Headteacher's Weekly Update 32 - Friday 23rd May 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope this letter finds you and your families well.  It has been a warm and sunny week here at Kelmscott and as always, a very busy one too.  The energy around the school remains high as we approach the end of this half term and I am very proud of all that our staff and students continue to achieve.

Our Year 11 students are now deep into their GCSE exam period and we are delighted with their approach.  They have remained focused, punctual, and impeccably behaved – true ambassadors for the school.  Their calm determination is inspiring.  Please do continue to support them from home – this hard work will pay off and we are behind them every step of the way.

A link will shortly be shared with Year 11 families with details on how to apply for tickets to our Year 11 Graduation Evening, taking place on Thursday 19th June 2025.  Students are enthusiastically preparing for the occasion, as they prepare to celebrate the culmination of their five year journey at Kelmscott.

Please note that each family is initially limited to two tickets, and all guests must be over the age of 21. If there are any unclaimed tickets closer to the event, we will explore the possibility of offering a third ticket, though we cannot guarantee this at this stage.

On Monday, a group of Year 9 and 10 students had the fantastic opportunity to visit the London College of Sustainable Construction, where they explored careers in the scaffolding sector and gained hands-on insight into what a day in the trade looks like.  The trip, part of Kelmscott’s wider careers learning provision, provided practical experience and introduced students to a range of career pathways within the construction industry—a major and growing sector in our local area.

Students took part in activities such as building scaffolding and repairing a roof, and the experience helped open their eyes to creative, skilled career options they may not have previously considered.  The group engaged with enthusiasm throughout the day and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.

We have had some fantastic results recently in athletics.  Ada had an outstanding performance, winning her 100m race and Myah F also did brilliantly, securing 2nd place in the same event.  In Year 9, Lina came 1st in the 800m, with Melany close behind in 2nd place.  Melany also achieved 3rd place in the long jump.  We are still waiting on the boys’ results, which we will share as soon as they are in.

In addition to her athletics success, Ada will be returning to the nationals this July/August.  She has also been recognised as the most decorated U13 swimmer in London for the 50m breaststroke and front crawl – a fantastic achievement, confirmed by a very proud parent via email.

A huge well done to all the girls who took part – their dedication and enthusiasm have been brilliant, Ms Shepherd added that it has been a pleasure engaging with such supportive parents.

As part of their ongoing cross-curricular work with Clio’s Company, a group of Year 9 students took part in a follow-up workshop building on their earlier visit to All Hallows by the Tower.  This session deepened their engagement with the themes explored earlier this academic year.   Led by Ms Henry and Ms Dempsey, the students participated in a creative mosaic workshop, designing and producing tiles that depicted symbols and imagery inspired by their experience at the historic church.  The day was a great success, students thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on process and produced vibrant, imaginative work.

After the half-term break, students will continue this project by working with Clio’s Company to develop a drama piece, which they will present in June.  You can find out more about Clio’s Company here.

This week, our Brilliant Club scholars took part in another powerful session as part of their ongoing stretch and challenge programme, in partnership with university researchers.  The workshop focused on the importance of narratives and perspectives, with students engaging in thought-provoking discussions that drew on Edward Said’s Orientalism to examine how stereotypes are formed.  The session then shifted to neurodiversity, culminating in a screening of The Stimming Pool—a film by The Neurocultures Collective that offers a unique insight into diverse human experiences.  Following this session, students will begin drafting their final assignments, which will receive feedback from university researchers and PhD students. They will then have the opportunity to present their work at the upcoming Evening of Excellence.

We were proud to take part in the Women in Aviation event this week, led by our Science Department.  The initiative provided an empowering opportunity for students to explore career pathways in aviation and STEM; fields where women remain underrepresented.

As part of the event, a group of our Year 9 students participated in the finale of the Women in Aviation competition, held on 21st May 2025.  The day was designed to inspire young women to consider careers in these dynamic industries and to promote greater diversity within them.

Our students engaged enthusiastically in a variety of activities, including hands-on workshops, sustainability challenges focused on improving airport operations and talks delivered by female professionals working in aviation. The experience fostered creativity, built confidence and broadened students’ awareness of exciting and meaningful opportunities within the sector.

All participants received certificates in recognition of their commitment and involvement, marking a memorable step in their exploration of future career possibilities.

We are pleased to have secured Everyone’s Invited to deliver an essential parent talk on Tuesday 18th June from 17:30–18:30 in the school hall.  This session will explore the challenging online landscape that many young people navigate today.  Topics will include gendered pressures, online misogyny, the influence of violent content and how these issues affect our children’s real-world experiences.

This talk is for Year 7 - 10 parents and carers only – no children should attend.  We strongly encourage families to sign up, as this is a rare and important opportunity to be better informed and equipped to support your child.

The Eventbrite link was shared with Year 7 - 10 families yesterday – places are limited to 200, so please register early to avoid disappointment.

Unfortunately, a student’s bicycle was stolen from outside the school gates at the end of the school day last week. It was targeted as it had not been locked.  We know cycling to school is a fantastic, healthy option but it’s essential that all bikes are securely locked when left unattended. We also ask families to ensure bikes are roadworthy and safe before students set off each morning.

Yesterday’s non-uniform day was a positive and enjoyable occasion for students across the school. As ever, the day served both as a welcome opportunity for students to express themselves and as an important fundraiser.  Recently, funds raised contributed to the Kelmscott School hardship fund, with a portion directed toward meaningful charitable causes, such as the Turkish earthquake relief, The Red Cross, and UNICEF.  On this occasion, the proceeds will help support the cost of the Year 11 Prom and leaving events. In line with our move toward becoming a cashless school, we are working on introducing app-based options for future contributions, making it easier and more accessible for everyone to participate.

The spirit of the day remained inclusive and uplifting, with the vast majority of students engaging positively.

Congratulations to this week’s top reward points earners, your consistent effort and commitment to our school values has not gone unnoticed:

• Year 7, George Murray in 7K with 26 points

• Year 8, Hayley Taylor in 8K with 15 points

• Year 9, Lily Stewart in 9O with 31 points

• Year 10, Raqeeb Balogun in 10L with 25 points

• Year 11, Ayooluwa Ogunyoye in 11E with 13 points

A special mention goes to Lily Stewart 9O with thirty-one, who has topped the reward charts for the entire school – a fantastic achievement.

We break up for half term today as you know, school will reopen as usual on Monday 2nd June.  I hope all our students and families enjoy a restful and restorative half term break.  As always, thank you for your continued support.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher