Dear Families
We’re into December already and the school is buzzing with energy and excitement as we head into the final few weeks of term.
A huge thank you to everyone who came along to last week’s Community Evening. The turnout was brilliant, and the atmosphere was warm, thoughtful and joyful. It was such a powerful moment to see every year group share their Changemaker Projects with passion and clarity.
Families shared how much they valued hearing directly from the children, seeing the wide range of projects, and feeling part of the SSQ community. One parent shared, “I’m delighted that children are promoting their own ideas and they find support from adults.” Another commented, “Our son now notices things that need fixing when we walk around – he’s much more aware of what’s going on for others as well as himself.”
We’re now getting ready for Winter Wonderland this Thursday (4th December) – and the excitement is building! Thanks to our partnership with The Caring Family Foundation, the day promises to be full of joy and magic. There’ll be entertainers, face painters, magicians, a giant snow globe, and a delicious three-course festive meal served by Bill’s restaurant – giving our kitchen team a well-earned rest. Children can come in wearing Christmas or winter-themed jumpers – or simply a bright and colourful jumper!
In assembly this week, we marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3rd December). We talked about how everyone is different – and how we value those differences at SSQ. We explored the idea that someone with a disability may have a body or brain that works differently, and how our job as a community is to make sure everyone belongs and has equal access to everything they need.
Classes are also now busy preparing for our Winterfest Performances, which will take place in the final week of term. Rehearsals are well underway, and we can’t wait for you to see the children’s performances.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
Matt
NEWS – Year 6 Make Everyone in Walworth Welcome
Inspired by Democracy Week and Languages Day, Year 6 created a fantastic exhibition in collaboration with Una Marson Library, aiming to emphasise how every voice in our community should be heard and understood, no matter what language it was in. Titled 'Welcome to Walworth,' the display celebrated our community's identity and stories through a diverse collection of work.
The project included autobiographies, written in English and the children's home languages, alongside QR codes linking to videos of students sharing their stories. Visitors also saw self-portraits, flag bunting, and a celebration of our status as a 'School of Sanctuary'. The exhibition was a huge success. Thank you so much to the families and representatives from Southwark Council, Notting Hill Genesis and The Una Marson Library that attended.
If you did not manage to visit, a smaller version of the exhibition remains at the library for the next two weeks. We strongly encourage you to go and see our work!
NEWS – ASPIRATION WEEK 2026 – CAN YOU HELP?
At SSQ, we teach our children to have high aspirations and to persevere even when faced with challenging situations. We are also keen to encourage our pupils to think about the social motivation of what they may like to do, not just their own personal ones. To enable this we run an aspiration week, which aims to challenge our pupils to think about the world of work, what they may like to do, what their dreams are, and how they can achieve them.
We always have an overarching theme (this year is 'Future Ready!'), and then invite speakers from a range of professions and backgrounds to come in and talk to the children about what they do, their journey (including any challenges they face) and top tips.
The children have the opportunity to share their future aspirations and identify the journey they will need to take to achieve their goals.
Are you able to give up a short amount of time to inspire our wonderful children with your area of expertise? Please fill in this form and we will be in touch with you shortly. Thank you!
NEWS – MATHS WORKSHOP SUCCESS
It was also great to see so many of you at last week’s maths workshop with Fiona. If you missed out or would like to see the slides again then please click here.
Keep sharing the word!
Our FINAL Open Sessions for Prospective Reception Families!
Do you know a family member or friend who is looking for a primary school place for September 2026? Let them know about our upcoming open morning for prospective pupils this term. Please share this link with them.
Dear Parents and Carers,
The government has recently passed a new housing act called “Awaab’s Law”. Awaab's Law is a new rule for social landlords (like the council or housing associations). It was created after the tragic death of a two-year-old boy, Awaab Ishak, who died because of severe mould in his home that his landlord ignored. The main point of the law is to force landlords to fix serious problems in your home very quickly and stop them from ignoring dangerous issues like persistent damp and mould. If you report an emergency, like a leak, the landlord has 24 hours to investigate and start fixing the issue. If you report a significant hazard like severe damp and mould, they have to begin the repair within 5 working days and investigate within 10 working days. If you are experiencing any of these issues, please email repairs@southwark.gov.uk or dampandmould@southwark.gov.uk mentioning Awaab’s Law – feel free to copy me in fcarrick-davies@ssq.org.uk
Certain families in Southwark with a child who is under 5 years of age until August 2026 can apply for Rose Vouchers, giving them access to free fruit and veg. You have to be on certain benefits, or have No Recourse to Public Funds or if you are seeking asylum. Please use this link to register https://www.1stplace.uk.com/rosevouchers
More information here https://www.1stplace.uk.com/rosevouchers
I’ve been made aware that some Health Care companies are having their licenses to sponsor overseas workers revoked, which means that people in the care sector on sponsorships might lose their jobs. If this applies to you, please see this website https://hub.goodworkselondon.co.uk/international-recruitment and let me know if you’d like to discuss this further. The government also has this website for support https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked
London South Bank University (LSBU) provides a free legal advice service for a range of issues. Please see this website for more information about how to access support https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/our-colleges/law-and-education/study/subjects/law/legal-advice-clinic
Please can you let me know if you currently live on the Aylesbury Estate. We know that conditions in some of these blocks are very poor right now, and we would like to support you if possible.
Please do remember to let me know if you are in Temporary Accommodation or are renting privately, and would like support with any housing problems. We have a great partnership with a housing advocacy organisation called Kineara, who can support our parents with questions they might have about living in TA or in the private-rented sector. Please come and collect a referral form from me if you would like to book an appointment.
I am available in school from Monday to Wednesday – do get in touch (fcarrick-davies@ssq.org.uk) if you have any questions in the meantime.
Keep an eye on my information page outlining advice from me about various issues that may concern you plus many opportunities that are available to you and your family here in Southwark, also check out the numerous opportunities in and around our area at the bottom of this page!
Fi
Attendance Last Week
Well done to Year 3 Bryon Class who had 98.6% attendance last week. Keep it up folks!
Please contact us daily if your child is off ill or for another reason.
Email attendance@ssq.org.uk or phone 0207 7033049 (option 1)
Menu Update
This week’s menu is Week 4. Next week is Week 1.
Key Dates for this academic year
A Message from The Walworth Living Room!
THIS WEEK:
Check out our own WinterFest NEXT WEEK!
Join us for a wonderful celebration of Winter in Walworth at All Saints Hall – just over the road – next Wednesday. Register with this link!
See below for more local opportunities and events!
A message from Music Centre London:
We have been in Southwark for 15 years now and hundreds of Southwark children and young people have benefited from our provision. If you have a moment in your busy lives to take a quick look at our website you will find a lot more information about what we do and how we do it. Suffice to say here that we are committed to accessibility and provide free places from the charity to any family who cannot afford the subscription. No child is turned away through inability to pay. We are non-profit-making – all our income goes back into the provision.
For more information speak to Chris or check out their website.
Click here for all the ongoing community events in and around our area!
