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Dear Chailey families

The Chailey School house system has recently had an exciting rebrand with new banners in our Main Hall for Ashdown, Caburn, Ditchling, Firle, Glynde and Weald.

The house system helps students to have a sense of belonging and identity within the school and there are regular competitions and events in the calendar.

This term, there are a range of competitions. The whole school is taking part in the Independence Games - for the first three weeks of this term, students will be set challenges to achieve outside of school to earn points for their house. This week, they have been challenged to get ready for school in the morning without being reminded; to complete homework without needing to be prompted by family members and to pack their own bag and arrive with the correct equipment. Please email interform@chaileyschool.org to let us know how many of these challenges your child completed.

We also have two competitions linked to the World Cup that is starting next week. Students can create their own GOAT (Greatest of all-time) World Cup team to take part in our very own World Cup and each form has been challenged to predict what might happen in the tournament.

Additionally, we are soon to harvest the radishes to see which tutor group's have been most prolific; Year 7 are about to embark upon a competition called the Tejon Trophy and Year 9 started the Alternative Olympics today.

Please encourages your children to embrace these opportunities and give their tutor group the best chance of success.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

Mr Holt & Mr Atherall

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We are seeing an increase in students wearing oversized jogging bottoms for PE. We would like to remind families that jogging bottoms should be appropriately sized, not overly baggy, and fitted with an elasticated, cuffed or tapered ankle.

Oversized jogging bottoms are not suitable for PE activities and may present a safety risk, potentially resulting in injury.

Please could I ask that you ensure that your child wears appropriately sized jogging bottoms as described above, to support both safety and participation in PE lessons.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

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Wednesday 10th June @ 6.30pm Chailey School Main Hall

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Thank a member of staff (17th June 2026)

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Thank a member of staff (17th June 2026)

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We know how fortunate we are at Chailey School to have such committed staff who want the very best for our young people. If you wish to send a thank you e-card, the 'Thank a Teacher Day' website offers the chance to do this: Thank a Teacher Form - Thank a Teacher

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Please see the Year 11 GCSE Exam Support and Information page on the website

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Please see the Year 11 GCSE Exam Support and Information page on the website

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Year 11 GCSE Exam Support and Information - 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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Help Us Fund Careers Trips – Vote for Chailey School at Tesco

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Help Us Fund Careers Trips – Vote for Chailey School at Tesco

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Chailey School has been selected to take part in the Tesco Stronger Starts community funding scheme. We are raising money to fund our careers trips and activities for KS3 and KS4 students during the 2026–2027 academic year.

These trips give students vital real‑world experiences, helping to raise aspirations and support informed choices about post‑16 and post‑18 pathways by meeting employers, visiting workplaces and exploring future options.

How to cast your vote

Shop in: Tesco Burgess Hill Superstore & Express, Haywards Heath Express Stores at Northlands Wood and Hazelgrove Road

Make a purchase of any value

Receive one red or blue token per transaction at the checkout - if you aren't given one, there is usually a box that you can help yourself to tokens from 🙏

On your way out, place your token in the Tesco Stronger Starts voting box and vote for Chailey School

Where you can vote

Burgess Hill Superstore, RH15 9QT

Haywards Heath Walnut Park Express, RH16 3TG

Burgess Hill Gatehouse Express, RH15 9XB

Haywards Heath Express, RH16 3PH

Voting closes on: 31st July 2026

The project with the most votes in our region can receive up to £1,500, so every single vote really does count. Please support us by voting when you shop — and encouraging family and friends to do the same.

Thank you for your support with this, we have raised money this way for the last two years and have been able to increase the amount of trips that we can run, so every little really does help!

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Support Your Child with Career Decisions

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Support Your Child with Career Decisions

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To support parents and carers in helping young people make informed career choices, we’d like to share a useful resource:
Career Decisions in Secondary Education – A Guide for Parents and Carers (2026), produced by Careers East Sussex.

The guide provides clear, practical information about:

post‑14, post‑16 and post‑18 options

qualifications, apprenticeships and vocational routes

how to have positive career conversations at home

local labour market information and support services

You can download a free digital copy from:
👉 https://www.careerseastsussex.co.uk/information/parents

If you would prefer a printed copy, these are available on request — please contact Gail Wickens, gwickens@chaileyschool.org who will be happy to provide one.

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Careers, Post‑16 & Work Experience – Stay Up to Date

Our Careers, Post‑16 & Work Experience Padlet is the main place where we share up‑to‑date information for students in all year groups, not just Year 11. It includes guidance and opportunities to support career exploration and future planning from Year 7 onwards.

The Padlet brings together information about careers, college and sixth‑form options, apprenticeships, work experience opportunities, application guidance, open events, and useful Unifrog resources for both students and parents/carers.

Rather than sending regular newsletters, this Padlet is updated continuously, so we strongly encourage families to save the link and check it regularly to make sure they don’t miss important information, deadlines or opportunities.

👉 Access the Careers, Post‑16 & WEX Padlet here:
https://padlet.com/chaileyschoolcareers/chailey-school-careers-post-16-and-work-experience-padlet-dlwrt4c8u2afvyrh

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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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Free Parent Webinars – Supporting Your Child by INVESTIN

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Free Parent Webinars – Supporting Your Child by INVESTIN

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We’re pleased to share information about a new series of free parent webinars, designed by INVESTIN to support families in helping young people with their next steps and wellbeing.

The three parent‑focused webinars will be running over the summer term, offering practical guidance and useful resources the first one will be:

How to Support Your Child During Exam Season
🗓 Wednesday 29 April

This session will cover:

Recognising signs of stress and burnout

Ways parents can support effective revision

Creating a calm and supportive home environment

Followed by:

How to find work experience

May 13th - 6pm

This session will cover:

What really counts as work experience, including less obvious opportunities that can still strengthen applications.

