Headteacher Blog Archive Summer 1 2024
7th June 2024
As part of World Environment Day which took place earlier in the week all classes went to the park and surrounding area to pick up litter. The children in all classes were amazed at the amount of rubbish dropped to the ground, even when there was a rubbish bin near by! I am sure the local community, as well as the Mill Hill Residents association who kindly donated litter pickers to the school, were extremely grateful to our children for helping to keep the local area clean and tidy. We also discussed how that local wildlife would be grateful for it too.
On Thursday morning Years 3 and 4 were lucky enough to take part in a SEED Shavuot craft activity. The Rabbi spoke to the children and the adults who were able to come in about Shavuot and the meaning behind some of the items eaten during Shavuot. To all our surprise the focus was not on cheesecake but on the fruits and flowers associated with the festival. The children made a fantastic pot to take home with them which I was extremely envious of. For those of you worried about the lack of cheesecake, it wasn't a problem as our fabulous chef made one for dessert today so that all the children could enjoy it ahead of Shavuot next week.
Reception have gone farm crazy this week. They have learnt what an adjective is and written descriptive sentences about farm animals. They have also designed farms in unusual places such as on the moon and under the sea. In Year 1 this week they have finished their topic on Seasons. The children know the differences between the four seasons and can discuss which is their favourite and why. Year 2 have been working extremely hard this week on correct letter formation. They have discussed why correct handwriting is so important and how forming their letters correctly can help when creating longer pieces of work. Year 3 made cyanotype prints like the artist Anna Atkins. They used special coated paper which they left in the sun with objects on. The sun imprinted the shapes on to the paper which the children then set using water to produce beautiful final pieces. Year 4 have enjoyed making vegetables out of clay. They were inspired by still life photographs of fruit and vegetables. Year 5 have also been working hard in art to produce a piece of work that included a photograph of themselves in it. This week Year 6 have taken part in a number of special experiences and trips in and out of school. They have been working on their Kosher Apprentice project, taken part in water sports at the Phoenix Outdoor Centre and joined other Barnet schools at the Barnet Junior Citizen Scheme event.
Congratulations to the following children for showing Educational Excellence this week and joining me at my tea party:
Mimi R, Nili W, Max K, Sadie M, Gracie C, Sylvie K and Leah O.
We ended this half term with a brilliant talent show final this afternoon. I was blown away by the level of talent in the school as well as the variety of acts that took part. Congratulations to all finalist for keeping the whole school engaged and for entertaining us all.
Wishing you all a lovely half term and happy Shavuot.
Shabbat shalom,
Mrs Martin
31 May 2024
Even though we have only had a four day week this week the school, as always, has been a hive of activity. We begun the week with a fantastic class assembly in which Year 3 shared with us some of the highlights of their year. It was clear to see how much hard work and enjoyment has come from their learning this year. The older children enjoyed reminiscing on some of the texts the class spoke about and the younger classes got to see some of the things they might learn about when they are in Year 3.
On Wednesday a group of girls represented the school at Maccabi Y5 and 6 netball tournament. The girls played exceptionally well as a team and managed to get to the final stages of the competition. Unfortunately they lost out to a much taller team! Congratulations to the following children for playing so well:
Liv A, Katie A, Ava G, Sophia G, Ruby L, Ava M, Bella R and Alissa W.
As I have been walking around school this week and going in and out of classes it has been wonderful to see the variety of learning taking place across the school. This week Reception went on their second shopping trip to Tesco. The children decided on a recipe they wanted to make and wrote a shopping list before heading to the shops. They then used their shopping to bake delicious pizza. Year 1 have spent time this week learning about fractions. They have been able to halve shapes and some even managed to halve a certain number of objects. Year 3 have continued to learn about UK Seaside places this week. They looked at different islands off the coasts of the mainland and considered how life on the small islands might be different to living on the mainland. Year 3 have learnt about beetles. They have then used their new knowledge to write fact files about beetles. Year 4 are now decimal experts. They have also been practicing their times tables ready for the times tables check taking place in class next week. As well as maths, the children have been reading Oliver and the Seawigs. They have written a sarcastic conversation between a few of the characters and then acted them out. Year 5 have continued their work on the Tin Forest and written some diary entries as different characters from the book. Year 6 have learnt about budgeting this week and have attempted to plan a holiday for Mrs George keeping to a given budget. Some of them were appalled at the price increase for a hotel in July and August!
