As we step into May, the energy across our school is unmistakable This is a time of both focus and celebration, as our students prepare for their official state exams and Cambridge Progression Tests. I am proud of their dedication and resilience, and I wish each one of them the very best as they demonstrate all they have learned.
May also brings opportunities for growth beyond the classroom. Our muchanticipated Green Camps are just around the corner, offering students the chance to connect with nature, develop life skills, and strengthen friendships through shared experiences. We are also looking forward to Sports Day a highlight of our calendar where we celebrate teamwork, effort, and school spirit.
Thank you to our families for your continued support. Let’s continue to work together to ensurre our students finish the term with pride, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment.
Best wishes,
Katarzyna Wiśniewska Head of Włochy Campus
Thames British School
9 May: Predicted grades
13-15 May: Year 9 State Exam / Cambridge
Progression Tests (Year 3–9)
26-28 May: Primary Green Camp
Events
26-29 May: Lower Secondary Green Camp
30 May: Children's Day
6 June: Year 9 Prom/Final grades
Wlochy Campus Phone Number:
510 161 597 (8 am - 4 pm).
Włochy Campus Secretary:
Ms Justyna Kasprzyk secretary wlochy@thamesbritishschool pl
Włochy Campus Receptionist: Ms Klaudia Osiak receptionist wlochy@thamesbritishschool.pl
Head of Włochy Campus:
Ms Katarzyna Wiśniewska head wlochy@thamesbritishschoo pl
Deputy Head of Primary
Mr Daniel White dan.white@thamesbritishschool.pl
Deputy Head of Lower Secondary
Ms Jessica Wrbka cambridge wlochy@thamesbritishschool.pl
Class Updates
Thames British School
Year 2
Year 2 is always busy learning and discovering new things. In Maths, we’ve been exploring measurements, covering length, height, and mass. The children have been doing a fantastic job, and we’re now excited to dive into measuring volume! In English, we’ve been learning how to write clear and engaging instructions, using time connectives to make them even more effective. In Science, we’ve started a brand new topic all about light. We had a fun and interactive experiment where we tried drawing pictures in both a brightly lit room and complete darkness to discover how our eyes rely on light to see. The students were curious and enthusiastic throughout the activity! There’s plenty more exciting and hands-on learning ahead after the May holiday break, so we can’t wait to continue this journey of discovery together!
Kind Regards,
Ms Monika
Our stars are Maks and Helenka. Max for writing a diary entry independently and being more brave with using English Helenka for her fantastic attitude towards learning and always trying her best.
Thames British School
Year 3
In Year 3, we have been preparing for the exams in the coming weeks with revision of our learning from the year taking centre stage. The children have been engaging well with this work as well as assessing the school values and how we can implement them in class.
In English we have been revising grammar including word classess, such as nouns, verbs, adjective,and adverbs as well as how they relate to each other in sentence construction. We are continuing our phonics and guided reading work in the morning to allow the children to feel more comfortable with their reading and speaking skills.
We have been looking over some of the arithmatic from across the year. Looking again at some times tables as well as written methods for addition and subtraction. We have also been continuing our work on time, in both analouge and digital. Make sure to ask your children what time it is as this helps them practise the skill!
In science we have been revisiting biology from earlier in the year such as plants and life procceses. There are some resources on the google classroom if you are looking to revise this further at home.
The class have persistantally been trying hard and even though exams can be hard I believe they will do the best they can!
Kind regards, Joshua
Contact us for more information regarding the latest news!
Thames British School
Year 3
German: We will learn vocabulary and expressions related to free time activities and places to visit.
Music: We will complete the work on the "My Music MiniBook" project.
Polish: We will talk about fruit and vegetables and continue revising the Polish alphabet.
Polish (native) : We will analyze good deeds and developing both spoken and written expressions.
Spanish: We will talk about the house and a small description of the rooms in it. We will practise listening and audiovisual comprehension.
Thames British School
Year 4
Having finished suspense stories we are now moving through some grammar and vocabulary revision. We have focused on using adverbs and modal verbs in our writing while next up we will discuss adjective, conjunctions and quantifiers. Meanwhile, we've finished our topic looking at time and are now focused on angles. Finally, our habitats topic has come to an end and we've moved onto focusing on sound as vibrations.
Kind Regards, Mr
Christopher Kane
Since our last newsletter we've had two stars of the week. Damira for her all round model attitude and Nurgul for writing a fantastic suspense story.
Thames British School
Year 4
German: We will learn vocabulary related to zoo animals.
Music: Learners will compose their own song and perform it for an audience.
Polish: We will continue talking about food, practise polish cases and verbs such us pić, jeść, lubić.
Polish (native) : We willdiscuss and write about the wonders of nature and practice writting words including "ch".
Spanish: We will learn about clothes and will classify them in each season.We will practise listening and audiovisual comprehension.
Contact us for more information regarding the latest news!
