Headteacher Blog

Archived Blogs

24 October 2025
Hello everyone - Mrs Martin is enjoying her time on the Residential with Year 6 so I am going to tell you about our action-packed week in school as well as a few snippets about what Year 6 have been up to!
 
We were thrilled to welcome families to our second Prospective Parents’ Tour of the year. It was a joy to showcase Etz Chaim and share what makes our school so special. Our two Year 6 tour guides were outstanding, offering heartfelt insights into life at Etz Chaim from the perspective of pupils who have grown and flourished here. We’re excited to continue welcoming prospective families in November and to introduce them to our warm, inclusive, and vibrant school community.
 
This week there has been lots of learning around Black History Month, celebrating the resilience and contributions of the Black community. The children have been discussing the achievements of significant people such as Katherine Johnson (the mathematician), Mae Jemison (the astronaut), Jesse Owens (the athlete), Aretha Franklin (the singer), Matthew Henson (the explorer) and Baroness Floella Benjamin (the actress and author). We will be sharing our learning in a special assembly after half term.
 
I have really enjoyed seeing all of the exciting science taking place in school this week. Year 1 have been meteorologist, monitoring the changes in the weather, including the temperature and wind. Year 2 have been researching food chains in different habitats and created their own food chains. Year 3 were excited to share their discovery that people with longer femurs don't necessarily jump further than people with shorter femurs. Year 4 were learning about the digestive system, created playdough models with labels and explained the journey food takes through our bodies. Year 5 were separating different materials using sieves.
 
We have also been talking about the Hindu festival of Diwali. Reception enjoyed creating Rangoli Patterns, reading stories and talking about the fireworks.
 
On Tuesday afternoon, we were delighted to welcome the Akiva School Year 5 and 6 girls' football team to Etz Chaim for a friendly match. Our team showed great teamwork and determination, putting into practice the skills they’ve been developing during training. While the final score wasn’t in our favour, the girls played with enthusiasm and resilience and we are incredibly proud of their performance.
 
Finally, Year 6 are having a fantastic time on their residential, despite the inconsistent weather! They have enjoyed activities such as indoor climbing, the zip-wire and the Leap of Faith. We are sure they are going to come back with lots of great anecdotes to share!
Congratulations to the following children for demonstrating Educational Excellence in class this week and joining me at the tea party:
Ben W, Effie R, Rafi M, Jagger R, Max K and Jordan H. It was lovely chatting to you all!
Shabbat shalom and have a lovely half-term,
Mrs Osborne
17 October 2025
 
It has been another busy and exciting week in school! On Monday, we all came together for a whole-school assembly to mark the end of the Festival of Sukkot and to look forward to celebrating Simchat Torah. The atmosphere was full of energy and curiosity as the children explored the final parasha in our illustrated Torah. They were fascinated by the stories and enjoyed seeing the illustrations bring the text to life, asking thoughtful questions and sharing their own reflections. It was wonderful to see their engagement and enthusiasm as they connected with the traditions and meanings behind the festival. The assembly was a lovely way for everyone to come together, celebrate our learning, and share in the excitement of all the recent Chaggim.
 
On Thursday, our Year 6 children had the exciting opportunity to welcome visitors from Years 5 and 6 at Fairway School. They led interactive workshops all about the Tishrei festivals and the recent Chaggim, sharing their knowledge with confidence and enthusiasm. The visitors loved exploring our sukkah, learning about its significance and even experiencing the sound of the shofar! Our Year 6 pupils were fantastic at explaining the different Chaggim, answering questions and making sure everyone was engaged and having fun. It was a proud moment for our school as our children demonstrated leadership, teamwork and a real passion for sharing our Jewish traditions. 
 
Congratulations to the following children for demonstrating Educational Excellence in class this week and joining me at my tea party:
Taylor M, Ace R, Abe R, Eliana B, Summer J, Rocco B and Ava O.
 
