Friday 10th May
Dear Parents and Carers ,
I hope you all had a lovely long weekend and are enjoying this beautiful weather. I spent Monday at a village fete huddled under a golf umbrella watching Morris dancers and making the best of it – a very British scene! Some of our junior children have had some wonderful trips out this week, visiting the Royal Albert Hall on the Southbank, the River Thames in Chiswick and today our Year 5 children are visiting Holly Lodge in Richmond Park.
On behalf of all the staff at HT, we would like to wish our Year 6 children lots of luck in their SATs next week. You have worked so hard and we are so proud of you. Have a restful weekend with lots of sleep!
Trips, visits and events |
Years 3 and 5 filled the Royal Festival Hall with their beautiful voices
Y3 and Y5 had a fantastic visit to the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday to watch the Philharmonic Orchestra perform. The compositions included Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Errollyn Wallen’s Mighty River and Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman. Holy Trinity made a joyful noise as we joined in with a song about Aaron Copland to the melody of Lord of the Dance. There are many budding musicians in our school and we’re sure many more have been inspired!
Woodpeckers and Owls visit to explore the Thames in Chiswick
Year 4 had a wonderful time on their school trip to Thames Explorers on Chiswick riverside. The trip enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of the geography of the River Thames as well as its historical significance. They were able to conduct experiments to test the acidic or alkaline level of the water, its depth at low tide and the speed of the current. Their observations and data showed that the river was healthier than they first predicted and in the afternoon both classes were able to go on the foreshore to see for themselves how much wildlife could be found. Amongst the many creatures there were: crabs, leeches (don’t worry – these cannot suck your blood), shrimp, prawns, sea slugs and a baby flounder. The children also found fragments of pottery from Victorian times and some possibly dating from the Roman era!
Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week is taking place from 13 – 19 May. In preparation, Mrs Whiteside led a well-being assembly looking at this year’s theme – movement. Moving more for our mental health and considering how being active is an important part of looking after ourselves and our well-being.
Movement is a great way to enhance our well-being. Movement helps us feel better about our bodies and improve self-esteem. Research has shown that regular physical activity can make us happier and healthier. When we’re active, our bodies release feel-good hormones, which can reduce anxiety and stress and help us sleep better.
By building movement into our working day, we can positively impact productivity and focus. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking can boost mood and increase our mental alertness and energy. Perhaps we can all set ourselves a personal movement challenge for next week!
Message from Mrs Evans |
It was wonderful to join together this morning for our worship. We focused on our value of ‘Aspiration’ and looked at the importance of stepping out of our comfort zone sometimes. I used a hoop as a visual representation of the limits that staying in our comfort zone can place on us and the ‘magic’ that can happen when we have the courage to step outside of this. I shared some examples of when I have done this in my life and we considered when we could do this at school. We reflected on the message found in Joshua 1:9: “Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. So don’t be afraid. The Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.” – when we face challenges we can be strong in the knowledge of Jesus’s love, that he will strengthen and guide us. We also considered those around us in school who can support us with this.
I was delighted to hear about one of our pupils taking part in some filming with Jamie Oliver this week! Edward went to the Jamie Oliver HQ in north London and, with 12 other children, learnt how to make fresh parpadelle pasta and a tomato and chilli sauce. The session was filmed for a tv show which will appear in the Spring next year. Edward had an absolutely brilliant time and came away with lots of new healthy cooking skills, and confidence in the kitchen. It is great to see one of our pupils taking part in something which promotes healthy eating which links so well with the upcoming ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’. I will be looking out for the show in the Spring!
I have been continuing my focus on our curriculum and have spent time in further maths lessons along with visiting some art lessons this week too. It has been lovely to be part of these lessons – I am very grateful for the way in which staff are welcoming me into their classrooms.
I am so pleased to hear about all of the community events that are coming up – The Quiz Night, Cycle to Paris and Summer Fair – and I am looking forward to being part of some of these with you. Have a fabulous weekend!
Notices and requests |
Sports kit sale
On Thursday 23rd May we will be holding a secondhand sports kit sale on the 3G. We are asking for Cash donations to raise money for our school. If you have any kit (not just PE kit), trainers or boots that are in good condition and looking for a new home, please hand it into the office for Mr Callaghan by Friday 10th May. Please label them with size or age so that we can organise them into the correct age groups.
Phonics briefing for Year 1 parents
On Wednesday 15th May, Miss Jobbins and Mrs Brown will be running a Phonics Screening Talk in the hall from 9-9.30 for all Year 1 parents to attend. Please wait round by the office once you have dropped your children at school and we will start promptly at 9am.
Concerns about Fortnite
Sadly, there have been a series of incidents where children have been unkind to each other on the Fortnite platform whilst playing games at home. Please can we flag that Fortnite is recommended for teenagers, 13+, primarily because of the violent action content. Fortnite can expose your children to adult language, bullies, or even online predators. The advice from our online safety lead in Richmond is to monitor your children’s gameplay and use parental controls to limit how, when, and how often they play. The game’s online chat feature—especially in Battle Royale mode – could expose younger players to offensive language or mature content from random strangers. For further support with online concerns, please see the resources on our website: https://holytrinityschool.org.uk/keeping-safe/#esafety
Rail safety
Message from Learn Live:
Due to increasing incidents of trespass on the railway near your school, we are sharing a FREE 15 minute safety video for parents/carers to watch at home. Over 21 million students, parents and teachers from across the UK have already watched these videos which has led to a significant decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries in their area:
NEW Primary school version suitable for KS1: https://learnliveuk.com/ks1-primary-school-safety-talk/
NEW Primary school version suitable for KS2: https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-primary-school-safety-talk
Putting in the miles for HT…
Miss Brunt and Mr Thompson are joining the PTFA and some members of the HT community in a cycle from Richmond to Paris at the end of June. This is a huge challenge for anyone to complete in just two days. Miss Brunt has very little long distance cycling experience and has been teaching herself how to use cleats and Mr Thompson is considering doing it on a single speed bike! They have been training hard – here they are about 70km into their longest ride (95km) on Saturday!What they will need is motivation and that is where you come in: let’s get fundraising! We are raising money for the school and your children. Please do give generously to the link below; it is all going to a great cause – 50% of the funds raised to HT school and 50% to Skylarks, an independent Richmond upon Thames-based charity that provides activities and therapies for children with disabilities and additional needs.
https://skylarks.enthuse.com/pf/sophie-brunt
A gentle reminder of our summer uniform
Blue and white striped or checked dress with white socks, or dark grey shorts with white or grey socks. Plain black school shoes – no sandals.
Celebrations! |
Values Champions
Congratulations to this week’s values champions:
Chloe, Lucas, Sumi, Aylin, Maya, James, Chloe, Noah, Elise, Matias, Alexandra, Erin, Jay, Fari, Kaan, Scarlett, Joshan, Himari, Aahil, Bodhi, Clemente, Emilia, Lucas, Ella, Keira and Xincheng.
Attendance
Overall: 96.31%. Well done to this week’s winners: Dragonflies with 100%
House Point Champions
Congratulations to this week’s winners, Attenborough!
PE Star Award
Congratulations to this week’s winner, Teddy!
Dates for your diary |
- Monday to Friday – SATs Week in Year 6
- Wednesday 15th- Phonics meeting 9-10am
- Friday 17th – PTA Quiz Night
Community events and initiatives |
You still have the chance to join a team for our fabulous quiz on Friday…
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Miss Ashby.
Instagram: @HolyTrinityschrichmond