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Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

This week, a number of staff attended the Bett Show, exploring the very latest developments in educational technology. This ensures we continue to provide the very best resources and opportunities for our students, both in and beyond the classroom.

We are extremely proud to celebrate those Year 11 students who have achieved the Willingdon 7 Award. This prestigious award involves a wide range of extra-curricular activities and ambitious challenges, all of which truly stretched and challenged our young people. Their commitment, resilience, and determination have been outstanding. We look forward to seeing many more students complete the award in the coming months.

On Monday, we welcomed our County External Advisor, who commented very positively on the excellent teaching and learning across the school. This followed our continued drive on ‘Factors’, our teaching and learning pedagogy (practice). The advisor also praised the excellent behaviour demonstrated by our students throughout the visit.

This week also saw the screening of the first episode of The Staff Traitors. We have been amazed by the impact this has already had on our community. Students are genuinely excited, conversations are buzzing, and it has played a powerful role in strengthening our sense of belonging across the school. Parents are still able to donate via ParentPay with all proceeds going to the winning contestant’s chosen charity. I would like to thank all the staff that have taken part in this in their own time, it has all taken place before and after school, and during evenings and weekends. We won't be able to publicise episodes outside of the school building but will re-show episode 1 on Monday to students. We will also be featuring on BBC Radio Sussex on Monday regarding this!

On Thursday, Year 9 and 10 students took part in a powerful Holocaust Assembly, delivered by Peter Kammerling, the son of two Holocaust survivors. The assembly was both moving and thought-provoking, providing an important opportunity for reflection, learning, and remembrance.

Well done to all involved for another successful and inspiring week.

Best wishes,

Mrs May
Headteacher

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MHEW Newsletter - January 2026

Parent Mental Health Day - Friday 30th January

The East Sussex Mental and Health Team have asked us to share pages 18 and 19 from the newsletter with our students in their coaching groups.

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‘Top tips on how to keep your child healthy at school’: A blog aimed at parents and carers taking parents and carers what they can do to reduce the chances of their child getting ill.

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A new guide which aims to help parents work with schools to address complaints in a positive and respectful way has been published by the DfE, the charity Parentkind, and Ofsted. 

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Click here

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Dear Parents and Carers,

MORFA BAY 2026 – Year 8-10 Enrichment Opportunity

The Morfa Bay trip takes place during Term 6 of the academic year between Monday 13th and Friday 17th July. The trip takes place at Morfa Bay Outdoor Adventure Centre, in Pendine Sands, South West Wales. Departure will be from Broad Road on Monday 13th July, returning back on Friday 17th July via coach (times to be confirmed).  Activities include coasteering, near St David’s/Tenby, rock climbing, sea activities (paddle boarding, surfing, raft building or sea kayaking), assault courses, zip wires, caving and team building.  We have used Morfa Bay in the past and they offer an excellent provision of activities with highly qualified instructors.

The cost of this trip (which can be made in instalments) is £550. The suggested instalments are:

First come first served – £120 non-refundable deposit (ParentPay to open Monday 19th January 2026 approx. 3pm)

On or before Sunday 1st March 2026 – £110 instalment

On or before Wednesday 1st April 2026 – £110 instalment

On or before Friday 1st May 2026 - £110 instalment

On or before Monday 1st June 2026 – £100 final instalment

This price includes daily activities, all tuition, full board accommodation (in bunk houses), insurance, travel and wetsuit/equipment hire.  It also includes transport to the offsite activities.

A NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT of £120 will secure a place on this fantastic trip. Payments should be made via ParentPay. Due to the popularity of this trip, it will be offered, as in previous years, on a first come first served basis.  Where numbers permit, the upper and lower year groups are kept separate for travelling, sleeping and activity groups.  The activities also vary depending on the ability and age of the students. We do endeavour to take every child wishing to attend this trip.  Where numbers do not afford 2 coaches the first 45 students that have committed will be guaranteed a place.  We will then explore the options of a second/third coach or additional minibus.

If you require support with the payment of this trip, please feel free to email Mr Cain to discuss this further. For more information on the site that we will be visiting please access via www.morfabay.com  to check it out.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Tom Cain

Head of Year 11

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Want to get involved? If you are a student, parent, member of staff or member of the wider community, you  can get involved in the National Year of Reading by adding your reading ideas and questions here.

Year 7 Sparx Reader: English teachers and coaches will be contacting home to discuss students who are regularly not completing their homework.

Students who complete regular improve their concentration and reading ages. They are rewarded with homework reward points, ambition points for going above and beyond, messages to parents at the end of each term for those who complete to 100% SRP each week, and weekly leaderboard certificates.

Year 9 Poetry by Heart

Selected Year 9 students are through to the Year Group final on Friday 30 January. Students are encouraged to keep practising before the performance. See https://poetrybyheart.org.uk/ for more information.

