A Foreword From Mrs Parpworth
Dear Parents,
The children have settled back into school and are certainly making the most of the final weeks of this academic year. We hope that you enjoyed your half term and that you managed to take advantage of any brief glimmers of sunshine we had.
I wanted to start by acknowledging all of the hard work, care and dedication our teachers invest in making sure your children receive the very best education they deserve. One such teacher is Mrs Sabin-Dawson who has guided our pupils through various Eco Projects winning multiple awards for the school. This week kicks off with ‘National Green Week’ and it seems timely to announce that we have recently been awarded Green Flag and Plastic Free status. Impressively, we are one of just a few schools in East Kent to gain these titles who are leading the way in environmental work. Year 2 delivered a poignant assembly this week on why it is ‘good to be green’, providing vital information to our pre-prep children on the importance of looking after the planet. Environmental education is essential for our children as they will be the future ambassadors who pave the way to protect our planet from further damage. Well done to all the brilliant students and teachers involved.
Our Year 8 pupils finished their CE exams this week, tackling some very discerning tests based on the culmination of the last two years of study. We congratulate them all for engaging with their exams in such a mature and focused manner.
We also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the tremendous successes of those who have achieved scholarships this year. The following students gained scholarships in academia, drama and sport:
Freya Ralph Academic Scholarship to The King’s School, Canterbury; Felix Butterfill Academic Exhibition to The King’s School, Canterbury; Tate Sheppard, Drama Scholarship to The King’s School, Canterbury; Lila Grady, Drama Excellence Programme to The King’s School, Canterbury; Kaspar Lear, Drama Excellence Programme to The King’s School, Canterbury; Freddie Loudon, Sports Scholarship to Tonbridge School; Jamie Montgomery, Sports Scholarship to Kent College and Freya Ralph, Sports Exhibition to The King’s School, Canterbury. These awards are testament to the hard work of the students and dedication of our staff, a truly remarkable achievement. Any child aspiring to achieve a scholarship deserves massive credit as these tests are not only gruelling but require enormous amounts of preparation and commitment. Well done to all that took part!
This week, many of our classes are completing end of term assessments. These are valuable checkpoints to measure the level of progress achieved this term and to identify the next steps for learning. As teachers, we use this data to inform our planning and to ensure we have everything in place to enable your child to reach their fullest potential. We will share this information with you in the end of year reports you will receive in a few weeks’ time.
I am away on a residential trip to Dorset with Year 8 this week, so please contact Mr Spencer should you need him. Mrs Harries and Mr Buss will also be on-site throughout various times in the week if you need to speak with either of them too.
The next few weeks are set to be very busy with lots of trips, activities, events and celebrations. Please keep a close eye on the school calendar and Dojo for updates.
I wish you a wonderful week ahead! Please remember that school finishes on Friday at 3.30pm for exeat.
Mrs Jo Parpworth
School Last Week
Eco School – Green Flag Status!
We are excited to share some amazing news: Wellesley Haddon Dene has been awarded an Eco Schools Green Flag – with distinction! This is in recognition of all the hard work invested by Mrs Sabin-Dawson and her Eco Warriors into making our school environmentally friendly. More news to come on this soon.
Plastic Free School Status
We are absolutely delighted to announce that Wellesley Haddon Dene is the first school in Thanet to have been awarded Plastic Free School Status by Surfers Against Sewage. We are one of over 3,000 schools and nurseries across the UK joining the programme to take action to reduce plastic waste. We have been awarded a very smart wooden plaque, which will be displayed with pride in school. Well done to all of our pupils who took action to reduce plastic waste this year- the award is a celebration of every action that you have taken.
Eco Shop Update
Congratulations to our group of entrepreneurial students for successfully launching their new business ‘Top Up Shop’. It was a brilliant grand opening with many parents and friends queuing up to buy some of their luxurious eco-friendly products. Year 5 kicked off the opening with a song and then the ribbon was cut by the Mayor of Broadstairs, Cllr Mike Garner. On sale were delicious cakes and homemade elderflower cordial. Our finance managers Clara and Genevieve have reviewed the sales and we generated nearly £260 of revenue on the day! This is fantastic news for our talented students and is testament to their hard work and commitment. Thank you to everyone who was involved and to those who came to support us.
PFA PJ Day
On the last day of term, we took part in a non-school uniform event to raise money for our PFA. Thank you to everyone who took part – we managed to raise £230!
Common Entrance Exams
It’s a wrap! Congratulations to all our students for trying their very best in the Common Entrance exams this week. There were some very challenging papers which required a great deal of resilience and thinking outside of the box. Thank you to all the teachers who have worked tirelessly to prepare them throughout this process. The results will be available to students and parents on the 14th June.
Reception 2024 Transition Session
We warmly welcomed our new cohort of children who will join us in Reception this September to a wonderful Forest School session on Wednesday. The class teachers arranged lots of wonderful activities from treasure hunts to story-time and chasing bubbles around the grounds of Forest School. Thank you to all the staff for hosting such a brilliant afternoon and it was wonderful to spend time with our Reception families.
