Week 8
As we reach the end of a busy and rewarding term, I want to take a moment to thank our staff, students, and families for their continued support and commitment. There has been energy and enthusiasm across the school, and it’s been a pleasure to see our community thriving. This evening, we’re excited to welcome prospective families for our Year 6 Open Evening. The school is looking fantastic and staff and students have worked hard to prepare an evening showcasing the very best of Watling. A big thank you to all our student helpers who will be on site this evening.
Last week we held our Hello Yellow Day, thank you to all those who supported it. We had a brilliant day with various activities around the school to encourage students to reflect, connect and support one another and raised over £220 for YoungMinds.
The final week of term has been another busy one. Newcastle University visited school this week to lead Colourful Chemistry workshops for Year 7 and 8, where students learnt about what causes compounds to be colourful, how this related to fireworks, and saw catalysts in action. Selected Year 12 students then had the opportunity to find out about the application process for studying Medicine and Dentistry at university, and have all their questions answered. Thank you to the university for providing engaging and informative sessions for our students.
Our Year 12 Applied Science students recently attended the STEM and Food & Drink Fair at Colworth Science Park. The event, hosted by Unilever, gave students the opportunity to explore interactive exhibits and demonstrations, including taste testing, and engage with employers from a range of scientific industries such as food and drink technology, fragrance and media production.
This week, a group of Year 10 students visited the MK Innovates STEM Festival in Middleton Hall. Organised in partnership with Women Leaders UK, the event brought together over 35 local technology, engineering and manufacturing employers to showcase new technology, current industry trends and developments through a range of inspiring presentations, panel discussions and workshops designed to spark curiosity and inspire young people to explore careers in STEM.
In line with our commitment to providing early careers advice, these trips are a fantastic opportunity for students to hear first-hand journeys and insights into STEM-related careers and to network and make valuable connections with local employers.
As part of Watling Academy’s enrichment programme, Year 12 students have been meeting a range of professionals each week to hear about their career journeys and learn how to enter different industries, including Law, Psychology, Business and Finance, Engineering, PR, Marketing and Communications. Last week, we did things a little differently. Instead of welcoming our guests in person, we held our careers session online, giving students the chance to experience how professionals collaborate and communicate in a virtual working environment. This not only broadened their understanding of career pathways but also developed vital digital communication skills that are essential in today’s workplaces. A huge thank you to our guest speakers for giving their time and sharing their expertise and to Worktree for their continued collaboration in making these valuable encounters possible.
I am delighted to share results from the Senior UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust) Maths Challenge. All of our Year 12 Maths students sat the challenge alongside an invited group of 12 Year 11s. Between them, the students achieved 11 bronze awards (two of which came from Year 11), 7 silver (one from Year 11) and 3 gold. The Senior Challenge, as its name states, proves more challenging as students can lose marks for incorrect answers. We are even more thrilled to share the outstanding achievement of three of our students who have qualified for the next round of the UKMT Challenge. Emran (Year 11), Naseem and Qasim (Year 12) demonstrated exceptional mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills in the recent challenge. Their performance places them among the top young mathematicians in the country, and they now advance to the prestigious follow-on rounds. This is a testament to the students’ hard work, dedication, and love for mathematics. We wish them the very best as they continue their journey in the next stage of the competition!
Have a wonderful half-term break,
Mrs Fry
Headteacher
Sports Results
- Year 9 County Cup football Vs Oakgrove – Lost
- Year 8 Girls Football Vs Hazeley – 2-2 Draw
- Year 10 Netball Vs Brooklands – Lost
- Year 7 Boys Badminton Vs Lord Grey – WON 4-3
- U14 Boys Badminton Vs Lord Grey – Loss
- Year 7 Girls Badminton Vs Hazeley – WON 5-2
- U14 Girls Badminton Vs Hazeley – WON 5-2
- U16 Girls Badminton Vs Hazeley – Lost
- Year 7 Boys Basketball Vs MK Academy WON 22-2
- Year 11 Boys Basketball Vs MK Academy WON 43-23
- Year 7 Netball Vs Brooklands WON 3-0
Reminders
School Photo Orders – Deadline Extended
The deadline for free delivery to school has been extended from 19th October to Monday 27th October. Photos can still be ordered after this date but will incur a charge for P&P.
What’s happening after half-term?
- Monday 3rd November – Week A
- Academy re-opens to students
- Year 11 Mock exams all week
- Thursday 6th November –
- KS3 Mary Poppins Theatre trip
- Friday 7th November –
- Year 12 Progess Report 1 sent home
Sports Fixtures
- Monday 3rd November –
- Year 11 National Cup Football Vs Mark Rutherford
- Wednesday 5th November –
- Year 7 Girls Football Vs Ousedale AWAY
- Year 10 Girls Football Vs Ousedale AWAY
- Year 8 Girls Football Vs Oakgrove HOME
- Year 9 Girls Football Vs Oakgrove HOME
- Year 8 Netball Vs Hazeley HOME
- Year 9 Netball Vs Hazeley HOME
- Thursday 6th November –
- Year 10 Netball Vs Hazeley HOME
- Year 7 Boys Football Vs Brooklands HOME
