Miss Hamalis’ Bulletin – Monday 2 March 2026

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.

You can find the Channing Promise on the school website. This is something the whole school community upholds and underlines our values of respect, tolerance and inclusivity. We know you will be nothing short of respectful in your communications with staff and you can expect the same in return.

World Book Day is one of our most popular celebrations when pupils and teachers alike dress up as favourite literary characters and we all take part in some fun book-themed activities, including a fabulous costume parade, competitions and author visits.

We are delighted to announce that author/illustrator, Sharon King-Chai, will be visiting Reception and Key Stage 1 on World Book Day. 

On Friday 6 March, we are also excited to welcome Sophie Cleverly, author of the popular ‘Scarlet and Ivy’ and ‘Violet Veil’ series, for a presentation and book signing with Key Stage 2.

Next week we’ll be celebrating Science Week across the school with a range of exciting activities inspired by this year’s theme, “Curiosity: What’s Your Question?”  (a nod to Curiosity Fox).

Our week will be filled with hands-on exploration and discovery. Year 6 will be heading over to the Senior School to make use of their science labs, while our youngest learners in Reception will enjoy a special Science Magic Show hosted by the Senior School’s STEM Leaders.

Throughout the week, all girls will take part in our Whole School STEM Challenge: to build the tallest free-standing tower using only the materials provided. There will also be a House Buddy Form Time dedicated to science fun, encouraging teamwork and creativity across year groups.

In classrooms, teachers will be guiding pupils through a chosen activity designed to spark curiosity and wonder. We can’t wait to see where curiosity takes us!

The next KS2 Recital Evening is on Thursday, 12 March at 4pm in the Music room. This is a chance for our pupils to develop their performance skills in front of a supportive audience. If your daughter has a polished piece ready to show off, please apply here by Thursday 5 March. Please note, slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Drama ~ Tuesday 17 March, 6 – 7pm 

This talk will be led by Mrs Lynch (Drama Teacher) and members of the Junior School Senior Team, in Fairseat Hall. The session will offer valuable insight into Drama at the Junior School and the journey the girls go on from Reception to Year 6. If you would like to sign up to attend, please use the link provided: Drama at Channing (Reception – Year 6).

Supporting with English from Home (Y1 – Y6) (Rescheduled) ~ Tuesday 21 April, 6 – 7pm

This talk will be led by Miss McHard and Mr Westerman (English Leads) and will focus on how you can support your daughter with her English learning from home. During the evening, they will share practical strategies to help develop both writing and reading skills, offering guidance on how you can build confidence and embed strategies taught in school.

Please note that the names of those who previously signed up have been added to the new form. If you would like to sign up to attend, please use the link provided: Supporting with English from home (Y1 – Y6)

We are excited to invite all parents to our Open Classroom Event on Tuesday 24 March, from 4-5pm. This event offers parents the opportunity to visit their daughter’s classroom and explore the work that she has produced in her books. 

This is an informal event designed to celebrate your daughter’s progress. Parents will be able to browse through books and projects, with their daughters guiding them through their work and sharing what they have learnt. This is a fantastic chance to engage with your daughter’s education and see firsthand how she has grown academically. 

Additionally on this date, Miss Hamalis will be hosting a Parents’ Tea Party with Mrs Brant (Deputy Head) and Mr Davies (Deputy Head Academic): a relaxed opportunity to spend time together and get to know one another better. We are looking forward to sharing plenty of tea, cake and chatter with you all.

We have collaborated with Tooled Up 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 Tooled Up courses and events please click here. 

• Friday 6 March 12.30pm ~ Navigating Blended Families – Practical Advice
• Friday 13 March 1.00pm ~ Why Sleep Matters: Evidence, Myths & Practical Strategies 
• Tuesday 17 March 12:30pm ~ Living with Loss: Grief Beyond the First Year

Please see below for details of clubs that will be cancelled in advance this term. These dates are also reflected in the SOCS club calendar. We encourage you to check this section and your SOCS calendar regularly to stay up to date with any club changes or amendments.

Today, Monday 2 March to Friday 13 March, we are asking the girls in Goodwin House to donate items to the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation’s (AWTF) food bank. The AWTF aims to support families in need with emergency food parcels, and provides hot meals and fresh fruit and vegetables to over 200 hundred homeless people in the local area. 

