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This privacy policy (this ” Policy”) explains how personal information is collected, used, and disclosed by Francis Holland School (collectively, ” Francis Holland School,” ” we,” ” our” or ” us”). This Policy applies to visitors and users (individually , ” you “) of Francis Holland School‘ website. By visiting or using the Site to the extent permitted by applicable law, you are consenting to us gathering and processing information about you in accordance with this Policy, although consent may not be required for all of the elements described in this Policy. For particular types of information or processing, we may provide you with choices or request your further consent related to what information we collect and how we may process it.

This Policy does not cover third parties or their services and we do not take any responsibility for how such third parties may use any information they collect. For information about third-party privacy practices, please consult with them directly.

I. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Personal Information. By visiting or using the Site, we may collect the following categories of personal information (” personal information “) you provide to us: name; title; email address; postal address; phone number (including your mobile phone number); children’s names; job role; marketing responses; admissions follow-ups; and other information you may provide about yourself to the Site or to which you provide us with access via third-party platforms.

We do not proactively collect personal information considered as sensitive personal information such as health-related or financial information on the Site. However, our Site may include text boxes which are designed for you to provide your choice of certain information about your marketing preferences.

If you are an existing Francis Holland School family, we will combine this information with information we collect on the Site and use it for the purposes described below.

Device Information. When you visit the Site or open communications (such as emails) , some information is automatically collected from devices (e.g., mobile, computer, laptop, tablet) used to visit or use the Site including, but not limited to, operating system, access times, browser information (e.g., type, language, and history), settings, and other data about your device that we use to provide the services or as otherwise described in this Policy (” device information”). We also collect information about your usage and activity on the Site using certain technologies, such as cookies, web beacons and other technologies (see V Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies for more details).

Location Information. If you use our Site, we may receive your generic location (such as city or neighbourhood). We may use and store this information to provide and improve features of the Site, for example, to tailor the Site on a needs-based manner to better facilitate your requests and to provide you more relevant content.

II. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We may use your information for the following purposes (” Purposes”), to: provide you with the services, and functionality offered through the Site and fulfil your requests, including, but not limited to; communicate with you about your enquiry or use of the Site, services, or functionality; respond to, or follow up on, your comments and questions, and otherwise provide customer service; communicate with you about special events and other marketing communications; operate and improve the Site, services, and functionality; process and provide events to attend, if applicable; tailor your experience on the Site, including search results and displaying relevant promotions; link or combine with other information we get from third parties to help understand your needs and provide you with better service; perform statistical analysis; protect, investigate, and deter against fraudulent, unauthorised, or illegal activity; comply with our policies ,procedures and legal obligations; and as otherwise consented to by you and as required or permitted by applicable law.

If you do not provide us with certain of your information, we may not be able to fulfill the requested Purpose of collection, such as to respond to your queries or provide the Site to you.

Combined Information. We may combine your personal information with device information and location information (with your consent, where required) to serve you specifically, such as to deliver a service to you according to your preferences or restrictions, or for advertising or advertising targeting purposes. When we combine personal information, device information and location information in this way, we treat it as, and apply all of the safeguards in this Policy applicable to, your information.

Electronic Communications. Consistent with the above Purposes, we may communicate with you via electronic messages, including email, text message, or mobile push notification to, for example: send you information relating to our school, including event reservation and waitlist confirmations and updates, receipts, technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support and administrative messages; and/or, subject to the Your Choices section, below, and/or applicable law, communicate with you about events, offers, promotions, upcoming events, and other news about services offered by Francis Holland School.

Retention. We will retain your information for the period necessary to fulfil the Purposes outlined in this Policy and as otherwise needed to comply with applicable law and internal company policies.

III. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not share your information with third parties other than as described above and as follows:

We may disclose your information to regulatory authorities, courts, government agencies and other third parties where we believe that doing so would be in accordance with or permitted or required by any applicable law, regulation or legal process, to defend the interests, rights, and/or property of Francis Holland School or others, or to respond to emergencies.

We may otherwise share your information as directed by you or subject to your consent.

Information You Share Socially. The Site may allow you to connect and share your actions, comments, content, and information publicly or with friends. The Site may also allow you to connect with us on, share on, and use third-party platforms, including those on which Francis Holland School has a presence. Please be mindful of your personal privacy needs and the privacy needs of others as you choose whom to connect with and what to share and make public. We cannot control the privacy or security of information you choose to make public or share with others. Francis Holland School also does not control the privacy practices of third-party platforms. Please contact those sites and services directly to learn about their privacy practices.

IV. SECURITY OF YOUR INFORMATION

Francis Holland School takes commercially-reasonable technical, administrative, and physical security measures designed to protect your information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.

If credit or debit card account information is being transmitted to the Site or through the Site, it will be protected by cryptographic protocols. To be clear, Francis Holland School website does not itself store your credit or debit card account information, and we do not have direct control over or responsibility for your credit or debit card account information. We use third party payment processors that are the controllers of your credit card information. Our contracts with third parties that receive your credit or debit card account information require them to keep it secure and confidential.

Nonetheless, we cannot guarantee that transmissions of your credit or debit card account information or your other information will always be secure or that unauthorised third parties will never be able to defeat the security measures taken by Francis Holland School or our third-party service providers. Except to the extent that liability cannot be excluded or limited due to applicable law, we assume no liability or responsibility for disclosure of your information due to errors in transmission, unauthorised third-party access, or other causes beyond our control. You play an important role in keeping your information secure. You should not share your user name, password, or other security information for your Francis Holland School account with anyone. If we receive instructions using your user name and password, we will consider that you have authorised the instructions.

How we secure your data. Information system and data security is imperative to us to ensure that we are keeping our clients and subscribers happy.

We operate a robust and thorough process for assessing, managing and protecting new and existing systems which ensures that they are up to date and secure against the ever changing threat landscape.

When you trust us with your data we will always keep your information secure to maintain your confidentiality. By utilising strong encryption when your information is stored or in transit we minimise the risk of unauthorised access or disclosure; when entering information on the Site, you can check this by right clicking on the padlock icon in the address bar.

Storage of information. The Francis Holland School hosting operations are based in the UK and we store most of our data within the European Union (EU). Some organisations which provide services to us may transfer data outside the European Economic Area but we’ll only allow this if your data is adequately protected. Some of our social media channels are provided by US companies and whilst it is our policy that we prefer data hosting and processing to remain on EU-based solutions, it may be that using their products results in data transfer to the USA. However we only allow this when we certain it will be adequately protected. (e.g. US Privacy Shield or Standard EU contractual clauses).

V. COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user’s experience more efficient.

We collect information about your usage and activity on the Site using certain technologies, such as cookies, web beacons, and other technologies. We and our third-party service providers, and/or partners may also place web beacons for measuring sales and marketing campaigns.

The use of these technologies by such third parties is subject to their own privacy policies and is not covered by this Policy, except as required by law.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. Your consent applies to the Sites.

VI. YOUR CHOICES

Email. If you do not want to receive marketing and promotional emails from Francis Holland School, you may click on the “unsubscribe” link in the email to unsubscribe and opt-out of marketing email communications. Alternatively, to the extent that applicable law requires your prior opt-in consent to receive marketing and promotional emails, you can choose not to opt-in. Please note that even if you opt-out of receiving marketing communications from the Site, we may need to send you service-related communications, such as confirmations of any future reservations to our events.

VII. YOUR RIGHTS

You have the right to request:

  • Access to the personal data we hold about you, free of charge in most cases.
  • The correction of your personal data when incorrect, out of date or incomplete.
  • That we stop using your personal data for direct marketing (either through specific channels, or all channels).
  • That we stop any consent-based processing of your personal data after you withdraw that consent.
  • You can Contact Us to request to exercise these rights at any time, below.

If we choose not to action your request we will explain to you the reasons for our refusal.

Your right to withdraw consent. Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent.

Where we rely on our legitimate interest. In cases where we are processing your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop for reasons connected to your individual situation. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data.

Direct marketing. You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must always comply with your request.

Keeping your information. We will only use and store your information for as long as it is required for the purposes it was collected for. How long it will be stored for depends on the information in question, what it is being used for and, sometimes, statutory legal requirements.

VIII. LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

The Site may contain links to other websites or services that are not owned or controlled by Francis Holland School. This Policy only applies to information collected by the Site. We have no control over these third party websites, and your use of third party websites and features are subject to privacy policies posted on those websites. We are not responsible or liable for the privacy or business practices of any third party websites linked to the Site. Your use of third parties’ websites linked to the Site is at your own risk, so we encourage you to read the privacy policies of any linked third party websites when you leave one of the Site.

IX. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

Except to the extent limited by applicable law, we reserve the right to update this Policy to reflect changes to our information practices by prominently posting notice of the update on the Site, and as required, obtaining your consent. Any updates will become effective immediately after posting the updates to this Policy and apply to all information collected about you, or where required, upon your consent. You agree that you will review this Policy periodically. If we make any changes to this Policy, we will change the “Last Updated” date at the top. You are free to decide whether or not to accept a modified version of this Policy, but accepting this Policy, as modified, is required for you to continue using the Site. If you do not agree to the terms of this Policy or any modified version of this Policy, your sole recourse is to terminate your use of the Site.

If we make any changes to this Policy that materially impacts previously collected information about you, we will obtain your prior express consent.

X. CONTACT US

If you have any questions about this Policy or information we have collected about you, please Contact Us. We will aim to respond to all queries within 30 days.

What to do if you’re not happy. In the first instance, please talk to us directly so we can resolve any problem or query. You also have the right to contact the Information Commissions Office (ICO) if you have any questions about Data Protection. You can contact them using their help line 0303 123 113 or at www.ico.org.uk.

28th March 2025

Head Lice

Head lice and nits are very common in children and their families. They are not caused by dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact. We would be grateful if you could regularly check your daughter’s hair and treat any lice as necessary in order to prevent further spread in school. Please refer to this advice Head lice and nits – NHS

The Medical Team

Fencing Bronze Medal

Well-done to Luna in Year 8 for achieving the Bronze Medal for Fencing at the Qualifiers for British Nationals!

The PE Department

Policy Updates

We have reviewed the Personal, Social, and Health Education (Wellbeing lessons) and Relationships and Sex Education policies and would like to invite your contribution. If you would like to comment on any aspect of these policies, please contact Polly Martin, Head of Wellbeing, by emailing polly.martin@fhs-sw1.org.uk with the subject heading ‘PSHE/RSE’ by ​12th April 2025.
Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Deputy Head Pastoral

21st March 2025

Prizegiving Cups

Please could any students with prizegiving cups hand them in to the front office as soon as possible. Thank you very much!

Operations Team

Safeguarding

‘Sextortion’ is a type of online blackmail. It involves people being forced into paying money or meeting another financial demand, after someone has threatened to release nude or semi-nude photos of them. This could be a real photo taken by the victim, or a fake image created of them by the offender. Unfortunately, the prevalence of this type of crime is on the rise, and the rise has been especially significant since the pandemic. Often, the victims are children and young people and those with additional vulnerabilities.

I attended an interesting webinar this week about this after a warning was issued by the National Crime Agency (NCA) due to the increase in cases.

The main message to get across to you as parents/carers, is to remain vigilant in your monitoring of your child’s devices and to have non-judgemental, open and honest conversations with your child. There is a lot of information out there about this topic and other issues around online safety. In the webinar, the following resources and websites were recommended:

Home Page – The Online Safety Centre

About Us & Our Work – Internet Watch Foundation

CEOP Safety Centre

Report Remove | Childline

TALK Checklist by Internet Watch Foundation | Home

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the safeguarding team

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer

Key Stage 3 Shakespeare

Tis Shakespeare season (although surely every season is Shakespeare season?).  ‘When daffodils begin to peer,/With heigh! The doxy, over the dale,/ Why, then comes in‘ an email from Ms Shevah with wonderful extensions to your daughters’ Shakespeare learning. The resources, walks and videos are optional, but if you would like to support your daughters with discussions, writing tasks and trips, some additional resources and short videos are here: KS 3 Shakespeare Extensions

Ms Emma Shevah | Head of Literacy and Communication| Teacher of English| Second in EPQ| Writer in Residence

Taekwondo Achievement

Tanisha in Year 7 has recently attained her 2nd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo – well done Tanisha, fantastic work!

The PE Department

Explorer Scout Space Badge

Sydney in Year 11 took part in the National Explorer Explorer Badge launch during National Science Week in which Sydney took part in activities to support her attainment of the new Space Badge, and became one of the first in the country to achieve this badge!

Miss Lucinda James | Head of Year 11

Illness

There continues to be a high incidence of norovirus and seasonal illnesses nationally. Please refer to Is my child too ill for school? – NHS. For cases of diarrhoea and vomiting, please keep your child home for at least 48 hours. We are keen to protect our school community from the spread of illness and value your support.

The Medical Team

Illness

There continues to be a high incidence of norovirus and seasonal illnesses nationally. Please refer to Is my child too ill for school? – NHS. For cases of diarrhoea and vomiting, please keep your child home for at least 48 hours. We are keen to protect our school community from the spread of illness and value your support.

The Medical Team

 

A-Level Physics

It was a comment from a government commissioner that girls shun physics A level because they dislike “hard maths” that led to the setting up of this Physics Symposium at FHS RP. Nationally, Physics has one of the worst gender-biases when it comes to uptake at A level, which is why we are particularly proud of our Physics cohort each year. When Physics is not being chosen by girls, it closes doors to exciting careers in physics and engineering for generations of young women.

The symposiums aim is to bring together year 12 students studying A level students from different schools in the community to support and motivate each other and help to break the outdated stereotype. The day consisted of helpful revision sessions and problem-solving exercises followed by female representatives from Imperial College and Kings College describing their experiences as a woman in Physics. There was a fascinating talk on nuclear fusion and an holographic activity. A panel discussion closed the day allowing the students to ask many in-depth questions about life as a female Physicist. The day was both important and empowering and the girls came away with a spring in their step.

Dr Nigel Upcott | Head of Physics

 

Parent Seminar: Parenting in the Digital World – Monday 3rd March

For those of you who didn’t catch the seminar on Monday, please click here to watch the recording.  Parenting in the Digital Age Recorded Workshop for Francis Holland

Jenny Eastwood and her team have also provided some helpful resources regarding smartphones and parenting in the digital age.

There is the website Common Sense Media – to check out any apps or content your child is keen to have access to. If you’d like a framework for setting out rules that you can sign with your children across many different digital devices, take a look at the Family Online Safety Institute – FOSI and download their tool kit www.fosi.org.

If you want to buy your child a safer smartphone (suitable ages 9-14), take a look at Pinwheel https://www.pinwheel.com/or check out Fusion XI which launches in May HMD Safe Smartphone

If you want to watch the Channel 4 programme I mentioned: Swiped, The School that Banned Smartphones – to see the impact of a 21 day digital detox on 12 year olds’ brains, sleep, wellbeing, and alertness and cognitive ability in lessons, here’s the link (you need to create a Channel 4 account which just takes a couple of minutes)

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/swiped-the-school-that-banned-smartphones

Lastly, there is some interesting information and clips you can watch on Harvard’s Centre for Digital Thriving: https://digitalthriving.gse.harvard.edu/

If you combine safe technology with discussion, rules (agreed jointly with your child) supervision (which includes empathy, support and appropriate modelling), then your child will build good digital habits that will stand them in good stead for life.

If you have any questions (about any parenting topic, not just digital), or would like to arrange a free 30-minute call, please get in touch at hello@theparent.team

Follow us on instagram @theparentteam – and we’d be delighted if you’d like to join us for our Express Parenting Course at lunchtimes (12.30pm) on Wednesday 4th, 11th, 18th June by clicking here: Express-Positive-Parenting-Course-Summer

The Pastoral Team

 

Music Festival Sign Up

This week, your child has received information about signing up for our annual music event, the Fanny Davies Music Festival.

All students are invited, and this is an excellent opportunity to perform a solo in any instrument (including voice) and/or in ensembles with friends. This is a large event with hundreds of performers, and we hope that your child will join the largest internal FHS music event of the year!

While the deadline for entries is today Friday (7th March), please do encourage your child to submit a late entry if necessary. We would rather they sign up late, than not at all!

Please do encourage your children to take part in this great event and if you have any questions, please do contact me (elliot.mercer@fhs-sw1.org.uk).

Mr Elliot Mercer | Head of Co-Curricular Music

Ramadan

On our return from half term, Ms Hameed and pupils from our Muslim Society will lead assemblies exploring Ramadan, which begins on 28th February. The school must be made aware of any pupils planning to fast during Ramadan to ensure we best support them during this period. If your daughter plans to fast during during Ramadan, please complete this consent form.

Revd. Lucinda van der Hart | School Chaplain

Birthdays

After much reflection, as a pastoral team we have decided that we will no longer allow girls to bring in edible sweet treats for their birthday. Of course, we want the girls to celebrate birthdays and to have a good time, but the birthday treats are causing social tension and general upset across different year groups. We also want to avoid any issues with allergies. Thank you in advance for your corporation and support with this.

