T his Summer 2 term has been filled with creativity, exploration, and memorable experiences for our Reception children. Throughout the term, the children have enjoyed taking part in a variety of exciting art and craft projects, developing their creativity and fine motor skills. They created colourful caterpillars, beautiful butterflies, and many other imaginative pieces inspired by our learning, all of which have brightened our classroom displays. One of the highlights of the term was our visit to Colchester Zoo. The children had a fantastic day exploring the zoo and observing a wide range of animals from around the world. They were fascinated by the different habitats, animal behaviours, and interesting facts they learned throughout the visit. It was wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they discussed what they had seen and asked thoughtful questions. Throughout the term, the children have continued to make excellent progress across all areas of learning. We are incredibly proud of how much they have grown in confidence, independence, and resilience, and it has been a joy to watch them flourish during their Reception year.  As the children prepare for their next exciting adventure into Year 1, we would like to thank all of our families for their continued support throughout the year. We wish every child the very best for the future and know they will continue to thrive in the next stage of their learning journey.

What a fantastic final term we’ve had in Year 4! It has been a wonderful way to end the school year, with so many exciting events and memorable experiences. I was incredibly proud of the children’s fantastic achievements in this year’s Multiplication Tables Check. The children have worked exceptionally hard throughout the year to develop their times table knowledge, and their dedication and perseverance have truly paid off. The results were outstanding, reflecting the effort the children have put into practising both at school and at home. One of the highlights of this term was our Year 3 and 4 Sports Day! The children showed great enthusiasm, determination, and excellent teamwork. We were so proud of the way they encouraged each other and gave every event their very best effort. This term, the children have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in cricket coaching sessions with Essex Cricket. They have learnt and developed a range of new skills including batting, bowling, fielding and teamwork, whilst growing in confidence and enjoying the game. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and confidence grow throughout the sessions and we are incredibly grateful to Essex Cricket for providing such a fun and engaging experience. We also enjoyed out Dads’ Reading Afternoon. It was lovely to welcome some of our dads into the classroom to share some of the children’s favourite books with them. We also had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Gosfield Road site to the secondary school’s art exhibition which features the theme of ‘Under the Sea’. The children were very impressed by the creativity and imagination behind each piece. It was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to celebrate art within our wider school community. To celebrate a successful year, we finished with a fantastic trip to the bowling alley. The children had a brilliant time enjoying some friendly competition, cheering each other on and celebrating all they have achieved throughout the year. As we come to the end of Year 4, I would like to thank you for your continued support throughout the year. It has been a pleasure teaching such a kind, hardworking and enthusiastic group of children. I would like to wish everyone a happy, safe and relaxing summer holiday and I look forward to seeing you all again in September!

On Friday 10th July students took part in the Amazon Think Big Programme, where they designed and built a LEGO robot and competed in a race against other teams. The challenge required students to think carefully about their robot's design to ensure it was both robust and fast enough to perform successfully. Throughout the programme, students developed a range of important skills, including: Problem-solving Creativity and innovation Collaboration Teamwork Communication Critical thinking The programme was delivered across three separate sessions for different year groups: KS2 – Year 4 KS3 – Years 7–9 KS4 – Year 10 The activities provided an engaging introduction to STEM learning, encouraging students to work together, test ideas, refine their designs, and develop confidence in engineering and technology-based challenges. We would like to extend our thanks to Alex and the team and also ex pupil Bradley Stokes (class of 2017). Bradley facilitated the sessions between the School and Amazon as he now works for them on their technical team.

This summer term, our fantastic Year 8 students visited London’s Natural History Museum as a well-deserved reward for their exceptional hard work in Religious Education (RE). Despite a blistering heatwave, our students did an amazing job. They showed incredible resilience, staying engaged, polite, and deeply curious all day. The museum’s exhibits brought several complex RE topics to life. In the biodiversity galleries, students connected displays to our debates on animal rights and environmental sustainability. Human biology exhibits sparked conversations around medical ethics, while the famous earthquake simulator linked directly to our study of "natural evil" and the philosophical problem of evil.  Staff and members of the public actively commended the group for their exemplary behavior. Huge congratulations to Year 8—you represented our school brilliantly and earned every bit of this reward!

Our Debate Club took part in the annual summer Bingham Competition, hosted by South Hampstead High School.  The event brought together pupils from all three of our school sites. Both Junior and Senior teams showcased their exceptional debating skills, securing victories in two rounds each. The motions covered topics including journalism and sports. The dedication and eloquence demonstrated by the students were truly commendable, reflecting their commitment to excellence in debate and representing our school with distinction. The day began bright and early at 7:00am and concluded at 7:00pm. A 12 hour day but the pupils persevered in the extreme heat! Pupils competed in multiple rounds and had the opportunity to watch a showcase debate in the finals. They also enjoyed a rooftop soft drink social with peers from other schools. Their behaviour, energy, and enthusiasm throughout such a long day were genuinely inspiring. Congratulations to all participants on their outstanding performance! We are so proud of each and every one of you.

