Welcome to this weeks Wildern Weekly!

 

Introducing Your New Director of Learning - Modern Foreign Languages - Mrs Bellars

 

I am delighted to introduce myself as the Director of Learning - Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) at our school.

 

With over 30 years of teaching experience and a Master's in Teaching French as a Foreign Language, I am dedicated to language education. My commitment is to nurturing curiosity, building resilience, and fostering independent thinking in every student. I believe that learning a new language is a powerful way to develop essential life skills, encouraging students to embrace new cultures, persevere through challenges, and find joy and adventure in their educational journey.

 

When I am not in school, I enjoy many active outdoor hobbies and I also love trying new craft. I look forward to partnering with you to support your children's success in MFL.

Whole School

Monday 29 September - Week A

Friday 3 October - Open Morning

Monday 6 October - Week B

Monday 6 October - CPD day - School closed to students

Wedneday 8 October - Preloved Sale 3pm - 3.45pm

Monday 13 October - Week A

Monday 13 October - Open Morning

Friday 17 October - Wear Red Day

Year 7 

Thursday 9 October - Tutor Evening (Face to Face)

Year 8 + Year 9 

No Key Dates

Year 10 

Tuesday 30 September - Careers Fair

Friday 3 - Monday 6 October - History Battlefields Trip 

Year 11

Tuesday 30 September - Careers Fair

Monday 13 - Friday 17 October - Art & Photography Practice exams

Thursday 16 October - Parents Evening (Virtual)

Level Crossing - Wednesday 1 October

There will be no patrol on the level crossing outside of Wildern on the Wednesday 1 October.

Looked after & post looked after children

If you are a carer or a parent/carer of a student that has ever been in care, please ensure that the school is aware. We have resources to support young people who are looked after or have been in care at some point in their lives. If you want to update us on anything related to a child being in care, please contact us here at school and title your email FAO Designated Teacher.

Edulink - Sign up reminder

A friendly reminder to please register and sign up for Edulink... We have a number of parents who are yet to sign up and are missing out on important information regarding your child and their school life.

Friday 3 October - Open Morning - SOLD OUT

Monday 13 October - Open Morning

9.45am - 10.45am

For information & to book your space click here

No letters home

Year 9 & 10 - Residential Trip 

Residential trip to the Earth Summit 2026 & Alton Towers Trip: 22 -23 June 2026 - Deadline Tuesday 30 September

Year 9 & 10 - GCSE Science Live Trip

An opportunity to attend GCSE Science Live at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Friday 5 Dec 2025 - Deadline Friday 3 October 

Production of Shakespeare’s ‘MACBETH’

We have been fortunate to secure the above performance at Wildern school - with the intention of all students in Year 10 experiencing ‘Macbeth’ live on stage

Science

Year 10 will be sitting their first assessment point of the year. The assessment is the week commencing 13 October. The content is everything that they have covered so far this year since September. To aid with revision, students are advised to use the science website as well as the Precise Learning Points that have been put together.
- For Combined Science: B7 - Ecology and C4 - Chemical Changes

- For Separate Science: B7 - Ecology and C3 - Quantitative Chemistry

Year 11 - Practice GCSE/Vocational Examinations 2025

Please see attached letter and timetable.

Science

A reminder that the Year 11 Science practice exams in November will focus specifically on Paper 2 topics for each of the sciences. The full list of topics and a range of revision resources can be found on your child's Google Classroom page. Students should use the revision strategies we covered in the Year 11 Study Skills session, including diagnostic testing and their personalised learning checklist, to prepare effectively.

We are incredibly proud to share that our students from our Rights, Respect and Community Focus Group have been recognised by UNICEF UK for their outstanding contribution to the national OutRIght Campaign. 

 

Motivated by a strong sense of civic responsibility and a desire to improve community safety, the group took action on local road safety issues affecting young people. 

Their hard work and dedication have not been officially acknowledged with the UNICEF Changemakers Outright Certificate. Read more about the students achievements and the wider campaign in the article featured by The Echo in this link

 

It was superb to see over 150 staff and students out for the Wildern Race for Life 5km Event 2025! Even the sun was out in support! We are committed to helping Cancer Research UK beat cancer and it was once again a privilege to host this event and help our community join us in this aim. Whether you gave your child the nudge to get involved or donated on our Just Giving page, can we extend a huge "THANK YOU!" to you all! We managed to raise an excellent £841.25 so far - well done everyone!

 

Taking part in the Race for Life isn't just about the event—it's about contributing to a cause that helps so many people, Cancer Resaerch UK. It's a chance for us to unite as a staff and show our commitment to the community. If you would still like to donate, our JustGiving page is still accepting donations.  #wearewildern

We are celebrating the European Day of Languages today - Friday 26 September!

 

We want to recognise Europe's rich linguistic diversity and the immense value of learning a new language. Beyond cultural appreciation, acquiring language skills is essential for a global economy, helping to future-proof careers and providing a powerful brain workout that boosts cognitive functions, memory, and problem-solving skills.

 

All pupils are encouraged to take part in the Wildern Languagenut Competition, which runs from 26 September to 3 October—be sure to register on the European Day of Languages Club via Edulink so you can play in the LRC at first break!

 

During the course of the week, every tutor group has been completing a special language quiz, and the results will be announced next week!

 

Who will win the coveted gold e-ref and the celebratory box of chocolates? Good luck to all!

We did it!!

 

So proud of our amazing students who worked tirelessly last year to achieve the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with Distinction. Through their hard work on tutor sessions, creating incredible wall displays and murals, dedicated litter picks, and taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, they've made our school a greener, more biodiverse place for everyone.