The Pastoral Team

Head Lice

Head lice and nits are very common in children and their families. They are not caused by dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact. We would be grateful if you could regularly check your daughter’s hair and treat any lice as necessary in order to prevent further spread in school. Please refer to this advice Head lice and nits – NHS

The Medical Team

Pastoral

You may know already if you have an interest in this area, but this week has been ‘Eating Disorders Awareness Week’.  Whilst this has not been spoken about specifically in school, the nationwide aim for this particular year has been to raise awareness of eating disorders and that they can affect anyone at any time of their lives.
Please take some time to watch this short video from ‘BEAT’, the eating disorders charity:
Further resources from BEAT can be found on their website.
If you have concerns around your daughter(s) or if we have concerns about your daughter and have let you know, then it is always best as a first step to take them to their GP to be checked over.
Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer and Pastoral Care Lead
Biology Olympiad

The Biology Olympiad is a prestigious international competition open to pupils in Year 12 and Year 13. It aims to challenge and stimulate, requiring applicants to apply their understanding of biology to new and novel situations.  

Two Year 12 pupils have achieved great success with Caroline being awarded a Silver Certificate, placing her in the top 10% of all 18,533 applicants and Emma achieving a Gold Certificate, placing her in the top 5%. Emma has now been invited to take part in a further competition designed to select the team who will represent the UK in the International Biology Olympiad in the Philippines from 20th to 27th of July. Many congratulations to both pupils and to all who took part.

Ms Rebecca Norman | Head of Science

Ramadan

On our return from half term, Ms Hameed and pupils from our Muslim Society will lead assemblies exploring Ramadan, which begins on 28th February. The school must be made aware of any pupils planning to fast during Ramadan to ensure we best support them during this period. If your daughter plans to fast during during Ramadan, please complete this consent form.

Revd. Lucinda van der Hart | School Chaplain

Birthdays

After much reflection, as a pastoral team we have decided that we will no longer allow girls to bring in edible sweet treats for their birthday. Of course, we want the girls to celebrate birthdays and to have a good time, but the birthday treats are causing social tension and general upset across different year groups. We also want to avoid any issues with allergies. Thank you in advance for your corporation and support with this.

The Pastoral Team

Parent Seminar

Parenting in the Digital Age      Monday 3rd March 18:00

The Parent Team have been teaching positive parenting skills for 14 years, this seminar offers practical solutions and strategies about parenting in the digital age.  Click on the link above sign-up and to find out more about the one-hour workshop.

The Pastoral Team

Teen Behaviour

Have you been struggling with the behaviour of your teen? Would you like some support with this?

The following short course may be helpful – The Parent’s Companion – Three Steps to Parenting Peace

Please see the information from the booking site:

“In this four-week programme, we will equip you with the tools to strengthen your bond with your children, from finding self-compassion to connecting before correcting, enabling you to set loving, empathic boundaries without any of the drama. We’ll explore practical strategies in a friendly and supportive environment. This course is delivered live via Zoom with 8 other parents over 4 weeks and also includes parenting support via WhatsApp and email for 6 months afterwards, including a reunion catch-up 6 weeks after the course ends”

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer and Pastoral Lead

Fabulous Fencing

I am delighted to share that Anais won the British Youth South Regional Fencing Championships on Saturday 8th February 2025. This fantastic first place result means that Anais will qualify for the National Championships in May later this year. Anais competes as part of the ZWF team in Hampstead. Since joining the team earlier this academic year, her fencing has significantly improved, and this result is a testament to all her hard work and dedication to the sport.

We wish her all the best in the upcoming National Finals and look forward to celebrating all her future successes!

Miss Lily Brown | Head of Year 10

Schoolblazer Sale

Schoolblazer will be running a sale from 10th – 14th February 2025.

There will be up to 1/3rd off selected items online at schoolblazer.com during the sale period, while stocks last and on in-stock items only.

Schoolblazer | Quality, Innovation and Service. Guaranteed.

Schoolblazer

Clothes Swaps

Please donate pre-loved clothes to our 2 Big Clothes Swaps next week! Clothes should be given to the form Eco Reps from Monday, in time for the Swaps (at lunchtime) on:

  • Thursday (Sixth Form) and
  • Friday (Years 7-11):

Mr Andrew Macdonald-Brown | Sustainability Coordinator

‘Time to Talk Day’

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know about ‘Time to Talk Day’.  It is an annual awareness day held at the beginning of February. It’s a day for us all to start a conversation about mental health. Talking about mental health isn’t easy. But a conversation has the power to change lives.  Please see the below link if you are interested.

Time to Talk Day – Mind – Mind

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Pastoral Care Lead and Safeguarding Officer

Online Safety

Continuing on from my regular updates regarding this area, this week some year groups have been discussing ‘Safer Internet Day’.  This is officially on Tuesday 11th February, but year groups have been marking it this week and other year groups will be ‘celebrating’ it in the coming weeks.  It has also been ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’ this week with many themes around mental health, linked to children’s use of social media.

Safer Internet Day is held every February in over 170 different countries. The goal of Safer Internet Day is to call on people across the world to work together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, but especially for young people. In the UK, the UK Safer Internet Centre runs a campaign especially for the day which aims to start a national conversation about using technology safely and positively. Last year over half of children and young people in the UK heard about the campaign, but it also involves government, charities, police forces and tech companies including social media and gaming platforms. The theme of this years’ Safer Internet Day is ‘Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online’.

lease do take some time to talk about these very relevant events with your children.

Safer Internet Day 2025 – UK Safer Internet Centre

Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week – Official site

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Pastoral Care Lead and Safeguarding Officer

Nutrition and helping girls develop a healthy relationship with food

Isa Robinson, registered nutritionist (RNutr), Nutritional Therapist (mBANT) and certified Intuitive eating counsellor, led a fascinating presentation for parents on Wednesday evening. If you would be interested in viewing this talk, the recording is available here for a month.

She examines the context for the alarming rise in body image disturbances and eating concerns while exploring the difference between eating disorders and disordered eating, including how to sport the early warning signs and what to do. Isa shared practical tips for the family, as well as advice on how to navigate challenging situations that may arise. The overall aim being to help parents feel more empowered and equipped to support their daughters in fostering a “healthy” relationship with food and body image.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

24th January 2025

Skirts

Further to my letter before Christmas, many thanks to all parents who have ensured their daughter started this term in an appropriate, knee length skirt.

This term we will be talking to all the girls in Years 7-10 whose skirt is not long enough and asking parents to purchase a skirt of a appropriate length according to our uniform requirements.

If any parent has difficulty providing their daughter with a knee-length skirt, please contact Claire.Wood@fhs-sw1.org.uk with the details under the subject heading “Skirt”.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Attendance

It is now possible to view your daughter’s Attendance data by logging onto My School Portal. We hope this feature will prove useful for you to monitor your daughter’s attendance. There is a correlation between attendance of 95% and over with children attaining good grades in exams as it is challenging for pupils to keep up with their learning if they miss too many lessons. It also benefits children socially and improves their wellbeing to attend school every day.

Please see these links for further information about school attendance:

Back to school week – Everything you need to know about school attendance – The Education Hub

Is my child too ill for school? – NHS

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Online Safety

I attended an excellent webinar on ‘Online Sexual Abuse and Harms’ this week delivered by London Grid for Learning (LGFL).  It was extremely informative and some useful sources of information for parents/carers, professionals and pupils was shared.  I will be sharing some of this with the girls on Teams in the coming weeks and will also add documents to ‘My School Portal’.  However, in the meantime, I would like to encourage you to check out a couple of websites.

1.Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families | Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is a non-profit organisation that provides trusted, independent guidance on media, tech, and learning for families and educators. They offer a large library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for everything children may want to watch, play, read, and learn

2.Parent Safe lgfl

A fantastic parent safeguarding resource hub where you can find advice, support and resources to help you and your children navigate the online world and beyond.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer & Pastoral Care Lead

Advice from the Police

We were delighted to welcome PC Kamara-Johnson and PC Panton in Year 7 and 8 Assembly this week who talked to our pupils about personal safety and avoiding being a victim of robbery. Our pupils learned that most of these crimes are opportunistic and so it is a good idea to put mobile phones and valuables in bags out of sight on the way to and from school. It is also important to be aware of our surroundings rather than have noise-cancelling headphones on and to walk on the side of the road facing traffic. The officers asked us to share the following helpful links with our whole school community:

In case of emergency, always contact 999. If it’s not an emergency situation, you can report a crime to 101 Contact us | Metropolitan Police

If you would prefer to report a crime anonymously, you can contact: Give information about crime 100% anonymously | Fearless | Crimestoppers

Support is available for victims of crime via victimsupport.org.uk

Please register your mobile phone or any other valuables for FREE. It helps police to identify the owners of recovered property: The National Property Register, for Phones, Gadgets, Bicycles & More…

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Safely dropping pupils to school

There was an accident outside school last week wherein a cyclist rode into the open door of a car that had stopped in the middle of the road to drop off a FHS pupil. If you drive your daughter to school, please find a space to pull over safely so that your daughter can exit the car onto the pavement.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

A Level Tempest Trip

On Tuesday, 21st January, the UVI and LVI English students attended a performance of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ at the Royal Theatre Drury Lane. Starring Sigourney Weaver, the production modernised Shakespeare’s classic tragicomedy through its inventive representation of magic and effective use of music. This was the perfect and unique opportunity for Year 12 and 13 pupils to watch one of their A level set texts come to life.

Miss Cecilia Chan | Teacher of English

Parent Prayer Breakfast

This coming Monday we will hold our termly Breakfast meeting for parents and staff to come together to pray for the school. This is an informal and relaxed prayer Christian prayer meeting; parents are warmly invited to attend, whether or not they have been in the past.

Revd. Lucinda van der Hart | School Chaplain

Attendance

It is now possible to view your daughter’s Attendance data by logging onto My School Portal. We hope this feature will prove useful for you to monitor your daughter’s attendance. There is a correlation between attendance of 95% and over with children attaining good grades in exams as it is challenging for pupils to keep up with their learning if they miss too many lessons. It also benefits children socially and improves their wellbeing to attend school every day.

Please see these links for further information about school attendance:

Back to school week – Everything you need to know about school attendance – The Education Hub

Is my child too ill for school? – NHS

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Online Safety

I attended an excellent webinar on ‘Online Sexual Abuse and Harms’ this week delivered by London Grid for Learning (LGFL).  It was extremely informative and some useful sources of information for parents/carers, professionals and pupils was shared.  I will be sharing some of this with the girls on Teams in the coming weeks and will also add documents to ‘My School Portal’.  However, in the meantime, I would like to encourage you to check out a couple of websites.

1.Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families | Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is a non-profit organisation that provides trusted, independent guidance on media, tech, and learning for families and educators. They offer a large library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for everything children may want to watch, play, read, and learn

2.Parent Safe lgfl

A fantastic parent safeguarding resource hub where you can find advice, support and resources to help you and your children navigate the online world and beyond.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer & Pastoral Care Lead

Advice from the Police

We were delighted to welcome PC Kamara-Johnson and PC Panton in Year 7 and 8 Assembly this week who talked to our pupils about personal safety and avoiding being a victim of robbery. Our pupils learned that most of these crimes are opportunistic and so it is a good idea to put mobile phones and valuables in bags out of sight on the way to and from school. It is also important to be aware of our surroundings rather than have noise-cancelling headphones on and to walk on the side of the road facing traffic. The officers asked us to share the following helpful links with our whole school community:

In case of emergency, always contact 999. If it’s not an emergency situation, you can report a crime to 101 Contact us | Metropolitan Police

If you would prefer to report a crime anonymously, you can contact: Give information about crime 100% anonymously | Fearless | Crimestoppers

Support is available for victims of crime via victimsupport.org.uk

Please register your mobile phone or any other valuables for FREE. It helps police to identify the owners of recovered property: The National Property Register, for Phones, Gadgets, Bicycles & More…

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Safely dropping pupils to school

There was an accident outside school last week wherein a cyclist rode into the open door of a car that had stopped in the middle of the road to drop off a FHS pupil. If you drive your daughter to school, please find a space to pull over safely so that your daughter can exit the car onto the pavement.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

A Level Tempest Trip

On Tuesday, 21st January, the UVI and LVI English students attended a performance of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ at the Royal Theatre Drury Lane. Starring Sigourney Weaver, the production modernised Shakespeare’s classic tragicomedy through its inventive representation of magic and effective use of music. This was the perfect and unique opportunity for Year 12 and 13 pupils to watch one of their A level set texts come to life.

Miss Cecilia Chan | Teacher of English

Parent Prayer Breakfast

This coming Monday we will hold our termly Breakfast meeting for parents and staff to come together to pray for the school. This is an informal and relaxed prayer Christian prayer meeting; parents are warmly invited to attend, whether or not they have been in the past.

Revd. Lucinda van der Hart | School Chaplain

Week Ahead

A small reminder that we now post a Year-Group specific “Week Ahead” on My School Portal in the “School Communications” section. Please use this as a source of information on what to expect for the coming week for your daughters.

The Pastoral Team

ACET parent talk on Relationships and Sex Education at FHS, 9th January 2025 recording

Thank you to all the parents who attended this webinar yesterday and for the many excellent questions. Please find the recording here for those who couldn’t make it. The website Paul refers to is www.acet-uk.com | Home.

Our next webinar is next Wednesday, 15th January, 6pm start with Andrew Hampton, creator of Girls on Board and author of When Girls Fall Out. Andrew will give a 40 minute talk about how parents can best support their daughters through times of friendship turbulence. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. Andrew was a Headteacher for 18 years and co-authored his book with his two daughters, Naomi and Holly.

Please be aware I open the room earlier to ensure there are no technical difficulties so that we can start promptly at 6pm.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Week Ahead

A small reminder that we now post a Year-Group specific “Week Ahead” on My School Portal in the “School Communications” section. Please use this as a source of information on what to expect for the coming week for your daughters.

The Pastoral Team

Parent Talk on Nutrition: save the date!

Wednesday 29th January 6-7pm

We have booked in Isa Robinson to deliver a talk on nutrition for FHS parents. Isa runs workshops for our pupils and is a registered nutritionist (RNutr), Nutritional Therapist (mBANT) and certified Intuitive eating counsellor. She runs the virtual private practice Isa Robinson Nutrition, a team of registered nutritionists and dietitians specialising in weight inclusive approaches to eating disorder recovery, disordered eating, intuitive eating and healing from chronic dieting. Alongside this, Isa has worked in several of London’s leading mental health clinics alongside teams of psychologists and psychiatrists. Isa firmly believes that the way we think and feel about food is just as important as what we put on our plates and that all foods can fit into a “healthy” and balanced diet. Isa completed her masters in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition at UCL, obtaining a distinction and has gone on to undertake reputable training in body image, intuitive eating and nutritional psychiatry. Her research on the impacts of Eating disorders on caregivers was published in the European Eating Disorders Review in 2020. Alongside her clinical work, Isa is passionate about working with teens to educate on nutrition misinformation, media literacy and body image. Isa has partnered with the Girl’s school association, teen tips and dozen independent schools speaking with staff, parents and teens as part of a whole school approach to eating disorder prevention and to support young people foster a healthy relationship with food and body image.

Parent testimonials:

“It struck a very good tone, and was very matter of fact, instead of being overly patronising.”

“It was a calm approach to a sensitive subject and helpful to have some guidance on navigating these issues.”

“I learned that I was doing a few things that had the potential to backfire. It was nice not to feel accused, but to have the opportunity to change course. ”

“One of my daughter’s developed severe anorexia including an inpatient admission. There is nothing more terrifying as a parent. I wish every school would have Isa to speak, we must start taking this more seriously, especially for our young people.”

“Good to have some context and interesting to understand the nuance when it comes to spotting the signs”.

“The talk was excellent with so many helpful tips about language around young people. Really helpful as a parents, teacher and pastoral lead”.

“I like the presentations thoroughness. It was really helpful with theory and lots of actionable things. I wish I could have listened for another hour. I learned that I don’t have to be perfect to be able to help my daughter and listening is really important. Just a huge thank you.”

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Carol Service Dismissal

Following the afternoon Carol Service, all pupils will be dismissed from St Columba’s Church, Pont Street, SW1X OBD at 4pm.

If you would rather your daughter was dismissed from school, so she can make her usual way home, please could you fill out the form using the link below.  https://forms.office.com/e/p29zpyPFeV

Mrs Rachel Floyd | Deputy Head of Operations and Co-Curricular

Week Ahead

A small reminder that we now post a Year-Group specific “Week Ahead” on My School Portal in the “School Communications” section. Please use this as a source of information on what to expect for the coming week for your daughters.

The Pastoral Team

Breakfast

Further to my note last week regarding the importance of breakfast, please find linked this handy resource The Importance of Breakfast | Tooled Up Education from ‘Tooled Up’ to help in discussions with your daughter. Tooled up is a very helpful resource for parents and teachers alike to help us support children of all ages and all FHS parents are members. Please see here for a guide on how to sign up if you haven’t accessed the resources yet.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Snus

Please be alert to nicotine pouches as their popularity seems to be growing with teenagers. They are being heavily promoted via social media, are very addictive and we know teenagers are particularly vulnerable to being influenced and then developing a dependency. The following resources are helpful to learn more:

Nicotine Pouches and Snus: Facts to Know | Tooled Up Education

Talking to Teens about Nicotine Pouches (‘White Snus’) | Tooled Up Education

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Online Safety Updates & Latest Research

Ofcom has just published its annual report looking at the online behaviours and habits of children and adults in the UK and how they are served by online content providers and platforms. Much of the data is drawn from Ofcom’s Online Experiences Tracker and Ipsos iris.

Findings showed the following: older children were more concerned than younger ones about the time they spent online; one in five 8- to 15-year-olds have a user age of at least 18 on a social media platform. Teenage boys were more likely to encounter content showing dangerous stunts, while girls were more likely to encounter potential harms relating to body image.

