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Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

We begin this week’s bulletin with the very sad news of the tragic crash at Beachy Head last Friday. Many of those involved were ex‑students, and as a school community we are deeply affected. We send our love and heartfelt condolences to the family of Oakley, who sadly lost his life, and we are keeping in our thoughts the families and former students who remain in hospital. This is an incredibly difficult time for many, and we know our community will continue to support one another with compassion and care.

On Monday 6th July, school will operate slightly differently due to the World Cup match taking place at 1am.  We understand that many in our community may wish to watch the game. While we cannot endorse late nights, we have worked with families to find a practical way forward. Coaching time, Lessons 1 and 2 will run as normal, and it is the responsibility of parents and students to ensure any missed work is caught up. Students may arrive later than usual, and we will be operating an adjusted start time for those who require it of 11.25am. From that point onward, we expect full attendance from all students.

Yesterday we held our Sports Day, which was an incredible success. We have listened to student voice and developed the event into a true Festival of Sport. Alongside traditional athletics, students took part in darts, basketball and rowing. Congratulations to Wilmington House (Red) on their victory, and well done to every student who demonstrated ambition and respect throughout the day. We also extend a huge thank you to our Friends of Willingdon who provided the food and our P.E. department who led the events.

Year 10 have taken part in their taster days this week, and we hope these experiences help them reflect on their post‑16 options. Last week’s Battlefields Trip was a powerful and memorable experience. Our students were a complete credit to the school. Tonight is Prom, and we are very excited to celebrate with our Year 11 students. Meanwhile, back at school, the circus is underway. This joint fundraiser with Polegate School still has tickets available, and they can be purchased on the door. The performance is this evening (4.30pm gates open, show at 5.30pm).  We have also had a Maths Challenge trip, and our students have supported Willingdon Primary by helping run their Sports Day.

Next week looks even busier than this week!

Have a restful weekend.

Kind regards,

Mrs May
Headteacher

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Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had quiet a few requests to amend original language option choices for Year 7 going into Year 8. Unfortunately, from Friday 3rd, we will no longer be able to accommodate these requests as groupings for next year are being finalised.

The google form for the language option choice was sent 3 weeks ago via email.

Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards,

Mrs C Philibert-Lockyer
Head Of Department - MFL

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Good afternoon,

Today I have published my annual report on Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services. As I enter my final year as Children’s Commissioner, one thing is clear: before we make decisions that affect young people, we need to listen to young people.

Children’s mental health is no exception. The number of children with a referral to mental health services has reached over a million – about 1 in 10 children – almost double the 564,000 in 2018-19.

We know there are still many more young people whose voices deserve to be heard.

I would therefore be grateful if you and your child could complete my national survey, The Big Future, and encourage as many young people as possible to take part before it closes:

https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/thebigfuture.

With best wishes,

Dame Rachel de Souza

Children’s Commissioner

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Please be careful if you are heading to the beach or participating in any water activities this summer.

Float to Live Resources

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REMINDER

Important Notice: ESCC HUGGG Vouchers for families who qualify for Free School Meals, ended after the May School Holiday.

The Household Support Fund ended nationally on 31 March 2026. This was provided by the UK Government and distributed by County Council’s to support residents in East Sussex. This included the holiday supermarket voucher scheme (HUGGG vouchers) for students eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

From 1 April 2026, the government introduced the new Crisis and Resilience Fund. The new fund takes a different approach, with support focused on households experiencing immediate financial hardship or crisis, alongside help to build longer-term financial resilience.

East Sussex County Council took a decision to fund HUGGG vouchers for the April and May 2026 school holiday as part of a transition to the new arrangements.

As a result of these changes to the Fund, the Council will no longer be distributing holiday vouchers to all students solely based on free school meal eligibility.

Being eligible for free school meals will not automatically mean a household is entitled to a voucher or payment under the new fund.

Support will continue to be available, but it will be assessed by the County Council based on individual household circumstances and need.

Families can find out more about the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

If you need help now, see cost of living support.

Families eligible for free school meals can get free activities and food through Holiday food and fun.

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Warm weather and PE lessons

Dear Parents and Carers,

With the warmer weather finally here, can we please ask that you ensure your children are prepared to participate in PE lessons.

Students may wear sunhats

Suncream should be applied before school on a PE day

Students should bring a water bottle that can be refilled at breaks and lunch times

Sunglasses are NOT permitted for PE lessons (unless prescription).

WCS branded PE shorts should be worn instead of heavy joggers/ leggings (if students wish). Cycling shorts are NOT permitted.

Thank you for your support,

Miss Attrill

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Dear Parents and Carers,

☀️ Weathering the Heat & A Reminder on Punctuality

Wow, That Was a Hot One last week!

A huge well done to all of our students for showing such incredible resilience and keeping their focus during this recent spell of hot weather.

Every Minute Counts:

As we return to our usual routines, please remember how vital a prompt start is to your child's day.

Be on Time:

Students must arrive promptly in the morning to ensure they are registered correctly at the start of the day.

Reporting Lateness:

If you know your child is going to be late, please report this via our usual communication channels as early as possible.

Why this matters:

When a late arrival isn't reported, our team spends valuable time searching for and tracking down students who are safely on their way but delayed. Letting us know ahead of time keeps everyone safe and accounted for!

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Holden

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Year 7 Literacy in Coaching Time

This Wednesday’s session focused on rehearsing lines and improving reading fluency.  A copy of the text is on Edulink for students to rehearse outside of lessons ready for their performance next week.

Top tip: Rehearse your lines to build reading fluency. Try a loud voice, a whisper voice, slow pace, fast pace. Check your voice is clear. Remember to look up at the audience.

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#inmyshoesWCS

KS3 students: only one more week to go to add your reading to the reading challenge. This term is focusing on a moment of joy! Use the feelings wheel to help develop your vocabulary and pinpoint a moment. You can include ideas you have discussed with your teacher in your empathy reading conversation. Remember to sign in using your school login credentials (not a personal Google email). Further details can be found on Edulink.

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Year 7 Gold Reader Club

We are still working towards earning our 5 gold stars. Remember to take opportunities over the next few days to keep reading, as once the homework part is completed all extra reading counts towards your stars! Show someone your progress so they can encourage you.

Top tip: Support students to complete a few minutes of Sparx Reader every day to earn points regularly. Follow their Gold Reader pass progress by checking the home screen on Sparx Reader when students log in.

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Sparx Reader

79% of Year 7 students completed their careful reading that was due on Monday 22 June. (The previous two weeks, Year 7 achieved 94% and 95% completion rates to 100% SRP). Please encourage those who have not completed to click ‘catch up on previous’ to complete this work. Parents receive email updates from Sparx Reader on Saturdays. Please use these to check if careful reading has been completed.

Regular careful reading helps to build resilience and allows students to access all areas of the curriculum.

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KS3 Reading Comprehension Assessment

KS3 students have continued to complete this assessment in their reading lesson. Classes who have missed sessions due to school closure will be re-scheduled.

Results from these tests allow us to praise progress and see where students need targeted intervention. For some students, the first part of intervention is building up resilience in reading a range of texts on Sparx Reader over the course of a year.  Regular careful reading will help students to be confident and resilient when completing this comprehension assessment.

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Coming up Author Visit by Anthony McGowan

Author of The Beck and his latest book, Birdlands, is coming to visit our school on Thursday 9 July. Students in Years 7, 8, and 9 will all take part in an author visit by Anthony McGowan, winner of the Carnegie Medal for children’s literature. Head down to the library to borrow one of his books before the event.

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Reading in Year 7 Coaching Time

Well done to 7CFA and 7ZKE who logged their class reading on the year group library this week.

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Southern School Book Awards Shortlist

The SSBA shortlist has been announced and book orders placed. KS3 students will be able to sign up to the SSBA club in September. This will involve reading the books on the shortlist, providing feedback and then voting for the winning book. A representative group of students involved will then go to the award ceremony in February, where there will be a chance to meet the authors. Come and chat to our librarian next week to find out more. Look out for more notices coming soon!

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Week 1 Menu 6/7/26

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lgordon@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Despite the extreme weather causing disruption last week, the Year 10 students who attended school were excellent. They maintained strong focus in lessons and demonstrated consistently positive behaviour during break and lunchtimes. During lesson drop‑ins, students were fully engaged, showing real ambition by working hard and challenging themselves.

Well done to all the Year 10 community that embraced our annual Sports Day on Thursday and took part in the wide range of events that were delivered and represented their house teams. It was a great event with lots of colour as the Year 10 students compete in athletics events, stoolball, high rocks, darts, basketball and rowing competitions.

However, attendance across the year group remains below where it needs to be. In this week’s assembly, we reinforced the importance of good attendance and the significant impact that poor attendance can have on progress. As we move through the final term of Year 10 and look ahead to Year 11, it is vital that students are in school every day, every minute of learning truly counts.

Please support your child’s progress by reinforcing the importance of regular attendance and punctuality to lessons. During coaching time on Wednesday, the year group were set a 100% Attendance Challenge from Monday 29th June – Friday 10th July. All students that have 100% attendance for this period will be entered into a prize draw to be in with a chance of a free place and 50% off an activity day place (this will be reimbursed if already paid for) and other prizes.

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East Sussex College have updated us that they are rescheduling the missed taster days this week for our Year 10 students. The college’s Schools Liaison Team will be in touch with you if your child missed a taster day to offer new taster slots. If you could ensure you inform studentabsence@willingdonschool.org.uk if you child is attending a taster day next week.

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Triumph at the Eastbourne Young Chef Competition

Two of our talented students, Mia L and Amie C, represented the school last week in the highly regarded Eastbourne Young Chef Competition, and they returned as champions!

Competing against students from a range of Eastbourne area schools, Mia and Amie showcased exceptional culinary skill, creativity, and confidence under pressure. Their dishes impressed the judges and ultimately secured them first place in the competition.

This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the girls’ hard work, dedication, and passion for cooking. We are incredibly proud of them both.

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We were delighted to hold a Rewards Assembly last week celebrating the hard work and dedication shown by our students throughout Term 5.

During the assembly, students who reached key milestones were recognised with certificates and badges:s:

· Bronze Awards — 27 students

· Silver Awards — 78 students

· Gold Awards — 17 students

All students who achieved a milestone were also entered into a prize draw to win either 50% off or a free place on one of the trips taking place during our upcoming Activities Day.

A special congratulations goes to the students with the top five achievement points, as well as those with the highest ambition points and highest oracy points. These students have each been awarded a free place on Activities Day. If a place has already been paid for, parents and carers will receive a refund.

We will be holding another Rewards Assembly before the end of term to celebrate students who achieve their bronze, silver, or gold milestones during Term 6.

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Well done to 10PHI coaching group for maintaining top spot again this week and winning the Sparx Maths homework competition for the third week in a row. This week 10DLE, 10ARA and 10GEL were close behind in 2nd place and 10PHA in 3rd place! 57% of the 10PHI coaching group achieved 100% with their Maths homework and win the coaching group biscuits this week.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a successful week ahead with good attendance at school by the Year 10 community.

The Year 10 Team

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Dear Parents and Carers,

Following discussions with you and your child at the recent parents’ evening, we are writing to confirm that science teaching groups will be changing from next week.

These changes are based partly on the outcomes of the recent mock examinations as well as student classwork up until this point. These changes have been made to ensure that students are placed in groups that best support their progress as they move into Year 11. The new groupings are designed to align closely with our curriculum and help maximise achievement for all students.

You should now be able to see your child’s updated science class on Edulink. Staff will support students on Monday to ensure they move to the correct classroom; however, we would appreciate it if students could check their new class over the weekend so they know where to go.

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s science teacher in the first instance.

Kind regards,

Mr J Dubas-Fisher
Assistant Headteacher

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Dear Parents and Carers

Year 10 Work Experience Feedback

Please complete the attached feedback form for Year 10 Work Experiece.

https://participate.schoolsurveys.com/j1WfYpYDVhOEFi65

Thank you

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Mr Keast & Mr Scowen - Joint Head of Year 9

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lkeast@willingdonschool.org.uk

dscowen@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

We are pleased to share some recent highlights and reminders from across the year group.

Last week, we were fortunate to enjoy a thoughtful and engaging assembly on one of our school values, Respect, delivered by one of our Year 10 students. Students were reminded to not only respect other people in our community but also themselves as they consider their daily actions around school. It was great to see the maturity and confidence which has already initiated a request from a member from our year group to deliver an assembly before the end of the academic year.

We would also like to congratulate Iris for her outstanding achievement in winning the nationwide Kew Wakehurst Place Glow Wild Art Competition. This is a fantastic accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and creativity shown by Iris every day. She will be attending a prestigious awards ceremony and participating in an intensive 4-day art programme to create her winning design with renowned designers. We are incredibly proud of Iris and look forward to hearing about the awards ceremony.

