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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.

13th February 2026

Online Safety Reminder

We are writing to remind our community of the importance of supporting children in navigating the online world safely and responsibly. As you know, social media and messaging platforms play a significant role in young people’s lives. While these can be positive tools for connection, they also carry risks when used without guidance.

We strongly encourage all parents to check their child’s phone and online activity regularly. This is not about a lack of trust, but about ensuring that children are safe, supported, and making thoughtful choices in digital spaces.

Equally important is maintaining open, ongoing conversations at home about online behaviour, including what children may see, share, or experience. Young people need to know that they can come forward to a trusted adult – whether at home or at school – even if they feel they have made a mistake. Honest communication gives us the best chance of supporting them early and effectively.

Please continue to speak with your child about:

  • Using social media responsibly
  • Thinking carefully before sharing messages, images, or videos
  • Seeking help if they feel unsure, uncomfortable, or pressured online
  • Talking to an adult if they have seen or done something they are worried about

As always, our safeguarding team is here to support both pupils and parents. If you have any concerns or would like further guidance on online safety, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer and Pastoral Care Lead

Tooled Up Webinars

Tooled Up Education warmly invites you to register for their upcoming March 2026 webinars:

REGISTER HERE: 6 March 2026, 12:30-13:30 GMT

Join family therapist Dr Reenee Singh and family lawyer Antonia Felix for a practical, empathetic webinar supporting parents and educators navigating blended families. Gain expert guidance on strengthening family relationships, managing complex emotions, and understanding key legal considerations to help children feel supported, secure and valued.

REGISTER HERE: 13 March 2026, 13:00-13:45 GMT

To mark World Sleep Day, join Professor Gringras, a leading UK expert in sleep medicine. In this interactive session, Professor Gringras will explain why sleep is fundamental for physical and mental health. He will also tackle common sleep myths and share practical, evidence-based strategies to improve sleep.

REGISTER HERE: 17 March 2026, 12:30-13:30 GMT

Grief doesn’t fade with time – it changes. In this webinar, consultant educational and child psychologist Hannah Abrahams explores the ongoing nature of grief, and how threads of joy can exist alongside pain. With sensitivity and care, the session offers space to reflect on the ways love continues to transform us long after loss, and how remembrance can become a source of renewal.

REGISTER HERE: 18 March 2026, 12:00-13:30 GMT

As organisations increasingly recognise the value of different ways of thinking, this webinar with award-winning psychiatrist and leadership coach Dr Judith Mohring offers a clear, practical guide to understanding neurodiversity at work. Dr Mohring explains what neurodivergence really means, from autism and ADHD to dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. She will also explore the strengths and challenges associated with differing neurodivergent profiles, why neurodiversity represents a strategic business advantage, and how supportive workplaces can unlock significant untapped talent.

Deigned for neurodivergent individuals, those who support them, and anyone leading or working within teams, this session will leave you better informed, more confident and equipped with practical language and tools to help all minds thrive.

REGISTER HERE: 19 March 2026, 19:30-20:30 GMT

It isn’t easy watching our teenagers fall in and out of friendships, date for the first time or engage in digital dating. As parents, we want to help them recognise healthy relationships and feel resilient enough to manage the inevitable ups and downs. Join Dr Kathy Weston for a supportive, practical webinar exploring how we can empower teenagers to approach relationships with confidence and self-belief.

Tooled Up

Uniform

Please not there is a Schoolblazer Spring Sale 9th–13th February 2026

Please take a moment to check your daughter’s uniform. We are particularly concerned about the length of some skirts, which should sit on the knee in line with our uniform expectations.

We also ask that the PE skort is an appropriate size to ensure it provides full coverage and can be worn comfortably during all activities.

The Pastoral Team

Schoolblazer Spring Sale – 9–13 February 2026

We’re delighted to let you know that Schoolblazer will be running a Spring Sale from Monday 9th to Friday 13th February 2026.

During the sale, parents can enjoy up to ⅓ off selected in-stock items when shopping online at schoolblazer.com. Discounts are available for a limited time and while stocks last.

