Our Autumn magazine takes a look back on the first half term here at Waldegrave, covering all aspects of Waldegrave life from around the school to trips and visits and our community fundraisers.
WEEKLY BULLETIN
20 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY SCHOOL DATES
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEADTEACHER HEADTEACHER’S MESSAGE
We have been extremely fortunate with the weather this week, especially as our annual trips to Thames Young Mariners have begun for our students in Year 7. This is such a popular activity with opportunities for students to collaborate and overcome challenges, forge new friendships and make memories that will last.
Scholastic Book Fair - 30 September - 4 October
Friends of Waldegrave, Year 7 Bingo Night - 4 October, 7-10pm
Year 11 students always reminisce fondly about the day when it comes to their leavers assembly and their yearbook. I hope that the weather holds out over the weekend for our Year 11 students who are taking part in their Silver Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition in the Ashdown Forest. It has been wonderful to hear that so many students are getting involved in enrichment activities, just last week over 80 Year 7 students attended choir practice. As I told them in assembly, involvement in these activities will open the door to other opportunities as illustrated by the fact that over 30 of our students in Years 8 to 11 flew to Gothenburg to take part in a music festival. I am really looking forward to hearing all about it when they return to school next Tuesday. On Tuesday evening we welcomed parents and carers of students in Years 12 and 13 into school for two information evenings. The step up to A level study is really significant and it is important that the school can work in partnership with families to support students taking this step. For Year 13 a key focus was helping students and families navigate all the options available at the end of A level study, whether that be university or apprenticeships. I would like to thank all those who attended and remind families that the link to slides have been shared by email. We look forward to welcoming Year 7 parents and carers into school next week.
HOLIDAYS & NATIONAL DAYS
Sleeptember - achieve better sleep in September
Car Free Day - 22 September
World Dream Day - 25 September
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Send us your achievement stories and photos to share by email to info@waldegravesch.org STAY CONNECTED WITH US:
~ Ms Tongue, Headteacher
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
At a time when we see rising concerns around anxiety in young people, especially girls, it is increasingly important that opportunities are provided for them to step out of their comfort zones. This week we have supported pupils to embrace uncertainty by taking part in adventurous activities, Year 7 have been making a splash at Thames Young Mariners and Year 11 are heading off on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. New research by AdventureMind details the learning and development bene- fits of adventure for children including: - connecting with nature - physical activity - challenge and risk - an unfamiliar experience - team work - building relationships. Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation added, “Ad- venture helps to generate a range of positive emotions, including excitement, joy and wonder. It also helps to develop a healthy relationship to uncertainty. That is so important in boosting confidence and in children learning how to manage fear and anxiety.” You can find out more here.
SUPPORTING THE PTA
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A MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF YEAR 11
This week we have had assemblies focusing on the joy of reading where the teachers have shared their favourite books and Ms Tongue shared with us the importance of libraries and access to books around the world. We have also launched the wildlife photography competition to students with a wonderful assembly that showed some of the amazing pictures that can be taken in the school grounds and in all the parks we have around us. Last week a group of our Sixth Form pupils came and gave advice to the students about their experiences of Year 11 and what they had learnt in terms of revision tips and guidance. We will be following this up with further Question and Answer sessions on revision and future career plans in the weeks ahead. Following an incredible performance last term, Uma Bassi from 11EAH has been invited to Cambridge University for an event as part of the programme for Grand Finalists from the ‘Speak Out’ challenge. If your child has done anything outside of school please send us the details, we would love to hear about our pupil’s achievements and celebrate it with the wider school community. As part of our commitment to ensuring that we do all we can to keep our children safe online, the school has introduced new monitoring software called Smoothwall. The software works on school managed devices, whether used at school or home. It works to support students to be able to enjoy their digital lives safely by monitoring their search/viewing information. The software alerts the school if it identifies there is a potential risk of harm to students, allowing us to follow up promptly and act on any concerns. Filtering at school is through our firewall, whilst at home parents will have set up their own safety settings. Coming up on the 10 October we have top speaker and education consultant, Michele Miller, coming in to run a session on revision with students during the day and for parents that evening, 5-5.45pm. For more information look on her website here. Please put the date in your diaries as this will be a really informative session. Tickets for the Sixth Form open evening on Thursday 24 October also went live last week, don’t forget to reserve your space. Book here.
MRS ROOK, HEAD OF YEAR 11
BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
A feminist, LGBT reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this novel gives a back story and humanity to the soulless vampire women in the original novel, exploring where they might have come from and their lives before. It follows the lives of seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy, when they are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a gothic, tense story.
~ Recommended by Mrs Nowicki, Joint Head of English
WALDEGRAVE RECRUITMENT We are currently recruiting for Exam Invigilators to assist with the conduct and supervision of the School’s public examinations. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Shelli Fong, Exams Officer, for an applica- tion form exams@waldegravesch.org
See full job description here: Exam Invigilator - Job Description
MR GREAVES, HEAD OF YEAR 7
HOW TO CONTACT YEAR 11 HEAD OF YEAR AND TUTORS
Please contact us with any queries or problems you may have. To get in touch with a member of staff from your child’s year group, you can:
Send an email to KS4@waldegravesch.org
Or you can contact the school via phone by calling: 02088943244
WALDEGRAVE SCHOOL Fifth Cross Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 5LH
30 September - 4 October in the Green Room at break and lunch
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Being multilingual: A guide for parents
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