Our students have shown excellent conduct during the end-of-year examinations, which is particularly commendable given the extremely hot weather conditions. We are very proud of their resilience and focus. In addition, the quality of work being produced in lessons continues to be of a very high standard, well done to all students for maintaining such positive attitudes to learning.

A special mention goes to:

9CEW, for achieving the highest coaching group attendance last week

9TST, for earning the highest number of reward points in the year group. They have accumulated an impressive 21,534 points so far, this academic year, an outstanding achievement!

Finally, as the warm weather continues, please remind your child of the importance of staying safe in the sun. Students should:

Bring a refillable water bottle to school

Wear sun cream

Consider bringing and wearing a hat during break and lunchtime

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

The Year 9 Team

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The Thailand March 2028 trip has a few places still available so we are now opening up to our Year 7 (all ages) and Year 9. ParentPay is now open to secure your place with the non-refundable deposit of £395. Please click on the presentation above for further information.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this trip -aroche@willingdonschool.org.uk

Mr Roche

Head of Year 8

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Willingdon Community School - Thailand 2028 Launch Presentation.pptx

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aroche@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

After a rather short week last week, with students having an INSET day on Thursday and the school closure on Friday due to the extreme weather conditions, I wanted to take the opportunity to update you on some of the many positive things happening in Year 8 at Willingdon.

Firstly, attendance continues to be an important focus for us, and I am pleased to report that attendance this week has been very strong. 8NWE won the coaching attendance challenge with an impressive 95.2%. At a time when attendance across the year group is slightly lower than we would like, it is fantastic to see coaching groups reaching and exceeding the 95% mark, so well done to all involved.

Students have also worked remarkably well, particularly given the challenging conditions caused by the heat. I have been extremely impressed with the maturity of the year group. Even when outdoor activities had to be limited, such as football at break and lunchtime, students remained focused, sensible and positive throughout the week.

We are delighted to congratulate Suki L on her outstanding achievement at the Sussex County Taekwondo Championships. Suki performed exceptionally well, winning two medals: first place in Patterns and second place in Sparring. These fantastic results are a testament to her hard work, commitment, and determination. We are incredibly proud of Suki’s success and congratulate her on this well-deserved achievement. We wish her every success in her future competitions.

A particular well done goes to our top reward point performers from last week, all of whom earned over 30 reward points:

Jude B

Isabel K

Thomas L

Abigail C

Mila C

Excellent work from all of you, chocolate and treats will be coming your way!

I would also like to say how proud I am of some of our Year 8 students who, alongside several Year 7 students and a couple of Year 9s, performed in our recent musical theatre assemblies. They were absolutely fantastic and represented the school brilliantly. As a reward for their hard work and performances, they enjoyed a well deserved Domino’s pizza treat. They performed to over 400 students this week and are now polishing their routines ready to showcase their musical numbers to parents and take to the stage at our Phoenix Festival.

On Friday, our Year 8 History group departed for the Battlefields trip to Ypres. Given the heat, students set off early in the morning, and I know there was a lot of excitement about the visit. Please see photos information from Mr Keast below.

As we move into the final few weeks of term, I would like to once again commend the maturity of the year group. I am incredibly proud of Year 8 and all they have achieved this year. They have shown real resilience, maturity and character, and I am very much looking forward to taking them into Year 9 and continuing to support them as they move into the next stage of school life. Please can we keep this up right until the end of term. We also have Activity Days coming up, and students will be informed of their allocated activities next week.

In addition, students will shortly be asked to take part in a loneliness questionnaire during coaching time in the computer rooms. Information below.

This is a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on how they can seek support if needed, as well as develop strategies to manage challenges they may face in their friendships and wider school life.

Finally, I would like to mention the March 2028 Thailand trip, which had a fantastic turnout at the initial showcase last week. It was great to see so much interest, and many students have already signed up. There are still a few places available, so if your child is interested, please do get in touch with me at aroche@willingdonschool.org.uk and complete the interest form. We can then look to open this up on ParentPay next week so that places can be secured with the deposit payment. I have attached the relevant information to this week’s information board.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We hope you all have a lovely weekend and stay safe in the heat.

Kind regards,

The Year 8 Team

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Last weekend, our Year 8 students enjoyed a highly successful and memorable visit to the battlefields of Belgium, bringing to life the learning they have undertaken in their History lessons on the First World War.

