It has been a very good week at Willingdon, with lots to celebrate and plenty of opportunities for our community to come together.

We particularly enjoyed our 70th Anniversary Afternoon Tea, where it was wonderful to meet so many generations of the same families who have been part of the Willingdon community over the years. We were also delighted to meet three people who were students here in 1956! It was lovely to reunite former staff members and students and hear their memories of the school. We are so grateful to everyone who came along and helped us celebrate this very special milestone.

On Thursday we held our Meet the Coach evening. If you were unable to attend but would like an update or some feedback, please remember that you can always email your child's coach directly. Thank you to all those who attended, the coach is such an important role and a key point of contact for our students and parents alike.

Next week, we are looking forward to our Midsummer Night’s Dream trip to the theatre, followed by the Eastbourne LitFest. There are lots of exciting literary activities taking place over the weekend, and we really encourage families to check out what is on offer. It is a very exciting time for the local community and a wonderful opportunity for our students to get involved.

Looking further ahead, we have our Sponsored Walk next Friday, 25^th September. This is always a real Willingdon rite of passage as we make our way through Willingdon and the Downs, and it is a lovely event for our students and staff to experience together. If you have not yet confirmed your child's participation, please make sure this is done as soon as possible.

Our Year 6 Open Evening is also fast approaching on Thursday, 1st October. Many of our students have been asked to help as guides and subject supporters, and we are very proud of them for taking on these important roles. Please note that there will be an early finish on the day of Open Evening to allow us time to prepare the school, set up and welcome members of the public.

A reminder that parents and carers can log in to Arbor and Edulink to access lots of useful information about their child. This includes reward points, behaviour points, punctuality and homework information. We really recognise the importance of homework in supporting students' progress and making a difference to their overall outcomes. We also know that getting homework completed can sometimes be a challenge at home. If you are experiencing difficulties or would like some support in helping your child develop positive homework routines, please do reach out to us. We are always happy to work with families to help.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our students and our school community. Have a lovely weekend!

Best wishes,

Mrs May

Executive Headteacher

I’m looking forward to meeting the students and building strong relationships to support their educational journey and help them fulfil their potential. 

Please visit our website to see the new enrichment list for Term 1

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

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

gstables@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-11@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Well done to Year 11 for a fantastic second week of Term 1. We continue to see an excellent focus from students in their learning, alongside a mature attitude around school. Year 11 are truly leading by example and acting as positive role models for younger year groups. The attendance at school for the year group has continued to improve and we achieved 96.4% of students in school on Wednesday which is fantastic. Please keep reinforcing the importance to your child of them being in school everyday.

It was wonderful to see so many parents, carers, and students on Thursday evening for our Meet the Coach event. This was a valuable opportunity to discuss the strong start students have made and to look ahead to the year’s expectations and opportunities.

dscowen@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

It was a pleasure to see so many of you at our Meet the Coach evening this week. The evening highlighted the importance of building strong relationships between home and school, and it was wonderful to see parents, carers and staff working together to support the transition into Year 10.

These partnerships are vital in ensuring that every student feels known, valued and supported throughout the final two years of their journey at Willingdon.

Another event of note this week was our afternoon tea to celebrate the 70^th Anniversary of Willingdon. As a year team, we were incredibly proud of the musical performances from our Year 10 students, their support for each other when they perform envelopes our Willingdon values perfectly.

A reminder that our annual Sponsored Walk takes place next Friday. If you have not already done so, please ensure that the Google form has been completed so we can finalise the planning of what is a highlight of the Willingdon calendar.

This week, Mrs May's assembly on ambition was extremely well received by the year group. The theme explored during the assembly provided an excellent foundation for the target-setting activities that took place during coaching time on Wednesday. By encouraging students to think carefully about their aspirations and the steps needed to achieve them, we are helping them develop the confidence and determination necessary for future success.

Students have continued to make a strong start in lessons, and staff have been impressed by their engagement and attitude to learning. However, it is important to stress that regular attendance remains one of the most significant factors in academic success. Alongside good attendance, building resilience and maintaining a positive approach when faced with challenges are crucial if students are to fulfil their potential. We greatly appreciate the support that families provide in reinforcing these messages at home. Our basic expectations also continue to play a key role in creating a positive learning environment. Thank you for your ongoing support with ensuring students are equipped for learning and arrive in the correct uniform each day. These seemingly small details make a significant difference and help our students to develop the habits that underpin long-term success. We would be grateful if you could continue to reinforce these expectations throughout the year.

Finally, I would like to extend huge congratulations to Isla W on her outstanding achievement of being selected for the Sussex County Netball Squad. Following two rounds of trials, just 20 players were selected from an initial field of more than 100 participants. This is an exceptional accomplishment, and we are particularly proud that Isla is the only player selected from a state-maintained school. We look forward to following her progress over the coming months, with potential opportunities to trial for Netball Super League teams next year. Isla's success is a testament to her dedication, hard work and talent, and she is a fantastic role model for our school community.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Warm regards,

The Year 10 Team 

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome back to our second week of the new academic year for Year 9. I am delighted with the progress we are already making as a year group.

Our attendance is currently averaging an excellent 95.9%, with a particular congratulations to 9NWE, who achieved an outstanding 99% attendance last week. This is fantastic and sets a great example for the rest of our coaching teams.

I would also like to congratulate some of our individual students who have already reached the impressive milestone of 90+ achievement points.

A huge well done to:

Theo T, Morgan D, Oscar VL, Dylan M

Excellent work, guys! Your hard work and positive contributions have certainly not gone unnoticed. Chocolates and treats with the Year Team are coming your way!

I have been really impressed with the way Year 9 have returned to school. Uniform is currently in a really good place, and I hope we can maintain these high standards throughout the year. Alongside this, behaviour in lessons has been outstanding. I have walked around classrooms and seen lots of positive learning taking place, and it is really encouraging to see students taking their education seriously and beginning to think about the opportunities that will come their way during Year 9, including the exciting discussions around future options.

Meet the Coach Evening

It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout at our Meet the Coach Evening this week. I had the opportunity to speak with several parents and discuss some of the opportunities and developments that will be coming up for our Year 9 students this year.

The feedback from our coaches was also extremely positive, and we are very pleased with the way the year group has started.

Hydro Hotel Careers Visit

We also had 18 Year 9 students visit the Hydro Hotel this week as part of our careers programme. The students had an excellent experience, learning more about the workings of the hotel and the range of careers and opportunities available within the hospitality industry.

A huge well done to everyone who attended. You represented yourselves, your families and the school exceptionally well, and we look forward to arranging further opportunities and visits throughout the year.

Dates for Your Diary

Friday 25th September: Annual Sponsored Walk

Our annual sponsored walk takes place next Friday. All students are expected to attend and should come to school wearing their school PE kit.

For students who are unable to complete the walk, there will be alternative activities available within school.

Please can I remind parents and carers to ensure that you have completed the online permission form that was sent out earlier this week. This includes permission for your child to leave school early once they have completed the walk.

If we do not have permission for a student to leave early, they will need to remain in school until 3.00pm.

Thursday 1 October: Year 6 Open Evening

Another important date for the diary is our Year 6 Open Evening on Thursday 1st October.

This will be a half day for all students, with Year 9 students finishing at 12.15pm and going home.

We are also looking for Year 9 students who would like to volunteer as guides on the evening and help welcome prospective Year 6 students and their families, as well as support departments around the school.

If your child would like to take part, please ensure that you complete the online permission form.

We are looking forward to another fantastic week with Year 9. The start they have made has been really encouraging, and we are excited to see them continue to develop, achieve and make the most of the opportunities available to them this year.

Hopefully the weather improves and we can look forward to some sunshine ahead of our sponsored walk!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Kind regards,

 
The Year 9 Team

mdupont@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

It has been another really positive week for Year 8, and we would like to congratulate students on continuing to make such a good start to the new school year. The vast majority of students are consistently meeting our expectations for behaviour, attitude and learning, and it has been fantastic to see so many students settling confidently into Year 8.

