Hello, and welcome to this week’s Wildern Weekly. We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new Student Hub!

 

Although it will open to students from Monday 20th January, our official launch day is Monday 3rd February during Children's Mental Health Week, which we are busy preparing for. 

 

This newly renovated space has been thoughtfully designed to bring together key resources that prioritise the wellbeing and success of our students. At the heart of The Student Hub is our unwavering commitment to promoting student wellbeing and mental health.

 

We recognise the challenges young people face today and are dedicated to providing a safe space where they feel valued, supported, and equipped to handle life’s ups and downs. By listening to our students' feedback and by integrating these essential services, we aim to make it easier for students to access the help they need, when they need it. Read more about this new provision below.

 

Whole School

Monday 20 January Week B

Monday 20 January Bright Monday

Monday 27 January Week A

Wednesday 29 January Dance Live! competition

Monday 3 February Week B

Monday 10 February Week A

Friday 14 February CPD day - School closed to students

Year 7

Friday 17 January Careers Dragons Den Day

Tuesday 21 January Winchester Science trip

Wednesday 22 January Young Voices Music trip to the O2

Thursday 23 January Year 7 group photo

Year 8

Thursday 30 January Parent Information Evening - Pathways

Thursday 6 February Parents Communication Evening  (virtual)

Year 9

Friday 24 January Hospitality trip to the Utilita Bowl Hilton

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday 5 February Teenage Booster Vaccinations

Year 10

Saturday 18 January DoE practice walk

Monday 27 January Practice exams start

Tuesday 4 February Parent Information Evening Apprenticeship Careers Fair

Year 11

Thursday 23 January Year 11 group photo

Thursday 30 January An Inspector Calls Theatre trip

Tuesday 4 February Parent Information Evening Apprenticeship Careers Fair

Monday 10 - Wednesday 12 February English & Maths practice exams

 

Academic year 2025-26

We will return to the new academic year 2025-6, on Monday 1st September. This is a change to the Hampshire published dates and has been agreed across all Raise Education Trust Schools. More details to follow including CPD dates for next year but we wanted to share this as soon as possible.

Toilets

As you know we have been supervising the toilets during lessons throughout the summer and autumn terms. The plan has always been to reduce this supervision and return to students using the toilets sensibly without the need to monitor. This ensures our staff's time is spent focussed on the progress, support and achievement of our students. 

 

Since the beginning of this year we have removed constant supervision and the toilets have been checked every lesson. The vast majority of students have done the right thing and used the toilets as they should be. 

 

However, we have a minority of students who have been sharing toilet cubicles and exhibiting other antisocial behaviours in the toilets. We will not tolerate this in our school. We want all students to feel happy and comfortable using the toilets. Therefore any students found sharing cubicles or displaying antisocial behaviour in the toilets will be suspended. 

 

We thank you in advance for your support and encourage you to talk to your child about using the toilets as they are intended and reporting any misuse so that we can follow up in a timely manner.

MFL Duolingo competition

This half term we are launching our first Duolingo competition! From Monday 20th January to Friday 14th February. ALL students and staff are invited to take part and try to get as many xp points as possible in ANY language. We’re looking forward to seeing what our students and staff can learn in 4 weeks! 

Students can join via www.duolingo.com/classroom/dhbrpv and use the sign in with google feature, using their school login details. If students have any questions they can ask any MFL teacher.

UK Parliament SEND inquiry

The Committee is seeking evidence on short term actions to stabilise the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system which is currently experiencing increased demand, protracted waiting times and increased pressure on schools and local authorities. To inform the Committee’s work on this inquiry, it welcomes written evidence submissions, via its website.

 

The Committee would like to hear from parents and carers, early years settings, schools, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, professionals, sector bodies and anyone else with an interest in the system of support for children and young people with SEND.  

 

We encourage you to share your experiences and insights to help improve the SEND system. Your contributions may make a difference in shaping a more effective and responsive support system for children and young people with SEND. Please consider submitting your evidence by 23:59 on 30 January 2025.