From next month, tech firms will have to start acting, under new online safety laws, to protect adults and children online – starting with tackling the most harmful, illegal content. Specific guidance for services on how we expect them to make online life safer for women and girls, and new Codes of Practice to protect children, will swiftly follow in the first half of 2025.

Further to my information in last week’s bulletin, here is a reminder of the priorities that have been set out for the online safety regulator, Ofcom, as it prepares to implement and enforce the laws outlined in the Online Safety Act next year:

  1. Safety by design: Embed safety by design to deliver safe online experiences for all users but especially children, tackle violence against women and girls, and work towards ensuring that there are no safe havens for illegal content and activity, including fraud, child sexual exploitation and abuse, and illegal disinformation.
  2. Transparency and accountability: Ensure industry transparency and accountability from platforms to deliver online safety outcomes, promoting increased trust and expanding the evidence-base to provide safer experiences for users.
  3. Agile regulation: Deliver an agile approach to regulation, ensuring the framework is robust in monitoring and tackling emerging harms – such as AI generated content.
  4. Inclusivity and resilience: Create an inclusive, informed and vibrant digital world which is resilient to potential harms, including disinformation.
  5. Technology and innovation: Foster the innovation of online safety technologies to improve the safety of users and drive growth.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan I  Pastoral Care Lead and Safeguarding Officer

A Level Theology and Philosophy trip

On Thursday 28 November Mrs Crawley and Miss Wigdahl took Theology and Philosophy Sixth Formers attended the ‘Masterclass A Level Philosophy, Ethics and Religion’ day at the London Baptist Church. Throughout the day, pupils were immersed in university-style lectures, designed to deepen their understanding and knowledge.  We started with a lecture by Julie Arliss on The Politics and Philosophy of the Embryo followed by a captivating session by Professor James Orr on the credibility of belief in God, Delusion or Insight?. Pupils were treated to an enlightening lecture on death and the afterlife by Professor Tom Greggs as well as the most notable Professor Daphne Hampson who spoke about how women are represented in Biblical literature and Christian traditions. Finally, pupils got the opportunity to take part in a open floor discussion on Natural Law: A Timeless Moral Compass or an Outdated Philosophical Concept?  The day was a wonderful insight into scholarship from preeminent philosophers and theologians which has served to broaden the girls’ perspectives and understanding of their A Level.

Miss Pandora Crawley | Head of Theology and Philosophy

Year 8 British Museum Trip

On Monday the Classics department took all of Year 8 to the British Museum to provide some background and further enrichment for their Latin curriculum, which focuses on the Roman occupation of Britannia.

One of our pupils, Verity, has this to say about the visit:

Our year 8 Latin trip to the British Museum was very fun, and a great learning experience. We started off by looking at the Pre-Roman Britain gallery, where we saw many different items the people from that time had made, from jewellery to pottery, it was great to learn about what Britain was like before the Romans had invaded. What I found cool in that gallery was some of the pots and bowls they had found were from Gaul, Italy, which shows they were already trading with the Romans at the time. Secondly, we saw the Roman Britain gallery, which was very fun to see the Vindolanda tablets! Finally, we made our way to a gallery our teacher had chosen – for me, we went to see the Parthenon gallery, and saw some incredible sculptures.

We hope all of Year 8 enjoyed seeing real life examples of what they’ve been studying in lessons!

Mr Sam Hayes | Head of Classics

DOUBLE YOUR DONATION!

Thanks to generous matchfunding from Francis Holland School families and The Childhood Trust, Battersea charity Katherine Low Settlement are aiming to raise £40,000 for an education and wellbeing programme for local refugee children.

https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002TPTTSAA5

Every donation made before noon on Tuesday 10 December will be matched, making double the impact on 450 disadvantaged families this Christmas. This means more:

*Homework clubs

*Youth clubs

*Family casework

*One-to-one mentoring

*Summer trips

*GCSE support

*Early Years guidance.

We are grateful for every gift.  Thank you.

The Katherine Low Settlement

The Art of Hope Foundation

Nathalie Bayat, along with a fellow former parent Carla Pozzo, is taking on an incredible challenge in 2025 by participating in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles – a nine-day, GPS-free rally in the Moroccan desert. Their goal is to raise funds for the Art of Hope Foundation, which supports the mental health and well-being of refugees, displaced children, and those affected by conflict. To learn more or lend your support, visit their fundraising page here. We wish them the very best in this inspiring endeavour!

The Development Team

Parent Talk on Nutrition: save the date!

Wednesday 29th January 6-7pm

We have booked in Isa Robinson to deliver a talk on nutrition for FHS parents. Isa runs workshops for our pupils and is a registered nutritionist (RNutr), Nutritional Therapist (mBANT) and certified Intuitive eating counsellor. She runs the virtual private practice Isa Robinson Nutrition, a team of registered nutritionists and dietitians specialising in weight inclusive approaches to eating disorder recovery, disordered eating, intuitive eating and healing from chronic dieting. Alongside this, Isa has worked in several of London’s leading mental health clinics alongside teams of psychologists and psychiatrists. Isa firmly believes that the way we think and feel about food is just as important as what we put on our plates and that all foods can fit into a “healthy” and balanced diet. Isa completed her masters in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition at UCL, obtaining a distinction and has gone on to undertake reputable training in body image, intuitive eating and nutritional psychiatry. Her research on the impacts of Eating disorders on caregivers was published in the European Eating Disorders Review in 2020. Alongside her clinical work, Isa is passionate about working with teens to educate on nutrition misinformation, media literacy and body image. Isa has partnered with the Girl’s school association, teen tips and dozen independent schools speaking with staff, parents and teens as part of a whole school approach to eating disorder prevention and to support young people foster a healthy relationship with food and body image.

Parent testimonials:

“It struck a very good tone, and was very matter of fact, instead of being overly patronising.”

“It was a calm approach to a sensitive subject and helpful to have some guidance on navigating these issues.”

“I learned that I was doing a few things that had the potential to backfire. It was nice not to feel accused, but to have the opportunity to change course. ”

“One of my daughter’s developed severe anorexia including an inpatient admission. There is nothing more terrifying as a parent. I wish every school would have Isa to speak, we must start taking this more seriously, especially for our young people.”

“Good to have some context and interesting to understand the nuance when it comes to spotting the signs”.

“The talk was excellent with so many helpful tips about language around young people. Really helpful as a parents, teacher and pastoral lead”.

“I like the presentations thoroughness. It was really helpful with theory and lots of actionable things. I wish I could have listened for another hour. I learned that I don’t have to be perfect to be able to help my daughter and listening is really important. Just a huge thank you.”

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Carol Service Dismissal

Following the afternoon Carol Service, all pupils will be dismissed from St Columba’s Church, Pont Street, SW1X OBD at 4pm.

If you would rather your daughter was dismissed from school, so she can make her usual way home, please could you fill out the form using the link below.  https://forms.office.com/e/p29zpyPFeV

Mrs Rachel Floyd | Deputy Head of Operations and Co-Curricular

Online Safety

Children’s use of social media continues to be a topic of almost daily discussion.  The Government’s Technology Secretary has set out his priorities for the online safety regulator, Ofcom, as it prepares to implement and enforce the laws set out in the Online Safety Act next year.  If you wish to look at further reading on this topic, I would suggest reading the following:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-online-safety-priorities-for-ofcom-and-launch-of-study-into-effects-of-social-media-on-children

At Francis Holland, themes around online safety are regularly explored.  As educators and as parents/carers it is important that we have open, empathetic, and respectful conversations around the advantages and disadvantages of access to the internet and social media.  Here are some helpful tips to use as a basis for your conversations:

  1. Discuss the importance of age limits and sticking to them
  2. Teach them how to tell if something is an ad (look for the word ‘ad’ or ‘sponsored’)
  3. Remind children and young people to avoid clicking on ads, no matter how enticing; they should talk to you first
  4. Teach children how to block and report videos and content
  5. Talk about their favourite influencers; ask them questions and do your research to check them out. The influencer could actually be a great role model.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Pastoral Care Lead and Safeguarding Officer

Netball Harrodian Tournaments

This week, all our netball squads represented FHS Sloane Square in the Harrodian tournaments, demonstrating their skills, teamwork, and dedication throughout the afternoon.

U12 Harrodian Netball Tournament

The U12A netball team represented FHS Sloane Square at the Harrodian Netball Tournament and performed brilliantly, finishing sixth out of fourteen schools, an incredible achievement. The team grew in confidence throughout the afternoon, securing wins against schools such as Kew House, Broomwood, FHS Regent’s Park, and Kingston Grammar School. Allegra was named Player of the Tournament for her outstanding shooting accuracy. A huge well done to the entire team for their fantastic effort and success!

U13 Harrodian Netball Tournament

What a fantastic afternoon of netball in the winter sun! The squad showed great determination and teamwork, playing competitive matches against Broomwood, FHS NW1, and Radnor. After finishing 3rd in their pool, they put up an impressive fight in the playoffs, narrowly losing by just 2 goals to Heath Mount. The team’s efforts earned them an impressive 6th place out of 14 teams—a result to be proud of! Congratulations to all the players for their hard work and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.

U18 Harrodian Netball Tournament

The U18A team showcased determination and skill at the Harrodian Netball Tournament, delivering a series of impressive performances. The team celebrated strong victories against St Paul’s Girls’ School and Ewell Castle, while closely contested draws with FHS Regent’s Park and St Benedict’s demonstrated their resilience and competitive edge.

In a tightly packed field of 16 teams, the squad secured an admirable 9th-place finish overall. This placement was cemented in a thrilling play-off match against Kingston Grammar School, where the team triumphed 5-4 thanks to a golden goal. A special congratulations to Grace, who was named Player of the Tournament for her outstanding shooting accuracy and her composure in securing the decisive golden goal during the play-off match. Well-done to the entire team for their hard work and effort throughout the tournament!

The PE Department

Girls on Board

There is a new video of the Girls on Board scheme as a PowerPoint plus audio which is really helpful to understand the Girls on Board approach https://vimeo.com/1027307233/78a65789fa Please also see the new Parent Guide to Girls on Board.

We have provisionally booked Andrew Hampton for a talk on Girls on Board for January but would like to know if this is something you would find useful or if you already have all the information you need from these resources. Please indicate on this survey if you would be interested in attending a talk or not by 5th December: Girls on Board Parent Guide

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Breakfast

An increasing number of pupils are coming to the medical room (some leaving lessons to do so) because they are feeling nauseous due to not having had breakfast. Your support in encouraging your daughter to eat before school would be much appreciated – even if this is a ‘grab and go’ style breakfast snack – something to fuel their body and brain is an essential start to a productive day.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Week Ahead

A small reminder that we now post a Year-Group specific “Week Ahead” on My School Portal in the “School Communications” section. Please use this as a source of information on what to expect for the coming week for your daughters.

The Pastoral Team

Online Safety

The NSPCC has released a startling figure that I would like to share with you related to ‘Online Grooming’.  Online grooming crimes have increased by 89% in the last 6 years.

If you wish to see the whole article, please click on this link.

This is an issue that our pupils could potentially be susceptible to, and I ask that you take some time to review your daughter’s online life.

Here are some signs that a child is being groomed:

  • Sudden changes in behaviour, such as spending more or less time online
  • Spending more time away or going missing from home or school
  • Being secretive about how they’re spending their time, including when using online devices
  • Having unexplained gifts, big or small
  • Misusing alcohol and/or drugs
  • Having a friendship or relationship with a much older person
  • Using sexual language you wouldn’t expect them to know
  • Seeming upset or withdrawn
  • Mental health problems

How should you react?

  • Your child needs to be able to trust you
  • Find out if anyone else knows and is worried
  • Encourage them to talk to you and tell them
  • Seek help from professionals if needed.  E.g. the Police, school staff etc

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Pastoral Care Lead and Safeguarding Officer

Invite to the 1881 Circle

If you’re not yet a member of The 1881 Circle, we warmly invite you to join this wonderful community of supporters who are shaping the future of FHS SSQ. By joining, you will also be warmly invited to our 1881 Circle Winter Reception at the University Women’s Club on Thursday, 28th November, at 6.30pm. This special evening is a chance to connect with fellow supporters and reflect on the incredible difference your contributions are making.

Tom Robertson | Development Director

U18 Highgate Netball Tournament

The U18A netball squad put in a fantastic performance at the Highgate Tournament, finishing 4th overall out of seven schools. The team secured strong wins against St Benedict’s, UCS, and Harrodian, showcasing their skill and determination throughout the afternoon. Despite the challenging, cold conditions, the squad adapted well and delivered some outstanding netball. Heidi was named Player of the Tournament for her exceptional defensive display, making a significant impact in every match. A brilliant effort from the entire team, I’m very proud of you all!

Miss Lottie James | Head of Senior School PE

Norovirus

The UK Health Security Agency has recently reported an increase in the number of cases of norovirus nationally. The main symptoms include a feeling of sickness, diarrhoea and vomiting although a headache, high temperature and aching limbs may also be associated. Please be alert to symptoms and keep your child at home for at least 48 hours after an episode of diarrhoea and vomiting. Norovirus can spread easily and we are keen to protect our school community. Please refer to this NHS advice Norovirus (vomiting bug) – NHS

The Medical Team

Home Study Day Friday 22nd November

Next Friday, 22nd November, our teaching staff will participate in a Joint Staff Development Day alongside our colleagues from Francis Holland Regent’s Park. This professional development day is a valuable time for all our staff to exchange ideas, refine their teaching strategies, and enhance the quality of education provided at our schools.

As a result of this day, please note that the school will be closed to all pupils on Friday, 22nd November. To ensure continuity in learning, teachers will assign independent study tasks that your daughters can complete at home.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school office.

Mrs Rachel Floyd | Deputy Head Operations

A Message for Year 7s

We are incredibly proud of all our Year 7 students for their outstanding presentations on religion in their families or communities. They have all demonstrated remarkable confidence, clarity, and creativity.

Three students were selected to present in a Year 7 assembly this week: Lavinia presented on Roman Catholicism, sharing her reflections on meeting the Pope and discussing Leonardo da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper and its significance in Christianity; Esha presented on Hinduism, explaining Diwali as a time of joy, light, and togetherness, where light triumphs over darkness and good over evil, and elaborating on the belief in one supreme God, noting that “Hinduism teaches us to respect each other”; and Ruby explored Judaism, covering Jewish holidays, foods, and how religion shapes daily life.

Well-done to all our Year 7s for their excellent efforts!

Miss Pandora Crawley | Head of Theology & Philosophy

The Week Ahead per Year Group

To improve timely communication we will capture helpful dates for the week ahead for each year group on MSP every Friday. This will include the details of the Wellbeing lesson for the following week.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Christmas holiday touch typing courses for 7 – 16s

Dulwich College, London SE21 7LD

Mon 16 – Thurs 19 December 2024; sessions run 10:00 – 12:15 pm daily.

Beginners, improvers and advanced typists are warmly welcome.  We mix formal technique with the latest app games for efficient and fun learning.  Typing proficiency makes a huge impact on academic attainment.

Cost per place: £176.00. 10% discount for siblings/ bring-a-friend/returners.

OFSTED registered – childcare vouchers accepted.  Duke of Edinburgh Award skills assessor.

Apply at www.typingscool.co.uk or contact sarah.holt@typingscool.co.uk

Mrs Rachel Floyd | Deputy Head of Operations and Co-Curricular

Coughs and Sneezes…

It is the time of year when we can inadvertently share germs. Please remind your daughter to cough or sneeze into a tissue which she then disposes of (or into her elbow if necessary!) to help our community to stay well this term.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Snapchat warning

As you know we are keen for our girls to have limited access to social media, if they have it at all, and only at the appropriate age/level of maturity. This short article reported by the BBC on Snapchat is worth read:

BBC News – Snapchat most-used app for grooming, says NSPCC

If you need any support with online safety, please don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing office@fhs-sw1.org.uk with the subject heading ‘online safety’.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway  | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

KLS Christmas Carol Concert – Tuesday 10th December.

Our charity partner KLS is hosting a spectacular Christmas Carol Concert on Tuesday 10th December at St Mary’s Church, Battersea to raise money for the KLS100 Building Campaign. Pupils from FHS and Thomas’s School Battersea will be performing as part of a mass choir. Early Bird tickets are available here.

Mr Will Galloway | Head of Outreach

Please see a reminder about the PE kit requirements as we enter into the winter months.

  • Top and Bottom Skins/Navy Leggings: These are required for arriving/leaving school, all lessons, trainings, and fixtures.
  • Tracksuit Bottoms: These can be worn over skins/leggings for warmth but must be removed for lessons—they don’t replace skins or leggings.
  • FHS Softshell Waterproof Jacket: This is mandatory for lessons!

Staying Warm: As it gets colder, additional navy thermals, head warmers, sport snoods and gloves are encouraged. Personal coats are not permitted for training and must be removed.

The PE Department

English Studies

This term, Year 7 will be studying Dickens’ perennial classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’, and many of our older girls studied it in previous years. To support your daughters’ learning (or just for fun), why not see the stage adaptation garnering very positive reviews at The Old Vic?

Equally, to support Sixth Formers’ learning, why not see ‘The Duchess (of Malfi)’ but reviews are not so stellar … even from our teachers.