Thames British School
Year 5
In English, we've been reading Who Let the Gods Out by Maz Evans, and the story has taken an exciting and dramatic turn. The main character, Elliot, accidentally releases Thanatos, the god of death, from his prison. Thanatos cleverly tricks Elliot into breaking the magical shackles that had kept him trapped for centuries. Now that he’s free, Thanatos is on a mission to bring destruction to the world. The tension is building, and we’re all eager to find out what will happen next and how Elliot will face the challenges ahead.
In Maths, we recently completed our unit on statistics. We learned how to recognise and interpret different types of graphs, including pictograms, tally charts, bar charts, and line graphs. It was interesting to see how data can be presented in different ways to make it easier to understand. We've now moved on to learning about angles. We’ve started exploring how to identify, measure, and classify angles, which is a new and exciting challenge for us. We also took part in some fun and creative activities. We joined an Egg Painting competition, where we got to decorate eggs with our own designs. We also participated in a Talent Show, which was a brilliant opportunity for everyone to showcase their unique skills, from singing and dancing to telling jokes and performing magic tricks. Both events were great fun and a wonderful way to express ourselves and support our classmates.
Kind Regards,
Ms Agnieszka Brands
Our star of the week is Danyil for his resilience in learning English.
Thames British School
Year 6
It’s been a busy and exciting few weeks in Year 6!
To celebrate Easter, we enjoyed a creative and colourful egg painting activity. Our classroom was filled with imagination as we turned simple eggs into mini masterpieces, each one as unique as its artist!
Some of our talented classmates also took to the stage for the school Talent Show, showcasing their skills and confidence in front of an enthusiastic audience. We’re so proud of everyone who participated!
This week also brought some bittersweet news, as we said goodbye to one of our classmates. He and his family are returning to their home country, and while we are sad to see him go, we wish them all the best in their next chapter. He will be greatly missed by us all.
In Mathematics, we are currently working on Decimals, sharpening our understanding through problem-solving and practical activities. Soon, we will be expanding our knowledge as we explore Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages—an important and exciting part of our learning journey.
In English, we’ve begun reading our new novel, Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick. The story has already sparked plenty of discussion, and we’re eager to see what drama and adventure lies ahead.
Kind Regards,
Mr Thomas Cato
Contact us for more information regarding the latest news!
Thames British School
Year 6
Art: Through art, we will foster a celebration of democracy.
Biology: We are focussing on the digestive system, and we will next focus on the heart.
German: We will learn vocabulary related to means of transport.
History: In History students will learn about conflicts of the Christian world, Islam, and the pagan world in the late Middle Ages.
Music: Students will have singing lessons and learn a new song.
Polish: We will be learning about different places in a city.
Polish (native) : In Y6, we will study "Rota" and selected excerpts from Pan Tadeusz, with a particular focus on the mushroom picking scene, to explore literary techniques, themes, and cultural context.
Science: In Science we will be turning our attention to Forces and Motion.
Spanish: We will learn about clothes and will classify them in each season.We will practise listening and audiovisual comprehension.
Contact us for more information regarding the latest news!
Thames British School
Year 7A Year 7B
Our students have been working diligently and are now approaching the final stages of their academic journey this year. Their commitment and enthusiasm have been truly commendable. As we near the end of the term, let's continue to support and encourage them to finish strong.
Kind
Regards, Mr Luken Rautenbach
Contact us for more information regarding the latest news!
May has arrived, and with it a sense of excitement and pride in all that our students have accomplished this year! The classroom is alive with energy, curiosity, and a growing confidence as we head into our final weeks together. It's been a joy to watch each student take on new challenges with resilience, collaborate thoughtfully with their peers, and continue to nurture their love of learning. Next week, we look forward to connecting with you during our Learning Conversations. These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your child’s progress, share reflections, and look ahead to the exciting weeks to come. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make these last months meaningful and memorable for our students!
Kind Regards, Mr Dakota Fischer
Thames British School
Year 8A
After a well-deserved Easter break and long weekend, 8A students have returned refreshed and ready for a strong finish to the year. It's hard to believe, but we are already in the final stretch of the school year. With just a few weeks to go, our Grade 8 students are diving back into their routines with great energy and focus. Progression tests are around the corner, allowing students to showcase all they’ve learned this year. It’s shaping up to be a vibrant and rewarding end to the year. We’re proud of how far our 8A students have come and look forward to celebrating their efforts in the weeks ahead.
Kind Regards,
Ms Karina Szczurek
Thames British School
Year 8B
Recently, our school held a Talent Show, and it was a wonderful opportunity to discover the amazing talents of our students from class 8B. Carlos Ibrahim impressed everyone with his beautiful piano performance, Robert amazed the audience with his card tricks, and Arvi & Medha captivated us all with a traditional and graceful dance from India. Additionally, as a class, we took part in cleaning up our schoolyard. Together, we collected litter and helped make our school environment cleaner and more pleasant for everyone. In the coming days, class 8B will be taking the Cambridge exams. We are preparing diligently and doing our best to succeed.
