Issue No 02 -24.10.2025


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Headteacher News for October 2025

Dear Parents and Carers

Living Our Values: Kindness and Respect 

This term, we’ve been thoughtfully focusing on two of our core school values — Kindness and Respect — especially as we navigate some of the complex and challenging events taking place both globally and closer to home, including within our own school community. 

Within our school, we are proud to see these values lived out every day. Year 4 have been connecting with residents at our local care home, sharing time and stories across generations.

Girl holding sheet of paper with writing on upAnna in Year 4 has been spreading positivity with her poster campaign: “Talk to someone new - they might be your next best friend!”

Child's hand holding small toy: lego figure and dove soapYear 1 have been collecting and organising small-world toys to make playtime inclusive for everyone.

Behind the scenes, Ms Davies has been working hard to ensure every family has access to wraparound care — supported by teachers who have kindly offered up their own workspace to help make this happen.

These moments capture the best of our school — people looking out for one another, showing respect, and leading with kindness.

Poster with speech bubbles to indicate converationWe embrace and foster a school environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and safe. Our staff work thoughtfully to ensure that personal beliefs are kept separate from our shared learning space, allowing every child to feel included and supported. We understand that events - whether global, national, or local - can shape how we feel and respond. In these moments, we focus on nurturing empathy, encouraging our children to consider different perspectives and to approach differences with kindness and understanding.

At the heart of this, we focus on teaching children how to express themselves thoughtfully and respectfully through the Oracy Voice 21 framework, which helps them develop the skills of listening, reasoning, and debating with empathy. We recognise that many of the issues being discussed in the wider world are complex - even for adults. As a school, we approach these conversations through our core values of nurturing kindness and leading with respect, helping our pupils to understand different perspectives while feeling safe to share their own.

Every day, our staff work tirelessly to help children settle into routines, support their learning, and create a caring, inclusive environment where everyone can flourish. While we can’t always control events or the behaviour of others, we can choose how we respond. As adults, we have such an important role in modelling the values our children see and learn every day.

We’re also excited to share that we now have a new Instagram page- follow us @tetherdownschool, where you can see our Year 6 children living our values at PGL, along with so many other amazing things happening across our school. From acts of kindness to moments of teamwork and respect, these snapshots truly capture what our school community is all about.

When home and schoolwork together uphold these shared values, our children thrive — they feel safe, respected, and inspired to show that same kindness to others. If you’d like to share a few words of appreciation for our staff, we would love to hear from you – please send them an email. Your encouragement truly makes a difference to the many members of our team who give so much of themselves to our school community.

Thank you for continuing to support our school and for helping us make these values not just words on a poster, but part of our shared daily life.

Two mini ghost toys made in stitch clubWishing you all a wonderful break and a happy Halloween — I loved seeing the children’s creativity come alive as they stitched their little ghosts in Stitch Club!

Annie Ashraf

Headteacher


LATEST NEWS

23 Oct 2025
Mixed Football Festival
Great sportsmanship - a true reflection of their positive team spirit.
Read more
23 Oct 2025
Year 5 Benin Day
The children recreated the vibrant atmosphere of historical Benin right here at Tetherdown!
Read more
20 Oct 2025
Year 4 Camley Street Natural Park
Classifying Animals!
Read more

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Friends of Tetherdown (FoT)


This Year’s Fundraising Goal
We’re aiming to raise £80,000 to continue improving our outdoor play areas – helping make Tetherdown an even better place to play and explore. More details to follow!

Quiz Night – Saturday 15th November
Just a few tables left! It’s going to be a fantastic night of fun and friendly competition – we can’t wait to see you there! 

❤️ Don’t miss out — grab your tickets here 👉  https://app.classlist.com/parent/#/events/view/1342490844?s=832640692&utm_source=SCHOOL&utm_medium=SHARED_LINK


Save the Date – Christmas Fair 🎄
Join us on Friday 5th December, 4–6pm for festive fun, performances from JK, and (fingers crossed!) the Choir and Band. See you there!

Tatlers Boards – Thank You!
A big thank you to everyone who’s signed up – your support really helps boost our fundraising.


So, whether you want to join the committee, or simply have an idea to share, or want to sign up to be a regular volunteer for individual events, please get in touch: chair@friendsoftetherdown.com

Many thanks!
The FoT

INCLUSION NEWS

Confident Parenting

A Child-in-time counsellor works at Tetherdown 1-day per week - Tuesdays. 