Mrs Emma Shevah | Head of Literacy and Communication

A Message for Year 7 Parents

We are incredibly proud of our Year 7 students for settling in so well here at FHS. Transitioning to a new school is challenging, and it has been fantastic to see how organised, resilient, and enthusiastic they have been in adapting to their new environment. Now that they are more settled and comfortable with the routines and expectations at FHS, Year 7 can receive sanctions (which includes the possibility of receiving minors or detentions) when necessary. The sanctions are in place to help maintain a respectful and supportive learning environment where all students can succeed. We carefully consider sanctions prior to issuing them and take into account learning needs. Please refer to the rewards and sanctions section of the Year Ahead Booklet and our Behaviour and Sanctions policy for more details on this.

We encourage parents to discuss both rewards and sanctions with their children to support our shared goals for respect, learning, and personal growth.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Academic Ambassadors’ Essay Competition

Just before half-term we announced that we are running the first ever FHS Academic Ambassadors’ Essay Competition!

This is open to Years 7 to the Lower Sixth, and is a great opportunity for girls to stretch their academic horizons and explore an area in depth. We have devised lots of questions for students to choose from, ranging from the sciences to the humanities. The competition opened on 18 October and we will stop accepting submissions at 9am on Friday 21 November.

Competition questions and rules have already been emailed to everyone. We are looking for interest in the subject, originality, creativity, and solid focus on the question. Prizes will be awarded to the best submissions, with 1st Prize being a gift voucher.

We look forward to receiving your entries at academicambassadors@fhs-sw1.org.uk

Happy writing!

Miss Boon and the Academic Ambassadors

Poppies

With the Remembrance Day Ceremony upcoming, we ask that students please bring in £1 coins to donate and purchase a Poppy on Monday morning before the ceremony.

Miss Jaz | Office Manager

For Students with Musical Instruments:

As per the notices in the previous newsletters, thank you very much for ensuring that no instruments are left in school over half term. The Music Department will be reorganising the use of spaces and it is very important that no instruments are kept in school over this period. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Music Department (music@fhs-sw1.org.uk).

Mr Elliot Mercer | Head of Co-Curricular Music

Mathilde’s Speech

Mathilde in Year 11 gave a speech at this RBKC event, hosted by the Mayor, last night. She was speaking as one of the borough’s young volunteers and been volunteering at the Chelsea Library for the last year.

Mr Andrew Macdonald-Brown | Head of Enrichment

Natalie’s Swimming Achievements

Natalie did so well this weekend in her swimming competitions that she is currently ranked no 1 in the UK in both 50 free and 100 free events with new club records for 12 years old on short course of 27.42s and 1:00.34, respectively. Well-done Natalie!

For those who play Musical Instruments at FHS

In the Music Department, we are currently taking stock of our equipment and use of space. If your child brings a Musical Instrument into school, please could you ensure it is clearly named and kept in the Instrument Storage Cupboards (upstairs in the Music Department)? Thank you for ensuring that Musical Instruments are stored correctly in the Music Department.

Most instruments are regularly brought in for lessons, ensembles, and practice, and then regularly taken for home practice. If you wish to keep any of your own instruments at school for a prolonged period of time (for multiple days at a time, including over a weekend), please could you contact the Music Department (music@fhs-sw1.org.uk)?

We ask that all instruments are to be taken home during school holidays, unless otherwise agreed by a member of music staff. During October half term, we will be re-organising our instrumental storage cupboards and require all instruments to be brought home for this period.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do contact the Music Department (music@fhs-sw1.org.uk). Thank you for your continued support of your child’s musical endeavours and our goal of keeping the school neat and tidy!

Elliot Mercer | Head of Co-Curricular Music

Holy Trinity Evensong

Senior Chamber Choir (students from years 9-13) will be singing Choral Evensong at Holy Trinity this coming Sunday evening (6pm on Sunday 13 October).  Do come along if you are free and local – it will last no longer than 6.45pm, is a lovely service and drinks are served at the back of church afterwards! –  and the choir is in very good voice!

Miss Helen Vickery and the Music Department

Breakfast and Break Time

We are having an increasing number of girls seeking support because they’re hungry and haven’t had breakfast or don’t have a snack for break time. We know it’s so important for our daughters’ health and concentration to eat at breakfast, and a snack at break helps to bridge the gap until lunch time. Could you please discuss this topic with your daughter and help her plan her day to include breakfast if she’s not eating it at the moment and top up her Wisepay account (link on MSP) if her funds are short

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Deputy Head Pastoral

For those who play Musical Instruments at FHS

In the Music Department, we are currently taking stock of our equipment and use of space. If your child brings a Musical Instrument into school, please could you ensure it is clearly named and kept in the Instrument Storage Cupboards (upstairs in the Music Department)? Thank you for ensuring that Musical Instruments are stored correctly in the Music Department.

Most instruments are regularly brought in for lessons, ensembles, and practice, and then regularly taken for home practice. If you wish to keep any of your own instruments at school for a prolonged period of time (for multiple days at a time, including over a weekend), please could you contact the Music Department (music@fhs-sw1.org.uk)?

We ask that all instruments are to be taken home during school holidays, unless otherwise agreed by a member of music staff. During October half term, we will be re-organising our instrumental storage cupboards and require all instruments to be brought home for this period.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do contact the Music Department (music@fhs-sw1.org.uk). Thank you for your continued support of your child’s musical endeavours and our goal of keeping the school neat and tidy!

Elliot Mercer | Head of Co-Curricular Music

Sailing Superstar Victoria Steinhauser, Year 10

Victoria has been sailing outside of school for the past seven years, starting at Queen Mary’s Sailing Club in Ashford. In that time, she has completed all the RYA stages and advanced modules including club racing. More recently, she has completed the Assistant Sailing Instructor Qualification and has gained the Power Boat Level 2 Licence.

This summer, Victoria competed at St Mawes Junior Race week coming second in the advanced Laser 4.7 class. The race in Cornwall takes place on the open ocean with ranging conditions form sunny and flat water to rolling high waves, with winds from 30kts gusting to 35kts, a truly remarkable achievement.

Finally, alongside competing in Cornwall, Victoria worked for two weeks as an AI in St Mawes, teaching children with a range of ages and abilities. She is also teaching both adult and junior novice sailors at Queen Mary’s Sailing Club.

I am incredibly impressed by all these achievements and look forward to hearing about future successes on the water!

Miss Lily Brown | Head of Year 10

Year 8 Trip to Bhaktivedanta Manor

On Tuesday 1st October Year 8 visited Bhaktivedanta Manor in Herefordshire.  Pupils were treated to a full day of immersive learning at the Hare Krishna Centre.  The trip included a visit of the beautiful ‘George Harrison’ gardens, a nursery tour learning about ‘Japamala’ prayer beads, a tour of the famous Hare Krishna guru Srila Prabhupada shine and a trip to the compassionate farm where pupils were allowed to feed carrots to the cows.  Everyone enjoyed the much anticipated Oxon cart ride despite the rain which didn’t dampen the shouts of ‘giddyup’. In addition, everyone was treated to a lecture from one of the community, Alison, on the ‘Trimurti’ and concept of reincarnation and karma for Hindus. The girls then had a demonstration of how to wear a sari and could put one on before enjoying the Puja ceremony in the shrine with singing and chanting.  For lunch, the girls all joined together for a delicious vegetarian spread of matar paneer curry with chips and rice as well as puri bread.  Afterwards there was face painting and a trip to the shop which supports the Bhaktivedanta Manor community. It was a fantastic day out to immerse ourselves in Hinduism.

Miss Pandora Crawley | Head of Theology & Philosophy

Birthdays at FHS

There is no expectation that your daughter brings in anything to celebrate her birthday- it is after all her special day!

If she is determined to give her friends an edible treat, it really helps us if these guidelines are followed:

  • Please let the Head of Year know 3 days in advance.
  • We are a nut free school.
  • A maximum number of 24 treats to be distributed to her tutor group, overseen by her Head of Year.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Deputy Head Pastoral

Girls on Board

We have launched the Girls on Board initiative with our pupils, starting with Year 8, and will be rolling it out to all year groups over the coming weeks. Please see attached information for parents: Girls on board NEW Parent Booklet A5 online compressed Master AW (1) and this video.

Girls on board is an award-winning approach to help girls between the ages of 7 and 18 navigate the often-troubled waters of friendship problems. The approach aims to help girls, their parents, and their teachers to understand the complexities and dynamics of girl friendships. The language, methods and ideas empower girls to solve their own friendship problems and recognises that they are usually the only ones who can. By empowering girls to find their own solutions, parents need worry less, schools can focus more on the curriculum and the girls learn more effectively – because they are happier. ‘Girls on Board’ is helping school communities across the country ensure their girls are happier at school, less distracted by friendship issues and more focused on the important things.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Walk to School Week

An air quality monitor, recently installed by Westminster Council, has shown, to no one’s great surprise, that air pollution – nitrous oxide to be precise – in Graham Terrace during school drop-off and pick-up times, exceeds World Health Organisation limits. In other words, girls and staff are being forced to breathe air which the WHO deems unsafe.

That pollution is coming from cars. Happily, next week (Mon. 30th Sept. – Fri. 4th Oct.) is Walk to School Week: our biannual effort to promote the numerous benefits – to the individual, to society and to the planet – of active travel. So if you’re a school run driver, please take a week off: set your daughters free to walk, cycle, bus it or tube it! Let’s make Graham Terrace a clean and safe, car-free space for all – not just next week but every week.

Mr Andrew Macdonald-Brown| Teacher of English

Charity Disney Film Night

Our annual Disney Charity Film Night took place on Wednesday, September 25th and was another resounding success! 120 enthusiastic Year 7 and Year 8 students gathered for a screening of Descendants, and together, they showcased their exceptional generosity by raising approximately £600 for Reachout Now. The evening was filled with joy as students enjoyed cupcakes, pizza, and the amazing melodies of Descendant’s soundtrack, with many students even taking the stage for some impromptu singing. It was a heartwarming and memorable event, highlighting the incredible spirit of our school community and the dedication of our young philanthropists. Thank you for your unwavering support in making this night a tremendous success!

Miss Shivani Vyas | Head of Year 9, Head of Year 7-9 Enrichment

WhatsApp Groups

We have become aware of a very large Year 9 WhatsApp group that has many ‘admins’. We would urge caution when it comes to large groups with many admins as admins can change settings, such as the name of the group; who is allowed to send messages; and they are able to invite and remove people from the chat. This could lead to children feeling left out or being deliberately excluded or removed from groups. Not all those in the group are FHS pupils which could also lead to problems. Features that allow other users to see when your child is online, if they have read a message or when they were last active on the app could make your child feel pressured to respond even when they don’t want to. Please check if your daughter is a member of a very large WhatsApp group and discuss these issues with her if so

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Gymnastics Success

I am delighted to share that Amalia in Year 10 has achieved remarkable success in gymnastics this year. Amalia became both the English and British Champion for 2024 and had the honour of representing Team England internationally. This success is the result of dedicating approximately nine hundred hours of hard work with her squad team last academic year. The squad competed at the 2024 Rhythmic British Gymnastics Championships in July where they enjoyed numerous successes, culminating in finishing in first place in the All-Round Junior Final. Well done!

Miss Lily Brown | Head of Year 10

Dismissal at the End of the Day

It can get very busy directly outside the pupil exit between 16.00 and 16.15. If you’re collecting your daughter, if possible, please arrange to meet her further along the road. We are concerned that pupils are ending up walking off the pavement and along the road due to the congestion. Thank you for your understanding.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Drama News

Congratulations to Sophia Spink, (Year 12 A Level Drama) for getting selected for the National Youth Theatre company this year – a fantastic achievement!

Congratulations to all of our acting and performance students for their wonderful Trinity exam results. All received a distinction! Well done to all and thank you so much to our brilliant speech and drama teacher Mrs Maria Leaf for all of her hard work.

Miss Emily Smyth | Head of Drama

No Nuts or nut products 
Several children in our school have nut allergies, which can result in life-threatening reactions. To protect the health and safety of these children, we ask that you please refrain from sending your child to school with any nuts or nut-based products. Please also ensure your daughter does not bring aerosols to school as these also cause allergic reactions.
Thank you
Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Deputy Head Pastoral

National Children’s Choir of Great Britain

When not at FHS, I am lucky enough to work as Music Staff at National Children’s Choir of Great Britain. As one of the best opportunities for young singers in the country, I would encourage you to see the below details and come and join. Some of pupils are already in NCCGB and have wonderful fun – making-music, playing games, and making friends with like-minded young singers. Auditions are open now for next year!

We bring together children aged 9-19 from across the country to make music under the tutelage of top choral professionals on residential courses and choir tours. Our repertoire is wide and covers many genres from sacred to secular.

We meet twice a year for week-long residential choir courses, one during the Easter holidays and one during the summer holidays. We also run workshops in schools, and choir tours abroad.

Membership of NCCGB is by audition only. Auditions take place this autumn.

New choir members are accepted between the ages of 9-19 years old and audition details can be found online, or by asking Mr Mercer (who will be in some of them!).

Here is a link to the audition flyer and for more details, including how to sign up for audition, please visit here: https://www.nccgb.com/audition-to-join-nccgb-in-2025/

Any other questions or advice? Please speak to Mr Mercer who would be happy to speak further!

Mr Elliot Mercer | Teacher of Music

History Lecture Series

Parents are warmly invited to the 2024 History Lecture Series which starts next Wednesday 18 September. In this new season, we have a short series of talks by different speakers that will broaden your historical horizons, and there is a lovely tea to enjoy as well. Talks start at 4.25pm and are over at 5.25pm.  It would be helpful to have an indication of numbers for catering purposes (emily.boon@fhs-sw1.org.uk). All welcome.

History Lecture Series Poster (2024)

Miss Emily Boon | Head of History

Join GSA and Take Part in the Largest Commissioned Study Into Girls’ Schools Across the UK

Examining the benefit of girls’ schools and how they unleash the potential of young women today, GSA’s landmark study marks its 150th anniversary year and forms part of our continued commitment to the education of girls. We want to hear from everyone – pupils, parents, teachers, and old pupils alike – the whole girls’ schools community.

This Project aims to understand the benefits of girls’ schools for young girls and to learn more about girls’ schools’ ability to equip girls for their life after finishing school.

All are welcome to participate from every kind of girls’ school. Please join with us to shape the future of girls’ schools and to give a voice to as many as possible.

It’s easy to take part.

Take part in the research HERE.

Ms Clare Stansfield | Head of Sixth Form

WhatsApp Pupil Groups

It has been a delight to welcome your daughters at the start of this academic year. Some of the pupils are talking about class WhatsApp groups and given the friendship difficulties we have experienced that started in these groups, I thought it would be prudent to alert you that they tend to cause more problems than they solve. The minimum age to use WhatsApp is 13 years old and we would advise it is really problematic for young (and older) pupils. Having more than 4 people on a social networking group invariably leads to girls getting left out and hurt feelings. If you would like further advice about WhatsApp please see Helping your child with WhatsApp – UK Safer Internet Centre.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Deputy Head Pastoral

FHS Reads

During the final week of term, you may have noticed that your daughter is returning from school with a slightly heavier bag as a year’s worth of resources and equipment return home. Included amongst this extra bulk, pupils in Years 7-11 should also have a copy of a new summer reading text. This is part of our new ‘FHS Reads’ project which is designed to stimulate wider reading across each term. Please encourage your daughter to read their new book over the summer period as it will be discussed as part of their English lessons next term. You may also want to refer to the new FHS Reading Tree that has been circulated by Ms. Shevah which provides further extended reading  options for pupils to peruse over the summer.

Wishing you a lovely summer and lots of reading opportunities,

Miss. Cadman Beaumont and the English Department 

FHS Mock General Election Results!

On Wednesday morning all forms, as well as staff, voted in the FHS mock General Election.  LVI Politics students had been selected at random to represent the five main national parties and produced compelling campaigns to garner support.  With 22 seats available the results were as follows:

Conservatives 6
Green Party 11
Labour 4
Liberal Democrats 1

The Green Party would be forming the FHS government – congratulations to Tessa and Sophia, who have promised a greener future at FHS and to all the politics students for producing such engaging campaigns.  Hopefully we have inspired students at FHS to become politicians of the future and to see the value and importance of voting.

Ms Clare Stansfield, Head of Politics

Year 8 and Year 9 Expeditions
A warm welcome home to your daughter from their adventurous week away! You will have received a brief communication from me earlier today, indicating whether or not your daughter was known to have had a tick bite; we’re relieved there were far fewer this year than last and were dealt with so promptly by staff.  Please see the NHS guidance on tick bites here for further information so that if any tick-related symptoms occur you know what to look for. Tick bites aren’t usually painful, but they may cause a red lump to develop at the site of the bite. In some cases, tick bites may cause:
  • swelling
  • itchiness
  • blistering
  • bruising
Speak to your GP if your daughter feels at all unwell and particularly if there are any symptoms such as:
  • a pink or red rash
  • a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above
  • other flu-like symptoms, like a headache or joint pain
  • swollen lymph node

Girls should be checked thoroughly when they get home.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Valuable Items

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We have had a request from parents of girls in the school who have lost valuable missing items. Please could parents keep a look out for the following items and if any should be found please could they be handed to the office immediately.

  • Black Sony over-ear headphones
  • iPhone 12 Mini, blue, in a clear case with a white dragon design, in Yondr pouch number 115

Thank you for your support.

With best wishes,

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Year 11 Go Ape Trip

What happens if you cross 45 excited young girls with a thrilling treetop challenge that tests your agility and nerve at cloud level? A really good day out of school is the answer! In a fitting metaphor to exam season we conquered suspended obstacles, navigated wobbly bridges, and soared through the canopy on zip lines overlooking some of the best views of central London! Some of us may have been shaken but we were never stirred, and the award goes to Mr Trussell for being the fastest through the course. If that doesn’t prepare the girls for their A Levels, nothing will! See you in September.