Congratulations to the following children for being invited to my tea party this week:
Nola S, Gefen RD, Lielle W, Dylan M, Madeline W, Oli S and Amelie C.
Shabbat shalom,
Mrs Martin
24 May 2024
In assembly on Tuesday morning I was lucky enough to share with the whole school the children who had been elected to be the library monitors for the summer term. I reminded the children that their role was to not only help look after the library but to also help promote a love of reading and make book recommendations to their class. Congratulations to the following children who are the library monitors for this term:
Toby G, Blake K, Jagger R, Alfie R, Millie S, Max B, Sylvie B, Sophie L, Noa S, Eva B, Lola M, Luca DM, Orli T, Anna O and Lila B.
We were very excited to take part in the annual Quiz Club Mathematics competition again this year. On Tuesday four children from Year 6 took part in the online competition and worked fantastically well as a team to answer maths questions that increased in complexity as the quiz went on. The team did so well that they finished in the top 35% and have qualified for the semi-finals in a few weeks time. Congratulations to Daniel K, Koby K, Leah O and Daniel S for their fantastic achievement.
On Wednesday morning Year 4, 5 and 6 had a special assembly in which Richard Brett, a retired Chemist, came in and spoke to the children. He spoke to them about what they think a scientist might look like and then explained that he is a scientist who spent his days working in a laboratory testing medicines. There were several questions from the children about how animals were used in the testing process, with some children clearly against the idea! Richard also spoke to the children about some famous Jewish scientist including Chaim Weitzman and Rosalind Franklin.
Also on Wednesday, Mrs G and Mr King took a team of Year 5 and 6 boys and girls to the Maccabi football tournament. They al worked well as a team and played their hardest to take part in some skilled game play. Congratulations to the following children for representing the school so well on the day:
Saul B, Oliver B, Jordan F, Taylor G, Sylvie K, Felix R and Oliver S.
Finally, congratulations to the following children for showing educational excellence this week and for coming to my tea party:
Este R, Annie B, Ariella BP, Mila O, Tali B, Ava G and Daniel K.
Shabbat shalom, hope you enjoy the long weekend,
Mrs Martin
17 May 2024
As with all other primary school across the country, Year 6 have been sitting their SATs assessments this week. I would like to say how impressed I have been with the whole of Year 6 this week for their positivity and commitment to trying their best when tacking the question papers. We are all aware that these papers only judge a fraction of who children really are and look forward to providing Year 6 with a variety of opportunities to show other parts of themselves over the coming weeks.
On Tuesday the whole school enjoyed singing Happy Birthday to Israel and celebrating Yom HaAtzamaut. We all spent the day immersed in a variety of activities looking at different regions in Israel and learning about their culture. It was wonderful to see the whole school come together in the hall at the end of the day and perform a sitting down dance that they had learnt during the day!
Also on Tuesday, we were fortunate enough to find out from Year 5 about things they have learnt in school this year. They told us about learning to play golf, coding and even making paper mâché. They also entertained us with a brilliant rendition of a song they have learnt in their music lesson. We look forward to Year 4's class assembly next Tuesday.
On Wednesday a team of Year 3 and 4 children took part in the Maccabi football tournament. The team worked extremely well together to produce some great football and managed to win some games. Congratulations to all of those that took part and represented our school.
This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme for this year is Movement: moving more for your mental health. The idea behind this is to remind everyone the benefits that physical activity can have on mental health. Our bodies and our minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health. Exercise releases “feel good” hormones, that reduce feelings of stress and anger. It also helps us feel better about our bodies. It can improve our sleep too. If it involves other people, like being part of a team, a class or group we see regularly, that can also boost our mental health.
