Week 24

Dear Parent/ Carer,

Easter already!  It is incredible how quickly the school years passes.  I am certain that we all hope for an improvement in the weather after the Easter Break.  I was standing outside in the playground, in the cold during, with all of the staff and children at Kilmorie last week during a fire alarm.... as it began to snow once again... thinking 'Is it ever going to warm up?'  Let's hope so...

I had the pleasure on Monday of leading a tour of all three schools with a group from the Aspiring Leaders programme.  Aspiring Leaders is a pan-London leadership development programme for Deputies, Assistant Headteachers and teachers who aspire to Headship.  The group were suitably impressed by each of our schools.

 

At Fairlawn this week we began the week with a visit from Haseltine's wind group, who performed wonderfully for us at our whole school assembly.  It was great for our Haseltine children to visit Fairlawn to perform and it was great for me to see our children in a different context. Our Year 2 classes were out on Monday visiting London Zoo as part of their 'Rainforest' Topic.  The temperatures didn't afflict the visit too much.  When the classes visited at the same time last year, the temperature was in the 20's!  Some of our musicians played at Goldsmiths Great Hall on Monday evening... a very impressive venue for some very impressive young people.  On Tuesday, our Year 5 classes lived their day as Victorians.  Teachers and children dressed up, role played and had a great learning experience.  My thanks to our teachers for creating these memorable learning experiences.   The Spring Music Festival ended with a BANG... with a whole school drumming experience in Assembly.  Our girls Year 6 football team beat Kilmorie in the inaugural Fairmorie Cup 2-1 and our Boys Y6 football team lost on penalities after an earlier 2-2 draw.  We said farewell this week to Ms Christian, Ms Fields and Ms Daynes.  We wish all these colleagues our very, very best for the future.
  
Our Year 5 parents were cooking Somalian food with groups of children at Haseltine on Monday.  As mentioned above, our clarinet players went to play for the children at Fairlawn.  Our Reception children went to Godstone Farm for a visit on Tuesday.  Wednesday saw the whole school Passport Trip to the cinema and bowling and we ended for Easter with a Drumming Workshop for the whole of Key Stage Two.

Our Assembly theme at Kilmorie this week was Easter.  Our Year 6 parents attended a meeting about preparing for SATs on Monday.  Meanwhile, dancers from Reception and Year 1 visited Sydenham School to perform in the Dance Fest.  The Kilmorie Jazz Band performed in Live Winds at Goldsmiths Great Hall as part of the Lewisham Live events.  We had a Music Assembly on Tuesday with assorted Key Stage 2 soloists and a guitar recital after school.  Wednesday saw our Year 1's go on a trip to the Geffrye Museum of the Home in Hoxton for the Homes Then and Now workshop and the storytelling session A Chair’s Tale to support their history topic.  All our Recorder Groups went to Fairlawn to take part in a federation recorder jam.  At the end of the day there was a piano recital attended by parents.  To mark the end of the Spring Music Festival on Thursday, our Singmorie Voices and the infant choir performed in a music celebration. 

Have a fantastic Easter,
Mark Wilson
Executive Head teacher

Week 23

Dear Parent/ Carer,

Our Assembly theme at Kilmorie this week was ‘Inspirations’.  I was inspired by our Year 3 & 4 Singmorie Voices on Monday evening.  The children sang at Sydenham School alongside pupils from Haseltine, Fairlawn and other Lewisham schools.  The children all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and sang wonderfully.  As part of the fortnight long Songfest.festival of music, members of the Jazz Band gave a performance in the Assembly on Wednesday.  Our thanks to those parents/ carers who attended.  It is your attendance that makes these occasions magical for the children.  On Thursday, the Reception and Key Stage One classes enjoyed West African music and Dance workshops with Yaye Dib Sabar.  Also on Thursday, Year 4 Ukelele players attended Sedgehill School for Tune Up.   On Friday, our Year 6 Rock Band performed at Haseltine and we ended the week with an International Evening, complete performances from the Rock School Rock Band and parent bands.  Many parents brought along a national dish for what was a wonderful evening of celebration.

