What an excellent start we have had back at Willingdon!

Our students have returned with such a positive attitude and have been demonstrating our personal excellence qualities in abundance. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm, courtesy and commitment across the school.

I would like to thank parents for ensuring their children are coming to school in correct uniform and with the correct equipment.  This has enabled learning time in lessons to be maximised as no learning time is lost due to children not having the right equipment.  

We were also delighted to welcome our external advisor, Mr Grant, into school this week. He commented on how calm the school felt and how purposeful the lessons were. His feedback was a real reflection of what we have been seeing ourselves. There is a fantastic feeling around Willingdon at the moment, and long may it continue!

It was also lovely to see so many Year 11 parents, carers and students at our Year 11 Motivational Evening last night. It was a really positive evening, focused on helping our students make the most of the important year ahead. If you missed the evening, you can find all the information shared on the school website; https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/year-11-information-2026

We are particularly looking forward to seeing lots of our community on Monday as we celebrate the 70th birthday of our school. If you would like to attend, please click on the link on the 70th Anniversary post.

This is just the beginning of our anniversary celebrations. We have lots of other exciting events and activities planned throughout the year, and we very much hope that parents and carers will be able to join us as we come together to celebrate our incredible school and its community.

A special mention must also go to Year 7, who have made a brilliant start. We know that moving to a big school can feel daunting, but it has been fantastic to see how confidently they have settled in. We believe that our transition events have really helped, and there have been remarkably few reports of students getting lost, which is always a positive sign in the first few weeks!

We are also looking forward to seeing you at our Meet the Coach evening next Thursday. This is a great opportunity for parents and carers to meet the key trusted adult who will be an important person in your child's school life. They will also be able to give you an update on how things have gone during these first two weeks and share how your child has settled into school. We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to make it.

On Friday this week, we also held our fire drill practice, which went extremely well. We were particularly impressed by the behaviour and courtesy shown by our students as they moved around the school. They responded calmly and sensibly, demonstrating once again the excellent standards we expect from our community.

Thank you to everyone for such a positive start. There is a real sense of momentum and pride around Willingdon, and it has been a pleasure to see our students embracing the new school year so positively.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend, and we look forward to celebrating our 70th anniversary with many of you on Monday!

Best wishes,

Mrs May

Executive Headteacher

Please confirm attendance on the below Eventbrite link by Monday morning.

Eventbrite - Willingdon 70th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

https://gofund.me/944ecd100

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is inviting young people aged 16 and under from across the UK to share the climate and nature issues that matter most to them. Your ideas will help shape the priorities of the new Youth Climate and Nature Panel.

You can submit your thoughts in any format - written responses, videos, artwork, presentations or audio recordings.

DESNZ want to hear about the challenges you see in the UK or in your local area, the actions you think schools or communities could take, or how young people could work with government, businesses and other generations to make a real difference.

Apply here: Young Voices for Climate and Nature

https://www.gov.uk/.../young-voices-for-climate-and...

Deadline: Friday 23rd October 2026

We do pass on information about community events/ organisations that may send in flyers to the school but please note these are separate from the school and we do not run checks on the organisations involved.

Thursday 29^th April 2027: 07.45am – 18.30pm

Dear Parents/Carers,

The geography department are arranging a trip for any Year 7 students that are interested, to experience the excitement of London!

We will be visiting the Natural History Museum; especially to enjoy the Restless Earth exhibition and then on to London’s most famous and most visited attraction The London Eye, where we can see the development of the city, the amazing views of the Thames and famous architecture.

The trip will take place on Thursday, 29^th April 2027.  The coaches will be leaving from school promptly by 8:00am.  Students will need to arrive and register with staff in the canteen by 07.45am.   Please consider how your child will get to school by 07.45am, as we must leave Willingdon before the school buses arrive.

·         We anticipate arriving back at school at approximately 18.30pm. 

·         Students may take their phones if they have one, to use on the coach, though they will be asked to put them away when we are walking and in the museum.

·         Students will wear their school PE kit so that they are easily identifiable and comfortable for walking.

·         A packed lunch will be required and a refillable water bottle.  If your child is entitled to free school meals, please indicate this on the Google Form when this is sent out.

The trip will provide the students with an invaluable insight into the understanding of the world around them and give them the opportunity to see casts of the Pompeii victims among many other amazing exhibits! We will use this unique opportunity to engage students in learning about world cities and seeing London from its very best viewpoint at the top of the London Eye! The cost for the whole trip is £45.30 which covers all travel and costs. 

There are three coaches available for this trip.  Payment for the trip will secure your child’s place and this must be received via ParentPay by Monday, 12^th October.  Spaces remaining are indicated on ParentPay accounts, and when all seats are filled, ParentPay will be closed.  We do not want finance to be a barrier to interested students, so if you envisage any difficulties with payment, please contact me directly as soon as possible.  ParentPay will open for payments on Monday 14^th September at approximately 15.00pm.

