Well done to the Year 11s who have coped really well with their GCSE Exams this week. They have another week of exams next week and are doing remarkably well coping with the pressure, keep up the good work Year 11! 

Year 11 had a talk today about punctuality to lessons and continuing to following the uniform policy, they are still part of our community and are role models for the younger year groups,  so we really need them to remember those expectations and standards and end on a high.  We would really appreciate families supporting us with this.

We had the second groups of Year 10s going out on their Duke of Edinburgh Expedition/Assessment on Wednesday which went really well and thank you to Mrs Collins for pulling that all together.  Well done to all the students involved.

On Monday 11^th May, we have our next Rewards Afternoon Tea and a number of parents, carers and students have been invited in and this time it was particularly based on compassion, courtesy and respect reward points, so we hope lots of you can come in and enjoy the cream tea with us.

We have our Attendance & Wellbeing Coffee Morning 9-10am on Tuesday and that’s a really good way to reach out to parents who are struggling with their child’s attendance. If you feel you have any other barriers, please come in and meet with us, it is so important to keep that line of communication open.

We have the Year 10s going off to the Oxford University/Williams F1 STEM Trip next week, and I know the BBC have been in touch about filming them having that experience, so we are very excited about that. Thank you to Mr Smith for organising this.

We have the heats for the Eastbourne Young Chef on Wednesday and are looking forward to seeing how our students do there.  We have also held our Staff Bake-Off competition that has also been filmed, like the Staff Traitors, and we look forward to sharing this with our community in the summer term once we have completed all the editing.

Next week is Mental Health Awareness week and we did have a non-uniform day for students in the calendar for Friday 15^th May. Unfortunately, we will be postponing this until a date in Term 6 to ensure that the GCSE examinations are not impacted and are in line with JCQ statutory requirements, that all students on school site are identifiable by our school uniform. There will still be a focus on Mental Health Awareness through coaching time and assemblies next week.  Our apologies for the late notice and oversight on our part regarding this, but we hope you appreciate the need to support our Year 11 students with their GCSE examinations.  Thank you for your understanding.

I wish you all a very good weekend.

Warm regards,

Mrs May
Headteacher

pastoral-11@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

We have had a full on week as exams have kicked off and we are very much looking forward to the weeks ahead. We know students are feeling the pressure of the exams, but are keen to support them in finding a balance between work and preparation, along with some down time too.

pastoral-10@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Well done to all Year 10 students for a successful Week 4 of the term.

This week, students received an assembly sharing information about the WCS Ski Trip 2027. We hope many students across the year group will take advantage of this exciting opportunity. Students also received key information from Mr Cain regarding the introduction of the Yondr phone pouches, which will begin at the start of Term 6.

We have also been focussing on uniform expectations this week, with coaches and the Year 10 pastoral team carrying out daily uniform checks. We would like to say well done and thank you to all students who consistently meet our uniform expectations every day.

cjohnson@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-9@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

This week, I had the opportunity to spend time visiting a number of lessons across the year group, and I wanted to say how proud I was of the vast majority of our Year 9 students. It was fantastic to see so many students fully engaged in their learning, contributing positively in lessons and demonstrating the maturity and focus that we know they are capable of. Students were an absolute credit to both the school and the year group, and it was particularly pleasing to see so many examples of respect, courtesy and ambition being demonstrated naturally within the classroom environment.

In coaching time this week, students have also been exploring the theme of local history, with a particular focus on how our local area was affected during the First World War. It was lovely to see many students continuing these discussions and showing genuine curiosity and compassion when reflecting on the impact that historical events had on local communities and families. During lesson walkthroughs, this engagement and thoughtful discussion was clearly evident, and it was wonderful to see students approaching these topics with such maturity.

As always, we know that success looks different for every young person. For some students, success may be achieving highly academically, whilst for others it may simply be attending school regularly, building confidence, overcoming challenges or making positive choices day-to-day. Every step forward matters, and we are incredibly proud of the progress so many students are making.

As we head into the final two weeks of term, we would also love to continue celebrating the fantastic achievements our students accomplish outside of school. Whether it’s sporting success, performing arts, volunteering, scouting, dance, music, martial arts, fundraising or anything else your child is proud of, please do get in touch if you would be happy for us to share and celebrate these successes within our school community. We know we have many incredibly talented young people in Year 9, and it is always wonderful to recognise and celebrate these achievements together.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support throughout the year. We look forward to finishing the term strongly together and making the final couple of weeks as positive and rewarding as possible for all of our students.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

Warm regards,

The Year 9 Team

pastoral-8@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

As we move beyond the halfway point of the term and approach the final two weeks, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Year 8 students on the continued progress they are making across all areas of school life.

Miss Turner and I are consistently impressed by the way students demonstrate our Personal Excellence values both in and out of the classroom. It has been fantastic to see so many students engaging positively in school activities whilst continuing to work hard towards their academic focal points as we begin preparing for the transition into Year 9. Students are showing increasing maturity, leadership, and enthusiasm in everything they do.

This week, we have seen some particularly impressive work within Art, where students have been producing detailed drawings of sweet treats. The quality of pencil control, tone, and shading on display has been exceptional, and it has been wonderful to see students developing such strong creative skills.

Our after school Cooking Club also continues to thrive, with students recently making some fantastic pavlovas. It is great to see students participating in activities that not only build confidence and teamwork but also equip them with valuable life skills for the future.

In addition, several students have attended, and more students next week will be attending, future careers opportunity talks in Brighton. Students have been carefully selected on an invitation-only basis for these events.

However, we are also pleased to announce that we will soon be offering a full Year 8 trip to Brighton University. Please keep an eye out for further information regarding this exciting opportunity.

A reminder also regarding the proposed diving Thailand trip for March 2028. If you are interested, please ensure you complete the expression of interest form. Information regarding the provisional itinerary will again be attached to this bulletin. We will also be scheduling an information meeting in the coming weeks, and families who have registered interest will be contacted directly with details.

Attendance this week has once again been excellent, remaining just above 95%, which is fantastic to see. A special congratulations goes to 8DBR, whose attendance last week rose to an outstanding 97.6%. As a reward, students in the tutor group will be receiving cookies this week. Very well deserved!

We would also like to recognise several students for their outstanding achievement points this week. Congratulations to Fin W, Isabella P, Suki L, and Theo T, who each achieved over 36 achievement points this week. It is brilliant to see students consistently striving for excellence.

Another special mention goes to Saira K, Ellen H, and Isabel W, who have been invited for hot chocolate with the head following nominations from Miss Mallipoudy in English. Their work has been selected for publication in the Stranger Saga competition, which is a tremendous achievement. We are incredibly proud of the high quality work our students continue to produce.

As the weather continues to improve and students begin enjoying the field at break and lunchtime, we would like to remind parents that full school uniform is still expected at all times. This includes shirts tucked in, ties worn correctly, and blazers being worn throughout the school day. Jumpers should not be worn as a replacement for blazers.

We have also noticed a small increase in lateness to school and lessons. We would appreciate your support in reminding students of the importance of arriving promptly so that learning can begin immediately and disruption is minimised, particularly as we prepare students for the expectations of Year 9.

Finally, a reminder for parents to ensure they have signed up for activities day, which will take place during the final week of term. There are a variety of exciting opportunities available to Year 8 students, including the popular trip to Chessington. Please ensure your child has selected an activity as soon as possible.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We wish you all a wonderful weekend.

Kind regards,

The Year 8 Team

pmuller@willingdonschool.org.uk

pastoral-7@willingdonschool.org.uk

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

It has been another busy week in Year 7 this week, made even better with the lovely weather and the full use of the field now.

As you will be aware, the Activities Day choices went out this week, and thank you to everyone who booked these so quickly. Please can I ask, if your child has not selected an activity to take part in yet, please can you look at this over the weekend together and make a choice, otherwise it may be a case your child gets allocated a space in whatever is left. 

On an activity theme, the new range of enrichment activities to get involved in after school is available to view on our website: https://willingdonschool.org.uk/learning/enrichment-programme.

A reminder that these are free for your child to attend. These activities run lunchtimes and run most evenings 3 - 4pm.  Every year we try to encourage our Year 7s to take part in at least one enrichment activity throughout the year. Again, please have a look at the clubs on this term, and encourage your child to get involved. 

Finally, with the warmer weather, please can we remind you that school jumpers are optional and do not replace the blazer. If your child wears a jumper they must still have their blazer over the top. They should not walk around in just their jumpers and shirts. If they are hot, they need to remove the jumper and wear the blazer and shirt or just the shirt on really hot days. 

Let's hope the sun stays out for the weekend.

The Year 7 Team

Wealden District bus service changes

To support our families, we are hosting an Attendance and Wellbeing Coffee Morning on Tuesday 12th May, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Nicola Holden

Attendance Manager

All Year 9 and Year 10 students attended an assembly this week where the key information about the ski trip was shared. A detailed letter has also been emailed to all parents/carers outlining the trip information, costs, and payment schedule required to secure a place. You can find a copy of this letter here https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/our-letters.

Places are limited and will be allocated upon receipt of the required deposit payment as outlined in the letter.

If you have any questions, please refer to the information sent via email or contact lgordon@willingdonschool.org.uk.

We look forward to another successful week next week which is a Green Week B for students on their timetables, this will be their last week at school before they start their Work Experience placement to end Term 5.

Thank you for your continued support.        

The Year 10 Team

Unfortunately, we will be postponing this until a date in Term 6 to ensure that the GCSE examinations are not impacted in a negative manner and that in line with JCQ statutory requirements, all students on school site are identifiable by our school uniform. There will still be a focus on Mental Health Awareness through coaching time and assemblies next week.

