Hello and welcome to this week’s addition of the Wildern Weekly!  We are two of Wildern’s Mental Health First Aiders and alongside our day to day roles in school, we are passionate about advancing the mental health and wellbeing of everyone in our school community.

Hello! I'm Mr Ware - Whilst most students will know me as one of Wildern’s Geography teachers, I am also overseeing the Wildern Wellbeing Changemakers this year; a group of students from across the school who are committed to student wellbeing. Over the course of the year we will be out and about promoting positive mental health, completing training on wellbeing and organising a range of events to highlight the importance of our mental wellbeing.

 

In addition to this, we are launching the Peer Education Project. This programme will teach students in the group about promoting positive wellbeing for other students in the school, train them in delivering tutor sessions and prepare them for public speaking in assemblies.  The Mental Health Foundation developed the programme in 2015 and it has since been delivered to over 40,000 students in over 200 secondary schools across the UK and internationally.

Hello! I'm Miss Duck, and I'm here to support the whole school community—students and staff alike—with their behavioural and mental health wellbeing.

 

For our students, I run the popular 'Dare to be You' sessions, a safe space focused on building self-esteem, navigating friendships, and strengthening overall mental health. We also support students on a 1:1 weekly catch up. 

 

For our dedicated staff, I'm focused on promoting wellbeing through a variety of engaging sessions, including group walks, refresher First Aid sessions, creative art classes, and our upcoming summer picnic.

 

Please reach out if you or your child would like to learn more about the support available.

Whole School

Monday 13 October - Week A

Monday 13 October - Open Morning

Friday 17 October - Wear Red Day

Monday 20 October - Week B

Wedneday 22 October - Preloved Sale 3pm - 3.45pm

Wednesday 22 - Friday 24 October - School Productions

Thursday 23 October - Open Morning

Friday 24 October - Last Day of Term

Monday 3 November - School Open - Week A

 

Year 7, 8, 9 + 10 

            No Key Dates

 

Year 11

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

Thursday 16 October - Parents Evening (Virtual)

Monday 3 - 14 November - Practice Exams

Letter from Mr Mann CEO

Please see attached the letter from Mr Mann (CEO) which was sent out last week to Parents with regards to the October Half Term 2026/27

Annual Nasal Flu Vaccination is now due

The vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness.   Click the link below for the electronic form and information about the vaccine.

Show Racism the Red Card 

 

Wildern will be supporting Wear Red Day on Friday 17 October 2025. 

 

Our students will be encouraged to wear something red and donate £1. 

 

All money raised will be donated to Show Racism the Red Card.

Thursday 23 October - Open Morning 

9.45am - 10.45am

For information & to book your space click here

No letters home

Young Writers’ Poetry Competition

Year 8  English students will be writing poems over the next 3 weeks ready for submission to this year’s Young Writers’ Poetry Competition. The theme this year  is ‘I have a dream’ and deadline for all entries is Tuesday 21 October. 

Year 9 - Geography

Some of our students have been nominated by their Geography teacher to attend a trip to Southampton University on Wednesday 22 October. The session will cover GIS, mapping and flood response activities. We have only got 14 spaces but we hope that this will be the first of many opportunities for our students

Year 9 - Science GCSE

Last chance to sign up to GCSE science live on Friday 5 December to go to London to see some of the countries most famous scientists talk about their work and how it relates to our studies at school. Parent Pay has been extended to Monday 13 October.

Residential Trip - Earth Summit 2026 + Alton Towers - June 2026

We are thrilled to invite your child in Year 9 or 10 to a two-day residential trip focused on a very important topic: climate change.

Year 10 - Science GCSE

Last chance to sign up to GCSE science live on Friday 5 December to go to London to see some of the countries most famous scientists talk about their work and how it relates to our studies at school. Parent Pay has been extended to Monday 13 October.

Virtual Parents Evening - Thurs 16 October

Please log on to Edulink to book your appointments now.

Year 11 Practice Exams

Please find attached here the GCSE Practice Examination schedule for Year 11 in November. An individual exam timetable will be available on Edulink shortly, including information on rooms and seat numbers.

