Dear Parents,

It has been an intense time in school with the season of sharing some of the work we do through the many plays and performances. Most classes happen to have a Maths block right now, and it was a delight to go through the school this morning to see the progression. Maths is our curriculum focus this year together with all Steiner-Waldorf schools in the UK. 

Your children will come home with stories from the Class VIII project presentations which have inspired us all. We will do a special edition newsletter for their work to be widely shared. One Class VII pupil said that he loves how Class VIII is the pinnacle of the education with the projects and the play.

As it is getting warmer the usual plea is sent to all parents to leave the Green to the Local community and the school children. We use it heavily for daily movement sessions, Games and Gardening, and it is a precious relationship we have. It also doesn't have any toilets, and it is not appropriate to use it as a remote nature spot.

Everyone who has been in the school for a long time knows that the May Festival in Queen's wood is the breathing out after the long winter. Whatever has happened is a thing of the past, and we come together as a whole community. We are so very grateful for what the Queen's wood site has given us over the years. We have now been told that it is part of the 2% of ancient woodland remaining in the UK and the woods and its wildlife need to be protected, which we fully understand. 

This year the May festival will happen on Hampstead Heath instead, and all families are welcome to join this whole school picnic on the morning of Friday 28^th April, details to follow. This festival will be reshaped to include other dance and music elements as the Maypole is a structure we can't get permission for this year. The children will have the opportunity to dance around the Maypole in school.

The next Forum is planned for the 10^th of May.  We are looking forward to seeing you there to tell you about Classes IV to VIII as we move towards the important subjects of puberty and sex education.

The school is working on a more prescribed and detailed RSE policy. This work coincides with work we are doing alongside the fellowship around the same topic. I will take the opportunity to reiterate our inclusive ethos and how much we want to retain teacher autonomy. We will send it out for consultation when it is ready. 

We are at the moment when we need to give gratitude to our old trees, as over the next months some will unfortunately be removed to ensure the safety of the children and the site.

Lastly, we are eagerly awaiting the Landscape application response from Islington. Thank you for your supportive messages. 

Warm wishes, 

Ms. Anna Retsler

Head teacher

St Paul's Steiner School

Some scenes from Kindergarten.  The children have been enjoying the mud and water in the garden and climbing, building, baking, and making.

Class IV workshopped their play about the Norse Myths and performed it to the School last week.  They learned diction and projection from Mrs Steggall and helped make the costumes with Miss Von Joel in Handwork.  They were confident and engaging, well done Class IV!

Class VI ambitiously performed two plays last week to the School, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and the little beggar.  They were held in rehearsals by Miss Tate and Mrs Akuwudike and made the props and costumes themselves.  They showed great maturity, confidence and comic timing.  Congratulations Class VI!

From Miss Tate...

'I was so impressed by the collaboration, support and team work the class demonstrated and I so enjoyed watching it..."

Class III have been busy learning about natural fibres.  As part of this they took a raw sheep fleece, washed it, dyed it with natural dyes like turmeric and red cabbage in their Gardening lesson and were then able to felt it. 

Last week it was Sign Language Week.  We are proud to teach British Sign Language as well as French at St Paul's.  The children learn to communicate in this visually expressive language and be respectful of others and celebrate our differences. Here it is in action in Class II.

Our nature table for Persian new year this week in the entrance, and in Kindergarten.

We had a fantastic careers day for the Middle School and Class V this year.  We had a Psychotherapist, a Brewery founder, an Investment banker who talked about Maths and dyslexia, an environmentalist and entrepreneur and renowned illustrator Chris Houghton launching his new book.  Here, Maddy from TV production company Darrall Macqueen is talking about the varied skills need for the wealth of different jobs in the TV and Film Industry.

Some of our policies have recently been updated and will be continually updated.   Please find the list of our policies on our website.  

https://www.stpaulssteinerschool.org/policies

News from Islington Council - Canonbury West low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) made permanent 

The Canonbury West low traffic neighbourhood has been made permanent, having delivered cleaner, greener, healthier streets for local people.    

The scheme has achieved its key goals by creating a more enjoyable area for local people, including reducing traffic and speeding within the neighbourhood while bringing about a significant rise in rates of cycling. Local people have also told us how the new measures have made it easier to walk and cycle around the area, and to cross roads.   

Islington Repair Week

As part of London Repair Week 20-26th March, Islington Council has created this program of events to help residents to repair, maintain and upcycle a variety of items from textiles, to furniture and electronics.  There are bike maintenance sessions, computer and electronic item fixing, garment up cycling and special workshops for children!

https://islingtonlife.london/things-to-do/repair-week/

Thank you to all the parents, staff and the local community who helped put together the Jumble Sale last Saturday.  it was a great turn out and we had lots of donations so thank you.  We raised £1225.42 for the Disasters Emergency Committee to help those who were affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria earlier in the year.  We are very grateful for your generosity!

We are unfortunately unable to host our annual May Festival in Queens Wood again this year.  Haringey council sent this message-

'Queens Wood is one of the last remaining 2% of Ancient Woodlands in the UK.  The wood is under huge threat due to heavy footfall, flooding, and compaction, resulting in habitat loss.

A new Nature Conservation Management Plan will seek to create and maintain a sustainably managed woodland both ecologically and financially, enhancing and protecting the ancient woodland biodiversity and features whilst building climate resilience woodland for the future.

To safeguard and protect the Woods, Haringey can no longer permit large events of this kind.

We hope this puts a little more background as to why we no longer can allow events in this area.'

We would like to thank Haringey Council for allowing St Paul's the opportunity to use Queens Wood over the years and host our May Festival, we all have many fond memories of the event.

This year, our May Festival will instead be held in

Hampstead Heath on Friday 28th April. 

Details to follow shortly.

Thank you to all that came to the Soundbath with Julia Leitner last week.

Come and join us for our forest school and nature connection experiences.

We will continue to run our after school club on Wednesday from 3.30-5.30pm with school pick-up.

The children will be picked up from school. Ages 5+.

We will also run  our Easter forest school club again on Hampstead Heath

Or join us for our adult forest school

Plenty to choose from

Hope to see you there

The Art Imaginarium. - The UK's only holiday camp that offers art, circus and mindfulness combined running in Dalston, Hackney for 5 - 11 year olds.

Our Easter Holiday workshops are now open for booking and we would love for you to run our flyer in your newsletter. The theme for the week is Magic Spring Garden and the children will be making everything from: fox masks, hedgehog flower pots, magical garden creations, clay rabbits, ladybug wings, flying bumble bees, flower bouquets and much more.

It is a creative, educational, fun and playful week where the children learn new skills, develop their creativity, make new friends and most importantly, have fun. 

We are OFSTED registered, accept childcare vouchers and offer a unique, creative and high quality holiday camp. 

Dates: 3rd - 6th & 11th - 13th April

Time: 9am - 3.30pm (early drop off & late pick up available)

Please feel free to ask us any questions about the workshops and let us know if you are keen to know more.