Clore Tikva Primary School

Our trip to Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue was truly wonderful and memorable for everyone involved. The Year 1 and 2 children were exceptional and are a full credit to you as parents.

From the moment we set off, they were full of excitement, especially travelling on the double-decker coach, eagerly taking turns to sit upstairs and downstairs. On arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and Rabbi Jordan Helfman. We were treated to beautiful music as Rabbi Helfman played his guitar, with both children and adults happily singing along together.

We were then given a detailed explanation of the features and history of the synagogue. Inside the Ark were nine Torah scrolls, including one that was over 300 years old and donated by a Spanish synagogue. The children were later split into two groups where they created bookmarks linked to the story of Creation.

Another highlight of the day was the treasure hunt, where the children explored siddurs, the Tree of Life, kippot, and many other important features of the synagogue.

A huge thank you goes to Mr Hart, Mr Nachson, Mr Zealander, and the security staff for taking such great care of the children and teachers throughout the trip.

SATs Breakfast

This week, our Year 6 pupils have started each SATs morning together with a special breakfast before their tests.

From Monday onwards, the children have enjoyed time to relax, chat with friends, and fuel themselves for the day ahead with plenty of breakfast treats and encouragement from staff.

We are incredibly proud of the resilience, positivity, and determination they have shown throughout the week. They have approached every challenge with maturity and confidence, and they should all feel very proud of themselves.

A huge thank you to the staff who helped organise the breakfasts each morning, went shopping for all the goodies and supported the children throughout the week.

Well done, Year 6 — keep shining!

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, the Year 5 and 6 children reflected on the importance of taking action to improve both their own mental health and the wellbeing of others. At Clore Tikva, supporting mental health and wellbeing is an important focus, and we are always thinking of ways to look after ourselves and those around us.

The children began by writing positive self-talk messages to themselves, encouraging confidence, resilience, and kindness. They then explored practical actions they can take to support themselves and others in everyday life. To express their ideas creatively, they designed their own comic strips, illustrating how small positive actions can make a meaningful difference to mental health, wellbeing, and happiness.

Last Shabbat, 35 of our Year 3 and 4 pupils attended a wonderful Shabbaton at Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue. The children enjoyed a day full of meaningful and exciting activities, including taking part in the Kol Hamishpachot service, where they went on the bimah, read brachot, and even performed in a play based on the sedra. They also created Jewish anthems and participated enthusiastically in a range of team games.

The children enjoyed delicious food throughout the day, including lunch and seudah shlish*t. One of the highlights was making their own Havdallah candles, which they later brought back to school for a very special Havdallah service with their parents.

A fantastic time was had by all! Thank you to Mrs Bendon for organising and accompanying the trip, helping to make the experience so memorable for the children.

Our wonderful FACT Committee organised a fantastic Fitness and Fun Day for the children! As you can see from the photos, everyone had so much fun whilst keeping fit and active.

We are delighted to share that approximately £3,500 was raised for our school — an amazing achievement!

A huge thank you to all the parents, staff and volunteers who helped make the day such a great success. Your support and enthusiasm are truly appreciated!

Exploring the Big Wide World at Nursery!

As part of our nursery topic “The Big Wide World”, the children have been learning about a different country each week through fun, hands-on experiences.
The children created their own passports and have loved collecting a stamp each time they “travel” to a new destination. They’ve been boarding our pretend plane and flying off on exciting adventures around the world! So far, we have visited Israel and Kenya, and this week our journey has taken us to Italy
Once we “land”, the nursery is transformed with a range of activities linked to the country, helping the children feel fully immersed in their learning.
During our time in Italy, the children have explored a variety of experiences including playing with pasta, making and cooking spaghetti, role-playing pizza making with playdough, and even making their own real pizzas!
It has been wonderful to see their excitement and engagement as they learn about different cultures in such a meaningful and memorable way.

Our Reception children have been having lots of fun while building their motor skills and early handwriting!

This week, they explored “lazy 8” movements, using big arm actions to draw large figure-of-eight patterns. This exciting activity helped them develop control, coordination, and confidence while strengthening the muscles needed for writing.

It was fantastic to see such great engagement and concentration as the children followed the continuous flowing motion. Some were able to keep a smooth pattern, while others are still developing their control, and that’s all part of the learning journey!

These playful activities are an important step in supporting early handwriting and fine motor development. Well done, Reception!

KS1 Delightful Drama Lessons

Over the past three drama lessons, our KS1 children have been busy creating and performing their very own scripts! With guidance from their teachers, they explored different settings, characters, ages, and emotions to bring their ideas to life.

Working in pairs, the children practised both their own scripts and pre-written ones, learning the importance of listening carefully, taking turns, and supporting one another. They also discovered key drama and acting skills, including speaking clearly, using expression, and working collaboratively with a partner.

We are so proud of their creativity, confidence, and teamwork!

A huge thank you to Mrs Hart for coming in to support the lessons, train our staff, and teach the children so many valuable new drama and performance skills. Her enthusiasm and expertise made the experience even more special for everyone involved!

Yesterday, as part of our I Am Warrior! topic, Years 3 and 4 had an unforgettable educational visit to Colchester Castle. The children travelled back in time to explore the Roman invasion of Britain and discover what life was like during this fascinating period of history.

Throughout the day, they enjoyed a range of hands-on experiences, including building their own Roman villa, exploring the atmospheric Roman vaults beneath the castle, and examining a variety of incredible historical artefacts that brought their learning to life.

It was a fantastic day filled with discovery, curiosity, and fun. A huge thank you to all the staff and parents whose support and help made the trip such a success!

One of our very own Clore Tikva mums is running the London Marathon tomorrow to raise money for our very special school!

Kelly, thank you so much from all of the Clore Tikva family – we will be with you every step of the way, and I’m sure many of us will be there cheering you on!

If anyone would like to support Kelly and donate, here is the link: https://ctsf.enthuse.com/cf/kelly-runs-the-london-marathon-again

And if the children are in late on Monday… we’ll know why!!!

Good luck, Kelly – we’re all behind you!