https://www.alexandraprimaryschool.co.uk Friday 24th April 2026 Issue No. 30

Message from the Headteacher

As we begin the Summer term, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the parents and carers who attended the Friends of Alexandra meeting this week. Parental support is invaluable, not only in raising funds for the school but also in helping to organise events that strengthen our sense of community. I am already excited for our Summer Fair in June.

With the arrival of warmer weather, it is an ideal time of year for children to benefit from outdoor learning experiences. Our Early Years pupils have been busy planting seeds this week, their efforts to grow plants and improve the outside area are a wonderful example of hands-on learning and care for the world around them. Our Year 1 pupils have begun Forest School sessions. We are grateful for continued funding from Alexandra Palace Park so our children can enjoy exploring the woodland, build confidence and develop new skills.

I would also like to inform families that we are expecting a visit from Ofsted this term. We will, of course, keep you updated as soon as we receive confirmation of dates. As part of the process, Ofsted will be gathering views from parents and carers and we would greatly appreciate your participation when the time comes.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

What's been happening this week?

Launch of the Friends of Alexandra

Friends of Alexandra launched this week and what a start. Families came to the first meeting to share ideas and energy for how the group can support the school. Staff and parents worked together on early plans for events, fundraising and ways to strengthen community links.

The school is grateful for the enthusiasm and practical suggestions already offered. Friends of Alexandra will now form a small organising team to pull together a calendar of activities for the rest of the year, with a first community event and volunteer roles to follow soon.

Families who couldn’t attend are very welcome to join in. Please contact the school office for details of how to get involved. The school looks forward to working with the new group to build stronger connections between home and school and to provide more opportunities for the children.

Author Visit

KS2 enjoyed an exciting virtual visit from author Vicki Psarias-Broadbent, whose book Greek Myths, Folktales and Legends has captured the children’s imaginations. Although we were disappointed that Vicki was unable to join us in person on World Book Day due to injury, the online session proved to be just as engaging and inspiring.

During the session, pupils explored what makes a great Greek myth, sharing ideas and discussing the key features of these timeless stories. They then had the opportunity to create their own imaginative tales, drawing on what they had learned. Vicki also delighted the children by reading an exciting extract from her book, bringing her storytelling to life.

The session concluded with a lively Q&A, where the children asked thoughtful and creative questions, demonstrating their enthusiasm and curiosity. It was a wonderful experience that sparked a love of storytelling and mythology across KS2.

EYFS are Growing!

This week, our EYFS explorers have been busy discovering the magic of growing plants in our outdoor classroom. With spring finally settling in, the children have been planting, watering, observing, and asking brilliant questions about how things grow.

One of the highlights of the week came when we introduced a rather unusual vegetable: a turnip. The children were fascinated — and full of imaginative guesses. Some thought it might be a “purple potato,” others wondered if it was “a chocolate cake" Their curiosity sparked wonderful conversations about shapes, colours, textures, and how different vegetables grow underground.

Welcome to the Bug Hotel!

Our EYFS children have had an exciting week full of hands-on exploration and discovery. They were thrilled to welcome some special mini‑beast visitors into their learning environment and have been carefully observing the changes they see each day. As part of their project on the natural world, the children worked together to design and build their very own bug hotel, using natural and recycled materials to create cosy spaces for insects to explore.

This links beautifully with early life‑cycle learning, helping children develop curiosity, observation skills and a sense of care for living things. Life‑cycle exploration is a common EYFS activity, often supported through stories like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and practical experiences such as bug hunts and habitat building.

Year 4 Visit to London Zoo

At the end of last term, our Year 4 children enjoyed a full day of learning and exploration at London Zoo that linked directly to their National Curriculum topics: Animals (including Humans) and Living Things and Their Habitats.

During the visit, children observed animals from a range of habitats and made strong connections with classroom learning. They discussed adaptations, diets and life cycles, and reflected on the importance of conservation and caring for living things. The zoo’s volunteers shared expert knowledge throughout the day and children used information signs around the enclosures to gather facts to support their learning.

Highlights included petting goats, watching the penguins swim and waddle, and seeing the lions, giraffes and camels up close. The capybaras were especially popular. In the reptiles and “creepy crawlies” house, children demonstrated curiosity and courage as they observed a variety of species and asked thoughtful questions.

The weather was great, which made exploring the grounds more enjoyable and helped keep everyone engaged. Children’s behaviour was exemplary throughout the visit; they were curious, respectful to animals and the environment and acted as excellent ambassadors for the school.

Overall, the visit was a success. It helped deepen the children’s scientific understanding and will support future learning about habitats, life cycles and animal adaptation.

Thank you to the parent volunteers for their support.

Year 5

Year 5 have been enthusiastically exploring their new science topic, Living Things and Their Habitats, through a hands-on investigation. The children dissected flowers to closely examine and identify their different parts. They carefully labelled the reproductive structures, including the stamen and pistil, developing a deeper understanding of how plants reproduce.

It was a fantastic opportunity to combine practical learning with scientific observation skills.

Year 1 Forest School

This week Cuba class enjoyed their first visit to forest school. The children were absolutely buzzing with excitement as they stepped into the woodland environment, ready to explore and discover the natural world around them.

The sun was out which made for the perfect conditions to get outdoors and really immerse themselves in nature. The children were curious, adventurous and engaged throughout the session, Whether it was spotting wildlife, collecting natural materials or simply enjoying the fresh air and space to move freely.

Forest school offers children the opportunities to develop their resilience, independence and a deeper connection with the natural world. Away from screens and structured activities, they learn through play, exploration and direct experience with nature.

This is just the beginning of Year 1's forest school journey and we are excited to see how their confidence and enthusiasm continues to grow with each visit.