School Blazer

An introduction and the National Year of Reading

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Rutendo Zvobgo (Ms Z to the girls), the “new” Head of Library here at Francis Holland, Sloane Square. I say new with a smile because, although I joined in November 2025, this is my very first update in the parental newsletter. I am delighted to have taken on the role just in time to celebrate the 2026 National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading is a government initiative responding to the country’s declining reading rates. Reading gives young people the opportunity to explore new ideas, strengthen empathy and develop independence in their thinking. These qualities align naturally with the school’s vision for an education that nurtures imagination, thoughtful enquiry, and personal growth.

The library has a full calendar of events planned throughout the year to celebrate reading and to highlight its role in shaping confident, reflective learners. Our flagship programme, ‘My Reading Journal’, will be running until July. Each month, pupils choose a book based on a set theme, write a short reflection and receive a charm for their key chain. This approach supports steady progress and encourages persistence and pride in their reading. Next month’s theme will, of course, be all about love. We will have plenty of appropriate romance titles available, and the bonus theme invites students to explore books that portray love within families or friendships, helping them notice the connections that enrich their everyday lives.

How you can help:

Please take a moment to ask your daughter what she has chosen for this month’s challenge. If she has not yet collected her Reading Journal, encourage her to visit the library and join in. We have some wonderful charms on offer and even better books waiting to be discovered!

With warm regards,
Rutendo Zvobgo | Head of Library

Please bring in any last donations for the Second Hand Uniform Sale on Monday 26th January!

Parent Talk:  Helping your child cope with exams

We are delighted that Katharine Radice will be delivering an in-person parent talk on Tuesday 27th January 18:00 – 19:00 about how to help your child through exams.  There will be a focus on public exams, however, this talk will give you practical advice on how to support your children through all assessments from Year 7 to UVI (and onwards!).

Click here to let us know if you are coming.

The Pastoral Team

 

SLT Breakfast – Online Safety

It was great to see parents at our SLT breakfast this week on the topic of online safety. Our children are growing up at a challenging time when it comes to navigating the online world safely and we are really keen to help you to keep them safe. Please find attached the PowerPoint Mr Hayward and I used for your reference and there are many links included therein to great resources to help parents.

SLT Breakfast parent talk online safety Jan 26

The final slide covers all that we do at school in this area, such as: monitoring the use of technology in school; filtering to ensure inappropriate or harmful content online cannot be accessed in school; cybersecurity tools to prevent cyberattacks; and monitoring the use of Microsoft 365, including school email, OneDrive and Teams to alert us to safeguarding issues. We discussed the importance of having adequate safeguards in place at home and the risks associated with VPNs as they allow children to bypass security features.

If you have further questions regarding this area, please email digitalsafety@fhs-sw1.org.uk

Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

 

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. Please remind your daughters to keep their hair tied up in order to prevent lice spreading.

The Medical Team

 

How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next free parent webinar for the term on technology and focus on January 27th. 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 to learn how you can turn technology from a distraction into an incentive to study: Click here to register for free

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

✅ Reducing your child’s dependence on technology

✅ Using apps to prevent your child procrastinating

✅ Using technology to enhance your child’s learning

We hope to see you there!

Miss Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

 

For Parents of Years 9, 10, 11 and 12

Your daughter may have told you about the exciting Uganda trip that we’ve just launched during in assembly this week for July ’27. There will be a more formal letter next week with details, costs and dates, but in the meantime, please feel free to read more here.

Dr Nigel Upcott

 

Introducing the FHS Music Festival… the Fanny Davies Music Festival 2026! 

The Fanny Davies Music Festival is the large FHS music festival that anyone can sign up to perform. All students, across the school are invited to perform and participate in one of the various festival categories. The festival days are Thursday 13th and Friday 14th February 2026, during the FHS school day.

Students have been sent details, but please see the following poster for more information: Fanny Davies Music Festival 2026

If you have any questions, please contact a Music Teacher.

The deadline for entries is Monday 2nd February and please do encourage any musicians, of any level, to sign up they wish to. Happy music-making!

The Music Department

Health Reminder

Please can we ask parents to remind pupils of the importance of regular and thorough handwashing, to prevent illness from spreading.

If your child has a temperature, they should only return to school once they have been temperature-free for at least 24 hours.

In line with government guidance, children who have experienced diarrhoea and/or vomiting (D&V) should remain at home and only return to school 48 hours after the last episode.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our school community healthy.

