Headteacher's Message
It has been a wonderful start to this new school year. Thank you all for your smiles and warm greetings in the morning and at 3.13pm, despite the rain,
October is Black History Month and this year the theme is “Reclaiming Narratives”. It provides a chance for us all to learn about and appreciate Black history, helping us understand the importance of diversity, representation, and inclusion in shaping a more just society. This theme encourages us to tell people’s stories accurately and reminds us that history belongs to everyone.
Please watch our website updates on our learning.
The DFE have given schools new guidance around attendance. This year I want to make this a whole school community focus. I want us – together – to highlight and celebrate the successes of the school as we achieve our challenging goals.
The school has set itself a target of 96% attendance for the year. We will update you through our newsletter how close each class/year group is to achieving this.
Consistent attendance at or above 95% directly correlates not just to achieving well in school, but also to stronger mental health and wellbeing through life.
The school is here to support families in achieving this. Part of this will be to update you if your child’s attendance falls below 90%. Any child who has attendance below 90% is considered to be PA – that is persistently absent. This is regardless whether or not your child has an authorised absence or unauthorised absence. To put this into perspective, if a child’s attendance drops to 80% that is the equivalent to a day off every week. Children who miss this amount of time in school inevitably miss out on their learning and often fall behind.
Please work with us to achieve our target of 96%. Parents’ Evening will be on 22nd and 23rd October; the booking for this will be available on SCOPAY early next week.
Usborne Books
You will remember back in July, Kelvin Grove hosted a reading challenge ‘Ready, Steady, Read’. It was brilliant how many children took part and the children raised an incredible amount for the school – £3656.07!! The project was organised with Usbourne Books who agreed that all the money raised will go towards brand new books for our school. In addition to the sponsorship money, Usbourne donated up to 60% of the total raised in extra free books. After much deliberation, picking and choosing, the new books have arrived this week! 
There are so many wonderful new books to read and children have been thoroughly enjoying them in class. Thank you once again to all the parents/carers, family members and friends who sponsored the children’s reading and helped them to raise money for the books.
We would also like to say a massive Thank you to Miss Bines for organising everything for the sponsored read, stamping and sorting all the new books delivered to each class, and being our reading champion!
Groove School is Open
Groove School is open for Year 3, 4, 5 and 6! Please book via SCOPAY and see the letter sent out today with more details.
Parent contact details
In the event of an emergency or accident, the school MUST be able to contact you immediately by telephone, so we need to have the most up-to-date information on our system. Please see the letter sent out early this week about SIMS Parent to ensure you have given us your most up-to-date contact information.
Secondary Transfer
Reminder: if you are a parent of Y6 please make sure you complete your applications for Secondary by 31st October. Mr Hyde is happy to answer any questions you may have and the office can support if you are having any difficulty with the application process.
Click here for more information about the secondary application process.
Lost Property
This helps us to return any lost and found items quickly to their rightful owner/s.
Unnamed lost property will be displayed by the pod in the main playground from 8.30 am – 8.45 am and again at 3.15 pm – 3.30 pm on a regular basis. All unclaimed items will be sent to the local charity shop to benefit our wider school community.
Pre-loved school uniform is also available from Kids Support Tree – in addition to our official school uniform provider Wearabouts in Sydenham.Record Breaking Progress!
Maya in Y5 has been working tirelessly on creating the longest loom band chain and break the Guinness World Record (currently 12,529.4m) – this week we measured Maya’s loom band and the total length is 31.80m! Congratulations Maya, what a magnificent achievement already!
Green Thumbs
Mrs Jupp has been taking classes in to the school garden during afternoons to get our garden ready. Year 5 got their hands dirty this week seed collecting and soil prepping. It was hard work, but so rewarding! The children also complete a minibeast survey, where they spotted shield bugs, grasshoppers, and even a Haarige Raupe moth!
School Accounts
With our move to Medical Tracker for all medical notifications, this brings another online platform for parents/carers to use. We wanted to give a reminder of the platforms the school uses with both parents and children.
Parents/Carers
SIMs Parent
This is where parents can update their contact details and child’s medical information.
Parents/Carers will have their own login for this.
SCOPAY
Used for booking trips, clubs and making online payments. SCOPAY is also the online booking system we use for Parents’ Evening.
Parents/Carers will have their own login for this.
Medical Tracker
You will receive notifications from Medical Tracker via email, in regards to any accidents your child may have in school, or to be notified about any use of medication. Parents/Carers will receive notifications next week to check on care plans, or agreed administration of medication, and in the future will receive only further notifications to log-in when reminding them when their child’s medicine is due to expire.
