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Dear Chailey families,

As the year draws to a close, I want to thank you all for your ongoing support of the school. For your children to thrive, we need to work in partnership to make sure that everyone can be the best that they can be, and we couldn't do this without you.

Our students have achieved a huge amount this year. The school continues to have very good exam outcomes, our students report that they feel happy and safe at school, and the success of the school was validated in February of this year by Ofsted.

Our students have participated in so many extracurricular opportunities throughout the year, and it has been lovely to look back through past Headteacher's bulletins to see their achievements.

In preparation for returning in September, please see the letter attached which outlines plans and tries to give families absolute clarity on what is needed when.

Wishing all of you a wonderful summer,

Mr Holt

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Brighton Hove Albion Girls Football Club

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Brighton Hove Albion Girls Football Club

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Booking is now open

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Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation Soccer Schools | Soccer Schools

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Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation Sales System

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Eastbourne LitFest patron, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, will be appearing at the festival on Saturday 26 September 2026 and we are are inviting applications from fans of her books across East Sussex to be part of the event.

The successful applicant will help to interview Dame Jacqueline Wilson on stage in front of a live audience, discussing the books, characters and stories that have inspired generations of readers.

Please share this opportunity with any students who may be interested, and with parents and carers where appropriate.

To apply, students should:

Be aged 11 - 13 on Setp 26th 2026

Have read at least three Jacqueline Wilson books

Live or attend school in East Sussex

Be available on Saturday 26 September 2026

Have parent or guardian permission to take part

Applications may be submitted in writing (up to 200 words) or as a short video (up to 2 minutes). The deadline for applications is Friday 31 July 2026.

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TO REPORT YOUR CHILD ABSENT DUE TO ILLNESS OR A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT

·         Log into Arbor

·         Navigate to 'Quick Actions' and click - this is usually in the top left of the screen

·         Click 'Attendance'

·         Click 'Log Absence'

·         Enter the reason for absence

·         Click 'Log Absence'

FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES

office@chaileyschool.org

01273 890407

TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SEND SURGERY

(Friday Mornings)

SENDCO@chaileyschool.org

01273 890407

TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SLT SURGERY

(Friday after school)

srodd@chaileyschool.org

01273 890407

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Copies of communications sent to our families can be found on the website.

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Chailey School is a mixed, non-selective, community secondary school located in the village of South Chailey, Chailey, just outside Lewes in East Sussex, UK. Chailey School offers a wide range of aca…

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School Calendar (What’s On) - Chailey School

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Chailey School is a mixed, non-selective, community secondary school located in the village of South Chailey, Chailey, just outside Lewes in East Sussex, UK. Chailey School offers a wide range of aca…

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Add new guardians and contacts for your child on the Parent Portal and Parent App

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This article explains how primary guardians can add new guardians and contacts for their child using the Parent Portal or Parent App. It details the steps to view the child’s profile, add new conta…

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For the safety of all students entering and leaving the school site, families are not permitted to use the school car park at the beginning or end of the school day. This restriction is essential to ensure students can move around the site safely and without unnecessary risk.

Only in exceptional circumstances will requests for access be considered. If you believe your circumstances warrant an exception, please write to the Head Teacher (srodd@chaileyschool.org) outlining the reasons for your request. Any permission granted will be at the Head Teacher's discretion.

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The final day of Sports Week arrived in scorching temperatures, but the performances on display were even hotter as students gave everything for their houses in a spectacular conclusion to an unforgettable week.

The day began with the track events, where students continued to produce outstanding performances. In the 200m, Will delivered a superb run for 8 Firle, while Iris claimed first place for the same house in the Year 7 girls' race, demonstrating both speed and determination.

The standard remained incredibly high in the 300m, where records tumbled. Toby H produced a phenomenal run to set a new school record with an impressive time of 42.85 seconds. Not to be outdone, Jack Stevens of Caburn broke the Year 8 record, crossing the line in 46.81 seconds and earning his place in the record books.

Away from the track, the hugely popular Just Dance participation event saw an excellent turnout from Year 10 students. Ashdown and Caburn secured maximum points thanks to their enthusiastic participation. Staff and students alike were treated to the sight of synchronised performances of Timber and Waka Waka, with dancers moving in remarkable unison and bringing plenty of energy and fun to the event.

As the afternoon built towards its climax, students gathered in their house groups for the eagerly anticipated 100m races and relays. The atmosphere around the track was electric, with a dazzling display of house colours everywhere. T-shirts, hair accessories and colourful face paints created a sea of support, showcasing the incredible pride students have in their houses. The sense of community and teamwork was evident throughout the day.

Adding to the occasion was Mr Rutter, who kept the crowd thoroughly entertained on the microphone, while staff members joined in with some enthusiastic cheerleading to spur competitors on.

