Dear Parents and Carers,

This week has been an exciting one for our school, as our Year 6 children embarked on their first residential trip of the year. They had a fantastic time, and all the staff were full of praise for their excellent behavior and positive attitude. They were truly deserving of the Golden Cup this week—well done, Year 6!

Some of their thoughts about the residential were:

“The best bit was the nature walking because it was a big forest with lots of places to explore.” Berzan

“On the residential we had a lot of fun and we also learnt alot. We built a shelter as a team; ours was big and comfortable. I felt happy and excited during the challenge.” Morireoluwa

“My favourite thing on residential was the hikes. Once we arrived at the top we had beautiful views.” Ethan

“I loved the rooms, the beds were soft and so comfortable. It was like home. I loved being there with my friends.” Aila

“On the residential I learnt about different plants with activities. We also had fun pond dipping.” Josiah

October also marks the start of Black History Month. While we always celebrate diverse voices and stories in our curriculum, this month we’ll be shining an extra light on them. Through special assemblies and lessons, the children will learn about inspiring figures from the worlds of science, art, and history. We’re also hoping to have visitors from the local community share their own personal stories with our students through classroom visits. If you know someone who has an inspiring or interesting life story or a special talent or profession, please do get in touch!

We’ll wrap up the month with our St John the Baptist Talent Showcase on Tuesday 22nd October 2024, and we’d love for families to join us. Details are in the poster below.

Best wishes,

Ms Toni Mason

Breakfast Club – Starts at 7:30am

Last year, we extended the hours for our breakfast club thanks to parental feedback. It was successfull for parents so we are continuing. Breakfast club starts at 7:30am and continues until 8:45am, it is still the same price – £2.00 and includes breakfast. Children have time for a breakfast as long as they arrive before 8:20am. We have been able to continue the low price thanks to funding from Magic Breakfast. Sign up for places at the front office. 

Absences – Appointments

Every Minute counts!

At our school, every lesson is a vital building block for the next piece of learning, and it’s essential that children are present for every single lesson. Regular attendance ensures that students don’t miss out on key learning opportunities.

All medical appointments, such as doctor or dentist visits, be scheduled outside of school hours wherever possible. If this is unavoidable, please ensure that your child is only taken out of school for the necessary time and returned promptly afterward. Every minute in school counts!  Don’t forget our breakfast club starts at 7:30am if this helps with your planning.

Wet Weather Pickup

As we approach the colder weather, we have reviewed and updated our wet weather pick-up locations.

Please see the below map to know where to collect your child. Thank you

Teaching Your Child to Tie Their Own Shoelaces: A Key Skill for Independence

As your child grows and develops, learning to tie their own shoelaces is an important milestone. If your child has recently transitioned to shoes with laces, now is the time to help them master this life skill. Not only does it promote independence, but it also strengthens their fine motor skills and builds confidence in their abilities.

Here are a few helpful tips to get started:

1. Start with patience – Learning to tie shoelaces takes practice, so be patient and let your child go at their own pace.
2. Use the right laces – Thicker, round laces are often easier for little hands to grip than thin, flat ones.
3. Break it into steps – Teach one part of the process at a time, such as crossing the laces first, and then forming the loops.
4. Try different methods – There are various ways to tie laces, such as the “bunny ears” method or the “loop, swoop, and pull.” Try different techniques to see what works best for your child.
5. Practice off the shoe – Start by having your child practice on something other than their shoe, such as a shoe box or a pair of shoes in their lap, until they’re more comfortable.

Here is just one of many helpful video tutorials to guide you and your child: Click here for the link – Youtube video for tying shoes

Remember, every child learns at their own pace, so encourage them with praise and patience. Mastering this skill is not just about tying shoelaces, but about building independence and self-confidence.

Happy tying!

A Little Reminder…

The search is on…

We recently held our second PTA meeting (name to be confirmed), where we had a fantastic discussion about key leadership roles that will help drive our group forward. We’re excited to announce that we’ll be advertising these important positions to our entire parent and carer community!

If you have experience, commitment, and enthusiasm to contribute, please review the job briefings below and consider applying.  Applications are open!

Application Details:

• Closing Date: Monday, 21st October 2024
• Next Steps: Following the application period, we will hold a vote to select the candidates who best suit the roles.

We encourage you to participate and help us shape the future of our school parent teacher PTA!

Roles for election:

• Chairperson – We are seeking a confident Chairperson with great communication and listening skills to lead our Parent-Teacher Association. This role involves managing meetings, ensuring they run on time and adhere to the agenda, while fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard. The Chairperson will facilitate discussions, declare votes on important matters, and help guide our initiatives to enhance our school community. Strong time-management and people management skills are essential for success in this role.  If this sounds like you, please apply using the link provided.
• Treasurer – Another role we are seeking to be filled is a reliable and organised individual to serve as Treasurer. The ideal candidate will have excellent record-keeping skills, strong money management abilities, and basic computing knowledge. As Treasurer, you will be responsible for keeping accurate records of all spending, collecting and overseeing any PTA funds, providing regular financial reports during PTA meetings and supporting the official audit process of accounts and records. Trustworthiness and attention to detail are key qualities for this role. If you have these qualities, please apply using the link provided.
• Secretary – The PTA is looking for a well-organised, detail-oriented individual to serve as Secretary. The ideal candidate will have excellent listening and organisational skills, be quick at taking notes, and possess strong computer skills. As Secretary, you will be responsible for making regular reports on PTA events and news, ensuring all members are informed of important dates and meeting times, and taking minutes during meetings. Additionally, you’ll work closely with the Chairperson to present proposals and write short articles for the school newsletter to keep the wider community updated on PTA activities. If you are organised and have strong-attention to detail, please apply using the link provided.

Form to complete to apply for a position: Press Here

Additional opportunity:

• Committee Member – The PTA welcomes all interested individuals to join as Committee Members. This is not an elected role, and everyone is encouraged to participate. Committee Members should have a positive attitude, be open-minded, and able to listen as well as share ideas. You’ll need to be proactive in spreading the word about events, initiatives, and meetings within the school community.  As a Committee Member, your responsibilities include attending PTA meetings as often as possible, contributing to discussions, voting on key issues, and helping organise events. You will also represent the PTA at school functions like sports days and performances.  If you’re eager to support your school and make a difference, this role is for you.

A Little Reminder…

Secondary School Open Events: September 2025

Children going to secondary school in 2025, please click below to see times and dates for secondary open events starting in September 2024.

Hackney Secondary School Open Events

The deadline to apply is the 31st October, 2024.

In the news this week…