Winter Fair, Panto and projects update

Posted on 16th November 2025

Hello everyone,

Back in September I said we had a lot going on — that was an understatement!
We’re now deep into Winter Fair planning and getting ready for the panto, which will be hosted at TPPS on 4, 5 & 6 December at 7:30pm, plus a 3:30pm matinee on the 6th. We still need few volunteers per show for the panto to help sell refreshments and there are plenty of opportunities to help out with the Winter Fair.

Please fill out the volunteer form or speak to your class rep and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

Here is an update on everything that we are working on. Come join us!

Decorating Afternoon – 28 November

Join us after school until 6:00pm for a cosy afternoon decorating the hall for the Winter Fair. There will be plenty of activities for the children to do, along with the chance to meet other parents. We’ll bring out the popcorn machine and serve up some hot chocolate too!

🎭 Panto

A huge thank you to Freya, Tom & Martina who have kindly taken on organising the volunteers for the panto. Also thank you to all the parents who have offered to help.


We could still use a few people per show to help sell refreshments. All proceeds going to the PTA.

If you can help for a show or two, fill out the volunteer form or let your class rep know.

❄️ Winter Fair, Winter Fair, Winter Fair!

Our amazing raffle team of Martina, Raph, Athena, Denna & Rachel are out there pounding the pavement collecting fantastic prizes. Check out what is already on offer! Without these dedicated parents, there would be no raffle. So, a very big thank you for all their hard work.

A big thank you to Zoe, who does all our comms, the posters for the fair this year are beautiful. We will be hanging them up soon – help more than welcome. Check out the posters here (pdf).

Here’s where we need extra hands:

  • Selling raffle tickets at drop-off and pick-up.
  • Kitchen – for cooking and serving food and drinks (including alcohol). It is a busy 45 minute shift.
  • Welcome table – volunteers to sell tokens and raffle tickets. The first 45 minutes are especially busy.
  • Bake sale contributions — always a highlight, so please start thinking about what you might bring.
  • Jolly jars, Jolly jars, Jolly jars – please start making them.
  • Set-up help on the day of the fair.
  • Hanging posters and prepping letters for parents.

Stalls and activities coming together:

  • Pizza stall: Marco & Omar are back — it’s going to be brilliant.
  • Kitchen favourites: hot dogs, hot chocolate, mulled wine, and new this year — nachos with veggie chilli and cheese. Thanks to Kim and Sam for making this happen!
  • Storytelling room: Charlie, Sarah & Isa are bringing back this calm, cozy, magical space, lit with fairy lights.
  • Fire pit: Mr G & Jessica will be tending the fire again.
  • Coding Club games: Mrs Ross and the Coding Club will return with their fantastic homemade games — a huge hit last year.
  • Arts & Crafts: We’re finalising plans. Candle making is confirmed (thank you, Benny!).
  • Face painters: Sign-up is open!
  • Cookie decorating table – experienced cookie decorators, please don’t hesitate to sign up for a slot.
  • Sports pitch: Mrs Ali & Tim have kindly offered to help — we’ll need a few more volunteers.
  • Outdoor tree: Thanks to Anne, Natalie, Léo, Gene & Sacha for getting it up — we’ll decorate it on the 28th.
  • Popcorn machine pros: And you know who you are! We will need your help on the day!

🌱 Update on Other Projects

Sand Refill

We refilled nearly 13 tons of sand — yes, it was heavy, but we did it!
We’re hoping to bring in three more dumpy bags for the Early Years sandpit right after the holidays.
If you’re up for lugging sand for a couple of hours one morning, please let your class rep know.

Pond Restoration

Some very exciting news: our fundraising efforts appeared in the Camden New Journal and Islington Gazette. We have had some very generous donations to help us get this project across the line.

Islington Council is contributing £2,000 so that we can deliver the project this year! Islington Council has supported our pond garden classroom from the start. A huge thank you to everyone at the Council who has supported this initiative.

We’re hoping work will begin before the end of the year — a wonderful achievement.

Thank you to everyone who donated, and a special shout-out to Anne & Natalie for driving this forward. And, a very big thank you to Tom, for his beautiful video.

Early Years Book Gifts

A big thank you to Sally and all the parents who are making this lovely project happen. Every year the PTA hands out books to our early years children up through Y2. This is only possible because of volunteers like Sally and the other parents who come in source the books, wrap them up and deliver them.

Believe in getting books into children’s hands? Great, so do we! Come join us, fill out the volunteer form or let your class rep know.

Water Bottle Refill Station

In between the other stuff, we are gradually moving this project along.

Thanks to everyone who took part in Run Kids Run — because we hit our target, the school received £5,000. Sam has purchased sports equipment and set aside £3,500 for the refill station. The project will still need more funding, which we are working on. We are also working with suppliers to determine the best location and model we should be using.

More updates soon!

📚 Library

Last year’s fundraising has made a huge difference. Over the summer:

  • New shelves were installed
  • Books were ordered, tagged, scanned and shelved
  • The system is almost ready for children to check out books

There were a few software hiccups (as always!), but we’re nearly there.
Children are already learning how to use the system — very exciting.

A big thank you to Mr Reece, Molly, and all the children and parents who have helped.

We will soon send out a call for:

  • Parent-volunteer librarians
  • Book sorters to help with donated books
  • Sewing volunteers for cushion covers — we’ve had six beautiful covers made so far, and would love more.

Stay tuned!

Want to be a part of it? Please fill out the volunteer form or let your class rep know.