Communication

Message from the Principal

Dear parents and carers,

This week I am delighted to introduce the Senior Prefects and share their messages in this section of Keeping in Touch.

Alexandra and Thomas are Head Prefects for this academic year and already undertaking their roles, including preparing speeches for the forth coming Open evening.

They are working alongside the Vice Prefects and Senior Team, who are now in post and committed to the year ahead.

Dear Families,

I would like to introduce myself as Alexandra, a Year 6 pupil. I was happily honoured with the role of Head Prefect.

As Head Prefect, I will use my maturity and dependability to carry the voice of my peers’ opinions and needs. My aim is to develop students’ confidence and sense of belonging. I will discuss and listen to fellow students to support what they think they would need both mentally and physically to help make their experience at school even better.

Alexandra - (Head Prefect)

Hi, My name is Thomas, (Head Prefect)

I am a new Head prefect. I am a responsible pupil and a good role model to my peers. During my time at Darlinghurst, I have represented the academy by competing in cross country, multiple times. I love all sorts of physical activities, my favourite being football.

I am a play leader and a part of the Sports committee, showing that I can be a trusted and mature student.

Hello I’m Isabel, - (Vice Prefect)

I have been at Darlinghurst since nursery.

I was overjoyed to be voted as one of the Vice prefects. Thank you for all your votes. It will be an honour to represent you all.

I will have a positive impact and will bring happiness, kindness and fun. I can’t wait to make more lasting memories in my final year.

Dear all,

I am pleased to be able to introduce myself as Vice Prefect. I have been at Darlinghurst since Reception and have loved being part of this family. Everyone shows belonging and it is my chance to show others care and support.

I love sports, English and RE which helps me academically but also personally. In my role I want to promote our values and rainbow words which are so important in helping us to be good citizens.

Delilah- (Vice Prefect)

Let’s take a look at the whole team…

The Prefects will be in attendance at our Open Evening to support the event and showcase the academy to prospective parents. The Choir and Cheer Team have also been in rehearsal to entertain. If you have a child ready to start school in September 2024 or looking to start Nursery, come along and enjoy the evening.

As always, enjoy your family time together.

Mrs Nicholls

In the spotlight

Yet more success for Darlinghurst! Our Upper Key Stage girls football team won the football competition and qualified for the next stage of competition on October 20th. They won 8 out of 9 games! Well done to them.

The Cross Country team have been selected and training for todays competition. We will them all the best.

Active Citizens in the spotlight

Eco Committee

The Eco Committee have already been incredibly busy these last few weeks. They have met with other schools as part of the Essex Schools Young Eco Protectors to plan a Green Week in March. They have created their action plan, a new eco code and already filmed an assembly for children across the school about single use plastics and the ocean. This year the children have decided to focus on the following three themes:

• Transport – encouraging more children to walk to school and to reduce air pollution outside of our school.
• Marine – to help protect marine life and reduce our use of single use plastics so they don’t end up in the ocean!
• Global Citizenship – work with other schools nationally and internationally to make a difference and help support community groups and charities.

Please help recycle plastics with us and drop these items into the office:

• Chocolate bar wrappers
• Biscuit wrappers
• Cake bar wrappers
• Cracker wrappers
• Any kinder products
• Old plastic bottles and containers including odd lids and plastic takeaway containers

On 5th November, we will be working in partnership with Trustlinks to plant trees on our school grounds we hope that you can join us!

Peer Mentors

Most Peer Mentors are picked for their sensibility, confidence, social skills and reliability and this week they have started their training with Mrs Grant. Their role is to be a playground buddy by helping others, listening to them, talking to them and supporting them. In addition they will be taught how to lead restorative justice conversations, to help resolve friendship conflicts. This is also a good time for them to lead and guide by example as well as practising their own social skills and building their confidence. They are giving up some of their lunchtimes to help others. A true sense of demonstrating our Academy Values.

Junior Governors

Our children are encouraged to share their ideas, knowing they will be heard. This is their school and they have a say. Having a voice and being heard are key areas of British Values which we at Darlinghurst Academy actively promote through our Junior Governor Team. The Junior Governors are a group of children from Key Stage 1 and 2 who work together to make the school a better place. Much like Parliament, they are democratically elected by their peers and play a vital role in representing the views of all children at the school. By completing tasks throughout the year, the Junior Governor Team fulfil their role as active citizens, listening to suggestions from other pupils about ways in which to improve the school. They then provide this vital feedback to the teaching staff and the Principal. Our children, make a difference!

Supporting local charities for Harvest

Children and families have been showing generosity and kindness (rainbow words in action) through their donations to St Vincents, for Harvest. We still welcome donations and know that Mr Cauchi will gratefully receive these to help others.

Author visit - Ravena Guron

This Tuesday, KS2 were lucky enough to have the YA and children’s author Ravena Guron at Darlinghurst Academy to help inspire both reading for pleasure and writing. Ravena briefly introduced herself to the children and the children hung off her words as she explained a bit about herself and the books that she had written.

Ravena engaged the children by showing them images of some famous and obscure characters from books that had inspired her to love reading when she was growing up which eventually then led her to writing her own short stories. Characters such as Artemis Fowl, Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia and Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings. Ravena invited the children to share some of their favourite characters, both heroes and villains and explain what it was that they liked about them.

Using a series of question prompts, Ravena asked the children to generate ideas that could be used to create a plan for a short story of their very own. Questions such as the name of a hero character, setting ideas, magical powers, monsters etc. Ravena took a selection of ideas from across the hall and wrote them down to begin to show the children how to develop the ideas for a story.

Finally, Ravena moved on to introduce her latest book ‘The Thief of Farrowfell’ and explained who the main character was (Jude Ripon aged 12) and a bit about the world that she lived in. Ravena read an extract from the book and then took a Q&A session from the children about the book and the process in which she went through to write it.

After school, Ravena stayed and chatted to children and parents about her books whilst signing copies of her latest.

The children were fascinated, curious and inspired throughout the day and a big thank you to all the adults and children that engaged in the event. And of course a big Darlinghurst thank you to Ravena Guron for lighting the creative reading and writing fires in their minds.

Attendance

EYFS

Starfish – 98.7%

KS1

Shrimp – 98.8%

Lobster – 97.5%

KS2

Seashell – 99.1%

Bembridge – 98.4%

Proud to be me

SAVE THE DATE

Thursdays: Tiny Tiddlers: 9am