A more recent addition to their services is "Confident Parenting". Parents can book a private online session to discuss a range of issues. Please see below.

Confident parenting flyer for parents

 


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Tetherdown families can now subscribe to receive Haringey's SEND newsletter by using this link.

For further information about SENDIASS and what is on offer please go to our SEND pages.


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Markfield - together for inclusion logo

Markfield Autism Support Services

If your child has recently be diagnosed or on the wait list to be diagnosed for Autism please read on.

Markfield is providing a range of services for Haringey parents/carers of children on the waiting list for autism assessments or recently diagnosed.

Markfield offers a range of support services for parents and carers of children with autism:

  • 1:1 advice appointments
  • Help with Disability Living Allowance (DLA) applications
  • Online and in-person group meetings
  • In-person parent meetings: the last Friday of every month, 10am to 12pm, Markfield community centre, N15 4RB. Just drop in – no need to book
  • Monthly club for autistic young people aged 12 to 17: for more information, visit our website 
You can contact Markfield by email at familyadmin@markfield.org.uk or via telephone: 020 3667 5233 or 07762106044

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COMMUNITY

OPAL NEWS

We’re excited to invite families to join our next OPAL Make, Do and Mend Day on Saturday 29th November, 9.30am–1pm. 

This time, we’ll be: 

  • Digging out the new swamp development area 

  • Creating shelters to enhance outdoor play 

All help is welcome—whether you’re handy with tools, love digging, or simply want to get involved. It’s a great way to support our children’s play and enjoy the community spirit of Tetherdown! 

If you can attend, please email Ms Koschyk (lkoschyk@tetherdownschool.org) with how many people will come and any tools or materials you can bring. 

Helpful items: spades, large tarpaulins with eyelets, pond liner, and play sand (for the swamp and sandpit). 

We hope to see many of you there! 


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Playground Supervision Reminder for Parents of Y2, Y3 and Y4

We have observed that some children are being left unaccompanied in the playground between 8:30 and 8:50 am. Please be reminded that during this time, an adult must be responsible for supervising your child. The only exception is if your child is attending choir, and independent travellers, where a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) will be monitoring them.

If you are unable to stay, we kindly ask that you arrange for another adult to supervise your child. During this time, we have noticed children arriving on scooters and engaging in active games such as running, which can pose a risk. Please remember that our playground is shared by vulnerable groups, including older grandparents and carers and young children.

We kindly ask that you encourage your child to remain close to you to ensure everyone's safety and comfort. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our playground a safe and welcoming space for all.


Parking Issues on Grand Avenue at drop off

We kindly ask for your cooperation regarding parking on Grand Avenue, particularly in front of our neighbours’ driveways. Recently, we have received concerns from residents who are feeling increasingly frustrated, especially as some parents dismiss the issue by saying, “It’s just a few minutes.” However, as you can see, there are often several cars causing blockages, preventing residents from leaving their homes.

This does not align with our school’s values of kindness and respect. We kindly remind everyone not to park across driveways or on the zig-zag lines, as these areas must remain clear for safety and accessibility reasons.

To help manage the situation, we will be requesting the traffic warden to visit regularly to ensure compliance. We truly appreciate your support in making drop-offs and pick-ups smoother for everyone, including our neighbours. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Message from Community Police

Car crime has increased around the roads near Fortis Green. Please ensure your car is securely locked and keep your keys away from the front door.


Tetherdown families can now subscribe to the Haringey School News by using this link.


UPDATES AND LOOKING AHEAD


Clubs & Activity Camps

The lunchtime and extracurricular club information is available on our Clubs & Activity Camps website pages, which includes registration and timetabling information and a wealth of other information. In addition to emailing club promotional materials to parents directly, we also publish any advertising provided by the clubs at our school on our website and in the newsletter from time to time.

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NO extra-curricular clubs run during the first week of a new term. Catch-up clubs (e.g. due to cancellations) run during the last full week of term. Dates for catch-up clubs are on our website here. NO extra-curricular clubs run on school closure days (i.e. INSET days, bank holiday or half-term). Any changes to the above we will notify you.


Stevensons Uniform Company

Our uniform company, Stevensons are now selling Tetherdown sun hats if you would like one. They also have available PE t-shirts in a larger size.

For details on how to order sun hats or PE-kit please go to our School Forms & Supplier Links on our website.


