Hamilton School

Reminder 📢 Parent and Carer Forum (SEND)

Parents and carers of pupils with additional needs are invited to take part in the Maiden Erlegh Trust Parent and Carer Forum.

The forum will help inform SEND priorities, shape provision, and contribute to the next SEND strategy.

Register via the form:
https://rebrand.ly/8oa4ab5

Further details will be shared with those who register.

More information: https://rebrand.ly/enjhzy9

We are pleased to introduce the members of our School Advisory Board (SAB) at Hamilton School.

Our School Advisory Board plays an important role in supporting school leadership, providing local insight, constructive challenge and oversight to help strengthen outcomes for students.

Our SAB members bring a wide range of experience from education, governance, and the wider community:

• Chris Jones (Chair) – SEND and system leadership
• Emma Bliss (Vice Chair) – Headteacher and school improvement
• Sarah Concannon – Headteacher, SEMH specialist
• Mike Bellamy – education and governance leadership
• Jill Corfield – inclusive practice and SEND leadership
• June Lau – strategic and organisational leadership
• Hazel Bingham – parent perspective
• Scott Versace – staff voice and SENCO
• Sanskruti Jain – community and professional insight

You can read full biographies on our website: https://rebrand.ly/690fcd

Our Year 7 students have been doing some impressive work in Art, and we really do love these so much 🎭✨

These mask projects show students getting hands-on with materials, exploring texture and colour, and making thoughtful choices about how their ideas take shape. It’s been brilliant to see confidence grow as each piece develops.

A great example of creativity, effort and pride in learning and a lovely start to their Art journey.

🎨 😊 🐾

A lovely refection on teaching with humanity and how we do things at Hamilton. Thanks Mr Strain ❤️

We’re delighted to share a reflection from Mr Strain, MET Special Education & AP Hub Director. Mr Strain draws on his love of history & belief in education as an act of humanity to explore how lessons from the past can shape the way we teach, connect with & care for all children today, particularly those with SEND.

📚Teaching Humanity: Lessons from History for SEND Education

I’ve been reading Wendy Holden’s The Teacher of Auschwitz, an account of Fredy Hirsch and William Dirolewicz—educators who used teaching as resistance & hope in unimaginable circumstances. Their commitment to nurturing children’s minds, even in a concentration camp, reminds us education is not merely curriculum—it’s dignity, connection & the preservation of humanity.

As SEND specialist & a historian, I reflect on how these narratives resonate with our work today. Teaching children with SEND is, at its core, an act of humanity. It asks us to see potential where others may not, adapt with creativity & believe in every child’s right to learn and thrive.

📚 Hamilton School: A Model of Trauma-Informed Practice

Since joining MET, I’ve loved visiting our schools & Hamilton stands out for its trauma-informed approach, integration of Thrive principles & commitment to relational pedagogy. Staff create environments where students feel safe, valued & understood.

📚 Their practice includes:

➡️ Starting with safety – Predictable routines & sensory-friendly spaces
➡️ Using story & metaphor – Books like The Teacher of Auschwitz help learners explore empathy & resilience
➡️ Modelling emotional regulation – Adults set the emotional tone
➡️ Celebrating small wins – Recognising progress, however incremental

📚Curriculum Alignment with Thrive Principles

At Hamilton, emotional development is embedded, not added on. By mapping developmental stages to outcomes, they’ve created a framework supporting academic & emotional growth.

📚Literacy, History & the Human Condition

The intersection of literacy & history offers deep insight into the human condition. A quote from The Teacher of Auschwitz (Haim Ginott) captures educators’ responsibility:

“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom... As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated & a child humanised or dehumanised.”

This quote is a call to action. It reminds us that our presence, our choices, & our emotional literacy shape the lives of the children we teach—especially those with SEND.

Thank you Mr Strain for reminding us that humanity, empathy & the belief that every child can thrive sit at the heart of great teaching.

You can read the full version here: https://rebrand.ly/4heonod

We are so proud of you Preeti 🌟

Celebrating Preeti Anchan's success as we head into the weekend 👏

In 2022, Preeti Anchan joined Hamilton School as a Teaching Assistant. This year, she’s achieved Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with a distinction through the Best Practice Network apprenticeship route, becoming Hamilton School’s first TA to qualify as a teacher. A fantastic achievement!

