Headteacher's Weekly Update 29 - Friday 1st May 2026

Dear Parents and Carers

I hope this letter finds you and your family well; a Friday update for you as always.

Attendance for the week of 20th - 25th April 2026 remained at 93%. We continue to focus on further strengthening attendance as part of our ambitious whole school goal of reaching 98%.  Evidence shows that even modest gains in attendance can make a meaningful difference to students’ academic progress, wellbeing and confidence in their learning. As always your support in ensuring students attend regularly and arrive punctually each day is appreciated.

Attendance by Year group:

• Year 7 95.23%

• Year 8 95.27%

• Year 9 92.05%

• Year 10 92.47%

• Year 11 89.90%

  
  

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to families for your support as we moved to online learning for session three yesterday. This allowed us to host our first Middle Leader Conference, giving staff the opportunity to take part in exciting leadership CPD. 

As we fast approach the start of the main GCSE exam season next week, I would like to wish all of our Year 11 students the very best of luck. This is an important milestone, we appreciate the hard work and commitment you have shown in getting to this point.  We know it can be stressful at times, so please be kind to yourselves.

Students will have received their individual exam timetables, please ensure these are checked carefully so everyone is clear on dates and times.

Please make full use of the revision and wellbeing resources available, including BBC Bitesize for subject support and exam guidance and Kooth for help with managing stress and anxiety. Kooth offers practical tools, including a student guide to coping with exam pressure and resources such as The Ultimate Exam Stress Toolkit.  As always, staff are here to support, please do reach out if any guidance or reassurance is needed.

As part of the Nurture Provision’s community engagement strand within Kelmscott inclusive offer, we are committed to creating a supportive environment where every student feels valued and connected. Our aim is to nurture confidence, build self-esteem, encourage positive friendships and foster a strong sense of belonging within the school community. The Nurture provision recognises and embraces a range of learning styles, helping students develop the skills they need to thrive as successful members of the Kelmscott community.  During a recent visit to Lea Bridge Library, students were warmly welcomed by librarian Adil, a former Kelmscott student. He introduced them to the library system and supported them in exploring the space with confidence. One student, Mikel (7L), showed a keen interest in gardening by selecting a book to help care for the plants in our school garden.  As a next step, students will complete their library membership applications and choose a book to take home, encouraging independent reading and a continued connection with their local community.

Wednesday’s Career Fair brought a vibrant and engaging atmosphere to the School Hall, as Year 8 and Year 10 students explored a diverse range of industries and career pathways. Students showed great confidence when speaking with visiting professionals, asking thoughtful questions and gaining valuable first-hand insights into different roles and workplaces. There was a real sense of enthusiasm throughout, with curiosity and aspiration clearly on display.  

It was pleasing to see a large number of Year 10 students taking part in an ICEE workshop today, led by a network of experienced business professionals sharing their knowledge and real-world insights. The session placed a strong emphasis on developing essential skills, including teamwork, communication, presentation and strategic thinking, while also encouraging resilience and confidence.  Students responded very positively, appreciating both the challenge and the opportunity to explore new perspectives on leadership and personal development.

An additional reminder from me as we rapidly move towards the end of the academic year, we are  excited to be finalising plans for our upcoming year group trips. These experiences are a highlight of the school calendar, we strongly encourage all students to take part, even if the destination might not be their first choice. Being involved is what makes the experience special. Students who do not attend will remain in school completing independent work.  As always, if cost may be a barrier to taking part, please contact Ms Andrews, we will do our best to support where we can. 

End of year trip details are as follows:

• Year 7:  Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, Thursday 9th July 2026

• Year 8:  Nuclear Races, Brentwood, Thursday 9th July 2026 

• Year 9: Nuclear Races, Brentwood, Wednesday 8th July 2026

• Year 10:  Activity day - Wise up - On site, Wednesday 8th July 2026

  
  

I am pleased to share that Kelmscott achieved first place in the Myths & Legends: Classics Drama Competition at the national finals held at the University of Leeds yesterday.  Our Year 7 students delivered an exceptional performance, with Ivo Edwards, Andrei Handiuc, Malcolm Gibbons and William Ramster awarded R8s. Congratulations also to our talented runners-up from Years 7 and 8.