Look out for more photos as the term continues.

Year 6 Galaxy Pictures

This week, Year 6 have been absolutely brilliant during their art sessions. They have been exploring different techniques using chalk pastels.

The focus has been on blending and layering colours to create 'galaxy pictures'. The children have had to think carefully about which colours work well together, how to blend them smoothly and how to build up the depth and texture in their work.

Chalk pastels have a way of getting absolutely everywhere and more than a few children left looking like they'd been rolling around in a rainbow. But that's all part of the fun, really.

What's been particularly pleasing is how engaged Year 6 have been throughout. There's been genuine enthusiasm, lots of questions about technique and real pride in what they've created.

Well done to Year 6 for some wonderful work this week. Your galaxy pictures are absolutely brilliant.

Year 6 Action Tutoring

This academic year we partnered with Action Tutoring, a national education charity, to provide extra Year 6 support as children prepared for the end of Key Stage 2 and their SATs. Action Tutoring tutors worked with some children, while Alexandra staff (Mrs Clarke, Ms Birch, Mr Smyth and Ms Kennedy) delivered additional sessions for others.

This combined approach gave our Year 6 children tailored, high-quality support to consolidate learning, boost confidence and secure strong outcomes as they move on to secondary school. We will be offering the same programme to our current Year 5 cohort next year to ensure they are well prepared for their Year 6 SATs.

Parents of Year 5 children will receive a letter about this soon; if you have any questions in the meantime, please contact one of our Year 6 teachers, Ms Birch or Mrs Clarke.

Creative writing and drawing competitions

Last half term we had creative writing and drawing competitions which attracted an excellent response from across the school.

The quality of entries was very high, which made choosing winners a real challenge. The results are as follows:

In the drawing competition, Abbas (Ven) and Nawal (PR) took first place.

Runners-up were James (Ven), Miriam (Ven) and Danniel (Ven), and Mariella (PR), Irem (PR) and Dilek (PR).

In the writing competition there were five first-place winners: Adyaan (Esp), Alvaro (Esp), Philip (El Sal), Luis (PR) and Elaya (Bol).

Runners-up were Nourhan (Bol), Dhruv (PR), Dahabo El Sal), Rosa (El Sal) , Oliver (El Sal) and Shanoya (El Sal).

Congratulations to every winner and runner-up. These achievements reflect real effort and imagination. The competitions celebrate the wide range of talents across the school and help build confident, creative learners.

More opportunities are already being planned. Those who didn’t enter this time or who would like another go are encouraged to watch this space. We are looking forward to seeing more creative work this term.

Year 5 Trip to St Pancras Church

Year 5 enjoyed a wonderful visit to St Pancras Church this week, where the children spent the morning discovering the building’s remarkable architecture.

The church was opened specially for the children by the church’s priest so the year 5s could learn about classical influences on the design including iconic columns and other features of the exterior.

The visit included a careful exploration of both the interior and exterior, with children encouraged to look closely at details such as column, mouldings and stonework. They used these observations to produce detailed sketches and notes, practising observational drawing and using technical vocabulary learned on the trip.

It was a wonderful morning enjoyed by everyone.

Stephen Lawrence Day: 22nd April

This week years 2-6 reflected on the death of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, a tragic, unprovoked racist attack. Pupils explored why the case remains so significant, not only for the terrible loss suffered by Stephen’s family and friends, but for the wider questions it raised about justice and society.

During assembly pupils discussed:

what can lead to racist attitudes and how to challenge them calmly and confidently
the determined campaign by Stephen’s family to secure justice
the impact the case had on public institutions and on policing, including the long delay before convictions were made
thinking like a historian: considering cause and consequence
how the National Curriculum now includes learning about racism so young people grow up respectful and tolerant

Families are encouraged to continue the conversation at home: ask questions, be curious and support children to stand up for what is right.

Year 4 Viking Immersive Experience Trip

Our Year 4 children had a fantastic day in London last Wednesday 22nd April exploring the Vikings Immersive Experience in Canada Water area. It was a wonderful chance for them to see their history learning come to life, especially after spending this year studying how the Vikings lived, travelled, settled, and influenced life in Britain.

Throughout the visit, the children moved through different stages of the Viking era. They began by learning about Viking kings and queens through a VR experience, early Viking homelife — exploring how families lived, what their houses were like, and the skills and crafts that shaped daily routines. They then stepped into the world of Viking exploration, discovering why the Vikings set sail, how they navigated long distances, and what life aboard a longship might have felt like. They particularly enjoyed being aboard a true longship and navigating like true Vikings for a while.

The children were completely wowed by the advanced digital features. They used interactive headsets that explained each scene in more detail, guiding them through what they were seeing and linking it directly to the topics we’ve been studying in class. From virtual longship journeys to holographic storytellers sharing tales from different points in Viking history, every moment helped deepen their understanding in a fun and memorable way.

They thoroughly enjoyed the trip and came back full of excitement, eager to share everything they had discovered. It was a brilliant experience that connected their classroom learning with real-world adventure.

100% Attendance

This half term Alexandra Primary will continue with the weekly attendance drive to reinforce that every day in school matters. Each child who achieves 100% attendance in a week is entered into a prize draw to win one of our much-loved miniature ducks.

Winners of the weekly duck are then entered into a further draw for a bigger prize: either a popcorn party for their whole class or a £30 Morrisons voucher. The competition has already created a buzz around school and staff are noticing an improvement in attendance and enthusiasm for coming to school.

Parents and carers are asked to continue encouraging regular attendance so every child can benefit from consistent learning and friendship.

This is a fun, simple way to reward good attendance and remind families that each school day makes a difference.