Kind Regards,
Ms Agnieszka Klecka
Year 9A, 9B & 9C
Year 9 students have had a busy and exciting time as we head into the final part of the school year. They recently went on a trip to Movie and Food Town, where the film gave everyone something to think about it was a great reminder about making the most of life. As part of our Easter celebrations, the class enjoyed painting eggs and expressing their creativity in a fun and relaxed activity. There was lots of excitement in the air as students looked forward to the Easter break.
On 16th April, the school hosted a Talent Show, with students from all classes showcasing their unique abilities. Representing Year 9 were Yash from 9A, Nithvi and Enkush from 9B, and Arian from 9C. It was a fantastic event that highlighted the diverse talents in our school community.
Back at school, preparations for Prom continue, with students practicing and polishing their dance routines. The final exams of the year—the Polish State Exams are coming up soon, taking place from 13th–15th May 2025. With summer just around the corner, the countdown has officially begun!
Kind Regards, Ms Stephanie Hawker, Ms Agnieszka Solanki & Ms Ewelina Bajena
Schoolwide Happenings
Talent Show
On April 16, our school hosted the annual Talent Show. It was a wonderful celebration of student creativity, giving participants the chance to showcase their unique skills in front of the entire school community.
The audience saw a variety of performances, including singing, dancing, instrumental music, and even magic tricks. Each act reflected the dedication and originality of the performers, and the applause throughout the event spoke volumes about the crowd’s appreciation.
The panel of teacher judges faced a tough challenge in selecting winners, as the standard of performances was really high. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, joy, and positive energy from start to finish.
We now look forward to the announcement of the results and the presentation of awards. The Talent Show not only entertained but also reminded us of the incredible talents within our student body and the importance of encouraging and supporting them.
Talent Show
Student Council & Volunteers
The past few weeks have been full of exciting activities for our Student Council! Together with a group of Volunteers, they created a series of colorful and inspiring posters as part of the “School Values from the Student Perspective” project giving students a voice in what matters most to them.
But that’s not all! The Council has also taken the lead in organizing an extra Sports Day, planned as part of the Children’s Day trip to the park for Lower Secondary students. It promises to be a fun-filled day packed with games, friendly competition, and lots of smiles!
Meanwhile, in an effort to promote our school uniform policy, Student Council representatives have been keeping an eye on how well students in Years 7–9 are following the dress code. At the end of the school year, prizes will be awarded to the top classes so keep those uniforms sharp!
Warm Regards, Ms Marta Kosmala-Kozłowska, Supervisor of the Student Council, Mr Mateusz Rabi, Mr Yasin Kucukfirat and Alejandra Arcila
The Heart of Thames
It’s been a busy and exciting time for the Heart of Thames team! Over the past weeks, our young journalists have been working full steam ahead on the next issue of our school magazine. Every week, our newsroom comes alive with debates, brainstorming, and bursts of creative energy as we search for stories that matter. From researching and writing to editing and planning, our reporters are doing it all together.
What is more, The Heart of Thames reporters and photojournalists have also launched a brand-new series of interviews with the amazing staff members and students who make our school what it is. Stay tuned — there are some inspiring stories on the way!
And in the spirit of giving back, The Heart of Thames team, along with members of the Student Council, will soon make another trip to the post office to once again send off the funds raised from the last issue to support the Gajusz Foundation. Every copy sold makes a difference!
Warm regards,
Ms Marta Kosmala-Kozłowska, Supervisor of The Heart of Thames magazine, Ms Karina Szczurek, Ms Agnieszka Brands & Mr Mateusz Rabi
Mind Matters: Tips & Insights from the School Psychologist
The Power of Validation – Why Acknowledging Our Children’s Emotions Shapes Healthy Adults
As parents and caregivers, we all want what’s best for our children. We hope they grow into kind, confident, and emotionally resilient adults. One of the most powerful yet often overlooked tools we have to support that growth is emotional validation. Simply put, this means recognizing, accepting, and supporting our children’s feelings without dismissing, minimizing, or rushing to “fix” them. Many of us grew up in homes where emotions were misunderstood or even discouraged. Well-meaning adults may have said things like:
“You cry? I’ll give you a reason to cry.”
“What do you know about sadness?”
“Why are you so stressed? You don’t know what real problems are.”
While these statements may have come from a place of frustration or a desire to toughen us up, they can actually do deep harm. Messages like these teach children that their feelings are wrong, inconvenient, or unimportant.
Over time, this can lead to emotional suppression, low selfworth, and difficulty forming healthy relationships.
The Brain in Development: Why Emotional Support Matters
Children’s brains are still under construction. The prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for regulating emotions, planning, and problemsolving—continues to develop well into the mid-twenties. When we validate our children’s feelings, we help activate the brain’s calming systems, reduce stress hormones, and create stronger neural pathways for emotional regulation.
By acknowledging emotions (“You’re really upset right now because your friend left you out, and that makes sense”), we not only comfort them in the moment but also teach them how to name, understand, and manage their feelings over time.
