https://www.alexandraprimaryschool.co.uk Friday 19th June Issue No. 33
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Message from the Headteacher
Message from the Headteacher
We have had an incredibly busy and exciting few weeks at school, with our Ofsted inspection, Aspiration Day, Refugee Week, Sports Day and preparations for the Summer Fair, alongside many other enriching events and activities.
I would like to extend a huge thank you to all our families for your support during the Ofsted visit. Inspectors spoke with families at the school gates and gathered your views through the parent survey. We were delighted by the overwhelmingly positive responses, with a very high proportion of parents saying they would recommend our school.
The official report is expected to be published in mid-July. While we must wait until then to share the full findings, we can say that inspectors praised our pupils' behaviour and were impressed by how confidently they could talk about their learning and experiences at school.
Finally, a reminder that our Summer Fair takes place tomorrow. The weather forecast looks promising and we are looking forward to an afternoon of fun, community spirit and celebration. We hope to see many of you there!
What's been happening this week?
What's been happening this week?
Aspiration Day
Aspiration Day
Thank you to all the professionals who joined us for our Aspiration Day, “See Them to Be Them,” on Friday 12th June 2026. The event helped children in Years 2-6 imagine their futures and explore a wide range of careers and life paths.
Children had the opportunity to meet with adults who kindly talked about their jobs, training and life choices. They came to school dressed as their future selves (for example, a doctor, engineer, artist or entrepreneur), which made the day fun and sparked meaningful conversations.
The day emphasised aspiration, responsibility and curiosity, reflecting our school values.
We are grateful to the visiting professionals for giving their time and insight — your contribution made the day inspiring and memorable for our children.
Summer Fair Update
Summer Fair Update
Save the date: Saturday 20th June
Thank you to everyone who joined Welcome in Wednesday this week to help plan our Summer Fair on Saturday 20 June. It was fantastic to hear so many great ideas and to meet parents offering their time and support.
Key points from the meeting:
A big thank you to Ms Sharni for sharing details of the prizes so far, including restaurant vouchers, Kaleidoscope tickets, hampers and more.
We will have a stall by the main gate at the end of the school day to sell raffle tickets. Several parents have kindly volunteered to sell tickets outside school too.
Thank you to the parents who have offered to help with the BBQ and other food stalls (for example, chicken wraps).
Parents suggested lots of fun ideas; speedy chess, “guess the baby” from staff photos, and a nearly‑new toy stall.
We will hold a non‑uniform day on Friday 12 June. Children are invited to bring one item for the tombola (popular items include biscuits, bottled drinks and toiletry gift sets). Please check use‑by dates before donating.
After half term we will send a short survey for parents to sign up for jobs on the day — please look out for the link.
Thank you again to parents and governors for your time, ideas and generosity. We’re excited to get preparations under way and look forward to seeing you all at the Summer Fair.
Raffle Prizes
Raffle Prizes
Our Summer Fair raffle is back and better than ever! Make sure you’re in it to win it by getting your raffle tickets today. We’ve got a fantastic range of prizes up for grabs, and every ticket sold helps raise funds for our school. Only £2 per strip!
Year 1 Forest School
Year 1 Forest School
Year 1’s Forest School has burst into life this term. It is such a joy to watch the children explore, learn and grow outdoors. Each week, the year 1 classes have spent time in the woodland at Alexandra Park area practising safe tool use, building shelters and investigating minibeasts. These sessions are carefully planned to build confidence, language and curiosity — especially for children who are new to English.
Children used maps to follow a trail, described the habitats they found, and worked together to solve problems while showing kindness and responsibility. The practical activities — like making leaf rubbings and measuring sticks with natural materials — supported maths and science learning in a hands-on way.
Staff noticed big improvements in oracy: children volunteered ideas, asked questions and used new vocabulary linked to plants and seasons.
We really value this work and we're proud of how well the children engage in the activities each week.
Year 1 Toy Picnic
Year 1 Toy Picnic
Year 1 enjoyed a joyful Toy Picnic this term, bringing favourite toys to school and sharing stories about why these items matter to them. The activity gave every child a purposeful reason to speak, listen and use new vocabulary — particularly important for children new to English. The small groups encouraged kindness and responsibility as pupils asked questions, described materials and compared toys from different cultures and families.
Linking to our topic of “Toys” children used their senses to explore textures, weight and movement, talked about how toys work. Staff modelled rich language and prompted curiosity with questions like “I wonder how…?” and “What happens if…?” which supported early scientific thinking and vocabulary development.
Bikeability
Bikeability
Selected Year 5 and 6 children took part in Bikeability training this month, gaining practical road-safety skills and confidence for independent travel. Over two days (practical sessions on the playground and on local roads), pupils practised mounting and dismounting safely, signalling, manoeuvring, shoulder checks and navigating junctions under instructor supervision.
The programme supported our whole-school values — responsibility (following the rules), courage (trying new skills) and kindness (helping peers). For many pupils new to English, the clear, step-by-step coaching and demonstration tasks made learning accessible; instructors used modelling, short instructions and visual prompts which boosted understanding and participation.
Teachers saw quick improvements: children showed better bike control, used safer riding positions and demonstrated awareness of hazards. There were noticeable gains in oracy too — children explained road rules and gave peer feedback using new vocabulary. Bikeability also contributes to wellbeing and attendance by increasing pupils’ independence and active travel choices.
Thank you to parents for ensuring bikes were roadworthy and to staff and volunteer helpers for supervising. If you’d like to know how your child did or request places for next year’s course, please contact the school office.
Eco Warriors Assembly & Walk To School Week Winners
Eco Warriors Assembly & Walk To School Week Winners
This term our Go Zero programme has moved from idea to action under the leadership of our Eco‑Warriors and Ms Ibrahim, Geography Lead. Pupils are running simple switch‑off checks, designing bright posters to remind everyone to save energy, and watering our planters using water from the new water butt — a practical step that shows our commitment to saving water and being more sustainable.
Our whole‑school sustainable assembly, led by the Eco‑Warriors, modelled pupil leadership and gave every child a clear, visual explanation of the small, everyday choices that reduce our carbon footprint.
Walk to School Week 2026
Thank you to families who supported active travel. Every class produced a winner and each winning child received a podometer to celebrate their consistent active travel and encourage independence. Well done to everyone who took part — small changes add up. Look out for Eco‑Warrior tips and reminders in the week newsletter.
Our Reading Ambassadors
Our Reading Ambassadors
Our Reading Ambassadors recently enjoyed a truly unforgettable experience when they were invited to meet Her Majesty Queen Camilla at the British Museum. The children attended the enchanting Fairy Tales exhibition, an immersive and interactive production that brought stories to life in a magical way.
As part of this special visit, they also enjoyed a traditional cream tea lunch and had the privilege of meeting Queen Camilla. They proudly shared how our new library has become the heart of our school, inspiring a love of reading and bringing our school community together.
We were incredibly proud of the confidence, enthusiasm and passion for reading shown by our ambassadors. They represented our school brilliantly and made the most of this amazing opportunity.
Our Library
Our Library
Our library is in full swing this week, with our wonderful Reading Ambassadors sharing stories with our nursery children, such a special way to spark a love of reading!
A quick reminder to parents that children will receive a library book each week. Please ensure books are returned before a new one is issued, or renewed during their weekly slot. We kindly ask that all books are kept in the best possible condition.
If you have any book donations for our library, please speak to the office or Mrs Herda.
Many thanks!
Exciting News: Our Chicks Are Starting to Hatch!
Exciting News: Our Chicks Are Starting to Hatch!
EYFS has been buzzing with excitement this week as our eggs have finally begun to hatch. The children have been watching closely, noticing tiny cracks appear and listening carefully for the first little cheeps from inside the shells.
The hatching process has given pupils a magical, real‑life look at the life cycle of a chicken. They’ve been talking about what the chicks need to stay warm and safe, and showing such care and curiosity as they observe each new change.
As more chicks emerge, the children have been amazed to see how wet and wobbly they are at first, and how quickly they fluff up and find their feet. Moments like these spark wonderful conversations, early scientific thinking, and a real sense of wonder.
We can’t wait to share more updates as our fluffy visitors continue to grow.
Sports Day at Alexandra Palace – A Whole‑School Celebration
Sports Day at Alexandra Palace – A Whole‑School Celebration
Children from Year 1 to Year 6 enjoyed a fantastic Sports Day at Alexandra Palace, filled with energy, teamwork and plenty of sunshine. Families joined us for a whole‑school picnic, making it a truly special community event.
From the moment the children arrived, the excitement was clear. Each year group took part in a range of activities including sprint races, long jump, hurdles and team relays. Pupils showed brilliant determination, encouragement and sportsmanship throughout the day.
Parents and carers cheered from the sidelines, creating a warm and supportive atmosphere. After the events, everyone gathered on the grass for a shared picnic, with families, staff and pupils relaxing together and celebrating the children’s achievements.
It was wonderful to see our school community come together in such a positive way. A huge well done to all the children for their effort and enthusiasm, and thank you to our families for joining us and making the day so memorable.
This week was Refugee Week — a meaningful opportunity for our children to learn about, celebrate and stand alongside people who have sought safety in new countries. At Alexandra we marked the week by reflecting on how our school values shape a welcoming, compassionate community and by celebrating our Arrival to Belonging buddy system, which helps new arrivals settle quickly and feel part of school life.
Our values guided our activities this week:
Kindness — showing empathy, offering friendship and making sure everyone feels they belong.
Responsibility — playing our part in creating an inclusive school where every child and family feels safe and supported.
Courage — this year’s Refugee Week theme: recognising the bravery of those who have had to rebuild their lives, and being brave enough to challenge unfairness.
Curiosity — exploring different cultures, stories and experiences so we can better understand the world and one another.
With the support of our buddy scheme, we continue to build a school where every child is welcomed and valued in our school.
KS2 Author visit
KS2 Author visit
We are delighted to announce that children's author Chris Smith will be visiting our KS2 pupils on Friday 3rd July!
Chris will be leading a fun and inspiring assembly, sharing stories about his books, and giving children a fascinating insight into the life of an author. This is a fantastic opportunity to encourage a love of reading and creativity.
You can purchase a signed copy of one of Chris Smith's books by scanning the QR code. Chris will then host a special meet-and-greet session, where he will personally sign each purchased book for the children.
Don't miss this exciting opportunity to meet a real author and take home a personally signed book!
Music Monitoring Cycle
Music Monitoring Cycle
Music is so important for children and, therefore, important to all of us at Alexandra Primary. Not only is it a creative outlet for children but it also plays a crucial role in enhancing cognitive skills. Studies have shown that learning to play an instrument or engage in musical activities improves memory, concentration and even academic performance. It also brings a great deal of joy into our every day school life.
Led by Ken, our wonderful music teacher, our children learn to:
Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
Learn to sing and use their voices
Create and compose music
Have an opportunity to learn different musical instruments (Year 1 - percussion, Year 2 - glockenspiel, Year 3 - ukulele, Year 4 - recorder, Year 5 - guitar, Year 6 - violin)
Our students do all this through their weekly lessons and their weekly assemblies with Ken. We also offer extra-curricular activities of Music Club for KS1 and KS2, our KS2 choir and our UKS2 orchestra. Our Musician of the Month, which we have now participated in for two years, facilitates learning about diverse musicians and composers from around the world, from history and the present day. We are also delighted that, this year, we now have a music teacher from Haringey Music Service coming to Alexandra each Monday morning to give one-to-one lessons to different children. If you are interested in this for your child, please follow this link:
As part of our on-going monitoring of our curriculum, our Music Lead, Ms Kennedy, is reviewing all aspects of our musical offer as we strive to always improve and do better for our children. We do hope that you enjoy your child's music learning as much as we do but we are interested in finding out your views as to how we could improve as part of our review. Do let us know if there is anything you would like to improve in our music provision at Alexandra.
Attendance at Alexandra Primary School
Attendance at Alexandra Primary School
Let us know when your child is unwell
Let us know when your child is unwell
Please contact us daily if your child is off ill or for another reason.
Call us on 0208 888 9771 (option 1) or
Email us at: attendance@alexprimary.haringey.sch.uk
Best Attendance for this week:
Best Attendance for this week:
KS1 – Well Done Costa Rica Class 98.52%
LKS1 - Well Done Mexico Class 98.69%
UKS2 – Well done Venezuela Class 100%
RISE House – Well done Rise House 100%
Holidays during Term times
Holidays during Term times
Taking children on holiday during term time in the UK is not technically a criminal offense, but it is illegal to remove them from school without permission, often leading to fines and potential prosecution.
Parents have no legal right to time off for holidays and taking them is likely to result in fines of £80–£160 per parent, per child or potential court prosecution.
Taking children on holiday during term time in England is unauthorised and against Department for Education (DfE) regulations.
Alexandra Primary School is working with Haringey Local Authority Education Welfare Service (EWS) regarding all matters of attendance.
The amount of penalty notices to be paid is:
The first time a penalty notice is issued the amount will be £80 per parent, per child paid within 21 days. This increases to £160 per parent, per child if paid after 21 days, until day 28.
The second time a penalty notice is issued (within 3 years) the amount will be £160 per parent, per child within 28 days.
Any non-payment of the penalty notice will be referred to the Magistrates’ Court.
Any further period of absence (within 3 years) a penalty notice will not be issued and the case may be referred to the Magistrates’ Court under s. 444 of the Education Act (1996) or alternative legal interventions considered.
If you have any questions regarding this information. please speak to Sharni Webster or Kate Birch.
Important Dates
Important Dates
Saturday 20th June: Summer Fair
Tuesday 23rd June: Early Years Sports Fun Day
Wednesday 1st July, at 8:50: Supporting your child with transitions Parent workshop - all welcome
Wednesday 8th July: 3:45pm Welcome meeting for new Reception families
Thursday 9th July, 3:20 pm: Open Evening
Friday 10th July, Y6 End of Year Production, at 2 pm and 6 pm
Celebration Assemblies
Monday 13th July, at 11:15 am (for morning children)
Monday 13th July, at 2:30 pm (for afternoon children)
Tuesday 14th July, at 9 am: Year 1 Celebration Assembly
Tuesday 14th July, at 2pm: Reception Celebration Assembly
Wednesday 15th July, at 9 am: Year 2 Celebration Assembly
Wednesday 15th July, at 2 pm Year 3 Celebration Assembly
Thursday 16th July, at 9 am: Year 4 Celebration Assembly
Thursday 16th July, at 2 pm Year 5 Celebration Assembly
Friday 17th July Year 6 Leavers Assembly
Friday 17th July: Last day of Term (Early collect - 1:30 pm)
Thursday 3rd September: First Day of the New School Year 2026-2027
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