Welcome to the last Wildern Weekly of 2025.

 

It's been an incredibly successful term with so many great events taking place, students embracing all the clubs and activities on offer and more settled and productive classrooms with our routines in place.

 

As the Deputy Headteachers here at Wildern, we are so proud to see the way students and staff come together throughout the year, a real Wildern Community, at events like Remembrance day, festive celebrations and Fun Fridays. A real highlight of how strong our community is shown through the generosity of charity donations this term. £3755 has been raised through non school uniform days (not including Pyjama day today) and there were a total of 146 shoeboxes created by students and staff to go to help those that may not receive any other gifts this Christmas.

 

We are looking forward to welcoming in the new year. January always brings a time for reflection, a chance to look back on the previous year and consider the successes and things we would like to do better.

 

Until then, we hope you have a restful and healthy Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

Miss Jones, Mr Chance & Mrs Cowan 

Whole School

Monday 5 January 2026 - Week B - Students return to School

Wednesday 7 January  - Preloved Sale 3.15pm - 4.15pm

Monday 12 January - Week A

Monday 19 January - Week B

Monday 19 January - Non-School Uniform Day - Bright Monday

Year 7 

Monday 12 January - District Cross Country

Friday 16 January - Careers Dragon's Den Day

Thursday 22 January - Whole Year Group Photos

 

Year 8

Monday 12 January - District Cross Country

Thursday 22 January - Parent Information Evening - Pathways

Year 9

             Saturday 10 January - DoE Practice Walk

Year 10

Wednesday 21 January - SEN Consultation Day

Year 11

Tuesday 20 January - Bournemouth Poetry Trip

Thursday 22 January - Whole Year Group Photos

We are delighted to announce an exciting change to our breakfast service. To ensure every student starts their day with the energy they need to succeed, we are expanding our provision: for the first two weeks in January, breakfast will be completely free for every student, every school day.

 

At our school, "Every student matters, every moment counts." We know those first few moments of the day set the tone for everything that follows. We aim to make every moment count by ensuring students arrive at their first lesson focused, nourished, and ready to learn.

 

We also understand that mornings can be hectic! This service is designed to be quick and convenient, taking the stress off parents and carers while providing a nutritious start for our students.

 

How it works:

• When: Monday to Friday, 7:30am – 8:20am
• Where: The Main Canteen
• What: Two slices of toast with a choice of spread (Butter, Jam, or Marmite)
• Cost: FREE for everyone

We hope to see as many students as possible taking up this opportunity when we return in January to give them the best possible start to their day.

End of Term Letter from Mr Brookes

End of Term Letter from Mrs Fearon

End of Term Letter from Mr Wood

CPR Lessons

From Monday 5 January, all Year 9 students will begin learning practical, life saving training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). This will be a one off lesson in tutor groups that will take place during the Spring term.

Science Assessment

Science assessment point 2 will be done in class on the week commencing 5 January. This assessment will be on the content your child has covered since their last assessment point. They need to revise the following areas:

B1 - Cell Cycle and Transport in Cells

C1 - Periodic Table and Isotopes

P1 - Energy and Efficiency 

Revision resources can be found on the Science Website

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award

The DofE award is still open for students to sign up via ParentPay. If your student wishes to complete their DofE Award , the deadline to sign-up is the first day back after Christmas (January 6th). A letter has been sent out with all the information to Year 9 students via Edulink.  Students will then be added to a google classroom with information regarding walks/DofE Award.

End of Term Letter from Mrs Heath

End of Term Letter from Mr Nash

On Thursday 11 December, we were able to celebrate our Students from Year 11 and also former students who have achieved their DofE Bronze and Silver Awards.

 

This achievement marks the end of a fantastic journey for these students, with 32 Bronze Awards and 11 Silver awards handed out. This is by far our most ever!

 

All of these students have represented Wildern in a fantastic way of the students who have given back to the community through their volunteering and developed new skills and interests along the way.

 

A huge thank you to all the staff who give up their time on the weekends and after school to support all the students completing the award!

Students in Year 11 studying ‘A Christmas Carol’ as part of their English Literature GCSE got a real taste of the Christmas Feast conjured up by ‘the ghost of Christmas present’ this week.