Wraparound Care: Breakfast Club

 

Breakfast Club offers an exciting variety of healthy breakfast choices for the children these include: croissants, brioche buns, fruit yogurt, juice and cereal.

Ad hoc Bookings

Breakfast Club is currently able to take a limited number of ad hoc bookings. If you would like to use the Club’s ad hoc services, please contact our Senior Play Leader Ms Geen-Moore on the email provided below, no later than 9:30am a day prior to your request or by Friday if your request is for a Monday morning. 

Ad hoc spaces are charged at a slightly higher rate of £10 per session per child (via ParentPay) and are only available on Monday and Friday only due to no capacity on other days.

Please note that due to limited availability, to attend you must receive a confirmation email from Ms Geen-Moore.

Contact - Ms Geen-Moore

E: breakfastclub@tetherdownschool.org

Days, Times and Cost click here.

Wraparound Care: After School Club

 

Tetherdown School offer a Tetherdown After School Club delivering high quality extra curricular activities with an outdoor and creative play focus. 

There are different sessions available to register which you can find below under Days, Times and Cost. Children who attend after school club are provided with a fruit snack in the 3:30-4:30 session and then a light snack including a sandwich/wrap, fruit and raw vegetables in the 4:30-5/6 sessions. For further details visit our website wraparound care: after-school club pages.

Contact - Ms Woodward

For information about vacancies/waiting lists and payment queries for after school club please email the named contact above in the first instance.

E: afterschoolclub@tetherdownschool.org

Days, Times, Cost and Timetable of Activities click here.

School Lunch and Snacks in School

 

We have updated our website to clarify the types of snacks permitted in school, packed lunch and food sharing rules. Please visit the specific website pages below for further details. These pages are all located under the Parents tab.

School lunch and menu - updates regarding packed lunch

Snacks in school - information about breaktime snacks; extracurricular snacks; sharing food and birthday and treats

OFFICE REMINDERS


PLEASE REMEMBER WE ARE A NO NUTS SCHOOL

Products containing nuts (including for staff as some may also have allergies) must not be brought into school under any circumstances.

Considerate Driving and Parking Please!

If you must drive to school to drop off your child(ren) please consider our neighbours when parking near the school.  We have received complaints that some parents are parking across driveways and blocking house owners in.  It would be far healthier for children if parents could park a little way from the school and walk or scooter to school.  Scooters may be stored at school.  We do not have bicycle storage


Tetherdown School Communications to Parents

We have a brand-new website please ensure your explore our website regularly so not to miss any important communications. This should be your 'FIRST PORT OF CALL' for information.

The Parents page is dedicated to you! - here you will be able to find answers and links to everyday questions and queries you may have as well as further useful information and support - to name a few...

  • Calendar - check this regularly
  • Term dates
  • Key Letters
  • School Day & Wraparound Care
  • Health & Welfare

Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have explored the website, and you cannot find what you are looking for.

Parent Communication to Tetherdown

Please remember when emailing the admin mailbox to ensure you put your child's full name and class. There are over 400 pupils on roll and as you can imagine finding any child with only their first name can be tricky!


ParentPay - Communication from Tetherdown

ParentPay is the schools Communications and Payment System All communications sent directly from the school are sent using ParentPay only.

Parents will receive an email from platform@parentpay.com - when you receive messages from this email you can be assured this is an official direct school communication.

Any undelivered emails to parents the school are notified - we have not been notified of any undelivered messages to date.

Text and Email Alerts

Parents are advised to set up text and email alerts to ensure that you do not miss any important information from Tetherdown. Details of how to do this can be found on our Payment & Bookings System pages. If you have missed an email please search your mailbox for platform@parentpay.com messages and check junk mail.

If you are having any problems receiving official school communications please contact the school office after you have checked your mailbox and junk mail and not ParentPay.

Thank you for your continuing support.


Gentle Reminders 

Reporting Absences and Pick-up

 

Reporting Absence

We always require absence information, including unplanned absence, to be reported daily before 9am.

  1. If your child is absent please call the school office before 9am.
  2. Leave a clear message with your child’s full name and class and a brief reason for the absence (e.g. religious holiday).
  3. Unwell pupils: If your child is unwell, we ask that you report your child as off ‘sick’ and briefly describe their sickness (e.g. temperature, headache or has vomited etc). By describing your child’s sickness this will enable the school to track and manage a sudden increase in occurrences of the illness and identify whether we have a localised outbreak of the illness (e.g. virus).

