pastoral-11@willingdonschool.org.uk

Final stretch – let's end the year strong!

Thank you to all the parents and carers I have had the privilege of working with this year. Your support and partnership have played a vital role in helping your child attend school regularly and make the most of every opportunity.

As we approach the end of term, attendance remains just as important. The final week provides valuable opportunities for students to celebrate their achievements, take part in transition activities, and prepare for moving into their new year groups.

Thank you once again for your continued support.

Mrs Holden 

Attendance Manager

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Well done to Year 10 for another strong week at school, especially during the continued hot weather. We are pleased to see an improvement in attendance across the year group and hope to see a further increase next week.

dscowen@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

As we approach the end of the academic year, I would like to share some fantastic achievements and updates from Year 9.

Firstly, congratulations to Lola and Isla, who attended The Globe following their success in the Poetry By Heart competition. This was a wonderful opportunity and a fitting reward for their hard work and talent.

We have also received fantastic feedback from staff at Bexhill College after two groups of our students visited last week. The students represented the year group and school exceptionally well, demonstrating maturity, engagement, and excellent conduct throughout their visit. We are very proud of them. We also had a visit from the children’s author Anthony McGowan this week who commented on the maturity of the year group as they listened to his journey from school to becoming an author.

I am delighted to share that, as a year group, students have accumulated an impressive 153,591 reward points so far, this academic year. This reflects the positive attitude, effort, and commitment that so many students continue to demonstrate daily.

Attendance remains a key focus, and congratulations go to 9BMA, who are currently leading the year group with an attendance figure of 93.83% this academic year. In addition, we have 15 students who have achieved 100% attendance this academic year. This is a fantastic accomplishment, and we recognise their commitment to their learning.

Finally, this week's assembly focused on safeguarding, with students receiving important information and guidance on how to stay safe over the summer holidays. We discussed key messages around personal safety, online safety and making sensible choices during the break.

Thank you for your continued support throughout the year. We look forward to celebrating further successes as we move towards the summer holidays.

The Year 9 Team

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome back to Week 6 of what has been a long summer term.

Firstly, I would like to thank our Year 8 students for the mature and positive way they have conducted themselves during the exceptionally hot weather. They have adapted well to the conditions and continued to represent the year group with excellent behaviour.

As a reminder, our warm weather uniform arrangements remain in place. Students are not required to wear blazers or ties and may choose to wear their school PE kit instead of their usual uniform. Please ensure that, if your child chooses this option, they are wearing the correct Willingdon School PE kit rather than alternative sports clothing.

Attendance dipped slightly last week, with 8ALE finishing top of the year group with 94% attendance. Well done to the tutor group, those well deserved biscuits will be coming your way! As we approach the final weeks of term, it is vital that students continue to attend school every day unless they are genuinely unwell. Finishing the year strongly helps to establish the positive habits and routines that will support a successful start to Year 9.

Looking ahead to September, we would also appreciate your support in ensuring that your child is fully prepared for the new academic year. In particular, please check that students have the correct plain black leather or leather-look school shoes and that skirts meet the school’s uniform expectations. These have been the two most common uniform issues this year, and we would like to begin Year 9 with high standards from day one.

We have also noticed a small increase in late arrivals to lessons and homework not being completed. These final weeks remain an important part of the school year, and we would be grateful for your continued support in encouraging punctuality, organisation and the completion of homework so that students finish the year positively.

Congratulations to our highest achievement point earners last week:

• Abigail C

• Myla C

• Calista S

• Serena

Each of these students earned more than 25 achievement points during the week, a fantastic accomplishment. Well done to all of them.

There is plenty to look forward to over the coming weeks. Around 50 Year 8 students will be travelling to Morfa Bay, Wales, for their outdoor adventure activities, and we hope they have a fantastic experience.

During the final week of term, students can also look forward to:

• Monday 20 July – Phoenix Festival

• Tuesday 21 July – Activities Day

Students who selected an activity will receive confirmation of their arrangements on Monday. Those who did not make a selection will automatically be allocated an activity within school, such as Film Club, sports or arts and crafts. Where activities require specific clothing or equipment, staff will contact students directly with any necessary information.

Finally, I would like to let you know that Miss Turner will be leaving us at the end of this term as she takes up an exciting new opportunity in London. Miss Turner has provided outstanding support to our Year 8 students throughout the year, and I know she will be greatly missed by both students and staff. We thank her sincerely for everything she has done and wish her every success in the future.

At the same time, I am delighted to welcome Miss Harris, who has recently joined the pastoral team and will be supporting the Year 9 cohort next year. She has already begun getting to know the students and building positive relationships, and I know she will be a fantastic addition to the team. From September, she will be one of your key points of contact alongside the Year 9 pastoral team.