The Medical Team

 

2026 – The National Year of Reading

2026 is National Year of Reading, so we will be doing all we can to promote, support, champion and cajole students into embracing, expanding and rekindling their love of reading. The library is well-stocked, authors will be visiting, posters are up, and all kinds of reading events and activities have been planned. More specifically, as Year 7 have been learning Shakespeare’s sonnet 130, Year 8 are travelling soon to Verona to meet Romeo and Juliet, and other year groups are comically and tragically exploring other plays, we highly recommend ‘Shakespeare’ by Bill Bryson and ‘A Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England’ by Ian Mortimer, both of which are excellent for context and bring the Bard and his world to life.

Ms Emma Shevah | Director of Literacy and Oracy

Important Notice – Sloane Square Spring Term invoices went out on Monday 15th Dec – please check your spam folder as these now come from Stephanie Lamb @ parentqueries.fhst.org.uk our new COO

Parent and Staff Prayer Breakfast

Our termly Parent and Staff Prayer Breakfast will be held this term on Thurs 22 Jan in Room 1A, 8.15-9am. This is an informal opportunity for parents and staff to pray for the school and encourage each other in faith. All are welcome; please feel free to drop in for all / part of the time.

Revd Lucinda van der Hart | Chaplain

 Parent Webinar: How to Help Your Child Improve Their Note Taking

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their first free parent webinar for the term on note taking on January 13th.

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 take notes in the right way for effective revision.

How to Help Your Child Improve Their Note Taking

Tuesday 13th January 6:00-7:00pm (GMT)

Click here to register for free

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

✅ Helping your child to structure their notes effectively

✅ Helping your child to remember what they learn

✅ Using deliberate practice with your child to improve their grades quickly

We hope to see you there!

Miss Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

PSHE/Wellbeing

In the first week back (7th January), there will be an online parent talk by Paul Semakula from ACET.  ACET provides many of our mandatory Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) sessions.  A separate email will go out within the next week with a sign-up form, and the Zoom link will follow after the Christmas break.  There will be a session from 6-7pm for parents of year 7 pupils and another session directly afterwards for parents of all other pupils.  There should be enough time for a Q&A, so if you have anything you would like more information on, please think about this in advance.  In the meantime, please take a look at the ACET website; www.acet-uk.com | Home

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan and Miss Maki Murata | Joint PSHE Leads

Safeguarding – Roblox

Many of our younger pupils enjoy playing Roblox so we thought it would be useful to share some positive news about how the company is bringing in mandatory age verification for young players.  It has announced one of its most significant safety upgrades yet: Children will soon be prevented from chatting with unknown adults, as part of a global rollout of strengthened protections for young users.  Starting in December for Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands – and expanding worldwide in January – Roblox will require age verification for all accounts that use chat features. The move follows increasing pressure from regulators, safety organisations, and parents concerned about child protection on gaming platforms.

The Safeguarding Team

Goodbye to Miss Smith

On Wednesday, former FHS Prep Year 7 and Year 8 pupils gathered during break time to bid farewell to Caroline Smith as she embarks on her next chapter. The occasion was marked by warm conversations, shared memories, a delicious cake and thoughtful plans to remain in touch. In a gesture of affection, the girls even promised a symbolic gift (sheep) for her home in Surrey!

It was a truly special and celebratory moment, and Caroline expressed her gratitude and happiness to all who attended. We shall certainly miss her tremendously.

Francis Holland School

Congrats Tanisha

Congratulations to Tanisha who competed  in South Hampton LMC Taekwondo competition in the -51kg category and achieved a bronze medal! Huge well done!

Grade 4 Ballet & Netball Clash

Due to the ongoing clash between Grade 4 ballet and Netball, the ballet department have arranged for an additional Grade 4 lesson to take place on Thursdays at lunch time for the Spring Term. Please email rachel.phelan@fhs-sw1.org.uk to sign your daughter up. (This will not affect the current Grade 4 class on Wednesday’s). Minimum numbers will be required in order for the class to go ahead.

Miss Rachel Phelan | Ballet Teacher

Flu Immunisation

As you may be aware the incidence of flu is rapidly increasing. Please find attached link from our website for flu vaccination webinar – Flu FAQs – Parent Webinar Sept 2025

The link to our website will also allow parents and guardians to book the catch-up clinic if their child has missed the flu vaccination in school. – Catch-up clinics

If a parent has changed their mind after they have declined the offer, we will welcome them at the catch-up clinics, which also offer walk-ins.

