Headteacher's Message
A recent review of teaching and learning across the school once again praised the hard work of staff and the amazing learning of all our children. I often tell you how incredibly proud I feel to be the headteacher of a school that is so diverse and welcomes all.
The last couple of years have been challenging for everyone but a walk into a classroom or our playground at anytime during the school day, will see happy children thriving in their learning.
One area of school improvement I need to focus your attention on is attendance and punctuality. I know that there has been a number of illnesses which have caused a higher level of absence but there are still far too many children being kept off school for reasons other than their own illness. These absences cannot be authorised.
Learning is planned sequentially and so if your child is off school they need to catch up. Days off which tag onto holidays still have implications on your child’s learning, especially if they are not at school at the start of a term.
Currently 25% of our school are showing as persistent absentees. This means their attendance is below 90% (over the course of a year this is equal to 20+ days off school). You will be notified regularly if your child has attendance below 90%.
Lateness too impacts on your child’s and other children’s learning. We have a window of time to arrive at school: gates open at 8.35am; children can go into school from 8.40am and lessons start promptly at 8.45am. If you arrive at 8.50am, your child is late. By 9.00am they could have missed a whole phonics or reading session. This also disrupts the learning of the other children as adults are taken to settle late pupils into class.
Please make sure you prioritise your child’s attendance and punctuality; inform the office if your child is ill using the absence reporting form: PUPIL ABSENCE FORM; be on time for school and do not request time off for children in term time unless it is an emergency.
I do not need to tell you that there is a direct correlation between good attendance and punctuality and children’s progress in learning.
School Council
In our last school council meeting on Wednesday 8th March we were joined by governor Bryan Strom. We discussed
play spaces around our school. We shared what we liked about the play areas and how we felt they could be improved. Initially we talked about the spaces from our own views and experiences and then we began to think about the spaces in a more sustainable way. We started thinking about how the spaces could be reorganised and how we could improve the biodiversity too. In our next meeting we plan on going for a walk around the school grounds and identify parts of the school which we feel could become ‘greener’ areas and be used in different ways.
Club Xtra News
This week in Club Xtra we have been learning about an artist named Jane Perkins. She is a UK-based artist who calls herself the “re-maker” she has inspired us to re-use found objects and recycled materials, to create something new.
Let’s face it, our waste deserves a second chance and we have really enjoyed upcycling the plastic bottles that were given to us by the parents of Kelvin Grove.
We hope you like what we have created.
Payments to school
Please remember that school meal, clubs (Groove School and Piano), Breakfast Club and ClubXtra fees should be paid in advance and not left to run into arrears. With the end of the financial year fast approaching, we urgently need to collect outstanding fees in order to close our accounts.
You can view all your fees and subs on Pay360 https://www.pay360educationpayments.com/Home, as well as make safe and secure payments from the comfort of your own home. Please do not wait for the school office to send out reminder as this wastes valuable resources and office time. However, if you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact the school to arrange an affordable repayment plan.
We thank you in advance for your continued support.
School Dinner £ Increase
As you are all aware there is talk that school meals may be free for children from September. We await information on this and will keep you posted as we know more. However, the cost of living crisis is affecting the cost of all that we purchase and the salaries that are paid to staff. The cost of our catering contract is increasing and as a result the price of a school meals will also have to increase.
From April 2023, the price of a school meal will rise from £2.30 to £2.50. The price of nursery school meals are higher as the lunch period sits outside of the free entitlement, therefore nursery school meals will rise from £3.20 to £3.30.
This change will not affect those who are entitled to free school meals through the Universal Free School Meals programme in Reception and in years 1 and 2. It will also not affect children in Key Stage 2 who have access to free school meals. If you are unsure about your eligibility for this please speak to the School Office who would be happy to assist you.
Incidentally, if your family would be entitled to free school meals but you have chosen not to make an application, there are many benefits to making an application and we would encourage you to do so. Again, if you would like to know more please contact the school office or apply here: https://lewisham.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
Free School Meal Vouchers
We are pleased to let you know that Household Support Funding from Lewisham Council will be extended until the end of March 2024. This means that we will continue to send vouchers to families who are entitled to free school meals. These will be emailed to you in the usual way by 3rd April. Once again, if you think you are entitled to free school meals and you haven’t yet made a claim, follow the link above.
Lewisham families may also be able to access activities and free meals in the holidays by using the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme.
https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/young-people/holiday-programme-food-and-fun
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 17th March from 3.00pm to 3.30pm.