Ms Bushra Hameed, Head of Chemistry

Visitor Lanyards

Could anyone with a visitor lanyard please return it to the office at their earliest convenience! Many thanks in advance.

Miss Jaz, Office Manager

Alice in Wonderland

Congratulations to our all-star cast of Alice in Wonderland on an interstellar final performance of the show! It was such a joy to see how the cast all worked together to engage the audience with their creative movement, weird and wonderful characterisations and hilarious comedy skills. I am so proud of how hard the cast worked to embody these classic characters in the context of a wonderland beyond the black hole in space, and also of how well they worked as an ensemble. During rehearsals, we spoke a lot about teamwork and problem solving and, as well as being immensely pleased with your final performance, I was most impressed with how well you pulled together on the final show nights and supported one another. I very much look forward to future creative projects and well done, once again for your wonderful performances!
Miss Emily Smyth, Head of Drama 

Senior Chamber Choir

This Sunday morning, our Senior Chamber Choir will be singing at HTB Queensgate (St Augustine’s Church). The service begins at 10.30am and all are very welcome to join us!

The address is: 117 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5LP

Revd Lucinda van der Hart

The Reading Tree

The 2024-25 FHS Reading Tree is a list of our updated reading recommendations for pupils from Year 7 to Year 13. As we are all different in terms of reading ability and preference, the more accessible in terms of content, language and theme are at the root of the tree (at the foot of the page), leading to the more challenging at the top. Years 7 and 8 might read the lower two levels, for example, but some might already be reading Kavalier and Clay or Jane Eyre, and that’s admirable! Our older pupils and Sixth Formers should be reading widely, and many of the books support their GCSE and A level studies – if not directly then by expanding their literacy and literary landscapes. Reading the books on the list is not compulsory but it is a joy to see happy readers crossing off the squares one by one – and of course, their wide vocabulary, reading and writing fluency, and creative imaginations are clear to see. We do ask that you exercise parental discretion if your younger daughter wishes to read a book on a higher level, and we encourage and welcome their reading recommendations and tips.

2024-25 Reading Tree

Emma Shevah, Head of Literacy and Communication

Arvon 2024

Last call for registering your daughter’s interest in a place at the October Arvon residential writing trip to Shropshire. The deadline is today (Friday 21st June). Please see the letter sent by Miss Stevens on Friday 14th June.

Ms Shevah

Drama Enrichment Talk

FHS Drama scholars and students had an enrichment talk from actor and screenwriter, Stuart Benson, whose exciting new self-penned film ‘Robin and the Hoods’ is due to be released on Sky this Summer. The film has an all-star cast featuring Naomi Harris, Gwendolyn Christie and more. Stuart has also written with the BBC Writers Room and has worked as a professional actor across various mediums of film, theatre, and television. Students were given advice about life as a creative in an ever-changing industry and told how actors and writers can make their own work in between projects. There was then an opportunity to ask questions about process, performance and more. Thank you so much to Stuart for a very interesting and useful talk. We are so very grateful!

Miss Emily Smyth, Head of Drama 

Belonging 

There is a lovely article in this week’s Wednesday Wisdom by Kathy Weston from ‘Tooled Up’ all about Father’s Day, the importance of belonging and the way children can sometimes exclude others when they pick on a perceived difference. Having a true, deep sense of belonging is so important to us in the FHS community. Wishing all our Fathers and Father-figures a very Happy Father’s Day this weekend!

https://members.tooledupeducation.com/wednesday-wisdom/the-value-of-belonging

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Prizegiving

Please note that Prizegiving is taking place the coming Monday

Pupils should arrive at Cadogan at 18:00 for 18:30 start. We aim to finish by 20:00.  Pupils will be dismissed from Cadogan Hall.

They should wear smart uniform including blazers.

Best wishes,

Rachel Floyd, Deputy Head Co-Curricular and Operations

 

Alice in Wonderland

Dear Parents and Guardians,

With our KS3 production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’  fast approaching we would like to offer you a chance to reserve tickets to your daughter’s performance via this link.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?rpring=Business&rpsession=4c22d3a3-cb85-4941-9ad1-8fc73175ea24&subpage=design&id=v0RCSUKdLUmWDqu3QH0WpChXhSpVabxGmekipsDUUF5UOEdKQktSR0pGRkUzQVdPVDI4UlM1UTdNQi4u

Please remember we have scheduled rehearsals on Saturday 15th June between 10am-5pm. We ask that the students bring a packed lunch in with them and a bottle of water. The cast members will be off timetable and rehearsing until 4pm on Wednesday 14th.

Doors will open 20th and 21st June at 6:30pm, we aim to finish at 8.30pm. If you are unable to be in the audience that night, we ask that you collect your child at 9pm.

Best Wishes, Drama Department 

 

Skincare

We were delighted that Dr Mokbel, consultant dermatologist, was available to follow her parent presentation last week with an assembly for our pupils in years 7, 8 and 10 on Monday. They learned about how damaging fashionable skincare ranges (that are full of chemicals and designed for adults) are for young skin that is not yet fully developed. We were also reminded of the importance of sun protection (not that we have seen much sun this week!) and that good sleep and eating well leads to healthy skin.

This topic is also covered by Tooled Up in a webinar in which consultant dermatologist, Dr Emma Wedgeworth, and clinical psychologist, Dr Anna Colton, discuss the current social media inspired trend where young girls want to use significant amounts of skincare and make-up products. This informative chat focuses on what teen skin really needs and how to help ensure that our teen’s self-esteem is boosted from within, rather than being founded only on their appearance.

https://members.tooledupeducation.com/resource/webinar/the-impact-of-skin-care-on-young-girls-mental-health-reaching-girls-early-conference

There is also this really interesting article that featured in Tooled Up’s ‘Wednesday Wisdom’:

https://members.tooledupeducation.com/wednesday-wisdom/skincare-sephorakids-and-self-esteem

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Visitor Lanyards

Could anyone with a visitor lanyard please return it to the office at their earliest convenience!

Miss Jaz, Office Manager

Mental Health Week

This week is mental health week with the theme being:

‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health‘ a fitting follow up to walk to school week!

One of the most important things we can do to help protect our mental health is regular movement.

Our bodies and our minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health. Exercise releases “feel good” hormones, that reduce feelings of stress and anger. It also helps us feel better about our bodies. It can improve our sleep too. If it involves other people, like being part of a team, a class or group we see regularly, that can also boost our mental health.

And we also learned this week from an inspirational parent talk by Dr Mokbel, that the secret to amazing teenage skin is also simple, eat well, drink water and sleep, then leave it alone! Please watch this recording of her talk with your daughter and review the skincare products she may be using which may be doing far more harm than good. Dr Mokbel, a Year 9 parent, also told us that May is Melanoma and skin cancer awareness month to remind us of the importance of using sun cream and applying it properly while we enjoy the wonderful sunshine we’ve had recently.  We are so grateful to Dr Mokbel for her talk, and we are exploring ways of sharing these important messages with the pupils too. This theme was echoed in this week’s ‘Wednesday Wisdom’s main article Wednesday Wisdom | Skincare, #SephoraKids and Self-Esteem | Tooled Up Education. Have a read and do sign up to the weekly newsletter which is full of parenting gems.

Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Snapchat

If your child has Snapchat, please consider going through this safety checklist with them to ensure they are using it sensibly.

Snapchat Safety Checklist | Tooled Up Education

Snapchat: Your Questions Answered | Tooled Up Education

Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Year 9 Shakespeare’s Globe Trip

On Wednesday and Friday, Year 9 pupils visited Shakespeare’s Globe to watch a vibrant performance of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. An uproarious blend of laughter, romance and Shakespearean trickery, the play was much enjoyed by all and the two afternoons served as a wonderful opportunity for pupils to witness one of their studied texts being produced in its intended form.  In true Jacobean-style, pupils were also watching from the yard and so were able to experience the production up close – including moving aside to make way for actors, props and even the villainous Don John. Overall, two bright and sunny days of spirited theatre and, of course, a few achy feet! We hope Year 9 had a lovely time – see pictures here.

Rosie Cadman Beaumont, Head of English

No prep club week commencing 20th May

Please be aware there is no prep club in the library next week so that the Junior school library books can be packed away ready to be transferred to the new prep school.

Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Recent Regional Swimming Success

At the weekend four Francis Holland pupils: Eva Dramitinos, Evelyn Row, Natalie Hebel and Maya Al Faisal took part in the Regional Swimming Championships. Maya representing Camden Swiss Cottage and Eva, Evelyn and Natalie swimming for Chelsea and Westminster – they made a significant impact, contributing to their club’s (CWSC) triumph as the top club for the Region.

Eva showcased her strength and skill in the pool, competing in five events and qualifying for an impressive 4 finals. Her dedication to improvement was evident as she achieved 4 personal bests, earning her a total of 17 championship points. Eva’s stellar performance culminated in a well-deserved bronze medal, a testament to her hard work and commitment to excellence.

Meanwhile, Natalie made her mark on the competition by competing in an impressive 12 events. Her exceptional talent was on full display as she qualified for five finals and achieved an impressive 7 personal bests. Natalie’s remarkable achievements earned her a total of 22 championship points, along with a silver and two bronze medals, a really solid performance!

Maya’s passion for swimming drives her to constantly strive for improvement. Taking part in 4 events, her determination paid off as she achieved a season’s best performance. This accomplishment not only highlights her dedication but also inspires others with her relentless pursuit of excellence in the pool.

Evelyn qualified for an impressive 15 events across various distances and strokes demonstrates her versatility and skill in the pool. Making it to 7 out of 12 finals and achieving personal bests in 9 events showing her dedication to improvement and her ability to perform under pressure. Winning a bronze medal further added to a successful weekend.

The Regional Swimming Championships provided a platform for our talented athletes to showcase their skills and passion for the sport, inspiring others with their remarkable performances. As they continue to push boundaries and strive for excellence, their achievements are celebrated! Well done to all four of you!

Asta Franks

Parent Talk 14th May 18:00 in-person Talk by Dr Ramia Mokbel

Professor Ramia Mokbel is a consultant dermatologist, Professor at Brunel University and formerly an honorary senior lecturer at Queen Mary University and Imperial Medical School.  As an FHS parent, Ramia has felt concerned to see how some children blindly follow TikTok trends and skincare brands without considering the age-appropriateness or the potential allergens hidden within these products. Come along to this talk to learn more about how to care for your child’s skin and protect them from sun-damage.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral 

Parent Practice Webinar: Developing Emotionally Intelligent Children (8th May at 7pm)

Children are sometimes reluctant to talk about anything that is bothering them, making it difficult for parents to help. Unexpressed feelings often come out in poor behaviour. When children put their feelings into words parents can respond to this more effectively.

This webinar will give you new skills to build real rapport and closeness with your children so that they talk to you more about their lives and feel understood. It demonstrates skills that allow parents to help children to recognise, process and manage their emotions. It also teaches ways to encourage children to be more considerate and thoughtful.

On Wednesday 8th May, Elaine Halligan is hosting a webinar on Developing Emotionally Intelligent Children from 7-8pm. Parents from Year 7 and 8 are most welcome if you would like to sign up via this registration link.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Year 11 Uniform Donation

Last year, Y11 donated Uniform to the value of £6,413, which was pretty astounding.

This year, Y11 donated uniform to the value of £6,534, congratulations!

All of this will be sold, which means Y11 can say they have pretty much raised over £6500 for the different school charities (Mvumi, KLS, and In-Deep).

Mr Will Galloway

Solving Sleep Problems in Children & Teens Webinar

The Giaroli Centre will be running a live webinar titled “Solving sleep problems in children & teens” on Tuesday 7th May at 7pm. This may be particularly useful for the parents of children with neurodiverse profiles such as autism and ADHD. The event will be run by Professor Paul Gringas who is the current President of the International Paediatric Sleep Association and is a consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability & Sleep Medicine. This is a free event, to sign up please follow the directions below.

  1. Register (free) by clicking here.
  2. if you cannot click the link above, then copy/paste the below into your internet browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4017139663871/WN_cxw4Q6kOQt-2JXDyHgOocQ#/registration)
  3. You will then receive the Zoom link via email.

The Learning Strategies Team 

 Elevate Education Parent Webinar

Dear Parents,

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on memory on May 14th.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to remember what they learned this year and recall information effectively in an exam setting.

How You Can Help Improve Your Child’s Memory – Tuesday 14th May 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)
Click here to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:
-Understanding how your child’s memory works.
-Optimising your child’s environment for memorisation.
-3 practical memory techniques to use with your child this term.

We hope to see you there!

Lucinda James, Head of Academic Mentoring

 Walk-to-School Week (Tuesday 7th – Friday 10th May)

Next week is our bi-annual Walk-to-School Week: the week in the autumn and summer when we celebrate the joys and benefits of active travel, namely walking, running, cycling, scootering, public transport – any way of getting to school that isn’t by car or taxi.

Why do we do it? Because if we’re serious about tackling air pollution, if we’re serious about mitigating climate change, then reducing our use of cars in London – starting with the school run – should be the easiest of wins.

Plus, active travel: 1) develops personal independence; 2) is good exercise; 3) connects us to society.

So please, if you are one of the 30% of FHS parents who drive their daughters to school in the morning, take next week off. Let your daughter join her friends (and all the staff) who use other, less congesting, less polluting modes of transport. For this week – and beyond! – let’s make Graham Terrace a traffic-free, pollution-free oasis.

To celebrate Walk to School Week, we’re having a competition for the best photograph taken on the (car-free) journey into school. Please email all entries to: andrew.mbrown@fhs-sw1.org.uk

Happy walking (even it’s just from Sloane Square tube station)!

Mr Andrew Macdonald-Brown

 Georgia Moore – One Woman Show: Extended Project Qualification 

Massive congratulations to Gigi Moore in Year 12 for her fantastic self penned performance of her one woman play, exploring the legacy of friendships and how these can affect your understanding of life. For her writing and research, Gigi explored the techniques of three different theatre practitioners: Katie Mitchell, Brecht and Ancient Greek Theatre. Each of the three friends were inspired by a different theatre form and informed how they performed and interacted with the audience. A fantastic performance Gigi, well done!

Miss Smyth, Head of Drama

Parent Talk – 23rd April

Please click here to watch the recording of Tuesday night’s parent talk ‘Helping your daughter foster a healthy relationship with food’.

We would encourage you to watch Isa’s presentation as it offers a wealth of advice and information to help support your daughter to adopt a positive relationship with food and understand its importance at this key time in her development.

Sarah Pittaway – Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Career Insights Week

Here is an exciting opportunity for Years 9-12 to investigate career options at Exeter University:

CAREER INSIGHTS WEEK (online)
29th April – 3rd May
Open to all students Years 9-13

Find out more about the exciting careers that graduates from the University of Exeter have gone on to do after their studies by taking part in Careers Insight Week.  In these live online Q&A panels, University of Exeter alumni from across a range of our degree courses will be discussing their route into their career and student experience, as well as sharing tips and advice as professionals in their industries. The panels will be themed by subject area, with two running simultaneously each evening at 6pm. Participants will have the opportunity to have their questions answered by the panellists and by current University of Exeter students.

For further information and to book your place, please click here.

Caroline Wilkes – Director of Futures and Innovation

Exam stress – useful resources for teachers, parents and pupils 

Exams have the potential to exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress amongst young people. Whilst we encourage pupils to work hard, this should not be at the expense of their wellbeing.

There is a range of advice and guidance for pupils and parents to help alleviate or lessen the anxiety they have about sitting exams, including:

NHS Help your child beat exam stress https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/advice-for-parents/help-your-child-beat-exam-stress/#:~:text=Listen%20to%20your%20child%2C%20give,to%20take%20the%20exam%20again.

Anna Freud, self care and revision: https://www.annafreud.org/resources/children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing/self-care/revision/

Young Minds – resources and tips about exam stress   https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/coping-with-life/exam-stress/

Ofqual: Coping with exam pressure – a guide for students  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-exam-pressure-a-guide-for-students

The Mix offers lots of advice about coping with exam stress:https://www.themix.org.uk/work-and-study/study-and-exam-tips/exam-stress-1241.html

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Senior Deputy Head Pastoral |Designated Safeguarding Lead

Online Safety update

As we work together to support the children to be safe online, you may find the following information helpful. The National Crime Agency’s CEOP Education team produce excellent resources for children and parents. Please have a look at their resources on the following link:

Parents and carers | CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)

WhatsApp (minimum age 13 years old)

There was a news report in the Easter holidays stating that children were added to a WhatsApp group which then showed them very distressing content. Nine-year-olds added to malicious WhatsApp groups – BBC News

Tik Tok (minimum age 13 years old)

Some of our pupils have reported receiving a distressing Tik Tok video in their feed. There’s some advice in this guide for parents regarding Tik Tok Parents’ Ultimate Guide to TikTok | Common Sense Media

Spotify (minimum age 13 years old)

Adults can groom children via the popular music streaming service, Spotify, by creating fake accounts and playlists on the platform. Please include looking at your child’s Spotify account when you check your child’s phone. See this guide for support Parental_Guide.pdf (spotify.com)

Sarah Pittaway Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Parenting Talks

Dates to add to your calendar – parenting talks during next week.