Year 7 Literacy in Coaching Time: Reading Strategy Questioning

This Wednesday’s session was on the reading strategy of Questioning linked to a geography text. Reading strategies give students a range of tools that they can use when they encounter tricky texts in any subject.

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REMINDER

Parent Forum: Suicide Prevention Talk with Lauren Carvalho – Monday, 2nd February 2026, 6pm

We are delighted to welcome Lauren Carvalho from the charity Adam’s Light to our in-person Parent Forum on Monday, 2nd February 2026 at 6pm.

We have invited Lauren to speak to parents as suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 5–35 (YoungMinds). What sets Lauren apart from many other suicide prevention speakers is her deeply personal perspective. She speaks as a mother who lost her 19-year-old son to suicide, bringing both compassion and authenticity to this vital subject.

Lauren’s talks focus on prevention, building resilience, and practical coping strategies, while encouraging a culture of openness, understanding, and inclusion. She is also extensively trained in mental health and suicide prevention, combining professional expertise with lived experience.

For all of us who are parents, carers, or who have young relatives or friends, this session aims to inform, increase understanding, and empower us to help prevent suicide among young people.  We strongly encourage parents to attend this important and supportive session.

Parent testimonials from Lauren’s talks at other schools:

‘Your presentation was just wonderful. It was real, touching and so informative and helpful. Ever since, I’ve been asking my daughter how she is feeling and talking with her much more. The work you are doing is lifesaving, thank you so much.’

‘I came along to your talk last week and just wanted to say thank you for providing parents with the opportunity to learn from your devastating lived experience. I'm so deeply sorry this happened to you and your family and my thoughts are with you. Obviously, it's a very difficult topic but I was very pleased to see the school taking the initiative and beginning to open up the conversations about suicide and what to look out for with your wonderful support’

‘Thank you very much for a very informative and moving talk. I am a parent of an autistic boy, who has verbalised about feeling depressed, and ending his life not long ago. I found your talk very useful and informative on how to manage the kind of situation I was faced with, moving forward in the future.

May you continue to help other parents prevent suicide of young children by arming them the knowledge that they need, just like you did that evening.’

‘I found your presentation really informative and we were both really engaged throughout.  From your own experience and from a place of love you are able to bring teenage suicide, very much a subject that often people know little about and just don't think it would happen to them to the forefront.  You give signs to look out for and the courage as a parent to have those forthright discussions with our children.

I thought that the subsequent personal journey you shared was also important and you conveyed that sense of loss with disbelief that you "never saw it coming".   I think for most parents there is that fear that a young person will take their own life with no prior warning and that we as parents may have been negligent in our observations and could have done something to prevent it.’

Lauren is also coming in to speak with small groups of students over the coming months as part of our Year 10 RSHE programme.

If you wish to attend the Parent Forum on the 2nd February, please confirm your attendance on the below google form.

Parent Forum - Adam's Light - Monday, 2nd February 2026 6pm - In person

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Book here:  Year Teams and SEND Coffee Mornings - Term 3

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Please click the link below to book your tour! Click here

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tcain@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-11@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Although the weather has been rather dull and gloomy this week, we’ve seen the complete opposite from our Year 11 students. In lessons and in their approach to learning, they’ve been positive, bright, and full of energy, which has been fantastic to see. As always, we can’t lose sight of the importance of our basic standards around uniform, attendance, behaviour, and punctuality to school and lessons. Your continued support in reinforcing these expectations at home really does make a difference, and we’re very grateful for it. Like you, please be assured that we remain keen to support our students as much as possible as they continue their journey through Year 11, and we look forward to working closely with you in the weeks ahead.

I had the privilege of joining a group of students on a reward trip to Starbucks this week, recognising their consistent hard work, excellent behaviour, positive praise from staff, and the largely strong outcomes they achieved in their Year 11 mock exams. It was a pleasure to spend time with them and see how much they enjoyed a well-deserved reward. Please see the images below of the students enjoying their visit.

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Rewards trip to Starbucks

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As a few final reminders for the coming weeks:

We have our mock results assembly on Monday afternoon next week. During this assembly, students will be given an envelope containing all of their mock exam grades. This also conincides with our whole school 100% attendance day. We hope to see all students in school on Monday to receive their results.

Following this, next Thursday we will be holding our final Year 11 Parents’ Evening. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to meet with their class teachers and receive those final tips, pointers, and pieces of guidance ahead of the summer exams.