Class News
Cerise Class News
What a wonderful wet and windy start to the term we have had in Cerise class! We are continuing to explore our topic ‘We Are Gardeners’. In English we
Nursery News
We have all been very busy in Nursery, growing things and reading stories by the author Eric Carle. The children have especially enjoyed the story of
Lavender Class News
We’ve been having SO much fun in Lavender class over the past few weeks – in particular in science. Our topic is forces and today we carried
Apricot Class News
Apricot class have been tasting all sorts of different fruits from around the world. We identified and classified the fruit before tasting them. We then decided
Azure Class News
It has been great getting to know Azure class and finding out about their previous learning. Last term they were learning about the Romans and this
Jade Class News
In Jade Class this week we have been continuing to learn about the Ancient Greeks and how they influence our lives today. We looked at a
Cobalt Class News
In Cobalt class we have continued to learn about the impact that waste and pollution have on our planet. We held a debate last Friday where
Copper Class News
In English, Copper class has been learning about a Japanese myth called ‘The Goblin of Adachigahara’. We’ve enjoyed learning new vocabulary, using semi-colons and gruesome descriptions in
Cinnamon Class News
In Cinnamon class, we have been working hard on multiplication and division. We have been using our times table facts to help us divide by 2,
Letters sent home
Reception Newsletter 17 03 2023
NEU Teachers’ Strike – 15 & 16 March 2023
Magenta Newsletter 10 03 2023
Y2 Trip to Horniman Museum – March 2023
Governors' News
the Governors
We held our termly Full Governing Body meeting this week.
Equality and Diversity was top of our agenda and we discussed how the school’s action plan reflected Lewisham’s Race Inequality Pledge. You can read more about the pledge here: Tackle Race Inequalities in Education
Kelvin Grove have recently received top reviews and high praise from Lewisham Local Authority in 2 areas; Statutory Maintenance and Safeguarding. These are amongst the hidden aspects of running a school, but they are fundamental to the day-to-day functioning. Well done to all involved!
Community News
Friends of KG
Spring Fair – Thursday 30th March 3:15-5pm
We hope you can all join us on the day, there’ll be lots of yummy snacks and fun activities on offer!
We are looking for donations of Jolly Jam Jars (filled or empty), prizes (new or ‘as new’ items please) for the tombola, and volunteers to help in the run up to the event, and on the day itself. If you’re interested please ask one of us or leave a message with the office! Spring Fair FLYER
EID cake sale – Friday 21st April
We’re working hard to create a fun and varied calendar of events for 2023, as always this is a community effort open to all- so if you have any ideas you’d like to put forward or you’d like join the committee or volunteer group, we’d love to hear from you!
Sam, Becky, Wei, Einat & Jenni
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
Parents Job Club at Eliot Bank CFC on Mondays 13.00-14.30 NEW! Read more HERE
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
Could you help Sydenham Community Supermarket make sure that everyone receives an Easter egg this year? If you are able to donate an egg, big or small, please drop it off to Kelvin Grove Children’s Centre. Read more here: WE NEED YOUR HELP
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 call 020 8613 0172 for appointment
All sessions held at TNG will be charged £2 per adult/Low income families are free
Children’s Centre Timetable Spring 2 2023
Please join our Facebook page: Eliot and Kelvin for the latest updates.
Launching : Friday 5th May
Raffle tickets picked on Friday 26th May
Prizes include: soft play, swimming session, bowling, family cinema ticket & more! We’ll also be selling doughnuts on launch day, with more opportunities to win prizes!
We have set up a gofundme, with all donations going directly to the Kelvin Grove community centre: https://www.gofundme.com/f/kids-support-tree
Please check out our noticeboard in the main playground for details on our upcycled uniform shop & for all the latest news, updates & ways to help. If you would like to join our WhatsApp group, please contact the school office, who will send you the link to join.
#KTS #GIVEBACK
Instagram: @kidsupportree
Twitter: @kidsupportree
Facebook: Kid’s Support Tree
Dacres Wood Nature Reserve
Dacres Wood Nature Reserve occupies 2.5 hectares in LB Lewisham, to the east of the main railway line between Forest Hill and Sydenham stations. It was formerly part of a large Victorian garden, and includes an important remnant of the Croydon Canal, closed in 18[41]. There is a diverse invertebrate fauna, including several species of particular note and a number of useful invertebrate habitats. The site’s close abutment to a railway line makes possible potential colonisation and the spread of many species up this ‘green corridor’.
Open Days
The Reserve is open to the public by the Friends Group on the last Saturday of every month from 1-4pm. The next open day is on Saturday 25th March 2023.
Contact
To get involved please contact the Friends of Dacres Wood dacreswood@gmail.com
Follow the Friends of Dacres Wood on Twitter
Follow the Secret Adventures’ Club
Find Us: SE23 2NH
We’re easy to miss! We’re at the end of a drive called Honeyfield Mews which is off Dacres Road, Forest Hill, just past Catling Close on the right coming from Forest Hill, just before on the left if coming from Sydenham.
