Dear parents, carers and friends of School 21,
February’s Oracy Exhibition was a fantastic celebration of our students’ voices. From interactive workshops to engaging presentations and a thought-provoking speaker panel, it was inspiring to see the power of oracy in action. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day so memorable.
March promises to be another busy and exciting month. We will celebrate World Book Day on 5th March, come together for our community Iftar on 17th March 5PM, and primary students will have the opportunity to shine during assessment week.
After weeks of dedicated rehearsal, we are especially looking forward to our Sister Act performances, running Wednesday 11th, Thursday 12th and Friday 13th March, 6–8:45 pm. Bring your family and friends to enjoy what promises to be a truly unforgettable show!
With warm wishes,
Moray Dickson
Headteacher, School 21
January School 21 calendar
| Date | Year group | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 2nd- Friday 5th March | 7B | Bertha Earth retreat |
| Wednesday 4th March | Year 4 | Trip to St John’s Church – Easter workshop |
| Thursday 5th March | All | World Book Day |
| Friday 6th March | Year 9 | Trip to the Globe theatre |
| 9th – 13th March | Primary | Assessment Week |
| Wednesday 11th March | Navy class | Imperial War museum trip |
| Wednesday 11th March- Friday 13th March 6PM-8.45PM | Music group | Sister Act The Musical Tickets will be on sale the week before half term- £5 each |
| Monday 16th March | Primary & Y11 | Primary class photos/Y11 group photo |
| Tuesday 17th March | All | Whole- school community Iftar celebration – bring a dish to share |
| Wednesday 18th March | Sapphire class | Imperial War museum trip |
| Thursday 19th March | Year 3 | Science museum trip |
| 19th – 20th March | Year 11 | Hospitality & Catering Practical Exam |
| Monday 23rd- Friday 27th March | PE group | Second Inter Sport Week PE Team |
| Tuesday 24th March | Primary | Winter games event Reception to Y4 PE Team |
| Tuesday 24th March | Year 9 | Parents evening |
| Wednesday 25th March 3.15 PM – 5PM | Year 6 | Yr 6 Tea Party Recital |
| Thursday, 26th March 1:30 PM– 3:30PM | Year 9 | Yr 9: Battle of Bands |
| Friday 27th March | All | School finishes at regular time. Primary 3.15pm and Secondary at 3.30pm |
| Monday 30th March to Friday 10th April | All | School closed for 2 weeks – Half term holidays. Easter break |
| Monday 13th April | All | Back to school – open |
Congratulations to 7A, 7D and Lavender class for achieving the highest attendance, each with over 96%!
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 11th March- Friday 13th March 6pm-8.45pm | Sister Act The Musical Tickets on Arbor £5 each |
| Wednesday 25th March 3.15-5pm | Year 6 Tea party recital: All Year 6 students are taking part. Entry is free. Families are invited to bake cakes for the event. Letters will be shared about the event next week |
| Thursday 26th March 1.30-3.30pm | Y9 Battle of the Bands: Students only event featuring ALL Year 9 students and an audience of Y-9 students taking place during the school day. Who will be crowned this year’s winner?! |
| Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th July | Year 4 Opera show |
| Summer term | Community Choir Back with a new project |
We want to take 50 talented students on our international music tour this July, but we still need to raise £10,000 by April. You can make a difference!
Ways to help with funding
- Donate raffle prizes – vouchers, gift cards or gifts for our fundraising draw.
- Sponsor a student – £775 covers one child’s place on the tour.
- Sponsor tour hoodies/t-shirts – £2,000, with your logo travelling across Europe.
- Become a Friend of S21 Music – individual £30/year, corporate £1,500/year, with updates, badges and event invitations: Sign up here
- Spread the word – share this message with friends, local organisations or anyone who might help.
If you can help or have fundraising ideas, please email [email protected]. Every contribution brings these students closer to this incredible opportunity. Thank you!
What’s happening in S21 music this term?
Write an Opera
Our Year 4 students are starting a project to write their own operas as a class. They have already chosen a theme and started creating a story. The performances will be in July, so watch this space!
We would love some help with costumes, set and lighting, and fundraising. If you’re interested in collaborating (through time, expertise, materials, or sponsorship), please email [email protected].
