Dear Parents,
I hope you had a good half-term break. We have enjoyed a busy start to the half-term, although the temperature makes everywhere feel like the middle of winter, rather than the imminent arrival of Spring. Year 1 and Year 2 have been enjoying their first sessions in forest school. Our Year 6 children have been enjoying their bikeability throughout the past two weeks. We watched Owls uplifting class assembly this week and we have Year 3's assembly on Tuesday 7th at 9.10am. The children have enjoyed World Book Day today and I am looking forward to joining Year 1 on their trip to the Brooklands Museum tomorrow.
Forest school
I caught up with some Year 2 children after their second week of forest school.
Willow- I have really enjoyed going on the hammocks - two of us can go on at a time.
Cassia - I liked making the bird feeders and the bird nest. I took the bird feeder home!
Edward - I enjoyed making a nature weed. We cut two sides of cardboard and then put string across the holes. We found leaves or sticks to put in it.
Bikeability
Our Year 6 children have enjoyed a week-long programme of events, here are some of their thoughts.
Bea - I learnt how to signal when we are turning at junctions so that cars know which direction we are going. I also learnt to ensure to always cycle in the left-hand side of your lane.
Sevan - I enjoyed the experience of how to cycle safely and all the different positions you can be in e.g. primary is in the centre of your lane and secondary is an arms length away from the curb.
Thomás - I really enjoyed the week and learning how to cycle safely as I will be needing to know how to cycle in busy roads to go to secondary school. One thing I learnt is you shouldn't make a really steep turn - you should stay central.
Forest, Field, Fun Sponsorship
Our substantial sponsorship projects our coming up in the future, but if anyone would like to contribute now or knows anyone in the community, please see the link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/forestfieldfun
We have the cycle ride from London to Paris with 50 participants and we look forward to involving the children through being sponsored on the smoothie bikes (and drinking them after) and as a school, running the corresponding distance from London to Paris.
Cycle ride
As many of you know, a group of 50 parents (including myself and three other staff) are cycling from Sheen Mount to Paris over 2 days in June this year - a whopping 270km. We will be raising money for our very own Forest, Field & Fun project as well as a local children's charity, Momentum, who support families with seriously ill children.
The children have been participating in a drawing competition this week, the winners drawings will be featured on the ride jersey that the group will wear all the way to Paris!
We also have some fabulous local companies sponsoring the ride and they will be featured on the ride jersey (a couple of spots are left if any more companies want to get involved - please contact sheenmountbikeride2022@gmail.com)
If you are active on instagram, please do follow the team @sheenmount_ride2paris2023. Updates will be shared and also this helps us to raise awareness for sponsors and fundraising.
EAL morning
A reminder of this event on Thursday 16th March at 9am. There will be a short presentation, but it is intended more to be a community networking event. There is no need to sign up.
Strikes
There are two further proposed striking dates on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March. I will hope to bring you news of arrangements for these dates by Friday 10th March.
One aspect I want to draw your attention to, that seems to have become slightly lost within the current situation, is whether any pay increases will be Government funded-for a school, this is the key issue. The pay rises that occurred in September 2022, all came from existing set budgets with no additional money given. It is vital for all school finances that any future substantial pay rises are funded. Whilst it is a positive move to increase wages for teachers and support staff, it becomes a rather futile process for a school if extra funding is not given to cover these.
Unfortunately, commonly within school education finances pay rises are not funded. This effectively just means cost-cutting has to occur in other areas-namely human or physical resources.
PSA support and school funding
Thank you to all those who helped organise the quiz last week, particularly beforehand with Penny (and her platters), Raina and members of the committee who served at the bar throughout the quiz and quizmaster Adam. There is however always a need for more assistance at large scale events, particularly in the setting up beforehand. Please contact the PSA if you are able to give any time.
E safety presentation
A reminder of this event on Wednesday 8th March at 7.30pm - as it is an AfC event, it will not be recorded. The link is in the email for this newsletter.
Thank yous
Books
Clara Nelson for her hard work in organising the donation of over 200 brand new hardback books directly from scholastics publications. All the books have been distributed to the classroom libraries.
Second hand uniform
We raised £522 from the uniform sale, which held before half term and most importantly thank the following volunteers for their help:-
Lisa Bennett, Emma Wigley, Geri Brook-Walters, Maya Berry, Lara Yates, Emma Chau, Anna Hare and Olga Kazarian.
Enrichment event
Please see the attachment for an event at Hampton school for those in Year 3 and above. If you look closely at some of the pictures from last year, there are some Sheen Mount faces in there.
Community opportunities
Bikeability advert
Our Year 6s have been enjoying their 'Bikeability' over the past two weeks. Please see the advert below
The Richmond Bikeability Team is currently seeking to recruit Cycling Instructors which may be of interest to some of your parents.
Job Vacancy – Casual Cycle Training Instructor
Richmond Bikeability Team is currently seeking to recruit Cycling Instructors on casual contracts. Bikeability Level 2 training is delivered to Year 6 pupils in every state primary school and most independents in the borough. Instructors are expected to work full weeks (Mon – Fri) in term time, in all weathers but not necessarily every week. Timings fit in with school days. If not qualified, training will be provided. Pay is £15.88 per hour. Please see job advert - https://jobs.richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk/jobs/job/Casual-Cycle-Training-Instructor/5485 (note that location is Richmond borough not Wandsworth).
For more information, email Sheila Crewdson - Sheila.Crewdson@RichmondandWandsworth.gov.uk.
Richmond CoderDojo with Richmond Libraries
Richmond CoderDojo is a free coding club open to primary school children with sessions on Scratch, HTML, Python, and using micro:bits.
Coder Dojo has returned to in-person sessions at Richmond Old Town Hall, on the fourth Saturday of each month from 11am to 1pm. Led by expert volunteers, these sessions are great for beginners and experienced coders.
Next session is Saturday 25 March.
More information available here: https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/libraries/young_peoples_library_s
ervices/library_events_for_young_people/richmond_coderdojo
I love you Mum, I promise I won't die - 20 March 6pm at Waldegrave School
Dear parents and carers
We’re thrilled to invite you to a free performance for parents/carers of ‘I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’ - a powerful verbatim play by award-winning playwright Mark Wheeller, commissioned by the DSM Foundation to tell the story of Dan’s joyful life and tragic death, as part of the range of drug education resources and support they have developed. Published by Bloomsbury, it has been studied and performed in schools, colleges and theatres across the UK and around the world, and has been touring schools as a professional Theatre in Education production since 2017. Since September 2022 it has been a GCSE Drama set text in England and Wales.
This event is hosted by drug education charity The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation and funded by the Richmond Voluntary Fund. The play is being performed by Wizard Theatre to schools in Richmond as part of a seven-week London wide Theatre in Education tour - this community performance is an opportunity for parents and community leaders to see its powerful story.
Click here to read on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Td2DHqKcOLaDPuKEasJA-LT47OqmKkYY/view?usp=sharing
Booking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/richmond-community-performance-of-i-love-you-mum-i-promise-i-wont-die-registration-514171830787
Have a good weekend
Tom Holmes - Headteacher
Maria O'Brien - Deputy Headteacher