Shabbat shalom,
 
Mrs Martin

10 October 2025

 

We’ve had another fantastic week in school! The buzz and excitement for Sukkot have filled the classrooms and corridors, with wonderful creative activities taking place across the school. The children have really enjoyed visiting our school sukkah, learning about the festival’s traditions and taking part in the special mitzvah of shaking the lulav and etrog. It’s been a joyful week full of learning, celebration and community spirit.

 

We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our brand-new school football kits, kindly sponsored by Hamish! The children are already buzzing with excitement at the thought of wearing them, and we can’t wait to see our teams proudly representing the school at matches and tournaments for many years to come. Here’s to many thrilling goals, great teamwork and unforgettable sporting moments ahead!

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Congratulations to the followng children for showing Educational Excellence in school tis week and joining me at my tea party. There were two classes unable to come this week so they will get two have two atendees next week:

Zack T, Summer J, Caio F, Hannah Z and Izac A.

 

Shabbat shalom,

 

Mrs Martin

 

3 October 2025

 

We have continued to work hard this week and it has been another busy and productive time in school. Pupils have been engaged in their learning, taking part in a wide range of activities and showing great enthusiasm and effort in all that they do. It has been wonderful to see the energy and commitment across the school community.
 
This week has been full of creativity and learning across the school! Reception have been exploring numbers in their maths lessons and have been busy designing their own model Sukkot, complete with colourful fruit hanging from the ceiling. Year 1 have been map detectives, exploring maps of the school and local area, with some children proudly spotting their own roads. Year 2 have continued their adventures with Man in the Moon, eagerly discovering what Bob has been up to next. Year 3 have been tackling large numbers in maths with great enthusiasm, while Year 4 are still captivated by the magical world of The Lost Happy Endings. In Year 5, pupils have shown their creative thinking by writing CVs for a character from Shackleton’s Journey, imagining what it would be like to work on the ship. Year 6 have been busy writing biographies about Floella Benjamin and are excited to type up and publish their work. It has been another busy, exciting, and productive week full of learning, imagination, and effort across the school!
 
Congratulations to the following children for showing Educational Excellence and joining me at my tea party today:
Toby R, Jackson N, Amelia M, Ethan M, Poppy-Rae S, Harry F and Madeline W. 
 
Our thoughts are very much with everyone in the Manchester Jewish community at this time. We know how deeply recent events will be felt by so many, and we stand in solidarity with all those affected.
 
Shabbat shalom,
 
Mrs Martin

26 September 2025

Even though it has been a short week in school, the children have been incredibly busy and focused. From the moment they stepped through the doors, they have thrown themselves into their learning with great enthusiasm. Classrooms have been full of energy and determination, with pupils working hard on new concepts, developing their skills and showing real curiosity in their lessons. It has been wonderful to see how much can be achieved in just a few days when everyone is engaged and motivated.
 
This week has been full of exciting learning across the school! Reception have been busy making patterns with a variety of objects, exploring colours, shapes, and sequences. Year 1 loved drawing a lulav and etrog as part of their learning about Sukkot, while Year 2 have been enthusiastically singing songs for the Chaggim. In Year 3, pupils have been using number lines to explore smaller and larger numbers, and Year 4 have been diving into The Lost Happy Endings, writing vivid descriptions of the witch. Year 5 have been captivated by Shackleton’s Journey, producing thoughtful writing about the events in the story, and Year 6 have been deepening their understanding of place value. A busy and creative week for all!
 
Congratulations to the following children for showing Educational Excellence and joining Mrs Osborne at her tea party today:
Ella H, Coby V, Rachel S, Mia C, Noa H, Seb R and Gideon K.
 
Wishing all of our school community a meaningful Yom Kippur. May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life and may you have an easy and safe fast.
 
Shabbat shalom,
 
Mrs Martin
 
19 September 2025
 
It has been another wonderful and purposeful week here at Etz Chaim. Each day, as I walk through the school, I am delighted to see the rich learning taking place in every classroom. The calm, focused atmosphere allows our pupils to flourish and it is a joy to see children so engaged, enthusiastic and eager to learn. Every room is filled with smiling faces, a true reflection of the happiness and motivation that underpin our school community.
 
