Miss Hamalis’ Bulletin – Monday 18 November 2024

You can view all events for the year in the school calendar via our Parent Portal: SchoolBase login. Your calendar view should already be filtered to display the Junior School events and events which are specific to your daughter’s year group. 

The ‘School Calendar Parent View’ button shows the complete calendar, which can be viewed by each month, week or day. Events also appear on the right-hand side of the home page under ‘Forthcoming Events’ and the monthly view of the calendar also appears at the bottom of the home page.

Please note that the following clubs will be cancelled over the next two weeks. This is in addition to any that, unfortunately, may need to be cancelled on the day: 

• Monday 18 November: Reception Ballet 
• Monday 18 November: Year 1 Gymnastics 
• Monday 18 November: Year 2 Gymnastics 
• Monday 18 November: Year 2 Bee Netball 
• Monday 18 November: Years 3&4 Hockey 
• Tuesday 19 November: Years 5&6 Cross Country 
• Tuesday 19 November: Reception Ballet 
• Wednesday 20 November: Years 5&6 Hockey 
• Thursday 21 November: Years 4-6 Gymnastics (Senior School)
• Thursday 21 November: Key Stage 1 Hockey 
• Thursday 21 November: Years 4-6 Cooking
• Thursday 28 November: Years 4-6 Cooking
• Thursday 28 November: Years 5&6 German (Senior School)
• Thursday 28 November: Years 5&6 Netball  
• Friday 29 November: Key Stage 1 Multisports
• Friday 29 November: Years 3&4 Football 
• Friday 29 November: Key Stage 2 Karate 

If you wish to sign your daughter up for Mini/ Late Owls, please contact jsreceptionist@channing.co.uk

This Thursday, 21 November, at 4pm, Highgate Village will sparkle with festive cheer as the Christmas Lights are switched on by Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne. We are thrilled to be sponsoring this magical event and would love to see you there!

Does your child have a special message for Santa? They can post their letter in Santa’s very own postbox, which will be at the Christmas Lights Switch-On event from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, located outside Highgate Society at 10a South Grove, N6 6BS. If you miss the event, don’t worry as Santa’s postbox will also be at the Highgate Society every Saturday morning in December, from 9:30am to 12.00pm.

For an extra sprinkle of magic, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your child’s letter, and Santa’s elves will send a reply back – a keepsake to treasure!

The Library is open in the mornings from 8.00am to 8.20am and in the afternoons from 3.35pm to 4.00pm. During these times, we warmly welcome the girls to browse the shelves and borrow books. Please note that girls must be accompanied by an adult unless prior permission has been granted via SchoolBase for them to walk to and from home alone.

In the mornings, after visiting the Library, girls will start their school day by exiting through the door into the courtyard and proceeding through the wrought iron gates, supervised by Miss Hamalis.

We kindly remind all borrowers to return library books by their stamped due dates. Books borrowed before half-term should be returned as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation!

We are delighted that author Piers Torday will be visiting us on Tuesday 3 December to introduce Year 5 and Year 6 girls to his gripping stories. He is best known for his inventive ecological trilogy, The Last Wild, and the wonderful tale of The Lost Magician. His new book, Midnight Treasure, is a thrilling fantasy adventure inspired by the folklore of his Transylvanian heritage. 

Books can be pre-ordered through local bookshop, Pickled Pepper Books, using the dedicated Channing link here. Purchased books will be delivered to the school for a special book signing in the school library. The deadline for purchases is Monday 25 November at 10.00am. Please remember to state your daughter’s name and form on the online form. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for your daughter to attend a special author event and book signing, greatly enhancing their engagement in reading for pleasure.

As a reminder, we will be contributing to the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation’s food bank from today until Friday 29 November. Thank you to all those that have generously donated already! If your daughter is in Waterlow House, please ask her to place donations in one of the blue, labelled ‘Food Bank’ collection bins in the courtyard. There will be three more collections running throughout the year, with girls in each House being asked to donate items. However, all members of the community are very welcome to donate at any time! 

Suggested items for donations include: washing tablets, tinned/canned produce, pasta (and sauces), rice, spices, olive oil, juices, stocks, cereals, sugar, salt, tea and coffee. Please ensure all items are long-life produce, as regrettably, fresh items cannot be donated. Clean sauce pots (from your favourite takeaway), egg cartons and tupperware are also helpful donations as it helps the food bank volunteers to share out items. 

Many thanks in advance to Waterlow for all your support!

This year, our school community will come together to enjoy Christmas Lunch on Tuesday 3 December. Surrounded by festive decorations and cheerful tunes, the girls will be treated to a delicious meal with all the trimmings and a few extra treats. To add to the festive spirit, the girls are invited to wear their favourite Christmas jumpers and accessories, which might include reindeer hats, snowman glasses, or even a fun pair of Christmas socks.

We will also be marking the official Christmas Jumper Day on Thursday 12 December, to raise funds for Save the Children. We encourage all the girls to come to school in their festive jumpers – whether it’s the same one from our Christmas Lunch or a new choice altogether! More details on how donations will be collected for this wonderful cause will follow soon.

We very much look forward to spreading the festive spirit throughout the school in the lead up to the holidays!

The Winter Celebration at St Michael’s Church, Highgate, will be taking place on Friday 6 December at 2.00pm. Please find the link to tickets here.  Tickets are £5 to raise money for the Winter Shelter at Rosslyn Hill Chapel. Here is the page on Firefly to support the girls with learning their songs. A reminder that there will be no Mini Owls, Late Owls or after-school clubs running on this day. Dismissal will take place from the church.

Thank you to all our Reception parents who joined us for the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) talk last week. We hope you found it informative and gained some helpful tips on supporting your daughters at home. Here is the link to the presentation slides if you would like to learn more about how our Reception girls learn and grow. 

We are delighted to invite all parents and carers to a series of curriculum talks led by our Subject Leads.

These in-person sessions will provide an overview of the curriculum in the key areas as outlined below. You will gain insights into what and how your daughters will be learning throughout this academic year and beyond. As this is a valuable opportunity to engage directly with our Subject Leads and to ask questions about the curriculum, teaching approaches and how to best support your daughter’s learning journey at home, the sessions will not be recorded. If you would like to attend one of more of these in-person evening talks, please sign up below using the linked Google Forms. 

Schedule of Talks:

• Year 1 and Year 2 Mathematics and English: 19 November, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Year 3 – Year 6 Mathematics and English: 27 November, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Reception – Year 6 Music: 14 January, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall
• Reception – Year 6 PSHE and Emotional Management: 23 January, 6 – 7pm in Fairseat Hall

We look forward to welcoming you and appreciate your ongoing support in helping your daughter achieve educational success, as we strive for all of the girls to be ambitious, realise their full potential, and become the very best versions of themselves.

We have collaborated with TooledUp Education: an invaluable digital library of evidence-based resources on all aspects of parenting, education and family life. Founder, Dr Kathy Weston, has collated the best and most up-to-date research from around the world and distilled it into usable, easy to understand resources which can be instantly applied to daily life. Channing Pin: cha0706

For more information about this resource, see the dedicated section below. 

For upcoming TooledUp courses and events please click here. 

• Tuesday 19 November 1pm ~ Overcome Adversity with a Resilient Mindset
• Thursday 21 November 7:30pm ~ An Exploration of Parents Styles – What is yours?
• Wednesday 4 December 7:30pm ~ When Parenting Styles Conflict

The Sonics (Saracens Girls) would like to invite all interested pupils to come to a FREE session at their club in Southgate. The club is one of the most welcoming and inclusive environments available for girls, offering a safe space where they can learn the basics of rugby and develop their skills as part of a team.

They provide a nurturing environment focused on building confidence, resilience, and teamwork through rugby. With dedicated coaches and structured sessions, players of all experience levels, from beginners to advanced, are supported and encouraged to reach their full potential. Their goal is to foster a love of the game while teaching valuable life skills that extend far beyond the field.

Details of the Free Session:

• Date: Any Thursday or Sunday of your choice
• Time: Thursday: 6.30-8:00pm or Sunday 12.00-2.00pm
• Location: Bramley Sports Ground, Southgate, N14 4AB

At this session, your daughter will have the chance to:

• Meet the friendly and experienced coaching staff
• Try out basic rugby skills in a supportive, fun setting
• Make new friends and experience the unique team spirit of the Sonics

They are proud to offer a pathway for girls to grow within the sport, with opportunities to progress through age groups and eventually join their competitive teams, all while having fun and developing their skills.