I2I Teaching Partnership Update

Many school parents are attracted to a teaching career and so our bitermly newsletter gives you an overview of what it is like to be a teacher trainee and some helpful information about this highly rewarding career.  This edition includes:

• Trainees’ perspectives of the i2i programme
• Information on Bursaries & Scholarships
• Our upcoming get into teaching events

Dance Live! 2025
Rehearsal info: Sunday 19th January 9-1pm in the Main School Hall

Costumes are needed - you can arrive in your costume or change into it once you arrive. Please bring snacks and water.

Bright Monday

On Monday 20th January all staff and students are encouraged to wear bright, uplifting colours to school for Bright Monday to support mental health during January. Bright colours could include anything from yellow, red, orange, pink, or green—anything that adds a splash of brightness to the day. £1 contribution to participate

Science

A reminder that the Winchester Science Centre trip is running on Tuesday 21st January. You will have been sent a letter if your child is attending.

English

A reminder about our English Google site which contains lots of resources to support your child with their learning, catch up on any missed lessons and details of our extracurricular activities and trip offerings. When students are logged into their school account, it can be found on this link: https://sites.google.com/wildern.org/english/home

Year 8 Science Live trip  - London, Friday 14 March 2025
The Science department would like to offer your child the opportunity to attend KS3 Science Live at the Emmanuel Centre, London. KS3 Science Live is an excellent opportunity to stimulate and improve your child’s scientific literacy by connecting science taught in school to the real world through workshops with leading scientists. Sign up deadline Wednesday 5th February.

Science

A reminder that the Faraday competition is happening on Tuesday 21st January. You will have been sent a letter if your child is taking part.

English

A reminder about our English Google site which contains lots of resources to support your child with their learning, catch up on any missed lessons and details of our extracurricular activities and trip offerings. When students are logged into their school account, it can be found on this link: https://sites.google.com/wildern.org/english/home

English

A reminder about our English Google site which contains lots of resources to support your child with their learning, catch up on any missed lessons and details of our extracurricular activities and trip offerings. Now that your child is in KS4 it also contains revision resources to support consolidation of key texts and exam approaches. When students are logged into their school account, it can be found on this link: https://sites.google.com/wildern.org/english/home

Science AM-reg booster sessions

Students will be continuing with Paper 1 exam technique booster sessions on Monday and Wednesday during tutor. You will have been sent a letter if your child is involved.

English

A reminder about our English Google site which contains lots of resources to support your child with their learning, catch up on any missed lessons and details of our extracurricular activities and trip offerings. As your child approaches their practice exams, the site also contains examples of past paper questions to attempt and model answers. When students are logged into their school account, it can be found on this link: https://sites.google.com/wildern.org/english/home

Science AM-reg booster sessions

Students will be continuing with separate to combined science consolidation sessions on Tuesday and Friday during tutor. You will have been sent a letter if your child is involved.

English

A reminder about our English Google site which contains lots of resources to support your child with their learning, catch up on any missed lessons and details of our extracurricular activities and trip offerings. With GCSE examinations approaching, the site also contains past paper questions, model answers and key exam approaches. When students are logged into their school account, it can be found on this link: https://sites.google.com/wildern.org/english/home

Science

In the week beginning 20th January students will be completing their Chemistry Paper 1 mini-paper in lessons. Students have been completing revision during their lessons but should support this by revising outside of school and completing all self study exam papers. Revision resources can be found on their science Google classroom, as well as, the science website.

The Education for Life team wanted to pass on their praise for our Year 10 cohort who got to enjoy a Solomon's Theatre play called "Skin Deep" and then workshops to discuss the themes in the play with the actors.

 

The year group were wonderful during both the plays and workshops, completely engaging with the performance and asking questions which allowed deeper thinking during the workshop about current issues like Knife Crime, Racism and Coercive Control. Postcards have been sent home to celebrate students whose contribution in the workshops stood out to us.

We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new Student Hub! Although it will open to students from Monday 20th January, our official launch day is Monday 3rd February during Children's Mental Health Week, which we are busy preparing for. 

 

This newly renovated space has been thoughtfully designed to bring together key resources that prioritise the wellbeing and success of our students. By housing our Students Services Team, the ASCEND programme and First Aid under one roof, we have created a supportive and inclusive environment for all.

What’s Inside The Student Hub?

1. Students Services Team: Our dedicated team is here to provide guidance, support, and resources for students navigating both academic and personal challenges. Whether it’s advice on friendship issues, anxiety or stress reduction strategies, or simply someone to talk to, the Students Services Team is committed to helping every student thrive.
   
