In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit.
Otto Frank
Those of you that attended mass last week at S. Silas or at Holy Trinity Church will have heard Fr Graeme announce that he will be retiring in September of this year. It is normal practice that when a priest turns 70 years of age, they retire from their parish. Hard as it is for many of us to believe, Fr Graeme reaches this milestone in May but with the approval of the Bishop, we are thankful that he has at least been permitted to stay until September. It is impossible to put into words the huge loss Fr Graeme’s retirement will bring to the school, the parish and to each and every one of us. We must now go forward and be thankful for the fact that he has been a part of our lives; we are truly blessed and know that he will always be with us.
School Closure
As you are all now aware, our school will be closed next Wednesday due to the nationals teachers’ strike by the NEU (National Education Union). We appreciate the support and understanding already expressed by families while also acknowledging with regret the inconvenience this may cause to our families. Please see below for more information.
Wellbeing Tip of the Week – Give Yourself a Compliment!
Do you ever catch yourself being overly self-critical, or thinking mean thoughts about yourself? Being overly negative or telling ourselves we are no good can really damage our self-esteem and can stop us from trying. Giving yourself a compliment and practising positive self-talk is crucial to achieving a healthy mindset, boosting our self-esteem and giving us the confidence to accomplish our goals. Give yourself credit for the things you do well; don’t take them for granted or brush them off as nothing.
Starting your day with positive self-talk focuses your attention on positive things and improves overall well-being. Here are some things you could try:
- I’m proud of myself for trying
- I forgive myself for my mistakes and I’m going to learn from them
- I’m doing my best and that’s all that matters
- 3 things I did well today are….
- I am strong, I am smart, I am enough!
Christian Value of Endurance
Building greater endurance and having the courage never to give up can be hard to do on your own. This is where communities can bring real strength. Each one of us has something that we can bring to our community that helps us all to grow. The power of community can have a huge impact at times when people have to endure hardship and sorrow. We are reminded of this today on National Holocaust Memorial Day, when we reflect on those who suffered persecution. At the same time we hold in awe and gratitude the fact that these persecuted communities endured. Each person is always there for the other; there is no greater strength.
And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
Sporting News
Earlier this week, 6 boys and 6 girls from Year 5 took part in an after-school dodgeball competition. They all had to mix up into teams with children from various other Camden primary schools and compete in a series of games. The children had a fantastic time and really enjoyed getting to know new people. A huge well done to the whole team!
We would like to give a few special mentions to Aissatou, Talia, Mohamed and Finley for their excellent display of care, courage and cooperation throughout the entire event.
Attendance and Punctuality
This week our attendance dropped slightly to 95%. We held our position in the top three borough wide for two weeks in a row. Hopefully we will get back to this once again next week.
Early Birds
Infants: Reception Juniors: Year 3
Attendance Bears
Infants: Reception with 98% Juniors: Year 6 with 99%
Assembly Timetable – Church hall at 2:55pm
| Friday 3rd February | Y6 |
| Friday 10th February | Awards Assembly |
| Friday 24th February | Y1 |
| Friday 3rd March | Y2 |
| Friday 10th March | Y5 |
| Friday 17th March | Y4 |
| Friday 24th March | Reception |
| Friday 31st March | No assembly – last day of term |
The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health – Free Webinars
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ONLINE EVENTS
Nutrition and Mood – Assess impact of diet, understand which supplements are helpful, practical ideas to influence diet for the better.
Mindful Emotion Coaching – Neurodiversity inclusive, trauma-informed approach to wellness. FREE
Depression: Identifying and Supporting Children and Young People – Understand how depression presents, the role physical exercise may play, and tech and online interventions. FREE
Identifying and responding effectively to Traumatic Bereavement – David Trickey delivers a comprehensive session packed with tips and advice. FREE
FREE webinars from education professionals on Substance Use, Bereavement, Social Media
Community Activities/Events
Free Counselling Service for Parents
We highly recommend the free counselling service for parents through Camden. You can find out more and register your interest via this leaflet.
CAMHS Open Minded Webinars
The school also recommends the “Open Minded” webinars. Find our more by clicking here.
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.
Term dates for 2022 – 2023
| First day of autumn term | Monday 5th September |
| Half term | Monday 24th – Friday 28th October |
| Last day of autumn term | Friday 16th December |
| First day of spring term | Wednesday 4th January 2022 |
| Half term | Monday 13th – Friday 17th February |
| Last day of spring term | Friday 31st March |
| First day of summer term | Monday 17th April |
| Half term | Monday 29th May – Friday 2nd June |
| Last day of summer term | Friday 21st July |