  • 23rd April 18:30-19:30
    Online talk by Isa Robinson on supporting your daughter to foster a “healthy” relationship with food and body image. Isa is a registered nutritionist and nutritional therapist specialising in eating disorders and disordered eating. She runs the private practice Isa Robinson Nutrition, as well as working in a private clinic in London. Please see a summary of the talk attached. If you would like to attend the online talk, please fill in this anonymous link to ask questions beforehand – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FHSParents
  • 26th  April 09:30am online Tooled Up Talk:
    Online conference with a panel of expert speakers on boosting girls’ wellbeing and achievement. Reaching Girls Early: Proactive Approaches for Mental Health, Appearance Anxiety and Body Dissatisfaction

Sarah Pittaway Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Live Parent Q&A: Ask Me Anything

Dear Parents,

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a live Q&A session for parents on April 30th.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Sign up for the session below to get access to expert advice and submit any questions during the webinar.
​
Tuesday 30th April 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)  Click here to register for free

If no questions spring to mind, why not ask your child whether they have any?

These prompts could be a good place to start:

  • Is there anything about exams you’re worried about in particular?
  • What would make you feel more supported in your studying?
  • Do you have any questions about what you can expect over the coming months?

We hope to see you there!

Lucinda James, Head of Academic Mentoring 

Parents and Staff Prayer Breakfast

Our termly prayer breakfast for parents and staff, led by Chaplain Lucinda van der Hart, will take place next Thursday 25 April,  8.15-9am in room 1A. All parents are very welcome!

Revd. Lucinda van der Hart

U12 Netball Squad

Well done to the U12 Netball Squad who represented Westminster in the London Youth Games on Tuesday. They have had a fantastic season and have a promising future.

Miss Georgie Newsome, Director of Sport

Debating Tournament at Highgate School

Miss Imo Wigdahl, Head of Debating

Outreach – Spring Term Update

It’s been another fabulous term of Outreach (Volunteering and Charity Fundraising) at FHS. Here are the highlights!

  • Year 8 brought in almost 100 Easter Eggs to donate to the Elders at The Katherine Low Settlement. Additionally, 20 Year 8 pupils stayed after school on Wednesday 20th March to wrap the eggs and write over 60 Easter Cards. The Year 8 Charity Reps visited KLS shortly afterwards to deliver the eggs and chat with the Elders, which was a huge insight into the lives of those from an entirely different generation! Huge thanks to Mrs Catherine Heitmeyer (Year 8 Parent) and her parent volunteers for spearheading this important initiative!
  • The Science Department hosted a playground takeover during British Science Week to raise funds for Mvumi School. Ably supported by a fantastic team of 6th Formers running various Science (and chocolate) themed stalls, they raised £711.36p for Mvumi School, which is DOUBLE the school record for a playground takeover. WOW! Mega thanks to the teachers who were willing to be ‘pied’ as part of the ‘pie a teacher’ stall. Special mention to Lavinia De Lacy (Year 10), who selflessly donated her entire life savings for the chance to (repeatedly) pie some of her ‘favourite’ teachers…
  • World Book Week Dress Up Day was once again stylish and unforgettable. Memorable outfits included a huge group of ‘crayons’ from Year 7 (The Day the Crayons Quit), The English Department as party-members from 1984, a group a staff as the cast of Alice in Wonderland (Mrs Vyas as the Mad Hatter, Profe Berni as the Cheshire Cat, obvs), and some other Year 7s as Oompa Loompas with Mrs Lorimer as Wilma(?) Wonka! Over £377 was raised for Mvumi School.
  • Our Donations of foodstuffs, toiletries and baby items to the Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank have continued to provide much needed and reliable support to the members of our community here in West London. This term, our three collections have results in over 1000kg of donations, which is really impressive. The foodbank volunteers are constantly amazed and grateful for the excellent level of donations we provide. Sadly, foodbanks continue to be a vital source of support for vulnerable members of our local community, and many communities throughout the country. Some of our Year 9 and Year 10s were able to visit the Foodbank Warehouse in February to take part in a sort, and many more Year 9 and Year 10 pupils will visit in the course of the summer term. Special mention should go to Millie, Skye, Fran and Maya (all Year 11) who came in to volunteer at the warehouse on a post-mock day off! Heroic effort!
  • The LVI (and some UVI pupils) continue to volunteer at St Barnabas Primary School, St Matthews Primary School, Eden Court Retirement Village, The Katherine Low Settlement, and even at In-Deep! This has now resulted in roughly 770 hrs of school organised volunteering time supporting young people with homework, providing companionship with elders, supporting those with special education needs to access music, and much more.

Coming up, we have lots of opportunities to get involved in Outreach Activities next term:

  • The SSPA Spring Fair (Sat 20th April, 11am-3pm) will be the highlight of the Summer Term. A huge endeavour with dozens of stallholders (including some student enterprise stalls) and involvement from every single year group. Watch out for a flyer in the near future – and keep Sat 20th April free in your diary!
  • The LVI will begin to plan their LVI Charity Campaign – a ambassador/student-led initiative.
  • Year 10 will plan their Summer Challenge – a new initiative inspired by Miss James’ visit to Mvumi and the desire to provide further educational opportunities to Mvumi pupils.
  • Year 9 and 10 pupils (and Y6) will have the chance to visit the Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank Warehouse to find out about the work of foodbank directly.
  • More Y8 pupils will visit KLS to meet the elders and learn about the work of KLS.
  • And, of course, there will be a bright array of Bake Sales, Playground Takeovers and, of course, Sports Day Fundraising!

Huge thanks to all staff members, parents, and pupils who are involved in the Outreach work of FHS. You absolutely make a positive difference to the lives of others throughout the year (you can see all of our Autumn work here).

How are you going to get involved next term?

Mr Will Galloway, Head of Outreach and Teacher of English

RSE and PSHE Update 

Dear Parents,

Please click here for an update on Life Skills for the Summer Term.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Sarah Pittaway, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Lady Garden Foundation Family Challenge

A Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park, parent, Jenny Halpern Prince, founded Lady Garden Foundation, a girls’ and women’s health charity which raises awareness and funding for gynaecological health.  Over the last 10 years they have raised £3m for the Royal Marsden and had stalls at Freshers Week at 14 Universities, making girls aware of the signs and symptoms of the five gynaecological cancers.  Lady Garden Foundation  is a great charity given that gynaecological cancers have some of the worst outcomes for women and so much more can be done for women in this regard.

One of their main fundraising events is the Lady Garden Foundation Family Challenge which takes place in Battersea Park on Saturday 27th April.  There are lots of boys and girls and their families from the London local school communities taking part in the fun run and getting kids running for a purpose, but also spreading the message about the diseases that the charity is helping to overcome. It is a great initiative to add to any university or interview form to explain philanthropic activities.

Please click here to see the flyer.

Mrs Caroline Wilkes, Director of Futures and Innovation

Summer Experiences with Investin and Careers Exploration with Unifrog

Investin offer paid for summer work experience programmes. Many of our students have enjoyed these in previous years and it can help to confirm a desire to pursue a career or degree in a certain field. Our students receive a 10% discount with the use of the code FHSW110 at checkout. More information about all the courses is available on their website here: https://investin.org/

All students at FHS also have a subscription to Unifrog, a fantastic platform that enables students to carry out research into different careers, universities and apprenticeships and parents can access this website for the next two months with our parent code.

Go to https://www.unifrog.org/ and then click on ‘Been Given a Sign-Up Code?’ in order to use the following code: FHSSSparents

Mrs Caroline Wilkes, Director of Futures and Innovation

Elevate Education ‘How you can support your child during exams’ webinar

Dear Parents,

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on supporting your child during exams on 19th March.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Sign up for the session below to learn how you can improve your child’s exam performance by helping them to establish a good routine in the run-up to an assessment.

How You Can Support Your Child During Exams – Tuesday 19th March 6:00-7:00pm

Click here to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

  • Helping your child prepare in the week before an exam
  • Establishing a good routine for your child the night before
  • Helping your child to optimise their exam performance

Ms Lucinda James, Head of Academic Mentoring

Spring Concert

Miss Vickery would like to warmly invite you to our Spring Concert on Thursday 21st March, 19:30 at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street. To reserve tickets and/or to confirm arrangements for your child, we would appreciate if you could complete the form located inside this invitation letter.

There are rehearsals for different groups this week:

Senior Choir will rehearse this Wednesday 20th March from 17:30 to 19:00 in Senior Hall at FHS and also on the day of the concert, from 16:00 to 18:00 in Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street.

Orchestra will on the day of the concert, from 15:00 to 18:00 in Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street.

Lower School Choir will rehearse this Monday 18th March from 16:00 to 17:00 in C1 at FHS and also on the day of the concert, from 16:00 to 17:00 in Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street.

Mr Mercer, Head of Co-Curricular Music

Ramadan Fasting

Here at Francis Holland, we are committed to supporting pupils of all faiths and their religious observances. With Ramadan approaching we would like to gauge the number of girls who will be fasting to ensure we best support them during this period.

Should your daughter wish to fast in the remaining two weeks of term, please complete the following form to give your consent: Ramadan 2024 (cognitoforms.com)

Revd Lucinda van der Hart – School Chaplain

Northeastern University Summer School

Any Year 11s interested in exploring a taste of university life by spending time at Northeastern University might be interested in their summer school.

Mrs Caroline Wilkes – Director of Futures and Innovation

Developing Oracy and Literacy

On Wednesday morning, I attended the Westminster Education Forum policy conference: Next steps for literacy and oracy in England’s schools, attended by policy makers (Lord Aberdare, Education for 11-16 Year Olds Committee; Lord Watson, VC of the All -Party Parliamentary Group for Oracy); literacy and oracy leads from the DfE and children’s literacy charities’; researchers and academics; developmental psychologists; literacy and oracy leads educators from early years to primary to secondary to FE and the workplace; publishers; exam boards; banking groups; TES; prison services; education policy officers from the Welsh government; journal editors and reporting journalists. The four-hour conference was enlightening on the future and policy plans of oracy, the vocabulary gap and literacy implications of children who are not read to before starting school, the ongoing impact that reading, speaking, listening has on education more widely, and how to support parents with babies from birth, and students in transitions across their educational careers. Coincidentally, I met with our Head, Alex Haydon, later that day who talked passionately about her earlier work on oracy and her vision for oracy at FHS, which was both timely and very exciting. Watch this space is all I can say for now!

Ms Emma Shevah – Head of Literacy and Communication | Writer in Residence

Carolina Grabau Ski Racing!

My slalom race took place in Switzerland, and it was the total time of two runs allowing me to achieve a combined result of 1m 40s positioning me in 2nd place. The conditions were decent although the slope quickly got icy as there was a large number of racers. Overall, this was a great experience and all of the training paid off.

Carolina Grabau – Year 9 

Digital Safety Talk – Years 7 & 8

On Tuesday night, we had a very informative and engaging presentation on digital safety by our Director of Digital Learning, Mr Hayward. I found that tips on setting up parental controls, monitoring online activities, and initiating open dialogues with your children about online safety were particularly valuable. There were many takeaways in helping parents take proactive steps in safeguarding their daughters’ online experiences. We have recorded the presentation which you can find here, and I am sure you’ll find this useful when navigating the complex ever changing landscape of digital safety.

Should you wish to discuss any of these aspects further, please reach out to us Agnès Lenec’h – Head of Lower School

Elevate Education Webinar – 5th March

We’re pleased to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on exam preparation on March 5th. Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school. Sign up for the session below to learn how you can maximise your child’s marks in exams by helping them to prioritise the work that really matters over the next few weeks.

How You Can Help Your Child Prepare for Exams – Tuesday 5th March 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)

Click here to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

✅ Prioritise your child’s high-impact work to maximise marks

✅ Improve your child’s time management to avoid last-minute preparation

✅ Help your child study effectively using past papers

Lucinda James – Head of Academic Mentoring

The Dame Rose Tremain Short Story Competition

The deadline for the Dame Rose Tremain Short Story Competition was on Monday at 8pm, and to no one’s surprise, lots of last-minute emails came flying into my inbox on Monday, some daringly just after the 8pm mark. There are twenty-five entries in total from students in Years 7 to 12.  Very well done (and three stars each) to those who have taken the time, creative journey and plunge to enter. I very much look forward to reading your stories and sending the shortlist to Dame Rose Tremain to judge and decide upon. Dame Rose Tremain herself will announce the winners and present their prizes at Prizegiving in July. No one will know who the winners are before then, or how they did, or if they were shortlisted, so please don’t ask! Good luck to all who have written a short story for this prize, and if you haven’t this year, why not start now or in the summer holidays, and enter next year?

Ms Emma Shevah – Head of Literacy and Communication, Writer in Residence

Cricket at Lord’s

We have had an exciting week in sport! Recently, ten girls in Years 9 and 10 represented FHS at the MCC Girl’s Indoor Cricket Tournament at Lord’s Cricket Ground, where they secured an impressive 3rd place finish! Over the course of five thrilling matches, the girls exhibited remarkable skill and determination, showcasing their talent in bowling, batting and fielding. Their hard work and perseverance truly paid off as they competed against tough opponents, displaying exceptional sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our FHS girls on this remarkable achievement!

Miss Lilly Hamilton – Teacher of PE

Elevate Education Webinar

We’re pleased to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on exam preparation on March 5th.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Sign up for the session below to learn how you can maximise your child’s marks in exams by helping them to prioritise the work that really matters over the next few weeks.

How You Can Help Your Child Prepare for Exams
Tuesday 5th March 6:00-7:00pm (GMT) 

Click here to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

✅ Prioritise your child’s high-impact work to maximise marks

✅ Improve your child’s time management to avoid last-minute preparation

✅ Help your child study effectively using past papers

Lucinda James – Head of Academic Mentoring

Debating success for FHS – Zara was a silver finalist at Harrow School’s prestigious Nehru Cup

Emily, Serene, and Zara attended the Harrow Schools Debating competition over the weekend and performed brilliantly. In a composite team with an SPGS student, Zara reached the Silver Final and debated whether cultural boycotts have led to social change. This was incredibly impressive and an achievement to be celebrated.

The day started with a debate on whether there should be the creation of a smoke-free generation. Emily and Serene argued that smoking vapes not only damages health but can also negatively impact the environment, as they are disposable and may not be disposed of properly. The discussion then moved on to topics such as whether military conscription should be brought back and if Artificial Intelligence should rule on misdemeanour legal cases. The girls showcased their extensive knowledge and ability to articulate their ideas.

We are extremely impressed by the enthusiasm, dedication, and drive that our Debating Teams show, both in our training sessions and in competitions.

Miss Imogen Wigdahl – Teacher of Theology and Philosophy | Head of Debating

The Dame Rose Tremain Short Story Competition

A reminder that the deadline for our prestigious short story competition is Monday 19th February 2024 at 8pm. The winner and runner up will be selected and their prizes of £500 and £100 respectively will be presented by Dame Rose Tremain at Prizegiving in July. One entry per student; all work must be their own. Stories should be sent to Ms Shevah at shortstoryprize@fhs-sw1.org.uk by the deadline and follow the formatting requirements. For the submission guidelines and more details please click here: Dame Rose Tremain Short Story Prize 2024 – Francis Holland School – Sloane Square (fhs-sw1.org.uk) I look forward to reading your stories. Good luck!

Ms Shevah. Head of Literacy and Communication; Senior Tutor EPQ; Teacher of English; Writer in Residence.

Personal Safety

Year 7 and Year 8 had a talk from our safer schools officer, PC Bethan Gunn, in assembly this week who reminded them of the importance of being alert and taking care of themselves and each other when travelling to and from school. We have also received a newsletter from the police with some really helpful advice for families. If there is anything you would like included in the next newsletter from the police, please let Mrs Pittaway know.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Safer Internet Day

On Safer Internet Day (Tuesday 6th Feb), we will be fundraising for the Breck Foundation with a wear Yellow Dress-Up day. The Breck Foundation, founded in 2014, works to safeguard children and young people online. The suggested donation is £2 and, if everyone contributes, would raise over £1000 for the foundation’s work raising awareness around online grooming.

Thomas Hayward – Director of Digital Learning

Year 9 Philosophy Afternoon

Ms Crawley organised the Theology and Philosophy Department’s annual Year 9 Philosophy Afternoon on 30 January 2024. Three speakers from the Philosophy Foundation provided an afternoon of challenging philosophical enquiry. Pupils engaged in a fun and vibrant afternoon full of discussion and debate as they grappled with questions around ‘Intent’, ‘Truth’ and ‘Morality’. Year 9 had the opportunity to enhance their communication skills and deepen their thinking and understanding of the world and of themselves through collaborative critical reflection. They mingled in a ‘philosophical cocktail party’ examining several statements such as ‘Can you look at a word without reading it’ and ‘Do you own your nostrils’ before break-out groups examined the story of The Surgeon with Cold Hands.

Pandora Crawley – Head of Theology & Philosophy

A Parenting Read

Gabor Maté has written a number of books on child development, including a very good one on ADHD called ‘Scattered’: my latest read, which I came across by accident yesterday, is ‘Hold on to Your Kids’, which is about ‘reattaching’ to your kids so their main influences are their parents rather than their peers. The book is available here: Hold on to Your Kids by Gabor Maté, Gordon Neufeld | Waterstones and there is a video (replete with cheesy backing track) available here hold on to your kids – Google Search. Great fodder for parent book clubs, and dinner and playground conversations!

