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There has been a wonderful balance of exciting and calming activities this week for Children’s Mental Health Week, from our Global Play Day afternoon, Mindfulness through Movement workshops, Anti-bullying workshops and our author visit from Cath Howe, all of which you can read plenty more about below.
It has been great to see some real creativity at work in lots of sessions this week, including the exciting and informative self-care posters all the pupils have worked on, the escape room challenge Year 6 pupils faced in Maths, the writing resulting from the workshops with Cath Howe as well as some beautiful creations in art lessons and Global Play afternoon.
We rounded off our week this morning with a celebration assembly bursting with certificates and medals and even a short performance of Amazing Grace by our two Bold as Brass groups. Congratulations to all pupils involved in that and also to all those receiving awards this morning for their swimming, gymnastic and chess skills as well as the very worthy winners of our Theatre Review competition run by Mrs Connor. Particular congratulations also to our swimmers led by Mrs Sehgal who completed in the Richmond Schools gala on Tuesday and who were complemented on their amazing swimming and behaviour by staff from several other schools.
In the spotlight
Cyber Mentors
On Friday our Cyber Mentors took assembly and introduced this year’s Safer Internet Day theme. Although Safer Internet Day was on Tuesday 6th February, we had the theme introduced earlier as we are celebrating the day all week in our computer lessons. This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’. We have some exciting ideas for our lessons looking at how technology has changed over the past years and trying to suggest how it might look in the future. Also looking at how online content can change people’s thoughts and feelings. L2 and U2 looked at how AI might change people’s lives now and in the future. Pupils talked about how they could use words and actions to make the internet a more positive place.
By Mrs Allden
Hampton Court Palace
On Friday 2nd February the whole of L2 went to Hampton Court Palace and we enjoyed two workshops about King Henry VIII. We learnt a lot about the wives and enjoyed acting some parts out. We also learnt how King Henry had the power to send someone down from the Nobility to the Commoners. That’s a huge drop! My favourite part was definitely when we got to act out the parts.
Ione
On Friday L2 went to Hampton Court Palace to learn more about King Henry VIII and his home. My favourite part was when the head laundress took us around the palace and told us all about the Great Hall, which was used for servants and their quarters. When I walked out, I knew a lot more than when I had walked in.
Lyra
Bold as Brass
Our assembly was livened up this morning by our Bold as Brass groups performing Amazing Grace. Well done to to all our performers for being courageous enough to stand up in assembly and give such a confident performance!
Chinese New Year
For Chinese New Year we decided to create a presentation based on the Chinese New Year and Chinese culture. In this presentation, we explained what we wear, how we celebrate, what decorations we use and what foods we eat. We also included some arts and crafts activities which were related to this year’s lunar new year. The class watched a video about the race of the twelve zodiac animals. We were dressed in traditional clothes and Mrs Kent-Skorsepova even wore a traditional jacket and welcomed the rest of the class into the room saying good morning in Chinese.
By Grace, Emily, Claire and Yoyo
I enjoyed making the dragons! Francesca L2
I liked the special red and gold clothes the girls wore. Ayana L2
I loved the Kahoot quiz where we had to answer questions about the Chinese New Year. Hannah L2
Children's Mental Health Week
This week we have run several activities to coincide with and celebrate Children's Mental Health Week.
Our lower school pupils started the week with two creative workshops. Form 1s took part in a drama-based workshop exploring the differences between verbal, physical, social, and psychological bullying, as well as exploring strategies for dealing with bullying. They were led by the Knight of Knowledge and had to pass tasks like outwitting an ogre and working together at the round table to graduate as Knights of Knowledge themselves. In the afternoon, the U1 pupils had the opportunity to take part in a mindfulness through movement workshop, where they began the session by practising different breathing and calming techniques. They were then encouraged to work collaboratively and creatively to choreograph their section of the group dance before joining the pieces together to make one collective piece.
We have had a most enjoyable week, and we know our pupils have gained many skills on how to encourage good mental health and how to be empathetic to others. The attachments to this newsletter give both parents and pupils some more tips and guidance on how to encourage this throughout the year.
By Mrs Frampton
Global Play Day
Global School Play Day is an annual event, which was started in 2015 to emphasise the importance of regular play for children. Play encourages creativity, social interaction, and physical activity, recognising that play is not just recreation but a vital part of a child’s development is all part of children’s mental health week. Today, our pupils were given the opportunity for self-directed play with their friends, house buddies and our big sisters and little sisters had a chance to play together with Lego and building blocks. L2 and F1 pupils have enjoyed playing outside, whilst U2 and U1 explored their inner artists with fun doodle art. Classrooms have been buzzing with chatter and laughter as pupils enjoyed interacting together. Some classes were using their classroom board games. Everyone finished up in house buddy groups where they were free to create their houses collages using the theme ‘Our Natural World’.
By Mrs Allden
F1 French
In French this week, the girls have been getting lots of speaking practice by playing the Happy Families card game in French as well as the ‘chou-fleur’ game and bingo. They had great fun and became very proficient at asking for which member of which animal family they still needed to complete their set.
By Mrs Yates
U2 Science – Light Art
This week as part of Childrens’ Mental Health Week and to finish off our Science topic, Light, U2 pupils have been creating light art. Inspired by Carnovsky, a pair of Italian artists who create beautiful artworks that mutate and interact in different colours of light, the children created a range of two or three colour drawings. The aim being that when you look at a drawing drawn in red and green through a red filter the green appears black, and the red disappears and vice versa.
L2 Drama
In L2 Drama this week, the girls have been exploring the Children’s Mental Health Week theme of Your Voice Matters through performance poetry. Having first written short poems in groups, the girls rehearsed and performed them to the rest of their class.
Theatre & Film Review Competition
This year’s competition has been as popular as ever and has seen some fabulous entries submitted, so a huge well done to all those who participated. The quality of entries has made judging incredibly difficult, but after much pondering and deliberation, we are delighted to announce the winners to pupils and parents this week.
Sport
Richmond Borough Gala
A huge congratulations to all the girls for representing the school at the Richmond Borough Gala. Not only were there some impressive results overall, several members of staff commended the girls on their impressive swimming technique and performance in the pool. Well done girls, I am extremely proud of how you all conducted yourself today!
By Mrs Sehgal
On Tuesday, an awesome swim team travelled to Richmond for the Richmond Borough swimming gala. Everyone swam brilliantly and nearly all the girls won a medal. We even made it to the finals of the mixed age group relay. It was an amazing effort. The competition was strong, yet despite this most U2 pupils that swam individual races came first.There was some real talent shown from the LEH team. Well done everybody that took part. We hope we have made you proud, Mrs Sehgal!
By Annabel (U2)
Swimming Gala v The Mall
It was Friday 2nd February and our last swimming gala before half term. Our opponents were The Mall and they made us work hard! We even came up against a national swimmer but we rose to the challenge. A big well done to everyone who made a great effort swimming 50m butterfly against him. Everyone swam amazingly and achieved even more great personal bests! The overall score was 204 to The Mall and 300 to us! Well done everyone.
By Annabel (U2)
BSGA competition
On Sunday 4th February, LEH's gym squad went and competed in the London BSGA. We were all very nervous before the competition but displayed beautifully. Each girl competed in floor and vault, and we were very happy with our performances. We had so much fun and this was an unforgettable experience. Overall, both teams came 3rd winning bronze medals. We all had a lovely time!
By Emme, Amelie and Amarya
- LEH Juniors
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