Costs are based entirely on numbers, and to keep the costs affordable we have booked three coaches and hope to fill every seat.  If you find that you are unable to book via ParentPay or that the trip is not appearing, it is most likely that there are NO spaces remaining.  If your child still wishes to go on this trip, then please contact Mrs Collins to be added to the reserve list.

Poor behaviour/low attendance will not be tolerated at Willingdon Community School. Therefore, we reserve the right to cancel a student’s participation in a trip if behaviour / attendance does not reach our expected high standards.  This will not necessarily include a refund as purchases may have already been made.

Kind regards

Mrs L. Collins – HoD                                       

lcollins@willingdonschool.org.uk

Careers East Sussex Personal Profile & College Applications – Year 11

To help your child prepare for their upcoming college and sixth form applications, students are required to complete the ‘Your Profile’ and ‘Your Next Step’ sections on the college application system Careers East Sussex.

During Term 6 of Year 10, coaches supported students with writing their personal statements and they were shown how to upload their statement and personal information to Careers East Sussex. This was set as homework, with instructions and a video emailed to them. The original deadline was Friday 17^th July, and a reminder was also sent via Arbor to students and parents.

A number of students have not yet completed this task. We kindly ask that you check whether your child has completed this task, and if not, remind them to finish it as soon as possible. I have attached the instructions that were included in the homework.

College applications will open in October (exact date still to be confirmed) and students will be able to apply to as many colleges & sixth forms as they wish. Once we receive the confirmed launch date, this will be communicated to both parents and students. Students will only be able to submit applications once their Careers East Sussex profile is fully completed, including all required sections.

Please note that those students applying for the following will need to make direct applications to the colleges/sixth forms: BACA, Bede’s, BHASVIC, BN1 Arts, Eastbourne College, Uckfield College. If they are only applying to these colleges, they do not need to complete the information in Careers East Sussex, and application deadlines may vary between institutions.

Students applying to Bexhill College, East Sussex College, Seaford Head Sixth Form, Plumpton College, DV8 Sussex, and Heathfield Community College will need to submit their applications via Careers East Sussex by Wednesday 30^th November.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on the details below.

Best wishes,

Sarah Rooney

Careers Adviser

Tel: 01323 485254 ext 281

Email: srooney@willingdonschool.org.uk

dscowen@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome back to the new academic year and to the start of Year 10!

This year, our overarching focus is on mastering personal excellence and exploring life beyond Willingdon. To kick things off, Mrs May delivered an inspiring assembly centred on perceptions. She spoke about how we all hold the power to create new perceptions of ourselves whilst opening even more doors to opportunities both during our time at school and in activities at home and in the community.

It has been a brilliant start, and our Year 10 students have already shown fantastic attitudes to learning alongside a shared focus on striving for success.

With option subjects now underway, we kindly ask that students give their new subjects a chance for the first couple of weeks to settle in before requesting any course changes.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us should you wish to share any concerns or celebrate your child's success stories.

Warm regards,

The Year 10 Team 

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our Year 9 students and families following what I hope has been a lovely summer break.

On behalf of the Year Team, myself and our new PSL, Mrs Harris, we are delighted to welcome you to what promises to be an exciting and rewarding year for our students. We have lots of events, opportunities and adventures planned, particularly during this first term.

A fantastic start to Year 9

I cannot say how proud I am of the way the year group has started this week. Behaviour has been exceptionally positive, with very few issues, and the students have already accumulated several thousand achievement points.

During my learning walks, it has been fantastic to see pupils focused, engaged and demonstrating our Personal Excellence values. They have had plenty of administration to complete during the first few days, but from next week lessons will be fully underway and interactive.

It has been lovely to see just how much the students have grown. Their maturity is evident not only physically, but also emotionally, and it is clear that they are looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that Year 9 will bring.

Looking ahead

Meet the Coach Evening – Thursday 17th September

One of our first important events is our Meet the Coach Evening on Thursday 17th September. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to meet your child’s coach, discuss any immediate concerns or questions you may have, and establish a positive relationship at the beginning of the year.

Your child’s coach will be an important point of contact throughout the year, and we would encourage as many parents and carers as possible to attend. Of course, the Year Team is also always available to support you. Please sign up on EDULINK.

There are already lots of exciting opportunities on the horizon.

● Hydro Hotel trip – Thursday 17th September: A selected group of students who have already signed up will be visiting the Hydro Hotel.

● Sponsored Walk – Friday 25th September: Please ensure that students have signed up if they wish to take part. Further information has been included in today’s bulletin.

