Miss Hamalis’ Bulletin – Monday 4 November 2024

Warmest congratulations to Mrs Eliad and her husband on the arrival of their beautiful second daughter, Poppy! Wishing them all joy and precious moments together as a family.

You can view all events for the year in the school calendar via our Parent Portal: SchoolBase login. Your calendar view should already be filtered to display the Junior School events and events which are specific to your daughter’s year group. 

The ‘School Calendar Parent View’ button shows the complete calendar, which can be viewed by each month, week or day. Events also appear on the right-hand side of the home page under ‘Forthcoming Events’ and the monthly view of the calendar also appears at the bottom of the home page.

Our Autumn Term KS2 Specialist Teacher meetings continue this week. As a result, Key Stage 1 Art & Crafts will be cancelled on Wednesday 6 November. All other clubs will be continuing as normal.

We are delighted to be able to welcome parents of Year 5 & Year 6 pupils into school to watch your daughters in their Year Group Assemblies this term. They will be performed, in Fairseat Hall, to pupils and staff on Mondays and to parents onWednesdays from 8.30 – 9.00am. To watch your daughter’s performance, please arrive no earlier than 8.25am when you will be asked to sign in at the iron gates to be escorted to Fairseat Hall by our Specialist Teachers. The dates of the Year Group Assemblies this term are:

Year 6: Wednesday 20 November

Year 5: Wednesday 4 December

Barvember is organised by White Rose Maths to encourage everyone to use bar modelling to pictorially represent worded problems. Our girls are taught to use the bar model as a useful tool to visualise and support solving mathematical problems. Even some of the most complex problems can be seen much easier when represented visually. Our girls know that the bar model is not the only way of visualising a problem and also know that problems can be solved in other ways. Across November, White Rose Maths will release five problems a day, so there will be plenty to get stuck into. The problems will get more challenging over the course of “Barvember”. The girls will be attempting a number of daily Barvember challenges throughout the month during their Mathematics lessons; however, we encourage you to continue this good practice at home, making use of the free resources (with worked answers) available on the White Rose Maths website. You may also choose to use this free website to practise reading and completing bar models with your daughter to then try to complete answers together.

Next Monday, we will mark Remembrance Day, which is observed on 11 November. At 11am, we will all gather together in the playground as a school community. Here, we will hold a moment of reflection, accompanied by the poignant sound of ‘The Last Post’. It will be a time to remember all those who have fought or are currently fighting in conflicts worldwide, and to show our deepest respect and gratitude for those who have made such significant sacrifices. From today, poppies and poppy merchandise are available in the School Office in exchange for a small donation. 

This year, we will again be marking the start of Anti-Bullying Week by inviting all members of the school community to wear odd socks on Tuesday 12 November. On Odd Socks Day, girls, staff and parents are invited to wear a pair of odd socks as a celebration of our individuality, highlighting that our differences make us a stronger and more united community. 

The day sends an important message to pupils that they should be allowed to be themselves, free from bullying, and helps us celebrate Anti-Bullying Week in a fun and positive way. Please join us by wearing your most colourful odd socks when you drop off and/or pick up your daughter(s). In addition, the girls will pledge to spread kindness across the school with their words and actions.

The organisers of Odd Socks Day have created a resource pack to support parents and carers, who have a unique role to play in guiding and supporting children through their school years. The resource pack is designed to give you information about bullying, tips about what to do if you’re worried about bullying, and the tools to help you talk to your children about bullying.

The theme for Anti-Bullying Week this year is ‘Choose Respect’. Throughout the week, all of the girls will add kind words and images of respect to their ‘hand on your heart’ templates. These will then be compiled across the year groups to create a whole Junior School display as a constant reminder of the values we uphold and the respect we show for one another.

The next KS2 Recital Evening is on Wednesday 13 November at 4pm in the Music Room. This is a chance for our pupils to develop their performance skills in front of a supportive audience. If your daughter has a polished piece ready to show off, please apply here by Thursday 7 November. Please note, slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Reception’s Winter Performance of ‘The Jolly Christmas Postman’ will take place on Thursday 28 November in the Arundel Centre. Doors will open at 2.15pm, with the production starting at 2.30pm and lasting approximately 30 minutes.

