WLIAF – West London Inclusive Arts Festival 2024
The summer is finally here , which means it’s time for St Ann’s , along with 6 other SEN schools, to participate in the WLIAF .
This year’s theme is …
‘Imagine a World at Our Feet’.
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week we started with a bang !
A two day residency at The Royal Albert Hall , where some of our students participated in workshops , while others sang and danced on stage to St Ann’s festival theme tune
‘ We’re going round the world’.
It was a positive, joyous performance – we were all very proud.
Each school performed their own piece , and then gathered together for a sign and singalong at the close of the event.
Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance on stage and led us all in his song ‘Perfect’,
The audience went wild , singing , dancing , waving arms, swaying and laughing.
It was a very special ,inclusive moment.
Hanwell Carnival
So much fun was had by all, and we met so many wonderful people! The torrential rain and strong winds couldn’t dampen our spirits (or our gazebo, which was precariously close to taking off!) as we banded together to hold down the fort – literally! Despite the weather, our fearless team of trustees and volunteers managed to raise an impressive £358 through our lucky dip. We also distributed leaflets to spread awareness about people with disabilities and our charity, St Ann’s Foundation.
St Ann’s Foundation won the School Cup, and we were honoured to have the Mayor of Ealing present the trophy to us. It was a special moment for our team, and we were all proud to represent our charity.
WLIAF Imagine the World At Our Feet
Windsor Castle trip
On Thursday, Peony and Bamboo classes embarked on a journey to Windsor Castle.
As the students explored the castle grounds, they gathered to observe the disciplined guard as they conducted the ceremonial handover.
A great outing to this historic royal residence.
Ealing Hub work experience
Buckle up, because our work experience adventure with the Ealing Careers Hub just started! Last week, we blasted off to Springhallow Post 16 to learn how to be safe in the community. We met real-life police officers who showed us the ropes (and let us explore their cool police car with the siren WOO-WOOing!). Feeling brave and ready for more, we’re now zooming towards our next mission: mastering the London buses! Get ready for an epic ride – we’ll keep you posted on our next stop!
Hospital book donation
We had an exciting adventure on Wednesday when we swung by The Friends’s Cafe at Ealing Hospital.
Team Peony took on the challenge, lugging three enormous bags of books, even though they weighed a ton. But our determination kept us going, and we made it to the hospital with the books in tow.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Beryl a volunteer at The Friends Cafe. Beryl recently turned 102 years old! To top off the visit, Ann the cafe manager treated everyone to a delicious cup of coffee.
Christmas Carols at Ealing Broadway Shopping
Visiting Elthrone Park High School
Our students went to Elthrone Park High School to celebrate International Disability Day with some of their students. The Year 7 student council have selected St. Ann’s Foundation as their charity for their fundraising events. Elthrone Park High School read some books to our students in the library and explored different objects that are related.
Christmas market and Santa’s Grotto
This week, St. Ann’s School transformed into a winter wonderland with our Christmas market. Our halls were adorned with wreaths, twinkling lights, and the aroma of mince pies filled the air. The market featured a diverse array of treasures, from homemade patties to chocolate biscuits. It was a joyous celebration of community spirit and the perfect way to kick off the festive season.
African Drumming Workshops
As part of the West London Inclusive Arts Festival , Abundance Arts came to St Ann’s and offered drumming workshops to all the classes .
It was a fantastic 2 days , culminating in a whole school live / zoom assembly .
It was truly a memorable experience .
Fola and Benjamin led us in song, dance and percussion ,which they personalised to our students’ needs .
We’d like to thank them and have our fingers crossed that they’ll come back in 2024 !
National Tree Week
St. Ann’s currently houses 36 trees, ranging from cypresses to oaks, cherries, birches, and sycamores, all thanks to the ongoing efforts of our school community. As part of National Tree Week, Magnolia class undertook a herbarium project, exploring the different trees, leaves and their uses.
Looking ahead to spring, there are plans to plant 15 saplings, with the aim of enhancing our school’s green surroundings.
Visiting the Wallace Collection
A mixed group of students had an educational day out at the Wallace Collection in London. They took a fascinating journey through the museum, exploring ancient paintings and intriguing artifacts. They also had the chance to check out some amazing furniture.
The trip was a great mix of learning and enjoyment, with the interactive activities making the art and history even more engaging.
