RATHFERN • SUMMER • 17TH JULY 2015

Dear Mums, Dads, Carers, staff,

governors, friends & colleagues

RATHFERN

NEWS

This year has flown by and you now have the summer holidays to recharge your batteries and rest with your wonderful children. I would like to thank you for all your support over the last year. Your children continue to thrive, achieve and love learning at Rathfern.

I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at Rathfern for making this year so successful.

Teachers

Teaching Assistants

Office and Premises team

Lunchtime supervisors

Lunchtime staff - cooks and servers

Wraparound team

Cleaners

School Patrol Officer

THANK YOU

At the end of term we say goodbye and very best wishes to the following members of staff:

Ms Hayes who is spending time as a full-time mother

Ms Towns who is leaving to teach closer to home

Ms Al–jboury who is taking up a post in Abu Dhabi

Ms Gilmore who is taking up a post in Croydon as a Phase Team Leader

I would like to thank the Governing Body for all

of their support and challenge this year.

Serena Brown

Rosemary Benson

Joanna Eyeson

Lewina Farrell

Linda Fuller

Vaishali Londhe

Fahad Raja

Rhian Douglas

FRIENDS OF RATHFERN

We would like to thank Friends of Rathfern

for all of their support and fundraising during

the year. Thanks to their hard work, they

have donated £3,000 for our school and

£100 for refreshments for the Summer

Concert.

YEAR 6 RESULTS - OUTSTANDING

Level 4+

Level 5

Level 6

A huge well done to our Year 6 pupils, staff and parents who have worked tirelessly to ensure

outstanding outcomes.

Reading 100%

Writing 98%

SPAG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar) 98%

Maths 98%

Reading 83%

Writing 63%

SPAG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar) 88%

Maths 72%

SPAG 5%

Maths 15%

FRIENDS OF RATHFERN

After a great year's fundraising we have been able to donate £3,000 to the school. A big

thank you to everyone who has helped out at our events this year - and a special mention

to Debbie, Sue, Betka and Emma who are standing down from the committee. Thank you

for all your efforts.

We're looking forward to raising plenty more next term - but we will need someone to

count it! We have a vacancy on the committee for a TREASURER. Please get in touch if

this role would suit you.

EASY FUNDRAISING We've raised more than £250 this way - don't forget to shop

online via easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/friendsofrathfern

You can find out more about our events and how you can get involved:

Online at: friendsofrathfern.com

On Facebook at: facebook.com/friendsofrathfern

Join our mailing list at: forathfern@gmail.com

Check our notice boards at school.

YEAR 6 - SCHOOL JOURNEY

“A few weeks ago Year 6 went on School Journey and visited Aberaeron in Wales. The children were exposed to a range of nature-based activities such as collecting the eggs every morning, feeding the birds and lambs and cleaning out the pigs! The children camped outside for 2 nights each and it was a wonderful experience that all the children enjoyed. We hope the new Year 6 children will enjoy it as much as the current Year 6

did!” - Miss Brandford & Mr James (Year 6 Teachers)

WELCOME

Ms Akinpelu Nursery Class Teacher

Ms Michael Year 1 Class Teacher

Ms Stickland Year 2 Class Teacher

Mrs Webster Year 3 Class Teacher

Ms Nimoh Year 4 Class Teacher

Ms Warren Year 5 Class Teacher

Mr McAuley Year 6 Class Teacher

SPORTS DAY

“We would like to say a big thank you for all

the parent support we had on Sports Day!

The event ran very smoothly and the

children all had a fantastic time. It was

wonderful to see the whole school enjoying

competitive sports and games!” -

Miss Sophie (PE Teacher)

THINGS TO DO OVER THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS

Horniman Museum and Gardens – Forest Hill

Visit www.horniman.ac.uk. African Late performances contemporary artists from all

around Africa. Includes street performances tours food and more – Thursday 6th August

6.30pm-9.30pm.

Local Parks

Wells Park with water sprinklers

Mayow Park - adventure trail

Blythe Hill Park

Mountsfield Park

Kelsey Park

Dulwich Park

Adventure playground

Honor Oak

Ladywell Adventure playground

Walk the Waterlink way - tom.moulton@btinternet.com

Local farms

Crystal Palace Park and Farm

Mudchute Farm

Surrey Quays Farm

Free cycle lessons for children and young people. www.lewisham.gov.uk/cycling or call 0208 314 2254 Lewisham pools Dive in – it’s free!! You can swim free of charge in council-run pools if you are: 16 or under Have a valid library card Live in the Lewisham Borough Libraries Lewisham library Catford library Crofton Park library Sydenham library Peckham Plex cinema Tuesday and Thursday before 5pm entrance £3.99

Lewisham Summer sizzler 2 games bowling for £5 if you book on line.

www.lewisham@mfabowl.com

For more information on free and low cost summer activities visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/summeralive

SCHOOL UNIFORMS

REMINDER

Children must wear BLACK shoes when they return

to school in September 2015.

