Headteacher: Monica Forty

Ben Jonson Primary School t: 020 7790 4110 Harford Street f: 020 7790 7701 London e: admin@benjonson.towerhamlets.sch.uk E1 4PZ w: www.benjonson.towerhamlets.sch.uk

Friday9October2015DearParentsandCarers,Iapologisefornoletterlastweek.TheschoolwasbusywiththeEidlunchforfamiliesandIthoughtitwouldbegoodtowritetoyouallafterthelunchhadtakenplace.WhatabusyandenjoyabletwoweekswehavehadsinceIlastwrotetoyouall.OctoberisBlackHistoryMonthwherethechildrenlearnaboutandcelebrateblackwomenandmenwhohavehelpedshapetheworldwelivein.OnWednesdaylastweekthecompanyBigfootDramacameandgaveaperformancecalled‘CarnivalofHeroes’tolaunchBlackHistoryMonthatBenJonson.Theperformancewasenjoyedbyeveryone.Thedoorsoftheschoolopenedat11.30amonFriday2OctoberandsomanyofyouallcametojoinyourchildrenforlunchincelebrationofEid-Al-Adha.Inthetwo-hourlunchperiodover600childrenand130familymembersatetogether.ItwasquiteaspectaculareventandIwastouchedtoseehowmuchpleasurewashadbythesimpleactofeatingtogether.Mythanksgotoallthosefamilieswhowereabletoattend;myonlywishisthatwehadabiggerkitchensowecouldcookenoughfoodsothateveryfamilycouldattend.Wereceivedsomanypositivecommentssayinghowenjoyablethelunchwasandhowgoodthefoodwas.IwantedalsotosaythankyoutoLamisiandherstaffinthekitchenforthewonderfulfoodandforthestaffwhogaveuptheirlunchtimetohelpinthediningroom.

TodayinassemblywecelebratedtheachievementsofAyuubandAshrafulinAegeanClass.Ayesha,theirclassteacher,commendedthembothfortheirhardwork,commitment,greatworkandtheirloveforlearning.IntheassemblywewereinspiredbythewordsofNadiyaHussainaswewatchedherbeingannouncedasthewinnerofthe2015GreatBritishBakeOff.Whenshereceivedherawardshesaid,“I’mnevergoingtoputboundariesonmyselfagain.I’mnevergoingtosayIcan’tdoit.I’mnevergoingtosaymaybe.I’mnevergoingtosayIdon’tthinkIcan.ICANandIWILL.”Thesewordsaregreatwordsforallofustoholdontoandsay.OnWednesdaytherewasacoffeemorningforparentswithchildrenwhohaveadditionalneedsandhaveeitherastatementofeducationalneedsoranEducationHealthandCarePlan.ItwasagreatopportunityformeandRayHall(ourChairofGovernors)tomeetthe

Headteacher: Monica Forty

Ben Jonson Primary School t: 020 7790 4110 Harford Street f: 020 7790 7701 London e: admin@benjonson.towerhamlets.sch.uk E1 4PZ w: www.benjonson.towerhamlets.sch.uk

parents.Parentshadalotoftimetotalkwitheachotherandtoasktheprofessionalspresentanyquestionstheyhad.BenJonsoncelebratedNationalPoetryDayonThursday.Wehadthepoet,JoshuaIdeheninassemblyperformingsomeofhispoems.ThepoemabouttheOctopushadallofReceptionandYearoneinfitsofgiggles.Childrenfromyears3,4,5and6wenttoapoetryworkshopwithJoshua.TodayMysha,Famida,JahiraandRomayssafromKoroclassperformedtomeapoemcalled‘IckleMe,PickleMe,TickleMeToo’byShelSiverstein.Theyhavecommittedthislongpoemtomemoryandreciteditperfectly.Theyweresogoodtheyarenowgoingtoperformthepoemtothewholeschoolnextweek.Committingpoetrytomemoryissuchagoodskilltoacquireaswellasbeingsuchanenjoyablethingtodo.ParentVoiceEventTheleafletspromotingtheParentVoiceEventsonMonday19Octoberat9.00amandWednesday21October5.30pmwillbesentouttofamiliesnextweek.Thiswillbeanopportunityforyoutoshareyourviewsaboutwhatyoulikeabouttheschoolandwhatwecoulddotobeevenbetter.Anumberofparentshavespokentomeabouttheschool’sapproachtohomework.WewillhaveameetingafterhalftermabouthomeworkbuttheParentVoiceEventwouldbeagoodplaceforyoutoletusknowyourviews.TheseviewswillhelpusmakeadecisionaboutwhathomeworkwilllooklikeatBenJonson.ParentGovernorVacanciesAtBenJonsonwehavespaceforfourparentgovernors.CurrentlyMedineDubekisouronlyparentgovernor;shemakesavaluablecontributiontothediscussionsatthegoverningbodymeetings.WehavetosaythankyouandgoodbyetoSureyaBibiwhohasalsobeenanexcellentparentgovernor.Sureyahashadtoresignasagovernorsothismeanswenowhavethreevacanciesforparentgovernors.IwilltalkalittleattheParentVoiceEventabouttheroleofparentgovernors.However,ifyouareinterestedinknowingalittlemoreaboutbeingaparentgovernorpleasemakeanappointmentattheschoolofficetoseeme.Finally,manyofyourchildrenhavehadtheirartworkexhibitedthisweekintheArtsPavilioninMileEndPark.TheexhibitionhasbeensponsoredbytheStepneyPartnership.AgroupofparentswentwithDeetodaytolookattheexhibition.TheywereveryimpressedwiththetalentofallthechildrenintheStepneyPartnershipbutespeciallywiththeworkofthechildrenfromBenJonson.Soaftersuchabusy,andenjoyablefewweeksatBenJonsonIhopeyouallhavearestfulweekend.Bestwishes,Monica