Headteacher's Message
Visitors to school always comment on the beautiful displays of children’s work. The wider curriculum and diversity of the school is so evident and showcased in our classrooms, corridors and halls.
The main school itself is over 150 years old and the outbuildings, playgrounds and spaces are a hotch potch of add ons, temporary buildings and repairs over time. The up-keep of our school is incredibly costly and our children deserve to learn in the very best environment, have nice new toilets, wonderful play facilities in a school they can be proud of. Over the next few weeks the school may be affected by the strike action of teachers.
We know that their action is not only to highlight that salaries have fallen significantly compared to the cost of living in the past ten years, but also to highlight how school funding in general has been so inadequately matched to rising costs. School leadership are then left with choices between building up-keep, and the jobs of staff who help your children learn.
Thank you to all the Year 4 parents and carers for such a fantastic turn out to the multiplication workshop. I hope to see you all at Parents’ Evening.
Parents' Evenings
We are looking forward to seeing you all at Parents’ Evenings on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th February. We sent home a letter on Monday with details of how to book your child’s slot. You can read the letter in the ‘letters sent home’ section below or book directly here: BOOK PARENTS EVENING We look forward to seeing you all.
School Council
Eco Warriors
This week in School Council we also met with Mrs Jupp and the new Eco Warriors. The Eco Warriors will be working to help maintain the cleanliness of the school grounds and ensuring that we have a healthy school environment. They will be monitoring litter and litter picking, monitoring lights around the school and checking that they are turned off when not needed, and the same for the the boards in classrooms. The Eco Warriors will also be maintaining the flowerbeds and making sure that the plants are watered regularly, and when needed.
Trees
Hopefully you have noticed the new trees which have been planted for us by Street Trees for Living. The School Council chose these carefully according to their size, colour and most importantly, carbon capture. There four new trees on the corner of Fransfield Grove and Kirkdale. We will be asking the school community and local businesses to help us look after the trees.
Traffic
Year 5 School Council carried out a series of observations on traffic. We also carried a traffic count together. We discovered that in a minute between 10 and 46 vehicles pass our school.
RSPB Birdwatch
This weekend is the big birdwatch. Spend time watching in a garden or in the park and record the birds you see. We talked about the different birds that visit our grounds and hope to see them around our play areas.
Save on your Club Fees
Did you know that you can receive up to £2,000 Tax-Free Childcare (per child) by registering with HM Government Childcare Choices (and up to £4,000 per annum if your child is disabled).
For every £8 that working parents spend, the Government will add £2 to your account making your money go much, much further! These vouchers can be used to pay for our ClubXtra, Breakfast Club, enrichment clubs, residential trips and holiday camps.
If you receive Universal Credits (and are not claiming Tax Free Childcare), you can apply to claim for up to 85% of your eligible childcare costs.
For further information click here Save 20% to 85% Off Your Childcare Costs
The KG Library Bear
Our Library Bear lives in the school library and helps to look after the books. The Library Bear loves to read when all the teachers and children have gone home.
This term we are running a competition across all year groups to help us find out more about the Library Bear. To enter the competition you can do any one of these activities…
Can you write a fact file about the Library Bear?
- What is the Library Bear’s name?
- What type of books does the Library Bear love to read when we’ve all gone home?
- Does the Library Bear have a favourite book?
Can you draw a picture of the front cover of the Library Bear’s favourite book?
Can you draw a picture of the Library Bear reading their favourite book?
Can you write a story about the Library Bear’s adventures after we all go home at night?
Remember to put your name and class on the back of your entry. Put it in the ‘Competition Entry’ tray in the Library by Wednesday 8th February 2023.
There will be a prize for each year group!
Girls' Football
We are pleased to announce the return of Girls’ Only Football Club (Y3,4,5&6) on Wednesday 3:30pm to 4:30pm. We would love to encourage more girls to participate in sports, especially football, the nation’s favourite sporting activity.
If your daughter would like to join the club, or even try a taster session, please contact the school office.
We also have a limited number of other club places still available – via the school office, read more here: School Clubs
Old Toothbrushes
The children in book club are reading the story ‘The tale of a Toothbrush’. If you have any old toothbrushes lying around, could you please send them to Sandra Merzouki in Amber Class? When the children are finished with them, they will be used by Club Xtra for art. Thank you all in advance.
Medicine in School
A polite reminder to parents and carers that all medication required by your children whilst at school must be handed in to the main school office. We must also have a signed agreement from you, the permission to administer medication form must be completed before we can give medicine to your child. This can be found on the Kelvin Grove website under Quick Links. or here: Permission to administer medicine
World Book Day Costumes
World Book Day takes place this year on Thursday 2nd March and we are looking for donations of costumes. If you have any in good condition that you would like to donate, please bring them to the school office.
We are also still taking donations of school uniform and Christmas jumpers. Thank you all so much for your donations so far! KG Community you are amazing! Lost Property
All lost property is stored in the Club Xtra cupboard. Alison Jupp, our Club Xtra Manager, will get the lost property out every couple of weeks for parents to look through and find anything they may have missing. Unnamed and uncollected items will be sent to the local charity shop. Alison will next display the lost property by the pod in the main playground on Friday 27th January from 3.00pm to 3.30pm.