Parents/Carers only need their email for this, and Medical Tracker will issue a log-in code when details need to be checked or updated by the parent/carer.
Teacher2Parents
Communication is sent to parents/carers using this platform – via texts and emails. The sender will show as Kelvin Grove and parents/carers do not need a log-in for this.
Tapestry
Parents/Carers of children in Nursery and Reception can see updates on their children and their learning through this platform. Parents/Carers will have their own log-in for this.
Please speak to Mrs Battista or Mrs Potts if you require assistance with your log-in.
Children
Mathletics
Children in Years 2 – 6 can access their maths home learning on Mathletics, where they will be set tasks to complete. Children will have their own log-in for this, given out before they need to use it. Not all year groups are using Mathletics this term. Please speak to your child’s class teacher if you need their Mathletics log-in card. If you are experiencing any technical problems with Mathletics, please ask to speak with Mr Clark or Miss Gibbs.
TTRS
Times Tables Rock Stars is used for Times Tables practice at home and in class, children in Years 3 – 6 have their own log-in for this. Please speak with your child’s class teacher if you need their TTRS log-in details.
Seesaw
Children are using Seesaw in class, they do not require a log-in to use at home.
Highlights from Class
Year 2 budding chefs!
Year 2 are budding chefs! We learnt how to prepare food this week. We learned to chop, grate, and snip with knives, graters, and scissors. Get
Cobalt Classics!
Cobalt class were thrilled to start music lessons this week! We’ve begun learning how to hold and play the ukulele. It was such great fun and
Year 5 Green Thumbs
Mrs Jupp has been taking classes in to the school garden during afternoons to get our garden ready. Year 5 got their hands dirty collecting seeds
Mint Movers!
Mint class had a blast in PE! We moved and grooved while learning to follow directions. Gymnastics is next, and we can’t wait! 🤸♀️
Year 1 Forest School
Year 1 is loving Forest School! Exploring, learning, and having a blast in the great outdoors! 🌳
Lilac Class Computing
Lilac class is back in the computing groove! We’ve been refreshing our skills using Seesaw, responding to tasks and adding to our journals. Seesaw Basics? Check!
Letters sent home
Groove School
Reception Newsletter 04-10-2024
Pupil Medical Information and Care Plans
France Initial Parent Meeting information
Year 2 PE update
Year 3 Mathletics and Maths Home Learning
Update to First Aid Incident and Medication Administration Notifications
France Residential final price
SIMS Parent Registration
Governors' and Friends News
the Governors
As ever, if you have any questions for the governors please do get in touch on governors@kelvingrove.lewisham.sch.uk
The KG Circle
KG Circle UpdateWe will be hosting our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 6th November and we would love you to attend and hear more about The KG Circle. Sadly, Jen our Chair is standing down, so we will be looking for new committee members as well as discussing plans for the rest of the school year. If you’d like any more information about being involved, please get in touch with pta@kelvingrove.lewisham.sch.uk
Our first fundraisers for the year are kicking off and we will be hosting a Bake Sale on Friday 18th October and letters and design forms will be distributed via class teachers for children to design Festive Cards and/or other products ahead of the end of term. The KG Circle gets commission on all items ordered.
Don’t forget
Asda Cash Pot is still running and even if you don’t shop at Asda, you can raise money for The KG Circle by signing up for Asda Cashpot. The KG Circle will get £1 per sign up. We’ve raised nearly £70 so far. Find out more: https://www.asda.com/cashpotforschools
You can also fundraise for The KG Circle via Easy Fundraising which means you can raise FREE donations for us every time you shop online. Over 7,000 brands will donate to us when you use easyfundraising to shop with them – at no extra cost to yourself! Find out more here.
If you would like to find out more about The KG Circle or get involved, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch: pta@kelvingrove.lewisham.sch.uk
The KG Circle
Community News
Children's Centre
On 1st October the management of Kelvin Grove & Eliot Bank will move to Lewisham Council management, as Lewisham are integrating the Children and Family Centres into Family Hubs.
The sessions will remain the same.
Please join our Facebook page: Eliot and Kelvin for the latest updates or join our WhatsApp Channel ‘Kelvin Grove and Eliot Bank Children and Family Centre.
Our timetable is also available here
For enquiries please call us on: 0208 613 0172
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Click the image to view the timetable.
