Parent Bulletin Friday 17th May 2024
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Parent Bulletin Friday 17th May 2024
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Hello, and welcome to this week's edition of the Wildern Weekly. My name is Mrs Thornton and I am one of the Assistant Headteachers here at Wildern School.
My main responsibilities are: the KS3 curriculum, Year 8 pathways, whole school literacy, whole school feedback and our MAC (most able children) programme.
As an English teacher my passion is books. It has been ever since I fell in love with Middle Earth and Hobbits (J.R.R.Tolkien ‘The Hobbit’) at a young age. An English classroom can take you to different worlds and even transport you through time - there really are no limits. Promoting reading across our school, alongside Mrs Slater the LIteracy Coordinator, is an absolute privilege, and something I am very passionate about.
At Wildern School we believe that effective teaching and learning takes place when all students are challenged, feel successful and are stimulated and motivated. My favourite educational quote, "Learning happens when people think hard." underpins our aim as a school to create a thinking culture in every classroom. Alongside Mrs King, we are working with our staff to foster a thinking culture in our school. All children can think and they can all be taught to think more effectively. No child’s capacity for thinking should be limited.
Outside of school I love nothing more than forcing my young children to go on a walk, and love being near the water. I also enjoy playing netball, and of course reading.
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Calling & messaging your child at school: If there is an emergency or an urgent need to contact your child, please call the reception and we can help. Students are receiving calls and messages from parents during the day and sometimes in lessons that is leading to students losing focus or getting their phones out to check communications. This may mean phones are confiscated.
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Our thanks to the staff that have been running various morning GCSE breakfast revision sessions for our brilliant Year 11 students
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Detention Communications
Please remember to check your insight for notifications of detentions that may have been set for your child. Also please ask your child to check their emails and insight daily to avoid missing key information that is shared. This is where they will find confirmation and notification of any detentions and rewards that they have received.
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Get caught reading - May also happens to be Get Caught Reading Month.
Books are a great way to forget about your problems for a while and be transported to new lands where you can meet new people and engage in amazing storylines.
Or if you’re more of a non-fiction fan, books can be a source of inspiration, information or empowerment, depending on what you read.
Submit you wildest pictures of yourself reading in unusual or amazing places this month. Did you visit a historic landmark with a favourite book? Attend a concert or performance? Travel someplace new? Share a photo and get others talking!
Please send your pictures to: getcaughtreading@wildern.org Closing date: 31st May 2024
Prizes:
- The tutor group who submits the most entries
- The most unusual/ unique place caught reading
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Last week, we had the privilege of congratulating and celebrating with the new prefect team for 2024-2025! Mr Hinks and Mrs Oakley presented the new team with their prefect ties and badges - they now look so smart and ready for their new roles. Mr Knight then delivered his ever so helpful and fun tie-tying session to demystify those dazzled by not being able to use a clip on tie anymore. We have seen some impressive knots since we challenge them to try something interesting - the Trinity knot has featured! All prefects have now assumed duty spots around the school to help us foster a positive and consistent environment during break times.
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Whole School
Monday 20 May Week B
Monday 27 - Friday 31 May Half Term
Monday 3 June Week A
Friday 21 June Culture day
Thursday 27th June Year 6 Induction day
Wednesday 10 July KS3 Paultons, KS4 Sports day
Thursday 11 July KS4 Paultons, KS3 Sports day
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Year 7
Wednesday 5 June Science trip to Legoland
Thursday 6 June ICT trip to Bletchley Park
Wednesday 26 June History trip to Arundel Castle
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Year 8
Friday 24 - Monday 27 May - Geography trip to Wales trip
Wednesday 5 June Science trip to Legoland
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Year 9
Monday 3 & Tuesday 4 June Science trip to Life Lab, at Southampton Hospital
Tuesday 4 June Technology trip to Bread Ahead Bakery & Borough Market
Thursday 13 June Parents evening (Face to Face)
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Year 10
Monday 10 & Tuesday 11 June GCSE Geography trip to Hengistbury Head
Monday 17 - Wednesday 19 June Experience of a workplace visits
Wednesday 26 June Science trip to National Oceanography Centre (Discover STEM)
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Year 11
GCSE exams Timetable available here and a reminder to bring all equipment and come in full uniform please
Seminar Timetables are on INSIGHT
Tuesday 28 - Friday 31 May Half Term revision
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Water Bottles
With the warm weather finally here can we please remind all students to bring a drink to school, there are water stations available to re-fill bottles across the site. Bottles of water are also available to purchase during break and lunch time.
