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Walthamstow School for Girls

Headteacher's Fortnightly Message

22 March 2024

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

We have had a number of exciting events and visits over the past two weeks which you can read about below. Our famous steel pans crossed the river to South London to take part in the Music for Youth regional finals. We know that they will have impressed the judges with their energy and musical skills so we are waiting to hear whether they have progressed to the next round. Some of our year 11s visited the Garrick Theatre to see ‘For Black Boys...’ and were blown away by both the performances and hard-hitting themes. Our debating team visited South Hampstead School for Girls to compete against a range of schools in their Literary Worlds Debate Mate competition. Year 7s celebrated Pi Day on the 14th March with the championship finals where Mabel recited pi to 239 decimal places! And this week our year 10 Hispanists visited the Instituto Cervantes to immerse themselves in Spanish culture. 

Welcome Ramadan 2024 

Ramadan Kareem to all students, staff and families who are observing the holy month. 

We would like to take this opportunity to let you know about arrangements that will be in place for our Muslim staff and students during Ramadan. Here at WSFG, we hope to be supportive of each other, our faiths and beliefs. We acknowledge, as a school, the importance of Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr in Islam, and we are mindful that we need to be particularly vigilant and sensitive to the welfare and education of our children during this important time. We understand that those celebrating Ramadan are striving to improve themselves in various ways. 

Prayer 

We understand the importance of prayer during Ramadan and, with this in mind, we are ensuring that we open up additional prayer spaces for students and staff. Either the Hewett or Norris Hall has been open since the start of Ramadan, in addition to the prayer room. 

Lessons during Ramadan 

Timetabled lessons continue as usual during Ramadan. Whilst staff are asked to be sensitive to the needs of students who are fasting, students are expected to continue to bring in their PE kits and to participate in music, Food and PE as usual. We have found in the past that students are happy to take home anything they have made in Food and eat at home when they break their fast. 

Please remember that normal employment and study routines continue across the world during Ramadan. We encourage students reflect on ways to manage situations, using examples from the Qur’an. Each teacher is passionate about their particular subject and has a responsibility to teach the curriculum. Please also bear in mind that we are a very diverse community and whilst we try our utmost to accommodate and work collaboratively with everyone, it is not possible to leave out parts of the national curriculum to suit the requirements of our various groups of students. 

Students are welcome to come and speak to a member of staff regarding this or any other concern. If students are struggling to get through the day or a part of the day, then please inform us. 

If any of our Muslim families have any further practical suggestions that they think we could be of assistance with, please do let me know. 

Spring Holidays 

Students and staff have been working very hard and it is important that we all have a well-deserved rest and recharge our batteries. 

Happy Easter to those who are celebrating Easter and Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating Eid. Hope you all enjoy the food, gifts and festivities. 

With all good wishes for a restful break 

Helen Marriott
Headteacher
 

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