The choir at Haseltine made us very proud on Monday night when they sang at Sydenham School alongside the other choirs in our federation.  It was a brilliant night for all.  The children enjoyed having their individual photos taken by Andy of Say Cheese Please on Tuesday… it was lots of fun and I saw some beautiful photos.  .Also on Tuesday, Years 3, 4 & 5 had the privilege of listening to and working with the Thorne Trio.  What amazing musicians they are!  Tuesday afternoon saw some of our guitarists playing in assembly, along with two fabulous violin soloists.  On Wednesday our Key Stage One children had workshops with Rhythm Connections Trash Orchestra.  I saw the fun that the children were having making and playing instruments made out of everyday rubbish.  Thursday was a real treat when Fairlawn's Wind Band played at Haseltine.  It was the turn of the Kilmorie Rock Band to perform on Friday, with the children from both schools thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Songfest also continued throughout the week at Fairlawn.  Monday featured a whole school Woodwind Assembly.    As reported above, I was delighted to see children from Fairlawn and all three of our schools perform at the Songfest at Sydenham Girls School as part of Lewisham Live. The children sang with great passion and enthusiasm.  At Tuesdays afternoon assembly we had guitarists playing with violin soloists.  I began my day on Wednesday at the Nursery.  On my way back up to school, I saw our Year 6 classes walking down to the station on their way to The Horton Kirby Educational Centre in Kent for the day.  They took a trip back in time to 1942 and lived life as evacuees.  We also had a whole school String Assembly on Wednesday, and another on Thursday.  Our Wind Band visited Haseltine on Thursday and were very well received.  The band will be performing at Goldsmiths College on Monday evening next week.  I am very much looking forward to attending that event.  On Friday we had a whole school Brass Assembly and had drumming workshops for Years 3 and 4 throughout the day.  I joined in with Mrs Njoku’s class…. The children were all far better than I was!  It was a very lively and a very loud experience and everyone had great fun… which is what a quality education is all about.

We are looking forward to another action-packed week in our schools this week… and a reminder that we break-up a day early next week… on Thursday rather than Friday.

Have a lovely weekend,

Mark Wilson

Executive Head teacher

Week 22

Dear Parent/ Carer,

We approach Easter and still no break in the cold weather!  Temperatures are forecast to remain low for the week to come.  We all still need our coats for school!

My thanks to everyone who participated and who donated to the Children in Need Appeal all three of our schools, and my thanks to the staff who joined in to make it a fun occasion for everyone.

At Fairlawn this week, we had a visit from The Junk Orchestra on Monday at our Whole School Assembly.  The Orchestra performed with everyday household rubbish made into musical instruments. Years 1 and 2 got involved and experienced playing these instruments in a workshop. 
On Tuesday, we had a visit from Mr George and the James Dixon Primary School Steel Pan Band.  Years 5 - 6 had workshops with the Steel Pans.   Our String Ensemble played at Blackheath Halls on Wednesday evening as part of Lewisham Live festival of music, and on Thursday Year 4 classes met up with children from Kilmorie and Haseltine for the Ukulele Fest at Kilmorie.  On Friday, the Reception classes visited The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich as part of their Under The Sea topic.  They hunted for Captain Drake's missing treasure and investigated natural and manufactured treasures of the sea.  Also on Friday, of course, we wore red noses, pyjamas in some cases, and wacky and wonderful handmade Red Nose Day T shirts.  The South London Press came to record the day at Fairlawn.  Look out for a photograph in next weeks' edition. 

In sporting news from the week, Fairlawn played at home against Gordonbrock Primary School and drew 1 - 1.