Preeti now teaches at Hamilton School inspiring both students and colleagues, all of whom could not be more proud. Her success is a lovely example of how hard work and dedication, coupled with a great team and the right opportunity can lead to brilliant results – well done Preeti.

Preeti’s success follows more exciting news as Hamilton School, was nominated for School of the Year at the Pride of Reading Awards, well-deserved recognition of the care, commitment and teamwork across the whole Hamilton community.

Here’s wishing Preeti, everyone at Hamilton School and you a brilliant weekend!

Poetry at play 🎭 National Poetry Day 2025

Today we join National Poetry Day, the UK’s largest celebration of poetry, founded by the Forward Arts Foundation to encourage everyone to make, experience and share poetry.

This year’s theme is Play – inviting creative exploration, joyful performance and playful uses of language. The Forward Arts Foundation website is packed with free resources, reading recommendations and event details.

Here’s a playful extract from Word Play by Michaela Morgan:
Is a playground
a ground
that likes playing around?

🔗 Explore more: https://rebrand.ly/9iyqief

Poetry at play 🎭 National Poetry Day 2025

Today we’re joining the UK’s largest mass celebration of poetry, National Poetry Day, a day founded by the Forward Arts Foundation to encourage everyone to make, experience, and share poetry.

The theme for this year's celebration is "Play," encouraging creative exploration, joyful performances, and playful uses of language in poetry.

Take a look at the Forward Arts Foundation website as it is packed full of free resources, reading recommendations and information on events.

We enjoyed diving in and thought we’d share a few lines of Word Play by Michaela Morgan

Is a playground
a ground
that likes playing around?

Is a sound idea
really
made out of sound?

Is a street dance
a happy, dancing street?

🔗 Head to the website for more and to read the rest: https://rebrand.ly/9iyqief

Hamilton School Open Evening – Wednesday 8 October, 4–6pm

- Come and see learning in action.

- Meet our students and staff

- Explore our facilities

Find out how we support every child to achieve

📍 Hamilton School
📅 Wednesday 8 October, 4–6pm
No booking required

For more information please visit our website: https://rebrand.ly/fpmdpit

Yay - read about Ms Archer ☺️

Next up in the Maiden Erlegh Trust Team Talks series, we speak to Ms Archer, Thrive Team Support Lead at Hamilton School.

Ms Archer is part of Hamilton’s Thrive Team, welcoming students each morning with a smile and creating a safe, inclusive space where they can grow and thrive. Guided by The Thrive Approach, she supports social and emotional development and helps students feel a true sense of belonging.

Please note that this is a slimmed down version of the interview – you can read the full Team Talk with on our website:
🔗 https://rebrand.ly/29dv7mk

Q: Please tell us why the work you do matters to you?

A: Working at Hamilton is important to me because I believe that every student deserves the chance to succeed. Young people can experience barriers to learning that go beyond academics and they need understanding, consistency, and support that goes deeper than traditional teaching.

Q: What motivates you day-to-day?

A: What motivates me most in this work is the belief that every student has the potential to grow, succeed, and feel a sense of belonging. I love helping them to overcome challenges.

Q: Tell us a bit about your approach?

A: My approach and mindset have always been centred around empathy, patience, and consistency. I understand that behaviour is communication, and that young people need time, trust, and predictability before they can even begin to access learning.

Q: Which MET value connects with your role?

A: Work Together. Having a strong, supportive team around me makes a huge difference. We work closely together, share strategies, reflect honestly, and always have each other’s backs.
Read the full interview here:

🔗 https://rebrand.ly/29dv7mk

Huge thanks to Sammy for taking the time to Team Talk with us.

Last week, we took a whole school trip to Aldershot Lido, they let us attend to support the SEMH community. 🏊💜

Students described it as “the best day ever” – enjoying the fantastic facilities, from water slides to diving boards, and making lasting memories together.

It was a brilliant day, thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. We’re already looking forward to returning next year!

Sending a huge "thank you" to all of our wonderful teachers & support staff 👏❤️

🎉 Today is National Thank a Teacher Day

Every day, teachers and colleagues across our schools teach, guide and support — helping young people learn, grow and thrive.

If a member of staff has made a difference for you or your child, today is a chance to say thank you.

🧡 You can send a free card at thankateacher.co.uk.