The 100m races produced some blisteringly fast sprinting, setting the stage perfectly for the relays. These events combined speed, teamwork and no shortage of drama. One of the most tense moments came in the Year 9 boys' relay, where Glynde appeared to have secured an incredibly quick victory. However, after a nail-biting wait, officials confirmed a disqualification after the team stepped outside their lane, allowing Caburn to take the win. It was a heartbreaking outcome for Glynde, but a memorable performance nonetheless. Meanwhile, the Year 7 Ashdown boys put together an outstanding relay performance, breaking the record with a fantastic time of 61.53 seconds.

With results still being calculated, attention turned to one of the highlights of the entire week – the House Relay. This five-leg race featured students handing over to a member of staff for the final leg and provided entertainment from start to finish.

Ashdown flew out of the blocks, making a lightning-fast start, while Glynde's hopes were dashed after a dropped baton resulted in disqualification. At the final changeover, Mr Atherall took possession of the baton for Caburn in the lead. Despite determined efforts from the chasing staff runners, including Mr Robinson, who rapidly closed the gap for Firle, and Mrs Wikens, who ran strongly for Ashdown, Mr Atherall proved impossible to catch and powered home in a blur of red.

Then came the moment that had everyone talking. Mr Holt, clearly embracing his competitive spirit, launched himself into pursuit of the leaders but suffered an unfortunate tumble. In what seemed like slow motion, he rolled across the track before jumping back up to continue. The incident allowed Miss Martin of Glynde, who had run brilliantly despite her team's earlier baton mishap, to move past and finish ahead. It was a moment that brought laughter, cheers and applause from all around the track.

A huge thank you goes to all of the staff who took part. It takes real courage to step onto the track in front of hundreds of students, and every member of staff who participated played a huge part in making the finale such a success.

Final Thoughts

Sports Week is about so much more than winning. It is about coming together, supporting one another, celebrating success and showing respect for competitors. Throughout the week, Chailey students demonstrated the school's values of kindness, community and resilience in abundance.

While many victories and records have rightly been celebrated, equal recognition must be given to those students who stepped outside their comfort zones and competed for the benefit of their houses. Many took part knowing they faced tough opposition, yet still gave their absolute best for their teammates. Sports Week simply would not be possible without these students, and their courage, effort and commitment represent some of the greatest achievements of all.

It has been an incredible week filled with outstanding performances, unforgettable moments and fantastic house spirit. Here's to all who took part and to another amazing celebration of sport and community in Sports Week 2027! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🎉🏆

Final Results:

1st – Ashdown

2nd – Caburn

3rd – Ditchling

4th – Firle and Glynde

6th Weald

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Chailey School are absolutely delighted to announce that we have been re-awarded the LOtC Mark, at gold level, by CLOtC. This recognises our commitment to providing high quality learning outside the classroom opportunities for our students. The LOtC Mark is awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, the UK-wide charity that champions all learning that happens beyond the classroom, whether this learning happens indoors or outdoors, close to home or far away. Providing students with more opportunities to access high quality learning beyond the classroom experiences can open their eyes to the world around them and allows them to develop into well-rounded citizens. The many benefits of LOtC are now well-evidenced and include improving academic attainment, physical health, emotional well-being, self-esteem, and resilience. The gold award is CLOtC's top award, and Chailey School is the only school in East Sussex to have the award at that level.

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Over the past 3 years, students and staff have been making a 'wild orchard' at the front of the school. This is a place where fruit trees have been planted, native bulbs have been planted by every student in Year 7, and grass has been left mostly uncut to let existing flora and fauna flourish. It's become a place of reflection, learning, and a haven for wildlife of all sorts. The 'Friday 5' group of Year 10 students have been looking after the orchard this year with Mr Dudgeon and Mr Austin, collecting and assembling rustic benches and stools, cutting paths, and keeping the trees watered in the hot weather. Today, our new sign, designed by Chloe, for the orchard has been put in - do look at it next time you come into school!

Tim Dudgeon

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To see some of the work experience photos, please click HERE or go to https://www.chaileyschool.org/chailey-life/work-experience

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It was a pleasure to say well done for participating in our Reading Buddies programme to these students in our recent celebrations! 📚

It has been wonderful to see students from Year 7, Year 8 and Year 10 working together so positively throughout the project. The older children have shown great responsibility, patience, and encouragement as role models, while the younger children have developed confidence, enthusiasm, and enjoyment in reading through their support.

The teamwork and mutual respect that have grown between the year groups have been a real highlight. Both groups have benefited from sharing stories, discussing books, and learning from one another. We are incredibly proud of the commitment, kindness, and enthusiasm shown by everyone involved.

A huge well done to all of our Reading Buddies! Keep up the fantastic work and love of reading. 🌟📖

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This week it has been a pleasure to celebrate the progress and dedication of Year 7 students who have been following the Lexia programme. Three times a week, students have been working on three key areas of Literacy; comprehension, word study and grammar. It has been really brilliant to see how much the students have progressed through the programme. We celebrated with a small party for each group, enjoying some treats and congratulating each other. Each student could choose a book from a wonderful selection chosen by our Librarian, Larissa Spooner. Happy reading!