Parent Bulletin Friday 25 April 2025
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Parent Bulletin Friday 25 April 2025
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Welcome back! We hope you and your families enjoyed a wonderful break, filled with sunshine and relaxation. As the warmer weather arrives, we're excited to begin the summer term, a time of vibrant learning and outdoor adventures for our students.
We're refreshed and ready to embrace a term packed with engaging activities and enriching experiences. This summer term promises to be a period of growth and achievement, reflecting the lively energy of the season.
In this newsletter, you'll find essential information about upcoming events, key dates and a preview of the exciting curriculum we have planned. We're particularly looking forward to our Sports Days in July, our Music Concert (19th June) and Summer Dance Showcase (3rd July) as well as our annual trip to Paultons Park.
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We also extend our best wishes to our Year 11s as they navigate their final preparations and exams.
We deeply value your partnership and look forward to collaborating with you to ensure a successful and memorable summer term for all our students. Your continued support and involvement are crucial, and we encourage you to stay connected with us throughout the term.
We are confident that this summer term will be filled with joyful learning, exciting discoveries, and plenty of sunshine!
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Whole School
Monday 28 April Week A
Monday 5 May Bank Holiday - School closed
Tuesday 6 May Week B
Monday 12 May Week A
Thursday 15 May Parent information evening: Education for Life & RSE (Relationship & Sex Education)
Monday 19 May Week B
Thursday 22 May Parent information evening: E-Safety
Friday 23 May Last Day of term
Monday 26 May - Friday 30 May Half Term
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Year 7
Tuesday 6 May Year 7 Exams week
Thursday 15 May IT Bletchley Park Trip
Year 8
Thursday 8 May Parent information evening: Chromebooks
Monday 12 May Year 8 Exams Week
Year 9
Monday 28 April Year 9 Exams week
Year 10
Tuesday 29 April Science trip to Marwell Zoo
Wednesday 30 April - Friday 2 May Practice interviews
Year 11
Monday 28 April - Friday 2 May GCSE Art & photography exams
Thursday 8 May Seminar timetable begins
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Social Tariffs: Cheaper Broadband and Phone Packages
Home broadband is increasingly essential for supporting learning.
Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband.
They’re delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price. Amid rising living costs, Ofcom is encouraging companies to offer social tariffs to help customers on low incomes. For more information, please visit Ofcom’s website.
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Youth Sports Education Programme
In response to the government’s decision to discontinue funding for the NCS programme, Your Sports Education, based in Hampshire, is proud to offer a fresh alternative that provides your teen with the same valuable skills, personal development opportunities, and experiences
— all for just £95.
Hampshire County Council are funding students that currently receive free school meals, making this programme free for your young person! With hundreds of students across the country already signed up, we encourage you to sign your person up for a programme this summer.
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Upcoming Parent Information Evenings
Chromebooks Year 8 Only - Thursday 8 May 2025 - 6 - 7pm
Organiser: Mr Walmsley - Info here
Venue: School Hall
Book your space here
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RSE & Education for Life - Thursday 15 May 2025 - 6 - 7pm
Organiser: Mr Ware
Venue: School Hall
Book your space here
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E-Safety - Thursday 5 June 2025 - 6 - 7pm
Organiser: Mr Knight
Venue: School Hall
Book your space here
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No letters for Years 7 & 8
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Year 9 - English Exams
English exams are commencing Monday 28 April
Monday 28 April (AM) - English Literature Othello essay in exam halls.
Wednesday 30 April and Thursday 1 May - Writing exam to be held in lessons.
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Year 9 and 10 trip to Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew
The Science department would like to offer your child the opportunity to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. The trip includes entry to the gardens and a 45 minute workshop, focussing on the Photosynthesis & Gas Exchange. Sign up on Parent Pay - Deadline is Friday 2 May 2025
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Year 10 - Practice Interviews
As part of our ongoing commitment to career’s development across your child's time at Wildern School, I am pleased to confirm the upcoming practice interviews for all Year 10 students in the attached letter.
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Year 9 and 10 trip to Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew
The Science department would like to offer your child the opportunity to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. The trip includes entry to the gardens and a 45 minute workshop, focussing on the Photosynthesis & Gas Exchange. Sign up on Parent Pay - Deadline is Friday 2 May 2025
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Year 10 - Hengistbury Head Trip
This is a reminder that the trip is live on parent pay. The deadline is fast approaching (2 May) and it is integral for all students to attend. The data they collect on this day will be part of GCSE Exam in Year 11 and so it is imperative they attend to ensure they have the correct knowledge to be able to answer this part of the exam successfully.
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Year 11 - English
We have been so pleased with the fantastic turnout for English Masterclasses. Mrs Rooney will be running one final Masterclass on Monday 28 April on the theme of ‘Monstrosity in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. This will be held in the Wave. Thank you for encouraging your child to attend.