If you’d like to reserve a spot or have any questions, contact us at sonics@saracensarfc.com or message Martin (Team Manager) on 07779 072 323

Please find the email contact details of the staff: JS Key Contact information. Please could we ask that your specific query is directed to the appropriate individual and anything of a more serious nature is directed to a member of the Senior Team. Please note that Miss Hamalis needs to approve all requests for absences so please send them via the Junior School Office: jsoffice@channing.co.uk. 

In order to prevent unnecessary awkwardness and/or embarrassment, please remember to address members of staff by their title and surname. 

Please be mindful that staff may not pick up emails immediately (teachers will, of course, not be checking emails when they are teaching, running clubs or supervising pupils at break and lunchtimes) and may choose to take time to investigate the matter before responding. However, they will endeavour to answer your queries within 24 hours. Please do not think that a lack of instant response means a lack of interest on the part of the member of staff. 

Please note that staff are not expected to reply to emails outside normal school hours, weekends or during school holidays. If you have an emergency which needs to be dealt with before school next opens, please email: jsoffice@channing.co.uk. Please do not send communications or information to communication@channing.co.uk or info@channing.co.uk. 

Since publishing our series of storybooks based on the Channing Characters last Spring, we’ve been delighted by the many requests from families to purchase a set. We are thrilled that the books are now available to order. Stocks are limited, so please don’t delay in placing your order, especially if you would like to collect them before the end of term and in time for Christmas or Chanukah. The complete set is available for £30 which will be added to your bill. Any profits will support partnerships and bursaries at Channing, helping to extend the gift of a Channing education to more young people. Please note, the deadline for ordering books before the end of term will be Friday 29 November.

If you would like to order a set, simply complete the Google form. And if it’s meant to be a surprise, let us know, and we’ll keep it secret so your daughters don’t find out!

You can also listen to the stories being read aloud here: Character Education stories.

Uniform4Kids, our uniform supplier, is offering an exclusive online-only discount on Friday 29 November.

Enjoy 20% off all products, including schoolwear, sportswear, footwear and accessories.

Simply enter the discount code BLACKFRIDAY20 at checkout to redeem your savings. Please note, discounts cannot be applied retrospectively to orders that have already been placed.

Important Information:

• Click & Collect and Delivery to School will not be available during this event.
• All orders will be dispatched via courier.

The Harry Potter-themed Winter Fair is taking place after school on Friday 29 November. Buy your tickets for the girls and your families.

The school will be transformed into Hogwarts for a wonderful wintery afternoon, where the girls and their families are invited to discover the magical world of Harry Potter, with a never-before-seen-in-Hogwarts visit from Santa!

The girls are invited to wear Harry Potter or festive fancy dress to school all day on Friday 29 November.

Please note that all after school clubs / wraparound care provisions will be cancelled due to the Fair, and all children must be accompanied to the Fair by an adult.

The charity fundraising raffle for GOSH is now live – buy your tickets to be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize. All proceeds will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Gastroenterology Department.

Buy tickets

Prizes include: family pass to Church’s Farm, Spurs tickets, Dishoom meal voucher and hamper, Wizard of Oz On Ice tickets, photography session, tea party with Miss Hamalis, beautiful gold bangle, 2025 comedy tickets, Pacifica beauty products, Everyman cinema tickets, gym passes, and much more.

The CA are currently collecting items for the Winter Fair’s Pre-loved Stall and would be grateful for any donations of toys, hair accessories, stationery, puzzles, books, games, or other items in good condition.

Please drop off your donations in the clearly labelled bins located in the courtyard by the school’s entrance.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

The Three Broomsticks Cafe needs a bit of added magic at the Winter Fair – your showstopping bakes! Along with hot drinks and butterbeer (yes you read that correctly), a variety of nut-free cakes, biscuits and other delicious snacks will be on sale. 

Please get in touch with Reception and Y2 mum, Mrs Joanna Glenn, via Classlist (or email jschanningassociation@gmail.com) if you can provide something, Hogwarts-themed or otherwise or submit your bakes here.

• Friday 29 November, 4pm – Charity Raffle for Great Ormond Street Prize Draw, tickets here.
• Friday 29 November, 2:50-5:00pm – Winter Fair, in school, details on Classlist and tickets here.
• Tuesday 28 January 2025, 7:45 – 8:30am – PreLoved Uniform Sale, Courtyard
• Saturday 15 March, 4:30 – 7:30pm – Charity Swimathon, Poolside Manor