The collection starts today and will run until Friday 13 March. If your daughter is in Goodwin House, please ask her to place donations in one of the blue, labelled Food Bank collection bins in the courtyard. Although the donations will mainly be from Goodwin, all members of the community are, of course, very welcome to donate.  

This term, the AWTF Food Bank is desperately in need of the following items:

• Long-life whole milk
• Pasta
• Corned beef tins
• Pasta sauce 
• Crisps 
• Biscuits
• Toilet paper 

Please ensure all items are long-life produce, as regrettably, fresh items cannot be donated and that all donated items are within their sell by and use by date. 

Many thanks in advance to Goodwin House for all your support!

We are delighted to announce that over the next couple of weeks, we will be running a House Baking Competition. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for creativity, teamwork and House spirit, but it will also help to raise money for the Whittington Hospital Children’s Ward.

Please see below for all the key details of the competition so that you can support your daughter, should she wish to enter. 

• Entries must be cakes, cupcakes or cookies/biscuits only.
• Bakes must be designed and made by your daughter, with only some adult support for safety. 
• Shop bought cakes, cupcakes and biscuits/cookies are not permitted.
• Each bake must show a clear connection to the House, whether through colour, theme or animal. We are looking for something that clearly represents the House in some way.
• Pupils may enter individually or in pairs (maximum of two per entry), but pairs must be from the same House.
• There will be two rounds when judging:
  • Visual presentation
  • Taste
• Judging will be carried out by the Year 6 House Captains, overseen by Miss Wright, who will each sample a small portion.
• When creating the cake, please note the following:
  • No nuts are permitted.
  • All entries must include a full list of all ingredients. 
  • Allergens must be clearly labelled.
• On the day allocated to your daughter’s House, please drop her entry (in a secure box/ tin, which is clearly labelled with her name) to the tables in the courtyard. Please ensure it is left on the correct table, labelled with ‘Reception and Key Stage 1’ or ‘Key Stage 2’. 
  • Monday 16 March: Goodwin
  • Tuesday 17 March: Sharpe
  • Monday 23 March: Spears
  • Wednesday 25 March: Waterlow
• At the end of each of those dates, all entries will be sold in the courtyard to raise money for the Whittington Hospital Children’s Ward. The bake sale will run between 3.00pm and 4.00pm on each of those four days.
• Anyone wishing to buy a cake can do this – it is not exclusively for those in that House.
• Prizes will include:
  • House Points
  • Cooking pack – cooking book, apron, utensils for the winning bakes.
  • Runners up – baking related surprise gift 

If you or your daughter have any questions, please refer to the posters that will be going up around school tomorrow, or contact Miss Wright (Assistant Head CoCurricular), dwright@channing.co.uk. 

We look forward to seeing and tasting some imaginative, beautifully presented and delicious creations!

Your daughters are invited to enter an art competition to design a Thai postcard. Entries must be posted by parents on the Muddy Stilettos website; please do not send your entries into school. First Prize is a fabulous holiday for four to Thailand but you must be quick, as entries must be in by Sunday 8 March.

A huge congratulations to all the girls who took part in the Swimathon on Saturday for Magic Breakfast, and a big thank you to the families who supported them. It was great to see so much determination – they were all absolutely brilliant and over 1,000 lengths were completed.

If you took part, or if you’d just like to donate, please send your donations to the below link ensuring that the girl’s name is included in the donation: https://www.justgiving.com/page/channingswimathon2026

We are delighted to confirm the star-studded line up for North London Laughs Comedy Night at Alexandra Palace Theatre on Thursday 14 May.

https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/north-london-laughs/

This is a charity comedy night in aid of the Gastroenterology Department at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

• Leavers’ Party: Friday 5 June (arrival from 18.30pm) at “Twenty at N20”
• Tea Party & Rounders Match: Tuesday 30 June at 1.30pm (at school) Parents invited.

• Thursday 14 May: North London Laughs Charity Comedy night, Ally Pally, with Channing parents offered first access to tickets. 
• Sunday 7 June: Summer fair ‘Chanfest’ held in the grounds of the Junior School