Headteacher's Weekly Update 30 - Friday 9th May 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope this letter finds you and your families well.  It has been another purposeful and energising week here at Kelmscott as we continue to move through the summer term; a Friday update for you as always.

We were honoured this week to welcome Lord Butler of Brockwell to speak with a group of our Year 10 and Year 11 students.  The visit was brilliantly initiated and organised by one of our Year 11 students, testament to the ambition and initiative we are so proud to see in our young people.  Lord Butler, who served as Cabinet Secretary under five Prime Ministers, offered fascinating insights into public life, civil service, and leadership.  His reflections on decades of service to the country provided both inspiration and a valuable opportunity for students to consider the many routes open to them in their futures.  Our thanks to Lord Butler for giving his time so generously.

I am pleased to share that both our Year 7 and Year 8 netball teams finished in the top four in the Waltham Forest Borough competition yesterday.  Over the course of six weeks both teams competed against twelve other schools, a fantastic achievement for our relatively newly formed squads.  Year 8 placed 4th overall and Year 7 achieved an impressive 2nd place finish.  Ellie Nickson in Year 7 was named Player of the Tournament.  

Congratulations to all those who participated:

Year 7 Team: 7K – Rosa Ahuja Hopkins, 7S – Mia-Rose Chipperfield, 7E – Amira Farrugia, 7K – Ylva Finn, 7M – Kenza Idrissi Kacemi,  7T – Lina Laichour,  7S – Talihya Lottrie, 7M – Adrianna Mateva, 7C – Eleanor Nickson, 7M – Victoria Stanko, 7O – Alexa Tikova,  7M – Favour Ukwandu and 7L – Asma Bouhafs.

Year 8 Team;  8C – Mevsim Aktas,  8E – Clementine Archer,  8O – Yasmine Betka,  8E – Chloe Bird, 8T – Douaa Cherragui, 8T – Olive Crawford, 8E – Marlene McNamara,  8O – Ziyadah Shobande, 8E – Kirsten Singh and 8L – Amina Yusuf

On Wednesday our Year 11 GCSE PE students took part in their much anticipated practical moderation. They were assessed across Football, Handball and Badminton, and represented themselves brilliantly with several standout performances on the day.  A special thank you to the twenty five Year 9 and Year 10 students who supported the session by participating in activities alongside the Year 11s, your contribution was invaluable and greatly appreciated.

Our Year 11 students have now begun their GCSE examinations in earnest; we are incredibly proud of how hard they have worked to prepare.  This is a demanding time, but also an opportunity for them to showcase everything they have learned and practised.  We encourage them to keep focused, look after their wellbeing, and support each other through the coming weeks.

Supporting Your Child Through Exam Stress

Exams can be a stressful time for both students and their families. While some pressure is normal, there are practical ways parents and carers can help reduce anxiety and support their child’s wellbeing.  Some helpful tips for parents to support their children may be viewed here.

At Kelmscott, we have taken the decision once again not to offer study leave to Year 11 students, and instead, to keep them with us in school for as long as possible during the exam season.  This is a deliberate choice, rooted in both our experience and national research.  Evidence from organisations such as the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Ofsted suggests that structured revision in a school environment, with access to expert teaching and targeted support, is more effective than students revising alone at home.  Remaining in school helps students maintain routine, focus, and access to high-quality resources and staff guidance right up to their final exams.  Our aim is simple: to give every student the very best chance of success by making sure they are supported academically and emotionally throughout this critical period.

A reminder to all families of students in Year 11: the JCQ contingency day is scheduled for Wednesday 25th June.  This is a national requirement and is in place in case an exam has to be rescheduled due to an unforeseen emergency.  As such, students must be available until this date and we strongly advise families not to book any holidays or travel before then.

Two career opportunities now that may be of particular interest to our Year 11 students:

Finance and wealth management; St. James’s Place, a FTSE 100 company, is offering an exclusive full-day virtual work experience on Thursday, 29th May from 10:00am – 3:00pm. For more information and to apply please see here.

Young Professionals Summer Conference Work Experience Day in London and the O2 on Tuesday 15th July 2025 1:30pm-5pm. With the focus at this event on Business and Entrepreneurship, there will be a step-by-step guide on how to start a business, raise finance, and market brands on a global scale.  This year’s event will feature representatives from some of the biggest names in business, banking, finance, law, engineering, and technology.  Some of the employers attending include; Goldman Sachs, BDO, Lloyds Banking Group, Rothschild & Co Legal & General, Grant Thornton, UBS, Linklaters, Farrer & Co, Charles Russell Speechlys, and Browne Jacobson.  For more information and to apply please see here.

On Thursday, we took time to mark VE Day across the school with form based reflections and activities. It remains an important moment in our national calendar, one that allows our young people to learn about the sacrifices of those who came before them and to reflect on themes of peace and reconciliation.

A huge well done to all those who have been working hard and modelling the Kelmscott Way in their day-to-day school life.  This week’s Reward Points winners are:

• Year 7, Edie Cambridge Brown in 7K with 17 points

• Year 8, Charlie Adams in 8K with 29 points

• Year 9, Hannah Arthur in 9O with 16 points

• Year 10, Kitty Boniface in 10E with 18 points

• Year 11, Eliza-Ioana Luca in 11M and Diana Avram in 11E both with 21 points

  
  

A special congratulations goes to Charlie Adams 8K, who was our top scorer across the whole school with an impressive 29 points last week.  Keep up the excellent work, Charlie.

Thank you for your continued support.  Should you have any questions or need any further information, please contact us at any time.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher