Week 36
Thank you to all students and families for your support during the hot weather this week. As you will be aware, we have been closely monitoring temperatures and making the necessary adjustments to ensure we could remain open while keeping everyone as comfortable as possible. Having spent time around the school, I have been impressed with how well students, supported by staff, have adapted and remained engaged in their learning throughout.
With temperatures forecast to fall next week, we will revert to our usual uniform expectations from Monday. We will, of course, continue to keep you informed of any further changes.
In support of their learning about the First World War, our Year 8 students have been in Belgium and France this week, exploring significant battlefields, cemeteries and museums. This trip brings classroom learning to life, deepening students’ understanding of the war and offering opportunities for personal reflection. The group is due to return later this evening, and we look forward to hearing about their experiences next week.
Meanwhile, here are this week’s highlights.
Mrs Anderson
Headteacher
DofE Silver Award Expedition
Congratulations to our first Watling Academy students who have successfully completed their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition in the stunning Long Mynd area around Church Stretton, Shropshire. Over three days, our groups demonstrated incredible resilience, teamwork and determination, walking between 40-45km while carrying everything they needed on their backs and living completely self-sufficiently throughout the expedition.
Starting their journey at Wilderhope Manor on Thursday morning, students navigated challenging terrain, including reaching the expedition’s highest point at Pole Bank, standing more than 500m above sea level. From there, they faced a further descent of around 375m before reaching their final destination in the beautiful Carding Mill Valley on Saturday afternoon. After completing their expedition, students celebrated their achievement by cooling their tired feet in the cold stream and relaxing together in the sunshine while reflecting on everything they had accomplished.
Our Adventure and Activity Provider, Rezilient, commented on how much they had enjoyed working with our students throughout the expedition and said that they were all a credit to the community. Their positive attitude, teamwork, resilience and maturity were evident throughout the three days.
A huge well done to all students for their perseverance, determination and outstanding effort. You should be incredibly proud of what you have achieved!
Year 10 Return from Barcelona
After three exciting days in Barcelona, our Year 10 students returned on Wednesday having had a fantastic time sightseeing, immersing themselves in Spanish culture and practising their language skills. For many students, the highlight of the trip was a visit to the breathtaking Sagrada Familia, where students were captivated by the building’s unique architecture and symbolism. We are incredibly grateful to the staff who organised and supported the visit, ensuring students had a safe and enriching experience. A huge well done to our Year 10s, whose maturity, kindness and excellent behaviour throughout the trip were a credit to themselves and Watling Academy. We will be sharing more photos on our Facebook page soon.
Outstanding Success at the National Translation Bee Final
Five of our Year 9 students proudly represented Watling Academy at the National Final of the Routes into Languages Translation Bee on Wednesday at the University of Cambridge. Cora M, Karina K, Masha M and Harshith A competed in the Mandarin competition, while Bella G took part in Spanish, and all showcased outstanding skill and composure throughout the event.
This year’s competition saw an incredible 14,000 students take part nationwide, making today’s finalists truly exceptional. Against extremely strong competition, our students achieved remarkable results:
- Cora M – 1st place in Mandarin
- Karina K – 4th place in Mandarin
- Bella G – 4th place in Spanish
We are immensely proud of all our finalists. Their success is a testament to the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm they have shown towards their language studies. It was an inspiring day, and each of the five students represented Watling Academy superbly, demonstrating resilience, determination and a real passion for languages.
Congratulations to our winners and finalists, and thank you to the parents who transported and supported students in attending the competition.
Food & Nutrition Students are Fish Heroes
Our Food & Nutrition students recently enjoyed a fantastic hands‑on experience, preparing, cooking, and tasting freshly made salmon fish cakes. This opportunity was made possible through the Food Teachers Centre’s Fish in Schools Hero programme, which aims to ensure every young person has the chance to prepare, cook, and taste fish during their time at school.
Following the success of last year’s programme when students worked with fresh mussels, this year we received complimentary cans of Pacific pink salmon, generously provided by Alaska Seafood UK. Students transformed these into delicious fish cakes, developing valuable practical skills while also learning about sustainable seafood and healthy eating.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the process and produced some impressive dishes that were beautifully presented and tasted wonderful.
A sincere thank you to Alaska Seafood UK and the Food Teachers Centre for making this enriching experience possible for our students.
Reminders
No more afterschool clubs this term
A gentle reminder that afterschool clubs have now concluded for this academic year.
Catering survey
If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to give us your feedback on our catering provision. Please complete the online survey by Friday 3rd July. Your opinions on the quality, choice, value, and overall experience of the food service really matter to us, so thank you in advance for taking the time to share your feedback.
Uniform donations
In preparation for our uniform sale on Saturday 11th July, we are inviting families to donate any items of uniform they no longer need. Please drop off donations of any branded or non-branded items in good, clean condition to the school reception. Your donations help us reduce waste, support our community, and ensure affordable uniform options for all families.
What’s happening next week?
- Monday 29th June – Week B
- Year 10 trip to Sky Studios
- Year 12 Geography Fieldwork trip to Birmingham
- New Intake Year 7 Parents Information Evening
- Tuesday 30th June –
- Year 12 Geography Fieldwork trip to Bletchley
- Year 12 Barclays Careers Roadshow
- Wednesday 1st July –
- Year 6 Transition Day
- Thursday 2nd July –
- Year 6 Transition Day
- Year 9 MEP trip to China departs
- Year 12 UCAS Information Evening
- Friday 3rd July –
- Culture Day
- Year 10 GCSE PE Moderation
- Year 12 trip to New Designers Exhibition (London)
Sports Fixtures
- Monday 29th June –
- Year 7 & 8 Girls Football trials
- Year 10 Basketball trials
- Tuesday 30th June –
- Year 6 Netball tournament (Watling Leading)
- Wednesday 1st July –
- Year 7 Basketball trials
- Thursday 2nd July –
- U13 Cricket Vs Oakgrove HOME