 

A massive well done to all involved! 

We have been delighted to launch our new ‘Bookbuzz’ initiative with a group of our Year 7 students who spent a happy hour with Mrs Rooney, Mx Kemp and Miss King choosing a book that they will receive before Christmas. Watch this space for more information and a celebratory event when the books they have chosen arrive!

 

We’re also introducing something new this year: Turning the Pages Together. A morning and evening event where students and parents can visit the LRC, explore our shelves, and choose books to read together. This is about making space for shared reading experiences and nurturing that love of books at home as well as in school.

 

Parents often ask how they can support reading outside of the classroom, and this is a simple but powerful way to do so. Sitting down with a book gives families the chance to talk about stories, share opinions, and enjoy reading together. It’s also a great opportunity for parents to see the range of titles on offer in our library, from the latest releases to old favourites.

 

The first event will take place on Tuesday 30th September, 4–5pm in the LRC.  We’d love to see as many families as possible come along and start turning those pages together.

Our first Non-uniform day this year has focussed on raising awarness and money for Papyrus. This is a UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people. We will send out more infomration in next week's Wildern Weekly.

We are so incredibly lucky to have access to mainline train services on our doorstep. However with such privileges, also come the dangers that railway lines bring.

 

Every year we have to discuss with at least one family the behaviour of their young person on the local tracks, and so as the nights draw in, we thought it would be good to share a reminder about staying safe on the local and national networks.

 

For more information please click both images.

Over the past week, our year 11 Students have taken part in a series of college assemblies, giving them valuable insight into the next steps of their education journey. We were delighted to welcome representatives from eight of our local colleges, each presenting a wide range of post 16 options from A-Levels to vocational courses and apprenticeships. 

 

Throughout the week, the students had the opportunity to discover the different campuses, course offerings and unique opportunities available at each institution. The sessions were informative, engaging, and tailored to help students start thinking about their future pathways. 

 

These assemblies aimed to not only inform students about what's available, but also inspire them to begin researching and considering what kind of environment and course structure would suit them best. Whether they are interested in academic study, hands-on learning or a combination of both. 

Key takeaway from the week 

The most important piece of advice shared across all the sessions was the importance of attending as many of the College open days/evenings as possible. Visiting colleges in person is the best way for students and parents/carers to get a real feel for the learning environment, meet staff and current students. 

 

We strongly encourage students to apply to multiple colleges to keep their options open, the more, the better. It is important to be aware of each college's application deadlines, as these can vary. Even if a college does not have a fixed deadline, submitting applications as early as possible is always recommended to ensure the best chance of securing a place on your preferred course. 

 

 

Students are strongly encouraged to contact a wide range of employers, ideally a large list across various sectors as statistically, the more companies approached, the greater the likelihood of securing a placement.

 

We also advise not limiting the search to just the sector the student hopes to work in long term, as all work experience provides valuable skills.

 

Casting a wider net increases the chances of securing multiple options, rather than being left with limited or no choices.

South Hampshire College Group applications open next Wednesday 1 October!

 

How to apply

Students can apply by visiting our website at shcg.ac.uk, selecting their chosen course, and clicking 'Apply'.

 

Open Events

Students and parents can learn more about our colleges by attending our open events, where they can:

• Meet our expert lecturers
• Explore our industry-standard facilities
• Talk to our current students
• Speak to our Admissions, Work Experience and Apprenticeship teams
• Attend talks on T Levels and Apprenticeships

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

Monday 29 September - Senior Girls Football V Deer Park

Tuesday 30 September - Senior Girls Football V Brune Park (Hampshire Cup)

Tuesday 30 September - Year 7 Football vs St Marks School

Friday 3 October - Year 10/11 Basketball V The Gregg School

Tuesday 7 October - U13 Girls Football vs Mountbatten School

Tuesday 7 October - Senior Girls Football vs St George's College

Wednesday 8 October -  Year 8/9 Basketball v Swanmore College

Wednesday 8 October - Year 11 V Sholing School

Year 9 Boys Football 7-1 Arnewood School (Hampshire Cup)

Year 11 Boys Football 1-0 Bitterne Park School (Hampshire Cup)

Following our letter at the end of last term, work has started to improve our school kitchen. Over the past 18 months, we've been fortunate to secure Condition Improvement Funding, allowing us to update all electrics, water, and lighting across the site. This work is nearing completion and should be finished by the end of 2025.

 

The next crucial phase involves a complete renovation of our school kitchen. This work is scheduled to begin in mid-August and will continue until the October half-term. As a result, we'll have a very limited catering offer during this period.

 

We are able to offer:

• Sausage rolls
• Chicken burgers
• Beef burgers
• Warm paninis
• Jacket potatoes
• Cold baguettes
• Cold wraps
• Bottled drinks
• Biscuits
• Flapjacks

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.

 

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. 

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about setting boundaries around gaming.

 

Behind video-sharing platforms (like YouTube) and streaming TV shows and movies, gaming is the third most popular online activity for children in the UK. In fact, according to recent data from Ofcom, an overwhelming 89% of children aged 3 to 17 play video games. Of those, more than one in five (22%) talk to other players online who they don’t know outside the game. 

 

The risk of contact from strangers is just one of the reasons that many parents are concerned about their child’s gaming: increased screen time, inappropriate content and in-game spending also figure among the most frequent fears. Agreeing on some rules around your child’s gaming activities can certainly help, and our guide has some useful tips for establishing these boundaries.

Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts

 

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Wildern School

Wildern Lane

Hedge End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 4EJ

 

01489 783473

 

#WeAreWildern