Despite school being closed on Friday due to the extreme weather conditions, the trip went ahead as planned. Friday saw exceptionally high temperatures, reaching up to 36°C, while Saturday brought a complete contrast, with thunderstorms and lightning across the region. Throughout both days, our students demonstrated outstanding resilience, maturity and adaptability, embracing every aspect of the experience with enthusiasm. Most importantly, they conducted themselves with respect, compassion and impeccable behaviour throughout the visit. We were immensely proud of the way they represented Willingdon Community School, showing sensitivity and maturity as they visited sites of such profound historical significance.

During the trip, students explored a number of the key locations they have been studying in History, including the Menin Gate, Hill 60, Essex Farm Cemetery, Tyne Cot Cemetery and the Passchendaele Museum. Experiencing these places first-hand provided a powerful opportunity to deepen their understanding of the First World War and to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many.

One of the most poignant moments of the weekend was attending the moving Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. As part of the ceremony, representatives from Willingdon Community School had the honour of laying a wreath in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War. Standing alongside visitors from around the world to pay tribute to the fallen was a powerful and memorable experience, encouraging students to reflect on the importance of remembrance and the enduring impact of the conflict.

We were also incredibly fortunate to be accompanied by our outstanding tour guide, Maury, whose knowledge and passion brought the history of the Ypres Salient vividly to life. Maury repeatedly commented on the exemplary conduct of our students and was particularly impressed by the depth of their historical knowledge, their thoughtful questions and the genuine interest they showed throughout the visit.

Overall, the trip was an incredibly valuable experience and a tremendous success. We would like to thank all of the students for the maturity, respect and compassion they displayed throughout the weekend. They were a real credit to themselves, their families and to Willingdon Community School, and we are extremely proud of the way they represented our school.

Mr Keast

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Willingdon Community School - Thailand 2028 Launch Presentation.pptx

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Dear Parents and Carers,

I am writing to let you know about a questionnaire Year 8 students will be invited to complete from next week as part of some research linked to The Loneliness Project.

The purpose of this project is to give students the opportunity to share their views about loneliness, social connection and belonging, and to help us better understand how we can support positive relationships and wellbeing in school. The questionnaire will also allow students to let staff know if they would like support with friendships, relationships or how they are feeling at school.

Students will complete the questionnaire during coaching time in school. It is a short survey, and the information gathered will help us understand the levels of loneliness some Year 8 students may be experiencing, whether further support may be needed, and how we can continue to improve social connection, support and a sense of belonging for our young people.

All responses will remain anonymous and will be coded. The only person who will know which code belongs to which student will be me, purely for the purposes of administering the questionnaire.

If you do not wish your child to take part in this questionnaire, please let me know.

Thank you for your support.

Kind regards

Mr A Roche
Head of Year 8

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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,

A huge congratulations to Abby F on her exceptional achievement last week! Abby recently qualified for the British Showjumping KBIS Club National Championships to be held later this summer. She has come 1st in all her junior qualifying rounds and has done so well to get to the championships on her horse Mickey, well done Abby! As always please continue to let us know of any of your child's achievements outside school, we love to hear about them all and join you in celebrating them!

Following last week where temperatures rose and we were in school with various adaptations, we would like to take a moment to say how brilliantly Year 7 coped. They showed great resilience and persevered with their lessons, listened to the adapted break and lunch rules and got on fantastically, thank you and well done to Year 7!

Can we please also ask you to have a conversation with your child around road safety, we have been notified that some students aren't being as careful as we'd like next to the roads and some aren't wearing helmets when riding home. We will give the message on school too.

Well done also to all Year 7 students who took part in sports day this week, it was a great success with lots of different events and amazing participation! We hope they all enjoyed their first secondary school sports day!

Thank you as always for all your ongoing support!

The Year 7 Team

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The Thailand March 2028 trip has a few places still available so we are now opening up to our Year 7 (all ages) and Year 9. ParentPay is now open to secure your place with the non-refundable deposit of £395. Please click on the presentation above for further information.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this trip -aroche@willingdonschool.org.uk

Mr Roche

Head of Year 8

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Community Posts

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Children with Cancer - July Newsletter

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This event, on Saturday 11th July, is open to young people who would like to come along, take part in some netball activities and enjoy a fun summer social, no previous netball experience necessary.

The QR code links directly to our registration form, where families can register their interest and provide the information we need for participants.

Kind Regards

Kara Eastes

Social Secretary

Eastbourne Junior Netball Club