Year 11 WAD1 

This will be sent out by the end of the day on Tuesday. Please refer to the letter sent last week about updates to WAD.

Prepare to Perform Newsletter - October 2025

Please click here to view this months Prepare to Perform Newsletter.

Exam Guidance For Students & Parents

Please click here to view the Exam Guidance for Students and Parents

This coming week we are collecting shoeboxes for the Rotary Shoebox Appeal 2025! This is a House competition aiming to make 2025 a special Christmas for children in Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and the Ukraine. Each tutor group has 3 boxes to fill and students can bring in their own boxes from home if they wish to. Please just make sure the items in the box follow the carefully written instructions! 

 

Donation deadlines:

• Year 7: Monday 13 October
• Year 8: Tuesday 14 October
• Year 9: Thursday 16 October
• Year 10: Wednesday 15 October
• Year 11: Friday 17 October

Also, this week we have our second charity non-uniform day as part of the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ national event. We are so proud to show our support for this day, standing against racism, and celebrating our wonderful diversity as humans! Students need to wear at least an item of red as part of their non-uniform and donate £1 to this great cause - either by paying £6 on ParentPay for all non-uniform days at once or by bringing £1 cash on the day.

Friday 10 October is World Mental Health Day!

 

This year the focus is on the mental health impact of repeated exposure to news coverage of crises and conflicts. The theme is: Overwhelm: when global events and relentless bad news become too much.

 

When things feel ‘too much,’ it’s important to know how to protect your mental health. Below are some tips to help you cope with global news overwhelm and find your way back to balance.

Set boundaries with the news
Ask yourself how much news content you’re happy to take in, and how often. It’s okay to take a break from the news, and doing so can be beneficial. For example, you could consider checking the news only a couple of times a day, turning off news notifications on your phone or unfollowing social media accounts that bring you anxiety.

It can also be helpful to avoid checking the news right before bed – this is your time to unwind and relax for a good night's sleep.
 

Use grounding exercises
When global issues are too much to handle, grounding yourself in the here and now can ease your stress response. You could try practising mindfulness, using a grounding exercise, or going for a walk in nature to help bring you back to the present moment.

 

Have phone-free times
If you often find yourself doomscrolling, having set phone-free times or zones could help break this habit. For instance, you could try turning off notifications or switching your phone to aeroplane mode at certain times of the day. Or, try keeping certain areas phone-free zones, such as the bedroom or the dining table. Allow yourself some time that’s not going to be interrupted by the ‘ping’ of yet another notification.
 
Focus on what you can control and positive actions you can take
Although what’s happening in the world can seem very big, small actions still matter. Whether it’s signing a petition, volunteering with a local cause or donating items, taking positive action can help shift feelings out of helplessness and into purposefulness.
 

Give yourself permission to rest
Rest isn’t something you need to earn – it’s essential for wellbeing. Taking time to look after yourself doesn’t mean you’ve stopped caring about anything else; it means that you are looking after yourself so that you can keep on caring. Whether you read a book, take a nap, paint a picture or do some yoga, choose something that allows you to rest and recover. 

 

Talk with others
When you feel overwhelmed, it can help to connect with other people. You could spend some quality time with loved ones, family or friends. You could also talk to someone about how you are feeling, for instance, by contacting:

• A helpline, such as Samaritans on 116 123 (UK)
• Mind’s online community: join Side by Side
• A text support line: text SHOUT to 85258 (UK)

Friday 3 - Monday 6 October saw our annual History trip to the First World War battlefields, cemeteries and museums of Belgium and Northern France. The trip is always an opportunity for students to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many millions on all sides of the conflict while developing their own understanding and perspective. 

