The Ambler Chronicle

Edition 9. published 16th February 2025

Follow: amblern4

Visit: www.ambler.islington.sch.uk

Donate: Ambler Community Fund

MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER

Dear Ambler families,

I feel like this half term has flown by!

It felt wonderful to share the Ofsted outcome with you all and your response has been equally wonderful! Thank you and the children for making Ambler a truly remarkable place to work.

Thank you to parents and carers who were able to attend our open mornings. We hope the strategies shared on how to support your child with spellings were useful. If you require further information on how you can help at home, do ask class teachers in the next parents' evening in March (Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th) or speak to any member of the senior leadership team on the school gates.

The children loved our recent Dress To Express day and I am delighted that we raised a truly impressive £940 for the charity, Place2Be.

We know that a child needs to be in the right mental health headspace to learn and the charity helps to support and educate children on how they can achieve this.

There is much more to look forward to in Spring 2. Friends of Ambler have generously organised a free event for children, ‘Movie Night’, on the first week back after half term. The votes are in from the children, movies selected, and popcorn at the ready!! Please remember to give permission on the Arbor app.

We also have World Book Day on Thursday 13th March with the theme ‘Read to Travel’, so do start thinking about costumes that can be created! More information will follow on Google Classroom.

Have a wonderful, restful half term and see you all back on Monday 24th February.

Best wishes,

Sandy McNicholl and the Ambler team

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Mon 24 Feb - First day of spring term 2

Mon 24 Feb - Y5 & Y6 FoA Movie Night 🍿

Tue 25 Feb - Y3 & Y4 FoA Movie Night🎬

Wed 26 Feb - Y1 & Y2 FoA Movie Night 🎥

Thu 27 Feb - Reception Movie Night 🍿

Thu 27 Feb - Swimming Gala trials 🏊

Mon 3 Mar - Rec. & Year 6 height and weight checks

Thu 13 Mar - WORLD BOOK DAY 📚🧙

Fri 14 Mar - "Good Digital Tech. in Early Years" at Ambler Children's Centre

Sun 23 Mar - Grow Ambler Gardening Day (10am-2pm) 🌿

Tue 25 Mar - Parents' evening

Thu 27 Mar - Parents' evening

Fri 4 Apr - Last day of spring term.

Tue 22 Apr - First day of Spring term

Thu 15 May - "Responding to Behaviour" coffee morning, 9-10am

Sun 8 Jun - Grow Ambler Gardening Day🌿

Sat 21 Jun - SUMMER FAIR 🎪🎉

Our Bright Futures Practitioner, Toni, offers appointments to parents and carers of Islington residents every fortnight here at Ambler. Toni can support in a variety of areas and has a SEND background. If you would like to meet with her please contact Latoya (Child & Family Support Worker). Toni currently has appointments available for Tuesday 4th March 2:30pm - 4:30pm.

We will be celebrating World Book Day 2025 on Thursday 13 March. This year's theme 'Read to Travel' will take the children on a journey around the world - without ever leaving their seats! Through books, stories, and fun activities, we'll explore different cultures, places, and times, inspiring a love for reading.

The children will be given a £1 token which they can use to redeem for a free book at participating retailers. They can use the token the moment they receive it until Sunday 23 March 2025. Check the token for more details.

As part of the celebrations, we invite all children to come dressed as their favourite book character. Costumes should be based on a book character (please bring the book if possible!). Simple, homemade costumes are welcome - there’s no need to buy anything new!

We look forward to seeing all the wonderful costumes and celebrating the magic of books together!

Ambler is a proudly anti-racist school and, every year, we join in with the Show Racism the Red Card competition.

In our assemblies, we’ve been looking again at what racism is and how to be an anti-racist upstander and ally. At home, children in Years 1 to 6 can create their own anti-racist message with a poster, a piece of writing, T-shirt or football boot design… or even a piece of music or film. We’ll be sending the best designs to represent Ambler in the national competition and, as always, there will be prizes!