This week we held our final three Meet the Teacher sessions, it was wonderful to welcome so many parents into school. These mornings provided a valuable opportunity for families to hear more about what the year ahead will look like for their child, and to gain a deeper understanding of the learning journey taking place in each class. We are so grateful to all the parents who joined us and for the strong partnership between home and school that supports every child’s success.
 
This week we were delighted to host our first Prospective Parents’ Tour of the year. It was a real pleasure to welcome so many families into school, share a little more about life at Etz Chaim and show them around our wonderful classrooms and facilities. We look forward to hosting further tours in October and November and continuing to introduce prospective families to our warm and vibrant school community.
 
We are also pleased to share with you a recent article published in the Barnet Times celebrating our pupils’ achievements: 
 
Congratulations to the following children for demonstrating Educational Excellence and joining me at my tea party this week:
Max H, Mia Z, Mila H, Ruthie W, Milly S, Emily W and Gracie C.
 
Wishing all our families a Shana Tova — a happy, healthy and sweet New Year! May the year ahead be filled with laughter, love and special moments together. We’re so grateful for our wonderful community and can’t wait to share another joyful year with you all.
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Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,

 

Mrs Martin

12 September 2025
 
Welcome back, everyone! It’s been so lovely to see the children settle back into school life so smoothly—they’ve come back full of smiles, energy and enthusiasm. A special warm welcome goes to our new children and families; it’s been such a joy to see how quickly you’ve settled in and become part of our school community. The whole school has felt so calm and positive, with everyone working hard and enjoying being back together. We can’t wait to see all the wonderful things this year has in store!
 
This week we received our validated SATs results, and we are delighted to share that they are even better than we first thought! We are incredibly proud of our Year 6 leavers for all their hard work, determination, and achievements. They finished their time with us on such a high, and we know they will go on to do amazing things in the next stage of their journey. 
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We wanted to take a moment to celebrate an incredible milestone with our very first cohort of Etz Chaim Alumni who have now completed their formal education and are about to step into the next exciting chapter of their lives. On Thursday we invited them to reconnect and celebrate together with us at a celebratory tea. Five of our Alumni joined us and we were excited to catch up, share stories and reflect on their journey so far, reminiscing about their time at Etz Chaim as they walked around the school. It was a delight to hear them talking about their time at Etz Chaim with such fondness. As we walked into the library, Jonah exclaimed, "I love the library! This is where I developed my love of reading and now I'm an avid reader". 

 

Elisa is off to Leeds to do a Business degree, Madison who won our school talent show three times is pursuing her love of music and drama and will be studying Song Writing and Performing Arts, Mia will be heading to Birmingham to study psychology, Noa who wrote in our Leavers' Year Book that she wanted to become a teacher (when she grows up) will be doing a teaching degree in Leeds and Jonah, who said in the Year Book that he wanted to be an engineer, has been awarded an engineering scholarship and is joining the RAF where he will be completing an apprenticeship in aircraft engineering.

 

It has been wonderful to see so many parents at our four Meet the Teacher sessions this week. We hope the information shared has given you a helpful insight into what the children are learning and experiencing in school. We’re looking forward to welcoming Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 parents for their sessions next week. Just a reminder—the PowerPoint presentations from each session will be sent out once all of the sessions have taken place. 

 

This week we had our very first PE session with our new coach, Mr Beecroft, who will be teaching Years 1 to 6 each week. The children threw themselves into the activities with great enthusiasm and really seemed to enjoy the lesson—despite the rainy weather trying to get in the way! We’re looking forward to lots more fun and active sessions ahead.

 

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

Sienna L, Jordan B, Blake K, Annie B, Adam G, Noa S and Eva B.

 

Shabbat shalom,

 

Mrs Martin