Week 6
We have reached the end of another busy week at Watling. There has been a huge amount of activity in school this week, with more trips, fixtures and activities. As we finish the 6th week of term, I have been pleased to see an increase in overall student attendance this week. Please continue to support our drive for students to attend school every day; every day a student is in school is a day of learning and connection with others. Good attendance is one of the most important factors in a child’s success—academically, socially, and emotionally. When students attend regularly, they:
- Keep up with the curriculum and avoid falling behind.
- Build strong relationships with peers and staff.
- Develop routines and habits that support lifelong learning.
- Feel more confident and engaged in school life.
Even occasional absences can add up and impact progress and we expect all families to support our drive for excellent attendance. Please encourage your child to be in school every day, on time, and ready to learn.
It is fantastic to see so many students cycling to school, however it is imperative that students do so safely. As we continue to encourage active travel to school, we want to remind families of the importance of cycling safely and respectfully on our local roads. A number of students have been reported cycling in the middle of the road or crossing without due care and attention. This not only puts them at risk but also creates unnecessary hazards for other road users. Please speak with your child about the importance of:
- Staying to the left and riding in single file where possible.
- Using designated crossings and checking carefully before entering the road.
- Wearing helmets and being visible, especially during darker mornings.
Equally, we ask parents who drive to school to be patient and considerate. The roads around school are busy at peak times, and choosing to drive means accepting that delays may occur. Please:
- Do not park in disabled bays at school unless you have a blue badge that can be displayed in your car.
- Avoid blocking crossings or driveways.
- Respect cyclists and pedestrians.
- Model calm and courteous behaviour for our students.
Let’s work together to ensure that every journey to school is safe, respectful, and positive for all members of our community.
I mentioned in my bulletin last week that some of our Year 9 students’ work was being shown in the Young Artists Exhibition at Westbury Arts Centre and I was delighted to hear that Zeynep was awarded third prize in the Y7-9 category for her piece ‘Atatürk’. The judges were blown away by the quality of submissions and emphasised that having a piece included in the exhibition was already an incredible achievement. Well done to our finalists, Popi, Hailey, Yui, Angelina and Arina, and congratulations to Zeynep!
A group of Year 8 students attended the MK Schools Lit Fest at Thornton College this week, where they attended a workshop with author Bex Hogan. Students were treated to a fascinating talk about Cornish folktales and uncovered the lesser-told history of faery tales and their forgotten origins. Bex Hogan also gave an inspirational insight into how she became a published author and her writing process.
On Thursday 9th October Bloomsbury publishers celebrated their annual Harry Potter Book Day, an event that brings together fans of the book series, and Watling Academy couldn’t resist getting involved. Students from Year 7 were invited to attend a special after school event in the library, where they were welcomed into a magical world of puzzles, spells, art and props. Students were encouraged to come dressed for the occasion and we were not disappointed: there was a mixture of Hogwarts student robes, and Professor Quirrell made an appearance too!
After completing the various activities, which included designing a sock for Dobby, solving the potion riddle and a round of Bingo, the students were asked to get into teams to go head-to-head in a quiz. Faced with a mix of rounds – testing their knowledge on anything from Magical Creatures to different types of Spells, spooky settings and characters – students’ knowledge of the magical world was tested. The winning team were awarded gift bags filled with stationery, stickers, badges and other goodies. A very enjoyable time was had by all, and we can’t wait to return to Hogwarts next year! Thank you to the staff involved in organising these events.
Today, in recognition of World Mental Health Day, we are taking part in Hello Yellow to raise awareness and funds for Young Minds, the UK’s leading charity for young people’s mental health. Our school has been decorated in yellow with staff and students wearing yellow accessories to show support, while students have been involved in various activities designed to encourage students to reflect, connect and support one another. From peer-led panels hosted by Year 12 students on topics such as stress, anxiety and social pressures to resource stations, anonymous question boxes and a kindness wall where students posted messages, students have been engaged and inspired by the day. Thank you to everyone involved in organising the day and to those who have already donated to the cause. If you would like to make a donation to Young Minds to support our school fundraising, please visit our page here or scan the QR code.
Our Art department are taking part in Inktober, a drawing challenge using daily prompts. If you would like to get involved, you can post your submissions on the board by Room 114. The board will be updated daily to display all submissions. It’s always fascinating to see different interpretations of the same prompt and we look forward to seeing the Inktober submissions.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
Mrs Fry
Sports Results
- Y7 County Cup Football Vs Thorpe House – WON 10-0
- Year 7 Girls Badminton vs Denbigh – LOST
- U14 Girls Badminton Vs Denbigh – LOST
- U16 Girls Badminton Vs Denbigh – LOST
- U16 Girls County Cup Football Vs Akeley Wood – WON 11-1
- Year 9 County Cup Football Vs Henry Floyd – WON 1-0
- Year 11 Boys Football Vs Ousedale – WON 3-1
- Year 10 Football Vs Brooklands – DRAW 1-1
- U16 Girls County Cup Football Vs Royal Latin – WON 7-3
Reminders
A reminder that the deadline for photo orders (from the main session on Tuesday 16th September) to be delivered to the school free of charge is Sunday 19th October. Any photos ordered after this date will be delivered to home address and will incur a postage charge. For students who were photographed on Thursday 2nd October, the photos will be available to view online from Wednesday 15th October.
Medical/Dental Appointments
Parents are advised where possible to make medical and dental appointments outside the school day. Where this is not possible, pupils should attend school for part of the day. If your child has an appointment during school hours please let our Attendance team know via the absence reporting channels; ParentMail, telephone (option 1) or email attendance@watling.academy.
What’s happening next week?
- Monday 13th October – Week A
- Year 11 Geography Human Fieldwork trip
- Tuesday 14th October –
- Alstom Wembley Depot Careers Visit
- Year 11 Geography Human Fieldwork trip
- Year 12 Applied Science trip to Colworth Science Park
- Wednesday 15th October –
- Year 11 Geography Human Fieldwork trip
- Thursday 16th October –
- Flu vaccinations (day 2)
Sports Fixtures
- Monday 13th October –
- Year 8 County Cup Football Vs Dr Challoner’s AWAY
- Tuesday 14th October –
- Year 8 Boys Football Vs Lord Grey HOME
- Year 11 Boys Football Vs St Paul’s AWAY
- Year 8 Netball Vs Lord Grey HOME
- Year 11 Netball Vs Lord Grey HOME
- Wednesday 15th October –
- Year 9 Girls Football Vs Stantonbury AWAY
- Year 8 Basketball Vs Lord Grey AWAY
- Thursday 16th October –
- Year 8 Netball Vs Ousedale AWAY
- Year 9 Netball Vs Ousedale AWAY
- Year 7 Girls Football Vs Stantonbury HOME
- Year 11 Girls Football Vs Stantonbury HOME