Aladdin
Hilarious! Great ! 🙂 Fabulous treat we look forward to over and over again Lots of fun – loved the baddy! Had a lovely time I totally loved it Super fun! Good for the kids Very entertaining, wow keep going Amazing Fun, awesome show, good for kids Another very well written and brilliantly realised show The video effects were great also – seamlessly blended in with the live action Well done!
There are 8 more performances, until Sun 26th March, Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre – there are TWO shows every Sat & Sun at 3pm & 4.30pm – and is suitable for families with children of all ages. With a range of ticket prices to suit most pockets, under 3s are FREE as usual, advance booking highly recommended!
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR 3PM SHOWS ARE SELLING OUT FAST AND CURRENTLY SELLING TWICE AS QUICKLY AS OUR 4.30PM SHOWS. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND ADVANCE BOOKING AND WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BOOK FOR THE 4.30PM SHOWS IF YOU ARE ABLE. THANKS!
Performances last approx. 50mins and we advise advance booking to avoid disappointment. Tickets are now on sale at Aladdin – from Saturday 4th March 2023 – Spontaneous Productions or can be purchased in person at Kirkdale Bookshop (9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat) or by phone 020 8778 4701. Any remaining tickets are available at the door from 30mins before show start time.
Crystal Palace Park Maze
Looking for trips out over the Easter holidays? Why not visit Crystal Palace Park maze. The maze is one of the largest in the country, spanning an incredible diameter of 160 feet. It has been bewildering visitors since the 1870s.
Featuring towering hedgerows and a confounding network of pathways, the maze is free and open to all. Most find it offers an excellent diversion, but beware, you might well find yourself occupied for longer than you had planned!
Make sure you read the story about how the girl guides are linked to the park from their very beginning at the start of the maze and throughout.
Cost: FREE
Crystal Palace Park Skate Park
Looking for ways to keep the children busy over the Easter holidays? Why not take them to the Crystal Palace Park skate park.
The skatepark, funded by the Mayor of London, consists of an extended 100 metre (330 feet) long and 11metre (35 feet) wide curved concrete band, filled with a wide range of rideable terrains. At one end sits an advanced cloverleaf pool, complete with swimming pool-style stone coping and tiling. In the middle is an L-shaped steelcoping bowl, particularly suited to skilled transition riders, and offering a multitude of hips and curves. And at the other end of the skatepark is a large mellow section, aimed at those of all abilities and riding styles, and for those just seeking to explore different lines and speeds. BMX, quad-skating, rollerblading, scootering and skateboarding have all been considered in this design, and riders of all ages and abilities will be very welcome.
Cost: FREE
The King's Coronation
Join Lewisham Council in celebrating across the Bank Holiday weekend between Saturday 6th and Monday 8th May. Here’s what we have planned so far to help you get involved:
The Big Lunch
Bring your neighbours together for a street party on Sunday 7th May. Street party road closures are currently free, apply for a road closure through the council.
The Big Help Out
Volunteer in your local community as part of the Big Help Out on Monday 8th May. Organise a community garden open day, help out at a tea party for older residents, or a park litter-pick. It’s a fantastic opportunity to try volunteering if you’ve never done it before. Visit Lewisham Local if you’d like to list a volunteering event, or sign up to volunteer.
Coronation Small Grants
Local people can apply for small grants of up to £300 to organise Coronation related activities: Apply for a coronation small grant. Deadline Sunday 19th March 2023.
List your event with us
If you’re hosting a coronation event and want us to know about it, fill in our microsoft form. If you have any queries, please visit our webpage or get in touch at: civicevents@lewisham.gov.uk
Forest Hill Assembly
Thursday 23rd March 2023
7.30pm – 9.00pm
Holy Trinity Church Hall
Trinity Path, Sydenham Park, SE26 4EA
- Tackling fly-tipping and other environmental crimes
- How local projects are using NCIL funding to improve the ward
- Community updates
Read more here: https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/forest-hill-assembly
Email for details: foresthillLA@lewisham.gov.uk
Global Camps - Easter Holidays
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 3rd to 14th 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!
Multisports Easter Camp
Multisports Easter holiday camps are taking place at Sydenham school and New Woodlands School.
Who the spaces are for:
- Children eligible for and in receipt of free school meals
- Children assessed as being in need
- Children with and EHC plan.
Aim of provision:
- To take part in engaging activities during the school holidays
- Eat healthier and gain knowledge of healthy nutrition
- Be more active, safe and not socially distanced.
Find out more:
Satellites @ Holy Trinity
Satellites is an after school provision on Tuesdays at Holy Trinity Sydenham and Forest Hill Church, just around the corner from Kelvin Grove School. They open up the church hall for families and put on games and activities for the kids while the parents can sit and have a cup of tea and a chat. They provide snacks and lots of fun resources and the whole thing is completely free; part of our commitment to serve our local community.
If you want to find out more, take a look at the FLYER.
