Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School

30 January 2026

 

It has been another busy week in school. Reception have transformed their classroom into an animal-themed learning space, exploring zoos and how to care for animals. Year 1 have been using maps to locate places in the local area, including our school and the park. Year 2 have been learning about perspective in art. They have painted the background of their pictures and will be adding houses and people in the foreground next week. Year 3 have been writing Haiku and Tanka poems inspired by their dreams. Year 4 have been reading the myth Arthur and the Golden Rope, travelling back to the Viking Age. Year 5 have been developing their drawing skills by studying flowers closely and carefully copying the lines and shapes they observe. In PE, Year 6 have also been focusing on gymnastics, practising a range of jumps and rolls. 

 

On Tuesday afternoon, we welcomed a team of girls from Orion School to play a football match against our Year 5 and 6 girls’ team. Both teams played extremely well, and it was a closely contested and exciting game throughout. The girls showed excellent teamwork, determination and sportsmanship, supporting one another and playing with great enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see such positive attitudes on display from both schools. The match ended 2-1 to us, we would like to thank Orion School for visiting and for a fantastic afternoon of football.

 

On Wednesday morning, we hosted a parents’ workshop focused on supporting children with anxiety. The session was run in conjunction with BICS and explored what anxiety is, how it can present in children and practical strategies to support them when they are feeling anxious. The workshop provided parents with valuable insights and opportunities to discuss ways of building confidence and emotional resilience at home. We would like to thank BICS and all the parents who attended for their time and engagement. 

 

On Wednesday afternoon, a team of enthusiastic Year 3 and 4 children represented the school at the Maccabi Football Tournament. The children worked together extremely well, demonstrating fantastic teamwork, communication and determination throughout the afternoon. They showed great enthusiasm in every match, supporting one another and encouraging their teammates both on and off the pitch. The team displayed excellent sportsmanship at all times, showing respect to their opponents and officials, and representing the school with pride. Their positive attitudes and willingness to try their best made the afternoon a great success. Well done to all the children involved for their hard work and commitment.

 

Also on Wednesday evening, a group of pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 took part in this year’s Annual Mill Hill Community Holocaust Memorial Event at Mill Hill Synagogue organised by Councillor Elliot Simberg. The children sang two songs, "Ve'hee She'amda" and "Never Again", by Stephen Melzack. They also carried in 81 candles, representing 81 years since the liberation of the concentration camps. The children were a great credit to the school and to the whole Mill Hill community.

 

Congratulations to the following children for demonstrating Educational Excellence in school tis week and joining me at my tea party: Raphael M, Scarlett S, Celine R, Ella I, Immy F, Eden I and Sasha P. 

 

Shabbat shalom,

 

Mrs Martin

23 January 2026 

 

On Wednesday, a team of Year 5 and 6 footballers took part in the Maccabi Football Tournament. They played extremely well throughout the afternoon, demonstrating excellent teamwork, resilience and a growing confidence on pitch. The girls showed how much they have progressed as a team, applying their skills effectively in competitive matches and supporting one another throughout the tournament. Their hard work and commitment paid off as they advanced all the way to the quarter-finals, narrowly missing out on a place in the finals. We are incredibly proud of their performance and the positive way they represented the school. A special thank you goes to Mr King for his dedication in coaching and managing the team and for supporting the girls so brilliantly in their football journey.

 

We are pleased to share that we have received an update from Penguin Books confirming that all editions of the Spy Dog, Spy Cat and Spy Pups series by Andrew Cope can now be returned to the shelves for our children to enjoy. The domain name printed in some editions, which had previously been taken over by an unconnected third party, has now been transferred back to Penguin Books and safely redirects to the Spy Dog section of their website. 

 

Four Year 6 pupils took part in the Maths Quiz Club National Championships online heat on Thursday, competing against 47 school teams from across the area. The heat was hosted live by a professional Quizmaster, creating an exciting and high-energy atmosphere throughout. Team members used individual devices linked together as one team through the quiz, allowing for instant scoring and plenty of excitement. The quiz consisted of 30 multiple-choice questions covering a wide range of topics and difficulty levels. Alongside testing mathematical thinking, the Quizmaster shared additional information throughout, helping to broaden pupils’ knowledge and spark curiosity. Teamwork was key, with players encouraged to discuss questions together before submitting their individual answers. The team performed exceptionally well, finishing 7th out of 47 teams, and have automatically qualified for the semi-finals — a fantastic achievement. Congratulations to Tali, Louis, Gideon and Casey.