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Year 11 - Yearbook
Did you miss the deadline to order a yearbook? The online shop has been reopened for yearbook orders. Please note that the yearbook company will print and deliver yearbooks to school in multiples of 10.
A collection date can therefore not be confirmed. Please order here
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Year 11 - Prom Tickets
Deadline for purchasing Prom tickets is Friday 2 May
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What you child is learning this half term
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This year, following parental feedback we will be sharing with parents a summary of what students will be learning about in their subject lessons each half term. This information is something it was felt would enable you as parents to be better informed when speaking to your child about their learning and be able to support them further at home. Please see these links to give you more information about what your child will be studying this half term.
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Wildern Easter Egg Donations
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Thanks so much for all of the support with Easter egg donations! This year we managed almost 150 more than last year, a cracking 550 eggs - amazing! Southampton City Mission collected the eggs on Friday 4 April and they were hugely grateful for all of our generosity.
A HUGE thank you to Mr Ware and the RRC Focus Group for pulling all this together and making it happen! Such an excellent bunch! Well done!
So, the House Competition in order...
1st - Driscoll (153)
2nd - Jubilee (129)
3rd - Sovereign (119)
4th - Alba (58)
5th - Paxton (48)
6th - Bedford (43)
And in terms of Year Groups, special mention goes out to Year 8 who donated the most with Year 11 in 2nd!
Also, a very special mention has to go out to Eva & Riley's Mum who donated 50 because she could not bear the idea that people wouldn't get an egg this Easter! It is so lovely to have such a high level of care and kindness in our community.
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Perse Coding Team Challenge - Final Result
The Perse Coding Team Challenge is an international competition open to Computer Science students, with teams from secondary schools across the UK and around the world battling it out over two rounds for certificates and to win The Braben Cup.
At Wildern we have run this competition for several years, with some students entering every year throughout their study of Computer Science from Year 9 to 11. This year was no different, with some new entrants having their first experience of competitive coding, and some seasoned veterans taking part in their third competition.
I am proud and delighted to announce that Ben G and Adan L (Year 11) have recorded our best ever performance in the competition, and our first ever team to place in the prize winning positions! This is a huge achievement given the level of competition, programming ability required, and determination in a timed and pressured environment. Here are some comments from Ben and Adan about the competition.
“I most enjoyed the focus of problem solving in the competition, in that there were many solutions to the same answer. Instead of the problems revolving more around the specific programming language, it seems the problems are more set out as just a general logic problem that can be solved as long as you think hard enough. My advice during the competition is it is essential you try drafting out what you want to code on paper because it can help clarify what you actually want to code out, this also creates a structure logically which you can fall back on when you face bugs.”
"The part of the competition that I enjoyed the most was the difficulty of the questions asked. This is because they start with simple questions that many people with a basic understanding of programming could complete, and progress into questions that are much more difficult and force you to think deeply. This means that the competition can be attempted by anyone who can program, even at a low level. My advice to students in Year 9 and 10 would be just to attempt it. Even if you believe that you aren't good at programming, you may surprise yourself with your understanding and, if you are exceptional, may even earn a prize!”
A full breakdown of the results is below from across the country and internationally:
Selective schools & clubs:
St Paul's School (score 112)
The Perse School (111)
Hampton School (107)
Non-selective, South-UK:
Cheam High School (92)
Brampton Manor Academy (77 - narrowly due to the second tie-breaker rule about least number of submissions)
Wildern School (77)
Non-selective, North-UK:
South Bromsgrove High (66)
John Port (55)
Thorpe St Andrew High School (50)
Highest international school:
Kellett School, Hong Kong (115)
If you would like to have a go at some competition questions and see just what our competitors were up against, you can tackle some previous years questions here, including the most recent final questions.
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Practice of our lockdown procedures
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As you are aware we are required to practice our emergency procedures periodically. Today we have practised our "lockdown" processes.
We are as ever really impressed with how the students have reacted to the drill today, however if for any reason your child has been affected by the procedure, please ask them to speak with their tutor, who will be able to help.
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Experian are excited to announce their virtual work experience opportunities, taking place in May for students in year groups 7-9 (First Step) and 10-13 (Next Step). Our events take place outside of school hours, making them easily accessible for all students.
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Wednesday 30th April
U15 Cricket match
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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
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What Parents & Educators Need to Know about ZEPETO
ZEPETO is a hugely popular social app where users create custom avatars to explore virtual worlds, play games and chat with others. With millions of active players worldwide, it offers an engaging digital experience – but not without its concerns, especially for younger users.
ZEPETO’s vibrant world of custom outfits, interactive spaces and daily challenges might appeal to children – but those same features come with risks. From unfiltered chats and stranger danger to the temptation of in-app purchases, there’s plenty for parents to be aware of.
We’ve created this free guide offering parents and educators an overview of the associated risks of ZEPETO and what you can do to keep young people safe when having fun online.
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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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