Year 5 STEAM Day
Year 5 had a marvellous day out at Chatham Clarendon Grammar School on Thursday celebrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths. Their activities included baking rock cakes, making pewter key rings, screen printing bags, maths games and panning for gold in the science lab. A big thank you to everyone who made the day possible at CCGS.
Year 2 Assembly
Well done to Year 2 for providing such an informative assembly about Green Week! As well as delivering some very important facts and information, they also performed a very catchy song, ‘It’s Good to Be Green’, highlighting all the positive things we can do to create a healthier planet! Thank you Year 2 for all your hard work!
Year 8 Beach Trip
Year 8 enjoyed a well deserved trip to the beach where they could let off steam after a week of intensive exams. Mrs Parpworth and Mr Spencer took the group to Viking Bay where they took a dip in the sea, played cricket and finished with an ice cream at Morelli’s. Well done Year 8 for all your hard work this week!
Year 6 Cricket Success
Well done to our amazing U11 cricket team! They came FIRST at the ‘Kwick Cricket’ tournament today! They now go through to the district finals!!
School This Week
Seniors Trip to Rockley – Monday 10th June
Our leavers will join Mrs Parpworth for a week away at a residential camp where there will be lots of fun and exciting activities to explore!
Reception Trip to Monkton Nature Reserve – Thursday 13th June
As part of Reception’s focus on ‘How things grow’ this term, they will be visiting Monkton Nature Reserve to see lots of flora and fauna, birds and animals.
Safety Talk for Year 6 – Friday 14th June
PC Cleaver will join us to discuss all aspects of safety as our Year 6 children transition to secondary school.
CE Results Day – Friday 14th June
Good luck to all our Year 8’s receiving results on this day.
Pre-Prep Big Green Picnic – Friday 14th June
The children will enjoy an outdoor lunch in celebration of The Great Big Green Week and will be sharing Eco Tips with Year 5.
Top Up Shop – Friday 14th June
Please join us on Friday at 3.30pm where our Top Up Shop will reopen for business selling a range of Eco friendly products at great prices!
Exeat – Friday 14th June
The school will close at 3.30pm and there will not be any after school provision on this day.
Future Events
Class assemblies this term (Old Hall)
Reception – Friday 21st June at 9am
Year 1 and 3 – Friday 14th June at 9am
Year 4 – Tuesday 2nd July at 9am
Year 5 – Tuesday 11th June at 8.30am (Big Green Week)
Year 6 – Tuesday 18th June at 8.30am
Seniors – Tuesday 25th June at 8.30am
Coffee Morning – Wednesday 19th June
Please join Mrs Harries and Mr Buss in the Dining Hall at 9.00am for an informal meet and greet session.
Summer Showcase of Performance – Friday 21st June
Please join us for an afternoon of performances celebrating the very best talent across our school.
Funeral March for Nature – Saturday 22nd June
On Saturday 22nd of June at 10.30am pupils from Wellesley Haddon Dene will take part in a Funeral For Nature. This will be led by our Year 8 Leavers on Ramsgate seafront.
The pupils will dress in dark clothing and carry banners to raise awareness about the impact on nature of projects such as National Grid’s proposed Sealink through Pegwell Bay and Minster Marshes (see Save Minster Marshes for more details).
This will be to tie in with the walks in London on the same day for Restore Nature Now which is supported by many national nature and environmental organisations, including The Wildlife Trusts and RSPB.
The UK is one of the worst countries in the world for nature loss.
If you would like to join the school march in Ramsgate then meet us on the Westcliff, by the Lookout Cafe, where we will process down the slope to the harbour, around the harbour and then back up the Jacob’s Ladder steps to the Westcliff. Wear black/ dark clothing and bring your voice for nature!
We aim to make a visual impact to raise the profile of nature and will share it with the press.
Year 1 & 2 Trip to Wingham – Tuesday 25th June
An opportunity to go wild and explore nature for our amazing youngsters.
Year 5 & Senior Leadership Speeches – Wednesday 26th June
We will invite our Year 5 and 6 pupils to deliver their campaign as to why they should be selected as the next student leaders of the school.
Whole School Photo – Wednesday 26th June
Reception 2024 Transition Session – Wednesday 26th June
An opportunity to return for a second class-based activity to familiarise our pupils with their new classrooms and outdoor learning area.
Year 6 Surf Day Thursday 27th June
Year 6 will enjoy a session down at Joss Bay to perfect their surf skills ready for the summer holidays.
Pre-Prep Sports Morning & Speech Day – Friday 28th June
Please save this date in your diary between 9.00am-11.00am. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our annual prize giving ceremony followed by a highly competitive morning of sport.
Year 6 Leavers’ Party – Friday 28th June
Save the date between 4-7pm. We look forward to celebrating Year 6’s time with us, reflecting back on many happy memories whilst having lots of fun.