2. First Aid: Providing first class first aid along with safety and health are paramount. Our on-site First Aiders ensure that students have access to prompt care and support in case of illness or injury. The proximity of these services to other resources reinforces our holistic approach to student wellbeing.

3. ASCEND Programme: The ASCEND programme offers tailored opportunities for growth, learning, and achievement.  Students, identified through school based decisions, who struggle to access school due to various challenges are provided with a tailored support programme that helps these students engage meaningfully with their education while developing essential skills for their future. By providing a nurturing environment that meets their unique needs, we empower these students to thrive and reintegrate back into the mainstream setting. 

At the heart of The Student Hub is our unwavering commitment to promoting student wellbeing and mental health. We recognise the challenges young people face today and are dedicated to providing a safe space where they feel valued, supported, and equipped to handle life’s ups and downs. By listening to our students' feedback and by integrating these essential services, we aim to make it easier for students to access the help they need, when they need it.

We thought it might be helpful to know a little bit more about the First aid room:

• Opening hours 08:30- 4pm Monday - Friday 
• Paracetamol can only be dispensed between 10am and 2pm
• We can only give one paracetamol a day for those with consent
• We are not permitted to use ointments or creams, give ibuprofen or dispense hayfever medication unless the student has supplied their own medication and a consent letter has been completed by their parent/carer

• Students are not permitted to come in during lesson changeover as they must have a lanyard or note from their teacher (unless becoming unwell/injured in between lessons or after break or lunch)

This NHS service allows children and adults to get quick access to healthcare advice as they can walk into a pharmacy and access the service, removing the potential delay of having to wait for a GP

appointment. The person will be offered a consultation with a pharmacist in a private consultation room, with some pharmacies also offering the service remotely as a video consultation. The service supports the following conditions: 

• Earache (ages 1 to 17 years)
• Impetigo (ages 1 year and over)
• Infected insect bites (age 1 year and over)
• Sore throats (age 5 years and over)
• Shingles (age 18 years and over)
• Sinusitis (age 12 years and over)
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women (ages 16 to 64 years)

The pharmacist will provide advice and, if clinically necessary, a prescription medicine to treat the
condition. Any medicines are supplied free of charge to children under 16 years, with the normal NHS prescription charge rules applying to people aged 16 or over. Should the pharmacist be unable to help, they will direct the person to their GP surgery or other health professional. More information can also be found on the NHS website at nhs.uk/thinkpharmacyfirst.

As a reminder, there will be roadworks taking place on Wildern Lane between January 21st and January 27th inclusive. These will take place in the school day, starting at 9am and finishing at 2:30pm each day. Please plan your journeys and use the park and stride locations at B&Q car park, Pavillion car park or either of the car parks in the Village to arrange alternative pick up spots to minimise traffic on Wildern Lane.

Westward Road will also have roadworks that start on Monday 20th January and are expected to take up to 4 days to complete. During this time the road will be closed from approximately 07:30 - 18:00 hrs but will be open outside of these hours.

Here is our updated Spring term Co-Curricular timetable of activities.

Tuesday 14 January

Y7 Girls Netball came 1st out of 10 schools in the Southampton Schools Netball Competition, only losing 1 game and winning all the others

 

Wednesday 15 January

U13 Girls Football won 9-0 against Woodlands Community College

Wednesday 22 January

Y9 Boys Football Vs Deer Park School

 

Thursday 23 January

U13 Girls Football Vs Deer Park School

Y8 Boys Football Vs Bitterne Park School

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

 

The main school meal deals are £3.20 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 JusTalk Kids

 

JusTalk Kids is an alternative version of the JusTalk app, aimed at an audience aged 13 and under. As that upper age limit suggests, this social networking platform is intended to be suitable for youngsters, providing them with a space of their own to interact with a community their own age.

 

Unfortunately, there are still risks associated with JusTalk Kids, so it’s vitally important for parents and educators to understand the potential dangers for those who use the app. Our free guide delves into the most prominent online safety concerns of JusTalk Kids, while also letting you know how to ensure that children can be protected, should they wish to create an account.

Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts

 

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Wildern School

Wildern Lane

Hedge End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 4EJ

 

01489 783473

 

#WeAreWildern