✨ This Week at Morningside ✨

It has been another positive week at Morningside, and we have been particularly impressed by the great learning behaviours we are seeing across the school. Children have settled quickly into their new classes and routines and are showing us that they are ready to make the most of the year ahead.

A particularly warm welcome this week to all our new and returning Nursery and Reception children and families. Starting Nursery or Reception is a big step, and it has been lovely to see the children beginning to explore their new classrooms, make friends and settle into their routines. We hope our new families are already beginning to feel part of the Morningside community and, of course, part of our Morningside story.

In Monday’s assembly, we introduced our first value focus of the year: Valuing Others. We shared The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates, a lovely book about an umbrella with room for everyone underneath it. We used the story to think about what it means to make sure that everyone feels welcome, included and valued at Morningside, and how our everyday words and actions can show someone else that You Matter. Over the week, we have seen lots of examples of children putting this value into action.

Children in Years 3 to 6 have also been exercising their pupil voice this week, voting for their representatives on our different pupil groups, including School Council. These groups give children a real opportunity to contribute ideas, represent their classmates and play an active part in making Morningside an even better place to learn and belong. We are looking forward to seeing what our new representatives achieve this year.

Our new Ready to Learn spaces and strategies are already becoming part of everyday classroom life too. It has been great to see children beginning to recognise what they need to help them regulate, refocus and return to their learning, and using the spaces calmly and purposefully. Developing this independence is exactly what we hoped these approaches would support.

You may also have heard children talking about Dojo points! Every class is now collecting points when children demonstrate our Morningside values through their learning, behaviour and relationships with others. Our big display in the hall will chart how the classes are getting on, with prizes to be won along the way. There is already some healthy competition developing!

Last week, we talked about every one of us being part of the Morningside story and about the part we each play in shaping what happens next. This week, we have seen that story beginning to take shape: children welcoming and valuing others, taking responsibility, finding their voice and getting stuck into their learning.

Next week, our value focus moves to aspiration. We will be thinking about aiming high, believing that we can grow and improve, and being ambitious about what we can achieve. It feels like a very fitting next chapter in our Morningside story.

Thank you to our families for helping children make such a positive start to the year.

A Ready to Learn Space

Next week at Morningside:

Mon 14th Sep 3:45pm Meet the Teacher Join us in class after school (Not Year 2 or 4M)

Tue 15th Sep 3:45pm Meet the Teacher Join us in class after school – 4M

Tue 15th Sep 8:45-9:30am Inclusion and Pastoral Drop: In Meet the SENDCo and Pastoral Team

Thu 17th Sep 8:50-9:15am and 3:25-3:45pm Book Bag Party: Come and choose a book with your children. All year groups welcome

 Free Breakfast Club

We are delighted to now be offering the Government’s free breakfast club at Morningside.

The breakfast club is available from 8:15am, free of charge, for children in Reception to Year 6. It’s a great way to help children start the day positively, enjoy a calm breakfast and get into good morning routines. We do have limited places available for children in Rainbow nursery and in the school nursery too, these are payable at £5 per day.

If you need to drop your child off from 8:00am, this will also be free until December when it will be reviewed by the school governors.

If you would like to apply for a place, please contact the school office. We will then contact you once your place has been approved. This is not because places are limited, but because we need to make sure that we have the correct staffing ratios in place to keep everyone safe.

We look forward to welcoming more of our children to breakfast club!

 Thinking About Reception?

It might feel like starting Reception is still a long way off, but the Reception application deadline is in early January. If your child will be 4 before 31st August 2027, come along to our Stay & Play and Starting Reception Information Session on Thursday 24th September. It will be a fun opportunity for you and your child to spend time in school, meet the team, find out more about Reception and ask any questions you may have. There will be bubbles, snacks and plenty of time to play and explore our lovely classrooms.  

Please tell your friends and other local families too!

If you can’t make this date, don’t worry – there will be more opportunities to visit, and you can also book an individual tour by speaking to the school office.

Family Coach Service – Autumn Term Support for Parents

Hackney’s Family Coach Service has a range of free groups, training sessions and activities for parents and carers this autumn.

🙌 Parent Empowerment Groups

These are five-week programmes, and parents should be able to attend all five sessions.

🚨 Finding tools for behaviour management
📍 The Orchard Primary School, E9 7BB
🕘 Thursdays, 9.15–10.45am

• 17 September – What’s in your toolbox?
• 24 September – Understanding your child’s behaviour
• 1 October – Responding to your child’s behaviour
• 8 October – Repairing after a moment that challenges
• 15 October – Preventing parental burnout

😌 Building a toolbox for parental wellbeing
📍 Hackney Service Centre, E8 1DY
🕧 Fridays, 12.30–2.00pm

• 18 September – What’s in your wellbeing toolbox?
• 25 September – Bringing awareness to your strengths
• 2 October – Catching unhelpful thoughts
• 9 October – Creating a space for you
• 16 October – Maintaining what’s in your toolbox

🧩 Understanding Autism Training

These sessions are the same, so you only need to attend one:

• Tuesday 22 September, 10am–12pm – Online
• Wednesday 18 November, 6–8pm – Online

🌿 Wellbeing Walks

Come along for a relaxed walk with other parents and the Family Coach team:

• Wednesday 30 September, 10–11am – Sebright Children’s Centre/Haggerston Park
• Monday 19 October, 12.30–1.30pm – Hackney Downs Mosaic Project
• Friday 13 November, 10–11am – New River Café/Clissold Park
• Thursday 3 December, 12.30–1.30pm – London Fields Lido

💫 Cake, Coffee and Wins

Informal catch-ups for parents who have previously attended a Parent Empowerment Group or received one-to-one family coaching:

• Thursday 22 October, 10–11am – Hackney Service Centre
• Friday 11 December, 12–1pm – Hackney Service Centre

How to sign up

Places are free but limited to 10 parents or carers per session and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

To book, email familycoach@hackney.gov.uk with:

• your name
• your child’s school
• the session(s) you would like to attend

Alternatively, complete the Family Coach Service online sign-up form:
https://forms.gle/WrMGXqGDffQs7tvm9

Conversational English is needed for the group sessions, as translators cannot be provided. If you live in Hackney and need an interpreter, please contact the Family Coach Service to discuss whether one-to-one coaching may be available.

Babies in arms are very welcome at all in-person sessions. If you have an older baby or young child who would need to come with you, please contact the team to discuss one-to-one support.

You can also find out more about the Family Coach Service and see their latest information on their community Padlet:
https://padlet.com/rachelgellett1/family-coach-service-bulletin-board-i9mi7reb7f5jox13

Community Events Autumn 1 2026

OPaL Playground Wishlist

As part of our OPaL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme, we are continuing to develop our playground to give children richer, more creative and more adventurous play opportunities.

We have created an Amazon Wishlist with items that would really enhance our play offer. If you would like to support, you can do so by purchasing an item from the list and having it sent directly to school.

There is absolutely no expectation to contribute, but we are very grateful for any support. These small additions make a big difference to children’s play experiences every day.

https://amzn.eu/03Ls5B1g 

Attendance this week

This week, we want to celebrate 3S and 5M who both have 100% attendance . A HUGE congratulations and keep up the excellent work; it has a great impact on learning and progress. You can help your child’s class win the weekly fruit platter by making sure they are at school everyday.

Whole School attendance this week: 95%

Our school target is  96% attendance this year.

Class attendance this week