Vaccination UK

Sleep and Melatonin

We would like to remind parents that melatonin is a prescription-only medication in the UK. It should not be given to children unless specifically prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional following a thorough assessment. Melatonin is sometimes used to help manage severe sleep difficulties, but only after other strategies—such as good sleep hygiene—have been tried and proven ineffective.

If you have concerns about your child’s sleep, please seek advice from your GP rather than using over the counter or online products.  Further information can be found on the NHS website and there is also lots of useful advice from ‘Tooled Up’.

Melatonin: a hormone used for sleep problems – NHS

Members Home | Tooled Up Education

Thank you for your support and understanding.

The Medical and Pastoral Team

Upcoming Parent Talks

After the Christmas break, we have several parent talks, including one by ACET on the 7th January who provide our Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) sessions, and one by the DSM Foundation on the 10th February, who are a UK based charity focused on drug and alcohol education.  Please put these dates in your diary.   Further information will follow.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan and Miss Maki Murata – Joint PSHE Leads

Anti-bullying Week follow up

Further to my email this week, we encourage you to take some time with your child to discuss and reflect upon the key themes of anti-bullying, discussing how kindness, respect, and empathy can make a positive difference in our school community.  Please also see this ‘Tooled Up’ article – Raising a Positive Bystander or ‘Upstander’: Five Things Parents Need to Know | Tooled Up Education

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer and Pastoral Care Lead

Grade 4 Ballet & Netball Clash

Due to the ongoing clash between Grade 4 ballet and Netball, the ballet department have arranged for an additional Grade 4 lesson to take place on Thursdays at lunch time for the Spring Term. Please email rachel.phelan@fhs-sw1.org.uk to sign your daughter up. (This will not affect the current Grade 4 class on Wednesday’s). Minimum numbers will be required in order for the class to go ahead.

Miss Rachel Phelan | Ballet Teacher

Flu Immunisation

As you may be aware the incidence of flu is rapidly increasing. Please find attached link from our website for flu vaccination webinar – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGhAaqn2XNo

The link to our website will also allow parents and guardians to book the catch-up clinic if their child has missed the flu vaccination in school. – https://www.schoolvaccination.uk/catch-up-clinics

If a parent has changed their mind after they have declined the offer, we will welcome them at the catch-up clinics, which also offer walk-ins.

Vaccination UK

Schoolblazer Flash Sale!

Schoolblazer will be running a flash sale from Monday 24th – Tuesday 25th November 2025.

There will be 1/3rd off ALL in-stock items online at schoolblazer.com during the sale period, while stocks last.

The Schoolblazer Team

Injuries and School: What We Need to Know

Bumps and bruises are common in children and injuries can occur at home or while taking part in external clubs and activities. If your child is coming into school with an injury, please inform their form tutor, head of year or the medical room. Seeing pupils with unexpected bruises and bandages is concerning for staff and more information regarding the injury can enable us to better support your child in school.

The Medical Team

Pastoral and Safeguarding

We kindly request that you ask your daughter(s) not to email family members during the school day. We have had quite a few incidences where pupils have requested an early pick-up or report feeling unwell. If your child becomes ill or needs to leave school, the appropriate procedure is for them to speak to a member of staff such as the School Nurse or a member of the Pastoral team, who will contact you directly if necessary.

This helps us ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students and keeps communication clear. Thank you for your support in following this.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer and Pastoral Care Lead

Year 11 Career Interviews

Our Year 11 students have been enjoying their career interviews with external advisors, gaining helpful guidance as they plan their next steps. They’ll soon be able to access their interview summaries on Unifrog, supporting them as they think ahead.

Mrs Caroline Wilkes | Director of Futures and Innovation

Year 8 Oral Storytelling Project Launches

Recently, Year 8 embarked on a new initiative: an inter-disciplinary Oral Storytelling Project, which involves the English, Art, Music and Drama departments. Over the last few weeks in English, they have learned about the history of oral storytelling; heroes, myths and legends; the art of the storyteller; story structure and plotting, and they have created heroes and plots of their own. Their Key Piece is to write a creation myth or myth explaining a natural event, or a fable with a moral. After editing and polishing their stories, the project will then move to Art, where they will look at stories told through paintings and tapestries, and create a pictorial or physical representation of their story; then it moves to Music where they will put it to music, add percussion or make a soundscape. In Drama, they will be learning about myths and legends in the Spring term. The hope is that they will read their stories aloud with the artistic and musical elements in a showcase in the Spring. Do ask them about their storytelling projects and the characters they have created!