Understand why work experience matters and how it helps young people explore interests and future career paths.

Get practical advice on how to find placements, approach employers confidently and make the most of every opportunity.

Everything you need to know about applying for University

10th June - 6pm

This session will cover:

The full university application process, including key steps and deadlines for the UK and overseas destinations.

How to access support with choosing the right university, using practical tools to explore options, goals and next steps.

How to stand out to admissions teams and approach applications with confidence, including competitive pathways such as medical school and Oxbridge.

Book HERE

Parents can view the full schedule of upcoming webinars and find further details by visiting the provider’s website.

For all things Careers, Post-16, Work Experience and more, please check out our Careers Newsletter/Padlet HERE.

Gail Wickens

Careers & Work-Related Learning Coordinator

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Booking for term 6 goes live on 18th May 2026

https://support.arbor-education.com/hc/en-us/articles/360008179494-Signing-my-child-up-for-a-Club-on-the-Parent-Portal-or-Parent-App

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Signing my child up for a Club on the Parent Portal or Parent App

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Follow the instructions below to register a child for a club using the Parent Portal or Parent App.If you are unable to sign up, please contact your school. They will need to follow these instructi…

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Girls' Football Coaching sessions - Starting September 2026 REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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Girls' Football Coaching sessions - Starting September 2026 REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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We are currently in discussions with Brighton & Hove Albion about a weekly girls' football coaching session.

We need to get an idea of the level of interest before we can have a day confirmed and the minimal costs.

Could I ask you to complete this form if you are interested: Girls' Football coaching sessions (September 2026 start) – Fill out form

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Attached are some photos of Year 10 Photography on display at Elderflower Fields festival during half-term. The photos were taken at Friston Forest on our photography trip in October 2025 subsidised by So Sussex as part of their Schools Without Walls project.

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Amelia had a successful weekend competing at the English Championship Trampoline and DMT Qualifier 2 event held at the International Centre in Telford.

She was successful in both disciplines and came 2nd in DMT and 14th in Trampolining. This has secured her a place at the English Championship Finals 2026 being held at the International Centre Telford in July.

Amelia has also qualified again to represent the South East Region at the Inter Regional Challenge Cup being held at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham also in July.

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The Independence Games - personal responsibility

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NEW Trashion letter to parents_bring in trash 2026

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Curriculum Enrichment Week - 30th June - 3rd July

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Curriculum Enrichment Week - 30th June - 3rd July

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All documents regarding curriculum enrichment week can be found on the website here:https://www.chaileyschool.org/chailey-life/curriculum-enrichment-week-2026

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Curriculum Enrichment Week 2026 - 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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A Sikh gurdwara is a place of worship and community gathering for followers of Sikhism. The word gurdwara means “the gateway to the Guru,” reflecting its importance as a spiritual space where people come to pray, reflect, and learn. Visiting a gurdwara can be a meaningful cultural and religious experience for people of all backgrounds, as Sikhism welcomes visitors regardless of faith, nationality, or social status.

The central feature of every gurdwara is the prayer hall, where the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, is placed on a raised platform. Visitors often bow respectfully before the scripture and sit quietly on the floor, traditionally with men and women sitting separately in some gurdwaras, although practices may vary. Services usually include prayers, hymns (kirtan), and readings from the holy text.

One of the most unique aspects of visiting a Sikh gurdwara is the langar, or free community kitchen. Every visitor is welcome to share a simple vegetarian meal, served and eaten together regardless of background or social standing. This tradition reflects Sikh values of equality, humility, and service to others.

A visit to a gurdwara offers insight into Sikh beliefs, including devotion to one God, equality among people, selfless service, and community spirit. For many visitors, the experience is not only educational but also deeply welcoming, as hospitality is an important part of Sikh culture.

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Year 8 Visit to Sikh Gurdwara - June 2026 

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'Arts and Technology Exhibition – A Celebration of Creativity and Achievement

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'Arts and Technology Exhibition – A Celebration of Creativity and Achievement

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This week we were delighted to host our annual Arts and Technology Exhibition, welcoming Chailey families and guests to what proved to be a truly special afternoon and evening.

The event was a wonderful celebration of the hard work, creativity and innovation demonstrated by our students as part of their NEA exam projects this year. It was inspiring to see such a wide range of high-quality work on display, reflecting both the dedication and independence of our students and the support they have received throughout their courses.

A welcome addition to this year’s exhibition was the contribution from Mr Hillier and his Year 10 students, who created a series of impressive canapes that brought a unique and engaging dimension to the event. These were of an exceptionally high standard — and very popular with visitors, with nothing left by the end of the evening!

We were also warmly welcomed by Mr Baxter and his musicians, whose varied and uplifting performances created a lovely atmosphere throughout the exhibition and helped set the tone for the event.

We hope that all of the students that were able to attend left the evening feeling immensely proud of what they have achieved. Completing NEA projects alongside a demanding exam schedule — with up to eight subjects and 23 exams — is no small feat. While results are important, we encourage our students to also recognise and celebrate the perseverance, creativity and dedication they have shown throughout this process. These qualities will serve them well in their future studies and careers.

Finally, we would like to extend a thank you to all the staff who supported the students and helped make the afternoon such a success:
Mrs Katona, Mrs Wood, Mrs Sinclair, Mr Hallam, Mr Deacon, Mr Ferguson, Mr Hillier, Mrs Filippone, as well as our Year 10 food and music student volunteers and performers.

It was a fantastic event and a fitting celebration of our students’ hard work and achievements.

James Deacon

Arts & Technology Faculty Leader

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Information for Curriculum Enrichment Week 2026