sultana directly at: rsultana@habsgirls.org.uk.

These remaining spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Authorised Collectors

All adults who are authorised collectors for your child should be registered as such on the Parent Portal. We are not able to release your child to any adult who is not registered as an authorised collector. If you are making a change to your child’s authorised collectors on the Parent Portal within 48 hours of the time you wish your child to be collected by this adult, please also send notice of this in writing to your child’s class teacher and Mrs Walsh. Parents do not need to list themselves as authorised collectors.

Junior School Playground

The Junior School playground is staffed and open to students from 8am. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students, no Junior School child should be on the playground before this time, even if they are accompanied by an adult. If students arrive before 8am, we ask that they wait outside the playground with an adult or remain in their vehicle until the playground is staffed. Breakfast Club is available for families who would like to drop their children at school before 8am. Please book via the Wraparound Care link on page 3. If any Junior School students are found to be unaccompanied by an adult before 8am, they will be taken to Breakfast Club for their safety, and a charge will be applied.

'Introduction to Phonics' Talk

FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER

Rainbow parents are warmly invited to join us on Friday 22 September at 2.30pm for an ‘Introduction to Phonics’ talk in the Prevett Hall. Please head towards Prevett Hall where you will be signed in by a member of staff.

Rainbow staff will introduce the Habs approach and methods towards teaching phonics. Following this talk, you will be invited to come into your daughter’s classroom for our first ‘Family Friday’ of the year. This will be an opportunity for you to spend some time with your daughter, where she can show you some of her work and her classroom.

Important Reminder

The Rainbow children have all settled well into life here at Habs. They have been having lots of fun and are quickly learning new routines and making new friends. To help us with our lunchtimes here at school, we ask that you encourage your child to use a knife and fork during mealtimes at home.

Mrs Prendergast has also asked us to remind all parents/guardians to remove their child’s earrings prior to coming to school on P.E days. This is for health and safety reasons. If the earrings are caught by accident during a PE lesson, they could cause significant damage to your child and others around them.

Rainbow to Year 2 Chaperoned Minibus Service Trial

FOR CURRENT RAINBOW AND YEAR 1 PARENTS ONLY

If you are interested in your child using the chaperoned minibus service after Autumn 2023 halfterm, please read this letter and express your interest.

Rainbow Autumn Term Family Fridays

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

We would like to invite you to join your child in their classroom for our ‘Family Fridays’. This will be an opportunity for you to spend some time with your child, when they can share some of their work with you and show you around their classroom. You may choose to attend for the full half hour or for just part of this time and we please ask for only one parent to attend per pupil.

We will be running ‘Family Fridays’ for Rainbow twice every half-term, creating an opportunity for you to attend at your convenience.

The dates for the Autumn Term are as follows:

• Friday 22 September 2023 - 3pm to 3.30pm

• Friday 13 October 2023 - 8am to 8.30am

• Friday 10 November 2023 - 3pm to 3.30pm

• Friday 08 December 2023 - 8am to 8.30am

Please note that on Friday 22 September and Friday 10 November, you will be able to take your child home from the classroom. On Friday 13 October and Friday 8 December, 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. Details of the parent talks will be shared in Habs Weekly next week.

In line with our safeguarding policy, taking of photos or filming will not 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 to Year 2 Chaperoned Minibus Service Trial

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you are interested in your child using the chaperoned minibus service after Autumn 2023 halfterm, please read this letter and express your interest.

Year 2

Rainbow to Year 2 Chaperoned Minibus Service Trial

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you are interested in your child using the chaperoned minibus service after Autumn 2023 halfterm, please read this letter and express your interest.

Year 3

Celtic Harmony Camp

THURSDAY 21 SEPTEMBER

On Thursday 21 September, as part of our work on the Stone Age, Year 3 will be going on a trip to Celtic Harmony Camp. Full details have been shared via Evolve and we request that consent is given at your earliest convenience.

The Young Geographer of the Year Competition

Please click here to read full letter.

The Young Geographer of the Year competition is the Royal Geographical Society’s annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning from Year 3 to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition’s theme which is set each year.

The deadline is Monday 25 September 2023. All entries should be handed to your child’s new Junior School class teacher. Only the top ten entries can be submitted to the Royal Geographical Society. Therefore, once all entries have been given in, a panel of teachers (including the Head of Geography from the Senior School) will judge and select the best ten. Entries from all students will be celebrated within the school and we very much hope your child will take part in this prestigious competition.

If you have further questions, please contact Carolyn Sawkins: csawkins@habsgirls.org.uk

Year 4

The Young Geographer of the Year Competition

Please click here to read full letter.

The Young Geographer of the Year competition is the Royal Geographical Society’s annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning from Year 3 to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition’s theme which is set each year.

The deadline is Monday 25 September 2023. All entries should be handed to your child’s new Junior School class teacher. Only the top ten entries can be submitted to the Royal Geographical Society. Therefore, once all entries have been given in, a panel of teachers (including the Head of Geography from the Senior School) will judge and select the best ten. Entries from all students will be celebrated within the school and we very much hope your child will take part in this prestigious competition.

If you have further questions, please contact Carolyn Sawkins: csawkins@habsgirls.org.uk

Year 5

The Young Geographer of the Year Competition

Please click here to read full letter.

The Young Geographer of the Year competition is the Royal Geographical Society’s annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning from Year 3 to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition’s theme which is set each year.

The deadline is Monday 25 September 2023. All entries should be handed to your child’s new Junior School class teacher. Only the top ten entries can be submitted to the Royal Geographical Society. Therefore, once all entries have been given in, a panel of teachers (including the Head of Geography from the Senior School) will judge and select the best ten. Entries from all students will be celebrated within the school and we very much hope your child will take part in this prestigious competition.

If you have further questions, please contact Carolyn Sawkins: csawkins@habsgirls.org.uk

Year 5 and 6 Afterschool Squad Trials

If your child is attending trials, please complete this form by 12pm on Thursday 21 September so we know which pupils to expect.

Year 6

The Young Geographer of the Year Competition

Please click here to read full letter.

The Young Geographer of the Year competition is the Royal Geographical Society’s annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning from Year 3 to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition’s theme which is set each year.

The deadline is Monday 25 September 2023. All entries should be handed to your child’s new Junior School class teacher. Only the top ten entries can be submitted to the Royal Geographical Society. Therefore, once all entries have been given in, a panel of teachers (including the Head of Geography from the Senior School) will judge and select the best ten. Entries from all students will be celebrated within the school and we very much hope your child will take part in this prestigious competition.

If you have further questions, please contact Carolyn Sawkins: csawkins@habsgirls.org.uk

Year 5 and 6 Afterschool Squad Trials

If your child is attending trials, please complete this form by 12pm on Thursday 21 September so we know which pupils to expect.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CALENDAR DATES

2023/24 ACADEMIC YEAR

THURSDAY 21 SEPTEMBER Year 3 Celtic Harmony Trip Year 5 to 6 Author Visit (Katherine Rundell)

FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER Rainbow Family Friday

WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER Individual Pupil Photographs

TUESDAY 3 OCTOBER Rainbow Parents' Evening 1

THURSDAY 5 OCTOBER Rainbow Parents' Evening 2

FRIDAY 13 OCTOBER Family Friday Parent Talks

Family Friday - Rainbow, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5

MONDAY 16 OCTOBER TO FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER Half Term

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

* Selected pupils will be invited to participate via Evolve