Lesson walk-throughs continue to show a strong sense of purpose in lessons, with students engaging positively and making the most of their learning opportunities. It is really encouraging to see students developing the routines, attitudes and habits that will help them to be successful throughout the year.

It has also been lovely to see Year 8 students getting involved in activities and opportunities both inside and outside of school.

A huge well done to Lily M, who completed the St Wilfrid's Hospice Starlight Stroll on Saturday evening, helping to raise much-needed funds for the hospice. What a fantastic achievement, Lily!

We would also like to wish Archie F the very best of luck as he takes part in an under-58kg boxing bout on Saturday. Good luck, Archie – we will be cheering you on!

Closer to home, it has been fantastic to see students making the most of our enrichment programme. Sofia B, Noah W and Seth S were completely engaged in Robotics Club after school on Wednesday. Their enthusiasm and curiosity were brilliant to see.

There are lots of clubs and enrichment opportunities available for Year 8 students to get involved in, so we would encourage everyone to have a look at what is on offer and try something new. These opportunities are a great way to develop new skills, discover interests and meet students from across the year group.

One area we would like everyone to focus on is attendance. We are slightly concerned to see a drop in attendance, particularly as we are still so early in the academic year. Every day in school matters, and missing lessons can quickly lead to gaps in learning that become harder to catch up on.

We know that there will be occasions when students are genuinely unwell or unable to attend, but where students are well enough to be in school, we encourage them to attend every day and make the most of every learning opportunity.

Only a very small minority of students are currently not meeting our expectations, which is something Year 8 should be proud of. We want to see this positive picture continue, with every student taking responsibility for their behaviour, effort, attendance and attitude.

Let’s keep the momentum going and make Year 8 a year full of purposeful learning, positive choices, new experiences and opportunities to shine!

The Year 8 Team

pmuller@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-7@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

We've had another great week with Year 7 who are really finding their feet and settling into our community. Attendance has been fantastic, as has uniform and equipment, thank you so much for your support in these areas.

We'd like to take the opportunity  to congratulate Farrah W who attended trials for London Mavericks netball club last weekend and received an offer to join their Emerging Athlete Pathway this season! This is a fantastic achievement, well done Farrah! We really love to hear about any achievements and activities our students are involved in outside school so please do get in touch and let us know if you are happy for us to share the news!

It was great to meet so many of you at this weeks 'Meet the Coach' evening. We hope you found it a useful evening, which is a great start to building the relationship between home and school.  If you have any queries in the future, please do not hesitate to email your child's coach.

As you will be aware we have our annual sponsored walk taking place on Friday next week. Please can we urge you to return the google permission form ASAP if you have not yet completed it. It really is a fantastic day which the students love. 

Finally, we'd like to ask you to please take a moment to talk to your child about physical contact in school. We have a hands-off policy and have been seeing a lot of touching, grabbing, play wrestling etc each break and lunchtime. These games start off as fun, but inevitably someone gets hurt.  We are addressing this  with the year group through  assembly but would appreciate the message being given at home too! 

Have a great weekend 

The Year 7 Team

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.

We are pleased to share details of upcoming college and sixth form open events. These visits are excellent opportunities to explore campuses, meet staff and students, and learn more about the courses and facilities available.

East Sussex College Group 

(3:45 pm – 6:45 pm)

Please register your interest here:     ESCG Open Events

Eastbourne

•      Wednesday 14^th October 2026

•      Thursday 19^th November 2026

•      Thursday 18^th March 2027

Lewes

•      Thursday 15^th October 2026

•      Thursday 19^th November 2026

•      Thursday 18^th March 2027

Hastings

•      Tuesday 13^th October 2026

•      Thursday 19^th November 2026

•      Thursday 18^th March 2027

_____________________________________________

Bexhill College 

No registration required

•      Wednesday 21^st October 2026

       (6:00 pm – 8:30 pm)

•      Thursday 22^nd October 2026

(4:00 pm – 6:30 pm)

