Headteacher's Weekly Update 35 - Friday 20th June 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

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

It has been another packed and positive week at Kelmscott, and I wanted to share just some of what has been going on with you.

First and foremost, we celebrated our Year 11 Graduation and After Party this week, a brilliant event to mark the end of the Class of 2025’s five-year journey with us. The students looked fantastic, dressed in their finery and very grown up indeed. It was a proud moment for students, parents, carers and staff alike. It was fantastic to hear from our inspirational speaker Emmanuel Akpan-Inwang, the founder and Director of Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust, a pioneering organisation that is transforming the way children’s homes work in this country. There was lots for all of us to learn from his journey.

We will truly miss our graduating class, but we know they are destined for great things. They leave not just with qualifications, but also as wonderful young people who have grown so much in their time with us. We have told them, as we always do: Once Kelmscott, always Kelmscott. We hope they will stay in touch.

As always, it has been a busy week for co-curricular opportunities:

On Monday, a group of Year 10 students visited the University of Oxford as part of the ongoing Catalyst Programme. After meeting up with Gladesmore Community School, students travelled by coach to St Catherine’s College, where the day began with a Q&A session with current Oxford undergraduates. This gave students the opportunity to ask questions about university life and academic pathways. The group then took part in a guided tour of St Catherine’s before attending academic taster sessions. Students chose between two topics: one exploring the relationship between vector calculus, motion, and racing game design, and the other examining the use of metaphors in human communication. Both sessions encouraged students to think critically and creatively.

After lunch in the marquee, the visit continued with a tour of the historic Magdalen College. The beautiful weather and the sight of deer resting in the park made this part of the visit especially memorable.  The day concluded with a reflective session focused on students’ aspirations for the future as they prepare for Year 11. The visit, led by Mr Ahmed, was a valuable experience that encouraged students to aim high and consider their next steps in education.

Also on Monday, fourteen students from Years 9 and 10, led by Ms Shepherd, began their journey as Sports Leaders at Kelmscott. The day focused on developing leadership skills, exploring the qualities of an effective leader and learning how to encourage wider participation in sport.  Through a range of group activities, the students practised key leadership techniques such as communication, teamwork and decision-making. It was fantastic to see them rotating roles and demonstrating their unique strengths throughout the day.  Next, the group will plan and deliver sports sessions to local primary school pupils. Their first opportunity to lead will be at Bancroft’s Sports Day next week, where they will put their new skills into practice.

Wednesday was a particularly packed day with Mr Ngirandi leading a group of 25 Kelmscott students to the Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers event at the NEC in Birmingham, an exciting trip into the world of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).  The event gave students the chance to take part in fun, hands-on activities and speak with professionals working in different STEM careers. They learned new skills like problem-solving, teamwork and communication, while also exploring future career options in science and engineering.  Students came away from the day feeling more confident and interested in STEM subjects, with many saying the experience opened their eyes to new possibilities for the future.

Also on Wednesday, a group of Year 10 students visited Big Creative College for an insightful introduction to post-16 options in the creative industries. Led by Mr Bayfield, the visit gave students a chance to explore possible pathways after Kelmscott.  During a Creative Media workshop, students analysed and evaluated various forms of old and new media and learned how social media companies design their logos. They also toured the college’s impressive facilities, including the Drama Studio, Music Production Suite, TV Studio and gym. The students especially enjoyed hearing live music coming from the rehearsal rooms.  Mason shared, “Seeing all the different subjects on offer was really good and the workshop was enjoyable—I think I contributed a lot.”

We also celebrated Thank a Teacher Day on Wednesday with a staff breakfast to recognise the dedication of our teaching and support staff. Like many of you, I am sure, we don’t believe gratitude should be restricted to just one day of the year, and it is always appreciated when members of our community take the time to share positive feedback with us.

Today marks World Refugee Day. As a school, we are proud to welcome refugees into our community. Celebrating diversity, inclusion and belonging is part of who we are. We work hard to ensure that every young person who joins us, including those arriving under very difficult circumstances, is supported to feel safe, to feel part of something and to know they are welcome here and in this country.

Sports now and what a week for our athletes; 

Athletics - This week’s athletics heats nights brought a fantastic haul of medals for Kelmscott students.  On Tuesday evening, the girls’ high jump saw impressive performances with Clementine Archer (8E) and Myah Farrugia (7S) both winning silver medals.

Thursday’s boys’ events were equally strong. Abdulmajid Senga (8M) claimed the gold medal in the Year 8 high jump, officially making him the best in the borough. Terrell James Mcarthur-Dallas (9L) took silver in the Year 9 long jump and Daniel Farkas (10M) earned bronze in the Year 10 long jump.

All our athletes showed excellent skill and determination throughout the week. We are hopeful that many of our relay teams have qualified for the finals, which take place next Friday at the borough championships.

Football – Year 7 Inter-Form CompetitionCongratulations to 7O, the winners of the Year 7 inter-form football competition.   The team – Kayla Banjo, Kaelan Kwateng, Jayquan Lewin, Anas Rage, Hamza Ibrahim and Saphira Reed-Bahford  faced 7T in a thrilling final. After a tense 0-0 draw in regular time, 7O triumphed 4-3 in the penalty shootout to clinch the title.

Cricket – Years 9 and 10Our Years 9 and 10 cricket team played their first match of the season at Walthamstow Academy in scorching heat. Although we lost the toss and were sent in to bat first, there were some strong performances. Avyan stood out by scoring 22 runs off the bat, contributing to the team’s total of 141 runs.

When bowling, the team stuck to their game plan with slow, precise deliveries and no wides or no-balls. Abdullah was the most consistent and calm bowler throughout the match.  A standout moment came from Abubaker, who fielded a ball from his own bowl and made an impressive angled throw to hit the wicket, taking out the opposition’s best batsman. The opposition failed to chase down our total, great that the team got off to winning ways in their first match.

Well done to all our athletes and teams for their hard work and sportsmanship this week.

Looking ahead to next week, on Wednesday 25th June, The Smiling Boys project will reach its culmination with the unveiling of new portraits featuring this year’s Year 10 cohort. Ms Thorp looks forward to welcoming Kay Rufai with The Smiling Boys and their families for what promises to be a wonderful celebration.

Then on Thursday 26th June, all students will take part in our STORM Drop Down Day. This special day is dedicated to developing the key personal qualities that reflect our STORM values: Self-control, Tolerance, Optimism, Resilience, and Motivation.

Ms Mehmet has a full day planned when students will participate in a range of workshops, interactive sessions and team-building activities designed to challenge and inspire them. The aim is to help them grow both personally and academically, building the skills and mindset needed to succeed in school and beyond.  We are excited about this opportunity to strengthen the values that define our school community and thank you for your continued support.

A reminder too, as mentioned in my letter last week, esteemed local historian and writer Neil Houghton will be leading a guided walk through Walthamstow on Saturday 28th June. This walk will explore the area’s rich cultural and social history as part of our wider community work.  For full details and how to apply, please refer to the original MyEd message sent on 10th June. Please note that students must be accompanied by a parent or carer; unaccompanied students will not be able to join.

There has been an excellent response so far, so we encourage you to express your interest as soon as possible, as places may be limited.

Please be reminded that  it is essential that students bring a refillable bottle of water to stay hydrated throughout the day—these can be topped up at break and lunchtime. We also kindly remind students to apply sunscreen before coming to school to ensure they remain protected while outdoors. Thank you for your continued support.

Unfortunately, we were made aware of another phone snatch near the school site this week.  Incidents like this are becoming more common across London and are not limited to our local area. Please continue to remind your child to keep their phones out of sight when travelling to and from school. We know they are keen to check their phones at the end of the school day—but safety first.

Congratulations to all our reward points winners:

• Year 7, Sonny Rowson-Brown, Talihya Lottrie and Caleb Evers in 7S with 14 points each

• Year 8, Teo Meyong in 8C with 22 points

• Year 9, William Tetteh in 9O and Maryiam Mujahid in 9L with 16 points

• Year 10, Toby Long in 10C with 23 points

• Year 11, Lilian Jalbu and Aaliyah Mehmood in 11M and Demir Demir in 11E with 11 points

  
  

Finally, congratulations to all of our reward points winners this week, with particular recognition to Toby Long, who topped the whole school leaderboard for last week. A fantastic achievement—well done.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher