Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been another fantastic week at our school!

Yesterday, we welcomed student teachers who visited various classrooms as part of their initial teacher training. I just wanted to share with you how truly impressed they were, not just by the excellent teaching practice that our staff deliver everyday, but also by our children’s behaviour, kindness, and eagerness to learn. While we already know how wonderful our students are, it’s always affirming to hear it from our visitors.

On  Monday, our week started with an assembly in celebration of International Sign Language Week, where students learned key greetings and some letters of the alphabet.  International Sign Language Day was mainly created to flag to big companies and businesses the importance of representation and access to proper communication methods and we are very happy to do our small bit to raise the profile on this important issue. Perhaps you can ask your children to teach you a few key signs at home.

On Wednesday, we held a very successful second Parent’s meeting , and as part of our agreed actions, we are delighted to advertise key leadership roles that will become essential to driving the initiates of this important group forwards.  Please scroll down in the newsletter for more details on how to apply as applications open today.

Looking ahead, next Tuesday marks the start of Black History Month. Please take a moment to read the full article included in this newsletter to see how we are shining a light on important stories during October and also how potentially you might be able to support us in our educational initiatives during this important month.

Wishing you all a restful weekend and hopefully, some drier weather!

Best regards,

Ms Toni Mason

Safety Notice – We are a nut free school!

As we strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for all our students, we want to remind everyone that our school is a nut-free zone. This policy helps protect children with severe nut allergies and ensures they can participate fully in school activities.

Please remember to check all snacks and lunch items for nut ingredients befor

e sending them to school. Together, we can keep our students safe and healthy.

Thank you for your cooperation!

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.

Black History Month – October 2024

Can you help?

October marks the start of Black History Month, and this year’s theme is “Reclaiming the Narrative.” While our school is proud of our Rise Up Curriculum, which teaches Black history all year-round, we are excited to shine an extra spotlight on these important stories throughout this special month.  

We would love to involve our wider community in this celebration!  At the end of the month, we shall be inviting family members in to watch the second annual ‘SJB Talent Showcase’ which is a wonderful time in which we share our children’s hidden skills and talents. 

However, in addition to this event, we are also asking for volunteers from the community to help us enrich our children’s education even further.  If you know someone in your family or local area who would be interested in being a guest speaker at an assembly or class workshop, please get in touch.  Do you have a family member from the Windrush Generation who has a story to share? Or maybe you know someone who has made a significant contribution to local music or arts? Perhaps you could share a special skill or life-story that would educate our children further on local black culture?  We would love for our students to hear stories firsthand.

Let’s work together to make this month an inspiring and educational experience for our children!  If you think you can help, please either speak directly to Ms Kilgallon or leave a message at the office and we will get back to you.

Thank 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.

A Little Reminder…

Flu immunisation for pupils in school years Reception – Year 6

The nasal flu vaccine is painless, quick, and side effects are uncommon and generally mild.

A letter was sent out last week with information regarding the flu vaccination, the two different options for the vaccination and also the link for parents to use to complete the online form. You must complete the form if you want your child to have the vaccination and also if you don’t want your child to have the vaccination.

To give consent for your child to have the flu vaccine, please click here:

In the news this week…