Ms Emma Shevah – Head of Literacy and Communication | Writer in Residence

Art Graphics Trip with Mr Edes

We had a lovely visit to the Brands Museum in Notting Hill, viewing the permanent exhibition of early branding and poster design from the Victorian era all the way up to contemporary graphic design. It was a lovely break before the girls start their preparation for the A level examination unit this week.

Mr David Edes – Joint Head of Art

Signing in as visitors to FHS

If you’ve had the opportunity to visit us this term, you will have noticed that all visitors are asked to sign in, either by hand or on our electronic system (InVentry) on arrival to the school and wear a lanyard, visibly indicating to all the school community that they’re a visitor to the school site. This is the practice in all schools, and some helpful guidance on this was outlined by the NSPCC back in 2021. One important reason for this is to ensure if we had to do an emergency evacuation, such as in the event of a fire, we would have accurate information regarding who is on the school site. A further reason is for safeguarding purposes. All school staff wear lanyards all day every day as we have over 200 members of staff and so we need to be able to tell who is employed by FHS and safe to be unaccompanied on the school site (for safeguarding reasons, anyone working with children must undergo vetting and barring checks). If adults are on the school site, not wearing a lanyard, our staff need to feel confident to politely challenge them in case a member of the public, with no business being at FHS, has managed to gain access. With hundreds of families visiting the site every day, it is impossible for all parents to be recognised by sight by our staff and so it is imperative that our visitors, even parents, sign in if they are entering the school site. You will be issued with a red lanyard which indicates that you should be accompanied by a person who has had their DBS checked by FHS at all times while you are on the school site. Those who are DBS checked have green or blue lanyards.

While we have streamlined the signing in process, I am aware that it may feel inconvenient. However, signing in is a really important part of our efforts to keep the whole FHS community safe and so I would ask that you please follow the instructions from members of staff in this regard.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Dame Rose Tremain Short Story Competition

The deadline for the short story prize is 19th February and entries have started to come in. The winner receives a very generous £500 prize and the runner-up £100, both sponsored by Dame Rose Tremain who will choose and announce the winners herself at Prizegiving in July. To enter, please send short stories between 1500-5000 words on any theme to shortstoryprize@fhs-sw1.org.uk following the formatting and submission guidelines in the booklet (see Ms Shevah if you would like one). Good luck!

Ms Emma Shevah – Head of Literacy and Communication | Writer in Residence

Nations Cup Netball at Wembley Arena

On the 21st of January a group of students across Years 7-10 went to Wembley Arena to watch two Nations Cup Netball matches. The first match was Uganda versus New Zealand. It was a close match with just a few points between them throughout the game. However New Zealand managed to outscore Uganda with a final result of 60-65. At half time the atmosphere was full of excitement and there was a light show and interactive live cameras for everyone to be on. We watched the teams warmup for their upcoming matches and got some inspiration for different types of exercises that we can do in our training as well!

The next match was between England and Australia this was an especially exciting match as it was the repeat of last year’s World Cup Final. It was a rollercoaster of a match as who was winning varied every quarter. Although, after half time England made a comeback from seven goals down to two goals up. The shooters scoring was on point, but the defenders made a lot of interceptions which balanced out the score. Right at the end, Australia managed to hang onto the win taking a score of 59-61.

It was a great and fun experience for us to watch such high-quality live netball and to be able to have a different experience when watching live sport, the atmosphere was incredible. We will be aiming emulate the talent of the Vitality Roses in our upcoming annual Varsity netball matches, against FHS Regent’s Park, Friday of next week.

Grace Keane and Saskia Ribbons – Year 10

Oxford Schools Debating competition

At the Prestigious Oxford Schools Debating competition, Emily Y, Anya S, Kate Z, Alexia A, Zara B, and Phoebe S, presented thought-provoking arguments on unpaid internships and religious charities’ proselytization rights. Arguments of unpaid internships highlighted their role in perpetuating socio-economic disparities and the ethical concerns surrounding the exploitation of young talent without fair compensation. Opponents of religious charities’ proselytization emphasized potential negatives, raising concerns about vulnerable individuals being targeted during critical moments in their lives. Despite these critiques, the team’s compelling discussions contributed to a nuanced and impactful dialogue.

Ms Maria Garan – Debating Coach

Dates from the Music Department

In the Music Department, we are excited to be keeping busy with ensembles and events over this term. I hope many of your houses are filled with the glorious sounds of practice! We wanted to provide a quick update to remind you of exciting events coming up:

The Lower School Concert, mainly starring our Year 7 and 8 students, has now been confirmed to take place on Wednesday 7th February at 19:00 in the Senior Hall at FHS.

Performers will include members of Lower School Choir, Jazz Vocal Group and Lower Chamber Choir with more details to be sent to parents of participants shortly.

After half term, we have some exciting plans.

Our ABRSM Examinations have been confirmed at Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th March.

This is just before our wonderful Fanny Davies Music Festival, which students from all across the school are encouraged to perform solos and ensembles of their choosing on Monday 18th and Wednesday 20th March. Students will receive more details about signing up in their Music Lessons and by their form tutors shortly.

In this final week, we are also singing the glorious B Minor Mass by J.S. Bach at Harrow School with our Senior Chamber Choir on Tuesday 19th March.

We then finish the term with the culmination of all musical activity this term – our Spring Concert, on Thursday 21st March in the evening. All choirs are invited to perform with our school orchestra for a brilliant showcase of musicianship in Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square. More details will be shared after half term.

Our parents choir has started rehearsing for this event – please get in touch with Mr Mercer if you would still like to join, it is not too late and such a fun time!

If you have any questions about any of the upcoming musical events at FHS, please do contact Mr Mercer (elliot.mercer@fhs-sw1.org.uk) in the Music Department.

Mr Elliot Mercer – Teacher of Music

Parent and Staff Prayer Breakfast

A reminder that will be holding this term’s parent and staff prayer breakfast this coming Thursday 25th Jan, 8.15-9am in room 1A. All parents from the Senior and Junior School (and staff) are warmly welcome!

Revd Lucinda van der Hart – School Chaplain

Calling Hindu students (and anyone interested in Hinduism/Sikhism/Buddhism/etc)!

I am delighted to announce that we have set up the first HSOC (Hindu Society) this term at FHS. We will be meeting once every half term (around various festivals!) Please ask your daughters to email me if they would like to be added to the HSOC Team. I’ll be posting HSOC meeting times and dates on TEAMS, as well as any celebrations, food and games.

Miss Vyas – Head of Year 7-9 Enrichment, Teacher of Biology and Chemistry

Medication in School

If your daughter requires any medication in school (including painkillers) please contact medical@fhs-sw1.org.uk so that it can be safely stored in the medical room and the dosage monitored. Please do not allow your daughter to have medication in her bag and remind her that she cannot give medication to anyone else.

Webinar with Elaine Halligan of the Parent Practice

You are invited to attend a Parent Practice webinar on Bringing Out the Best in Your Children on Wednesday 17th January 7pm-8pm.

All parents want the very best for their children and they want to see their children be successful and happy. Sometimes we worry that our children don’t seem to be achieving all they are capable of, we worry that they are not trying hard, that they won’t try new things, or they give up too easily. In this webinar we look at ways of motivating our children to do their best without nagging or pressurising them and look at how to motivate them into great habits and behaviours

This webinar covers:

  • Ways of motivating children to want to do their best
  • How to focus on the positive aspects of your child’s behaviour, no matter how small they are
  • How to ditch the negativity bias
  • How to encourage your child to try hard and to persevere
  • What the secret is to enhancing cooperation

It will be followed by a Q and A session.

Please register in advance for this meeting using this link.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

Sixth Form Speaker Programme – Adam Kydd

This week, we were delighted to welcome Adam Kydd, a distinguished teacher and graduate of the Middle East Centre at St Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, for the Francis Holland Speaker Programme. In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Adam delivered an exceptionally informative talk that delved into the nuanced intricacies of the situation. Drawing on a wealth of Israeli and Palestinian sources, Kydd extensively explored the broader historical landscape of the conflict, spanning from Ottoman Palestine to Nakba, the Arab Cold War, the First Intifada, and a breakdown of some peace initiatives. In the latter part of the presentation, an engaging Q&A session unfolded, where students posed insightful questions on international media influence, the USA’s political role, right-wing and left-wing Israeli politics, and diplomatic relations with other Middle Eastern nations. The enriching insights gained by the sixth formers underscored the triumph of the talk, solidifying it as a resounding success within the Francis Holland Speaker Programme.

Alexia Abecassis- LVI

At the start of a new year, please see below a reminder on how to set up an account with Tooled Up:

  1. Go to https://members.tooledupeducation.com/sign-up
  2. Enter your name, email address and your school’s unique pin number FHSS1809 when prompted
  3. Follow the link in your email to verify your account and start using the site. In future, you can just enter your email address to gain instant access!

How to access your Tooled Up account
If you have already set up your account, logging in couldn’t be easier. Simply visit https://members.tooledupeducation.com/log-in and enter your email address. You will receive a link to start using the site instantly.

Chanukah party

On Friday December 1st at lunchtime, the senior school celebrated Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights. This year, the guest speakers were some of our very own Jewish students, who explained why we celebrate Chanukah, spoke of Chanukah traditions around the word, specifically in Italy, Finland and China, and shared what they do at home during Chanukah. We then made a blessing, lit menorahs, handed out many, many doughnuts, played Chanukah songs and spun dreidels (spinning tops). With huge thanks to Mrs Zelouf for her generous donation of two large boxes of doughnuts!

Mrs Shevah – Head of Literacy and Communication | Writer in Residence

Tooled Up Weekly Newsletter

If you have an older child at home, “play” is often synonymous with gaming. But is too much time playing video games detrimental to teenagers’ wellbeing? Dr Simona Skripkauskaite from the University of Oxford answered questions about the impact of gaming in a fascinating podcast.

Finally: our recent webinar on Understanding Girls with Dr Tara Porter was one of the most popular online events we’ve ever held at Tooled Up. Many of you have been asking when the recording and notes will be available. The wait is over! You can delve into this session here.

ACET Year 7 RSE Talk

Please click here to view a recording of the RSE talk from ACET for Year 7.

MFL News

It has been a busy week for our linguists! French bilingual girls in Year 9 and 10 attended a workshop at the French institute on Slam poetry. In the morning, they worked in small groups to create their own text on the theme of ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’. At the end of the day, they delivered their text in front of an audience, and competed against other schools including sixth formers. Most of the girls came back with a prize!

Year 7 and 8 French bilinguals also attended the French institute. They enjoyed a screening of “Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret “. This clever film explores how children perceive adult problems.

French linguists in the Sixth form have sent their introduction video to our partner school “La maison d’éducation”. This is a new partnership with a girls’ school that was created by Napoléon in order to provide a quality education to girls. We are looking forward to receiving some news from across the Channel.

Finally, the Spanish students in the Sixth form went to the National Theatre to attend a representation of the play they study as part of their A level: “The House of Bernarda Alba” by Federico García Lorca. Girls have enjoyed having a different perspective from the book.

Mr Calvet – Head of MFL

Theology & Philosophy Masterclass at Bloomsbury Baptist Church

Mrs Crawley and Miss Hunt led the Year 12 and 13 Theology and Philosophy students to the annual Masterclass Philosophy Ethics and Religion on Thursday 22nd November at the historic Bloomsbury Baptist Church, London. The girls were treated to a series of lectures by academic professors such as Keith Ward, Julie Arliss, Daphne Hampson and Ralph Weir. A variety of scholarly topics were touched on ranging from ‘sexual ethics’ to ‘liberation theology’ and ‘does it matter that Christ was male?’. It was a thrilling day and great insight to what lectures will be like for those who attend university.

Ms Crawley – Head of Theology & Philosophy

German Study Day at FHS Regent’s Park

On Saturday 18th November, Year 10 and Year 12 German students attended a German Study day at Francis Holland Regents Park. Year 10 students spent the day exploring different German cultural topics, ranging from traditional German cuisine to German fashion, as well as German music. The Year 10s put their language skills to the test when they were asked to write and preform a theatre sketch based on their favourite topic of the day. The students also had the opportunity to collaborate with pupils from a number of other London schools, which they thoroughly enjoyed. All Year 10s put on wonderful performances, highlighting their excellent range of vocabulary and impressive pronunciation.

Our A Level students spent the day attending a series of lectures run by talented and inspiring university professors; Dr Katharina Forster (University College London), Dr Mark Allinson (University of Bristol) and Dr Caroline Summers (University of Warwick). The lectures covered a range of themes, German film analysis, youth in the DDR and literary translation, all of which are central to the German A Level syllabus. Both our A Level and GCSE students found the trip to be both an academically rewarding and enriching experience.

Miss Davies – Head of German and teacher of French

‘Ocean at the End of the Lane’

This week, the Drama department took Year 10 GCSE Drama students to see ‘Ocean at the End of the Lane’ at the Noel Coward Theatre. We were really impressed by the creative staging, special effects and moving scenes in the performance, which inspired students for their devised theatre work.

Sophia said of the night “it was so interesting to see such talented professional actors in the West End and see how their interaction with each other and the set, affected the audience. I will take a lot away about blocking and movement.” Meanwhile, Sydney said “it was so cool how they used physical theatre, transitions and lighting. I learned about how important full body reactions are in such a big theatre”.

Miss Smyth – Head of Drama

Tooled Up ‘Understanding Girls’ Webinar with Dr Tara Porter

Please find the recording of this webinar here. The following articles have also been recommended in conjunction with this talk:

60 Ways to Future-Proof Your Daughter | Tooled Up Education

What Makes You ‘You’? | Tooled Up Education

Children’s Self-Esteem: 10 Things for Parents to Ponder | Tooled Up Education

Tooled Up Puberty Webinar – 13th December

Tooled Up will be hosting a separate webinar on 13th Dec specifically answering questions on girls’ puberty. You can register for this webinar here.

Year 7 ACET Talk Recording

Please follow this link to access a recording of the Year 7 RSE talk from ACET earlier this week.

MACE Debating Competition

On Tuesday the 14th November, Sixth Formers Anya Sultan, Emily You and Kate Zhao participated in the MACE debate competition which is the oldest debating competition in the UK. The topic ‘e sports and gaming should not be defined as a sport’ was first difficult to navigate, but the girls were able to create clear, concise points which were confidently presented in their speeches. The girls were set against Collingham College in a league of six other schools. During the debate, Emily and Kate were able to make precise arguments pinpointing the crux of the debate and consulting all the stakeholders. In her summary Anya was able to mitigate and negate the opposition’s arguments and weigh why in fact they as the proposition had won. The Sixth Formers won their debate, and narrowly missed advancement to the next round.

Emily You – Lower Sixth

Schoolblazer Sale

Schoolblazer will be running a flash sale from Monday 20th – Tuesday 21st November 2023. There will be 20% off ALL in-stock items online at schoolblazer.com during the sale period, while stocks last.

Protocol if a Child is Unwell at School

We are very fortunate to have the expertise of our school nurses on site. If your child feels unwell, she must seek help from our staff who will support her. If she is too unwell to stay in school, we will contact you without delay for your daughter to be collected. Please inform us of any change in contact details so that we can reach you; we must have at least 2 different numbers in case of emergency. We cannot send unwell children home unaccompanied so please be aware your daughter will need to be picked up from school.

If your daughter bypasses this system and emails you directly, please tell her to talk to a member of staff. We will assess her wellbeing and let you know if she is well enough to stay in school or needs to be collected.

No Nuts in School Please

A reminder that we have some children in our school community with allergies. If you send your child into school with any food, please ensure it does not contain nuts.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral | Designated Safeguarding Lead

FHS Netball Tournament

On Thursday we hosted our first FHS Netball Tournament of the year, for our U13’s. We invited Broomwood Hall, St Augustine’s, City of London School for Girls, FHS Regent’s Park and Queen’s College to enjoy a – mostly dry – morning of sport. There was tight competition all round with close score lines, draws and last minute goals adding to the enjoyment of the day.

Our girls started very strongly with a win against Regent’s Park, we then faced back to back tough opponents in City and St Augustine’s but we rallied and came out on top in a closely fought match against Broomwood Hall and we sealed off the day with a final win against Queen’s College.

The team worked very well together throughout the morning and we scored a total of 29 goals, only conceding 12 which resulted in a third place finish for us. Player of the Tournament was given to Esme Land who as GA, provided excellent movement in the attacking half leading to shooting opportunities being created, she then scored from many of these herself. Congratulations to all who took part and thank you to the parents who came to support and to Miss James for organising the event.

Placings as follows:

1st City of London School for Girls

2nd Broomwood Hall

3rd Francis Holland Sloane Square

Miss Caister – Teacher of PE

Head Lice

Head lice are very common in young people. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head to head contact when pupils are in close proximity. We have seen a few cases of lice in school recently across different year groups and would ask that you check your daughters hair regularly to catch and treat them early. The best way to do this is by washing the hair as normal, applying lots of conditioner and combing the whole head from the roots to ends with a nit comb. Should you find any eggs or lice , please treat accordingly with a medicated shampoo which can be purchased from a pharmacy. There is no need to keep your daughter off school.

School Nurses

Understanding Girls – Webinar – Tooled up – Tuesday 21st November 19:30

Please take note of the upcoming webinar with Tooled Up, taking place on Tuesday 21st November.

“In this webinar, clinician and author, Dr Tara Porter will be exploring why girls are struggling with their mental health so much at present and the potential underlying factors. She will be thinking about the societal factors which may contribute to girls’ suffering and will provide parents ideas for bolstering their relationship with their daughters whilst supporting their mental health.

Dr Porter is a Clinical Psychologist and Writer. She worked in the NHS for over 25 years in child and adolescent mental health and has her own successful private practice. She is the author of the Sunday Times Best Selling “You Don’t Understand Me: The Young Woman’s Guide to Life.”

Odd Socks Day

Odd Socks Day marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week, this year it will take place on Monday 13th November, and we invite your daughter to come to school wearing odd socks. Odd Socks Day is a fun way to encourage our girls to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes them unique. It also importantly helps to spread awareness of the core values that Anti-Bullying Week promotes.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

PE Kit

Now we are facing wet and cold conditions, it is required that all pupils are appropriately dressed for sport. This includes wearing their softshell and additional layers. The pupils will also be required to arrive and depart school in either their FHS tracksuit bottoms and/or their FHS base layers.

We would like to pilot pupils having one day a week when they remain in their school PE kit all day following feedback that the pupils would find this helpful.

The days are as follows:

Year 7            Thursday

Year 8             Monday

Year 9             Wednesday

Year 10          Tuesday

Year 11          Friday

Miss Georgina Newsome – Director of Sport

3rd November 2023

Message from Mrs Elphinstone

Dear Parents

I opened the door to a very special delivery this week: the Fearless Girl marched into my house and took up position with the determination which has given us all such courage and joy. She is the most incredible inspiration, just as she has been every day within the School as the symbol of all we hope the girls will become. I found her such a comfort whilst I was head and she will now be my companion in my new life. I can never thank you enough for your generosity in giving her to me, and she ensures that FHS will always be in my heart.

Best wishes,

Lucy Elphinstone

Evensong – Sunday 5th November

We are delighted that our Lower Chamber Choir will be singing at this Sunday evening’s service at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street. All are welcome to attend what will be a wonderful service that commences at 18:00 and will last around 50 minutes.

Mr Elliot Mercer – Teacher of Music

PE Kit

Now we are facing wet and cold conditions, it is required that all pupils are appropriately dressed for sport. This includes wearing their softshell and additional layers. The pupils will also be required to arrive and depart school in either their FHS tracksuit bottoms and/or their FHS base layers.

We would like to pilot pupils having one day a week when they remain in their school PE kit all day following feedback that the pupils would find this helpful.

The days are as follows:

Year 7 Thursday
Year 8 Monday
Year 9 Thursday
Year 10 Tuesday
Year 11 Friday

Miss Georgina Newsome – Director of Sport

Odd Socks Day

Odd Socks Day marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week, this year it will take place on Monday 13th November, and we invite your daughter to come to school wearing odd socks. Odd Socks Day is a fun way to encourage our girls to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes them unique. It also importantly helps to spread awareness of the core values that Anti-Bullying Week promotes.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Horse Riding Club

Mrs Buchanan and the Horse-Riding Club enjoyed a wonderful lesson in Hyde Park on Tuesday. The autumnal sunshine was beaming down, and the views were spectacular! Amelia D in Year 7 demonstrated excellent leadership skills by confidently leading the group around the serpentine. We practiced walking, stopping and rising trot. All have built on their skills since the start of term.

Mrs Natasha Buchanan – Teacher of English

Half Term Trip to Mvumi

Over Half Term, Nick Dyson, Lucinda James and two Year 11 pupils will be visiting our link school in Tanzania, Mvumi School. They will be spending time in the unit for visually impaired pupils, meeting the pupils we sponsor and planning the next fundraising campaign with Trust Representatives. We are most grateful to the Senior School Parents’ Association for raising money for Mvumi School through the forthcoming quiz night on Monday 13th November. There will be a chance for Mr Dyson, Miss James and the pupils who visited Mvumi to present to parents during the quiz and we have much planned as we prepare to donate the funds raised for specific and impactful projects at the school.

Mr Nick Dyson – Director of Creative Enterprise

Reading over Half Term

Over the break, don’t forget a) to take your mind on a journey into a book, and b) that you have access to a range of free audiobooks on eplatform: you can download books and listen when you have no Wi-Fi access.  Francis Holland School – Francis Holland School (eplatform.co) If you are in Year 7, your log in is:

  • Username: Your email address
  • Password: Library1

Ms Emma Shevah: Head of Literacy and Communications

A Streetcar Named Desire

On Tuesday 26th September, LVI and UVI English Literature students were treated to a film screening of their coursework text ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. The famous 1951 film, starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, proved a big hit with students. They discussed the director’s choice of setting, characters and lighting with gusto! This will help their critical appreciation of the play and be invaluable for their coursework writing. Well done to all those who attended.

Mrs Natasha Buchanan – Teacher of English

Upcoming webinar for parents – Helping Your Child Prepare for Exams

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on exam preparation on October 17th. Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your children at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school. Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to get ready for their assessments and walk into the exam hall feeling confident and prepared.

How You Can Help Your Child Prepare for Exams

Tuesday 17th October 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)

Click this link to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

✅ Prioritise your child’s high-impact work to maximise marks

✅ Improve your child’s time management to avoid last-minute preparation

✅ Help your child study effectively using past papers

We hope to see you there!

Lucinda James – Head of Academic Mentoring

World Mental Health Day 2023 – Tuesday 10th October

This coming Tuesday, 10th October, marks World Mental Health Day 2023. As a school, we have decided to take part in this year’s national campaign, ‘Get Britain Talking.’ The concept is simple: to foster more effective conversations – where we can talk honestly about what’s on our minds and listen well to one another. In order to help you have better conversations with your daughter this week, we would love to give YOU (yes, you, not your child!) some homework. We are asking you, this World Mental Health Day (or perhaps the day before, or after) to intentionally create an opportunity for your daughter to talk to you about her concerns or fears, and to focus on upskilling yourself as a listener. I write this as a parent of three children, constantly trying (and mostly failing) to do this well myself.

At this link you will find some helpful conversation starters: young-minds-conversation-starters_final-003.pdf (youngminds.org.uk)

In particular we recommend using the following simple responses as you listen:

  1. How does / did that make you feel?
  2. What are you most afraid might happen?
  3. Would it help to have more information?
  4. How can I best support you through this? (Space? Time to Talk? Do something fun?)

The following is the ‘homework’ sheet we will be giving your daughter to encourage her to have a really good talk with you, this week: Britain Get Talking | Home (itv.com)

UCS01911 – ITV BGT HOMEWORK – ITV HOMEWORK TASK 210x297mm v03.indd

Lucinda van der Hart, School Chaplain

Pastoral Update

Remote learning on Wednesday 4th October

As all pupils will be learning remotely on Wednesday due to the train and tube strike, they will start the day with

morning registration at 8.20am followed by preparation for the day ahead and private reading between 08.30-09.30. The Life Skills curriculum will resume on 11th October.

All Year 7 pupils were prepared for the day during registration this morning to ensure they know how to access their learning on Wednesday.

Planners

Every year we review the student planner for Years 7-10, taking into account student and teacher feedback. This year we have included the following additions:

* Several pages of advice regarding mental health and wellbeing

* New pages to colour in

* Student artwork for the front covers

* A home/school partnership outlining (in much smaller font than anticipated) how we work together to help every pupil to thrive at school

* Green passes to help staff track the whereabouts of students if they’re not in lessons.

There have been some queries about the green passes. We always encourage girls to go to the toilet before school, at break, at lunch and after school rather than during lessons. If in addition to that they need to go to the toilet during a lesson, their teacher will give them permission to do so, and they fill in a pass. It should be the exception rather than the rule that children of secondary school age would need to leave a lesson and teachers are experienced in using their professional judgement in such circumstances.

The slips help us to have a record of the children’s whereabouts and if a child is frequently missing lessons, this may indicate a pastoral need for which we can provide support. The slips came in a standard batch of 12 but 12 is not the limit if your child runs out of slips.

If you have any suggestions for the planner, I would be most grateful to receive them. Please email office@fhs-sw1.org.uk with the subject ‘Planner’.

Year 11 PE kit

Year 11 pupils are permitted to come to school in their PE kit on Fridays. There will be some occasions, such as whole school formal events and church services, when Year 11 will be expected to wear their uniform and change for PE and these dates will be communicated in advance.

Aerosol sprays

Aerosol sprays are strictly forbidden in school as they pose a health risk to pupils and staff through the potential for asthma attacks and allergic reactions. Your support in ensuring your daughter has a roll-on deodorant in school is much appreciated.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Jazz Evening Postponed

The Jazz Evening, scheduled for Monday 9th October, in the Phoenix Arts Club on Tottenham Court Road, has had to be postponed. Many apologies for any disruption caused – the Music Department hopes to be able to let you know of new arrangements very shortly.

Miss Helen Vickery – Director of Music

Debating at FHS

On Tuesday, we hosted a ‘friendly’ BP debate against the City of London School for Girls’. It was a huge success. This debate provided an invaluable opportunity for our students, with the added benefit of receiving constructive feedback from Maria Garan, our debate coach, and the City coach. The girls had a wonderful time, and the lively ‘friendly debate’ atmosphere boosted the girls’ enthusiasm and provided a great opportunity for them to develop both their debating skills and their self-confidence. Engaging in the British Parliamentary style of debating is especially impressive. It demands that each participant can swiftly compose a compelling five-minute speech within a mere fifteen-minute preparation window, all while remaining poised to address rebuttals and points of information from their opponents.

A huge well done and thank you to the pupils who participated: Zara Burn, Phoebe Smith, Rania Laskar, Thea McCourt, Alexia Abecassis, Anya Sultan, Kate Zhao and Emily You.

Alexia’s feedback

The Francis Holland debate team were delighted to welcome City School of London for a friendly debate on Tuesday. The two motions were: A strong dictatorship is better than a weak democracy and this house would send their children to single sex schools. We had a wonderful time debating alongside our peers and discussing current and relevant issues and I particularly enjoyed meeting the girls from City and being to able to have such an engaging debate with them. Despite having strong competition, Francis Holland did take the win and we are looking forwards to future competitions.

Miss Imogen Wigdahl – Teacher of Theology & Philosophy, Head of Debating

Inspiring Future Leaders at Benenden School

We had the lovely opportunity to spend the day at Benenden School for their Inspiring Future Leaders Global Schools Conference. We heard from a variety of speakers: HRH Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan, Dr Amy Jadesimi, Georgina Secombe MBE, Dame Didi Wong, Amber Atherton, Baroness Manningham-Buller LG, DCB and HRH The Princess Royal. It was so inspiring to hear from such accomplished female leaders and we were offered some amazing advice on a plethora of subjects: from public speaking to entrepreneurial leadership tips.

These women are incredible examples of great leadership and show qualities that we strive to have. Even though all these women have succeeded in different areas, they share the interest in inspiring future female leaders and ensure the next generation feel confident to overcome any challenges that they are faced with. It was incredible to see so many young women from so many different schools all across the country, even having international students watching online.

We were so welcomed at Benenden and had an amazing day.

Ms Clare Stansfield – Head of VIth Form

Senior Chamber Choir at Queensgate Church

On Sunday morning, the senior chamber choir were warmly welcomed by Revd van der Hart to sing in the morning service at HTB Queensgate church. We sang three pieces, led by Miss Vickery, along with several new hymns that had been chosen by the church.

The service itself was very uplifting and we were delighted to be joined by a wonderful congregation who made us feel so loved and supported. After the service we were rewarded with lots of pastries and refreshments, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We are so grateful to have had this amazing opportunity to sing in such a wonderful environment.

Beatrice Gironi and Mika Bianchi – Year 11

Upcoming webinar for parents – Helping Your Child Manage Their Time

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on time management on October 3rd.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact- workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your children at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Please sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to balance their priorities and stay on top of their workload.

How You Can Help Your Child Manage Their Time

Tuesday 3rd October 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)

Please follow this link to register

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

✅ Align expectations on homework with your child

✅ Help your child balance their schoolwork and social life 

✅ Set up a weekly planner tool with your child

Lucinda James – Head of Academic Mentoring, Head of Year 10

Deodorants / sprays / perfume

Unfortunately, a student has suffered an asthma attack due to someone spraying perfume or deodorant in her vicinity. We would like to therefore reiterate that spray deodorants and perfumes are now banned at school due to misuse. We wish to avoid our students who have asthma and allergies experiencing discomfort or triggering more serious symptoms, such as an asthma attack. If your daughter needs to apply a deodorant during the school day, please give her a roll-on type of deodorant.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Legally Blonde the Musical

The Drama and Music departments have an exciting announcement to make regarding the annual school production. This year, the show will be ‘Legally Blonde – The Musical’. The show is based on the 2001 film, which tells the story of Elle Woods, a high school sorority girl who enrols at Harvard Law School to win back her boyfriend, Warner. However, along the journey, she discovers a true passion for justice and helping others. She also learns about the transformative power of self-belief. Aside from the fun-filled memorable songs, many comedic moments, dynamic choreography and relatability for our students, we truly believe that the show contains some very important themes for young people, such as forming one’s self identity, developing critical thinking, the value of strong friendships, the merits of education, evaluating what true love really is, and of course, having passion, determination and resilience when pursuing one’s dreams.

“There’s still so much to learn, so many dreams to earn.” Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Rehearsals are underway, starting from this week. The show will be put on at the Battersea Arts Centre and there will be performances on: Friday 26th January (Evening) and Saturday 27th January (matinee and evening), please do save the dates for your diary! We will send out further event, ticketing and venue information in due course. We very much look forward to welcoming you to the show!

Miss Emily Smyth – Head of Drama

Years 7 & 8 Webinar with Elaine Halligan – Navigating Anxiety

Calling all Years 7 & 8 parents, please don’t miss our upcoming webinar with Elaine Halligan on Navigating Anxiety. Please see attached letter for more information.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Senior Chamber Choir singing on Sunday 24th September at St Augustine’s Church, Queensgate

You are more than welcome to join us at 10.30am for the morning service at St Augustine’s Church in Queensgate (SW7 5LP) – where the Senior Chamber Choir will be singing. We are incredibly grateful to Mrs van der Hart for organising this opportunity.

Miss Helen Vickery – Director of Music

Deodorants / sprays / perfume

Please note spray deodorants and perfumes are now banned at school due to misuse. We wish to avoid our students who have asthma and allergies experiencing discomfort or triggering more serious symptoms, such as an asthma attack. If your daughter needs to apply a deodorant during the school day, please give her a roll-on type deodorant.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway – Acting Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Upcoming webinar for parents – How to Get (& Keep!) Your Child Motivated 

We’re excited to announce that next week Elevate Education will be hosting its first free webinar of the year for parents. Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you will learn how you can help better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school.

Tuesday 19th September  
Click here to register for free

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:

  • What impact does praise and reassurance have on your child’s motivation?
  • What are the best types of goals to be setting with your child?
  • How can you help your child create meaningful and lasting motivation?

We look forward to seeing you there!

Lucinda James – Head of Academic Mentoring

Tooled Up Webinar 19th September – Sign Up

Please don’t forget to sign up for the Tooled Up Webinar with Dr Kathy Weston. More information here.

Co-Curricular Clubs

The Co-Curricular programme will be launched on Monday 11th September. Pupils have access to the timetable and club lists on their Year Group Team. It’s not too late for changes. If your daughter would like to join a club, please ask her to see or email Mrs Floyd or the club leader.

Mrs Rachel Floyd – Acting Deputy Head Operations & Co Curriculum

Co-Curricular Music

We are excited to be starting all co-curricular music activities this coming week, including choirs, orchestras and individual music lessons! Those that have signed up to request Individual Music Lessons have been contacted. However, if you would still like to request music lessons for this academic year, please complete the form below. We have waiting lists in operation for Piano and Singing tuition, but plenty of other fantastic instrumental studies to choose from. Please click here to see more.

For those currently having lessons at FHS, these will rollover as normal from one year to the next unless notice is provided. Therefore, if your child already receives instrumental tuition at FHS, there is no need to complete the form.

If you have any questions about individual music lessons or about co-curricular music clubs, please contact Mr Mercer (elliot.mercer@fhs-sw1.org.uk).

Mr Elliot Mercer – Teacher of Music

Miss Vickery Walks a Half-Marathon

On Sunday 10th September, Miss Helen Vickery (our most wonderful Director of Music) will be walking a hilly half-marathon along the Jurassic Coast in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. There’s over 2000ft of elevation on the route, which takes in Durdle Door and several steep climbs! She is aiming to raise £500 and you can contribute to her fundraising target here.

SSPA Nearly New Uniform Sale – £4619 Raised!

Huge thanks to the SSPA for their amazing Nearly New Uniform Sale on Thursday morning, which raised £4619 for the school charities, and helped countless FHS students avoid dreaded minor penalties for missing blazers or short skirts! A big focus for all of us this year is maintaining high standards of presentation when it comes to our uniform – the SSPA will have contributed immensely to this initiative.

I’d like to highlight the tireless work of the many parents volunteers, some well-known veterans and some new faces, who gave their time this morning (and yesterday afternoon too!)

Thanks to Akiko Bianchi, Aparna Mohla, Joyce Mfofo-Kahwa, Kelly Tan, Faye Sinden, Eimear Lysaght, Ingrid Furtado, Paola Feller, Lora Christou, Dana Shami-Karaket, and Ayse Bilge. And of course, special thanks to David Sweeney and Lindsey Haase, our maestros who organise and manage this wonderful enterprise.

If you’re a parent and would like to get involved in the SSPA Outreach activities, please do contact your year reps, or get in touch with me directly: william.galloway@fhs-sw1.org.uk.

Mr Will Galloway – Teacher of English