SCHOOL TRIPS 2015/2016

Please can mums, dads and carers pay £30 for school trips during the second week of

September. ParentPay is available from now if you would like to pay immediately.

Any parent/carer that wishes to agree a payment plan for this charge, please speak to

Holly in the school office.

At the end of the school year, we will reconcile the cost of school trips per class and

reimburse as appropriate.

Children in eligible of Free School Meals (FSM) are exempt from this charge. This

excludes children who receive free lunches through the Universal Infant Free

School Meals (Reception - Year 2)

If you wish to apply for FSMs, please collect a form from the school office.

SCHOOL LUNCHES

Children moving into Year 3 will be charged

for school lunches from September. Please

contact the office if your child wishes to

bring in packed lunches.

SPORTS REPORT

It has been a great year for sport at Rathfern!

Some of our biggest achievements have been…

Our Hockey teams victory in their Quicksticks Tournament

Winning the Lewisham Sport Hall Athletics competition

Winning the Lewisham Basketball competition

Placed 3rd in our first ever Sainsbury's School Games Gymnastics competition

Blowing the audience away with our amazing dance performances from our Dance

Club children at Forest Hill

Sending our first ever team to the Sainsbury's School Games Tri-Golf competition

Year 1 and 2 coming 3rd in their first Lewisham Football competition

Competing extremely well against St Dunstan's in a KS2 Football tournament

We are hoping to continue our success, and achieve even higher next year!

Music 2014 – 2015

It has been a fantastic year for music at Rathfern and we are very proud of the children and all that

they have achieved. We would like to give a special thanks to all the children and staff involved

in the following events.

October 2014:

23rd October: Supernova and Ensemble East West Music Workshop.

November 2014:

12th November: Ten of our finest singers performed at The Royal Albert Hall as members of

the Lewisham Junior Choir.

13th November: Following East West workshops selected musicians performed with the

Bollywood Brass Band at the Global Café.

December 2014:

Early Years Nativity

Year 1 and 2 Christmas Production

3rd December: ‘Turning of the Year’ Concert at Blackheath Halls. The

Choir sang with six other schools. They also performed an individual item ‘Christmas is

Here’ written by Hannah, Priyenka, Rhea and Natasha.

19th December– Christmas concert at St Dunstans: There were Djembe performances from

Sirius and Galaxy. Violinists, Guitarists, Ensemble, Choir, Clarinetists and Flautists also

performed. The upper school sang two more original compositions: ‘Magic Snowflakes’

written by Zoe, Ezra, Elahie, Bethany and ‘Angels Wing’ by Shavar.

March 2015

11th March: Year 4/5 workshops with visiting Jazz Musicians from TrinityLaban.

12th March: Year 5 – Sirius and Galaxy performed their excellent Djembe drumming at the

Lewisham Live ‘World Percussion Concert’.

19th March: The Choir performed their ‘Ice cream medley’ at the Broadway Theatre as part of

‘Live Voices’. Solos were performed by Ezra, Isaiah, and Zainab.

25th March: Year 6 Drummers, Singers and Year 5 dancers performed at ‘Live at the Halls’ at

Blackheath Concert Halls.

May 2015

Tanya and Isabelle attended the Animate Orchestra holiday workshops.

‘An Orchestra for the 21st Century’.

June 2015

6th June: The Brazilian Drumming Club performed with ‘Maracatudo Mafua’ at the Brockley

Max Festival.

13th June: Rathfern Summer Fair: There were performances from Pianists, Guitarists, Singers,

Trumpets, and the children’s own acts. The KS2 and KS1 choirs performed together, with

a solo from Neveah.

The Brazilian Drumming Club performed with Year 5 dancers and ‘Maracatudo Mafua’.

Throughout June and July: The Nursery worked with resident musician ‘Sharon Subbaro’.

July 2015

1st July: The Year 6 Djembe club, Choir and selected drummers and dancers opened the

‘Lewisham Music Hub’ Summer Gala at the Royal Festival Hall.

