Autumn 1 Newsletter
September - October 2023
Keep up to date with our latest achievements and celebrations.
For school events, holidays and much more, visit our website at: www.springfield.hackney.sch.uk
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @springcps and on Instagram @springfieldhackney
Headteacher's Message
I would like to thank the whole school community for such a positive and successful start to the year. Thank you for your engagement and participation from our initial information sessions, to our learning showcases and assemblies. Our recent Ofsted visit was a rigorous, robust and thoroughly positive process. I look forward to sharing the report and outcome with you when they arrive. Thank you to everyone who could join us for our Black History Month learning showcase today. It was wonderful to celebrate together. I look forward to sharing information about our next steps linked to our school Anti-Racism Commitment which you can find on our website. All members of our community are warmly welcomed to our next anti-racist families forum on Friday 17th November at 2:45pm.
Curriculum
Learning
We have had a strong start to the four pillars of our curriculum this year.
Vocabulary: children are using new words across the curriculum both in their speech and their writing. Exploring vocabulary across the curriculum is a strengh across phases at Springfield.
Reading: home reading habits are strong -thank you for your support with this. Children are enjoying the texts in their class read-aloud spine.
Knowledge: children have showed incredible retention of prior learning in 'retrieve it' activities and of new learning in 'test it activities'. Children have shared and 'reached higher' with their learning in creative home learning projects.
Experiences: a rich range of trips and workshops have enhanced children's learning in our curriculum. Each visit is carefully planned and children go on trips with background knowledge to then delve deeper and make meaningful connections.
Wellbeing
We marked World Mental Health Awareness Day on Tuesday 10th October.
Our wellbeing theme this term is Being Me in my Community. Please join us in sharing the following messages with your child:
-every unique individual is an important member of our community
-we welcome, include and respect everyone
-we are proud of our diversity
-we are stronger when we come together
-our shared Commitments are promises we make to one another to help us belong
Rights Respecting
This half-term, we have reflected on how the expectations in our Springfield VERSE are underpinned by children's rights.
Voice - we have a right to our views and our expression
Everyone - everyone is included, valued and celebrated for their uniqueness and no-one faces disrespect or discrimination
Respect - we respect all rights at all times
Safe - everyone has the right to be safe
Effort - all children have the right to an education and we all make an effort to value this right
E-safety - Digital Devices
We aim to be a school where no child uses a smart phone or accesses group chats due to the risks to safety, wellbeing and mental health. Every family can play a part in making this a reality.
What can you do?
-resist the pressure to buy your child a mobile phone
-remove a phone or device your child already has access to and explain why - the wellbeing and mental health risks are too great for primary children
-ensure your child does not access group chats on Whatsapp or other platforms including gaming platforms like Roblox
-encourage your child to spend time with friends and family in real life
-ensure strict screen-time limits on shared family devices and do not allow headphones as this prevents full supervision
-never leave your child unsupervised on a device the risk of inappropriate content is too great
Community Commitments
The Commitment we are focusing on next half term is build positivity.
We invite children to build positivity in the following ways:
-noticing things to be grateful for
-encouraging their friends with kind words
-celebrating parts of learning they are proud of
-starting off by saying what has gone well during the day
-seeking support and thinking together with peers and adults about solutions
-giving people the benefit of the doubt and understanding that people sometimes make mistakes
-speaking words of kindess to themsleves and each other
Attendance
At Springfield, we make every day of learning count. As part of our approach to promoting and celebrating positive attendance, we are pleased to share class team averages for this half term:
Oak (Y6): 96.5%
Elm (Y5): 96.4%
Willow:(Y4): 97%
Holly (Y3): 96.3%
Birch (Y2): 96.8%
Chestnuts (Y1): 95.5%
Cherries (R): 91.2%
We will continue to: send 100% attendance messages on a Friday to celebrate consistent attendance; review all children’s average attendance on a weekly basis and send letters/meet with families where attendance is below 96% (at risk).
For attendance below 90% (that is one day missed per fortnight), you will be invited to an ‘improving attendance meeting’ with actions agreed with the headteacher. If no improvement is made, the Hackney Education Team will be informed to support the improvement of your child’s attendance.
Holly Class - Y3
Natural History Museum
This term, in Holly Team, we have been learning about how humans' lives changed from the Palaeolithic Era to the Iron Age in History and rocks and fossils in Science. To build on our learning we went to the Natural History Museum. There, we took part in the Dino Dig fossil workshop where we got to be archaeologists and hunt for pre-historic clues. We also took time investigate at different fossils and rocks all around the museum. Finally we took a look at how humans have evolved over time, from the Palaeolithic Era to now!
Oak Class - Into University
Year 6 enjoyed a week of rich experiences with Into University this half term. We delved deeper into our unit of learning about World War II and particularly focused on the diversity of the armed forces. We developed our confidence and oracy skills building up to a group presentation and were very proud to graduate on the final day. We loved visiting Westminster University and creating our very own 'dreams' leaf expressing our current aims and ambitions. As part of this week, we also visited the RAF museum, which really embedded our learning about WWII and the significance of the RAF pilots. At Springfield, we work hard to reach high and feel excited and empowered for our futures. Watch this space!