Ms Emma Shevah | Director of Literacy and Oracy

Free Parent Webinar: Helping Your Child Improve Their Memory

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on Memory on November 18th.

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 recall their syllabus content in an exam setting.

How You Can Help Improve Your Child’s Memory- Tuesday 18th November 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!

Miss Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

Natalie’s Regional Medals in U16 age category!

We are very proud to share that last weekend, at Southeast Regional Competition Natalie won gold in 50 meter backstroke and silver in 50 meter butterfly in the “16 and under” category. She also got into 4 finals in 16 and under category.

Congrats Natalie!

The PE Department

Anti-Bullying Week – Odd Socks Day

Next week is Anti-Bullying Week and the theme is ‘Power for Good’.  There will be assemblies on Monday and Thursday and some activities for form time on Friday. Monday is ‘Odd Socks Day’ so please encourage you daughter to come in wearing something striking!  If you would like some further information around this topic, please do take a look at this website: Anti-Bullying Week

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer, Pastoral Care Lead

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Policy Update

An email was sent out to all parents yesterday about our review of the RSE Policy, in line with the changes to the RSE curriculum that come into force in September 2026.  A link to the current policy and a link to a Microsoft Form was sent out in the email.  Please take some time to look at the policy and if you have any opinions about it, please do complete the form so that we can take account of your feedback.

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan | Safeguarding Officer, Pastoral Care Lead

 

Tanisha’s Taekwondo Achievement Aquila Open 2025

Well done to Tanisha who performed exceptionally well at the Aquila Open 25. The organizers combined the under51kg and under 56kg categories, so she faced older and taller opponents. Despite this, she put on an impressive display, landing multiple headshots and winning her first round convincingly. The third round ended in a draw, but the referee’s decision went to her opponent.

Tanisha earned a bronze medal and remains highly motivated to go for gold in her next competition.

The PE Department

 

Highgate Netball Tournament

Congratulations to both U12 and U13 teams for their brilliant efforts and results at the Highgate Netball Tournament this week. Our U12 team delivered an outstanding performance, winning all their matches and securing 1st place. Their gameplay was excellent throughout, showing great teamwork and determination. The U13s also had a fantastic tournament, finishing in 2nd place. Their accurate shooting and pressure defence were standout features across all games.

The PE Department

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. Please remind your daughters to keep their hair tied up in order to prevent lice spreading.

The Medical Team

Instructions for Tooled Up

If you have not already activated your account, please follow these steps to gain access.

  1. Click on this link.
  2. Enter your name, email address and the school’s unique pin FHSS1809.
  3. Follow the link in your email to verify your account and start using the site.
  4. In future, you can just enter your email address to gain instant access.

Alternatively you can just scan the QR code attached, and follow steps 2 and 3.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Wednesday 5th November – Online Parent Talk – When Eating Becomes Problematic – 18:00 – 19:00

Orri is a specialist eating disorder service dedicated to supporting young people and their families. This talk for parents and carers will provide practical advice on recognising early signs of difficulties with food, strategies for approaching sensitive conversations, and ways to foster a positive and supportive environment at home. The session is designed to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence to support their child with compassion and understanding throughout their journey. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain valuable insights from experienced professionals. A booking form will be sent to parents next week.

The Pastoral Team

SSPA Sparkle Soiree

The Sparke Soiree is only 3 weeks away. Don’t miss your chance to bid on our exciting raffle even if you are not able to attend.

The SSPA

Futures

The Futures Department has had a busy start to the academic year. We’ve been pleased to welcome ten North American universities to visit including Georgetown, Northwestern, Boston College and the University of Toronto. Early applications have been sent for Oxbridge and veterinary medicine courses. We are excited to announce our Careers Fair which will be held on Wednesday 11th February, and are keen to recruit people who would be happy to talk to the girls about their career path. We are keen to hear from surgeons, those working in fashion, journalism, engineers, chefs, designers, scientists and entrepreneurs. Please do get in touch if you think you can help!

Caroline Wilkes, Director of Futures & Innovation

FAO All Staff: Young Alumni Drinks Reunion – Monday 15th December

Francis Holland Sloane Square staff are cordially invited to the FHS Old Girls’ Society’s upcoming reunion for leavers from 2015-2025. If you would like to attend, please RSVP via this link.