7th, 8th, 9th July: Rathfern Music Assemblies.

Shadow, Electricity, Amoeba showed us their fine Djembe skills. Pianists, singers, Katak

dancers, Capoeiristas, and Ensemble musicians delighted us with their music and dance.

19th July – The Royal Festival hall performers delighted the whole school with their Djembe,

Dance, and Singing at Kings Church.

Diany, Seny, Aline and Megan our French speakers from year 5/6 lead the whole school in

opening the Summer Concert with ‘Le jour après le fin du monde’. Joined on stage by the

year 5 dancers.

Musicians write and perform music to Shakespeare’s ‘ Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as part of

the Year 6 Production.

As well as all of these treats, class teachers have been creating music and singing for their assem-

blies throughout the year. Children and staff have been out to see fantastic musicals: ‘Charlie and

the Chocolate Factory’, ‘Matilda’, ‘Bugsy Malone’ ‘Cats’, ‘Les Miserables’, and ‘The Railway

Children’ organised by Mrs Pendleton.

83 children have been attending weekly instrumental lessons, and practising regularly at home.

Some have been put forward for Grade Exams, Prep tests and chosen to be part of the Rathfern

Instrumental Ensemble.

It has been a fantastic year, creating memories that will last a lifetime. We hope that these experi-

ences will inspire the children to keep studying, keep enjoying and keep learning so that they can

share the gift of music with their audiences and continue to give us all such pleasure in seeing

their development as young musicians.

OUTSTANDING LEARNERS

Kinetic (Reception) - Rebekah Johnson & Daniel Marshall

Metamorphosis (Reception) - Desiha Brown & Zephan Bourne

Energy (Year One) - Jake Connor & Nithila Johnson

Velocity (Year One) - Khiara Walker & Aayush Pathak

Shadow ( Year Two) - Shianne Henry & Naomi Radu

Electricity (Year Two) - Xander Hayter & Sumaela Sumerah Touray

Amoeba (Year Two) - Devine Anglin & Javar McDermott

Cosmos (Year Three) - Zia Gosai & Jagit Singh

Refraction (Year Three) - Milandra Bonelli &

Reflection (Year Three) - Mariana Sesay & Ruweyda Ahmed

Nebula (Year Four) - Sindy Cupi & Liepa Zukauskaite

Supernova (Year Four) - Rihana Harvey-Clarke & Kia Clarke

Galaxy (Year Five) - Sade Cudd & Tharuniyan Kanesalingam

Sirius (Year Five) - Dinah Murphy & Aline Kibalabala

Magnetism & Solar (Year Six) - Every child in Year 6 demonstrated the attributes of an

outstanding learner.

LEADING CITIZENS

Leading citizens are children in our community who embody our core values and the Rights

Respecting charter.

Kinetic (Reception) - Barnaby Hayter & Shanae Gayle

Metamorphosis (Reception) - Ridvan Hajrizi & Esther Ahanonu

Energy (Year One) - Mamadou Bayoko & Raheem Russell

Velocity (Year One) - Micah Coward & Samara Benjamin-Thompson

Shadow ( Year Two) - Hope Wise & Cillian Farrell-Bryan

Electricity (Year Two) - Matilda Broughton & Nikita Eero

Amoeba (Year Two) - Raven Pink & Akia Stewart-Hinds

Cosmos (Year Three) - Nelson Salami & Alan Mwamba

Refraction (Year Three) - Sianna-Sheree Kenton & Al-Wasy Alam

Reflection (Year Three) - Joshua John & Kawthar Hammoud

Nebula (Year Four) - Kavi Prapagaran & Amari Campbell

Supernova (Year Four) - Aiman Fares & Desharne Allen

Galaxy (Year Five) - Quadir Shabazz & Isabelle Crawford

Sirius (Year Five) - Keneisha Wilks & Kimiya Mowatt

Magnetism & Solar (Year Six) - Every child in Year 6 has lived the Rathfern Core Values.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

FRIDAY 17TH JULY: Last day of term - own clothes day in aid of The British Red Cross

MONDAY 20TH JULY: Inset day - school is closed for children

MONDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER: Children return to school

FRIDAY 23RD OCTOBER: Last day of term

MONDAY 26TH - FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER: Half term

MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER: Children return to school

FRIDAY 18TH DECEMBER: Last day of term

MONDAY 4TH JANUARY 2016: Children return to school

SCHOOL TRIPS

Friday 17th July: Year 6 visit Chessington