Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.
Heraclitus
We are sorry to be saying farewell to Miss Buchanan today. She has been a wonderful teaching assistant in our school for the last 18 months and has loved working with your children. Miss Buchanan had started her teacher training at home in Australia which we were able to support her in completing at our school. Although she is heading home for a while, we look forward to welcoming her back in our school as a supply teacher when needed.
Next week is Children’s Mental Health week. The focus this year, ‘Growing Together’, is about growing emotionally and finding ways to help each other grow. Challenges and setbacks can help us to grow and adapt and trying new things can help us to move beyond our comfort zone into a new realm of possibility and potential. However, emotional growth is often a gradual process that happens over time, and sometimes we might feel a bit ‘stuck’. At Holy Trinity & S. Silas, children’s emotional growth and development is a key priority: we want to ensure that they have strategies they can draw on when things feel overwhelming or they have a sense of feeling stuck. Follow the link to find out more about wellbeing activities: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/
The children will take part in a range of activities throughout the week culminating in a ‘dress to express’ day next Friday!
ZONES OF REGULATION PARENT WORKSHOP: Tuesday 8th February at 9am in school. There are 9 places left. The workshop is free but you do need to sign up via the doodle here in order to attend. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis and we will confirm your spot on Monday. On Tuesday you will need to come to the school office so that you can sign in and be taken to the art room where the work shop is taking place.
Parents Evening Sign-up
Sign-up for parents evenings (which are on 1st, 2nd and 3rd March) will again be via Doodle Poll. We will send you the link to this on Tuesday next week.
Wellbeing Tip of the Week: Learning from mistakes
Of course, we all make mistakes because we are all human. However, we often see them as a sign of failure and sometimes as a reflection of a lack of ability or talent on our part. Making mistakes can leave us with negative feelings and a sense of inadequacy. However, research suggests that making mistakes is actually very positive:
- When we think about why something is wrong or hasn’t worked, “new connections are sparked that actually cause the brain to grow”. We should place a high value on mistakes, rather than regarding them as failures (Boaler, Ability in Mathematics, 2013).
- ‘Mistake-rich’ environments produce better education and lead to greater insight and higher truth. Some even go so far as to say that it is a cause for concern when we don’t make any mistakes (Zull, From Brain to Mind, 2012).
Failing can feel scary, but fear can also be good to help us grow and learn. Try to see fear as an indicator of growth and welcome it.
As Albert Einstein once said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
Christian Values – Endurance
Developing greater endurance impacts so many aspects and areas of our lives, from the physical to the social and emotional. Our relationships with others, both personal and professional, at times can need a bit of work and effort on all sides. When it feels like a relationship is breaking down, we must allow some time for personal reflection and open ourselves to reflecting on how we communicate with one another. We must try not to hold on to anger and resentment as this can take away the energy needed to endure relationship difficulties. If we try to accentuate the positive, even in difficult times, we are more likely to find a path back to happiness.
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3
Sporting News
We were immensely proud of our boys’ football team on Tuesday this week, when they took part in the playoffs for the Camden School Sports Association football league. They played three hard-fought matches against extremely tough opposition, losing 2-0 to Primrose Hill and Kingsgate and beating Netley 1-0, with Ambroise scoring in the final match. While they unfortunately won’t progress to the finals, this caps a very successful football season, in which they finished third overall in their league. We are proud of all of them, and congratulate them on being such excellent ambassadors for the school, showing care, courage and co-operation at all times. Well done boys!
Attendance and Punctuality
Our overall attendance has picked up a little to 95%, and we look forward to seeing this continue to increase.
Attendance Bears are awarded to:
KS1: Y1 at 98.7% KS2: Y6 at 97%
Early Birds are awarded to:
KS1: Reception class KS2: Y3
Uniform School Stock Clearance
Junior Uniform Sale in the school playground at 3.15pm Thursday 10 February
There will be a stock clearance of school uniforms at school on the above date. For more information about the items available please click here.
Forest School
Coach Steve’s Half-Term Multi Sports Camp
Date: Monday 14th – Friday 18th February
Venue: Eleanor Palmer Primary School, Lupton St, NW5 2JA
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Age: 5-11 (Reception to Yr 6)
To book your child’s place, please contact Coach Steve:
Prorevolution.development@gmail.com
Camden Music Services
From Y1 onwards, you can sign your child up to learn an instrument in school. For more information and to download the Camden Music Service application form, please click here.
Girls Football Development Class (with Coach Steve)
Where: Fleet Primary School, Agincourt Rd, NW3 2QT
When: Every Tuesday Time: 5.30-6.30pm Age: 6-10 year olds (Year 2 to Year 5)
Cost: First class is FREE (£6 per class thereafter)
For more info, please email Coach Steve – prorevolution.development@gmail.com
Mental Health Support Team (MHST) Webinar Series for Parents/Carers of Primary and Secondary School aged Young People
The MHST are pleased to offer parents/carers a series of workshops to support their children’s wellbeing.
Webinars that are for both Parents/Carers of Primary and Secondary aged children and young people
- Why Early Intervention Matters: Introducing the MHST
- All about sleep
- Therapeutic conversations with your child and young person
- Screen Time
Webinars for Parents/Carers of Primary aged children
- Parent-child interactions
- Managing child worries
Each workshop will last up to 60 minutes and have an optional follow-up of 30 minutes for parents/carers to ask questions or discuss the topic further.
Parents and carers can register for any webinars through Eventbrite by clicking here.
The scheduled topics, dates and times are:
| Webinar topic | Intended Parent Audience | Date | Time |
| Supporting your Young Person with Anxiety | Secondary | Thursday 3rd February 2022 | 12.00 to 13:00 Q and A 13:00 to 13.30 |
| Understanding Adolescent Development | Secondary | Thursday 10th February 2022 | 12.00 to 13:00 Q and A 13:00 to 13.30 |
| Therapeutic conversations with your Child and Young Person. | Primary & Secondary | Thursday 24th February 2022 | 12.00 to 13:00 Q and A 13:00 to 13.30 |
| Screen Time | Primary & Secondary | Thursday 3rd March 2022 | 12.00 to 13:00 Q and A 13:00 to 13.30 |
| All about sleep | Primary & Secondary | Thursday 10th March 2022 | 12.00 to 13:00 Q and A 13:00 to 13.30 |
Term dates for 2021 – 2022
| First day of autumn term | Friday 3rd September |
| Half term | Monday 25th – Friday 29th October |
| Last day of autumn term | Friday 17th December |
| First day of spring term | Wednesday 5th January 2022 |
| Half term | Monday 14th – Friday 18th February |
| Last day of spring term | Friday 1st April |
| First day of summer term | Tuesday 19th April |
| Half term | Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June |
| Last day of summer term | Wednesday 20th July |