The Winter Celebration at St Michael’s Church Highgate will be taking place on Friday 6 December at 2pm. Please find the link to tickets here.  Here is the page on Firefly to support the girls with learning their songs.

This year, we will continue to contribute to the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation’s food bank. The AWTF aims to support families in need with emergency food parcels, and provides hot meals and fresh fruit and vegetables to over 200 hundred homeless people in the local area. 

The first collection of the academic year will be running from Monday 18 November – Friday 29 November. If your daughter is in Waterlow House, please ask her to place donations in one of the blue, labelled Food Bank collection bins in the courtyard. There will be three more collections running throughout the year, with girls in each House being asked to donate items. However, all members of the community are very welcome to donate at any time! 

Suggested items for donations include: washing tablets, tinned/canned produce, pasta (and sauces), rice, spices, olive oil, juices, stocks, cereals, sugar, salt, tea and coffee. Please ensure all items are long-life produce, as regrettably, fresh items cannot be donated. Clean sauce pots (from your favourite takeaway), egg cartons and tupperware are also helpful donations as it helps the food bank volunteers to share out items. 

Many thanks in advance to Waterlow for all your support!

We are delighted to invite all parents and carers to a series of curriculum talks led by our Subject Leads. These sessions will provide an overview of the curriculum in the following key areas: Mathematics, English, Music, PSHE as well as Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Reception. You will gain insights into what and how your daughters will be learning throughout this academic year and beyond. This is a valuable opportunity to engage directly with our Subject Leads, ask questions about the curriculum and teaching approaches and learn how to best support your daughter’s learning journey at home. If you would like to attend one of more of these evening talks, please sign up below using the linked Google Forms. 

Schedule of Talks

• EYFS in Reception: 14 November, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall 
• Year 1 and Year 2 Mathematics and English: 19 November, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Year 3 – Year 6 Mathematics and English: 27 November, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Reception – Year 6 Music: 14 January, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Reception – Year 6 PSHE and Emotional Management: 23 January, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall

We look forward to welcoming you and appreciate your ongoing support in helping your daughter achieve educational success, as we strive for all of the girls to be ambitious, realise their full potential, and become the very best versions of themselves.

We have collaborated with TooledUp Education: an invaluable digital library of evidence-based resources on all aspects of parenting, education and family life. Founder, Dr Kathy Weston, has collated the best and most up-to-date research from around the world and distilled it into usable, easy to understand resources which can be instantly applied to daily life. Channing Pin: cha0706

For more information about this resource, see the dedicated section below. 

For upcoming TooledUp courses and events please click here. 

• Wednesday 6 November 12:30pm ~ Ask Our Sleep Experts Anything!
• Friday 8 November 9:15am ~ Tooled Up Education Online Conference: Reaching Boys Early
• Wednesday 13 November 12:30pm ~ Rest and Reset: The Crucial Link Between Sleep and Mental Health in Teens 
• Tuesday 19 November 1pm ~ Overcome Adversity with a Resilient Mindset

As the weather is getting colder, the girls should now be coming to school in their winter uniform: pinafore, skirt or trousers, striped shirt, sweatshirt or cardigan, brown socks or brown tights and a navy blue, brown or black coat. Please ensure that all uniform and anything coming into school is clearly named with your daughter’s first name, surname or initial and form.

Please find the email contact details of the staff: JS Key Contact information. Please could we ask that your specific query is directed to the appropriate individual and anything of a more serious nature is directed to a member of the Senior Team. Please note that Miss Hamalis needs to approve all requests for absences so please send them via the Junior School Office: jsoffice@channing.co.uk. 

In order to prevent unnecessary awkwardness and/or embarrassment, please remember to address members of staff by their title and surname. 