Reporting Pick-Up

If your child is going home with someone different to their regular person collecting them, please remember to communicate arrangements via the admin email before 2:45pm stating your child’s full name and class and who is collecting them.

Please do not email teachers as they are unable to check emails during the teaching day.

Nomination for Collection (Permission)

If a pupil is in years 7 to 11 and the parents wish for them to be approved to collect their Tetherdown sibling, they must complete this form and receive permission from the headteacher. The headteacher will take up to two weeks to decide upon receiving this form.  A meeting, either face-to-face or online, may be required by the headteacher to finalise this decision. The 'designated child' mentioned in this form is the child in Years 7-11 who has a sibling at Tethedown that you would like us to give permission to collect. For details go to our Reporting Absence website page.

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For absences and pick-up arrangements report to:

020 8883 3412

admin@tetherdownschool.org

Official Appointments

 

If your child is going to be absent for an appointment such as:

  • medical (e.g. dentist, hospital appointment) or an
  • an official appointment (e.g. visa application, passport office)

Families must provide proof of the appointment to the school office via email. Please remember to include your child's full name and class in all correspondence.

You do not need to fill in the absence request form for medical appointments, or official appointments.

All other Leave Requests

Please complete an exceptional leave of absence form for all other leave requests. You can find this form on our website under the Parents tab. Click here to go to access online absence request form.

Extra Curricular Club Cancellation

 

Extracurricular Club Cancellation

Recently, one of our extracurricular club providers needed to cancel their club. Communications are sent to families as soon as we are made aware of cancellations.

Please can families note the process below for any future club cancellations. This information is a standing item in our newsletter and on our website clubs and activity camps page. Thank you in advance.

  • If your child's extracurricular club at the end of the school day is cancelled by the provider, parents are advised to make alternative pick-up arrangements for their child and to notify the school office via email of the new arrangement no later than 2:45pm. Parents should not assume that the Tetherdown after-school club can take their child following a club cancellation if they cannot make alternative pick-up arrangements. 

  • Children who normally attend the Tetherdown after-school club directly after the cancelled extracurricular club (e.g. tennis) can go straight to after-school club at the end of the school day, however you will be charged accordingly for this session via ParentPay.

Children Leaving Tetherdown

 

If you are planning on leaving Tetherdown it is important that you inform the school as soon as possible. Please fill in the destination form which can found on our School Forms & Links page.

Medicines in School

 

As a reminder that medicine cannot be given to your child to bring into school. The school can administer prescribed medicine only (the parents form on our website must be filled in). Any over the counter medicine must be administered by a parent / nominated carer. Please refer to our Health & Welfare pages for further details.

Forgotten Items

 

The school does not accept forgotten items. We aim to promote independence and responsibility in our children. This includes snacks and packed lunches, water bottles, PE kits, instruments etc. We can accept medical and reading glasses. If a child has forgotten their lunch one will be provided and will be charged via your ParentPay account.

Unhealthy Treats

 

We are a healthy school and as such we kindly ask that children do not bring in sweets or cakes/biscuits to hand out to their friends on their birthday. A class book donation is always much appreciated. We will share your book-gift with the class and insert a special book plate to mark the occasion of your child's birthday.


DIARY DATES TO 19TH NOVEMBER 2025

INSET DAY SCHOOL CLOSED TO PUPILS
All Day
03
November
Y6 Mixed Tag Rugby Tournament (by invite)
9:30am – 2:30pm
04
November
Y5/6 Cricket Tournament
9:30am – 2:30pm
05
November
Y3 London Iconic building Trip
All Day
06
November
Y4 J Springdene trip
1:45pm – 3:15pm
06
November
Reception and Year 5C Parent Consultation
4:00pm – 7:00pm
06
November
Y5/6 Mixed Tag Rugby Festival (by invite)
9:30am – 2:30pm
07
November
Reception Parents Consultation
4:00pm – 6:15pm
11
November
Pupil Photos 2025 Round 1: Indiv/sibling/gov/staff
All Day
12
November
Y1B Parent Consultations (rescheduled)
4:00pm – 6:10pm
12
November
Children in Need Day
All Day
14
November
Y4 Jaguars Assembly
9:00am – 9:30am
14
November
Quiz Night (FOT)
7:00pm – 11:00pm
15
November
Y5 Apollo Workshop
1:30pm – 3:15pm
18
November
Pupil Photos 2025 Round 2: back up if needed
9:00am – 11:00am
19
November