ℯNEWS NOVEMBER 10, 2023
The wet weather hasn't dampened our spirits this week, excellent work and effort have been observed throughout the school.
The Importance of Soft Skills and 11+
As we head towards the end of the year and another season of 11+ exams, interviews and group assessments approaching for our Year Six children, we acknowledge the inevitable butterflies that are arising on the third floor. However, with an experienced teaching team we are confident in the children’s preparation. We acknowledge the importance of the academic skills, that Mr Garvey is expertly honing in class but also recognise the necessity of accomplished, honest and unscripted interviews that identify our youngsters as emotionally intelligent children, with well-established skills including good communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork. All of which have been promoted and embedded from Junior One to Form Six, within our rich curriculum and timetable.
At CHS we prioritise the development of soft skills and recognise the expertise that our specialist teachers contribute to our holistic education. In drama, the children learn public speaking with expression and confidence. In art, Miss Foster incorporates art history and group discussions into each project. Our music teachers, led by Dr. Ashworth, cultivate collaborative learning, team work towards a shared performance goal and musicality as well as the important idea that practice makes perfect. Seniors engage in group woodwind lessons, enhancing breath control, and our violin club fosters collaboration and adaptability bringing together talented young musicians with a breadth of abilities and experience. Mr. Taiwo instils team spirit and sportsmanship in every games lesson and debating and philosophy sessions help children to think about ‘BIG’ questions whilst also learning how to articulate their own thoughts.
Whilst it is tempting to focus only on exam results, we remind ourselves that soft skills and creativity, central to our ethos at CHS, are integral to what each child can offer to their next school and are not activities to postpone until after exams as they will help them shine in the following stages of the 11+ process. We will be welcoming Mrs. J Hampton (former CHS Principal) and Mr. Nagy (former KS2 CHS teacher) back in the coming weeks to assist our oldest pupils in preparing for the interview process and trust the children will have plenty to talk about. We wish our Fabulous Form Six the best of luck – you are ready, you are all well rounded, and we are proud of you.
Remembrance Day
Embracing British values, children in classes from Junior One to our seniors have been creatively making their poppies this week to mark their respect ahead of Remembrance Day this weekend. A special session dedicated to this activity took place this afternoon, fostering a sense of unity and understanding of our common heritage within our diverse and inclusive community.
Upcoming
Connaught Village Christmas Lights Switch on - Wednesday 22 November 2023
We are all looking forward to our first event of the festive season, which has become a tradition in recent years: our senior choir has once again been invited to switch on the Connaught Village Christmas lights. With mulled wine and mince pies on offer from the local boutiques and coffee shops in the area, we have no doubt that it will, once again, prove to be a huge success.
Parents, grandparents, nannies, friends, and guardians are all invited to sing along with the carols at this community event. Our senior children will be singing at 5 pm, and further information will be circulated next week. However, we sincerely hope that our whole extended school community, juniors as well as seniors, will be there to support Connaught Village, Dr. Ashworth and our young choristers.
Don’t forget to keep practising the songs with your children, these can be found on the google classroom!
Daunt book Fair - Thursday 23 November 2023
Our annual book fair, in collaboration with Daunt Books, is approaching. On Thursday, 23rd November, all of our pupils will have the opportunity to browse the best children's reads of the season. Exciting new books from Michael Morpurgo, Marcus Rashford, and Zohra Nabi will be sitting alongside traditional favourites. There will be plenty of opportunities for the children to spend their pocket money (maximum £20) on early Christmas presents or in planning for a wonderful way to spend a rainy weekend curled up in a comfy chair, delving into a good book. Bliss!
Parents are also invited and encouraged to peruse the books, asking for suggestions and reviews from the very knowledgeable sales team and our own Head of English team, Mrs. Wells and Mrs. Walsh. Parents will be able to purchase books before, at 8:15am – 9am and after school at 3.30pm – 4:30pm.
Artwork of the week
Klara in Form Two, for fantastic autumnal colours and careful line work! A wonderful trace monoprint with watercolour, showing a close up view of the surface of a leaf. Well done Klara!
Dates for the diary:
22 Nov - CHS senior Choir to switch on the Connaught Village Christmas lights
23 Nov - Daunt Book Fair at CHS
1 Dec - Penfold Community Hub - Community Outreach with Forms Four & Five
7 Dec - CHS Senior Choir to sing at VSC
7 Dec - CHS Christmas tea parties
12 Dec - Juniors Christmas Play and whole school Carol Concert at St John’s Church - children to be collected directly from the church following the event.
13 Dec - Last day of Term, early collection at midday.
Wishing our school community a weekend filled with warmth, reflection, and gratitude as we commemorate Remembrance Day. May it be a time of shared memories, honouring heroes, and envisioning a bright future together.
