It has been wonderful to welcome our new Reception class children and families these last two weeks – we look forward to having a full class by the end of next week.

The ever changing picture of living our lives during a pandemic means that we have to be cautious, consistent in our practices and ready to adapt if necessary. This week has seen some children showing symptoms of viruses that children are prone to catching, as they return to school and as the weather starts to change. We urge parents to maintain good communication with us and we will continue to share any advice that we have been given. Currently the guidance is that a child or adult in the home must take a test if they display any of the following:

  • a high temperature – 37.5 degrees C or higher
  • a new, continuous cough – coughing a lot for more than an hour or 3 more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

A reminder that if a child or adult in your home shows one of these symptoms, the whole family must stay at home until the outcome of the test for the person with symptoms. A negative test means that children can come straight back to school. We have heard that the NHS website and the telephone contact 119 are struggling to manage the number of requests for tests so we can only advise to keep trying.

An important note to parents – please can I remind you of the need to maintain social distancing outside the school. We hear that any recent cases of positive COVID 19 tests in schools are through adult transmission.

As part of our contingency preparation we will be sending out a questionnaire to check on the current situation on your home technology; this is so that we are ready to support in the case of any level of lockdown.

While we are sadly unable to invite families in to enjoy assemblies, we are planning to film classes so that children can still share their learning. The link to the film will be sent on the Friday of their assembly week as follows:

Date  Year
Fri 25th SeptY3
Fri 2nd OctY2
Fri 9th OctY5
Fri 16Th Oct Reception
Fri 23rd OctY4
Fri 6th NovY6
Fri 13th NovY1

Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labour does the body.

Seneca The Younger

Clubs

we are offering single year group sports clubs so please look out for today’s letter on this.

PiP Fundraising

Our incredibly supportive PiP reps are keen to begin finding creative ways of fundraising.

In time for the start of the football season, they are kicking off with a HTSS Fantasy Football League. We currently have a link on ParentPay to donate to the purchase of more school iPads. If you contribute toward this fund you will be sent the passwords to join the Fantasy Football League, so please do contribute to this if you are able. More details below:

Secondary Transfer

For families of children in Y6, preparation for application to secondary school has begun. The Camden website will give you information on open day/evening events: https://www.camden.gov.uk/secondary-school-admissions. Please contact the school office if you would like to arrange a meeting with me to discuss secondary schools.

Holy Trinity and St Silas parents in all year groups are invited to a ‘hub’ school transition Meet the Parents event at Kentish Town primary school, on Monday September 21st from 6.30 to 7.30pm. Parents and children from all the local state secondaries will be on an informal panel to answer any questions about their school experience. You can also chat to the panelists privately afterwards. Appropriate social distancing will be in place.  There will also be an event at Hawley primary school in Camden the following night, Sept 22nd, from 6.30 to 7.30pm.

Uniform

We apologise for the delay in uniform for those of you that ordered in the summer holidays. The company had warned us of these delays which was why we had given a deadline for orders before the summer break. We anticipate any summer orders may not arrive until near the end of September.

Please can I remind you that the uniform policy states that footwear is plain black. I appreciate accessing shops for shoes may have been challenging but please can you ensure children have the correct footwear at your soonest convenience.

Music

Camden Music are in the process of working out what music lessons will look like in schools this term. We are awaiting information on one to one music lessons but we can confirm that class bands for Y4, Y5 & Y6 will begin on Thursday 24th September.

We are delighted to confirm that recorder for Y3 will now begin on Wednesday 23rd September.

Christian Value

Koinonia

Koinonia encourages us to: think about others, follow rules that are designed to make the community work better, work together as a team
and importantly, have less conflict and a more peaceful environment.

‘Ubuntu’ is a word used in parts of Africa and means ‘I am because we are’. It is about the essence of being human and encompasses hospitality, caring about others and the willingness to go the extra mile for the sake of another.

‘Ubuntu’ therefore naturally aligns itself with koinonia: we can’t have real friendship and fellowship with each other if we are not helping other people to find happiness. We need to be a community that works together for the good of others.

‘You seek to work for the common good because your humanity comes into its own in community, in belonging.’

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Donations via ParentPay

We would like to remind parents that they can still donate to our appeal for classroom iPads on ParentPay.

Term dates for 2020 – 2021

First day of autumn term Thursday 3rd September 2020
Half termMonday 26th – Friday 30th October
Last day of autumn term Friday 18th December
First day of spring termMonday 4th January 2021
Half term Monday 15th – Friday 19th February
Last day of spring termThursday 1st April
First day of summer termMonday 19th April
Half termMonday 31st May – Friday 4th June
Last day of summer termFriday 16th July