We are incredibly proud of all students who reached the final and represented the school so positively, truly embodying our STORM values. This success reflects their commitment and the dedication shown throughout rehearsals, supported by Mr Smith and Mr Hailes. Thank you to Mr Hailes for his organisation and to Erva Aktas (Year 10) and our Year 10 Greek and Classical Civilisation students for their valuable support. An outstanding achievement, well done to everyone involved.

Ms Hill is excited to launch our Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, celebrating how plants and animals adapt and thrive in our local area.  To enter: Students should submit their original  photo of wildlife, plants or landscapes taken in or near Waltham Forest (no pets or heavy editing). Upload your original image to Google Classroom (code: hsypldvr) by Friday 15th May.  Winning entries will be showcased at our end-of-year art exhibition, with selected students earning a place on a photography trip to either Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew or Epping Forest to develop their skills using a digital SLR camera. For more details please see Ms Hill in room K213.  

You may recall from my March updates that our Year 10 Art students took part in the UCL Outreach Printmaking Project. It is wonderful to share that their work is now being showcased in The East London Imprint: Past, Present and Future exhibition at UCL East Marshgate Building (1st floor gallery) until 11th May. Entry is free and families are very welcome to visit. Please see here for further details. Head of Art, Ms Boyle, who attended the private view with Ms Dempsey, commented on the exceptional quality of the students’ intaglio prints, noting that they stand up strongly alongside A Level work. Congratulations to all involved, this work will now form part of their GCSE Art portfolios.

It has been an exciting week for sport at Kelmscott. On Monday, our Year 8 netball team delivered an outstanding performance, showing real determination throughout the season. After progressing through to the semi-finals, they secured a strong 8–6 win against George Mitchell School.  In the final, the team faced Chingford Foundation School in a highly competitive match. Taking an early lead and maintaining their composure, Kelmscott triumphed 6–4, earning the title of Year 8 Waltham Forest Netball Champions, a fantastic achievement.

Athletics is also well underway, with Year 9 and 10 students competing this week in a range of track and field events including 200m, 800m, relay races, discus, high jump and triple jump. We look forward to upcoming results as students build towards finals evening and Borough Sports Day. Year 7 and 8 will begin their athletics competitions in the coming weeks.

Two opportunities that may be of interest to students that I would like to highlight;

Year 11 students interested in careers in audit, actuarial or accounting may wish to attend the Future Ready virtual event hosted by Lloyds Banking Group on Tuesday 5th May 2026, 5:00–6:00pm.  This session will provide valuable insight into apprenticeship pathways and career opportunities within the sector, helping students explore their next steps.  For more information and to apply, please see here.

An opportunity for all young rappers, MCs and beatmakers. Waltham Forest Music Service and Leyton Sixth Form College are hosting the first ever Battle of the Bars on 11th June, 7:00pm a live showcase celebrating rap, lyric writing and production. Open to students aged 11–18 (KS3–KS5), this is a chance to perform, collaborate and receive expert feedback. Categories include Best Solo MC, Best Group, Best Original Lyrics, Best Performance and Best Producer, with a cypher finale for all participants.  Limited spaces are available for more information and to sign up please see here.

With local elections on Thursday 7 May, a reminder for those voting that if you are voting in person at your local polling station,  you will need to show photo ID. Accepted forms of ID include a passport, a driver’s licence, or a 60+ London Oystercard. You can access a full list of accepted forms of ID on the Electoral Commission website.

An important change that I believe is important to highlight.  Today, the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) comes into effect across England, bringing in new rights and responsibilities for tenants, landlords and letting agents.  This Act is designed to provide tenants with greater security and fairness, while ensuring landlords have clear guidance on their obligations. Changes include an end to no-fault evictions, a ban on rental bidding, limiting rent increases to once per year and an end to fixed-term tenancies. For more information please see here

Congratulations to our reward points winners for the week 20th - 25th April 2026:

• Year 7, Josephine Essiaw in 7O with 26 points

• Year 8, Mason Lowe in 8E with 20 points

• Year 9, Aman Mazhar in 9K with 13 points

• Year 10, George Lupu in 10C with 19 points

• Year 11, Ebru Yesildas in 11S with 16 points.

  
  

A special well done to Josephine Essiaw in 7O, who with 26 points was the overall top reward points winner across the school last week.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher