Weekly Letter from the Headteacher

Friday 15th March 2024

WEEKLY LETTER FROM MS KATTIRTZI, HEADTEACHER

The highlight of my week was when I was invited to present the prizes to the winners of the Holocaust Poetry competition, an annual event that follows Holocaust Memorial Day in January. There were several entries to the competition with four winners. The winners were able to read their poems to the assembled group in the library impressing us all in their delivery and content. Critiqued by Mr Dilley and Mrs Moseley the winning poems were analysed for their strength and impact and the poets and their poems were certainly worthy winners of this important competition. Well done to Lara- Maria in Year 8, Faith in Year 10 and Trisha and Inakshi in the 6th Form who wrote an epistle style poem. In due course I will share these poems with you.  Another creative writing highlight from last week was the short story publication the Winter Writings Anthology led and organised by the Creative Writing Society and supported by Ms Fieldsend. The stories written by students from Year 7 to Year 11 captured the theme of winter in a variety of settings; another incredible read and example of the creative talents of many of our students.

Other noteworthy activities that have taken place in and outside of school have included some important work focusing on our Modern Foreign Languages with a Business Language Challenge , a joint event with Reading School. For Years 9 and 10 a Language Theatre Event visited Kendrick and performed French and German plays to the students. From last week, information and displays can now be shared with you including World Book Day and International Women's Day and Displays highlighting our own inspirational women.

To mark Mental Health Week a few weeks ago, the Wellbeing Committee of Kendrick Student Leaders made a podcast for parents on the theme My Voice Matters and I would very much like parents to watch their video which endeavours to give guidance on how to talk and listen to our children  from our own senior students in school. Today is World Sleep Day and we have shared a lot of resources about tips to aid better sleep, please see in the next section of the Weekly Update.

There are several religious festivals and observance now which members of our school community are involved in and may be fasting or partaking in some religious activities and celebrations. These include Lent and Easter, Ramadan and Sikh New Year and later in April the Jewish Passover. Our multi faith community at Kendrick is one of our great strengths and joy demonstrating that we can live and work in harmony in our school.

It is  Comic Relief Red Nose Day today and students and staff are being ‘funny for money’! Fancy Dress as well as teacher/ student activities have been taking place all week organised by the Community Committee of KSL and culminating in today’s Fashion Show. Students and some staff have come into school dressed in something beginning with R or C, a fun day for a good cause.

Finally, charity starts at home, so they say, and I once again I would like ask parents, friends and family to support the Kendrick Parents’ Society Spring Raffle. Information on prizes has been sent to you this week to encourage you to buy tickets or donate to the raffle. I do hope you can support our fund-raising initiative. Since last week 176 families have bought tickets and we have now raised £3,105, which is double the amount since last week, thank you. Please can we have one last push to double the money again this weekend and next week so that we can reach our target of £8k. There is further information below from KPS and you can buy tickets here, https://www.trybooking.com/uk/DELI it is so easy- please buy some tickets!

Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend

Ms Christine Kattirtzi
Headteacher
 

For the Weekly Update in full please click here