Ms Dina Maktabi | Alumni Relations Officer

Congestion on Graham Terrace

To support with the promotion of safer parking on Graham Terrace, Westminster Council will be deploying a Parking Marshall at the start and end of the school day. Please be aware if you drive your daughter to school and follow the road safety advice previously shared:

  • Please do not park directly outside the school or stop on zigzag lines / double yellow lines.
  • Please do not stop in the middle of the road on Graham Terrace as accidents have occurred with cyclists and it blocks the flow of traffic.
  • Please do not leave engines idling while you wait to protect our air quality around the school.

Thank you for your support as we work to improve road safety for all FHS pupils and our local community.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Important Safeguarding Notice: Children’s “Spy” Books

We want to make you aware of a recent issue affecting some popular children’s books by Andrew Cope, including the Spy Dogs, Spy Cats, and Spy Pups series.

Some editions of these books include a printed web address at the back. This link used to go to the author’s website, but the domain is no longer under his control. It has since been taken over by another party and now leads to inappropriate adult content.

The publisher, Puffin, has paused sales and distribution of the books and is working with schools, libraries, and retailers to remove copies from circulation. They have stressed that the website has no connection to the author or publisher.

What this means for you:

  • If your child has any Spy Dog, Spy Cat or Spy Pups books at home, please check the back for website links and make sure they do not try to visit the site.
  • It is safe for children to continue reading the stories themselves — the concern is only with the outdated link.
  • We recommend talking with your child about the importance of not following web addresses in books without checking with an adult first.

We will continue to share updates from the publisher as more information becomes available.

The Pastoral Team 

Parent Webinar: Helping Your Child Prepare for Exams

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on exam skills and preparation on October 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 get ready for their assessments and walk into the exam hall feeling confident and prepared.

Click here to register for free – Tuesday 14th October 6:00-7:00pm (BST)

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

  • Creating a road map to maximise success in exams
  • Staying on track & avoiding cramming or stressing the night before
  • Structuring the final week before exams

We hope to see you there!

Miss Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

Dulwich College Debating Competition – Some Words from Thania, Year 11

On Sunday, my peers and I spent the day at Dulwich College debating with members from many other schools. We engaged in many conversations with intelligent judges and peers that we had debated with, allowing us to make new friends whilst still debating and doing something that we enjoy. It was super fun, waiting for the motion with your partner and getting ready to write down as much as you could in the time given – regardless of the outcome of the debates, we still learnt so much and got better throughout the course of the day.

Thania | Year 11

Y7&8 Wellbeing

In their wellbeing session this week, the Y7 and 8 pupils had a fascinating talk from Chloe Combi; an author, researcher, consultant and speaker who has a passionate interest in educating young people in the ever-increasing commodification of beauty (amongst many other things). She talked to the pupils about beauty and body image, Including the impact of social media, filter culture and tech-dysmorphia.  The pupils were extremely engaged, animated and inquisitive throughout the session and asked many insightful questions.  They will all shortly be receiving a booklet from Chloe as a follow-up and we hope to have her back to do more work with our pupils. Please see her website for any further information: Writer, Speaker, Consultant, Futurist, Problem-Solver. | Chloe Combi

Mrs Charlotte Hanrahan and Miss Maki Murata | Joint Wellbeing leads

School Bags

To reduce the weight of pupils’ bags in the lower school, we are encouraging them to make good use of their lockers; keep their textbooks in classrooms and where possible, provide worksheets for preps to reduce the need to carry books home. We will keep the weight of bags under review to ensure the pupils are not carrying excess items to and from school.

Mrs Sarah Pittaway | Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Opt-out counselling form

Please complete this form if you do not wish for your child to access support from the school counselling service Contemplace.

The Pastoral Team

Year Group Forums

If you weren’t able to attend the Year Group Forum, you are able to find the booklets with details on MySchoolPortal.

Front Office

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

Parent Webinar: How to Get (And Keep!) Your Child Motivated This Year 

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on motivation on Tuesday 16th September.

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. 

Their upcoming webinar on motivation will give you some easy-to-implement strategies to help your child get focused on achieving their goals this year.

