Download the full letter here.

Dear parents and carers,

It is hard to believe we are already at the end of the spring term and will soon into the final months of this academic year. I cannot over-emphasis how proud I am of the ways in which our students grasp every opportunity to learn, grow and challenge themselves; whether they are 4 years old or 18, our young people embrace being SRS Learners, demonstrating resilience, collaboration, reflectiveness and resourcefulness.

As part of our school improvement work, we identified that kindness was an important quality which could be further developed to enhance our school community. This term we have seen an abundance of kindness house points awarded, as well as kindness shout outs in newsletters and assemblies, which all contribute to making our school a happier and safer place to be.
In a world which can feel fraught with troubles, we are working to enable our young people to be agents of positive change, and we believe that change starts with being kind. Next term we will continue this work through assemblies and reflection activities, using a simple message to help our students inform their choice of words – what they say to others:

Before you say something, think…

…is it true? …is it necessary? …is it kind?

Thank you for building on this important message in your discussions with your children at home and as they navigate friendships, meeting new people and sustaining relationships with those around them.

Planning for success

The summer term is very important for every student in the school; each will have important assessments of their learning and progress, and for students in Year 1, Year 4, Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 this will involve Phonics, SATs, MTCs, GCSE and A Level examinations. It is important, therefore, that the next two weeks of holiday enable a balance of rest and, particularly for our older students, good use of this time to revise as they enter their final preparations for exams. Students in Year 11 and Year 13 have guidance in their subject gap analysis sheets and recent mock feedback to inform their revision priorities. With just a few weeks left of school for these students, every moment of revision is important.

Start of term arrangements – April 2025

We return to school on Tuesday 22nd April at normal school times. As part of our start of term routine, we will spend time on this first day reminding students of school ways of working and enabling students time to think about their goals for the term ahead. There are some things we ask you to do to ensure a smooth start to the term:
– ensure your child is in correct school uniform and footwear. Correct school shoes (not boots or trainers) must be worn. Uniform can be ordered online: www.srs-shop.co.uk
–
Primary children can wear summer uniform if they wish (a green/white summer dress or playsuit, black tailored shorts – to be purchased from local supermarkets/stores e.g. Asda, Tesco, M&S)
– acrylic nails are not allowed in school – please ensure these are removed by 22nd April 2025
– for secondary students, please ensure they have a full set of equipment including a reading book (see student planner for equipment list)
– please top up your child’s Parent Pay account for school lunches We know that cost of living is high and putting pressure on families. If you need support with purchasing school uniform, or if you would like to find out if your child is eligible for free school meals, please contact office@sydneyrussellschool.com

Communications
Parents have been sent details of how to access the new app ‘My Child at School’ which replaces Edulink with immediate effect. Parents will have received this information by email (please also check your junk mail).

If you do not appear to have received the email, please email office@sydneyrussellschool.com with the subject ‘My Child at School app’ for your query to be addressed after the holiday. Alternatively, you can call 0203 959 9900 and select the ‘My Child at School app support’ option to leave a message outlining any issues you are having in accessing the app. We will endeavour to address concerns as quickly as possible but please be aware that this may be once we return from the holidays.
You can find the full list of key days for the term ahead at the end of this letter, on the newsletter and on the website.

It remains for me to wish you a restful Easter holiday with your family and friends. As ever, should there be any urgent updates which you need to be aware of, this would be sent via My Child at School, as well as updated on the website.

Yours faithfully, 

Clare Cross 

Principal