● Options: Later in the year, we will begin helping students think about their future pathways and the options available to them.

A few important reminders

As we begin the year so positively, it is important that we maintain these high standards.

Please ensure that students:

● Arrive each day in the correct school uniform.

● Bring a school bag and fully stocked pencil case so they are ready to learn.

● Wear their PE kit only on designated PE days.

● Continue to demonstrate our Personal Excellence values in lessons and around the school.

● Attend school regularly and punctually.

Attendance is absolutely paramount, and I am delighted that the year group has already achieved an average attendance of 96% during the first week. This is an excellent start and one I hope we can maintain throughout the year. I have spoken previously about how strong this year group has been with attendance, and it would be fantastic to continue that positive trend.

Thank you for your continued support. We are really looking forward to getting the pupils fully settled into Year 9 and working with you over the coming months.

If you have any questions or would like to have a chat, please do come and speak to us at the Meet the Coach Evening next Thursday.

 
The Year 9 Team

pmuller@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-7@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

We have had such an incredible first week with the Year 7s! Attendance has been fantastic and staff have commented on how polite and respectful students have been.  We have seen a lot of achievement points given out, which shows just how hard they are all working, we hope this continues!

We would like to remind you that trainers are not part of the uniform policy when students are not in PE kit. Trainers must not be worn with school uniform, even if they are not branded. Can you also please have a chat to your child about who/where they can go to if they have any issues or concerns. Hopefully students now know their coach and where our office is, should they need anything. 

This week a letter has gone out about the upcoming Sponsored Walk, please complete the permissions form at your earliest convenience.

Finally, we wish the Year 7s a lovely, restful weekend when it comes, we think they will be very tired! 

The Year 7 Team

gstables@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-11@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

This week has been a highly successful start to the new school year, and we have been extremely impressed with the positive attitude and focus shown by Year 11 students. Attendance has been above 95%, and behaviour and uniform standards have been excellent.

During lesson walk‑throughs, students have demonstrated strong engagement and a determined work ethic. A particular shout‑out goes to Year 11 GCSE PE, whose students worked exceptionally hard during their fitness‑testing lesson, showing real perseverance and commitment.

mdupont@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

It has been wonderful to welcome our Year 8 students back to school this week, and what a fantastic start they have made! We are incredibly proud of the way students have returned to school with such positive attitudes, excellent behaviour and a real commitment to their learning.

A huge well done to the whole year group for an excellent first week of attendance and behaviour. This is a really encouraging start, and we look forward to seeing this continue throughout the year.

Our lesson walk-throughs have been very positive, we have seen students demonstrating a purposeful focus in lessons, engaging with their learning and making the most of the opportunities their teachers are providing.

It has been fantastic to see students settling into the routines and expectations of Year 8 so quickly. Keep it up, Year 8, we are looking forward to seeing even more excellent learning over the coming weeks!

The competition is about to begin!

From next week, we will be launching our Inter-Coaching Team Attendance Competition. Coaching groups will compete against each other, with attendance being tracked throughout the competition.

Every day really does count, so we are challenging every student to make sure they are in school, on time and ready to learn. We are looking forward to seeing which coaching team can lead the way!

We are also delighted to have invited Year 8 students to apply to become Peer Mentors for Year 7.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to take on a leadership role and support our new Year 7 students as they make the transition into secondary school. Being a Peer Mentor is a chance to be a positive role model, offer encouragement and help younger students feel happy, confident and settled in our school community.

We are really looking forward to seeing the applications from our Year 8 students and celebrating those who are ready to take on this important responsibility.

A final reminder to parents and carers to sign up for our Meet the Coach Evening on Thursday, 17th September.

This is a great opportunity to meet your child's coach, hear how they have settled into Year 8 and find out more about the year ahead. Appointments can also be arranged with the Heads of Year if you would like to discuss anything further.

Thank you to all our students, parents and carers for such a positive start to the year. Year 8, you have made us very proud this week, keep up the fantastic work! 

The Year 8 Team

At Willingdon Community School, we are committed to ensuring that every student leaves us with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed choices about their future. Alongside achieving their academic potential, we aim to develop the transferable skills, resilience and ambition students need to succeed in further education, apprenticeships and employment.

Our commitment to providing high-quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) has been recognised through the Investors in Careers National Quality Award, with the school achieving full accreditation against the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance.

Our careers programme begins in Year 7 and is carefully planned to support students throughout their time at school. Through careers lessons, curriculum-linked activities, up-to-date labour market information, employer encounters and meaningful workplace experiences, students are encouraged to explore their interests and develop an understanding of the wide range of opportunities available to them.