Click here to register for free

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

  • Using praise and reassurance to motivate your child
  • Setting relevant and effective goals for your child
  • Helping your child to stay motivated long-term

We hope to see you there!

Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

Clubs

JCCD – Japanese Culture, Crafts and Design

Touch Typing Club

Miss Maki Gajic Murata | Co-Curricular Manager

Creating Responsible Digital citizens – Webinar (Wednesday, Sept 17: 6:30 – 7:30pm)

We’re delighted to invite you to our first parent webinar of the year: “Creating Responsible Digital Citizens,” led by Alicia Drummond, therapist and founder of The Wellbeing Hub.

The talk will cover:

  • Current trends in adolescent screen use, Online Harms Bill, age verification
  • How to talk to young people about the pitfalls of life online
  • Screen contracts that work, VPN’s
  • Algorithms, streaks and addictive technology
  • How much is too much screen time?
  • AI, deepfakes, pornography and sextortion
  • How to help children avoid harm and manage risk in the online world

Click the link below to access the webinar. A Vimeo recording will be provided afterwards and will be accessible for one month.

Francis Holland Regent’s Park, Parent Webinar: Creating responsible digital citizens with Alicia Drummond, Therapist and Founder of The Wellbeing Hub

Francis Holland Regent’s Park

Birthdays

As a pastoral team, we have decided that girls should not bring edible sweet treats into school for their birthdays. We absolutely want birthdays to feel special and for the girls to enjoy celebrating, but the treats have been causing social tension and upset across year groups. There’s also the added concern of allergies, which we want to avoid.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation 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

Parent Webinar: How to Get (And Keep!) Your Child Motivated This Year 

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on motivation on Tuesday 16th September.

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. 

Their upcoming webinar on motivation will give you some easy-to-implement strategies to help your child get focused on achieving their goals this year.

Click here to register for free

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

  • Using praise and reassurance to motivate your child
  • Setting relevant and effective goals for your child
  • Helping your child to stay motivated long-term

We hope to see you there!

Lucinda James | Head of Academic Mentoring

Clubs

JCCD – Japanese Culture, Crafts and Design

Touch Typing Club

Miss Maki Gajic Murata | Co-Curricular Manager

Creating Responsible Digital citizens – Webinar (Wednesday, Sept 17: 6:30 – 7:30pm)

We’re delighted to invite you to our first parent webinar of the year: “Creating Responsible Digital Citizens,” led by Alicia Drummond, therapist and founder of The Wellbeing Hub.

The talk will cover:

  • Current trends in adolescent screen use, Online Harms Bill, age verification
  • How to talk to young people about the pitfalls of life online
  • Screen contracts that work, VPN’s
  • Algorithms, streaks and addictive technology
  • How much is too much screen time?
  • AI, deepfakes, pornography and sextortion
  • How to help children avoid harm and manage risk in the online world

Click the link below to access the webinar. A Vimeo recording will be provided afterwards and will be accessible for one month.

Francis Holland Regent’s Park, Parent Webinar: Creating responsible digital citizens with Alicia Drummond, Therapist and Founder of The Wellbeing Hub

Francis Holland Regent’s Park

Birthdays

As a pastoral team, we have decided that girls should not bring edible sweet treats into school for their birthdays. We absolutely want birthdays to feel special and for the girls to enjoy celebrating, but the treats have been causing social tension and upset across year groups. There’s also the added concern of allergies, which we want to avoid.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support with this.

The Pastoral Team

Birthdays

As a pastoral team, we have decided that girls should not bring edible sweet treats into school for their birthdays. We absolutely want birthdays to feel special and for the girls to enjoy celebrating, but the treats have been causing social tension and upset across year groups. There’s also the added concern of allergies, which we want to avoid.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support with this.

The Pastoral Team

Music Information

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were not able to hear all auditionees for Lower Chamber Choir this week. Therefore, the audition result for Lower Chamber Choir will be communicated towards the end of next week. Those who are yet to audition should contact Mr Mercer, latest by Monday 8th, and Mr Mercer will be in touch. Thank you for your patience.
There will be no Lower Chamber Choir rehearsal on Tuesday 9th September, regardless of strike action. Other Music Clubs will commence from next week.

Thank you to all those who have registered for Music Lessons for the new academic year. If there are any outstanding requests, please email the Music Department: music@fhs-sw1.org.uk.

Elliot Mercer | Director of Co-Curricular Music