The deadline for ordering leavers’ hoodies is fast approaching and will close on Monday, 26th January. Please ensure orders are placed via ParentPay and that the Google Form is completed to add personalisation details: https://forms.gle/op6akaJMNpJkwp6K8

Our Grade Up intervention sessions are now in full swing this term. A reminder of the timetable is included below. If your child would like to attend the Saturday morning sessions from 10am–12pm, please click on the link provided to register your interest: https://forms.gle/6trJ5e5gLr2t2b4i7

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Grade Up – Intervention Sessions Term 3 & 4

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We look forward to seeing many of you next Thursday evening at what will be your child’s final ever school-based Parents’ Evening.

The Year 11 Team

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lgordon@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Well done to our Year 10 students for a successful week at school. It has been encouraging to see so many of our students demonstrating great ambition and focus in their lessons during learning walks this week.

During coaching time, students have been focusing on developing key personal skills, including resilience and perseverance, self-belief and confidence, and employability skills. In addition, Year 10 students attended an assembly delivered by The Dare to Dream Foundation, which supports young people in enhancing their mental health and broadening their life opportunities. The session was well received and provided valuable messages for our students.

We have also seen an improvement in Year 10 attendance this week, which is very positive. Regular attendance is vital to your child’s progress and success, and we appreciate your continued support in encouraging excellent attendance. We hope to see this improvement continue into next week.

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We would also like to remind parents and carers of our uniform policy regarding jewellery. Unfortunately, we have had to remove non-permitted items during the school day and in PE lessons this week. Students are permitted to wear one flat ring and two small stud earrings in each ear. Please note that hoop earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are not permitted. We would be grateful if you could remind your child of these expectations.

A big well done to 10PHI for winning the Sparx Maths homework competition this week ,  71% of the coaching group achieving 100% with their Maths homework this week, we hope you enjoy your biscuit reward!

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Thank you for your ongoing support, we look forward to another positive and successful week at school for your child next week.

Meet the Team

Well done the five students that attended ‘Treats with the Team’ this week. The students were rewarded with a hot chocolate with Mr Gordon and a chocolate bar for their consistent focus and excellent attitude in lessons. All students are very driven and demonstrated ambition in their lessons to be successful in their GCSE’s. It was great to spend time discussing the work experience placements and their vision for the next steps on their career pathway when they leave Willingdon.

The Year 10 Team

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REMINDER

Head Student applications deadline is Tuesday, 27th January.

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This week, all Year 9 and Year 10 GCSE History students attended a powerful talk by Peter Kammerling, delivered through the charity Generation 2 Generation. Peter shared the story of his parents, Walter and Herta, both Holocaust survivors who came to Britain on the Kindertransport. Their experiences were brought vividly to life through video testimony from Walter and Herta themselves, which was carefully woven into Peter’s talk.

As there are now so few survivors able to speak publicly, Generation 2 Generation supports descendants in sharing their families’ stories, ensuring these vital accounts are not lost and that the responsibility of remembrance is passed on to the next generation. Further information about the story of Walter and Herta Kammerling can be found here: https://www.generation2generation.org.uk/holocaust-survivor-walter-and-herta-kammerling/

The talk was deeply moving and prompted thoughtful reflection from students. It served as an important reminder of the impact of prejudice and persecution, and of the ongoing importance of speaking out against discrimination in all its forms.

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Mr Keast and Ms Johnson - Joint Head of Year 9

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lkeast@willingdonschool.org.uk

cjohnson@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Another full week for Year 9.  During the week the Year 9 Sports Leaders have been organising and hosting an indoor athletics event that was attended by all the secondary schools in Eastbourne. It was brilliant to see them developing their leadership skills and working together to provide the best possible event.

Coaching time this week has been very much about their option choices. Students have been discussing how to be resilient when a task seems too hard as they prepare to be GCSE ready for September. They have also been looking at where their option choices could take them in the world of work via their careers sessions.

As 27th January is Holocaust Memorial Day, the year group had a special assembly on Thursday from visiting speaker, Peter Kammerling, the son of two Holocaust survivors.  The students were extremely compassionate and respectful during what was a very poignant talk.

Congratulations are due this week to a number of students.  Mert K, William M, Georgia T, Rebecca C and Isabella K all received treats with the team for their exemplary behaviour last week. 9CFR continue to lead the way both in attendance and in the rewards competition. Once again they enjoyed a sweet treat during Coaching Time on Monday.

The Year 9 Team

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Also huge congratulations to Aaryan W who has secured the role of Jeremy Potts in the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The show is on at the Theatre Royal in Brighton during August and Aaryan is already in rehearsals. We are all incredibly proud of him.

On Thursday this week, the students were very excited to see the first episode of Traitors featuring a number of school staff. There was much anticipation to find out who was the first person to be 'murdered'. You can pay a contribution from 50p - £5 a time on ParentPay or at the door. All proceeds will go to the charity of the winner's choice.

Finally, a reminder that the deadline for the Option Forms is Friday, 30th January. The form and further information can be found on our website https://willingdonschool.org.uk/learning/year9-options.