_____________________________________________

Plumpton College 

(9:00 am – 2:00 pm)

Booking required – please book here: 

Plumpton Open Events

•      Saturday 10^th October 2026

•      Saturday 21^st November 2026

•      Saturday 16^th January 2027

•      Saturday 13^th March 2027

•      Saturday 16^th June 2027

 _____________________________________________

BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth

Form) (4:00 pm – 8:00 pm)

•      Wednesday 11^th November 2026

•      Thursday 12^th November 2026

•      4:00 – 5:00 pm: Quiet slot allocated only for    

those with SEND

•      5:00 – 8:00 pm: all other students

•      A registration of interest form, and additional information, will be provided on the following page in the weeks leading up to the evenings: BHASVIC Open Events

_____________________________________________

Seaford Head Sixth Form

•      Thursday 8^th October 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

(All Sixth Form staff & subject leaders attending)

•      Saturday 10^th October 2026, 10:00am–12:00 pm

(Head of Sixth Form & Headteacher in attendance - no subject leaders attending)

Talks, tours, and the chance to meet subject teachers and students.

For more information and to book, please contact Clare Callard on:

clarecallard@seafordhead.org or 01323 872723

_____________________________________________

Contact

For any questions about these or other open events, please contact Mrs Rooney on:

01323 485254 ext 281 or srooney@willingdonschool.org.uk

Family, carer and young adult discount code

As part of our work to ensure that all local children and young people have the opportunity to participate our inaugural year, Eastbourne LitFest is offering local families a £2 discount per ticket on bookings of any of our children's and young people's writing workshops (listed below). The voucher code below can be shared with your families and young people and applies to child and adult tickets. We are happy to extend this offer to school staff, so please share with them too. 

The code is valid while stocks last: ELFWORKSHOP2026DISCOUNT. 

Yours with best wishes and hoping to see you at one of our events. 

The Eastbourne LitFest Team

with grateful thanks to East Sussex College Group, sponsors of our childrens and young people's programme

There is just over one month to go until the CWCF Antiques Fair on October 24^th at Willingdon Community School and we are all super excited for it’s return after a seven-year absence.

We had a great response to our previous appeal for volunteers, but we are still looking for a few more people to help on the day.

We particularly need volunteers to help set up 6.30am-9am and during the event itself between 9am-2pm, collecting entry money, aiding stallholders and generally helping the event run smoothly. We are also looking for a couple of people to set up the evening before (time TBC). If you are available on the day, or can spare even just a couple of hours, we would love to hear from you!

Pitches are selling out fast, but we still have a couple left. If you or anyone you know would like to have a stall, pitches cost £25 for a 6ft (approx.) table.

Please note that we are looking for antiques and older vintage items only. No craft stalls or bric-a-brac please. And don’t forget that there will be a valuation service on the day for just £2.50 an item, so bring your treasures with you to find out if you are sitting on a secret goldmine!

It is the first time we have held the Antiques Fair since 2019, and we really want this relaunched event to go with a bang! We are grateful for anyone who may be able to help. For more information, please email community@childrenwithcancerfund.org.uk

Thank you once again for all your ongoing support of Children With Cancer Fund.

We are pleased for be able to offer again the successful 5-workshop programme for carers of loved ones with eating disorders (suitable for age 18+). The workshops are based on the New Maudsley Carers approach, which has proved to be a supportive space for parents and carers and provide them with useful tools and resources to support their loved ones in eating disorder recovery. The full 5-week programme is being offered at a very low fee of £20 per family due to the generosity of the Sam West Foundation. Please feel free to promote this to your network. To reserve a place please email: info@theoldbankwellbeing.org.uk or tel: 01323 502827.