Birch Class - Y2
St Paul's Cathedral
Birch class visited St Paul's Cathedral to enrich our learning about the Great Fire of London. We were given a tour of the cathedral and explored how it looked like prior to the fire. In particular, we noticed the differences between the spires and domes built after the disaster. We made links to our science knowledge by comparing the materials that are used now and in 1666, such as the flammable wood used in the past contrasted with and the brick and stone used in the present. We loved our chance to explore the incredible architecture of Sir Christopher Wren.
Visit from a local Councillor
On Thursday 19th October, KS2 welcomed Councillor Rathbone for an assembly about democracy and participation. We explored the meaning of words such as elections, debate, hustings and engagement. Councillor Rathbone explained how local democracy works in our borough and inspired us to consider the importance of freedom and fairness in using our voices in our local area, whilst reminding us that not everyone globally currently has the right to vote in elections. He explained how children and adults can contribute to our local parks groups and shared some of the work he has done in promoting peace and safety in our borough.
Elm Class - Y5
Greenwich Observatory
Elm class thoroughly enjoyed the recent trip to the Greenwich Observatory. We built on our knowledge of Earth and Space from our recent science unit inside the Planetarium and enjoyed confidently sharing our knowledge and asking curious questions throughout the day. We have been so proud of our science learning this half-term and relished the chance to share our ambitious home learning projects including diagrams and models from our solar system.
Visit from Hackney Foodbank
We were grateful to Jenna from Hackney Foodbank for her recent visit. In assembly, we learned how volunteers contribute to the service and ensure access for those who need it. We reflected on the importance of everyone's right to have access to healthy and nutritious food. Jenna explained how donations are made, how food is stored and packed and how people from a range of different backgrounds and experiences access the Foodbank.
In response to your feedback, we are working hard on mechanisms for sharing dates for trips and events with increased periods of notice to allow for forward planning in busy working and family schedules. We will update you with these channels of communication soon.
October/November dates
Monday 30th October: INSET (school closed to children)
Tuesday 31st October: school open for all children - gates open at 8.45 and close promptly at 8.55
Tuesday 7th November 3.50-6.50: parents and carer evening (in-person)
Wednesday 8th November 3.50-6.50: parents and carer evening (telephone)
Thursday 9th November : Nursery closed (in use as a polling station for Hackney Council) Rec-Y6 open as usual.
Friday 10th November 9.15: Year 3 Holly Class assembly
Friday 10th November 3.40: FSA second-hand uniform sale after school
Wednesday 15th November 9-9.30: Nursery and Reception Stay and Play
Friday 17th November 2.45-3.25: anti-racism forum - all family members warmly invited
Thursday 23rd November 9.15: Year 4 trip 'Their Words' session - Hackney Museum
Wednesday 29th November 9.15: Year 5 trip 'Their Words' session - Hackney Museum
Wednesday 29th November 9-9.30: Nursery and Reception Stay and Play
Thursday 30th November: Year 6 Junior Citizenship Scheme session at Hackney Town Hall
November Workshops for parents and carers
Friday 3rd November 9-9.30: phonics workshop for Reception families run by Anna Case
Tuesday 14th November 9-9.30- Wellbeing Workshop led by Dr Natalie Bailey
Friday 24th November 9-9.30- phonics workshop for Year 1 families led by Anna Case
December dates
Friday 1st December 9.15 : Year 4 Holly Class assembly
Tuesday 5th December: Westminster Abbey trip- Year 5 and 6
Thursday 7th December: Christmas/ Special jumper day - raising money for local charities (£1-£2 contributions)
Friday 8th December: FSA school disco (Reception Y1 and Y2 3.45-4.45 and Y3,4,5+6 5pm-6pm)
Friday 8th December 9.15: Year 2 Birch Class assembly
Thursday 14th December 2.45: Winter celebration assembly and singing showcase
Friday 15th December 9.15: Year 2 Birch Class assembly
Friday 15th December 3.40: open classrooms
Friday 15th December 3.40: FSA Winter Fayre - crafts, uniforms, games and refreshments in the hall
Wednesday 20th December: Christmas lunch for children
Wednesday 20th December 3.40: open classrooms
Week 7 is the final week of 3.30-4.30 enrichment clubs. This means the final day of clubs is Thursday 14th December.
Thursday 21st December school closes at 3.30pm for all children. There is no 6 o'clock club on this day.
December Workshops for parents and carers
Thursday 7th December 9-9.30: maths workshop for all families led by Maudie Wyatt
Thursday 14th December 9-9.30: maths workshop for all families led by Alex de Lange
Reminders
Home reading: please support your child to read at home every day to ensure they make progress.
PE kit: please ensure your child has school uniform kit. Logos, sports brands and fashion clothes are not school uniform—we value equality and wear uniform so that every child feels comfortable and under no pressure to have the most fashionable brands.
Forest school Nursery-Year 2: please dress your child for wet and muddy conditions! We ask that children wear grey or black tracksuit bottoms/leggings and a Springfield school jumper. Pease pack a spare pair of trousers and socks.
Uniform: our uniform includes smart black school shoes - no trainers with logos please
Children may not wear hooped or dangly earrings for safety reasons.
Please ensure jewellery and nail polish is removed for the start of the new half term.