Miss Hamalis’ Bulletin – Monday 10 November 2025

Posted: 10th November 2025

Miss Hamalis, Head Of Channing Junior School

Dear Parents & Carers

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who completed the inspection questionnaire last week. We know it required a quick turnaround and that you all have very busy schedules, so the fact that so many of you took the time to share your thoughts and feedback is hugely appreciated.

The true stars of the week were, of course, our wonderful pupils and staff. Many Junior School pupils took part in discussion groups with inspectors, whilst the girls in KS2 completed the survey. They were their usual brilliant selves – articulate, thoughtful and full of Channing spirit. My thanks to them for speaking so confidently about their school experiences and for embracing every opportunity, as always, with such enthusiasm and pride.

I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of our staff for the enormous effort, care and professionalism they showed throughout the week – and indeed every week. Every teacher and member of our support staff went above and beyond to demonstrate what makes Channing such a special place. Their warmth, dedication and commitment to the girls shone through at every turn.

While we’re delighted to share that the in-school part of the inspection went very smoothly, we’re not yet at liberty to share any details about the outcome. The draft report must first go through the ISI’s editorial process, which typically takes several weeks. We therefore expect to be able to share the final report with you in January, and we very much look forward to doing so as soon as we are able.

Today, the school was a sea of colour as we celebrated Odd Socks Day, marking the start of Anti-Bullying Week. Pupils and staff alike wore their most joyful mismatched socks, celebrating individuality and diversity. The day served as a powerful reminder that our differences make us stronger and that kindness and respect are at the heart of our community.

The theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week is Power for Good, encouraging everyone to use their influence and actions to make a positive difference. Throughout the week, the girls will explore questions such as ‘What is power?’ and ‘How can you use your power for good? They are also being challenged to do one kind thing each day to help spread positivity across our school. Parents and carers play an important role in reinforcing this message, and the organisers of Odd Socks Day have created a helpful resource pack with guidance and conversation ideas for home.

Tomorrow, we will come together as a school to mark Remembrance Day.  At 11am, we will hold a moment of reflection in the playground, accompanied by the poignant sound of The Last Post. This will be a time to remember and honour all those who have fought or continue to serve in conflicts around the world, and to show our deepest gratitude for their courage and sacrifice. Poppies and poppy merchandise are available in the School Office in exchange for a small donation.

This morning, we were also treated to a spectacular Year 6 assembly: a dynamic performance of The Adventures of Odysseus. The girls brought the ancient Greek tale vividly to life through expressive acting, imaginative storytelling and superb teamwork. From Zeus’s thunderous opening and the hilarious “Dating with Goddesses” scene to the mystical island of Circe, the performance was filled with adventure, humour and heart. Their thought-provoking reflections on courage, kindness and the choices that define us left a lasting impression.

It was wonderful to see the creative use of props, movement and music, including the joyous dance to Zorba the Greek and lively renditions of Greece is the Word and How Far I’ll Go. Every pupil contributed meaningfully, and it was clear how much thought and care had gone into the production. Huge thanks to Miss Kitsis, Miss Parmar and Mr Westerman (Form Teachers), with support from Ms Lingis (Teaching Assistant), for guiding the girls so brilliantly and nurturing their confidence and creativity throughout the process.

We look forward to welcoming Year 6 parents on Wednesday morning from 8.30 to 9.00am to share in the girls’ achievements. Please arrive no earlier than 8.25am, sign in on arrival, and you’ll be directed to Fairseat Hall by our Specialist Teachers. It promises to be a wonderful celebration of learning and collaboration.

Finally, I am delighted to share some lovely news from our staff team. Congratulations to Mr Davies (Deputy Head Academic) and his family on the arrival of their beautiful baby daughter, Lottie! We are all thrilled for them and send our warmest wishes as they enjoy this exciting new chapter together.

With warm wishes

Miss Dina Hamalis
Head of the Junior School

Staff Contact Information

Information

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.

Calendar & Events

Club Cancellations: Future Dates to Note

Occasionally, clubs need to be cancelled in advance, particularly when whole-school events are taking place. If this happens, you can sign your daughter up for Late Owls, or she can be collected at her usual dismissal time. You will also receive a reminder text the day before so that you can make the necessary arrangements.

Same-day cancellations are rare and we always try to avoid them. However, they can sometimes be unavoidable, whether the club is a free, a staff-run activity or an externally run, paid-for session. In these cases, your daughter can be collected at her usual dismissal time, be signed up for Late Owls or remain in Club Waiters free of charge until the club’s normal end time, at which point she will be brought to the door for dismissal.

Please note that if a paid-for club is cancelled, whether in advance or on the day, you will not be charged.

Please see below for the clubs that will be cancelled this term. This list will be updated weekly, so please check this section carefully:

  • Monday 10 November: Y2 Bee Netball & Y3-5 Lights, Camera, Act cancelled
  • Wednesday 12 November: KS1 Doodle cancelled
  • Wednesday 19 November: Y3&4 Netball cancelled
  • Friday 28 November:KS1 Multisports cancelled
  • Monday 1 – Friday 5 December: All Gymnastics cancelled
  • Wednesday 3 December: Reception Mini Makers cancelled
  • Friday 5 December: KS1 Multisports cancelled

Sustainability Week: Let’s Make a Difference! ~ Monday 17 November - Friday 21 November

Next week, we’ll be celebrating Sustainability Week – a time to learn how small actions can make a big difference for our planet!

