This weekly bulletin contains the latest news updates across Year 8.
EEKLY W B ULLETIN 26 JANUARY 2024
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEADTEACHER
KEY SCHOOL DATES
Tomorrow is International Holocaust Memorial Day. This year’s theme is the Fragility of Freedom, helping to remind us all of the value of freedom. To mark this students in Year 9 were invited to Richmond Synagogue on Wednesday to hear from Agnes Kaposi, a Holocaust Survivor. Her brave testimony reminded our students how we have
Oxbridge Briefing - 5.30pm 29 January Year 9 Options Evening - 5pm 6 February A Level MFL Mock Speaking Exams - 6-8 February
Half Term - 12-16 February INSET Day - 19 February
a shared responsibility to celebrate diversity and protect the freedoms of all groups in our community. Sadly we are frequently reminded that this is not something we can take for granted throughout the world. On Wednesday the issue of freedom was also explored when we welcomed Alastair Campbell into school. In a year when nearly half of the world’s population will be involved in elections, it was wonderful to hear from such a passionate advocate of democracy. Alastair’s empowering talk about young women who have recently changed society like Greta Thunberg and Gina Martin really inspired our students who were all eager to get a copy of one of the many books that he so generously donated to the students. One of the issues raised in his talk was the importance of education with students asking what educational policies he thought could bring about greatest social mobility. This was a theme addressed by another of our speakers this week, Professor Diane Raey from the University of Cambridge, who shared her research into social class and gender inequality in education with our Sociology students. Helping our students to better understand different career paths open to them our Science team organised two fantastic opportunities for students. On Tuesday Dr Kaamil Farooqi, a senior dentist at Inspire Dental and his trainee came to talk to Waldegrave Medical Society about careers in Dentistry, whilst on Thursday a number of students in Year 10 visited Imperial College to take part in Bioengineering workshops.
HOLIDAYS & NATIONAL DAYS Veganuary - January Great Mental Health Day - 26 January Holocaust Memorial Day - 27 January Children’s Mental Health Week - 5-11 February
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
WALDEGRAVE PTA
A little help goes a long way … The next events to raise vital funds for the school are the Quiz Night on Friday 23 February and the Silent Auction at the end of March. We really need your help in making these events happen. Please do take a moment to look at the requests on the below links and if you could sign up for one of the events, it would really make a difference to the success of raising vital funds for the school which directly benefits the students. Thank you in advance for any help you can give. If you would like to volunteer at the Quiz Night please sign up here. If you are interested in helping out at the Silent Auction please sign up here.
SUPPORTING THE PTA A little help goes a long way... Are you able to help out at our forthcoming Quiz Night Event? Sign up now!
SIGN UP HERE
A MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF YEAR 8
Another successful week in Year 8, we are progressing through the half term at a rapid rate. This week in our assembly I focused on the idea of Gratitude. I explained to students that achieving happiness every minute of every day is unlikely. Instead showing small amounts of gratitude for what we do have can allow us a greater appreciation for the life we live. Practising gratitude has shown a number of scientific benefits and these were explored this week. I encourage all families to explore with their children what they are grateful for. A little self-indulgently I focused on my gratitude for being an Australian.
In other news we had a visit from Alastair Campbell in school on Wednesday to deliver a presentation. Our Year 8 Student Parliament reps were able to be a part of this presentation and I am sure they would have learned much from the political strategist.
We have continued with our silent reading on Tuesdays so I encourage all students to ensure they bring in reading books on a Tuesday. In 2024 we want to be practising Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness. Having some quiet reading time in the morning is an excellent way to practise this mindfulness.
A big congratulations to the leading epraise forms. In first place we have 8SGZ, in second place 8EMU and third place 8PWA. Well done to all those forms.
Looking forward there will be a focus on uniform. It is important that all students are following policy and preparing themselves appropriately for their school day. Thank you for all your support at home.
MR SWEENEY, HEAD OF YEAR 8
SPORTS FIXTURES
Date
Fixture
Result
22.01.24
Year 7 Basketball vs St. Richard Reynolds
LOST 33-4
24.01.24
Sixth Form Football vs St. Richard Reynolds
WON 2-0
BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
Having lost their parents in WW2, Ruth, Edek and Bronia are left alone to fend for themselves in Warsaw. They then meet Jan, another orphan boy, who has a “silver sword” paper knife given to him by an escape war prisoner. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and adventure stories.
~ Recommended by Yasemin A, 11ERU
VISIT FROM ALASTAIR CAMPBELL
On Wednesday, we were privileged to welcome Alastair Campbell to talk to not only our Year 10 and A Level students but also our Student Parliament reps from each year group, about his political career, mental health and why it is so important for young people to have an opinion about what is happening in the world we are living in. He shared some insightful lessons about his life, his opinions on the current state of the world and the political landscape we are living in, particularly the issues facing the UK going into this election year. Alastair is a huge advocate for state schools and cares about the future of education in the UK which was clearly demonstrated with the enthusiasm he put into these talks to our students. During his visit, Alastair answered some very thought provoking questions from the students that included everything from his own mental health struggles, how he started out in media, politics across the world and what will happen in the election this year.
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 KS3@waldegravesch.org Or you can contact the school via phone by calling: 02088943244 WALDEGRAVE SCHOOL Fifth Cross Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 5LH HOW TO CONTACT YEAR 8 HEAD OF YEAR AND TUTORS HEALTH AND WELLBEING Friday 26 January is London ‘Great Mental Health Day’. It is part of the Mayor Of London’s ThriveLDN campaign to improve the health and wellbeing of Londoners. More information can be found here: Great Mental Health Day - London. The ThriveLDN website includes some excellent resources, including Good Thinking’s ‘How to’ guides which cover topics like: Looking out for those around you; Five ways to good mental wellbeing; and Bereavement advice and support. Additionally, our partners at the Anna Freud Centre Schools Support Service are hosting a series of upcoming parent/carer webinars. If you would like to find out more about these webinars please click here to open the document containing further information.
The following items are not endorsed by Waldegrave School.
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