Headteacher's Weekly Update 26 - Friday 28th March 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope this letter finds you and your families well.

Firstly, I want to extend my sincere thanks for your support and understanding on Wednesday, as we moved to online learning to allow staff to attend the funeral of our much-loved colleague, Sharon Morgan. Sharon’s family have asked me to pass on their heartfelt gratitude; they were incredibly touched by the large number of Kelmscott staff, both past and present, who attended to pay their respects.

For those celebrating this weekend, Eid Mubarak.  Whether you are marking the occasion on Sunday or Monday, I hope you have a joyful time with your loved ones.  To continue the celebrations in school, we will be holding an Eid meal in the canteen on Thursday, alongside a non-uniform day.  Students are asked to contribute £2 for the privilege of wearing their own clothes, with all proceeds going to charity.

Thursday is also Year 8 Progress Evening, and I look forward to welcoming our Year 8 families for important meetings with subject teachers.  These evenings play a key role in supporting student progress, so I strongly encourage all families to attend.

You may recall from my last update that I mentioned the Shakespeare Residential, which was a great success.  Students thoroughly enjoyed the trip, which was both fun and educational.  They began with a guided tour of Stratford-upon-Avon, followed by an unforgettable evening at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to watch Hamlet.  After a restful night, students took part in an engaging drama workshop led by professional actors and writers.  Planning is already in motion for next year’s residential, one of the highlights of our Kelmscott co-curricular calendar.

On Wednesday, a group of Year 10 students participating in the St Catherine's College, Oxford, Catalyst Programme, visited Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham for a workshop on life after school.  They envisaged their future selves in their ideal careers and worked backward to map out the best path to achieve their goals.  Discussions covered A-level choices, university options, and alternative routes to success.  The session also provided a fantastic opportunity to hear from current Oxford University students and ask questions about student life.

Today, Year 11 students, aspiring entrepreneurs, future business leaders, and economists—visited KPMG in Canary Wharf.  This invaluable experience provided students with insights into the professional world, the opportunity to explore career opportunities in the professional services sector, and help them to develop essential skills through direct interactions with KPMG professionals.  Students learned about the diverse teams and projects at KPMG, gaining first hand knowledge of the work they do and the clients they serve.  The visit aimed to inspire and motivate students by showcasing the various career paths within the industry.  Students enjoyed the opportunity to engage with professionals, potentially making valuable networking connections.  This experience not only broadened their perspectives but also helped build confidence and resilience, better preparing them for potential future challenges.

A round up now of our sporting highlights from the week:

On Monday afternoon, I had the pleasure of watching our Year 7 netball team in action, playing a competitive double header against Chingford’s yellow and maroon teams.  They demonstrated excellent teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship and it was fantastic to see all of the PE staff supporting the team.  Eleanor Nickson (7C) was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performances as Centre, embodying Kelmscott STORM values.  Kenza Idrissi-Kacemi (7M)  impressed with double-figure goals, while Rosa Ahuja-Hopkins (7K) also added to the score.  The team secured a dominant 9-0 win in one game and narrowly lost the other, continuing to showcase leadership and fair play.  Well done to all involved.

On Tuesday, the Year 7 boys’ football team claimed a thrilling 4-3 victory over Buxton.  After conceding early, they quickly equalised before an action-packed second half saw five more goals.  With just two minutes remaining, Mustapha Kabba (7T) delivered a precise low cross to Osama Medjbour (7L), who secured the winning goal.  Moises Martis (7T) was named Player of the Match for his blistering pace, which troubled Buxton’s defense throughout.

The Year 7s have one final fixture before the Easter break, next Wednesday, against a strong Leytonstone side.  I shall look forward to sharing the outcome in next week's update to families.

Our Year 8 netball team was unstoppable on Tuesday, securing two impressive victories—defeating Buxton 3-2 and George Mitchell 9-0.  A special congratulations to Hayley Taylor (8K), who was named Player of the Competition for her outstanding performance.

Well done to the following students who topped the charts for their year group last week, with a particular well done to Marco Anicai in 8E, last week’s top reward points winner for the entire school, earning an impressive 28 points—well done.

• Year 7, Bogdan Popescu in 7K with 18 points

• Year 8, Marco Anicai in 8E with 28 points

• Year 9, Jamie Long and Adam Mansouri both in 9C with 18 points

• Year 10, Mariam Jabeen in 10E with 24 points

• Year 11, Mia Miller in 11E with 15 points

This Sunday, the clocks go forward one hour at 1am as we move into British Summer Time.  Please remember to adjust your clocks and enjoy the longer, brighter days ahead.

Finally, a reminder that the last day of term is next Friday, 4th April.  It will be a half-day, with students finishing at 12:40pm.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable weekend.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher