Headteacher's Weekly Update 36 - Friday 27th June 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope this message finds you and your families well; a Friday update for you as always.  As ever, it has been another packed and purposeful week at Kelmscott, full of energy, community spirit and meaningful activities.

We were proud to host this year’s Waltham Forest Pride Day, welcoming students and staff from seven local schools: Walthamstow School For Girls, Connaught, Leytonstone, Buxton, Willowfield, Frederick Bremer and Chingford Foundation.  It was an exceptional day that reflected the inclusive, compassionate culture we strive to build every day, a celebration of diversity, solidarity and belonging.

Students took part in a collaborative art project, connected with peers from across the borough and heard from inspiring Just Like Us speakers.  It was a powerful opportunity for young people to reflect on how they champion inclusion in their own schools and communities.  We are incredibly proud to be a school where every student is seen, valued and celebrated and we look forward to continuing this important tradition.  We were especially moved by the heartfelt feedback from Willowfield students: “Everyone was so nice!”   “I actually feel so at home here.”   “I was nervous at first, but this was a really good day.”   “We HAVE to go back next year!”

On Monday, the winners of the Waltham Forest Battle of the Bands ‘Some Girlz’ had the incredible opportunity to visit the iconic Abbey Road Studios in St John's Wood, famously used by The Beatles, Pink Floyd and countless other music legends. Still a fully operational recording studio equipped with cutting-edge technology, Abbey Road was the perfect setting for this special occasion.

The visit was part of the Rockschool V2.0 launch day, where Some Girlz performed and professionally recorded their winning cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”.  Unsurprisingly, they wowed everyone yet again with their talent and performance.  The band spent the day recording in the renowned Studio 3, enjoying lunch in the studio’s restaurant, exploring the gift shop and of course, recreating that iconic Abbey Road album cover.  A truly unforgettable experience for a hugely deserving group of musicians.

On Wednesday, we were delighted to welcome so many family members of our third cohort of ‘Smiling Boys’ to a special evening celebrating the culmination of their journey. The event was powerful and moving, as guests viewed a striking collection of still photographs of the boys, along with short video clips of them reflecting on their participation in the project.  Kay Rufai, creator of the Smiling Boys initiative, gave an inspiring keynote speech, sharing the philosophy behind his mission to support the emotional wellbeing of young men through creativity and conversation. For more information please see here.  It was a privilege to celebrate the courage, honesty and growth shown by this year’s Smiling Boys. We extend our thanks to Kay Rufai, the Smiling Boys and their families for making the evening and project such a meaningful and memorable occasion.

As part of Kelmscott’s ongoing commitment to ensuring students are equipped for life beyond school, our Year 8 and Year 9 students recently took part in a dynamic session led by Amazing Apprenticeships. The session introduced them to the wide range of opportunities available through apprenticeships and T Levels after Year 11.

The presenter praised our students for their focus, curiosity, and the thoughtful questions they posed throughout—showcasing a genuine interest in their future pathways.  This valuable introduction will be followed up in two weeks when a current apprentice visits the school to share their personal journey, and give real-life insight into what life as an apprentice is really like.  We are proud of the maturity and enthusiasm our students are showing as they begin to explore their next steps.

Thursday saw us come together for our termly STORM character development day, focused on the five core qualities we believe will serve our students well, far beyond the classroom: Self-Control, Tolerance, Optimism, Resilience, and Motivation.

The day featured a range of engaging classroom activities, interactive workshops, and inspiring sessions led by guest speakers including Andrew Jenkins (Innerspark), James Aidoo (Innerscope), Tijen (White Aura), The AGM Foundation, and Work Work Solutions.

A real highlight for me was the afternoon’s vertical sessions, where students collaborated in mixed year group teams.  There was genuine respect, energy, and teamwork on display as they reflected on and strengthened these essential life skills together.

A quick reminder for families of students who signed up to the Neil Houghton Guided Walk – it takes place this Saturday at 2pm, meeting at Vestry House.  We are looking forward to this special community event and hope the weather holds.

It has been another action packed week of sport at Kelmscott, as you have come to expect.  Highlights include rounders matches across multiple year groups, showcasing great teamwork and competitive spirit.

Today, our talented athletes are competing in the Borough Athletics finals.  Highlights and results will be shared in next week’s update.

Additionally, for the second year running, twenty-four Kelmscott students supported Barn Croft School’s annual Sports Day, an event filled with energy, encouragement and community spirit.  Barn Croft students arrived proudly in their team colours, while our students took on the role of leaders, demonstrating activities, cheering on participants, and offering personal encouragement to help each child feel confident, enjoy the activity and try their best.  From sack races to space hopper challenges and classic track events, it was a day that celebrated sport and reinforced the values we champion through the Kelmscott athletics curriculum.  Their commitment and kindness did not go unnoticed.

Feedback from Barn Croft staff, parents and students was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the enthusiasm, patience and support our students showed throughout the day.  Ms Shepherd and Mr Sang left the event beaming with pride, inspired by the glowing comments and joyful atmosphere. 

Our Chess team, comprised of  Samuel Burnside (8C), Asliddin Omarov (8T), Linus Hopkins (9E), Barnaby Lawson-Blackwell (7T), Misbah Aryubi (9M) and Milo Rossiter (9M)  headed to Barn Croft this afternoon,  by invitation to run their first ever Chess tournament.  The event kicked off with a Grandmaster style competition between Kelmscott and Barn Croft players.  Following that, Barn Croft students competed against each other, while our Chess team provided guidance, strategic tips and managed the scoring, leading the event smoothly.

We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Barn Croft School through many more inclusive and inspiring events, both on the track and across the chessboard.  Well done to all our students for their continued enthusiasm and commitment.

The Kelmscott Food Bank stock is currently running low and we would be so grateful for any donations families can spare.  As we all know, times remain challenging for many.  Every tin and packet makes a real difference.  Please see here for a list of those items that are most needed.  Donations may be left at reception – thank you, as always, for your support.

You will no doubt be familiar with some of the fantastic facilities and spaces we have here at Kelmscott. What you may not know is that many of these are available to hire.  For more information please see here. 

A gentle reminder about communication now.  We have noticed a rise in the number of instances where staff have been spoken to rudely, whether in person, on the phone or referred to in WhatsApp groups.  While we understand that emotions can run high at times, we ask that all communication about or with our team remains respectful.  We are proud to work in partnership with families, and that relationship is key to ensuring every student is happy, supported and successful.

Please be assured, we are never ‘out to get’ any student.  Everything we do is rooted in care and high expectations.  Trust in our work is essential and we are grateful that the vast majority of our families do extend that trust.  If you ever have a concern, we urge you to speak to us directly, we are always here to listen and help.

As per the message sent out to families earlier today, from Monday (30th June) onwards, temperatures in London are expected to be exceptionally high.  To help keep students comfortable during the heat, we are making a temporary adjustment to our uniform expectations for next week only.  Students may choose to attend school in their PE kit instead of full uniform.  Alternatively, if they prefer to wear their usual uniform, they may leave their blazers at home, but must not replace them with any other jumper or jacket.

Some personal news now, I am proud to share that I have been selected to represent Great Britain in the Over 50s Basketball Team at the World Championships next week in Switzerland.  I always strive to be a positive role model for our students and community, and I hope this achievement reflects the value of hard work and perseverance.  While away, I will be working remotely each morning before competing in the afternoons and evenings.  Our first games are against Serbia on Saturday and Argentina on Sunday, two strong sides.  I have always believed in the power of the "healthy body, healthy mind" ethos and I will be living it quite literally next week.

A huge well done to this week’s top reward points earners in each year group:

• Year 7, Adeena Imoru in 7C with 25 points

• Year 8, Tobia Lullo  in 8M with a huge 46 points

• Year 9, Milo Rossiter in 9M and Laurie Richards in 9E with 32 points

• Year 10, Sireen Alkhaleel in 10K with 45

• Year 11, a fabulous hat trick with Cristiana Tardelli-Thompson in 11S, Veselina Maystorova in 11K and Diana Sofia in 11E with 20 points.

Finally, congratulations to all of our reward points winners this week, with special mention to Tobia in Year 8, who secured the top spot on the whole school leaderboard.  An outstanding achievement.

Keep up the excellent work and positive contributions one and all.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support.  Have a safe and restful weekend.

With every good wish,

Mr Sam Jones 

Headteacher