The deadline is Monday 10th of March, so you have plenty of time over half term to work on your anti-racist message. All the information about the competition, including the rules, are on Google Classroom. We can’t wait to see your ideas.

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

This half term, we have been involved in exciting initiatives aimed at supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children and staff. We have taken part in two pilot schemes: Stix Mindfulness, an innovative electronic mindfulness device designed to help children with emotional regulation, and Happy Marlo, an approach that introduces young children to tapping techniques using characters to explore emotions and how they are felt physically.

We took part in Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week, raising an incredible £940, more than double what we raised last year! This fantastic achievement reflects the generosity and dedication of the Ambler community in support of this important cause. We are also halfway through our staff mindfulness course, which is helping our team maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Thank you for your continued support!

HALF-TERM BIKEABILITY

Islington Council is offering free Bikeability cycle training for children aged 5-12 years old in the school holidays at Highbury Fields (N5) and Tollington Place (N4). There are several courses available to suit your child’s age and ability. Find out more here

REPAIR WORKSHOPS

Do you have piles of much-loved garments in desperate need of repair? Come along to a free upcycling workshop with Fashion-Enter! Or an electrical item that needs fixing? Then join one of the many electrical repair cafes happening throughout the year. Find out more here

FREE LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

Islington libraries are running free, fun activities for all the family this February half term. Activities range from Zine making, poetry workshops, fun facemasks and much more. Come and join in the fun!

Library Activities

YEAR 4 NEASDEN TEMPLE

Year 4 enjoyed a wonderful trip to Neasden Temple to as part of our upcoming R.E unit. We enjoyed learning about the religion of Hinduism, the architecture of the temple and watched a Hindu blessing.

YEAR 3 ANCIENT EGYPT

Year 3 studied the topic of ancient Egypt this half term and did so many fun activities around it. On our Launch Day, we had an Egyptian-themed treasure hunt where children had to decipher hieroglyphs and "hunt" for scarabs. When learning about the Egyptian pyramids, children tested out theories of how pyramids could possibly be built by building their own models. Children even made their own paper in the style of ancient papyrus paper and made an Egypt-inspired artwork!

GREENWICH OBSERVATORY

Year 5 embarked on an epic voyage of discovery into space at the Greenwich Observatory this half-term. They took part in an interesting workshop, where they impressed with their vast knowledge of the phases of the Moon and the Space Race. They were then treated to a visit to the Planetarium, where they were taken on a voyage into deep space; visiting planets and other solar systems. What a fantastic experience!

SPORTING EVENTS

During Spring 1, Ambler have taken part in a variety of different sporting events and competitions, including dodgeball, new-age kurling, sportshall athletics and football.

A huge well done to all the children who participated and represented Ambler brilliantly.

FOOTBALL STARS

Huge congratulations to our Year 5 & 6 Girls and Year 5 & 6 Boys football teams for their stellar performances in the annual Islington Primary Stars Football Tournament at Market Road.

Our girls team came third out of 22 teams and our boys worked together to finish second in the playoffs round. They did Ambler proud as always!

The tournament is hosted every year by Arsenal in the Community and is always a fun day out for everyone involved. The teams even got to meet Gunnersaurus!

OFSTED INSPECTION REPORT

As you may be aware, we had a full, graded Ofsted inspection in November - four inspectors inspected all aspects of provision over two days. It was a rigorous process: the inspection team observed lessons, met with subject leaders and senior leaders, spoke with children, staff and governors, and drew on feedback from parents/carers.

Since September 2024, Ofsted no longer awards overall judgements to schools, but grades five key areas. Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre is judged to be outstanding in all areas:

Quality of Education: Outstanding

“The school has developed a substantially ambitious curriculum, from the early years to Year 6. Staff, including those who support pupils with SEND, benefit from high-quality support and training. From the early years upwards, pupils progress extremely well through the curriculum.”

Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding

“Children are curious, share well with each other and concentrate hard when engaged in learning activities. Pupils work diligently and are resilient. If they do not get something right, they persevere and learn from their mistakes.”

Personal development: Outstanding

“The school carefully plans a coherent and extensive programme of enrichment experiences, including visits, visitors, assemblies and clubs. These deepen pupils’ knowledge and broaden their cultural capital.”

Leadership and management: Outstanding

“Leaders share the view that the well-being of pupils, their families and staff is paramount to ensuring pupils can excel. The school takes great care of the welfare of the pupils, staff and parents.”

Early years provision: Outstanding

“The school has a relentless focus, from early years onwards, on developing pupils’ reading and communication skills, including their vocabulary.”

Click on the following link for the full inspection report: Ambler Ofsted Inspection Report - November 2024

HEADTEACHER'S MESSAGE

I am incredibly proud that the Ofsted inspection report captures the ambitious ethos of our school and the importance we place on children using their DREAMS qualities to achieve more. Importantly, it recognises that Ambler children have empathy and an understanding that is supportive of others.

I want to recognise the efforts of staff - in what is a stressful and demanding process - who demonstrated and articulated their passion for providing the best opportunities for the children. I want to express how thankful we were for the support that we received from parents/carers and governors during the inspection.

I wish to thank the children. They shone during the inspection, expressing that they are happy and proud to be Ambler children, demonstrating the “highly respectful ambiance that permeates across the school”, and articulating this so well during talks with the inspectors.

The report encapsulates ‘ONE AMBLER’ - that we are a community that puts the well-being of children, parents, carers and staff at the heart of what we do. I truly feel that the inspectors saw the school as I see it everyday - a place where everyone belongs.

I am very excited to build on the strengths we have at Ambler and to continue to use the DREAMS qualities to achieve more.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sandy McNicholl

IN THE KNOW - WASTE AWARENESS

This year, we have joined a fantastic programme, In The Know by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), aimed at increasing environmental awareness. Our journey began with an initial waste audit, where we discovered that food waste was a big issue.

To tackle this, we’ve introduced food waste bins in the playground, and we’re starting to compost the collected waste in our very own compost bins! As a school, we are committed to reducing waste and ensuring everyone plays their part.

💡 Did you know? Local libraries provide free food waste and recycling bags! If you’re ever unsure about what goes in which bin, be sure to check out the recycling poster from In the Know.

Looking ahead, next term each class will be making a pledge to help reduce food waste in school. We can’t wait to put up the amazing recycling posters created by the children - showcasing their creativity and commitment to reducing waste!

Over the holiday, can you think of one way to reduce your food waste at home?

Click here to explore to find out more on food waste awareness.

UNIFORM GIVEAWAY

Thank you, Friends of Ambler, for organising the end of half-term uniform giveaway, and to the many parents/carers who donated items and visited the stall.

What a fantastic way of supporting sustainability and saving money on school uniform!

DIGITAL @MBLER

Mrs McNicholl with Katy Potts and Prof. Miles Berry

A massive thank you to the parents and carers who came to our Children and Smartphones + Online Safety coffee morning. It was brilliant to hear all of your strategies for instilling healthy online habits and boundaries with your children. We hope it was useful to hear the school's messaging on this vitally important topic.

Please spread the word and 'sign' the pledge to not give your child a smartphone whilst they are at Ambler, on Arbor. Remember - there are safer alternatives that don't give them unsupervised, instant access to the internet and won't be a target for thieves in the area.

We also shared that Katy Potts, Islington's Computing and Online Safety Lead, is working on a Tech Road Map to support schools and families to select appropriate tech for different age groups. Below is a draft - if you have any comments, please let us know.

Throughout February, children have had lots of lessons and special assemblies about online safety, culminating in Safer Internet Day marked on Thursday.

This year, Year 1 took part in a live online lesson using NowPressPlay bluetooth headphones and participated in an audio experience about staying safe online. KS1 had an assembly explaining that if pop-up messages sound too good to be true, they probably are! They learnt that these are called scams and there are people who may be trying to trick them. It was emphasised that we never give out our personal information online.

KS2 had a guest speaker in their special assembly for Safer Internet Day. Professor Miles Berry - a computing expert who wrote the Computing curriculum and now trains teachers at Roehampton University - came to deliver a lively and engaging assembly on the importance of enjoying the age you are and for children not to rush into having devices or viewing content that is inappropriate for their age.

We got to showcase some of our excellent computing lesson work to him as well. Well done to Alexi, Sam, Oskar and Sarah who had their work shown, and all the other children who weren't showcased but who work hard in computing to learn about constructive and creative tech.

Children were also reminded of our Digital Charter. As a school community, consistency between home and school achieves the greatest impact - please help to reinforce these messages at home.

As always, we recommend the following websites to help parents/carers set up controls and restrictions on devices. Click the logos below to visit the sites:

STAFF UPDATE

Congratulations to Mrs Brent on the birth of her first child, Ralphie! We send her our best wishes during this most special of times and cannot wait to see both mum and baby soon.

In January, we wished Maddy Hayes 'bon voyage', as she left nursery to travel the world! 🌏

Kristen Clatworthy, year 2 learning support assistant, also begins her next chapter after 7 years 'at Ambler. Thank you and good luck.

A very warm welcome to Alex Chan and Jenina Algas to the baby room, and to Zach Hawkins and Ellie Bell as LSAs in year 5 and 2.

We use Arbor for communication, childcare bookings, clubs payments, parents' evening bookings and much more. If you have any issues using Arbor, please contact the office.

Below are some Arbor task reminders:

Give consent for Movie Night (Y1-Y6)
Payment for Cardfields trip - Y4
Smartphone & Online Safety parent pledge
Check emergency contact details are up-to-date
Check outstanding payments. Pay or top-up accounts as required
Update photo permissions.

ART CLUB COMPETITION

Art Club took part in the Young Artists competition called 'Perfect Pets' lead by Desiree. The children were asked to create their idea of a perfect pet using their creativity and wacky ideas. The winning art pieces have been published in a book, which the children were given to share with their families.

Children registered at school must by law attend regularly and punctually.

Children should only miss school if they are ill or unable to attend for some other unavoidable reason. Parents'/cares must:

Ensure their child is not absent where this can be avoided (e.g. minor illnesses).
Notify the school as soon as possible if their child is absent for any reason
Explain the reasons for your child’s absence.

In addition to the detrimental educational impact of missing school, your child will miss out on experiences carefully planned to enrich their learning and support their development.

There are 175 non-school days for holidays, family time etc.

If after these considerations, you feel it is unavoidable to request term-time leave:

You must apply for leave in advance (request forms are available from the school office)
Submit your application at least 4 weeks in advance of proposed leave dates
Apply before booking your travel.

If you withdraw your child during term time and the absence has not been agreed by the Headteacher, it is unauthorised leave, which may lead to a fine of up to £160 per parent, per child and/or court proceedings.

We understand that every family’s circumstances are different and subject to change. Please email the school office to arrange a meeting with Mrs McNicholl if you have any concerns you would like to discuss.

NEWS FROM EARLY YEARS

Welcome to our Spring term newsletter! As we move into the new season, we are excited to share what the children have been learning, our upcoming themes, and some important dates to remember.

We are working to enhance our EYFS home corners and would love your help! We are collecting recycled items to create a fun, eco-friendly play environment that reflect children's cultural identity. If you have any clean and safe items that you could donate, we would greatly appreciate it! Please ensure that any items donated are safe for young children to handle.

Here are some ideas for items we could use:

Boxes, tins and packaging that reflect children’s home life experiences (seasoning, cereal, etc.)
Plastic containers (yogurt pots, bottle caps)
Old magazines or newspapers
Fabric or old clothes for dressing up

If you're able to help, please send items in with your child. Thank you in advance for supporting our creative play!