There are five workshops (participants attend all 5 workshops):

Sat 7^th Nov 2026

09:30 - 12:00 - Workshop one: Introductions, Psychoeducation and Empathy

12:45 - 15:15 - Workshop two: Cycle of Change and Motivational Language

Sat 14^th Nov 2026

09:30 - 12:00 - Workshop Three – Reflecting on Caring Responses. What to Try When Things Feel Stuck 

12:45 - 15:15 - Workshop Four – Coaching Your Loved One to Make Their Own Changes 

Sat 21^st Nov 2026

09:30 - 11:30 - Workshop Five – Review and Reflect Session

These workshops are also available for free online for those unable to attend in person, funded by the Charlie Waller trust. Dates and details of how to register are here: https://www.charliewaller.org/what-we-offer/eating-disorder-workshops-for-parents-and-carers

About Us

The Old Bank Wellbeing Trust is a charity in Hampden Park, Eastbourne. Since opening in 2020 our team of 60+ counsellors now provides over 7,000 counselling sessions per year for all ages. Approximately half of the sessions offered are offered at low cost or with assistance from our bursary fund.

We are delighted to have been awarded a further grant by the Veterans’ Foundation to give counselling support over the next 12 months to family members of veterans whose mental health has been affected by military service. This grant enables us to offer no-cost counselling sessions to people who are part of a military family, but haven’t served themselves. They may be the partner or spouse, the parent, or the child of a veteran.

We work with local businesses and organisations to provide mental health training and to provide counselling and reflective practice for employees and volunteers. Our next First Aid for Mental Health (Level 2) training takes place on Friday 16^th October.

If we can provide any further information or support or you would like to know more about what we provide at The Old Bank, please feel free to get in touch.

With best wishes

Claire

Claire Howell BA (Hons) Counselling, MBACP, MACC, Dip Supervision, Master Practitioner National Centre for Eating Disorders

Trustee

M 07956 096721

claire@theoldbankwellbeing.org.uk

Cheese Toastie 70p

Cheese and Ham Toastie 80p

Chocolate biscuit 30p

Drinks 50p

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?

Sometimes you don't want to spend your whole evening reading about jobs you already know you're not interested in... 

Why not look at some of the hundreds of short videos, summarising what a job title really means. Check them out for yourself, then you can decide whether you want to go forward and find out more. 

A Midsummer Nights Dream – Eastbourne Lit Fest – Wednesday 23^rd September

The Drama Department are planning to take a group of Year 11, Year 10 and Year 9 students to see a live theatre performance in late September. The show we are going to take the students to see is a modern retelling of one of Shakespeare’s classics ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ at the Eastbourne Bandstand as part of the Eastbourne Literature Festival. The story follows young lovers desperate to escape their unhappy fates until they fall under the spell of a mischievous fairy desperate to cause chaos. This performance follows a very successful run at the Birley Centre Theatre.

We are planning to see the show on the 23^rd of September. This trip will take place after school hours. The show begins at 19:30 and will finish by 22:00. As the trip is outside of school hours we will ask that students meet members of staff at the Eastbourne Bandstand at 19:00 and students will need to be collected after the performance is finished around 22:00. Students are expected to wear uniform as they will be representing the school.

The cost of the ticket for the students will be £7.89. The tickets will be offered on a first come first serve basis.

Tickets can be paid for via ParentPay. This will go up onto ParentPay as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Mr T Rock

Teacher of Drama

At Willingdon, we build a community of readers and have some amazing opportunities throughout this term and year: including author visits, competitions, and Eastbourne Literary Festival.

Award winning author, Nathanael Lessore, visited us on Wednesday. He inspired us with his writing journey and how to look at our everyday lives for anecdotes to add into our stories.

All of his books are available to borrow from the library. They are disappearing fast! Head over soon to borrow one!

Each week, Year 7 students have Literacy in Coaching Time sessions on Wednesdays. We have begun by exploring why reading is important and this week’s focus was on how Sparx Reader helps students to read carefully. It was fantastic to see all students working with focus in their coaching time drop-ins.

Year 8 students have Literacy in Coaching Time sessions on Thursdays. This week students explored why coaches read to students daily and how this helps to build empathy and a shared experience.