Class News
Cobalt Class News
This week in maths, we have been focusing on our 6 times table. We have been developing our fluency and learning the division facts related to
Jade Class News
In Jade Class, we became geologists and carried out a rock hardness investigation! We wanted to find out what rock was the most hard-wearing out of:
Apricot Class News
Apricot class has begun learning about non-fiction books and different types of text. They are beginning to learn about polar animals through the ‘talk for writing’
Copper Class News
Copper Class have certainly hit the ground running this term and have been enjoying being immersed in our topic: ‘Disease and Development.’ Through cross-curricular learning in
Cinnamon Class News
In Cinnamon class we have been busy reading ‘Vlad and the Great Fire of London’. We have learned so much about the Great Fire and are
Nursery News
The children are enjoying our ‘Once Upon a Time’ topic, we have met Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Oseibo from The Leopards Drum, Goldy Luck from
Violet Class News
In English this week, Violet class have been deepening their understanding of deforestation – the clearing of forested land. We have been learning about the causes
Orchid Class News
This half term in Orchid class our topic is ‘We Are Superheroes!’ After our very exciting launch day, we’ve had fun learning all about superheroes. The
Amber Class News
In Amber Class we have been enjoying our new topic of Amazing Animals. We were fascinated by the animals brought in by ‘Spirit of the Wild’.
Ochre Class News
Ochre class have had such an exciting start to the new term! We are loving our new topic ‘Ashes to Ashes’, where we have been learning
Letters sent home
NEU Teachers’ Strike – Wednesday 1st February
Reception Newsletter 27 01 2023
Save Between 85% & 20% off Your Childcare Costs
FoKG Coffee Morning and AGM Meeting
Year 3 Trip to The Natural History Museum
Year 5 Local Walk
Parents’ Evening February 2023
Year 5 Secondary Transfer Meeting
Strike Action
Year 4 Times Tables Workshop
Turquoise Class – Parent Representative
Governors' News
the Governors
Hi everyone, we hope you are all well and looking forward to, hopefully, some warmer weather on the horizon!
We held our first meeting of 2023 this week; a meeting of the Pupils, Parents and Community Committee. This committee is seeing a few changes, with long serving Hilary Lafinhan leaving to have a baby, and Alison Jupp joining as a new co-opted staff governor. We would like to thank Hilary for all of her brilliant contributions over the years, and wish her the best of luck with her new arrival. We also welcome Alison and look forward to her involvement in governors meetings and goings on.
The Friends of Kelvin Grove will be holding a coffee morning / Annual General Meeting on Friday 10th February at 9am. Please come along if you would like to be involved with the FoKG on any level. If you can’t make the meeting but would still like to be involved, check your text messages; there’s a letter with a form which will enable you to register your interest and share how you would like to be involved.
Community News
Children's Centre
Babies & Crawlers at Eliot Bank CFC on Mondays 10.00-11.30
Snack& Chat at Eliot Bank CFC on Mondays 11.45-12.30
Latino Bambino Toddlers 9.30-10.15 & Latino Bambino Babies 10.15-11.00 at TNG on Tuesdays
Giant Messy Play at TNG on Wednesdays 10.00-11.30
Adventure Time (soft play) at TNG on Thursdays 10.00-11.30
Sydenham Community Supermarket at Kelvin Grove CFC on Thursdays 9.00-12.00 & 13.00-15.00 £3.50 membership fee per week
Mini Chefs at Eliot Bank CFC on Thursdays 13.00-14.30
L.I.F.E. Cooking Sessions for mums aged 16-35 at Eliot Bank CFC on Fridays 11.00 -13.15
Free Legal Advice Duncan Lewis via phone on Fridays 10.00-12.00
All sessions held at TNG will be charged £2 per adult/Low income families are free
Children’s Centre Timetable Spring 2023
Please join our Facebook page: Eliot and Kelvin for the latest updates.
ELMER and Friends: The Colourful World of David McKee
Step into David McKee’s colourful world in this first ever major retrospective of his striking illustrations and celebrate over 30 years of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant.
Horniman Museum and Gardens
London Road
Forest Hill SE23 3PQ
020 8699 1872
enquiry@horniman.ac.uk
Global Camps - February Half Term
If you are looking for childcare over the half term holiday, then look no further. Global Camps will be running at Kelvin Grove School from 13th to 17th February.
A Global Experience…
At Global Camps we pride ourselves on our innovative programme, which offers a rounded mixture of foreign language learning, sports and outdoor and creative education, to keep kids active and engaged during the school holidays. Children feel safe, fulfilled and make lasting friends and memories. That’s why children come back to us again and again!
Open Day: Dacres Wood Nature Reserve
Open Day from 1pm to 4pm. Honeyfield Mews SE23 2NZ
Explore and take part in activities –
*Bird survey at 2.30pm led by James Newton.
* “Pull that Reed” at 1.30pm. Conservation of the pond area for 14+ age group
Bring your wellies and gloves.
Snack provided.
Interested contact us at dacreswoodforestschool@gmail.com
Spread joy in your neighbourhood in 2023!
Sign up for a street tree in your street by 31st January, and create some joy and neighbourliness in your street next winter!
How about clubbing together with your neighours for a tree?
All the information you need to help you choose a tree, apply, and understand how to look after your tree is here: https://www.streettreesforliving.org/
Local volunteering opportunity - Lewisham Foodbank needs drivers
If you’re able to get yourself to their warehouse in Forest Hill and drive the van for a couple of hours Monday and/or Thursday, and are physically fit, then this may be just what you’re looking for!
If interested, email volunteers@lewisham.foodbank.org.uk
Open call for artists and designers – shape Refugee Week 2023
Are you an artist, illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, filmmaker, or collective with a refugee/asylum-seeking background? Would you like to shape the creative campaign of Refugee Week 2023?
Help create the main artwork for Refugee Week UK’s 25th Anniversary on the theme of Compassion. For more information and to apply click here.
