Dear Parents,
It has been wonderful to welcome you all back to Eaton House and especially to all the new families joining Kindergarten. Again, this year we have many siblings joining the new year group which is superb.
I am delighted to introduce you to some new staff at Eaton House. Mr Jones, an old boy, is with is for a term as a gap student. Miss Fenella (LKG), Miss Arabella (KG1), Mr Kennedy (KG3), Miss Helen (1A), Miss Loulou (1B) and Miss Lucy Backham (1C) are all welcome. Miss Davida has taken over the Science Department.
Term dates will be posted on our website. We will also continue to send out a weekly newsletter. Please make sure that we have your up to date e mail address as well as all contact details.
Please return report books as soon as possible.
If your son brings a scooter to school, please do not bring it into the building or leave it on the steps.
There will be a box in the no 3 entrance hall next week for a collection of donated novels (not children’s) that can be taken to the Royal Marsden Hospital. These will be sold in the hospital shop in aid of The Friends of the RMH.
If your son is doing Friday Karate club at 4.30, he has an option to join a homework group with Mr Kennedy (3.45-4.30) There will be an additional charge for this. Please see Mr Kennedy in KG3 if you are interested. Otherwise, the 4.30pm club boys must have other cover arrangements.
Additional club- Mr Kennedy will run a homework club on Tuesdays (Y2 & Y3). Please see him if you interested.
If you are interested in using the Fulham minibus service in the mornings, please contact Miss Natalie.
A number of you will know that Miss Diane was unwell at the end of last term. She is still yet to recover and is currently not back at work due to ‘an unknown viral illness’. I am sure that you will all join me in wishing her well and we hope that she returns to us soon.
BIKES- As you will no doubt have noticed, THE BIKES are STILL outside our school, much to my horror. TfL and Westminster Council, in their wisdom, failed to inform me that they have had a hold up on the re housing of the site. I have been informed that they are experiencing a two month delay on the removal of the site.
A number of you were extremely generous in donating money towards our share of the cost of removal. As yet, we have not parted company with this money nor will we until the bikes have finally been removed. Those of you whom know me will understand that I will not let this rest until they have been moved to their rightful home! In the meantime, I urge you all to make sure that you DO NOT double park outside. I am trying to keep the area outside school as safe as possible. Please help me to do so.
Uniform: Please ensure that your son has the correct uniform and kit at school at all times. To avoid any confusion or unnecessary phone calls home, please make sure that your son knows that his Games kit etc is on his peg/in school. ALL items must be clearly named with tapes (not pen). There are lost property boxes in each cloakroom.
Boys must have a green cagoule which should be kept in the front pocket of the satchel. School caps are to be kept there too and always worn to and from school. Cagoules are now available from Perry. www.perryuniform.co.uk
I am aware that both Perry and Peter Jones are out of stock of some items. Boys will not be penalised for lack of kit if it is due to lack of supply!
There will be the usual number of matches, sporting events and choir performances this term and throughout the year. Parents, grandparents, friends etc. are all encouraged to lend as much support as possible. Support means so much to the boys and the staff and is a superb reflection of us to other schools. This year the choir have been invited to sing at the Elizabeth Street Fair and for the first time, at Cadogan Hall. (See term dates, all welcome)
*WEDNESDAY 19th OCTOBER – LA DOLCE VITA.
There will be more information sent out to you shortly but do please put the date in your diary- our parties are now legendary! Photos of previous years will be displayed on the plasma screen in the No 3 hall in due course.
Information Evenings: Please do try to attend these evenings as there is much to pass on to you about your son’s new class. We hope as many of you as possible are able to attend.
For Year Three parents, there will be a Question and Answer session and a brief talk by me and the staff in the hall, specifically about 8+. Last year the session lasted for approximately 30-40 minutes. I and the staff will, of course, be available throughout the term to talk to you specifically about your son but do please try to attend Monday’s meeting as we will be able to give you some useful, general information about the process or individual schools.
Break: I encourage you to send in snacks/drinks in reusable containers. Crisps/apples/snacks should not be brought to school in a plastic bag unless really necessary so as to avoid waste. Please also discuss with your son what he would like or is willing to try for break, again to reduce waste. Boys may not bring yoghurts in for break as they can be too messy for the classroom, likewise sandwiches are not allowed.
Please remember that break/snacks MUST NOT contain any nuts, Sesame extracts/oils. Owing to some extreme allergies, please do not give your son anything like peanut butter or cereals containing nuts for breakfast during the week as this can have an effect on boys with allergies.
Collection: Please note that KG and F1 boys (only) may be collected at 3.20pm to avoid congestion on the stairs when the senior boys go home. F2s and F3s may be collected at 3.30pm. There is no exception for siblings or out of school tennis lessons etc. All boys will stay in their classrooms until 3.45pm when the doors close. At that time, they will be taken to the late/club room (the library) and a member of staff will be on duty with them until 4.00pm. If any non club/coaching boys are still in school at 4pm, they will be taken to the office and parents will be contacted. Please make sure that class teachers are notified, in writing, of any changes to collection plans.
If you are collecting boys from a club, please do not come into school before 5.00pm. If you are collecting your son from tutoring before 5.00pm, please do not let other parents/carers into the school or indeed at any other time of the day.
There may be some congestion on the stairs in the first few days of term whilst our new parents and boys find their classrooms. Please bear with them all, but please adhere to the above collection plans. The timings are for parents’ benefit as well as allowing for extra time- Year 2 and Year 3 senior lessons run until 3.30 as well as return to school from games at that time, so please help by not queuing outside classrooms before the given times. It would also help if you could walk up by the wall and down by the banisters, as the boys do.
All boys will be given a small card detailing the school address and telephone number. This should be kept in the inside blazer pocket. We do this for use on trips, if needed, and I remind you now so that you know to remove it when dry cleaning the blazers!
Any requests for individual instrument or voice lessons should be made in writing to the Head of Music, Mr. Mühlemann. He, or one of his music staff, will then notify you of details of forthcoming lessons. Places permitting, I would encourage as many pupils as possible to take individual music lessons as they have been much enjoyed and most successful in the past. (Voice, Recorder, Flute Guitar, Piano or Violin). Please note that we are currently unable to provide Suzuki Piano lessons.
Our new Head boy is Hector Sheppard (3A Blue) and our Deputy Head boy is Orlando Angelini- Hurll (3A Blue) I know that they and the other monitors will do a superb job to help make the school run smoothly. I thank them all very much and look forward to working with them.
I am aware that I have outlined a lot of do’s and don’ts! The essence of this letter is to welcome you but also make sure that you know what is required for the new school year.
It you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the school. There will be other letters or e mails with information for you throughout the term, please check your son’s homework folder (and sometimes desk…) regularly.
I would also be grateful if you could pass on any relevant information to anyone other than yourselves who may be involved in your son’s time at school (nannies, drivers etc.)
I look forward to seeing you all and to a happy and eventful term.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Lucy Watts
Headmistress