To support students and families further, we will be introducing a weekly Careers section in the Community Bulletin. This will share useful careers information, updates and opportunities, including information relevant to particular year groups when appropriate. Each week will also feature a Job of the Week, providing an opportunity for students and parents/carers to explore different careers, post-16 pathways, apprenticeships and employment options together.

We hope this regular feature will encourage conversations at home and help students to develop their aspirations, broaden their horizons and feel confident about the many pathways available to them in the future. The first Job of the Week is below, please click on the link to open up and watch.

If you require any further information or support, or if your child would like to make an appointment to see our Careers Adviser, Sarah Rooney, please do not hesitate to contact us using the email addresses below.

Alison Borrell, Assistant Associate Head / Careers Lead aborrell@willingdonschool.org.uk

Sarah Rooney, Careers Adviser srooney@willingdonschool.org.uk

In my free time, I love walking, running, and reading.  I also love cats.

Following student voice, we are relaunching the house system this year, aiming for more visibility throughout the school, more events and more rewards for students! When we came back at the start of this term, students were all given a house colour badge to wear with their uniform. Staff also have badges holders representing which house they are in. Our first challenge of the year is detailed below, with a reward for the winning group next week. We have extended the deadline to Thursday to allow coaches and students time to really show house pride and make as much effort as possible to win the first reward of the year! Details of upcoming events will be advertised through social media and the Community Bulletin so please keep an eye out and encourage your children to take part! 

Please use this form to share details and photos of your child’s success. These may include sporting achievements, competitions, personal milestones, or other accomplishments they have achieved outside of school.

As we will be showcasing these on a display board in the PE Department, we would appreciate it if photos could be provided in the highest possible resolution and quality.

If you experience any issues attaching photos to the form, please send them as email attachments to JBarlow@willingdonschool.org.uk.

Thank you for helping us celebrate and recognise the fantastic achievements of our students!

https://forms.gle/riUcdCQw5jxfn2eC8

What a fantastic first week back! Our Year 7 students have achieved an outstanding 98% attendance this week, which is an incredible accomplishment. It has been wonderful to see such a positive start to the term. As a whole school community, we have also started strongly with attendance, demonstrating a shared commitment to being in school and ready to learn.

As we move forward, please remember to provide as much notice as possible for any medical appointments. Wherever possible, we kindly ask that appointments are arranged outside of school hours to minimise disruption to learning and help maintain this excellent start to the year.

Please can you ensure that your child comes to school with a notebook to complete their revision and, for Year 11, with revision resources of their own to support independent revision on Fridays.

Students in Year 9 will have one weekly reading for pleasure session per week in coaching time. Please remind your child that they must bring a reading book in their schoolbag every day. Your child may borrow reading books from our school library or bring in a book from home.

During coaching time, students continued preparing for their college applications, took part in a study‑skills session on An Inspector Calls, and completed an independent revision lesson. Please support your child arriving to school with revision materials every Friday, as these sessions were introduced following student voice requesting additional time to revise. Well done to all students in 11RBR that were all engaged in their independent study this week.

https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/year-11-information-2026

Date for the diary: Meet the Coach Evening – Thursday 17th September This evening offers an important opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school and discuss the support in place for your child. Please book your appointment via Edulink, and we look forward to welcoming you next week.

We are looking forward to another great week next week.

Year 11 Team

Information on intervention sessions

I am writing to inform you of the intervention for Year 11 Psychology students that will be starting up from the 15^th September. Two sessions will be on offer (with biscuits) for students to attend.

·         Session 1 will be held in Hu3 on a Tuesday lunchtime. The focus of this will be on supporting students to get a grade 4/5 though all students are welcome.

·         Session 2 will be held in Hu3, on a Thursday after school from 3-4pm. This session will be for all but will aim to give some additional support for students looking to achieve a grade 6 or higher, though (again) all students are welcome.

Both sessions will be working explicitly on supporting students in preparation for the mock exams starting on Monday 2^nd of November. I hope to see lots of Year 11 students in attendance.

Information on revision materials

Firstly, there are lots of freely available resources on the Psychology Google classroom site. All students have access to this by signing into their google account, selecting the google classroom app and navigating to our Psychology class. If there are any issues with accessing this then please contact me (rgardner@willingdonschool.org.uk).

Secondly, I also want to take the opportunity to remind parents and carers of the revision guide we encourage students to purchase for GCSE psychology. There is no obligation to buy one, and many students already have one, however, the revision guide which is available to purchase through ParentPay is:

·         My Revision Notes: OCR GCSE (9-1) Psychology, by Helen Kitching and Mark Billingham – this can be found on ParentPay. It is a good basis for revising psychology. It is not perfect and lacks detail in some areas, but it is a very solid starting point.

Many thanks,

Mr Gardner

https://willingdonschool.org.uk/learning/enrichment-programme