Sparx Reader is designed to help students with their careful reading. All KS3 students have weekly Sparx Reader homework that is set on Mondays and collected on Mondays by 8:30am. Some changes have happened on Sparx Reader this year. Students have been re-set to 300 SRP in Year 8 and 9 and over the next week any adjustments required will be made. Research from Sparx Reader shows 300 SRP (30 minutes of careful reading a week) helps students to make good progress in their reading ages. An extra 10 minutes, or 100 SRP, helps students to make more rapid progress. This is why Sparx Reader have made changes to Gold Reader this year. More to follow below.

Sparx Reader has changed how Gold Reader is awarded. This can no longer be given by staff and can only be earned by students completing 100 SRP extra a week before the deadline. 4 stars will earn a Gold Reader badge. Research from Sparx Reader shows that this extra 10 minutes helps students to make more rapid progress. Students can track their stars on their homepage and parents can see this too. More than 100 KS3 students have started to collect their gold stars already. Great start! We are currently looking at ways to reward those who achieve Gold Reader status each term.

Check out what Year 7 are reading in coaching time. If coaches read for just 5 minutes a day, four times a week, students will benefit from over 12 and a half hours of extra story time!

Year 8 are building up their reading in coaching time libraries. All coaching groups have begun a new novel in Term 1 and are ready for over 12 and a half hours or shared reading experiences across the year. A great way to build a reading community.

SSBA club has opened to Year 9 students. Students read and vote for 5 shortlisted books. Which one will be the winner?

The Willingdon 27 Longlist is in for Years 7 and 8. A shortlist of 6 books will form the Willingdon 27 Book Club, open to Year 7 and 8 students. Check out the library for copies of the books and read along.

The first Eastbourne Literary Festival is taking place this month! What a fantastic opportunity to meet a range of authors and take part right in our town. There is something for everyone. We are also fortunate to be taking part in Eastbourne Literary Festival Offer for Schools.

Selected students from various year groups have the opportunity to be involved in a prestigious film screening at the Towner Gallery, Eastbourne Poetry by Heart competition and the Literary Children’s Parade. Don’t miss

out. Visit eastbournelitfest.org for more information.

Thank you to all who have already completed the form.

Open Evening Volunteer Form

Huge congratulations to 9SMI who won the first house challenge of the year! They created an incredible display to show their house pride and won an ice cream reward today! All coaching groups who participated have also earnt house points.

A huge well done also to Cuckmere house who had the highest percentage of Year 7s taking part in the 'Becoming Willingdon' summer challenge! All students who participated have earned points for their house, well done Year 7! 

Following both of these competitions the current house points are below, well done to Wilmington who are currently in the lead!

Following both of these competitions the current house points are below, well done to Wilmington who are currently in the lead!

LPA Academy, a local football technical programme for all ages and abilities are offering the chance for you to attend their BRAND NEW CENTRE at Hailsham Academy 3G. We would love to have you come along and join the first two sessions completely free! If you are keen to join, whilst we still have spaces available, please fill in the form via the link below and one of our staff members will be in touch soon! 

New LPA Academy Football Session - Hailsham Academy 🔴⚫️ – Fill out form

Finally, if you need to reach us directly, we are available on 01273 463355 or sussex@learnplayachieve.com

We can't wait to meet you and your football loving children soon! 

In coaching time this week, students have continued preparing their college applications, exploring future career pathways, and developing their study skills. Students have also been completing independent study to support their GCSE exam preparation.

Please ensure you have completed the permission form for your child to take part in the event.

We look forward to another excellent week ahead. Next week will be a Week A – Green timetable.

The Year 11 Team

Please ensure that your child's absence is reported by 8:30am via EduLink, Arbor, or the Attendance Line.

We have seen a drop in attendance this week, so it is particularly important that students arrive on time and attend school every day whenever possible. Regular attendance plays a vital role in helping students achieve their best.

If a student becomes too unwell during the school day, we will always contact parents/carers and arrange for them to return home where appropriate.

If you have any concerns or require support, please contact me at nholden@willingdonschool.org.uk or speak to your child's pastoral team.