 

Our stops included Neuville St Vaast and Langemark German cemeteries, the Notre Dame de Lorette French cemetery as well as numerous Commonwealth cemeteries. We visited Tyne Cot - the largest site for Commonwealth burials in the world - as well as much smaller, intimate cemeteries. At Dantzig Alley cemetery, our students paid their respects to Charles Clark and at Lijssenthoek to Frederick Watts; two of the soldiers commemorated on the memorial at St John's Church with local connections to the Hedge End area.  Students also visited battlefield sites such as Newfoundland Park, Vimy Ridge and the Wellington Tunnels which further broadened their understanding of the conflict as well as the experiences of forces from around the world.

For me, a particularly proud moment is always taking our students to observe the Menin Gate ceremony. An act of remembrance which so clearly demonstrates the lasting impact of the First World War and its significance and relevance to today. The ceremony has been performed every night, barring during the Second World War, since 1928. Visitors from across the world come to pay their respects and remember together. There, amongst all the languages, accents and cultures, were our students. Two of the students laid a wreath on behalf of Wildern to the memory of the fallen.

 

My thanks go out to all students who made the trip so successful as well as a wonderful team of staff, Ms Elliott, Miss Leggatt, Mr Fenner and Mr Whitfield who gave up their time to make the trip for students a memorable one. 

Haunting Hooks Writing Competition

 

Can you write an opening line in 50 words or fewer that gives us chills?

 

Our Haunting Hooks competition is now open! Students are invited to create a spooky story starter for the chance to earn eRefs and house

points.

 

You can collect a template from the library or decorate your own.

 

Entries should be submitted to the LRC by Monday 20 October.

It was brilliant to have the first local police liaison visit of the school year on Tuesday this week. Pc Turner came to join us and gave us some insight to events around the local area, spoke to some of our students and staff about her role and gave us an update on things that we need to consider in terms of safety in the local area.

 

PC turner gave us an insight into the issues and dangers of E Scooters following injuries and accidents that have happened recently.

 

In the UK, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads and spaces like pavements and parks, but legal for private land use with permission. Only authorised rental e-scooters are allowed on public roads in designated trial areas, which are limited.

Using a private e-scooter in public can result in finesand possible seizure. PC Turner said that often, riders are in public places illegally and also without safety equipment on, putting pedestrians and the rider at risk.

 

We do not allow e-scooters on school sites, and definitely do not give permission for them to be ridden to school or on the grounds. We will liaise with the local police if students are seen riding e-scooters in the community or to school.

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

DanceLive! Launch

Monday 20 October, 1.30pm (Break 2) MUH.

 

Students in Years 8-11 are invited to come along to hear about the event. Find out the theme and get the google classroom code allowing them to access the ‘casting phrase’ and key information. Casting will be held on Tuesday 4 November.

 

Initial Information:

Rehearsals: 3.15pm - 5pm every Tuesday

Sunday Rehearsal: 25 Jan 2026 - 9am-12pm

 

Performance Date: Tuesday 3 February 2026

 

Monday 13 October - Year 7 Hampshire Cup v Costello College

Tuesday 14 October - U14 Girls Hampshire Cup vs Noadswood School

Tuesday 14 October - Yr 7 vs Bitterne Park School

Wednesday 15 October -  Year 8/9 Basketball v Bitterne Park School

U13 Girls Football 3-2 Mountbatten School

Senior Girls Football P-P St George's College

Year 8/9 Basketball 15-64 Swanmore College

Year 11 Boys Football 1-3 Sholing School

U13 Girls Football 3-2 Mountbatten School

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.

 

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 are able to offer:

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

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 FC 26

 

With new kits, updated squads and refined gameplay, EA FC 26 brings the thrill of top-tier football to living rooms once again. While it continues to offer family-friendly fun in modes like Kick-Off and Career, the ongoing popularity of Ultimate Team – where players spend money to build fantasy squads – brings a mix of excitement and risks. 

 

Children can encounter issues such as gambling-like mechanics, voice chat with strangers, and potential exposure to scams. This guide breaks down the game’s most important features, highlights the key risks to be aware of, and shares practical advice for helping young players stay safe while gaming and interacting online.

Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts

 

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Wildern School

Wildern Lane

Hedge End

Southampton

Hampshire

SO30 4EJ

 

01489 783473

 

#WeAreWildern