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Paultons Park Trip 2024
Your child will be taking part in a whole school visit to Paultons Park. This is an opportunity for staff and students to spend the day together building relationships and making memories whilst enjoying the fantastic rides and activities the park has to offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for Year 7 and 8 and Year 9 and 10 to spend the day together and we have secured a superb rate for tickets.
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Healthy Eating & Affordable Nutritious Meals - Thursday 6 June 2024 VENUE – School Hall @ 6pm
Our event this month will share more about the importance of fuelling our bodies with a balanced diet whilst we explore the themes celebrated during the British Nutrition Foundation's 12th annual Healthy Eating Week. We will also share tips for planning quick, affordable and nutritious family meals.
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Art Club
Is not running on Monday 20th May 2024 due to GCSE Art and Photography Internal Moderation - thank you
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English Assessments
Year 7 will be sitting two assessments next week. The first includes Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar and Reading Comprehension sections. The reading comprehension will be based on an understanding of poetry. This unit was studied last term. Revision will take place in class but if students would like to revise at home, they may want to use the link to the lessons for this unit here: Secondly, they will sit a creative writing assessment that will also assess spelling, punctuation and grammar as well being able to communicate ideas and thoughts in a convincing and compelling way.
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Kornwestheim, Germany – Tuesday 24 - Saturday 28 September 2024
We are incredibly excited to write to you to offer your child a unique international sporting opportunity. This September, Wildern School has been invited to take part in the 4th Olympics of the Partner Schools, at the Ernst-Sigle-Gymnasium in Kornwestheim, Germany, alongside a school from Villeneuve-SaintGeorges in France and Móstoles in Spain.
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Year 8 Science assessment
Your child will be completing a science assessment in class during the week beginning 13th May. Resources to aid revision have been posted on Google Classroom and the science website as well as, completing in class revision lessons.
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Parents' Evening
Ther Year 9 Parents Evening on Thursday 13th June 4pm - 8pm will be face to face and on the school site.
More details to follow soon.
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Year 9 Science Booster sessions:
These sessions are held on Monday and Thursday in 318 and are designed to boost students' confidence in science. You will have received a letter if your child is involved.
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Changes to our Year 10 team
As you may well be aware, there will be changes to our Year 10 team effective from the 13th May 2024. Mrs Marshall, Year 10 DOPA (Director of Progress and Achievement) will be going on maternity leave from this date and will be passing the reins to Miss S Cooper. Miss Cooper has been supporting many of the Year 10 students in her Senior Lead Practitioner role over the last few years. Mr Morrison remains in post as ADOPA (Assistant Director of Progress and Achievement) and the current tutor team will remain the same at time of writing.
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Year 10 Science assessment
Your child will be completing a science assessment in class during the week beginning 20th May. Resources to aid revision have been posted on Google Classroom and the science website as well as, completing in class revision lessons.
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Year 10 GCSE Geography Students: 10th & 11th June 2024
We are taking Y10 students to Hengistbury Head and Christchurch to conduct their fieldwork investigation. This is compulsory as part of the AQA course requirements for their Paper 3 Exam.
Your child will either go on Monday 10th or Tuesday 11th June. Letters will be sent to you via email to indicate the day your child is going, payment for the trip can be made via parent pay. Letters will be out shortly.
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Colleges Current Open Day/Evening
Please click here for our current open day / evening links from our local colleges
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Prom 2024
We are really excited about the term ahead for Year 11. We would like to share with you the details for our Prom which is always such a wonderful event.
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Year 11 Half term revision - English
May half term revision will be on Tuesday 28th May. Please be aware that this will be invite only due to staffing capacity. We will be in touch shortly with information if your son daughter is invited.
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Prepare to Perform Newsletter
Please click here for the latest newsletter
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World Bee Day
Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.
Pollination is, however, a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity.
To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.
We all depend on pollinators and it is, therefore, crucial to monitor their decline and halt the loss of biodiversity.
Find out more about how you can promote #WorldBeeDay by reading FAO's Get involved guide.
Bee engaged with youth
In recognition of the pivotal role that youth can play in addressing challenges bees and other pollinators are facing, World Bee Day 2024 focuses on the theme "Bee engaged with Youth." This theme highlights the importance of involving young people in beekeeping and pollinator conservation efforts, recognizing them as the future stewards of our environment.
This year's campaign aims to raise awareness among youth and other stakeholders about the essential role of bees and other pollinators in agriculture, ecological balance, and biodiversity preservation. By engaging young people in beekeeping activities, educational initiatives, and advocacy efforts, we can inspire a new generation of environmental leaders and empower them to make a positive impact on the world.
Fostering more diverse agricultural systems and reducing reliance on toxic chemicals can facilitate increased pollination. This approach can improve food quality and quantity, benefiting both human populations and the ecosystem.
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Traffic and parking
We have noticed a significant increase in the traffic and parking in the roads and bus stops surrounding the school, particularly at the end of the school day.
May we ask that you are respectful to our neighbours when parking to ensure they are able to enter and leave their properties at all times. The safety of our students is paramount, so please do not park on double yellow lines, particularly at the top of Allen Road and Westward Road, or stop on the zig zag markings. May we also remind you of the 20mph speed limit on Wildern Lane at all times.
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Measles cases are rising across the country, with over 102,000 children starting primary school in England being at risk of catching the disease. We are asking education settings to share key messages from the NHS about MMR / measles and how to get vaccinated. Thank you!
Measles is highly infectious and if left unvaccinated nine out of ten children in a classroom can catch the disease if just one child is infectious. Please share these resources with colleagues, parents, and where suitable, community organisations to increase awareness and encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.
If your child has missed their first or second dose of MMR vaccine, contact your GP
practice to book an appointment. For more information visit the NHS Website
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Here is our Summer term co-curricular activities including our Summer 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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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
The cost of some of our products are going up after Easter due to an increased cost for fresh ingredients we purchase to cook and bake.
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Congratulations to our Year 7/8 Netball team who finished third in the Southampton Schools Netball League this year.
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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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PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR CURRENT OPEN DAY/EVENING LINKS FROM THE LOCAL COLLEGES
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YEAR 10 COLLEGE OPEN EVENTS
In the Autumn term of Year 11, students will need to start thinking about completing college/apprenticeship applications. Some of our local colleges have application deadlines as early as December (dates will be shared with you once received). It is therefore important that students start to give some thought to the type of further education establishment they may wish to attend.
As well as researching courses via the college websites, it is recommended that students and their families attend college open days. This is the best way to see what the campus is like and get a proper feel for what student life would be like if they were there. College staff and students will be on hand to show you around and answer any course-related or specific pastoral questions that you may have, including what entry requirements are needed for each course. Visiting the colleges can also help with breaking down barriers for students who may feel a little apprehensive about planning for their post-16 future.
Our careers adviser, Mrs O'Leary has started seeing Year 10 students for their 1:1 careers guidance interview. This will also support students in being able to visualise what their future career pathway may look like.
Please refer to individual college websites for details on how to book your attendance at the open events.
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Please read our latest careers newsletter here
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What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Helldivers 2
Within the last few months, Helldivers 2 has propelled to immense popularity in the gaming community, with players of all ages enjoying its frenetic combat, humorous presentation, and challenging gameplay. Whether they’re cooperating with friends or competing with strangers, the game has attracted many young players despite its higher age rating.
As can be expected from an online game – especially one rated 18+ – there are several inherent online safety risks posed to children and young people who play Helldivers 2; from the content of the game itself to the dangers of interacting with strangers online. Our guide highlights the most prominent hazards of Helldivers 2 and provides you with top tips for keeping its younger players safe.
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Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts
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Wildern School
Wildern Lane
Hedge End
Southampton
Hampshire
SO30 4EJ
01489 783473
#WeAreWildern
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