We would also be grateful if you could complete our feedback form on the Options Evening and process so far https://forms.gle/66pnJXoagcNzgHYV9.

Have a lovely weekend.

The Year 9 Team

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aroche@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

As we come to the end of our third week after half term, I would once again like to commend Year 8 for the excellent way they are conducting themselves. Students continue to demonstrate our personal values and are producing high quality work in lessons.

Miss Turner and I have been carrying out further learning walks this week, and it has been pleasing to see the growing maturity of our students as they continue to develop their personal and learning skills throughout Year 8.

Attendance has been positive this week, with the year group currently at 95%. A special congratulations goes to 8EMC, who achieved an outstanding 99.33% attendance last week and won the attendance award. This is a fantastic achievement and sets a great example for the rest of the year group.

Looking ahead, next Monday will be our 100% attendance challenge day. Any coaching group achieving full attendance on that day will receive a reward.

Congratulations also go to the following students for achieving the highest achievement points last week:

Abigail C

Damien T

Harriet W

All achieved over 30 reward points, which is an excellent accomplishment.

In addition, well done to Harriet W, who recently competed in a cross-country event in Brighton as part of the local county championships. She represented herself and the school brilliantly. We also had 15 Year 8 students represent the school in the inter schools indoor athletics competition yesterday, with outstanding performances across the board. Well done to all involved.

A reminder that our school production of Annie will be taking place in the final week before half term. Tickets are available online, and we would love to see parents, carers and students supporting the production.

On Thursday, students had the opportunity to watch The Traitors at lunchtime, with all donations going to a charitable cause. Students thoroughly enjoyed seeing staff take part in this popular event.

As the weather has become colder and wetter, please ensure that students are coming to school with their blazer and a suitable weatherproof jacket. Hoodies are not part of the school uniform and should not be worn in school.

There has been some concern regarding students not bringing the correct equipment to lessons. Please ensure your child has the necessary equipment, including pens and pencils. If there are any difficulties in providing these, please do not hesitate to contact the year team so that we can offer support.

We are also holding another Year 8 Coffee Morning next week on Thursday, 29th January from 8.45am-10am. Please sign up on the google form if you want to come in to raise any issues in person with the team. Book in here:  Year Teams and SEND Coffee Mornings - Term 3

Finally, a huge well done to our Year 8 indoor athletics team who were first overall for the boys and girls in the recent Year 8 Athletics event . See the results below.

Thank you for your continued support. I wish you a fantastic weekend and look forward to welcoming students back refreshed on Monday.

The Year 8 Team

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Mrs Naylor & Mrs Muller - Joint Head of Year 7

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lnaylor@willingdonschool.org.uk

pmuller@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-7@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Congratulations to James and Louie, who both had their first game for the School District this weekend. Although they lost 4-5 both the boys played brilliantly. As ever, we love to hear about any achievements your child takes part in out of school time. Please send into Pastoral7@willingdonschool.org.uk

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Keeping on with the sporting theme, congratulations to those Year 7s who represented the school at the Indoor Athletics competition. Both teams participated superbly, with the Year 7 boys winning the competition overall!!

Well done!

This week during lunchtime we have shown the first episode of our Staff Traitors. The students have really embraced this, with many giving us their suspicions as to who they think the traitors are.  Miss Clarke is representing the Year 7 team within this game, we wish her the best of luck!!

Finally, we have seen an increase in issues surrounding social media, particularly the use of WhatsApp. Please can we ask you to be vigilant with checking your child's phone and making sure what they are looking at/sending around is suitable. We have dealt with a few cases of unkind comments being sent or TikToks made of one another as well. A reminder that the legal age to have these kind of apps is 13. If you are happy that your child is mature enough to use them, then please help to keep them and others safe online.

Have a lovely weekend.

The Year 7 Team

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friends@willingdonschool.org.uk

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Missing The Traitors already?.......

Nothing to do now on a Friday evening ?......

Come join…….

The Quizzers next Friday!

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Volunteer Opportunities

I hope you are all well!

I wanted to introduce myself properly to all our volunteers as I will be working closely with you in the future. I am Ella and have recently taken over as the fundraiser for Children with Cancer Fund. 😊

First of all, thank you all for offering your time as volunteers and supporting CWCF in so many spectacular ways. Your support means so much to us!

We do have some upcoming fundraising events, where I look forward to meeting some of you. I would like to point out our fundraising calendar for the next few months, with the hope that you are able to attend.

If you can attend any of these dates, please confirm by clicking on the ‘Volunteer’ button below. Please detail the event(s), date(s) and times you are available for.

I understand that your schedules may already be filled at these dates - if you are able to attend for even a couple of hours, that is amazing. If you are unable to attend, not to worry - I will be emailing with further events as we move through the year! 😉

With warm wishes,

Ella

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Volunteer