Week 14
Today, we have been looking very festive as we take part in Christmas Jumper Day to raise funds for Save the Children. If you would like to donate, you can do so via ParentMail. As always, we are really appreciative of your support. As we fast approach the end of term, we have had another busy week at Watling, with lots of exciting events and activities.
To mark Human Rights Day on 10th December, our Human Rights Committee hosted an exciting scavenger hunt across the school. Students searched for the 10 Human Rights hidden in various locations, noted their meanings, and provided real-life examples of how these rights apply. In addition, tutorial sessions this week focused on deepening students’ understanding of these fundamental rights. The activities were a great success; students were highly engaged, enjoying the challenge while gaining valuable insight into this important topic.
Yesterday, our Year 11 History students set off bright and early for their Berlin adventure! A huge thank you to families for ensuring everyone made it to the coach at such an early hour. The trip began on a high note, with British Airways surprising Noah for his 16th birthday, complete with a signed card from the crew and an exclusive visit to the cockpit. The group wasted no time diving into Berlin’s rich history, spending their first day exploring the Berlin Wall Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, the infamous death strip, and the immersive Asisi 360 Panorama, which offered a powerful glimpse into life in a divided city. We can’t wait to share more updates as the trip unfolds. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for highlights throughout the weekend.
This week, A1 Multisport joined our PE lessons to introduce students to the exciting world of Wheelchair Basketball. Over 600 students had the chance to learn the rules, develop new skills, and experience a Paralympic sport firsthand. Watling students were outstanding throughout, and Coach Kane praised their politeness and open-minded approach. We’re thrilled with the success of this initiative and look forward to offering even more students this fantastic opportunity next year.
Last Friday, our Food & Nutrition students had an incredible hands-on experience preparing, cooking, and tasting freshly farmed mussels for lunch. This exciting opportunity was made possible through the Fish in Schools Hero programme, led by the Food Teachers Centre, which ensures every child has the chance to prepare, cook, and eat fish before leaving school. We were thrilled to be accepted into the programme and received 10kg of freshly harvested mussels, delivered straight from the sea by Offshore Shellfish, completely free of charge. This experience not only taught students valuable culinary skills but also highlighted the importance of sustainable seafood and healthy eating. A big thank you to Offshore Shellfish and the Food Teachers Centre for making this possible.
We ended the week with an exciting announcement: the next Watling Academy musical. In June, we’ll be bringing High School Musical to the stage. Auditions will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, and we can’t wait to see the incredible talent and enthusiasm our students will bring to this production. Get ready to “get your head in the game”, it’s going to be a show to remember!
That’s all for this week. Wishing you a restful weekend.
Mrs Fry
Headteacher
Reminders –
Early Finish – Friday 19th December
Next Friday is the last day of term and students will be finishing school at 12:35pm. Please remind any students eligible for Free School Meals who have ordered a packed lunch, that they may collect this from the canteen either at breaktime or as leave they school at lunchtime.
Lost property
Lost property will be displayed in the canteen after school on Wednesday 17th December for students to check through. Items that remain unclaimed after this date will be donated or disposed of as appropriate.
Sixth Form applications
A reminder to Year 11 students that applications for our Sixth Form are now open. Please visit our website to submit your application by midnight on Friday 16th January.
GCSE Certificates
We have a large number of GCSE certificates which have not yet been collected. If you are in contact with any former Year 11 students, please remind them to collect these as soon as possible. Please note, our Reception opening hours are 7:30am-5pm Monday – Friday. Certificates must be collected and signed-for by students in-person unless we have written permission for them to be collected by a named individual. Please email requests to admin@watling.academy. Anyone nominated to collect certificates on behalf of a student will need to bring photo ID.
Sports Results –
- Year 11 County Cup Boys Football 3-3 (Watling lost 4-3 on penalties)
- Year 7 County Cup Boys Football Vs Kingsbrook WON 8-1
- Year 11 Boys Basketball Vs Denbigh WON 31-26
- Year 10 boys Basketball Vs Denbigh LOST 33-18
- Year 8 Girls Football Vs Lord Grey WON 5-0
- Year 7 Girls Netball Vs Ousedale WON 11-1
What’s happening next week?
- Monday 15th December – Week A
- Tuesday 16th December
- School musical auditions (afterschool)
- Wednesday 17th December
- Year 7 MEP Launch Day
- Lost property collection in Canteen (afterschool)
- School musical auditions (afterschool)
- Thursday 18th December
- FOWA Doughnut sale in Canteen (afterschool)
- Friday 19th December
- Last day of term
- School closes at 12:35pm
Sports Fixtures
- Monday 15th December –
- U16 Girls County Cup Football Vs Cottesloe HOME
- Tuesday 16th December –
- Year 7 Boys Football Vs Ousedale AWAY
- Wednesday 17th December –
- Year 9 Boys Football Vs Walton High HOME
