Headteacher's Bulletin

Week 35

20 June 202520 June 2025

This week Watling saw the last of the GCSE exams for the 2025 season! I am so proud of how our Year 11s have conducted themselves throughout the exam season and hope they will now enjoy a well-deserved break and celebrate in style at prom. Thank you to the wider school community and parents for your support. We look forward to welcoming them back for our Sixth Form induction day next week where they will get a feel for Sixth Form life and take part in taster sessions in their chosen A-Level subjects. 

I’d like to remind you that until the end of term blazers and jumpers are not compulsory and, until next Friday, students do not need to wear a tie. In light of the hot weather we are experiencing please encourage your child to bring a water bottle into school, which can be refilled from the water fountains across the site. We will keep an eye on the weather forecasts and update you if anything changes during the rest of term.

I am delighted to share some further success for Year 7 and 8 students who had qualified to take part in the UKMT Maths Challenge. 3 students took part in the Junior Kangaroo and were awarded with 2 silvers and 1 gold, our most successful outcome ever with the UKMT! This is a fantastic achievement, competing against other strong Mathematicians across the UK.  

The awarded students were:  

• Yousef E (Year 7) – silver
• Yassir M (Year 8) – silver
• Yat Hei K (Year 8) – gold

Some of our Year 9 and 10 students have been volunteering their time to help with local primary school sports days. This is a great opportunity for students to develop their sports leadership skills and represent Watling Academy with parents and children at our feeder schools. The group who visited Two Mile Ash school this week had a fantastic time assisting with Year 6 sports day. Thank you to staff involved in making this happen.  

Following the brilliant sessions they delivered to Year 9 and 10 back in March, we are excited to welcome back the Girls in Science team next week to present to Year 8. As part of our commitment to providing early careers advice, this event is a fantastic opportunity for students to hear first-hand journeys and insights into STEM-related careers.  

The Friends of Watling Academy met on Monday evening and have arranged to hold another ever-popular Krispy Kreme doughnut sale afterschool on Thursday 17^th July. For more details or to pre-order a box, please check the message on ParentMail. 

A gentle reminder that as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and supporting the Watling community, we are encouraging families to donate good condition used school uniform, which is no longer of use to you. Please bring clean, reusable uniform to the school office. We will accept all sizes and styles. We are planning a second-hand uniform sale, which is currently scheduled for Saturday 12^th July. 

I hope you have a lovely weekend, with some time to enjoy this fantastic weather.

Mrs Fry 

Headteacher

What’s happening next week? 

•  Monday 23rd June –
  • Year 8 Girls in Science assembly 
  • Year 7 Project Mind Matters workshop
• Wednesday 25^th June – 
  • Primary School Sports Day for Sports Leaders 
• Thursday 26^th June – 
  • Sixth Form induction day 
  • Sixth Form Parents’ Induction Evening 
• Friday 27^th June -  
  • Year 11 Prom

Sports Fixtures –

• Monday 23^rd June – 
  • Year 8 Open Football Trials 
• Tuesday 24^th June -  
  • Year 7 Cricket Vs Lord Grey – AWAY 
  • U15 Cricket Vs Shenley Brook End – HOME 
• Wednesday 25^th June -  
  • Girls Relay Federation Cup Qualifier 
• Thursday 26^th June – 
  • U13 Girls Cricket Tournament – AWAY 
  • Year 8 Rounders Vs Lord Grey – HOME