Headteacher's Weekly Update 15 - Friday 19th December 2025
- Mr S. Jones
- 1 minute ago
- 5 min read
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well as we come to the end of a busy, joyful and very festive term.
It has been a really good final week in school. There was a lovely atmosphere throughout the building, not least on Wednesday when huge numbers of students enjoyed Christmas lunch together. It was genuinely lovely to see staff and students sitting, eating and chatting side by side. Celebration assemblies have also taken place across the week, with students receiving certificates for subject success, effort and wider achievements. These assemblies are always a highlight of the term and were filled with pride, smiles and plenty of fun.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding quality of last week’s school production of The Importance of Being Earnest. At the time of writing last week’s letter, I had not yet seen the performance, but having done so since, I can say without hesitation that it was exceptional. The acting, timing, staging and confidence on show were of an incredibly high standard. A huge well done to Ms Lawrence for her leadership and vision, and to every member of the cast and crew for their hard work and commitment. I was immensely proud to see such talent and professionalism on display.
Our non-uniform day raised a fantastic amount for the Kelmscott Appeal. With a tremendous £1983 raised so far. It's not too late to donate should you wish - for more details or to donate please see here. Thank you, as always, for your generosity and for supporting causes that matter deeply to our school community.
On Tuesday, we reached the culmination of our work with the Smiling Boys Project. Portraits of our Year 10 boys were taken and will form part of an exhibition later in the school year. This has been a powerful and uplifting project, celebrating boys’ identity, confidence and self-expression. The Smiling Boys Project aims to challenge stereotypes, promote positive representations of boys and young men, and support their wellbeing through creative expression. You can find out more about their work here: https://www.smilingboysproject.com
This week, a group of our Year 10 and Year 11 classicists took part in a Classics trip to Oxford. During the visit, students attended lectures on Roman Britain and Medea, as well as a theatre session. They also took part in a walking tour of the city, which included visits to the Oxford Union, the Bodleian Library and the Bridge of Sighs. Mr Hailes led students on a visit to St Hilda’s College, where they were given a tour and had the opportunity to learn more about university life. The visit offered valuable insight into the support available to students and the inclusive nature of the university environment.
Students also visited the Ashmolean Museum, where Dr Emily Kearns, an expert in Ancient Greek religion, spoke with some of our Greek and Classical Civilisation students about their academic interests and future study options. Dr Kearns commented positively on the students’ engagement during the session. The students represented the school extremely well throughout the day and we are grateful to Mr Hailes for organising and leading such a valuable experience.
Sports now and there have been some excellent sporting achievements to celebrate this week. In Handball our Year 8 and 9 U14 girls attended the WF Handball Tournament this week, where they took part in three highly competitive matches. The games were fast-paced, with quick transitions and multiple passing sequences throughout. In the final game, Kirsten Singh (9E) scored four goals to secure a win for the team. Lina Laichour (8T) was named Player of the Tournament. Well done to all the players, as well as Lina Boultouak (10O) and Melany Kocheva (10S), who supported the team by managing and coaching as part of their GCSE course.
In Basketball, congratulations to the Year 7 and 8 boys’ basketball team on their win of the season against Norlington, with a final score of 24–12. The team played with great energy and teamwork throughout the match, with Daniel Ace Estremadura (8L) and Moises Martis (8T) scoring a combined total of 18 points. The Year 10 boys’ basketball team also secured a convincing away win against Norlington, finishing 44–13. Timmi Zybowski (9M) was named Player of the Match for his performance.
Our thanks go to the Year 10 students who have supported fixtures this season by helping at the scoring table: Syd Howlin (10S), Jayden Hindocha (10O), Alexandra Gutoiu (10C) and Lina Boultouak (10O). They have carried out their roles with professionalism and have represented Kelmscott extremely well. Congratulations to all our Kelmscott athletes for an outstanding term of sport.
We continue to encourage families to engage with the “Letters to Our Sons” campaign. This important initiative invites us to reflect collectively on how we want our sons to grow up , the values they hold, the kindness they show and the positive contribution they make to society. Thank you to those who have already taken part, we encourage others to get involved too.
A timely reminder that the Local Authority has shared details of the Waltham Forest Winter Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme, running from Saturday 20th December 2025- Friday 2nd January 2026. The programme provides holiday clubs for children who are in receipt of benefit-related Free School Meals across the borough. For more information please see here: Please do take a look if you think this may be helpful for your family.
Waltham Forest has several local community food hubs that provide free or affordable food, they may be able to provide additional support during times of need:
I have included a helpful guide here to services and emergency contacts for Waltham Forest Council during the festive period.
Congratulations to our reward points winners for each year group for the week of Monday 8th – Friday 12th December 2025. A special well done to Rosie Masri in 7S, who topped the entire school with an impressive 50 points.
➪ Year 7, Rosie Masri in 7S with 50 points
➪ Year 8, Haadi Darr in 8S with 28 points
➪ Year 9, Olive Crawford in 9T with 43 points
➪ Year 10, Alexandra Gutoiu in 10C with 39 points
➪ Year 11, Zahira Echeverry- Garcia in 11S with 31 points
A reminder that Monday 5th January is an INSET day for staff. Students return to school on Tuesday 6th January at the usual time.
Attendance this week remains at 92%, with overall school attendance since September at 93.59%. Please continue to support both the school and your child, every day in school matters.
Year 7 91.67%
Year 8 93.81%
Year 9 91.43%
Year 10 91.63%
Year 11 89.64%
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the school. It makes a real difference and is hugely appreciated by staff and students alike.
As we head into the holiday period, I wish you all a restful, safe and happy break spent with friends and loved ones, a very Happy Christmas to those celebrating.
Special thanks for your support this term and throughout 2025. Here's to a happy and healthy 2026. With every good wish,
Mr Sam Jones
Headteacher