Friday 1st March 2024

Dear Parents/Carers,

Congratulations to all the talented students who participated in the Sixth Form music concert! They showed dedication, hard work, and passion for music were truly evident in the outstanding performances. Each student contributed to creating a memorable and enjoyable evening for our school community and we are immensely proud. Well done on a fantastic concert and thank you for sharing your incredible musical talents with us!

School Closure for Moderation Day – Friday 22nd March 2024

We will be holding a Moderation Day on Friday 22nd March where the school will be closed to students. This time will allow teachers to moderate work in readiness for the upcoming external exams. Work for students will be uploaded on Class Charts. Thank you for your understanding.

Launching the SNS Food Bank

Following from my previous correspondence about our food bank, today marked the launch of the first Food Bank Friday, with the first Friday of every month, dedicated to students to bring in one non-perishable item to donate to the food bank.

Food that has been collected will be organised into packages and distributed to families in need of support. An option to donate to the food bank has been added to ParentPay if you wish to contribute financially.

We encourage families who are experiencing financial difficulties to reach out to the school confidentially using the email foodbank@sns.hackney.sch.uk so we can arrange assistance

SNS World Book Day – Second Hand Sale

As part of World Book Day celebrations, a second hand-book sale will be held in school on Tuesday 5th March. Students can purchase books using petty cash. We are looking for donations of books in good condition and suitable for young children aged 11-16 years old. Please ask your child to bring any books to donate to the Library by Monday 4th March.

Olive Dining - Catering for Ramadan

We are delighted to share with you that Olive Dining has arranged packed lunches for students who may not be dining during the school day across the Ramadan period. Students can collect packed lunches from the canteen at lunchtime to eat at a later point in the day.

SNS Dealing with Exam Stress Online Workshop for Year 11 and Sixth Form Parent/Carers

As we steadily approach exam season, we will be holding online workshops for parent/carers of Year 11 and Sixth Form students, designed to help you support your child. Workshops will be taking place on Tuesday 5th March for Year 11 parent/carers and Tuesday 12th March for Sixth Form parent/carers. To sign up for the Year 11 session use this link, and to sign up for the Sixth Form Session use this link. A flyer is attached with further information, please note spaces are limited.

Year 13 Parent/Carer Virtual Forum – Wednesday 13th March 2024 6.00pm – 6.45pm

The virtual forum for parent/carers will be taking place through Microsoft Teams. Information shared in the forum will include a focus on UCAS choices, what they mean and how to make them.

We will also be talking about what happens if students have not received any offers, if they have changed their minds about courses, and what happens on Results Day and Clearing. A joining link will be sent to parent/carers separately.

Year 13 Mock Exams – Monday 18th March – Wednesday 27th March

Year 13 mock exams will begin on Monday 18th March and will end on Wednesday 27th March. Please find a copy of the timetable using this link.

Year 8 Parents’ Evening – Wednesday 6th March 2024 4.00pm – 6.30pm

Parents’ evenings will take place on site with parent/carers booking their slots with teachers online. Further information, including the link to book appointments with your child’s teachers has been sent earlier this week. If you are having any difficulties in doing so, please contact your child’s form tutor in the first instance.

Easter Enrichment Programme for Lower School Students – Tuesday 2nd April – Friday 5th April 2024

This Easter holiday, we will be holding a free enrichment programme for Year 7 and 8 students. The day begins at 10.00am and runs until 2.30pm and will include a combination of sports sessions, visual arts, dance and a trip to the Shakespeare Adventure Playground. A free lunch will be provided each day for all students. If you would like your child to attend, please complete this short form by Friday 22nd March 2024.

SNS Language of the Month – Irish Gaelic

Irish Gaelic is the month of March, selected by students in 7N. We will be holding workshops and initiatives throughout the month marking Irish celebrations. All suggestions to promote the language by students and parent/carers are welcome. Please email to Community.Languages@sns.hackney.sch.uk and encourage your child to send us creative posters and presentations (via email or tutor).

Uniform Donations

We kindly request your assistance in donating your child's old school uniform, ensuring that donations are clean and in good condition. Donations can be handed in to Reception, where they will be collected and kept for redistribution. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in ensuring all students have access to appropriate attire for their educational journey. Thank you for your ongoing support and contributions to our school community. Equally, if you require assistance with school uniform and would like to have any item from our second-hand collection, please contact Reception@sns.hackney.sch.uk

Sixth Form Culture Day 2024

An impressive event took place last Friday, where students came together to showcased cultural outfits, flags, traditional food, music and dance. The overall atmosphere was filled with heartwarming enthusiasm performing to worldwide known Karaoke songs and dancing to Macarena. SNS Sixth Form Jazz Band created a magical ambience playing to well known tunes and adding a bonus to very well received event. Big thank you to all students and staff involved in preparation to this event. You can view photographs from the event using this link.

Term Dates 2024 – 2025

We have now confirm term dates for next academic year which you can view using this link.

Key dates, Cultural Events, Opportunities in the Community and Access to Support Services

Please see a link to our key dates here for this term on our school calendar that include Information Evenings, Forums, and Parents’ Evenings.

You can also find information on local cultural events here and opportunities in the community here.

Alongside this, you can find services available to support you and young person’s mental health and wellbeing using this link.

This week’s theme of the week focused on ‘Online Safety’. A quote shared by Year 11 students on Tuesday was by Stephen Bartlett, a British-Nigerian entrepreneur, podcaster, and member of Dragons’ Den.

Social media is designed to make you think: Maybe I should be somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else. But if you always think your happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.

Enjoy your weekend.

With best wishes,

Zehra Jaffer