Embedded Files
A Huge St Stephen’s Thank You to Our Incredible Volunteers!
A Huge St Stephen’s Thank You to Our Incredible Volunteers!
This week marked National Volunteers’ Week, and it feels like the perfect moment to extend a massive, heartfelt thank you to all the parents and carers who give up their time for our school. We know how incredibly busy life can be and understand that some parents have more free time than others, but please know that we are deeply grateful for every single minute you give to our St Stephen’s family. Our school community is so much richer for your support.
We are incredibly lucky to have volunteers helping out in so many diverse ways. We love seeing you come into school to support our children with their reading or helping out to keep our library running smoothly. We are equally grateful to those who come in to share their unique knowledge and professional experience, bringing exciting opportunities to our pupils that they might not otherwise get to live out. From running creative art workshops and giving vital dental hygiene talks, to giving up your time to supervise school trips, the list of your contributions is truly endless.
A Special Shout-Out to the 'FOSS Fairies'!
A Special Shout-Out to the 'FOSS Fairies'!
We must also give a huge, roaring thank you to our phenomenal PTA, the Friends of St Stephen’s (FOSS). To Lou and Jessie, your sheer dedication to our school is truly felt by every single child and member of staff. In fact, you two and your amazing team have officially become known as the 'FOSS Fairies' around school, after Mrs Bachour lovingly referred to you by this name in our staff briefing this week - and it’s easy to see why!
During the half-term break, you waved your magic wands and gave our staffroom a complete, 'Changing Rooms' style makeover. The care and attention to detail you poured into the project - from the lovely new furniture and fresh pot plants to the carefully curated wall art and thoughtful bookshelf - has made our staff feel deeply appreciated and gave us all a massive boost. Not only that, but you’ve given our music room an exciting new lift, turning it into a vibrant performing arts space we really want to celebrate. This wonderful room now features instruments hung beautifully from the walls, which are adorned with musical notation and framed photos of our very own St Stephen's children performing. Once again, your incredible attention to detail is truly heartwarming.
Even as this newsletter is being written, the background hum of power tools can be heard around the building as the team prepares to give our corridors and staircases a fresh lick of paint this weekend. Alongside the painting, our Sensory Room is also changing locations this weekend to a larger, more accessible space within the school - we are all so excited to see it! Combined with the wonderful new 'Book Nooks' you recently treated all of our classrooms to as part of our reading drive, we aren’t going to recognise the place! Lou and Jessie, you do so much for us, while always ensuring that everyone who gives their time feels included and valued. What a team!
Celebrating Together
Celebrating Together
To say a proper thank you, FOSS and the St Stephen’s leadership hosted a special Celebration Coffee Morning today. It was a wonderful opportunity to express our gratitude in person, and our St Stephen’s children wanted to get involved too. We hope you all thoroughly enjoyed our choir's fantastic, performance of "Roar"!
A huge thank you to Steph, Marie, Chantelle, Lindsay, Nora, Jetmir, Amy, Elena, Caroline, Richard, Ceri, Dan, Dianne, Chris, Rachel, Laura, Kat, Adam, Jaye, and Irena for joining us this morning. We know that many other volunteers couldn't make it due to work and life commitments, but please know that you were there in spirit. Bringing our community together like this brings us so much joy.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything you do for St Stephen's!
Year 3 Explores the Buddhapadipa Temple
Year 3 Explores the Buddhapadipa Temple
What a wonderful day we had! Our Year 3 classes hopped onto a coach and headed to Wimbledon to visit the stunning Buddhapadipa Temple. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see their RE lessons come to life in a truly beautiful setting.
We began our day exploring the temple's magnificent, peaceful gardens. Complete with bridges, ornamental ponds, and quiet walkways, it was the perfect place for the children to reflect and enjoy nature before heading inside. The children showed wonderful respect for Buddhist traditions by carefully removing their shoes and entering quietly.
Once inside, we were treated to a fascinating talk about the temple’s rich history. The children learned about the significance of the three Buddha statues, which sparked some brilliant questions from the children. Perhaps the biggest wow moment was looking at the incredible artwork covering the walls and ceiling, which acts as a vibrant time capsule of the 1980s. The children marvelled at the detailed murals and we spotted some surprisingly famous faces hidden within the traditional scenes - including Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
Year 3, you were fantastic ambassadors for our school and showed immense curiosity and respect.
We would like to say a massive thank you to all the wonderful parent volunteers who accompanied us on this trip. We couldn't manage these extra-special days out without you!
Creative Corner: The Many Faces of Portraiture
Creative Corner: The Many Faces of Portraiture
Our Year 1 and Year 5 pupils have both been exploring the human face, demonstrating just how different portraits can look and how powerfully they can be used to express history, emotion, and identity.
Year 1: Expressing History through Texture
Year 1: Expressing History through Texture
Our young artists in Year 1 took a historical approach to portraiture, stepping back in time to create striking Tudor Portraits, led by Joanna, a very talented parent volunteer. To truly capture the essence of the era, the children didn’t just paint; they became historical scientists. They explored traditional methods of making paint from scratch, from eggs, with various natural materials and pigments to create an authentic emulsion. The result is a series of wonderfully rich, beautifully expressive portraits. By using these ancient, raw materials, Year 1 have expressed a sense of the past, bringing the expressions of the Tudor court vividly to life. Thank you, Joanna, for guiding this beautiful project.
Year 5: Expressing Identity through Mixed Media
Year 5: Expressing Identity through Mixed Media
In contrast, Year 5 have been exploring how self-portraits can look entirely unique depending on what the artist wants to communicate about themselves. They learnt that portraiture is about much more than just capturing a likeness; it is a tool to express your identity, meaning the unique qualities, history, and beliefs that make you who you are.
The children analysed how an artist can completely change the mood and expression of a portrait through the composition and layout, what is included in the background, the choices of clothing, and facial expressions. They also looked closely at how the specific materials used can alter the final message. Drawing inspiration from a diverse group of world-renowned artists, including Chila Kumari Singh Burman, Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Sonia Boyce, and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the children experimented with a wide array of expressive techniques to find their own artistic voice.
To bring their personal expressions to life, Year 5 mastered an impressive range of technical vocabulary and skills. They explored collage and photomontage by cutting, arranging, and sticking materials to create layers of meaning. They also experimented with mixed media and multi-media elements to tell a story.
From the earthy, historical textures of Year 1 to the vibrant, layered modern media of Year 5, our pupils have shown that portraiture has no single look. It is a brilliant, flexible language of self-expression.
Page updated
Report abuse