Merlin dogs visit St Ann’s
St. Ann’s students enjoyed a special afternoon meeting a professional dog trainer and his 4 performance dogs Luna, Busy, Rocky and Molly who have starred in various movie and television shows throughout their years. Students were invited to see 2 special dog performance shows in the afternoon on the playground. They were given the chance to meet the dog afterwards to say hello and have a memorable photo opportunity.
Colourscape 15.09.23
There’s just one word for Colourscape …….WOW !
We were lucky enough to be invited back to Colourscape’s annual festival on Clapham Common. We thank them for this special invitation.
Colourscape is a maze of tunnels, colour and sounds . A truly immersive sensory session!
After wandering through corridors of light , we attended a music workshop led by Michael.
All the students created their own sounds and created a huge sense of awe and wonder.
The whole visit was an incredible and unique experience.
Whizz-Kidz’s Morph’s Art Trail
Students went to Paddington Station to visit Morph as part of Whizz-Kidz’s Morph‘s art trail. They also enjoy a luxurious break at the GWR First Class Lounge. We had the assistance from MTR Ambassadors and the representative from Whizz-Kidz.
Wheelchair awareness – meeting the local councillors
Cllr Peter Mason and Cllr Kamaljit Nagpal came to visit the school to learn about our project with Whizz-Kidz. They were very impressed with the innovative approach we had taken to empower children with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities for education and personal growth.
They witnessed the incredible dedication of our teachers and the enthusiasm of our students. The councillors were particularly impressed with the inclusive environment we had created, where children of all abilities could learn, play, and thrive together. They were deeply moved by the stories shared by these remarkable young individuals, who had faced numerous challenges but remained resilient and determined.
Dancing on stage at The Royal Albert Hall
On the 21st and 22nd June 2023 a group of St Ann’s students performed our anthem ‘Love and Peace ‘ on stage in The Elgar Room of The Royal Albert Hall . We had an absolute ball !
This was part of the West London Inclusive Arts Festival , this year entitled ‘Free to be Me’.
As well as concerts , boxing matches, sporting events etc , our cultural partner , The Royal Albert Hall , has hosted peaceful marches by The Suffragette Movement . We took this as inspiration for our ‘ Free to be Me ’ dance , which was expressive, colourful , joyous and fun !
As if that wasn’t enough , in the afternoon , we attended an African drumming workshop ,hosted by Abundance Arts .
It was a very special and creative day .
Wheelchair Walk
The day that our students had been eagerly anticipating had finally come. They had spent many hours practicing the wheelchair poem, and they were ready to show off their skills.
Philip and ambassadors lead the parade, making sure everyone in Ealing saw and heard us.
Students marched through Hanwell and Ealing Broadway like a herd of happy elephants, trumpeting our voices loud and proud.
A huge shoutout to Five Fish and Art my T-shirt for their amazing generosity in creating and donating the banner and T-shirts for our ambassadors. We are incredibly grateful for your support.
We also want to give a huge thank you to Whizz-Kidz for funding our project and MTR Elizabeth Line for their supporting us. Your contributions have been critical in helping us to raise awareness of wheelchair users in the community.
West London Inclusive Arts Festival – Free To Be Me!
The West London Inclusive Arts Festival at St. Ann’s School provided a platform for students to explore their individuality and celebrate the diversity within our community. It was an occasion that reminded us of the power of art to inspire and unite.
This year’s theme was ‘Free to be me’.
Though the festival has concluded, its impact continues to shape our inclusive environment. We invite you to discover the artistic spirit at St. Ann’s School, where students are encouraged to embrace their unique identities and express themselves freely through various forms of art.
Thanks to all the families for getting involved!
More reading at Hanwell Library
As the final visit of the school year, the students were treated to a sensory story about The Hungry Caterpillar. This immersive experience engaged their senses and transported them into the magical world of the caterpillar’s journey through feeling, smelling and touching.
Asim wins Silver Medal representing Ealing
Asim put an amazing performance during the Athletics competition held by The London Youth Games. The competition took place in Linford Christie Stadium on Tuesday 6th of June. Asim was representing the Ealing Borough with some of his friends from school. From early in the morning, it was clear that Asim was very focused on the competition and he wanted to perform well. With great determination and fantastic skills, Asim managed to win second place in bean bag throwing. It was the result of al his hard work and training at school.
Huge congratulations to Asim!
A wonderful sensory pottery session
As part of the WLIAF ( West London Inclusive Art Festival ), this year entitled ‘Free to be Me’Rowena, The Potter, returned to St Ann’s.
As you can see , many students had a wonderful time on the wheel !
Visiting the Wellcome Collection
A school delegation recently visited the Wellcome Collection gallery. They explored sound and image through a series of resources.
A Right Royal Celebration!
On Friday 5 May 2023 we celebrated the impending Coronation of King Charles III with our own brand of fun, humour, love and joy.
The whole St Ann’s Community, dressed up ( or not- as always, no pressure) , and gathered in the hall , or via zoom , for a sing a long led by Mandy and Carrie.
We then paraded our crowns, costumes , corgis etc and Martin, our Facilities Manager, judged our cloak making competition.
Congratulations to Luna Class for it’s creation and to Anny for modelling it .
We then stood for The National Anthem and toasted King Charles with smoothies .
It was then time for a right royal knees up !
Long live The King !
Ealing Horse Riding school visits St Ann’s
On a cloudy afternoon, the students at St Ann’s were in for a special treat – the ponies from Ealing Riding School had come to visit! As soon as the ponies arrived, the children’s excitement was palpable. They eagerly gathered around the animals, marvelling at their beautiful coats and playful personalities.
The staff from Ealing Riding School were very friendly and informative, explaining to the children how to approach the ponies and how to properly stroke and comb them.
The children were thrilled to have the opportunity to interact with the ponies, petting them gently and running their hands over their manes and tails. They were particularly excited to use the combs and brushes provided by the riding school to groom the ponies, watching as their efforts made the ponies’ coats shine.
The visit from Ealing Riding School’s ponies was a wonderful experience for the students at St Ann’s. It was a reminder of the beauty and joy that animals can bring into our lives, and a valuable opportunity for the children to learn more about these majestic creatures.
Mercury welcomes the spring season
Mercury class decided to celebrate the arrival of spring in style by making lemonade.
The students spent the morning selecting, chopping and squeezing the lemons, and then mixing carefully all the ingredients. After having a little taste they felt energised and inspired by the new season, turning their attention to planting some seeds. They took the tools, dug holes and carefully placed the seeds in the soil. Best of all, we got some help from our lovely neighbours from Venus.
All in all, a perfect day! Go away, Winter!
Moon goes to Paddington
Moon class students recently embarked on a thrilling trip to Paddington. The students were warmly greeted by MTR ambassadors in Hanwell.
After a smooth commute on the Elizabeth Line they landed in Paddington.
Upon arrival, the class made their way to the Lush shop, where they were welcomed by the friendly and attentive staff. The students eagerly immersed themselves in the unique atmosphere of the store, exploring the vast selection of beauty products.
After making their purchases, the students were excited to discover that the famous Paddington bear was also in the area so they eagerly took the opportunity to pose with him!
Jack Petchey Achievement Award 2023
One more year, the students made us proud taking part in the Jack Petchey Awards.
The Jack Petchey Foundation is a UK-based charity organisation that works to inspire and motivate young people to reach their full potential. One of the ways in which they do this is through their Jack Petchey Achievement Award scheme, which is aimed at recognising and rewarding the achievements of young people aged 11-25 across London and Essex.
The award is accompanied by a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of the recipients and provides an opportunity for them to share their stories with others. It is an event that brings together young people from all walks of life to celebrate their achievements and inspire others. During the ceremony, each young person is presented with a medallion and a certificate in recognition of their achievement.
Well done everyone!
Visit to Canary Wharf
The school visit to Canary Wharf was an exciting and educational experience for all students involved. The first part of the visit was taking the Elizabeth Line, which is an underground railway line that connects several stations in London. We were lucky to be accompanied by MTR ambassadors who assisted us during the trip.
After arriving at Canary Wharf, the students were taken to the roof garden. The garden was full of beautiful flowers, trees, and plants, and it offered stunning views of the city skyline. The students enjoyed taking pictures and exploring the garden while learning about the importance of green spaces in urban areas.
Overall, the school visit to Canary Wharf was an enriching experience that provided the students with a unique insight into London’s modern architecture and infrastructure.
