Parent Bulletin Friday 2nd February 2024
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Parent Bulletin Friday 2 February 2024
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On Tuesday 30th January, 42 year 7 and 8 Wildern students performed in a choir of over 8,000 as part of the Young Voices Concert at the O2. Guest artists included Natalie Williams, MC Grammar, and the Urban Strides Dance Company. The students have been rehearsing for this event since October 2023 and have learnt multiple songs with actions, dances and makaton signing. The students were a credit to Wildern and absolutely professional during what was a long day. Well done to all involved. It was a brilliant occasion.
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DanceLive! Sunday rehearsal: Sunday 4th Feb 9am - 1pm in the Main School Hall.
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The following course is free to parents and carers of any student who presents with sensory difficulties.
Understanding Sensory Processing in Teenagers (sensoryintegrationeducation.com)
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Thank you to all the Year 8 Parents that joined us online for a very successful virtual Parents' Evening on Thursday
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Our Year 8 Azure group had a great time exploring different aspects of Global Citizenship last Friday at Runways End Outdoor Centre. They worked on developing teamwork and communication skills, tested Ph levels for carbon in soil and learnt some valuable survival skills by cooking orange brownies on a camp fire!
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Tuesday 6 February is the deadline for ordering whole school photos for Year 7 and 11 parents
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The Junior Bare Roots Dance company have had an exciting 2 hour workshop led by the PGCE dance students at Chichester University. Our students have shown resilience and wonderful professionalism and etiquette today.
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Spring Term Parent Survey
Please click here to complete our very short Spring term survey, which is focusing on Feedback and Progress. There are just 3 questions which can be answered in as little as a minute, but also offers you the opportunity to expand on your answers if you would like us to know more. We are asking all parents to complete this as soon as possible. Please complete this by 12pm Thursday 8th February.
We are always interested in hearing from everyone in our community about the things we are doing well and the things we perhaps need to improve. As part of our quality assurance processes we regularly speak to students in school about their experience but we also want to hear from Parents, and will share our findings later this month.
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We are currently taking applications for the new Prefect Team 2024! Letters of application are being handed into reception for the three roles: prefect, senior prefect and Head Student. Year 10 students who wish to apply are being asked to write a letter addressed to Mrs Oakley and Mrs Marshall stating why they are a role model to others, why they would like to be a prefect, how they have shown they can lead others and how they have had a positive impact on the school so far.
The deadline for all letters of application is Thursday 8th February. These must be put in the appropriate box in reception. We are excited to read through all the application letters!
All other necessary details are on each tutor group’s Google Classroom page including a video explaining all in detail.
Please be aware, as with most jobs and roles there are limited spaces available - applying does not guarantee a role. This is a competitive position, so applicants must put their best forward and prepare themselves should all things not work out as hoped.
Students from Year 7-9 should also pay careful attention to what helps students become Prefects as they may wish to apply for a Prefect role in the future. When considering applications we look to see what other groups, clubs, initiatives and activities students have been involved in throughout their time at Wildern. Character building, positive impact, and student leadership starts well before the Prefect application deadline!
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Whole School
Sunday 4 Feb 9am - 1pm DanceLive! Sunday rehearsal: in the Main School Hall
Monday 5 February Week B
Wednesday 7 February Dance Live Portsmouth Guildhall
Monday 12 - 16 February Half Term
Monday 19 February CPD Day School Closed to Students
Tuesday 20 February Week A
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Year 8
Thursday 8 February Careers Networking Day
Monday 26 February Pathways taster lessons begin
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Year 9
Friday 9 - Monday 12 February Spanish Trip to Madrid
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Year 10
Monday 22 January - 2 February Practice exams
Monday 5 - Friday 9 February Apprenticeship week
Monday 5 - Friday 9 February Art & Photography Practice Exams
Thursday 8 February Apprenticeship fair 5pm -7pm in Main School Hall
Friday 9 - Monday 12 February Spanish Trip to Madrid
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Year 11
Thursday 8 February Apprenticeship fair 5pm -7pm in Main School Hall
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National Apprenticeship Week 2024
From 5th to 11th February this annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships, brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2024 is ‘Skills for Life’.
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Guidance on measles outbreaks
There have been recent localised outbreaks of measles centred around the West Midlands. There is a risk of further outbreaks in other areas unless urgent action is taken to increase Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination take up in areas with low MMR vaccine rates.
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DanceLive!
Wednesday 7th Feb: Yr 8-11 Meeting in the school Hall at 9am with Costume. Wearing the Dancelive T-shirt and sports leggings/PE shorts. Bring enough food and drink for the day. Please ensure the pink slip with travel arrangements has been handed back to Miss Gates/Miss Saunders.
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Natural History Museum and London Eye
In order to enrich the Geography curriculum and support the teaching of natural hazards, ecosystems and the UK, the Wildern School Geography Department has organised a trip to the Natural History Museum.
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Arundel Castle
The History Department is organising a day trip for Year 7 History students to visit Arundel Castle.
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Art Club
Year 7 Art club Monday 5th February due to Year 10 Art and Photography Exams
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Year 8 WAD 1
(Wildern Assessment Data) Report 1 has been sent home via email and are on INSIGHT under the WAD and Reports section. Please watch the video here to know how to talk to your child about WAD and help you understand what it is telling you about your child’s progress.. There have been no changes made to the system since September 2022.
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Art Club
Year 8 Art club Monday 5th February due to Year 10 Art and Photography Exams
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Barcelona Residential Information Evening
The Barcelona Residential Information Evening, will be taking place on Monday 5th February 5pm - 6pm in the main hall. We are looking forward to meeting all parents and guardians to share valuable information regarding the trip. Students are also encouraged to attend the information evening.
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Year 9 WAD
(Wildern Assessment Data) Report 2 will be sent home during the course of next week and will appear on INSIGHT under the WAD and Reports section. Please watch the video here to know how to talk to your child about WAD and understand what it is telling you about your child’s progress.. There have been no changes made to the system since September 2022.
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Art Club
Year 9 Art club Monday 5th February due to Year 10 Art and Photography Exams
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Barcelona Residential Information Evening
The Barcelona Residential Information Evening, will be taking place on Monday 5th February 5pm - 6pm in the main hall. We are looking forward to meeting all parents and guardians to share valuable information regarding the trip. Students are also encouraged to attend the information evening.
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Art and Photography students
5 hour practice exams W/B 5th February 2024 - students have been given the information about their exam by their art or photography teacher. This exam and the preparation work that students have worked on since September 2023 form the basis of students first ( of two) coursework units that combined are awarded at 60% of their final GCSE grade.
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Apprenticeship Fair
At Wildern School, we strongly believe in providing diverse opportunities for our students to explore various career paths and gain practical experience. As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting an Apprenticeship Fair on Thursday 8th February between 5pm - 7pm. This fair aims to connect students and parents with a wide array of apprenticeship providers available across different industries.
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Extra Support Programme (ESPs) Schedule Spring 1 2024
ESPs next week are:
Monday: Maths
Tuesday: Drama
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Art and Photography students
You should have selected the starting point for your exam - (ESA Externally Set Assignment) - which is worth 40% of your GCSE grade..You have the spring term to complete the assessment objectives via your preparatory work with your 10 hour exam in the summer term. ESP: 5th March
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Separate Science mini-papers
Students will be sitting mini papers in their lessons after half term, covering Paper 1. These papers will be to test students on the content they have been revising in class. The papers will allow students to identify their weaknesses for revision. The students' class teachers will confirm the dates.
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Nut Allergies - important information
The beginning of the academic year is a good time to remind ourselves that a number of students and staff at Wildern have severe allergies to nuts. It is imperative that there is a strict avoidance of this food in order to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction and we ask that students and staff do not bring nuts into school to support our safe school environment.
Any exposure to nuts may cause a life-threatening reaction that requires emergency medical treatment. To help reduce the chance of this happening we ask that you do not send your child to school or on school trips with products containing nuts.
We appreciate your support with these procedures.
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Defibrillator (AED)
Many of us are intimidated by the thought of using a defibrillator (AED). But we shouldn’t be. They can be found in many public areas and are designed to be easy to use. You could be called on to use one at any time or place.
So, take a moment to find out how they work – you could save someone’s life!
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Children’s Mental Health Week is taking place from 5-11 February 2024. The theme this year is ‘My Voice Matters’.
My Voice Matters is about empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves.
As parents and carers, you play an important role in your child’s mental health. Here are some resources provided by Place2Be so you can get involved at home.
We are often asked by parents and carers ‘how can I support my child’s mental health?’ Please have a look at Top Tips for Families to see what young people and children said they want and need from their families.
What Matters to You – Activities for 11 – 14 yrs old. Developed by Place2Be’s Art Room for 11-14 yr olds, this activity encourages young people to consider what matters to them in their daily life, and in the wider world.
Top Tips for Young People – Secondary students share their advice on how other young people can look after their mental health.
Throughout the week we have some great events planned for our students to participate in. We want to empower all our students to work together to create a positive change for their mental health and wellbeing.
The wellbeing and mental health of all our students is incredibly important to us. Please do get in touch with us if you have any concerns regarding your child so that we can support accordingly.
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For further advice or for information on the support both in and outside of school please visit our Wellbeing Hub by clicking here
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KS3 Cooking Club - Wednesday 7th Feb in 512 at 3pm - 4:30pm, Valentine’s Cheesecake. Students must reserve a place with their Food teacher.
Here is our Spring term co-curricular activities including our Spring Term PE menu. Please look at what is on offer to your child and discuss this over with them as their might be something more that they can get involved with. Students can sign up via the link they have been emailed last week.
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Monday
Pasta bolognese / veggie bolognese with garlic bread (v) or
Savoury smoked cheese brioche bap with hash browns (v)
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Tuesday
Spiced lamb flatbread with wedges or
Creamy tomato vegetable bake with crusty bread (v)
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Wednesday
Chicken and bacon / veggie sub with cajun fries (v) or
Jerk chicken/veggie burger with curly fries (v)
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Thursday
Meat or veggie curry of the day with rice and nann (v) or
Thai green chicken / veg curry with basmati rice and nann (v)
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Friday
Fish of the day with chips and peas or
Cheese and bacon / vegetable turnover with fries and beans (v)
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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
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Year 7 Southampton Schools Netball League
There were lots of squad changes this week due to a number of our players representing the school at Young Voices.
This gave us the opportunity to expose different students to competitive netball, with four of the team playing their first fixture for Wildern tonight. It was wonderful to see some new face on court playing a sport they enjoy.
Our first match finished with a 7-2 loss to St. George's, after a regroup the students went back on court showing tenacity and worked as a team, to secure a 4-0 victory against St. Mark's.
We have now played all our matches in the groups stages, winning all our matches bar one.
Next week we enter the Play-Offs!
POMS: Lucy E and Sadie W
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Parent's Guide to Careers Guidance - Please access this guide to help support the conversations and next steps coming up after your student has had their Careers Guidance appointment with Mrs O'Leary. This is usually a meeting with Yr 11 students, but is occasionally for other students too.
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Labour Market Information - November 2023
National Apprenticeship Week 2024
National Apprenticeship Week 2024 will take place from 5th to 11th February. This annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships, brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2024 is ‘Skills for Life’. The week will reflect on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career and help businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with skills for the future.
Technical education has been transformed in recent years through programmes such as apprenticeships, Traineeships, T Levels, and KickStart. The week will encourage the country to consider and celebrate how technical education can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers to develop a workforce with future ready skills.
National Apprenticeship Week 2024 is a great opportunity to celebrate with all the apprenticeship community, promote the benefits of apprenticeships, of progression opportunities, of new exciting standards and showcase how apprenticeships work for individuals, employers, local communities, and the wider economy
At Wildern, we will be supporting your child to find out more about Apprenticeships by providing a selection of resources that can be completed during this week and beyond. The resources have been provided to us by Amazing Apprenticeships which is the approved communication channel, commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service, to support the Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge for Schools project and YouthEmployment.org. These will be available in the lead up to the week via the Careers Google Classrooms for your child’s year group and will include activity booklets to complete, online events to register for and attend and activities during their Education for Life tutor time. Year 8 - 11 will be spoken to in their assembly time by representatives from the South Hampshire College Group during this week about the virtues of apprenticeships and how to possibly go about starting the thinking process of how to find and undertake one.
Additionally, we are providing a free guide entitled ‘The Parents’ Guide to Apprenticeships’ which highlights the benefits of apprenticeships and answers some of the many questions you might have. A selection of the most common questions are referenced below for your convenience.
Introducing apprenticeships – a great pathway to career success
What is an apprenticeship?
Is an apprenticeship the right choice for your child?
How to help your child choose the right apprenticeship
3 steps in helping your teen find the right apprenticeship
I would like to confirm with you that these activities are optional and will not be marked as incomplete should your child decide not to take this opportunity, but we would encourage them to engage with these to broaden their understanding of the career pathways available to them in the future.
If you have any further queries about this event, please contact me at careers@wildern.org
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What Parents and Carers Need to Know about MyLOL
Teenagers’ blossoming interest in romantic relationships and their devotion to online networking is a potent combination – and, regrettably, not always a safe one. It raises all kind of worries about the possibility of sharing intimate images or deeply personal information; and that’s simply with contacts their own age – to say nothing of the chance of connecting with an older stranger.
MyLOL – a site which specifically facilitates interaction between 13 to 19-year-olds – has amassed around a million users worldwide, but sadly its safeguarding protocols can’t match that level of success. The ease with which an adult could pose as a teen under a bogus birthdate makes grooming a realistic threat – and that’s far from the platform’s only risk, as our guide explains.
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Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts
Follow us on social media:
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Wildern School
Wildern Lane
Hedge End
Southampton
Hampshire
SO30 4EJ
01489 783473
#WeAreWildern
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