Please be mindful that staff may not pick up emails immediately (teachers will, of course, not be checking emails when they are teaching, running clubs or supervising pupils at break and lunchtimes) and may choose to take time to investigate the matter before responding. However, they will endeavour to answer your queries within 24 hours. Please do not think that a lack of instant response means a lack of interest on the part of the member of staff. 

Please note that staff are not expected to reply to emails outside normal school hours, weekends or during school holidays. If you have an emergency which needs to be dealt with before school next opens, please email: jsoffice@channing.co.uk. Please do not send communications or information to communication@channing.co.uk or info@channing.co.uk.

Listen on:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Channing Website

The latest episode of our podcast features Miss Bolton (Head of Sport) at the Junior School. She shares her journey of cultivating a love for sports among young girls, fostering a culture of inclusion, and celebrating sportsmanship and teamwork within the school.

The episode sheds light on the values that guide the Channing Sports Curriculum, Miss Bolton’s insights into the importance of encouraging young athletes, and how the school has become a nurturing ground for our football, netball, and swim squads. She also shares heartwarming stories of last year’s highly successful football squad, reflecting on the importance of giving every girl the opportunity to thrive, regardless of skill level.

You’ll also hear Miss Bolton discuss the significance of inclusivity in sports, the positive impact of sports on pupils’ personal development, and how the school ensures that every girl feels welcomed, supported, and motivated to achieve her best.

Tune in now to hear how Miss Bolton is shaping our next generation of athletes.

The Harry Potter-themed Winter Fair is taking place after school on Friday 29 November. Buy your tickets for the girls and your families.

The school will be transformed into Hogwarts for a wonderful wintery afternoon, where the girls and their families are invited to discover the magical world of Harry Potter, with a never-before-seen-in-Hogwarts visit from Santa!

The girls are invited to wear Harry Potter or festive fancy dress to school all day on Friday 29 November.

Please note that all after school clubs / wraparound care provisions will be cancelled due to the Fair, and all children must be accompanied to the Fair by an adult.

The charity fundraising raffle for GOSH is now live – buy your tickets to be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize. All proceeds will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Gastroenterology Department.

Buy tickets

Prizes include: family pass to Church’s Farm, Spurs tickets, Dishoom meal voucher and hamper, Wizard of Oz On Ice tickets, photography session, tea party with Miss Hamalis, beautiful gold bangle, 2025 comedy tickets, Pacifica beauty products, Everyman cinema tickets, gym passes, and much more.

The CA are currently collecting items for the Winter Fair’s Pre-loved Stall and would be grateful for any donations of toys, hair accessories, stationery, puzzles, books, games, or other items in good condition.

Please drop off your donations in the clearly labelled bins located in the entrance courtyard.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

Well done to the winners of the annual Christmas puddings Design Competition. Puddings (traditional, sticky toffee, apple strudel and more) are available to purchase now.

Order yours now at: https://bit.ly/chanpud24 

The winners are:

Clara L, RH
Clementine S, RH
Sadie O, 1M
Freya M, 1M
Zia G, 2R
Reeva S, 2R
Annoushka S, 3F
Valentina N C, 3F
Tabitha S, 4W
Minnie W, 5S
Matilda B, 6W

Orders close on Sunday 10 November, and puddings will be delivered to your daughter at school in early December. Any issues please contact sschanningassociation@gmail.com 

Website tips when ordering:

• When checking out, the website says “we can only deliver to your billing address”. This is standard wording and not the case for our orders which will be distributed via your daughters at school.
• Please include your daughter’s name AND form when asked on the checkout screen so that we can distribute your puddings in early December.

• Friday 29 November, 4pm – Charity Raffle for Great Ormond Street Prize Draw, tickets here.
• Friday 29 November, 2:50-5:00pm – Winter Fair, in school, details on Classlist and tickets here.
• Tuesday 28 January 2025, 7:45 – 8:30am – PreLoved Uniform Sale, Courtyard
• Saturday 15 March, 4:30 – 7:30pm – Charity Swimathon, Poolside Manor