Y5 Band Project
Our Year 5 have been excited to choose and discover which instruments they will be playing in their class band. They have all started their whole-class lessons and will be beginning lessons with their tutors after half-term. They’re especially excited to take their instruments home and practise regularly, building confidence, improving technique and getting even better with every session.
S21 Young Musician of the Year- Results!
We had a fantastic musician of the year event on Wednesday 11th February. We had performers from Y4-Y11 taking part, and industry judges giving feedback. We also had fantastic alumni performances.
Congratulations to everyone that took part!
Junior Results:
Winner- Bella
2nd Place- Kai
3rd Place- Laura
Highly Commended- Yuxi Guo
Senior Results:
Joint Winners- Leah & Violet
2nd Place- Osasere
3rd Place- Aarjon
Highly Commended- Obi, Osasere,Monet
Ensemble Winners:
Stephanie, Daiane & Leah
Raffle Prizes & Fundraising Support Needed!
We’re still looking for prizes and vouchers for the raffle. Please contact [email protected] if you can help!
World Book Day – Thursday 5 March
We’ll be celebrating with shared reading and fun activities across the school, including visits from secondary pupils to read with younger students, a lovely way to inspire a love of books.
Pupils are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite book character or in something cosy to read in, like pajamas or comfy clothes. Let’s make it a joyful celebration of stories and imagination!
Whole school community Iftar – Tuesday 17th March 5:30 PM
Cycle Confident – Dr Bike Mechanic Sessions – Monday 23rd March
Breakfast Club Information
Free for all students Monday to Friday! Enjoy warm bagels, cereals, milk, butter, jam, and now warm baked beans and fresh fruit. Start your day full and happy!
- Where to sign in: Main Reception
- Start time: 7:45 AM (except Wednesday – 8:00 AM)
Please do not bring children before the start time, as there will be no adults to supervise.
Thank you for helping us keep all children safe.
| Monday | 7.45am – 8:10am |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 7.45am – 8:10am |
| Wednesday | 8:00am – 8:20am |
| Thursday | 7.45am – 8:10am |
| Friday | 7.45am – 8:10am |
- Healthy break snacks – Fruit and vegetables only
- Healthy packed lunches – recommended wholegrain, fruit/veg, protein, dairy and water.
Please note that fizzy drinks are not allowed, and children should not share their food with friends. Thank you for your support.
Chinese Club (Spring term): £50. More information: [email protected]
Exciting News – Tesco Stronger Starts Grant!
Thanks to your votes, School 21 won £1,475! Part of the money will go to refill and cover the playground sand to keep it safe and clean. We’re also exploring ways to open the school grounds to the local community outside school hours. Our Student Leadership Team will help decide how the rest of the money is spent, making sure it benefits everyone and gives students a voice.
Absence reporting
Call 020 8262 2121 or email [email protected] before 8:30 am if your child is unwell.
Learning in action! Highlights
As part of their Speech and Language Therapy sessions, children enjoy sensory story experiences, using touch, sound, and movement to bring stories to life. This helps build attention, communication, and understanding in a fun way. They then continue the learning with arts and crafts activities linked to the story, which they love!
This term in Reception our project is "What Makes a Superhero Super?" We started off our learning be pretending to be superheros and masking masks. We have used words like "magnificent" and "invincible" to discuss our powers. Next week, we will begin learning about superheroes in our community who do essential jobs.
Year 4 have been busy writing opera scripts in groups and taking learning beyond the classroom. They even practised time and measurement through baking cinnamon rolls, making learning fun and practical!
On Monday the 9th February, we hosted our annual oracy exhibition. A series of workshops, student models and teach meet presentations for external visitors, parents and our staff to learn from. It was a fantastic event, with over 50 external visitors, and speaker panel which some key people in education speaking about the value of oracy in education. It was a real showcase of what School 21's vision for our students to find their voice, and how powerful explicitly teaching oracy can be.
We are delighted to announce that our Playground Leaders have officially been chosen -selected for being reliable, kind, great communicators, and all-round fantastic role models for our school community!
Happy Ramadan, International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day to all our families celebrating!
For any queries regarding the school newsletter, please contact Sofia Flores at [email protected].