 

There were no Scrooges, but lots of smiling faces, as the students actually cooked four of the dishes themselves, with traditional Victorian recipes!

 

A brilliant way to bring the Victorian text back to life!

A huge THANK YOU for everyone who donated items for our Basics Bank Appeal 2025! We had a grand total of 1582 items donated which was fantastic! So many people will benefit from our generous donations this Christmas.

 

A special shout out to:

• George H who brought in 29 items himself
• 8J2 who collected a whopping 235 items!! (4 times more than any other tutor group)
• Year 8 had more donations than any other year group

This was also a house competition. Well done to Jubilee who were convincing winners with nearly 300 more than Paxton in 2nd place (and Driscoll were 3rd).

Congratulations to Year 9s who over the last two to three weeks have been standing up in front of their peers and giving persuasive speeches on topics of their choice.

 

The speech writing was inspired by the likes of Martin Luther King Jnr, Greta Thunberg and Emily Watson. Persuasive writing skills can form up to 25% of their English Language GCSE and these speeches form their Spoken Language assessment grade that also appears on their AQA GCSE certification.

On Wednesday, Mrs Rooney, Miss King & Mrs Searle welcomed the Year 7 Bookbuzz students and their parents to the LRC for a Christmas celebration of reading and to hand out Bookbuzz books our students had selected. It was a lovely evening and wonderful to see our students heading out with new and exciting books to read over Christmas. Thank you to all who came!

 

We are excited to launch Wildern's National Year of Reading in 2026 with monthly events for all members of our community to enjoy. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Top Tips…

 

Stop what you are doing and list: 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel (the chair under you, your clothes), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

• Find an activity you genuinely enjoy that moves your body: running, dancing, playing a sport, or even singing loudly.
• Break large, overwhelming tasks (like an essay or project) into smaller, 15-30 minute segments. Focus only on completing the next small segment, not the final result.
• Sleep!  Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Crucially, turn off all screens (phone, laptop) at least 30 minutes before bed.

The Wellbeing Changemakers are committed to promoting a positive ethos across our school, ensuring that wellbeing is at the top of everyone’s agenda… What have we been up to this term?

Peer Education Project

 

Throughout the Autumn Term, the Wellbeing Changemakers have been completing weekly training through the Peer Education Project. The Mental Health Foundation developed the programme in 2015 and Wildern is now one of 200 schools that this has been rolled out into. 

The programme taught these students a range of topics, from how to promote positive wellbeing for other students in the school, to how to create lessons for students, as well as  public speaking skills. The Changemakers are finalising their wellbeing lessons and tutor sessions that they will deliver next year. 

Raising Awareness

 

In September, we helped raise awareness of Papyrus, the charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide and the promotion of positive mental health in young people. We will continue to plan events to fundraise for this vital charity.

Men’s Mental Health Month

 

The Changemakers created an important tutor session that was delivered to the whole school focused on Men’s Mental Health Month. This session discussed critical topics such as The Mask, stigma surrounding boys’ mental health, and signposted sources of support.

Charity Events

 

Students, parents, grandparents and staff participated in the Mental Elf 5k Fun Run, in aid of Solent Mind. 

Letter to our Sons

 

We circulated details, in November, of a project from Adolescence star Stephen Graham and psychology lecturer Orly Klein, inviting fathers to write a letter to their sons for a book on how we raise boys to be the men we would like them to be. Please be aware that the deadline for submissions is Monday 12 January. The book, Letters to Our Sons, will be published in October 2026. Information here.

This half term, students have been using the STOP strategy to navigate tricky situations with confidence. By pausing to evaluate their options, they are building the independence needed to solve problems at school and at home.

 

Try it at home by asking your child to "STOP" and name the problem before you step in, helping them think through their own solutions first!

We know that for many the school holidays are an exciting time of the year however for some of you we know it can be a difficult time.

If you need support over the holiday period or if you are concerned about a friend below are some points of contact for you.