Please continue to keep an eye on key dates and information as we prepare for the transition into Year 9. Next year will be an important one as students begin preparing for their Key Stage 4 options, and we want every student to start the year organised, motivated and ready to succeed.

Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the sunshine, and fingers crossed for the football!

Kind regards,

The Year 8 Team

pmuller@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-7@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Well done to Year 7 for again coping with the heat this week! We have allowed adapted uniform for the rest of the term to support students with this but can you please continue to ensure students are bringing water bottles and looking after themselves with sun cream/hats etc

Activities day is fast approaching so please can you make sure your child knows which activity they are on and where they need to be at what time. Letters have gone out with information on timings, uniform etc so please make sure these have been read and please can anyone with outstanding payments please make sure these are paid. If your child did not pick an activity then they will be randomly assigned an activity and a letter will go out to let you know what this is in due course. 

We also have the Phoenix Festival coming up which is a great day for students to enjoy. We understand some of the Year 7s are going to be performing and we can't wait to see their acts!

Have a lovely weekend.

The Year 7 Team

As we move towards the end of another successful year, it has been wonderful to reflect on the many opportunities and achievements our students have enjoyed this week.

A particular highlight has been our involvement in the Poetry By Heart competition. We are incredibly proud that two of our Year 9 students reached the final at the Globe Theatre, an outstanding achievement and a testament to their dedication, talent and love of literature. Representing the school on such a prestigious stage is something they should be immensely proud of, and we congratulate them on their success.

We would also like to wish our students embarking on the Morfa Bay Outward Bound trip a wonderful time.  The group departs on Monday and returns at the end of next week. We hope they have a fantastic experience filled with challenge, personal growth, teamwork and adventure, and we look forward to hearing about their experiences when they return.

This week has also seen a number of our Year 10 students attending taster days, giving them valuable insight into future pathways and opportunities. These experiences help students make informed decisions about their next steps, and the feedback has been extremely positive. Looking ahead, we are excited for Mock Interview Day next week, which will provide another valuable opportunity for students to develop essential employability skills and build confidence.

We were delighted to welcome Anthony McGowan to the school this week. He delivered a brilliant and engaging talk to our Key Stage 3 students, joined by pupils from our Willingdon Primary School in the afternoon. It was an inspiring event that encouraged creativity, curiosity and a love of reading.

A reminder to parents and carers regarding our forthcoming Activity Day. There are still a number of students who have not yet signed up for an activity. The expectation is that all students are in school and allocated to an activity. If your child has not yet made their selection, please ensure this is completed as soon as possible.

As we enter these final weeks of term, we would also like to reaffirm the importance of strong attendance and positive routines. It can be tempting for focus to drift as the summer approaches, but these final weeks remain an important part of the academic year. We encourage all students to continue attending regularly, maintaining their excellent habits and giving their very best in lessons right through to the end of term.

We are also looking forward to our Phoenix Festival, which will provide a wonderful celebration of the year and all that has been achieved. The final week of term will include:

• Monday 20th: Phoenix Festival

• Tuesday 21st: Activity Day

• Wednesday 22nd: Early finish

Kind regards,

Mrs May
Headteacher

We are delighted to welcome Mrs Stables into the year team. She will be joining myself co‑Head of Year 11 along with Ms Wilding as PSL next year. Mrs Stables will be a fantastic addition to the team and will further strengthen the support for your child during Year 11.

They were rewarded this week with pizza at their after-school session.

We look forward to another successful and productive week ahead. Thank you to all parents and carers for your continued support.

The Year 10 Team

1 week on and we wanted to send a heartfelt message after last week’s Prom.

It was truly wonderful to see so many of you there, supporting your children and sharing such a special moment with them. The atmosphere was full of pride, excitement and genuine joy, and it was clear how much it meant to the students to have you with them to celebrate the milestone.

They arrived in such style, every one of them looking absolutely fantastic. Seeing them suited and booted was a real highlight, and I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed so many shirts tucked in at once. The students looked so grown up, confident and ready for the next chapter.

Their behaviour at the Cavendish was exemplary. They were polite, gracious and full of warmth towards one another, staff and to the hotel staff too. As a year group, they made us incredibly proud. They represented Willingdon beautifully, and it was a privilege to watch them enjoy their evening with such maturity and kindness.

Thank you for everything you have done to support them throughout their journey with us. We are proud of each and every one of them, and we look forward to welcoming them back on Results Day to collect their GCSE results.

A small snapshot of the evening can be seen from the photos above and professional images can be seen and purchased on the following link: www.nxphoto.co.uk/p/92619dcr

The Year 11 Team

Dear Student/Parent/Carer, 

On Thursday 20^th August 2026, GCSE results are released and we will be distributing our student results in the School Hall between 10.00am and 12noon.  