 

Congratulations to the following children for showing Educational Excellence in class this week and joining me at my tea party:

Otis B, Daniel F, Lana M, David L, Myla R, Lulu B, Sam S and Daphne B. 

 

Shabbat shalom,

 

Mrs Martin

 

It has been another busy week in school. I attended a headteacher conference on Monday and Tuesday and was out of school during this time, which felt quite strange. It was therefore especially lovely to return on Wednesday morning and be greeted by so many smiling faces, with children fully engaged in their learning. 

 

On Wednesday, some of our Year 5 and 6 boys proudly represented the school at the Year 5/6 Maccabi football tournament. All of the teams worked extremely hard together and played some fantastic football against strong and competitive opposition. Congratulations to all of the boys who took part, and a big thank you to Mr Blank for his expert coaching and support.

 

Today, a team of our girls played an exciting football match against Goldbeaters and they truly impressed everyone watching. From the very first whistle, the girls showed great skill, determination and teamwork, supporting each other throughout the game. They tackled challenges with confidence, passed the ball with precision and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship at every turn. It was wonderful to see how well they worked together and how much fun they were having on the pitch. A huge congratulations to the team for their fantastic performance and a special thank you to Mr King for training them so expertly.

 

In today’s circle meetings, our Year 6 leaders led a fantastic session focused on promoting positive playground behaviour and inclusive, safe play. The children discussed what makes playtime enjoyable as well as some of the challenges that can arise, sharing thoughtful ideas about kindness, fairness and including others. Through role-play activities, pupils explored common playground situations and demonstrated positive ways to resolve them. The Year 6 leaders also taught everyone some fun playground games, giving pupils the opportunity to play together and practise good sportsmanship. The session ended with a reflection on how everyone can help make playtimes fun and fair for all, it was wonderful to see such strong leadership, collaboration and enthusiasm from our pupils. 

 

Congratulations to the following children who have shown Educational Excellence in school this week and joined me at my tea party:

Mason F, Jack I, Este R, Rafi L, Tammy C and Tommy G. 

 

Shabbat shalom,

 

Mrs Martin

 

9 January 2026

 

Welcome back to school! We hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable winter break and that you were able to spend quality time with family and friends. As we begin this new term, we would like to wish all members of our school community a very happy New Year. We are excited for the opportunities and successes that 2026 will bring and look forward to another year of learning, growth and achievement together.

We have had a fantastic first week back at school. All our children and staff have thrown themselves back into school life with great enthusiasm, it has been wonderful to see such hard work and positive attitudes right from the start. Smiling faces, focused learning and a strong sense of community have been evident across the school, setting a brilliant tone for the term ahead.

 

We began the new term by announcing our new Class Ambassadors for 2026. This is an extremely important role, as the children act as representatives for their classes and as ambassadors for the school as a whole. I am very much looking forward to meeting with the new team for the first time next week. Congratulations to the following children on becoming our new Class Ambassadors:

Reception - Sienna Levy

Year 1 - Amelia Wyndham

Year 2 - Lana Manson

Year 3 - Annie Bladon

Year 4 - Sylvie Beilin

Year 5 - Maya Manson

Year 6 - Oliver Orman

 

The Etz Chaim Dads football team played their first match in the inaugural Jewish Schools Dads Football League on Wednesday 7 January and recorded an impressive 7–1 victory. The team played some excellent football throughout the game and could easily have added to their tally. Antony Beilin led the scoring with a hat-trick, Ben Hart found the net twice, while Eddie Manson and Jeremy King also got on the scoresheet. With more group games still to come, it was a fantastic start to the competition for the Etz Chaim dads.

 

Congratulation to the following children who have showed Educational Excelence in school this week and joined Mrs Osborne at her tea party:

Raf L, Ariel MS, Willow N, Lyla V, Max K, Raffie G and Louis B.

 

Wishing everyone a warm and restful weekend ahead. We hope you enjoy the opportunity to relax, recharge and spend some quality time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school refreshed for the week to come.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

 

Mrs Martin