Children at Kilmorie had an equally busy week.  Monday saw  our inaugural Spring Music Assembly and a performance by all Drum Fun and Djembe groups, which was attended by parents of the performers.  Years 3 and 6 also attended Beatbox workshops with Randolph Matthews.  On Tuesday, Year 5 parents were invited for a meeting to discuss the curriculum,  Year 2 had a visit from a scientist and Nursery were visited by a storyteller reading The Three Little Pigs and also The Bear Hunt, accompanied by songs with instruments.  Our Brass Band performed Live at Blackheath Halls on Wednesday and our Year 5 visited the Barbican to see a concert entitled The Mighty Sea performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.  Thursday saw Year 4 children from Fairlawn, Kilmorie and Haseltine joined together for the Ukulele Fest at Kilmorie.  Nursery and Reception children rounded off the day at a Mini Red Nose Disco.  The whole school celebrated Red Nose Day by wearing pyjamas, clothes back to front, something red or something funny for Comic Relief.  Nursery children made toast with strawberry jam.  The Haseltine Rock Band played at our assembly on Friday morning.  The final musical event of the week was a Violin Recital which parents were invited to attend.  Friday ended with a Red Nose Disco with all entrance fees being donated to Comic Relief.

      

This week has been Super Hero Week at Haseltine.  The learning throughout the whole school had a Super Hero focus for the entire week.  Children created some amazing Super Heroes with exceptional powers.  Year 4 made a visit to the Unicorn Theatre on Tuesday.  Year 1 visited Mudchute Farm on Wednesday... and encountered rain and even a little bit of snow.  Year 3 visited the Unicorn Theatre on Thursday while the Year 4 children from Fairlawn, Kilmorie and Haseltine joined together for the Ukulele Fest at Kilmorie.  Haseltine's Rock Band performed at Kilmorie on Friday, when everyone back in school dressed as a Super Hero for the day and gave money to Comic Relief.

Week 21

Dear Parent/ Carer,

Rosamund Clarke began in her new role as Business Director across our Partnership of schools this week.  Rosamund will work in all of the schools and will help us to achieve the maximum Value for Money from working together on contracts.  She will also oversee the finance and HR functions in all of our schools.  We are delighted to welcome her.

At Haseltine... newly resplendent with the banners proclaiming our outstanding status up around the school site... we held a Parent Tour for prospective new parents on Monday.  If you know a family who are looking for a school for their child, either in reception or in another Year Group... please do recommend that they pay a visit to Haseltine to have a look.  We welcomed teachers from Sedgehill on Tuesday who came in to do pottery with our Year 5.  On Wednesday approximately 80 parents attended our Reading Open Morning... which is becoming ever more popular.  Our thanks to those parents who came... and our encouragement to come to the next one to those parents who did not.  Also on Wednesday, our Year 6 attended the Citizenship Event.  On Friday, we held a Mother's Day Breakfast morning, which was lovely.  Our lovely Mum's were all welcomed with a bunch of flowers.  Delightful!
 

Liz Stone and I began our week at Kilmorie by welcoming Frankie Sulke, Director of Children's Services for Lewisham, to school.  Frankie took a tour of the building for the first time since we took the upper floors over from Lewisham and was suitably impressed.  Frankie visited our Reception, year 2, year 4 and year 5/6 classes.  On Wednesday, our Year 5/6 Singmorie Voices Choir performed at Lewisham Live Voices at the Broadway Theatre in Catford.  We marked World Book Day with a whole school assembly during which we  'We're Going On A Bear Hunt'.  Everyone in school dressed as their favourite book character  and we have had Parent Consultations going on throughout the week.  My thanks to everyone who joined in during World Book Day and to parents who attended the consultations.  Primary School should be fun and full of wonderful memories.  Activities like World Book day help to make learning special.

At Fairlawn, our Reception children visited the Horniman Museum's Aquarium, as part of their 'under the sea' topic to gain hands on experience of sea life and sea creatures.  Again, experiential learning is memorable and deep.  Our aim at all three schools is to immerse our young learners in as much experiential learning as we can.  World Book Day at Fairlawn was a great success with children adults and staff dressing up as their favourite book character.  It was great to be in the playground on Wednesday as the children arrived in character and in costume.  They were brilliant!  Year 6 visited Hazard House at Lee Fire Station this week as part of Lewisham's Junior Citizens Event.  The children learned how to stay safe and be responsible in the community.  Mum's enjoyed an afternoon of learning in our Reception classes on Thursday and Dad's enjoyed breakfast with the children on Friday.  Class 4B did their assembly on life in Tudor times, also on Friday.  Friday proved to be a very busy day... as there was a fire alarm too.. that meant we had to evacuate the building while it was raining.  Fortunately for us the offender was a smoke alarm in the kitchen, rather than a real fire.

