School_Matters_Issue_35

24

The FIPS Autumn Fair

FAMILIES OF IBSTOCK PLACE SCHOOL OR ‘FIPS’ INTRODUCED

Preparations had been underway for some time to breathe freshness into the life of the community of families that make up Ibstock Place School. The start of the new academic year saw these come to fruition as we welcomed parents of all year groups to the Great Hall for our coffee mornings. Here, we were able to explain that the name of the organisation, from ‘PTA’ to ‘FIPS’, was not the only thing that has changed.

parents voted on the two finalists for our new logo (thanks to Kat Boyd) [the winning design is featured above – Ed] . Further events during the Autumn Term included a wreath-making workshop (thanks to Kendra Bolger); decoration of Great Hall for pupils’ festive enjoyment; a FIPS Christmas Wine-Tasting event (thanks to Banu and Philipp Schoelzel-Sipahi); the inception of a Parent Choir; and the promotion of Bold (Parent) Voices. For further details about FIPs, please see: https://ibstockplaceschool.fireflycloud.net/families-of-ips-fips If you have not signed up yet, but want to join us, have a question or a suggestion for us, please email fips@ibstockplaceschool.co.uk. Beata Kivinen and Charlie Bittan, FIPS Coordinators

FAREWELL, IMOGEN We were delighted that, following completion of a degree in Biochemistry at the University of Exeter, Imogen McCurley (OI, 2017) was able to join the IPS staff as a temporary Administrative Assistant at the School prior to commencing a career in the City. From September 2020, she worked assiduously for IPS, taking on an extraordinary range of responsibilities, many of which we could never have foreseen at the time of her appointment. Little did we know back then, for example, that Imogen would play a leading role in the setting-up and running of a mass COVID testing facility at School within a few short months! In addition to her role in Reception, Imogen helped to coach Oxbridge applicants, encode exam papers on special remote invigilation platforms, and a good deal more besides. We thank her for her considerable contribution to School life and wish her every happiness in her future career. Thank you and keep in touch, Imogen! Many parents signed up to help at the various events FIPS will organise throughout the year and over 100 delivered this help right away at the Autumn Fair. This was exactly the sort of community event we had envisaged: nearly 1,000 participants, lovely food (thanks to Sophia Tsapralis, Joshua Stevens and his Catering team), a well-stocked bar (thanks to the ‘P5 Dads’ - whose children are now in Senior 8!), amazing music performances (thanks to Mr Bartlett’s invitation to pupils to present at an open mic stage), and lots of entertainment stalls run by us for us. We thank our Reps, children, parents and teachers. We drew so much energy from the success of this event and we marched on to deliver a FIPS Parents’ Drinks evening. During this,