Today we have taken part in the HeadsUp Kids Colour Festival. The colour carnival is all about building positivity and celebrating our uniqueness, with children wearing brightly coloured clothes to school to promote positivity through colour. Children have spent time in class learning about positive mental health. some spent time thinking about their uniqueness, considering all of our differences and exploring all the things that make them feel resilient and positive – all components of positive mental health.
Congratulations to the following children for attending my tea party today for showing educational excellence:
Rachel S, Ruthie W, Uri L, Mila O, Ezra K, Jordan F and Libby C.
Shabbat shalom,
Mrs Martin
10th May 2024
Welcome back to the summer term. I hope you all had a good Pesach break and have been enjoying the sunshine this week. As always the school has been a hive of activity all week. I have seen great focus and concentration on the children's faces as I have been walking around the classrooms and have enjoyed talking to the children about their learning as well as the adventures they had during the holidays.
This month is Walk to School month. This is a national initiative designed to help children reach their minimum 60 minutes of exercise per day. Being active and getting some exercise in the morning before arriving at school will help set kids up for a positive day; improving focus and concentration, and instilling a sense of physical and mental wellbeing. Exercise helps develop strong bones and increase muscle strength. It also tones the whole body. Walking gets the heart pumping, which can help improve cognitive function for lessons throughout the school day. Walking helps to improve mood. Getting outdoors and making the most of natural daylight makes for a positive start to the day. When walking to school, children can relax and let off steam before they head into the classroom to learn. As part of this initiative we will being part in the Walk to School week challenge from 20th – 24th May. During that week we will be asking our children to complete a five day walking challenge booklet about their walk to school. All those that do will receive a special certificate in assembly as a way of congratulating them.
On Sunday 23rd June 2024 we will be taking part in the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run, the largest annual event in the Jewish community, to help raise money for our school. This year Maccabi GB are transforming their event to bring the community together celebrating and supporting Israel along side the fun run. The Israel side of the festival will feature Israeli cuisine, Israeli music, the display of Israelis flags and a distinct blue and white colour scheme. There will be a ‘shuk’ style market space providing a platform for Israeli-owned small businesses.
Our school is committed to raising money for Etz Chaim and we would love our pupils and families to take part in this great event by walking or running 1km, 5km or 10km. Please sign up your children, parents and grandparents at https://www.maccabigb.org/cfr before the event. Bring the family to take part or watch and visit the food court, family fun zone, charity fair and much more. Each participant under 2 is free, aged 2 – 15 years is £15. Adult entry, age 16 and above is £20. Please note the entry fee goes to Maccabi GB for the running of the event and does not go towards Etz Chaim. Please ensure when you register that you confirm you are fundraising for Etz Chaim. All money raised by those running for Etz Chaim will go towards resources for the school.
This week a group of Reception children went to the shops to by ingredients to bake cupcakes. They found a recipe online, wrote a shopping list and took it to Tesco in Mill Hill to purchase the items they needed. They had a lot of fun baking yesterday and the cakes smelt delicious. Year 1 have bee working hard this week on practicing their phonics. They have been checking the sounds different digraphs and trigraphs make as well as attempting to read nonsense alien words. This week Year 2 began their topic on The Seaside. They thought about some of the things that may be seen at the seaside and discussed what they were and why they might be there. Year 3 have been learning about different rainforests around the world. They have discussed how the climate is different and discussed the concept of humidity. Year 4 began their topic on the history of the railways this week. They learnt about early steam trains and how their design evolved over time. On one of the occasions that I was in Year 5 this week I was lucky enough to have heard a conversation between the children and Miss Deitsch around interest rates. The children were considering whether being charged interest on a loan was a 'scam' or a good idea - their were mixed feelings! Year 6 had an interesting lesson from Miss Zairi and Noa our Shinshinit about Yom HaZikaron. They talked to the children about the Israeli army and how it differs to ours in the UK.
Congratulations to the following children who attended my tea party today for showing academic excellence:
Toby G, Asher I, Adam G, Leonardo V, Tamar R-D, Libbi B, Gabi G.
We are all looking forward to celebrating Yom HaAtzamaut next week.
Shabbat shalom,
Mrs Martin