Mrs Holden

Attendance Manager

Dear Parent/Carer,

We are arranging a visit to the London Science Museum for the 2026 STEM Skills Fair. Students will have the opportunity to visit the museum, meet employers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and take part in lots of fun interactive activities.

The coaches will be leaving from school promptly at 7:15am, so students will need to arrive and register with staff in the canteen at 7:00am. Please consider how your child will get to school, as the coaches have to leave Willingdon before the school buses arrive.

We anticipate arriving back at school at approximately 5:30pm. If your child will be getting home by any other means than parent collection, then please indicate this when you make your payment on ParentPay. We will not allow students to go home with their friends or with other parents unless written consent is received of the named person collecting the student. Students may take their phones to use on the coach though they will be asked to put them away when we are walking and studying.

Students are expected to wear their school PE kit so that they are easily identifiable and so that they have comfortable walking shoes for the museum. A packed lunch will be required. If your child is entitled to free school meals, please indicate this when you make your payment on ParentPay and this can be collected before we depart.

If your child suffers with travel sickness that requires medication not currently held in school, they will need to take the medicine before they travel in the morning and you will need to provide the medication in a named box, to be administered by a member of staff, before we travel back. If medication is required, please indicate this when you make your payment on ParentPay. Students with asthma should carry their inhalers with them.

The cost of this trip is £33.75, which covers all travel and venue costs. The trip will become available on ParentPay at approximately 3.00pm on Thursday 24th September.  To confirm your child’s place on this trip would you kindly make your payment via ParentPay as soon as possible following this time. This is a popular trip every year and we expect it to sell out quickly again this year, therefore places on the trip will operate on a first come, first served basis.

We would not want financial hardship to disadvantage your child, therefore, please let me know if you would like a place for your child but are not in a position to make this payment.

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.

I hope you agree that this is a fantastic opportunity for Year 8 to experience STEM first hand in one of the world’s greatest museums! Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

Kind regards,

Mr F Smith and Mr T Staley

Each Career Day combines career and university guidance with live virtual work experience, giving students a practical insight into the profession before making decisions about their future.

All events are live online, and include a personalised certificate of completion. Please note that these events are subject to a fee.

For more information and to book, please visit: CareerDays.co.uk

October
Saturday 3rd – Medicine
Sunday 4th – Dentistry

Saturday 10th – Veterinary Medicine

Saturday 17th – Computer Science
Sunday 18th – Performing Arts

Saturday 24th – Midwifery

Saturday 31st – Psychology

November

Saturday 7th – Architecture

Saturday 21st – Engineering

Saturday 28th – Law

December

Saturday 5th – Business

Dear Parents/Carers,

SPONSORED WALK – Friday, 25th September 2026

If you have not already completed the Google form giving permission for your child to walk next Friday, please do so at your earliest convenience. The link is below for your convenience.

Sponsored Walk Permissions Form

Full details can be found on our website

https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/our-letters

East Sussex County County

You will recall that prior to the start of the new school term, we wrote to you regarding certain bus service changes that could affect young people and staff travelling to/from your school.

Some of the changes were as the result of road closures as part of a major project being undertaken by SGN in the South Road area of Hailsham. You will note from the below from SGN that work has now reached the stage where South Road can be re-opened to traffic although there will be temporary traffic lights in place.

This means that journeys on routes 28, 51, 52, 53, 267 and 500 will be able to revert to normal route in the town from Monday and stops that have not been served can be.

The ‘Knights Garden’ stops at the north end of Ersham Road will remain closed due to the placement of the traffic lights mentioned. This affects service 1B only. It is anticipated another stop in South Road will require suspension shortly as works progress further and we will endeavour to update you.

You will appreciate that with temporary traffic lights in this busy area, it is likely that the service mentioned above, and the 269, will continue to be subject to delays.

Colleagues at Heathfield Community College should note that the closure of North Street between Horsebridge and Hellingly for Southern Water works remains in place and the 267, 268 and 269 will remain on diversion in this area.  

No doubt you will share this information with your young people and families through the various channels open to you.

Colin Eaton

Transport Hub

East Sussex County Council