St Charles Newsletter
Friday 16th October 2026
A message from Ms Hampton
Dear Parent/Carer,
It has been a wonderful and enriching time in our school community, filled with opportunities to celebrate our faith, appreciate one another and grow together in our learning.
During Black History Month, we have been recognising the achievements, contributions and inspiring stories of significant role models, helping our children to develop an appreciation of diversity, equality and the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect, as Jesus teaches us.
We have also come together in prayer during the month of the Holy Rosary, reflecting on the life of Mary and growing closer to Jesus through prayer and contemplation. The excellent class assemblies that have taken place recently, show that our children can confidently articulate their faith commitment through drama, poetry, spiritual reflection and song.
Our Harvest celebrations have reminded us of the importance of gratitude, generosity and caring for those in need, putting our Catholic values into action by sharing our blessings with others. We were delighted to welcome our grandparents into school for a special Grandparents’ Afternoon Tea, celebrating the love, wisdom and invaluable role grandparents play in the lives of our children. This joyful occasion is always filled with smiles, conversation and precious memories.
Alongside these special events, our pupils have continued to work hard and demonstrate enthusiasm for their learning. Our children have been completing assessments this week and they provide a valuable opportunity to celebrate the progress each child is making, recognise their strengths and identify the next steps in their learning journey. We are incredibly proud of the effort, resilience and determination our children show each day.
As we continue our journey together, we give thanks to God for our wonderful pupils, dedicated staff and supportive families. May we continue to live out our school mission by learning together, loving one another and shining as a light in our community.
Wishing you all a lovely, restful and enjoyable weekend.
Best wishes,
Ms Hampton
This week, we are reminded of the importance of living out our faith through gratitude, generosity and care for others. As a Catholic community, we are called to recognise the many blessings God gives us each day and to share those blessings with those around us. Through our words, actions and choices, we can make a real difference, showing kindness, offering help and treating everyone with the love and respect they deserve.
As we continue our Year of St Francis, we are particularly encouraged to care for God's wonderful creation and to recognise our responsibility to look after the world we share. St Francis reminds us of the importance of living simply, appreciating the beauty of nature and showing compassion towards all living things. These values are especially meaningful as we prepare to celebrate our Harvest Festival next week.
Harvest is a wonderful opportunity for us to give thanks for the food we eat, the people who care for us and the many blessings we sometimes take for granted. It is also a time to remember those who do not have enough food and those experiencing difficult circumstances. As we approach World Mission this Sunday , we are reminded that our Catholic faith calls us to look beyond our own community and reach out to people around the world. Through our prayers, kindness and generosity, we can help bring Christ's love and hope to others.
We would like to thank all our families in advance for their contributions to our Harvest Festival. Every contribution, whether large or small, is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to seeing the generous donations from our school community displayed in the hall next week. Your support helps us teach our children the true meaning of charity, compassion and Catholic Social Teaching: that we are called to share what we have and care for those most in need.
Our Prayer of Thanksgiving
Dear God,
Thank you for the food we eat,
the families who love us,
the friends who support us
and the beautiful world you have given us.
Help us to remember those who are hungry,
those who are lonely
and those who need our help.
Teach us to be generous with what we have,
grateful for what we receive
and kind in everything we do.
May we care for your creation,
share our blessings with others
and bring hope to those who need it most.
Bless our school, our families
and everyone in our community.
May we share your love and light with others
today and every day.
Amen.
RE Home Learning: 18th October 2026
Gospel:‘Pay to the Emperor what is due to the Emperor and pay to God what is due to God!’ (Matthew 22:15-21)
Using the Wednesday Word link below, read this Sunday’s Gospel and reflect on the questions below with your family.
https://wednesday-word.paperturn-view.com/gratitude?pid=MTA101634&v=223.8
KS1:
● Jesus teaches us to give to God what belongs to God. What gifts has God given you, and how can you use them to show love to God and others?