Free Legal Advice Duncan Lewis via phone call 0208 613 0172 for appointment
All sessions held at TNG will be charged @ £2 per adult.
Low income families are free
Please see the attached poster for more information on items that we can and can not accept. All donations can be left with the office. If you are in need of any school uniform, please fill out the form using the link here.
Simone Daniels will be in touch with you to confirm when the items are ready to collect.
Keep an eye on our noticeboard in the main playground for all the latest news, updates and ways to help.
Simone Daniels
#KST #GIVEBACK #TCT
Our gofundme page, with all donations going directly to the Kelvin Grove Community Centre is here.
Instagram: @kidsupportree
Twitter: @kidsupportree
Facebook: Kid’s Support Tree
Harry Potter UK Casting Call
The search for the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger is underway!
An open casting call for residents of the UK and Ireland has been announced for the new HBO original series adaptation of ‘Harry Potter’.
Currently only children who are aged 9-11 in April 2025, and a resident of the UK or Ireland, will be considered.
See the poster or visit https://app.castittalent.com/HPCasting for more.
Penge Rooftop Gallery
Penge Rooftop Gallery Viewing Days Announcement!
There will be two viewing days of fresh artworks for the general public on Saturday 5th October from 10.00am – 2.00pm and Saturday 12th October, from 10.00am – 2.00pm at the roof of the Blenheim Centre. Access will be outside the lifts on Level 2.
Viewing is free and no booking is required!
The London Calling group will be there during this time to discuss the artworks with anyone who wishes to come and enjoy over 150 artworks from this community initiative.
The Octopus Club
Young V&A is hosting a collaboration with The Octopus Club, with a pop-up shop in the museum. ‘The Nearly New Store’ will be filled with great quality second hand baby and kids clothing and gear that are both affordable and sustainable. (Everything from babygrows to bouncers, scooters to slings, coats to cots)
The Octopus Club is on a mission to help brands, parents and caregivers to make and save money, reduce waste and cut carbon emissions for a cleaner, greener, better future. Since launching in 2020, their community has rehomed over 40,000 items. The store will be stocking items such as babygrows, bouncers, scooters, cots and high chairs with items ranging from £5 – £500, and savings from 30-70% on RRP, it will be the shopping destination for pocket savvy and planet conscious parents and caregivers. Come in and check it out – you might find your new favourite item!
Open 10.00am – 5.00pm, everyday.
Where: Young V&A Museum, Top Floor Shop.
Cambridge Heath Road
Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA
Family Events at Tate
Tate Draw
See your drawings come to life using our digital sketch pads at Tate!
You can draw online or take a seat at one of the desks at Tate Britain or Tate Modern, where you can see your finished drawing projected onto the wall.
When you’ve finished your drawing, you can save it to a phone, or order a T-shirt to wear your creation.
Share your art at #TateDraw
Days and Time: Open Monday to Sunday from 10.00am – 6.00pm
Location: Tate Britain Lower Floor, next to the Djanogly Café
Tate Modern The Starr Foyer, Natalie Bell Building, Level 1 and Blavatnik Building, Level 3
Price: Free
Tate Modern
Uniqlo Tate Playmake Studio, The Joy of Not Knowing 
Come and discover the unknown inspired by joyful artworks in Tate’s collection.
Let your imagination run wild with a variety of hands-on activities for the whole family, all using recycled materials sourced right from within our galleries. You’ll be encouraged to imagine and explore magical futures by creating props and costumes made from sensory, re-purposed materials. There’s something for everyone!
Perfect for artists of all ages, including our tiniest creators aged 5 and under.
Under 5s
On Wednesdays, we offer special activities just for them featuring themed storybooks, sensory exploration and more. Using everyday materials and objects we’ll explore new ways of seeing the world and create fresh, joyful perspectives.
Please note that you may be asked to queue at busy times.
See the webpage for more details.
Days and Time: Every weekend and Wednesdays from 31 August 2024 until 23 October 2024
Families with under 5s: Wednesday at 10.30am – 3.00pm (Last entry 45 minutes before event finishes.)
All the family: Saturday – Sunday at 10.30am – 6.00pm (Last entry 45 minutes before event finishes.)
Price: Free
Tate Britain
Play Studio
From 25 May 2024, POSE by Harold Offeh at the Play Studio
Dress-up, move and play with different ways of expressing yourself through performance, music and making in our creative learning space for children, young people and families.
Inspired by the ways artists portray themselves and others, Play Studio: POSE by Harold Offeh invites you to react to artwork at Tate Britain in your own way, while discovering something new about yourself in the process.