Wishing you a wonderful half-term holiday.

Best wishes,

Cíara Rush

Head of Children's Centre

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

World Book Day: Thursday 13th March: Children are invited to dress as their favourite book character!

"What Does Good Digital Technology Look Like in the Early Years?" Friday 14th March, at Children's Centre: Come along to this workshop to equip parents and carers with the tools needed to support online learning and safety at home.

COLLECTION TIMES

A polite reminder about collecting your child on time. We have to adhere to the ratio for the number of children.

Extended hours are 8am-6pm
Core hours are 9:00-3:00pm (9:00-11:30/12:30-3:00pm on a Wednesday). We offer a 15-minute grace period to allow for any lateness, but all children must be collected by 3:15pm.
The latest drop off in the morning is 10am for all children, other than for medical appointments.

I hope you are all able to access your child’s the Learning Journal. A new and improved parent zone website has been launched and can be accessed here.

Please do share photographs and videos of special moments from home for us to build on at nursery.

RECEPTION

It’s been a short but jam-packed half-term in Reception, full of exciting learning experiences! Our topic, The World Around Me, has taken us on wonderful adventures, from exploring how letters travel at the Postal Museum to learning about fire safety with a special visit from Alex the firefighter.

We also got creative with different art techniques, experimenting with collage inspired by Matisse’s The Swimming Pool. Together, we worked on a fantastic collaborative piece called The Football Pitch, showcasing our teamwork and artistic skills.

Well done, Reception—we can’t wait for more fun next half-term!

NURSERY

This term Forest School was full of energy, adventure, and hands-on learning! The children embraced the outdoors with enthusiasm, engaging in a variety of activities that sparked creativity, teamwork and resilience.

We started with a group circle, sharing our intentions and agreements for the session before diving into free play and exploration. The fire pit was a huge hit, with the team working together on how to be safe and handle the fire. Some children practiced fire-lighting skills under close supervision, learning about safety and responsibility while enjoying the warmth of a small campfire.

Mud play kept our children busy, while others focused on balancing on the rope bridge, building nests using natural materials found in the space, pond exploration and group story-telling sessions surrounded by the trees brought a magical end to the day.

We look forward to continuing our sessions after half-term!

TODDLER ROOM

We have had another busy half term in the Toddler Room. We have welcomed some new friends and have already been having lots of fun together.

This half term we have been practicing using one-handed tools such as knives and scissors. We have been making sandwiches, banana bread and noodles, and using knives to cut up fruit and vegetables.

We have been exploring colours and painting. We have been mixing paint in the garden and exploring natural paints in the forest. We have been practicing making circles and lines as well as big and small movements to create our marks.

We have also been reading the story "Baby Goes to Market". We have been looking at the different items that Baby buys with Mama and have even made trips to Ridley Road Market to find some of the items. We used instant cameras to take some photos of what we found.

BABY ROOM

This half term we welcomed Alex and Jenina to the baby room team.

The children have enjoyed lots of sensory exploration, learning about filling and emptying, pouring, and scooping.

We have been reading the book Hooray for Fish! The children enjoyed exploring a multisensory experience of fish projected on the walls, ceilings and floor, along with underwater music!

We also celebrated Lunar New Year, we read a story to deepen our knowledge and then explored objects which are special for Lunar New Year, such as a dancing dragon, red envelopes with money, a lantern and traditional clothing. We also had a basket of tangerines for good luck, children used their fine motor skills to peel and eat their own tangerines.

We finished the term with a special performance called "Persephone - Tales of The Seasons" from Little Angel Theatre. It was a sensory exploration exploring the changes in nature.

FAMILY LEARNING FESTIVAL

Islington Adult Community Learning are offering a range of free family learning opportunities, from Upcycling to Pottery, Family Financial, Computer skills, Wellbeing and much more.

Click here for full details.

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