Week 20

Dear Parent/ Carer,

We had a typically busy first week back after the Half term in all of our schools. 

We appointed a new Head of Teaching School this week.  Jackie Waine, currently serving as a Deputy Head teacher in Leyton, will join us after Year 6 SATs.  Jackie's qualities as a teacher and as a trainer will help us by adding further leadership and coaching expertise to our professional learning community of schools.  The Teaching School that our partnership leads also has a remit to support the wider community of schools.
For more information on the role and remit of the Teaching School, visit
http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/speeches/a00220299/charlie-taylor-keynote-speech

At Kilmorie, our Assembly theme on Monday was 'Good To Be Me'.  We looked at all the good things about Kilmorie as well as sharing ideas for a new logo designs for the school. 

Bug club information meetings for parents took place on Wednesday morning and in the evening to introduce a new Reading Scheme to support the children’s development as readers.  The Bug Club scheme books are carefully graded and work alongside the children’s phonic development. The genres are varied and the content features some well-known characters, increasing children’s enthusiasm for them.  Children can take home the books as well as accessing more eBooks via a personalised website.

We had a Parents Council meeting on Thursday.  Our thanks to those parents who are consistently freely giving of their time to support developments at our school.

We are looking forward next week to a visit by Frankie Sulke, Director of Children's Services for Lewisham.  We have a wonderful school to be very proud of.

I enjoyed a Coffee Morning with parents at Fairlawn on Monday.  Our Community Room is now up and running and it is good to see that parents are making use of the space regularly.  We aim to continue to develop the opportunities for rich engagement with our community.  My thanks to those parents who met with Ms Goody this week to discuss that very agenda - how we can work most effectively with our parents.   

Our Fairlawn won the friendly against Gordonbrock Primary School 3 – 2 on Thursday.  Mr Aldridge's team are gaining a fearsome reputation in the area after a string of victories.

Our Year 5’s enjoyed a trip to Aspley House ( Home of Duke Wellington, Prime Minister under Queen Victoria) on Friday, where they took part in role play sessions as new servants reporting for their first day of duty at the Duke’s House.  They handled and sketched Victorian household objects, and got ‘under the skin’ of what it was like in Victorian times.

And, meanwhile, all our ensemble groups are practising extremely hard for the Spring Music Festival - one not to be missed!

As some of you know, I have taken on the day-to-day leadership and management at Fairlawn in order to enable Ms Christian to gain wider experience within the partnership prior to taking up her new post as Head teacher at Dunraven Primary School.  This, by necessity, changes the emphasis of my role a little in the short-term and this is one of the enormous benefits of Executive Headship for our partnership... that, if there is a short-term leadership change there remains continuity at senior level.  I am very much enjoying a 'closer' role at Fairlawn and am very much 'hands on' in addressing those aspects that we need to address at the school.  We will go to advert shortly for a permanent Head of School.  My work with both Haseltine and Kilmorie will not be affected by this change.  Ms Brumby, Mrs Stone and I continue to work on strategic developments for the schools and to plan ahead for the next year.

The choir at Haseltine are working hard practising for the Spring Music Festival, too.  They sang for the whole school this week.  Again... one not to be missed!

Governors enjoyed learning how to be scientists with the Reception children during our governors’ information visit on Friday.

Look out for our new banners, coming soon at Haseltine celebrating the success of the school and our status as an outstanding school.  The story made the front page of the South London Press... a wonderful good news story worth sharing.

We look forward to Rosamund Clarke joining our team on Monday.  Rosamund is our newly appointed Business Director.  Rosamund will work across all of our schools and will help us to maximise the Value for Money savings that we can achieve as a partnership.  She will also help to take some of the pressure off the Headteachers and Heads of School to enable them to concentrate more of their time and their attentions on teaching and learning in our schools.

Have a lovely weekend,

Mark Wilson

Executive Head teacher