Make something together inspired by the stories you’ve encountered in the galleries, or relax with under 5s next to the sand trays, collections of objects and books.
Visit the Play Studio page for full details
Days and Time: Open every weekend and Fridays during term-time. Every day during school holidays from 10.00am – 5.00pm.
Location: Learning Gallery. Entry via Manton or Millbank Entrance
Price: Free
Story Space
Explore the growing Story Space book collection, celebrating books that centre children of colour, featuring books by black authors, indigenous authors and authors of colour from around the world. Story Space also includes books by authors and about characters who have protected characteristics such as disability, sexual orientation and religion/ belief.
Read to yourself, to someone else, with each other, out loud. Once you’ve discovered some new stories, tell your own story through our dress-up and drawing activities!
Visit the Story Space page for full details and news of Story Space Events
Days and Time: Open every weekend and Thursdays during term-time. Every day during school holidays from 10.00am – 5.00pm.
Location: Manton Studio. Entry via the Manton Entrance
Price: Free
Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ
Family Craft Saturdays
Join Horniman Museum’s volunteer team on Saturday afternoons for family craft activities inspired by the Museum’s collections. Learn about some of the 350,000 objects in the Horniman’s collections, and discover more about music, nature, wildlife, and the world around us.
Get stuck into some crafts and have fun with Horniman’s wonderful volunteers at these free, drop-in sessions.
When: Saturdays
Time: 2.00pm- 4.00pm (last entry 3:30pm)
Tickets: Free
Perfect for children aged 3 and above. (Children must be accompanied by an adult).
October
Black History Month – 5th and 12th October
Celebrate Black History Month by making hanging clouds to write your dreams on – inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.
Bat Baskets🦇🎃 – 19th and 26th October
It’s getting spooky at the Horniman! This Halloween we are making bat baskets. Come and join the fun!
Location: Education Centre – near the entrance
Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ
Hear it Live
In this month’s Hear it Live, join us on Thursday 10th October to experience a unique performance celebrating the saxophone’s unique instrumental voice – from classical to jazz and contemporary to folk – with saxophonists Charlotte Harding and Jonathan Radford.
Charlotte Harding is an Ivors Composer Award-winning composer and saxophonist and graduate of the Royal College of Music where she studied with Mark-Anthony Turnage. Drawing on an eclectic mix of classical and cross-genre influences, her diverse career has seen her works performed at the Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells, Cadogan Hall, Three Choirs Festival, WOMAD and Kings Place. Charlotte is published by FaberAlt.
Recognised for his ‘virtuosity and engaging musicianship’ (Gramophone Magazine), Jonathan Radford is regarded as one of the leading classical saxophonists of his generation. He is an international prize-winner, with notable awards including Commonwealth Musician of the Year and Gold Medallist in the Royal Over-Seas League Competition (UK, 2018). He features as ‘One to Watch’ in Gramophone Magazine and as a ‘Rising Star’ in BBC Music Magazine.
Hear it Live! often includes performances on our four historical keyboard instruments, three of which, from the former Finchcocks Musical Museum, were restored to playing condition thanks to National Lottery funding.
The instruments are:
- A rare surviving example of a signed Neapolitan virginals by Onofrio Guarracino, 1668;
- A beautifully-preserved square piano by Adam Beyer, London, 1777;
- A 1772 Kirckman harpsichord; and
- A handsome English chamber organ, possibly by Joseph Beloudy, London, c.1800.
When: Thursday 10th October (the second Thursday of every month)
Time: 3.30pm- 4.00pm
Tickets: Free
Perfect for children and adults.
Location: Music Gallery Performance Space
Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ
Global Camps October Half Term
Global Camps are back at Kelvin Grove Primary over the October half term for lots of Autumnal arts & crafts and outdoor activities with our usual core of sports and language learning. 🍁 🎃 🍂
See more details and book online at the website here.
For: Ages 5-11
When: October Half Term (Monday 28th October – Friday 1st November 2024)
Lewisham Lions Half Term Camp
In Millwall CT is delighted to be running an October 2024 Multi-Sport Camp at The Lions Centre.
The camp will involve development sessions alongside fun games, mini matches and tournaments whilst helping each player develop their game.
See the flyer for more details and book online at the website here
For: Ages 5-13
When: October Half Term (Monday 28th October – Friday 1st November 2024)
Time: 10.00am – 3.00pm
Price: £12 per day or £60 for the whole week
Where: Lewisham Lions Centre, London SE16 3LD