• The Wellbeing Hub on our website is a great place to access support.
• ChatHealth 07505 332160
• Childline
• Samaritans 116123
• Police 101 or in an emergency 999
• CAMHS
• If you are upset and having thoughts and urges about hurting yourself, then stop, take a deep breath and read this page
• If you are witnessing or a victim of Stop Domestic Abuse can provide support
• If you are coping with grief Winstons Wish has some great tips to help you

We are pleased to announce that new Parent accounts will be launched at the end of January. These will make it easier for parents and caregivers to access the resources they need to support their child and engage fully with our careers programme.

 

What’s new 

Parents and caregivers will have access to dedicated accounts where they can;

• Find guides and events specifically for parents and caregivers.
• Subscribe to daily summary emails 
• See your Child’s tasks

Please see letter detailing the above that has been emailed home.

See the huge variety of clubs that are on offer this half term! Sign up for these using the Clubs tab on Edulink.

Year 10/11 Basketball Vs Weston Secondary School Won 61-13

Yr 8 Football (Friendly) Vs Deer Park Lost 3-1

What an incredible term of sport it has been for our students! From the first whistle in September to our final matches this December, our extra-curricular program has been buzzing with energy, teamwork, and outstanding personal growth.

 

Beyond the scores on the board, research shows that regular participation in school sports significantly boosts student wellbeing, cardiovascular health, and even academic focus. This term, our students have truly embodied these benefits through their dedication on and off the field.

 

Team Highlights & Triumphs

Our teams have represented the school with pride across a wide range of fixtures:

Football

Year 7 boys: got off to a slow start but managed to finish the season with 2 back to back wins. Knocked out the cup on penalties.

 

Year 7 & 8 girls: Fantastic season so far in the cup, so far reaching the semi finals. League games commence after Christmas.

 

Year 11 boys: Struggled to build on last year's momentum and were knocked out of the cup in the 2nd round. Similar struggles in the league left them mid-table at the conclusion. 

Basketball

Junior Boys: Struggled in their first season as a team but gained a lot of valuable experience. Finished mid-table without a win having honoured all of our fixtures.

 

Senior Boys: 3 straight wins and currently unbeaten, the team continue in the new year to finish top two and reach the trophy final. 

 

Junior Girls: Junior girls have been training hard and preparing for their first games in the new year.

Sports Leaders

The Sports Leaders have been working hard to support delivery of various Junior school events and Wildern transition projects. The spring and summer term brings a very busy schedule, but their dedication to supporting young people in sport has been admirable

Netball:

Consistently dominating tournaments but finishing 2nd has been the narrative of the term for the netballers. Excellent performances and hard work but just not quite gotten over the line at the tournaments. Still an excellent year!

Cross Country

Following the success of the district trials for Year 8-11, those athletes who successfully qualified will run in the next round in January.

Following really successful (albeit, muddier than usual) year 7 qualification runs in PE lessons, we look forward to taking 30 students over to Embly Park for their turn to try and qualify. I look forward to updating you in January.  

Please see the menu for our hot food options for next week.

 

The main school meal deals are £3.40 which is in line with all Hampshire schools. In a meal deal, students can get one of the meal choices below with a bottle of plain water and a cookie or piece of fruit.

• Either of the hot meal options,
• A jacket potato,
• A pasta pot,
• A chicken or beef burger,
• A salad pot (from the salad bar)

We encourage all families to use the free school meals eligibility checker, which can be found here, to determine if they qualify for this entitlement. 

 

Please remember, we can adapt the majority of meals to any dietary needs if we know in advance (your child can speak to kitchen staff by visiting the kitchen before 8:30am that day). Main A/B vegetarian options are always available - just ask Dan and his team.

 

* correct at time of sending, but may be subject to change

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Scalping.

 

Millions of new phones, tablets, laptops and games consoles will be nestling under Christmas trees this year. However, even if parents and carers have gone to the trouble of setting up these new devices and enabling the safety features, there are still potential hazards in the apps, games and software that children will want to install and use.

 

Knowing what to look for and discussing those risks with your child may help avoid any nasty surprises this Christmas. Here are our top tips for ensuring that unwrapping this year’s presents doesn’t unleash any unexpected dangers.

 

In the guide, you'll find tips such as disabling in-app purchasing, taking note of age ratings and watching out for imitators.

Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts

 

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Wildern School

Wildern Lane

Hedge End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 4EJ

 

01489 783473

 

#WeAreWildern