ℯNEWS May 10, 2024
We all welcomed the summer weather just in time for the obligatory change of uniform on Tuesday morning. The majority of our children are arriving to school looking smart in their summer uniform of school dress, white ankle socks, school blazer, and optional bottle green cardigan or grey Bermuda shorts, white short-sleeved shirt, school tie, grey ankle socks, school blazer and optional school pullover. School blazers should be worn every day unless notified by the school office that the weather is too warm for blazers.
Our PE kit will be changing in September, but until the new academic year, children should wear their white cotton shorts, school polo shirt, green sweatshirt and white ankle sports socks on days when the class has games. There are still some PE items available from the second-hand uniform cupboard.
Please help us by completing the linked Road Safety Petition
Connaught House School is collaborating with Sylvia Young Theatre School to apply to the local council for improved pedestrian crossings in the vicinity. Please take a few moments to complete this questionnaire, indicating where you have the most concerns about crossing the roads around the school. If there are any other concerns regarding pedestrian crossings around the school please let us know in the questionnaire here: https://forms.gle/VGEBgmnFM1Zh3L6J9.
Form Six Trip to Houses of Parliament
Form 6 headed to the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday for a morning's tour of the seat of UK democracy. In a year when elections have taken place locally, and with the nation on the cusp of a General Election, it was their chance to see where our politicians are hard at work. The class ventured through the House of Lords, around the throne of the monarch, while receiving an insight into how this important second chamber works. The Commons was closed due to police checks, but the pupils were also able to take part in a workshop where they debated the merits of whether or not homework should be banned. Hopefully, some of them will return in future years as our elected representatives.
Virtual Coffee Morning - Tuesday 7th May
Mrs Hampton and Ms Galligan were delighted to see so many parents who joined the belated Virtual Coffee Morning on PSHE/RSE on Tuesday. Ms Galligan guided parents through the curriculum, highlighting the statutory areas of Relationship Education and the Science Curriculum, and outlined the three subjects that fall within the non-obligatory Sex Education Curriculum from which parents have the right to withdraw their children. Having the opportunity to see some of the Jigsaw PSHE lessons, including the scientific animation of both girls' and boys' puberty, was especially helpful. Please find slides attached below.
Virtual Coffee Morning - Thursday 9 May - Head of Queen Anne’s Caversham
A busy week for online parents' meetings, Mrs Hampton was pleased to welcome Ms Elaine Purves from Queen Anne's, a very well-regarded girls' boarding school in Reading. Ms Purves spoke wonderfully about the opportunities of both single-sex and boarding at secondary school, reiterating the importance, as always, of visiting the school for open events before registering your interest, shortlisting 3 or 4 schools, and being realistic about the type of school that would suit your child both at 11 and all the way through to 16 and beyond to A-level.
Tatler Schools Guide 2025
We are very pleased to share with you that CHS has been selected, from a shortlist of schools in England, to be featured in Tatler magazine’s Schools Guide. We were very excited to have a photographer in to take new school pictures to accompany the review. We will share the article with you as soon as we can.
Upcoming
Form Five Talk
On Monday Mrs Hampton, Mr Garvey, Mrs Walsh and Ms Stock are looking forward to guiding Form Five parents through the next steps of the 11+ process on Monday afternoon. Miss Cho has circulated the link for this online discussion.
Mrs Hampton to meet with the new Headmaster of KPS
On Tuesday Mrs Hampton will journey down Bayswater Road to meet with the new Headmaster of Kensington Park School, Antony Faccinello.
CHS Big Read event in Hyde Park
On Friday 7th June, CHS will be hosting a Big Read event in Hyde Park as a finale to the Readathon. The last event was a huge success raising over £2000 for our chosen charity. This year, we will be fundraising for the Children's Book Project. The project prioritises stopping book waste and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to enjoy books and stories with their families. We will be sending out a link to our JustGiving page next week.
If you would like to volunteer for the Readathon event please let us know following the link below:
https://forms.gle/Cfik3BXZt9jR7jLDA
Form Five boys visit to Wetherby Senior School
Wetherby Senior school have invited the boys in Form 5 to visit their school to take part in a science workshop on Wednesday afternoon. They will have the opportunity to use their laboratories and see a little of what life is like at Senior School.
Reminders
Emails to School
I would like to remind parents if for any reason your child is going to be absent from school, if you are running late to collect your child or for anything else please contact Miss Cho in the school office either on the phone: 02072628830 or by email: secretary@connaughthouseschool.co.uk. The main reporting mechanism is via Miss Cho in the office who works full time.
For Admissions enquiries please contact Ms White at admissions@connaughthouseschool.co.uk.
Artwork of the Week
Daralaye in Junior One, for a fantastic collaged butterfly, inspired by Eric Carle’s illustrations. Excellent use of symmetry and painted papers. Well done Daralaye!
Dates for the diary:
May
13th - Virtual meeting with Form Five parents and Mrs Walsh, Mr Garvey and Mrs Hampton on the 11+ process
23rd - Virtual Coffee Morning with Mrs Hampton and Guest
24th - 31st (Inclusive) Half Term
June
6th - Virtual Coffee Morning with Mrs Hampton and guest Mrs Katharine Woodcock, Headteacher of Frances Holland Girls School.
7th - Readathon in the park
14th - J1 - F2 Bocketts Farm Trip
20th - Virtual Coffee Morning with Mrs Hampton and Guest
21st - Sports Day
25th - School Photograph
28th - 2nd hand uniform sale
July
3rd - School Play
4th - CHS Olympic Day
5th - School Fete at the Carisbrooke Hall
8th - J1 - F2 Look out Centre Trip
10th - Prize giving & early finish for children
