Fire Family Workshop

Well done to our families who braved the rain last night to take part in first of two Stepney Partnership 'fire' themed family workshops. Taking place in Redlands garden (in the dark!), the workshop was attended by families from Redlands and Smithy Street Schools.

Activities included lantern making, an outdoor treasure hunt (finding glow in the dark sticks and secret messages!), dough making and cooking bread in a real fire.

Thanks to PATH (Play Association of Tower Hamlets) for running the workshop. Next workshop at Ben Jonson School on 6th December for other partnership families from Ben Jonson, Cayley and Halley.

Shadow Puppet Play - Luminous Tales

Stepney Partnership has organised a special performance of 'Luminous Tales' - an amazing shadow puppet play on Tuesday 3rd January at Half Moon Theatre.

The performance is for families across the six Stepney Partnership schools. See details in school for how to apply for your tickets.

The play links with the family homework theme of 'light'.

Shadow Puppet Workshops for Parents

We are so exicted that artists from Little Angel Theatre are coming into each of the five partnership primary schools to run a shadow puppet workshop for parents!

During the sessions, parents will be taught to make shadow puppets so they can work with their children for the family homework about light over the holidays.

Participants will be given the opportunity to make their own shadow puppets and will be taught as many methods as possible (white card/felt pen/oil, black card, joints, coloured inserts, how to attach rods).

Workshops take place on the following dates:

Tuesday 6th December @ Cayley
Wednesday 7 December @ Ben Jonson
Thursday 8 December @ Halley
Friday 9 December @ Smithy Street
Thursday 15 December @ Redlands

SENCO collaboration

Earlier this week, the Special Educational Needs' Co-ordinators (SENCOs) across the six Stepney Partnership schools came together to think about how schools can collaborate in the future. It was a great meeting, and we are planning future events for staff and parents across the partnership - so watch this space...

Year 5 Family Taster Day at Stepney Green

Another successful Year 5 Family Taster Day at Stepney Green. The day brought together parents and children across the partnership primary schools to experience life in a secondary school.

Big thanks to Emad, Alom and Sami - Year 9 boys at Stepney Green who helped to make families feel so welcome. Well done to Mr Chowdhury (Science), Mr.Hanson (Music) and Mr Mohan (Maths) who delivered excellent family lessons, and Ms Scourti at Stepney Green for pulling things together so well.

There were 12 families in total
Cayley = 3 families
Halley = 2 families
Redlands = 4 families
Smithy Street = 3 families

Selection of comments from Parents/Children:

Children
“I put my hands up and and the teachers made me feel welcome"
"I enjoyed playing the piano and playing the maths game with my mum"
"It made me more confident by feeling that if I go to secondary than it will be a little easier"
"I enjoyed spending time with my Mum"

Parents
“I think it helped my niece a lot, she confident now, after today"
"Taster day help me to know the school (secondary) very well. How does school run and how helpful the school is and how the teacher is helping students. It help me and my children very much."
"My child got confident and not worried about new school"
"It has helped my child a lot, he feels he has learnt a lot in one day and feel more confident.

Family Homework - Light

The Stepney Partnership has lots of exciting things planned to support families for the upcoming family homework theme of light.

Little Angel Theatre will be running a shadow puppet parent workshop in each primary school to help parents create shadow puppets with their children.

PATH will be running a light/fire workshop at Redlands and Ben Jonson school which will include lantern making, outdoor treasure hunt, and sitting around a real fire!

Chinwag Theatre Parent Workshops

Chinwag Theatre has now run a parent workshop in each of the five partnership primary schools. The theatre workshops have explored issues around equality and divirsity through scenarios, role plays and hot seating. Over 90 parents attended the sessions, and the feedback has been great.

The workshops are part of Stepney Partnership's theme of 'celebrating difference' in 2011/12.