World Book Day
This year we celebrated World Book Day in style! Costumes included 101 Dalmatians, Minnie Mouse, Pingu, Wally, The Hungry Caterpillar and many, many more. We saw dozens of students and staff dressing up for the occasion. We even got so lucky that Harry Potter multiplied himself by three!
Can you identify more book characters from the pictures?
Out and about with Telstar
As part of their personalised curriculum, Telstar students have been exploring some local amenities in their community. The outings aimed to help them become more familiar with their surroundings and engage with different places in their neighborhood.
One of the places they visited was the local hospital, where they had the opportunity to observe how it operates and the services it provides.
Another place they visited was a cafe, where they had the chance to order their own food and drinks.
The students were taught to check both ways before crossing, use pedestrian crossings when possible, and wait for the green light before crossing at traffic lights.
By visiting local amenities such as the hospital and cafe, they gained a better understanding of the world around them and how they can engage with their community.
At Hanwell Zoo with Uranus class
Last Wednesday, Uranus class went on a trip to the Zoo.
Hanwell Zoo is home to a variety of animals, including monkeys, snakes, birds, and reptiles.
Upon arriving at the zoo, the students were greeted by the friendly staff and given a brief overview of the zoo’s rules.
The students got up close to donkeys, capibaras and alpacas.
After the tour, the students had some free time to explore the zoo on their own. What a fun day!
Exploring ‘A Sense of Wonder’ at Pitzhanger Manor Gallery
We had a fantastic day exploring the ‘A Sense of Wonder’:The Curious Robot World of Matt Dixon exhibition at Pitzhanger Manor Gallery. Students really enjoyed the interactive art, sensory environment and beautiful building.
The exhibition had 3D sculptures that we pondered over, 2D prints which were lit-up in the dark room, soundscapes throughout different areas of the exhibition, places where we could create our own responses to the artwork and artificial grass and plants sprawling across the gallery floor which we loved playing on.
We had lots of fun and the gallery was wonderfully immersive. We look forward to the next exhibition!
Making pizzas with Ceres class
Alora to finish the half term in style, Ceres students prepared pizzas from scratch.
As part of the Moving On World Studies programme, the class learned about Italian cuisine.
Ceres had a go at doing their very own margherita pizzas… and mamma mia!, did they deliver!
The students were busy making the dough, using pins to roll it, shredding the cheese, spreading tomato and sprinkling basil.
Our new Headteacher
In January 2023, we welcomed our new Headteacher, Timmy Holdsworth!
I’m sure lots of you already know the sporty, kind, energetic, enterprising and knowledgeable Timmy, but we thought we’d ask him a few in-depth questions to get to know him better. So, in a Friday afternoon assembly, we fired these questions at him…
10 things you didn’t know about Timmy:
Q1: What is your favourite flavour of ice-cream? Coconut
Q2: What is your favourite colour? Yellow
Q3: What is your favourite animal? Lion
Q4: What song would get you on the dance floor? Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling”
Q5: What are you most proud of? Being a parent and being Headteacher of St. Ann’s School!
Q6: What gives you the heebie-jeebies? The nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons’
Q7: If you weren’t Headteacher at St. Ann’s, what would you like to do? Be a professional rugby player
Q8: What was the first song you learnt at school? Humpty Dumpty
Q9: What is your favourite hobby? Camping
And finally, the question that divides the nation:
Q10: Given a toasted cheese sandwich, would you have:
- Red Sauce
- Brown Sauce or
- No sauce as all?
Timmy’s answer: Brown Sauce
Earth Class go to Paddington on the train.
Some students had the chance to go on a fantastic train trip with Great Western Railway!
Earth Class found it very exciting to use the ticket machine, go in the lift and take the train from Hanwell to Paddington Station on the Elizabeth Line.
In Paddington Station, it was great to have a tour with TfL staff members.
They showed us around the Station where we discovered the beautiful statue of Paddington Bear and his storytelling bench.
It was a wonderful learning and sensory experience to use public transport and develop our life and independence skills, as well as having a great deal of fun and excitement.
We’d love to do it all again!
Let It Snow!
One of our yearly traditions was back this year – The Snow Machine!
Lots of fun was had – running around the playground, throwing snowballs and experiencing the unique texture and feel of snow, followed by warming hot chocolate for all.
We also said farewell to our amazing Chair of Governors, Julian Hillman.
We would like to thank him for all the hard work, kindness, support and love he has given everyone in The St. Ann’s Community.
We will miss him, but wish him well with all his exciting adventures ahead.
Farewell to Gillian
Last term we all said goodbye to our wonderful Head Teacher, Gillian Carver.
It was a huge celebration!
The staff threw her a ‘Magical Farewell Ball’ – it was their gift to her.
We greeted Gillian and her Family with a guard of honour .
Followed by 4 beautiful speeches 3 by our ex-students and 1 by Gillian’s son.
Not a dry eye in the house!
Then … two songs by The St Ann’s In-house Band (Britain’s Got Talent, eat your heart out!), a feast of international food, fit for a king (or a retiring, dedicated, kind, fun, caring, inclusive, head teacher ).
Followed by The St. Ann’s Flashmob Dance to ‘Simply The Best’!
DJ Tom cranked up the music and we all danced the night away… until we sat and listened to a beautiful poem written and read by John Lyons, our Social Worker and Timmy bid us good night.
In her last week, the students all celebrated Gillian’s retirement on a whole day jamboree, entitled ‘hese are a few of Gillian’s Favourite Things’
Each class created a collage of Liberty print fabric and presented them to her at a whole school assembly. They were beautiful.
Mandy and Carrie led the whole school in joyous song, with Gillian choosing what we sang next. ABBA and One Direction put in cameo performances!
A specially written song ‘GOLD’ , was sung for Gillian – very beautiful and moving.
In the afternoon we had live music from the fantastic ‘Impact Band’.
The whole school were dancing, jigging and singing, albeit in the hall or in their classrooms where they watched via zoom.
The band brought the house down – the encores were rapturous, the atmosphere, electric.
On Friday 16 December, as the end of the school day drew near and students prepared to say their goodbyes, there was the final surprise…
The fire alarm went off; we all filed into the playground and 2 fire engines arrived!
Phew – it was a false alarm, but a great way for us to wish all our amazing students a very happy Christmas break and for them to say goodbye to Gillian.
A Sensory Journey – Behind the Mask
On Tuesday 17 October, a group of St Ann’s students visited The beautiful Royal Albert Hall to embark on a sensory journey – Behind the Mask .
It was a wonderful day!
We were welcomed with open arms and during the experience, visited different spaces around The Royal Albert Hall which had been transformed into 4 magical theatres.
We frolicked in the meadow, swam under the sea, shivered in the Arctic and got lost in the woods!
We even ate our lunch in luxury – in a room overlooking the beautiful Albert Memorial .
St. Ann’s would like to thank Ed and all the staff at The Royal Albert Hall for treating us like royalty.
GWR Workshop
A sensory story of the train ride provided by GWR. Students experienced a train journey from taking a ticket to handling a piece of rail track.
Sensory soundscape
The Sensory Soundscape workshop delivered the story of Odyssey through musical sounds and a wide range of physical movements.
Hanwell ribbon cutting ceremony
St. Ann’s School is proud to be the adopter of Hanwell Station. The ribbon cutting ceremony was organised by MRT and St. Ann’s. Gillian, the headteacher, talked about the historic link between the station and St. Ann’s since the early 20th century.
St Ann’s Family Fun Day 25 June 2022
WOW – what an amazing day we had! Thank you to EVERYONE who came: students, ex-students, families, carers, loved ones some young adults from Mencap, volunteers, staff and their guests. The sun shone, the wind lay low, the drone flew, faces were painted, ROA’s presented and celebrated, 400 samosas consumed (!), ice-pops licked, coulis eaten, footballs kicked, parachutes run under, water sprays sprayed, live music danced and sung to (a huge thank-you to Carrie and Mandy), clay-molded picture frames adorned, refreshments consumed, picnics eaten, end-of-the-pier photos taken… and the most amazing sensory experience ever: COLOURSCAPE. Entering into a maze of huge bubble-like structures, each one filled with a different colour, was unique and spectacular and at first, quite discombobulating! Then finding the huge, central white space and the brilliant musician, Michael, was the icing on the cake – he was a maestro of the singing bowl and other instruments, and gave everyone time to experience the sound , vibrations and wonder of the instruments and their music. We would like to thank the whole Colourscape team for their dedication, hard-work, kindness, sense of fun and giving The St Ann’s Community a very special day.
(more pictures coming soon)
Visit to Hanwell Library
This week, a small delegation from school went to the local library to hear a sensory story.
We had an amazing session, exploring the Hot Hippo story as told by Sarah, our Speech and Language Therapist.
We are planning to visit once a month to hear more stories. Big thanks to Chloe and all the team for being so accommodating.
Learning about First Aid
Recently we had a visit from a St John’s Ambulance unit. The team explained what they do and the history of First Aid. We also had a little practice.
Eid Mubarak!
On Wednesday, staff members prepared a big lunch to celebrate the end of Ramadan. They also collected donations for an Egyptian orphanage. A feast for the senses and a good cause to match! Many thanks to our amazing team.
The Real Eastenders
We recently had a visit from The Museum of London’s Real Eastenders. Through acting and puppetry we learned stories about the Docklands
Platinum Jubilee
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II, Titan students made and sent her a congratulations card.
In response, they received a letter from Windsor Castle’s Lady-in-Waiting.
Jack Petchey 23.03.22
This year’s ceremony took place yesterday at Ealing Town Hall. Congratulations to all students for their hard-earned medals, you make us proud!
Ukraine fundraiser
The amazing staff team at St Ann’s organised a fundraiser to raise money for Ukraine. They also collected clothes, medical supplies and necessities. For the occasion they prepared a lot of delicious food and raised £900 to purchase a defibrillator.
The Christmas cards have arrived
Christmas cards from Da-You Elementary School in Taiwan arrived right before the end of the term. Everyone was amazed by the details of the cards received. Staff also received special wooded Christmas tree decorations designed by the Year 6 students of Da-You.
Thank you very much for brightening up our holiday!
Travelling to Paddington
Learning about British lifestyle, the students have been reading stories about the Paddington Bear.
They watched the movie eating popcorn. They also explored different flavours (orange and marmalade). We worked with the West Ambassadors of MTR to arrange a journey to Paddington Station by train. In the station, we toured around to find Paddington Bear. Students also watched and listened to the trains. Everyone had a great time at the station. Many thanks to the ambassadors of MTR for accompanying us. All students received special gifts (bears and keyrings) from MTR at the end of the journey.
Making Christmas Cards
It’s the second year we exchange Christmas cards with Da-You Elementary School in Taiwan. Students decorated the Christmas cards in different styles. We also included some colourful leaves from school and the local parks in the Christmas cards, as well as articles of the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Salma’s Egyptian and Sudanese Meal
This week’s community meal focuses on some of Salma’s Favourite dishes from the Arabic Community in Egypt and Sudan.
The Kitchen team is cooking Mashi – Vine leaves and vegetables stuffed with rice, tomatoes and parsley. Bamia, an Okra and tomato stew. All served with Tabbouleh and Fattoush.
For dessert we are making homemade rice pudding flavoured with Mastica (a crystalized Tree Sap).
Thank you to Salma for sharing her food with us.
Colourscape
Recently, we were lucky to have in school a Colourscape installation. The students were able to immerse in light and sound using sensors.
Rachel, the amazing dance monitor, also ran a workshop in the hall.
Chaitali’s Rajasthani Meal
This week’s community meal focuses on some of Chaitali’s Favorite dishes from Rajasthan.
The Kitchen team are cooking Aloo Methi – a delicious dish of potatoes with fenugreek, garlic and cumin. Also a Delicious curry made of yogurt thickened with gram flour and tempered with curry leaves (Kadi).
For dessert we have homemade Semolina Halwa flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg.
Thank you to Chaitali for sharing her food with us.
Aloo Methi, Kadi and Rice (Mustard, Dairy)
Semolina Halwa (Gluten, Dairy)
The Kitchen Team – Grace, Alex and Rajeswary
West London Arts Inclusive Arts Festival 2021
Wednesday 9th June 2021 was a very special day at St.Ann’s .
The sky was blue, the sun shone, the drone flew, students and staff dressed in all their sixties gear and as part of The West London Inclusive Arts Festival we celebrated ‘Peace and Love’!
As part of our theme ‘Time Tales’, we spent a joyous morning dressing-up, dancing, singing, making music, marching, drumming, laughing, watching, call and responding, eating a wonderful, multi-coloured lunch and as a whole school, creating a huge, beautiful rainbow on the playground! In the afternoon, we all spread out around our rainbow to celebrate our achievement and to sing our Sixties theme tune ‘Peace and Love’. It was a very special day.
We hope you enjoy watching our film, looking at the photos and singing along to ‘Peace and Love‘ !
18.5.21 Trip to Holly Lodge
After 15 months without school trips, we are finally are beginning to reach out to the community again. Students and staff of Jupiter and Titan visited The Holly Lodge Centre last week for the workshop Mission Invertebrate. Students explore the nature trail using their senses to discover the jobs of invertebrates.
26.05.21 June half term supermarket vouchers for free school meals
If your child is eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals, Ealing Council will be providing a supermarket voucher ahead of May half term to support you to meet food costs over the school holiday, as they have done in the past. Please check your email for the link to download the vouchers in the next few days.
6.5.21 Eid Mubarak!
To all families who will be celebrating Eid-al Fitr
As the end of Ramadan fast approaches it would be really helpful if you could indicate whether or not your young person will be attending school on Wednesday and/or Thursday next week. This will enable us to plan staffing levels appropriately to ensure that the needs of all our young people are met.
Many thanks
Gillian
https://forms.gle/trGMgEEcp7z5XSnr7
30.04.21 We would like to offer our heartfelt gratitude to the gentleman who made a donation towards the school today. A member of staff was given the generous donation outside Sainsbury’s, West Ealing, today. Although he didn’t give his name, we are very grateful for this kind gesture. Thank you!
30.4.21 This week we enjoyed our first Community Meal.
Troy kindly picked his favourite Taiwanese foods, the main was Three Cup Chicken (or vegan version), a delicious braised chicken dish flavoured with Soy Sauce, Sesame oil and Thai basil. Served alongside jasmine rice and greens.
For dessert we had homemade fresh silken tofu, drenched in cool ginger syrup.
Hats off to the kitchen for an amazing dish and thanks to Troy!
17.3.21 We’ve been planting!
Many thanks to the Tree Council
22.1.21 This last Christmas we had a card interchange with Da-You Elementary School in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Below you can see some of the lovely cards we made and received!
The new Telstar has opened!
St Ann’s prides itself on being a highly inclusive school. It has a long history of including students with extremely complex behavioural needs through supportive and positive behavioural management strategies.
In November 2015 building on our wealth of collective practice and informed by research, we ‘launched’ Telstar class which offered a highly personal, nurturing, child-centred approach for eight students, facilitated through a cohesive, experienced team providing 1:1 support.
Timetable, structure and routine no longer shaped the learning day. Instead a variety of motivating, multisensory based activities were constantly available, with students being free to choose to participate or not. This student led, play based, low demand learning approach enabled students to feel more relaxed and consequently they quickly became more motivated to engage. Over time they made substantial gains in their ability to self regulate, to communicate and to interact with staff and with each other.
This innovative provision was so successful that in July 2019, funded by the Local Authority a £1.6M RCL build project began on site to create a high specification, purpose built Telstar for up to 15 young people. This was to replace the double portacabins that had previously housed Telstar students and staff.
In September 2020, in spite of inevitable delays caused by the Covid pandemic, the new Telstar provision was finally opened to students. We are delighted with our new facilities and the part we played in helping to design them. Telstar is truly designed and built around the very special needs of our young people. It is light, airy and welcoming and has a fluidity of design that enables students to see what is going on around them so that they are encouraged to be curious, to participate and to achieve. Telstar boasts highly specialist lighting with colour wash options, a large teaching hall, an Audio Visual room, an elevated soft play area, a cinema corner, a wet classroom, a therapy room, and a large, well equipped life skills area. There is easy access to the outside space which is surrounded by beautiful mature trees. The grounds have been carefully landscaped and include grassy areas, decking, swings, a covered sand area and a sunken trampoline.
Telstar students are responding very positively to their new provision which greatly enhances the delivery of their bespoke curriculum pathway ie ‘learning to be,’ to have agency and to develop self-regulation skills and functional life skills, both within school and in the wider community. Parents, carers and staff all want the same thing, for our young people to be happy, to be safe, to be able to impact on the world around them and as young adults, to take advantage of the rich variety of experiences that life holds. We believe that Telstar offers this opportunity.