● Jesus reminds us that we belong to God and are precious to Him. How can you show that you love God through the way you treat your friends, family and people in your school?
KS2:
● In this week’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” What do you think Jesus means by this, and what does it teach us about our relationship with God?
● The coin had Caesar’s image on it, but we are made in the image of God. How might remembering that every person is made in God’s image change the way we treat others?
● Jesus teaches us that we have responsibilities to both God and the world around us. How can you show your faith in God through the choices you make at home, at school and in your community?
We are working towards achieving 96% attendance this academic year. Please help us to achieve this by ensuring that your child attends school each day and by not booking any holiday during term time. Please be aware that holiday leave in term time cannot be authorised.
In line with the Department for Education guidelines, where pupils miss school without a good reason (including a holiday), the Local Authority and schools can intervene, and you may be issued a fine.
There is strong correlation between good attendance and good progress. So together, let’s give our children the best possible chance of reaching their potential.
This Week’s guide is on What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Discord
Please click on the link below to see the guide and previous week's guides.
For more information on how to keep you child safe online, please click on the link to our website page.
Harvest
A big thank you to all of you who have brought in non-perishable items to be added to our Harvest Collection. As you know, any donations will be given to Fr Peter who will distribute them to the needy of our Parish.
It is not too late to bring in your donations to the school office. All donations should be brought to the school office by Tuesday 20th October 2026.
Parents' Consultation Evenings
Face-to-face parents’ consultations for the autumn term, which will take place on:
- Wednesday 21st October – between 3.40pm and 6.15pm
- Thursday 22nd October – between 3.40 pm and 6.15pm
Please note that we are unable to begin appointments before 3.40pm, as we require sufficient time to safely clear the school site at the end of the school day.
Bookings for face-to-face and online appointments should be made via Google Calendar. Each teacher will have a separate link to their calendars for Parents’ Evening, which you will find in the letter that was sent out earlier this term.
Year 6 Secondary Transfer
The date for submitting your application to the Town Hall in which you reside is October 31st 2026.
Please make sure that you submit your application on time. You can select up to 6 schools. Please read the oversubscription criteria and choose wisely.
If you are selecting a faith school, you will also need to complete the supplementary information form and any other documents the school may require. These forms will need to be returned to the individual schools.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school for advice or support should you wish to do so.
Nursery
This week in our RE lessons, Nursery have been busy making our own Book of Creation. We used collage and paintings to retell the story. When our book was finished we had fun taking it to other classes to read it to the older children.
Reception
This week in reception we have been working hard at learning our sounds and forming our letters. In maths we have been busy learning about patterns and creating our own patterns. The children have also enjoyed reading Bear Hunt and acting out the story in our outdoor, small world play area.
Year 1 has had a busy and exciting week!
We have been busy making special treats for our Grandparents’ Tea Party, putting lots of care and effort into our creations.
In literacy, we have been practicing our harder-to-read and spell words to help us become more confident readers and writers.
In art, we have worked collaboratively on group paintings inspired by Joan Miró, exploring how different types of lines can be used to create colourful, imaginative artwork. We are so proud of the children’s creativity, teamwork and hard work!
Y2 - Art – Exploring Organic Shapes:
This week in Art, we have been exploring organic shapes inspired by nature. We ventured out into the KS2 playground to observe the natural world around us, looking at all the shapes we could see and sketching our ideas.
Back in the classroom, we developed and refined our drawings before transferring our favourite shapes onto coloured card and carefully cutting them out. Next week, we will bring all of their wonderful creations together to make a class hanging sculpture inspired by the artist Alexander Calder. We are looking forward to seeing how our individual shapes combine to create a colourful, creative piece of artwork.
Action and Learning Heroes
Congratulations to the following children who were recognised for making good choices during the week beginning 12th October .
St Charles Catholic Primary School
Email: info@st-charles.rbkc.sch.uk
Website: www.st-charles.rbkc.sch.uk
Location: St Charles Square, London W10 6EB, UK
Phone: 020 8969 5566