A small number of staff will be on hand to give out the envelopes with the results in and also answer, as best we can, any queries you may have.  If you have purchased a Yearbook, these will also be available to collect on the day.

If students are unable to collect the results personally, they may nominate someone else to collect on their behalf. They will need to send an email to exams@willingdonschool.org.uk from their personal school email address, or send in a signed letter of authority by 17th August 2026, with the name of their nominated person. The nominated person will also need to bring photo ID with them on results day in order to pick up the students’ results.  

All exam boards have a system of post-results services. This can take the form of a clerical check, a review of marking of an examination script or the review of moderation of coursework. These are the various processes by which students can verify that their examination work has been marked accurately. Willingdon Community School follows all procedures identified in the latest version of the JCQ publication Post-Results Services. Please refer to the information that will be made available on the school website, it will detail key dates and fees associated with the different post-result services available. 

You will find all of our exam’s information and procedures on the school website https://willingdonschool.org.uk/our-school/gcse-exam-results

Should you have any queries regarding any of the above please contact us on:

Exams@willingdonschool.org.uk

Yours faithfully, 

Mrs Foulkes Halbard and Mr Dubas-Fisher

Exams Manager Assistant Headteacher

Music director Dominic Ferris saw Aaryan perform on stage as Gavroche in the 40th anniversary of Les Miserables at Brighton Theatre Royal back in Aug 2025. Since then, he has become Aaryan's mentor in the industry! In October Dominic invited Aaryan to an introduction/behind the scenes/teaching session sound check for the Royal Marsden Chelsea 90th Anniversary gala concert at Cadogan Hall. 

In addition to this, Aaryan has also attended the National Portrait Gallery as part of the award, which impressed and inspired him. Great to see him making the most of these experiences in the arts. 

Keep it up, Aaryan!

Harry recently read and reviewed Pride and Prejudice, one of the books on Helen's W7 shortlist. He got a lot from the experience - his comments can be seen in the image above.

Many of our year 10 W7 students attended the Thriving Minds day of talks in the Oxford Town Hall this year. It was good to see them thinking hard and engaging with the philosophical themes. A fascinating event. 

Congratulations to the two Year 9 students who performed in the Grande Finale on the stage of the Globe Theatre on Monday. They performed with confidence and conveyed genuine emotion through their passionate recital of Dulce et decorum est by Wilfred Owen. Well done to the Year 9 Poetry by Heart Eastbourne finalists who went to support and enjoy the day, including recitals by Matt Goodfellow.

Look out for more Poetry by Heart opportunities at the Eastbourne Literary Festival in September and in school in Term 3.

We are super proud of you all!

On a very hot Thursday, KS3 students were treated to a fantastic author visit by Carnegie Medal winning author: Anthony McGowan. We heard the backstory to some of his classic novels including Pike and Lark, learned about his inspiration and motivation and had the opportunity to ask questions. Those students who asked inspirational questions received a signed bookmark by the author. You can find out more about Anthony McGowan’s books and borrow one for the summer by heading to the school library.

On Thursday afternoon, we were joined in our library by Year 5 and 6 students from Willingdon Primary School to enjoy an author visit with Anthony McGowan. All of the students who visited were interested, engaged and asked a range of challenging questions. We hope that they left with happy memories, lots of inspiration and new book ideas. They also received a signed copy of Anthony McGowan’s new book, Birdlands, to add to their school library. We can’t wait to find out what they think about it!

Well done to the three Year 7 coaching groups who performed their class presentations on Brazil or Chemical Reactions. Visiting guests commented on the excellent teamwork and the clarity of voice.  

Students keep making progress on their gold star quest! We are looking forward to the presentations in the last week of term.

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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Please ensure all Year 7 students are up-to-date with their careful reading homework.

We wanted to remind families about the importance of personal safety as we approach the summer holiday period, when many young people will be spending more time out with friends and travelling independently.

We would encourage you to have regular conversations with your child about staying safe in the communities around us and consider what may be suitable destinations for your children. In particular, we recommend that they:

• Stay with friends and avoid becoming isolated.

• Let someone know where they are going and when they expect to return.

• Keep their mobile phone charged and accessible.

• Be aware of their surroundings and avoid confrontational situations.

• Trust their instincts and leave any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

• Know how to contact emergency services if necessary.

While incidents of this nature remain rare, a little extra vigilance can help young people stay safe and enjoy their summer holidays responsibly.

If your child has any concerns about their safety or experiences anything that worries them, please encourage them to speak to a trusted adult immediately.

Thank you for your support in helping keep our young people safe.

We are interested in finding out whether your child is able to speak another language and whether you would like us to explore the possibility of them taking a GCSE in that language.

If so, please complete the following Google form:

https://forms.gle/bZJCPTWm7pPbma5p9