A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman
As our families that attend Holy Trinity or S. Silas Church will know, a new parish priest has been appointed, Fr Philip Corbett. While we look forward to welcoming Fr Philip into the parish on 8th July, he will be paying us a visit at school in early June. Our immense thanks and appreciation to Fr Graeme for continuing to support the school in this time of transition. We will soon see much less of Fr Graeme although Y5 will see him at Walsingham and of course he will always be a very welcome guest.
This term classes will be leading collective worship on a Friday afternoon at 2.55pm in the church hall on the following dates:
| Friday 17th May | Y3 |
| Friday 24th May | Y2 |
| Friday 7th June | Y5 |
| Friday 14th June | Y6 |
| Friday 21st June | Y1 |
| Friday 28th June | Reception |
Christian Vision
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, by encouraging one another.
‘Daily bread’ in the Lord’s prayer is a symbol of everything that we need for our lives. God reminds us not to take what we are given for granted and to understand that He provides everything we need – He gives us our spiritual and physical food – in the way He wants us to care for ourselves and others.
The bible tells us about a man many people didn’t like: Zacchaeus. His uncaring actions meant that others called him a sinner. There are times when we all make mistakes and do things we shouldn’t. This story shows us how God wants to share His love with everyone and that all are welcome into His kingdom. Even the selfish and rejected are offered welcome as part of the flock. Jesus forgave Zacchaeus his sins and showed that even though people didn’t think Zacchaeus was good, God loved him too and knew that his heart was good.
It is also significant that Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to repent; instead he showed him care and love unprompted, and extended his hand in forgiveness. It was Zacchaeus’ choice to accept Jesus’ love and let it change his life. This is exactly what he did: he repented of his sins and was keen to show people that he had changed. He found peace and happiness as a result.
This story has powerful parallels with the Gospel of Grace. God didn’t wait for humankind to ask for forgiveness; while we were still sinners, God showed His great love by sending His son to die for us. Jesus came to earth to find those who didn’t know God and were lost, and to show them who God is so they could live forever in Heaven with Him.
Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37
Sporting News
Earlier this week, our Year 3/4 boys’ and girls’ football teams competed in the finals of the Camden Football Tournament. The girls’ team started off strong with a 1-0 victory against Argyle, followed by a 2-0 win against Richard Cobden. However, they faced a tough match against Gospel Oak and unfortunately lost 3-0. Despite this, their performance was commendable, and they secured a spot in the semi-finals, where they faced Eleanor Palmer. Despite their best efforts, they lost 5-0, but their determination and skill were evident. Overall, the girls finished in an impressive 3rd place. Special recognition goes to Summer, who scored a total of 3 goals on the day, stepping in last minute to make a significant impact.
The boys’ team started their campaign with a convincing 4-1 win against Torriano. They faced a setback in the second game, losing 2-0 to Eleanor Palmer, but managed to secure a draw in their final match, with a 0-0 result against Kingsgate. The boys’ performance earned them a place in the semi-finals, where they showcased their skills and won a thrilling game against Christchurch NW3 with a score of 2-0. In the final, they faced a formidable opponent in Eleanor Palmer and unfortunately lost 4-0. Nevertheless, their efforts were outstanding, and they finished as runners-up, making us all proud. Special mention goes to Blaise and Cian for their exceptional performances throughout every match.
Congratulations to all the players for their hard work and dedication!
Art Challenge – The Three Cs
At Holy Trinity ‘the three Cs’ of CARE, COOPERATION and COURAGE are integral to our school life. We would like to create some visuals to represent these values – these will be used on school documentation and displays to reinforce the importance of the three Cs.
We would like to set the children a challenge to create an artwork at home that illustrates ONE of the three Cs. This artwork can be created in any media: pencil, pen, paint, collage… the choice is yours. Children should bring their artwork to school, clearly labelled with their name, by Tuesday 4th June.
Please do encourage your child to participate – we can’t wait to see what they create!
The Big Listen – Ofsted
Some of you might already know about this but Ofsted are going through a period of consultation and there is a questionnaire to complete following this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ofsted-big-listen
The closing date is 31st May.
Attendance and Punctuality
This week our attendance is at 96%. We hope it remains strong throughout summer term.
Attendance Bears
Infants: Y1 and Y2 with 99% Juniors: Y6 with 98%
Early Birds
Infants: Y2 Juniors: Y5
Camden Moving on to Secondary School Event – 13 June 2024 (Philip McCorkell, Philip.McCorkell@camden.gov.uk)
Parents of children in current primary school Years 4 and 5 can join our Camden Moving On event at the Francis Crick Institute, in King’s Cross on Thursday 13th June, from 4.15pm to 6.45pm. The event is an opportunity for parents whose children will be starting secondary school in September 2025 or September 2026 to:
- receive advice on how to apply for a Year 7 place from the Camden Admissions Team;
- find out more about what Camden secondary schools have to offer their child;
- speak with headteachers, student ambassadors and staff from Camden secondary schools.
Parents should register for this event online. We’ve also produced the this flyer, which includes a QR code that takes you to the Eventbrite booking page when you scan it. Printed copies are being sent to all primary schools for Year 4 and 5 pupils to take home to their parents. This is a timed ticket event, so parents should please make sure that they arrive for the time slot they booked. The event is aimed at adults, rather than children. Any children attending are the sole responsibility of their parents.
Free Counselling Service for Parents
Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity with many years of experience working with UK schools to improve children’s wellbeing and behaviour. The charity also supports parents and families and has a wealth of practical tips and advice on many areas of parenting, all of which can be accessed online, including: dealing with changes and endings; building resilience; separation anxiety; de-escalation techniques; positive body image; friendship issues; perfectionism; sleep; gaming habits; and many more. Click on the link here to access and explore the support
We highly recommend the free counselling service for parents through Camden. You can find out more and register your interest via this leaflet.
New Emotional Wellbeing Website for Young People and Families
A new NHS website, packed with emotional wellbeing and mental health information and resources, has been launched to help young people and families, as well as professionals working with them, to navigate support options.
NCL Waiting Room was produced with the help and input of young people, families and professionals. It aims to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for information on specialist mental health services, community groups, emotional wellbeing and self-care resources.
It allows young people and their parents or carers to search for, filter and share resources based on their needs and preferences.
NCL Waiting Room will continue to grow and develop, so watch this space for more details. You can visit the website here and try out the Support Hub resource navigation feature here.
If you have any feedback on the website, you can do this on the relevant pages of the site, or email rtown@tavi-port.nhs.uk
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
This is an incredible music night run by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. All sorts of different acts plus wood-fired pizza etc. It’s in a fortnight: https://oae.co.uk/event/live-at-the-hex-4/
Camden Music Service
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.
Other Community Initiatives
Camden Library Activities
We highly recommend these. Click here for the catalogue.
Term dates for 2023 – 2024
| First day of autumn term | Wednesday 6th September |
| Half term | Monday 23rd – Friday 27th October |
| INSET DAY | Monday 30th October |
| Last day of autumn term | Friday 22nd December |
| INSET DAY | Monday 8th January 2024 |
| First day of spring term | Tuesday 9th January |
| Half term | Monday 12th – Friday 16th February |
| Last day of spring term | Thursday 28th March |
| First day of summer term | Monday 15th April |
| Half term | Monday 29th May – Friday 2nd June |
| INSET DAY | Monday 3rd June |
| Last day of summer term | Wednesday 24th July |