Throughout the week, we’re encouraging all pupils to travel sustainably to school. This could mean walking, scooting, taking public transport, or car sharing. Even if you can only manage it for one day, that’s fantastic!

Our Sustainability Officers, together with Mr Rich and Miss Baker (Forest School and Sustainability Leads), will be in the courtyard handing out Responsibility Badger stickers to pupils who travel sustainably. 

Let’s all do our bit to help the planet!

Year Group Assemblies: Year 5 - Wednesday 26 November 8.30am - 9.00am

We are looking forward to welcoming parents of Year 5 pupils into school to watch their daughters perform as part of their Year Group Assembly. The performance will take place in Fairseat Hall to pupils and staff on Monday and then to parents on Wednesday 26 November, 8.30 – 9.00am. To watch your daughter’s performance, please arrive no earlier than 8.25am. On arrival, you will be asked to sign in and then directed to Fairseat Hall by our Specialist Teachers. 

KS2 Recital Evening - Thursday 27 November

The next KS2 Recital Evening is on Thursday 27 November 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 20 November. Please note, slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Curriculum Talks Programme: Sign Up

We are pleased to invite all parents and carers to a series of Curriculum Information Evenings, led by our Subject Leads and members of the Junior School Senior Team, in Fairseat Hall. These sessions will offer valuable insights into key areas of the school’s curriculum, including: Mathematics, English and Drama. They are designed to help you better understand what your daughter is learning and how you can support her progress at home. Each evening will provide practical advice and an opportunity to engage directly with the staff who lead these subjects. If you would like to attend one or more of these sessions, please sign up using the Google Form linked below.

Schedule of Talks

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 version of themselves.

St Michael’s Winter Celebration: Friday 5 December from 2.15pm - 3.30pm

Our annual Winter Celebration will take place on Friday 5 December from 2:15pm (doors open at 2:00pm) at St Michael’s Church, Highgate. The event will run until around 3:30pm. This is a ticketed event – please book your places using this link

Families are warmly invited to join us for this festive afternoon of music and singing. The girls have been working hard to prepare, and there will also be some congregational carols for everyone to join in!

All the music learning resources are available on Firefly here.

Tooled Up Courses for Parents

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

  • Tuesday 18 November 12.30pm ~ Supporting Children and Young People Through Loss
  • Tuesday 18 November 8pm ~ Is my Child Really Resilient?

Competitions and Challenges for the Girls

'Young Art' Competition

Junior School pupils are invited to enter the prestigious Young Art competition for a chance to exhibit their work at Christie’s London next Spring. Children can enter an A4-sized painting, drawing or print based on this year’s theme ‘Here and Now’. The school will cover the entry fee of £3 (maximum of one entry per person) and proceeds go to the Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital. All artwork must be brought into school by Friday 9 January (if your daughter is in Reception, please send in entries before the end of this term). Entries should have the artist’s name and year group clearly displayed in block capitals on the back. It is also a good idea to add a sentence explaining what is depicted in the artwork. We have enjoyed success in this competition in previous years, so we cannot wait to see what our pupils can produce this time around.

Festive Activities

Secret Santa Gift Swaps

Last year, some of our older pupils enjoyed organising Secret Santa gift exchanges with their friends and classmates. If your daughter is planning to take part in something similar this year, we kindly ask that all gift swaps are arranged and completed outside of school. This helps us ensure that our school environment remains inclusive and welcoming for all pupils.

Festive Card Post Boxes: School Council & Head Girls

The School Council representatives will create Festive Card Post Boxes for their form, encouraging pupils to write and send cards to each other. To promote sustainability, we kindly ask that these post boxes be crafted using recyclable or repurposed materials wherever possible. Each form’s School Council members should work together to design and make their post box: you might like to arrange a time outside of school, perhaps a play date or crafting session, to get creative and collaborate. Please ensure your completed post box is in school by Monday 25 November, ready to receive cards.

There will also be a post box outside Miss Hamalis’ office, created by the Year 6 Head Girls, where girls can post cards to members of staff. We look forward to seeing the festive and environmentally-friendly creativity!

Channing Association

Frozen Themed Winter Fair: Friday 28 November ~ Tickets available now!

The Frozen themed Winter Fair is taking place after school on Friday 28 November. Buy your tickets for the girls and your families: here (click on the link)

The school will be transformed into Arendelle for a wonderful afternoon, where the girls and their families are invited to discover the wonderful wintery world of Frozen. 

The girls are invited to wear Frozen or winter-themed clothes for the day. 

Please note that all after school clubs and wraparound provision will be cancelled due to the fair, and that all children must be accompanied by an adult to the fair.

Winter Fair Raffle - buy tickets now!

The charity fundraising raffle for GOSH is live now – buy your tickets to be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize. All proceeds will go to the new cancer wing at Great Ormond Street.

Prizes include: 1-2-1 Pilates lessons, £100 dining voucher, Everyman cinema tickets, a hamper from Greens of Highgate, tea for your daughter and a friend with Miss Hamalis, Russell Howard tickets at the Palladium, half term holiday camp vouchers, plus many more!

Snack Sale

Join the CA for a tasty snack after school on Friday 14 November in the courtyard. Contactless payment only

Winter Fair pre-loved toy stall - please donate!

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

Please drop your donations off in the clearly labelled bins located in the entrance courtyard. 

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.

Diary Dates

  • Friday 14 November 3.00pm- 4.00pm – Snack sale, Courtyard
  • Friday 28 November 2.45pm-5.00pm – Winter Fair, Junior School
  • Thursday 14 May – North London Laughs Comedy night, Ally Pally