Our apologies for the late notice and oversight on our part regarding this, but we hope you appreciate the need to support our Year 11 students with their GCSE examinations.

Reminder: Expedition Dates 1^st June and 2^nd June

Dear Year 9 D of E Parents/ Carers

Please find the link to the original D of E letter which has the summary of arrangements for the Duke of Edinburgh expedition this year to Blackland Farm https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/our-letters. 

Please note that students are asked to be dropped and collected from Blackland Farm by parents/carers so that we do not have to add any additional transportation costs.  I will re-confirm the exact times again over the half term, as Monday 1^st June is the first day of Term 6 after the holiday break.

Students should now have received their logins this week from Duke of Edinburgh directly and they all have access to their D of E Google Classroom which contains all of the lesson material used in their after-school club sessions where we have been covering the practice requirements. The Google Classroom also has the expedition kit list.

The letter for all participants can be found https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/our-letters.

If you would like any further information about the AAP (Approved Activity Provider) - Blackland Farm, there is plenty of additional information about their expeditions on their website.  This also includes any FAQ that you may have.

https://blacklandfarm.org/dofewalkingexpeditions/

Please note that Blackland Farm Outdoor Centre supply group equipment for the expedition:

Tents / stoves and gas / maps and compasses / group first aid kit.

Please can you let me know if you would rather provide any of your own items from this list via the google form.

If your child does not have any access to an appropriate expedition rucksack, please indicate this via the google form.

Please complete the google form D of E Google Form which contains the various permissions for your child's expedition.  Please could these be completed by Friday 15th May.

If additional medications are required, the link is Parent Medicine Consent Form – Google Form

The Year 9 cohort have been superb in planning so far and we are hugely looking forward to their expedition.  Hopefully all your queries will have been answered in the information letters but if you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me.

All best wishes.

Mrs Collins

lcollins@willingdonschool.org.uk

Well done to the selected Year 9 students who took part in the videoed entries for the Poetry by Heart competition. We are very proud of you for the commitment and courage it took to enter.

Special congratulations to two Year 9 students who have made it through to the Grande Finale at the Globe Theatre in London on Monday 6 July. They will perform their poem by heart to an audience at the Globe Theatre. Well done for bringing heart-felt conviction and passion to your performance of the poem.

In July, students in Years 7, 8, and 9 will take part in an author visit by Anthony McGowan. Head down to the library to borrow one of his books before the event.

This Wednesday’s session focused on building on inference skills and finding evidence.  Challenge yourself: Look out for moments to find evidence in your history lesson this week.   

Well done to 7CPH, 7EGA, 7SPA and 7ZKE who logged their class reading on the year group library this week.  

125 students have started reading Macbeth on Sparx Reader this term. A great way to boost their understanding of Macbeth ready for their class assessments this term. The challenge is open to all Year 9 students. So far, these students have collectively spent 51 hours reading Macbeth in preparation for their assessment.  

This term’s #inmyshoesWCS reading challenge is focusing on the theme of moments of sadness. Students are supported by termly reading conversations in their weekly reading for pleasure lessons. See Edulink for further details.  

Subject:

Invitation to join our Parent Focus Group on Thursday, 21^st May at 3.30pm-4.30pm

Dear Parents and Carers,

We would like to invite you to join our upcoming Parent Focus Group on Thursday, 21st May, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

The session will focus on behaviour and the ongoing update of our Behaviour for Learning policy. Your insights and experiences are incredibly valuable, and your participation will help us shape a policy that supports all students effectively.

The meeting will take place at the school with Mr Cain and Mr Scowen, Assistant Headteachers who lead behaviour, and we hope you will be able to attend and contribute to this important discussion.

If you would like to attend, please email my PA Mrs Tomalin at stomalin@willingdonschool.org.uk

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Warm regards,

Mrs May

Headteacher

Could we please ask any submissions to either contain the name of the school they are from in the title of the video they are sending, or for the child to state the name of the school in the video.

We have also been making preparations for various extra events for the Year 11 students and are key to remind all of those dates:

Friday 5^th June – final full time day that Year 11s are due in school

Friday 12^th June – student leavers assembly at 11.30am following the Chemistry Paper 2

Friday 3^rd July – Year 11 Prom

Please see the letter below of all of the details outlined for the Prom. Once payment has been made via ParentPay please click on the in the letter to make menu choices and seating arrangements.

We hope all students enjoy the weekend and can find that balance of working and relaxing in preparation for next week.

Thanks as always for your ongoing support.

The Year 11 Team

All Year 9 and Year 10 students attended an assembly this week where the key information about the ski trip was shared. A detailed letter has also been emailed to all parents/carers outlining the trip information, costs, and payment schedule required to secure a place. You can find a copy of this letter here https://willingdonschool.org.uk/key-information/our-letters.

Places are limited and will be allocated upon receipt of the required deposit payment as outlined in the letter.

If you have any questions, please refer to the information sent via email or contact lgordon@willingdonschool.org.uk.