It has been our pleasure and privilege to have been part of our pupils journey in Year One! We are so proud of their achievements and we have thoroughly enjoyed watching them grow into budding readers, writers, mathematicians, artists, scientists, explorers, athletes and so much more! Every day the children have amazed us with their determination to learn and grow and we have all been thoroughly charmed by each and every one of their unique personalities. As always, this term has been really busy with lots of fun learning. We started off our ‘Wild World’ topic with an exciting visit to Sea Life Aquarium! The children were fascinated learning about all the magnificent creatures that live in the ocean and how we can protect their natural habitat. Children really applied their writing skills this term to write a fantastic report on sharks! In DT, we had lots of fun making windmills. In Maths, children have worked hard to consolidate learning how to count in 2s, 5s & 10s. They also had so much fun learning about money through practical activities. Thank you to those parents and carers who came in to support on Bee Day, the children had a great time taking part in our spelling bee challenge, as well as learning all about why bees are so important to the planet. It was amazing to see so many parents come to watch and cheer along in our school’s Sports Day. The children certainly enjoyed taking part, showing great sportsmanship and teach spirit! The children have worked really hard to develop their reading and writing skills in Year 1 and it would be great if you could regularly read and write with your children over the summer holidays, so these skills remain strong, going into year 2. Well done Year One!

Former Robert Clack student Muhammad Taha Tariq, who left the school in 2022, recently joined a virtual meeting with one of our current students to share his experiences of studying in the United States. Following his time at Robert Clack, Taha successfully secured a place at the prestigious Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, through support from The Sutton Trust. The charity helps high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds access leading universities in both the UK and the US. One of our current students, Juelcia, is currently progressing through the Sutton Trust application process. To support her journey, Mrs Monk arranged a Teams meeting between Juelcia and Taha, giving her the opportunity to hear first-hand about the application process and life as a student in America. During the conversation, Taha shared valuable advice about applying through The Sutton Trust, as well as insights into his experiences at Dartmouth College. He also spoke fondly about his time at Robert Clack and reminisced about local favourites, including King's Chicken Shop on Whalebone Lane, bringing back happy memories from his school days. The meeting provided Juelcia with encouragement and practical guidance as she continues her own application journey. It was a wonderful example of how former students can inspire and support the next generation of Robert Clack learners. A huge thank you to Taha for giving up his time, sharing his experiences so openly, and supporting Juelcia as she takes her next steps towards this exciting opportunity. We wish both students every success in their future endeavours. 

On Friday 3rd July, our Year 9 students celebrated the successful completion of the Visions and Voices programme with a special graduation ceremony at the National Gallery in London. Over the past three years, our students have taken part in this unique research partnership between the National Gallery and Oracy Cambridge, University of Cambridge, developing their confidence in speaking, listening and presenting through discussions inspired by works of art. The project has encouraged students to think critically, express their ideas with confidence and collaborate effectively with others. The graduation ceremony was a fantastic celebration of everything our students have achieved. Throughout the evening, students proudly showcased the work they have developed during the programme, sharing thoughtful presentations and demonstrating the impressive oracy skills they have built over the past three years.  Each student received a graduation certificate, along with a Visions and Voices tie and badge, recognising their commitment, enthusiasm and outstanding participation in the project. Our students were a real credit to themselves, their families and Robert Clack School. They represented the school with maturity, confidence and professionalism throughout the evening, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements. We would like to thank the National Gallery and Oracy Cambridge for providing such an inspiring opportunity. The Visions and Voices programme has had a lasting impact on our students, equipping them with valuable communication skills that will support them throughout their education and beyond. Congratulations to all of our Year 9 graduates on this fantastic achievement!

Our two-day school trip to Manchester for the Great Britain National Football Finals was an unforgettable experience filled with learning, teamwork, and achievement. Day 1 began with an afternoon visit to the Science and Industry Museum. The children explored the wide range of exhibits on offer, learning about science, technology, engineering, and Manchester's important role in industrial history. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to engage with interactive displays and discover new ideas outside of the classroom. In the evening, the group enjoyed some well-earned downtime with a trip to the bowling alley, followed by a visit to an arcade. The children had great fun competing against one another, celebrating successes, and spending time together as a team. Day 2 saw the main event arrive as the children took part in the Great Britain National NFL Flag Football Finals. They performed brilliantly throughout the tournament, showing determination, teamwork, and resilience in every match. During the day we got to meet former NFL players, including Londoner Efe Obada who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and the Washington Commanders. After winning their group stage, they continued their impressive run through the knockout rounds and made it all the way to the final. We narrowly missed out on becoming champions, finishing as runners-up is an incredible achievement, making us the Number 2 ranked school in Great Britain for NFL Flag Football. We are immensely proud of all the children. What makes their success even more remarkable is that they only began playing the sport in late February. To progress from beginners to national finalists in such a short space of time is a testament to their hard work, commitment, and positive attitude. They represented the school exceptionally well both on and off the pitch, and they should be very proud of everything they accomplished throughout the trip. We would like to thank Mr Taylor and the school's Alumni Association for supporting us during this trip. Mr Jervier