Year 3 & 4 Archeological Dig – Thursday 4th July
These children will join Dr May and the Canterbury Archaeological Trust on a dig in Canterbury. Will they find some Roman coins? We are sure they will have lots of fun and learn lots of interesting facts during this step back in time.
National Transition Day – Thursday 4th July
Year 6 will attend their new secondary schools on this day.
Year 5 & 6 School Show – Friday 5th July
Please save the date. We will be holding two performances at 2pm and 6pm. This is set to be a spectacular production showcasing the amazing talents of these classes.
Prep & Senior Speech & Sports Day – Saturday 6th July
We look forward to celebrating the many achievements of our students this year and welcome everyone for an afternoon of family sporting fun.
Year 6 Leavers’ Speeches – Monday 8th July
Join us in the Old Hall where our children will speak of their memories and experiences with us.
Year 8 Leavers’ Dinner – Tuesday 9th July
Our senior leavers will be treated to a banquet in recognition of their time with us.
End of Term Chapel – Wednesday 10th July
Everyone is welcome to attend our final Chapel of this academic year.
Leavers’ Lunch for Years 6 & 8 – Wednesday 10th July
We look forward to welcoming all our parents in Years 6 to 8 to say a final farewell and goodbye to our wonderful school.
Reminders
Year 6 Crowdfunding
Year 6 are raising money for their end of term festivities to give them the send off they deserve. There are many prizes on offer by entering their free prize draw:
The order in which the winners are drawn will determine the order in which winners choose their prize.
- £50 bar tab at The Tap Room Cliftonville
- Voucher worth £80 for 2 hours karaoke for 7 people at Ginger’s Westgate
- £50 voucher for food and drink at Sea Shed Margate
- £30 voucher for The Pedaler in the Yard Manston
- Set of Signed books by author Ciaran Murtagh
- Family Ticket for Powell Cotton Museum
- Hamper of wines and delicious treats
Please click on the link here to support Year 6.
Business Networking opportunity
Have you previously heard about Business Networking, but aren’t sure what it’s all about?
As you may have seen, we intend to launch a WHD Business Club at the school. Following consultation with other parents, we have decided to start this up in September in the new school year. We have also agreed that 9:00am-10:00am works better for parents.
We are proposing a launch event entitled “What’s Business Networking all about?” which will be held in the School Library from 9:00am to 10:00am on Tuesday 25/6/24. If you are a business owner and would like to grow your business through networking, please get in touch to reserve your place. Refreshments will be provided.
Stephen Foster,
(07540) 047748
Foster41@hotmail.co.uk
School Values Awards
Pre-Prep
| Reception | Sadie-Mae Buckley-Patey for being a good friend, having good manners and showing kindness and respect. What a superstar! Aubree Rattigan for working hard in maths and demonstrating good knowledge about 2D and 3D shapes. Keep up the good work! |
| Year 1 | Eva Roberts for being such a kind and respectful member of the class, always going out of her way to be a good friend. Emi Weeks for an excellent attitude to her learning, always trying her best and producing some lovely work in her lessons. |
| Year 2 | Diego San Miguel – Diego has settled very well into 2C. He has bonded very well with others in the class and taken to school life at WHD like a fish to water. Felicity O’Dell- Felicity’s commitment to her home reading has really impressed us, especially over the school holidays where she reads everyday as a minimum! Fi has returned to school with such a positive attitude and has been very motivated this week in her phonics sessions!
Herb Halton for his enthusiasm in our maths lessons. He is particularly enjoying creating graphs and pictograms from data in our Statistics unit. Gene Hunter-Felton for his improved focus in lessons and his positive attitude towards his work. Gene has only been here for a few weeks but has built a lot of friendships within his peer group. |
| Year 3 | Casper Peck – Casper has readily eased himself into the class. He has embraced everything on offer and has made many new friends already. Cooper Webb- Cooper has such an infectious energy that it is difficult not to be affected by it. His positivity shines out and it is a joy to have him in the class. |
Seniors
| Year 4 | Pedro San Miguel has settled into life at WHD very well. He has made friends and gets involved in class discussions enthusiastically. It has been a pleasure having Pedro in our class. |
| Year 5 | Ellie Uden- for a happy and positive approach to school life. |
| Year 6 | Felix Agnew – good leadership skills and perseverance. Finn Murtagh – Enthusiasm and fantastic good manners. |
| Seniors | Freya Ralph, Tate Sheppard, Wilbur Henry and Felix Butterfill for being brilliant mentors to the Year 8 Wellow and International students in Latin and French classes. Their superb knowledge has really shone through in their confident and clear explanations. They have also worked alongside Dr May in the French Reception and Nursery Classes. Freya has helped to create resources as well! What absolute stars! |
School Calendar
Please click here and scroll through for the most up to date calendar of events for the term.
Matches This Week
2.00pm start unless otherwise stated
Wednesday
Cricket v St Faith’s: Mixed U11 A (h)
Cricket v St Faith’s: Mixed U11 B (h)
Cricket v St Faith’s: Mixed U11 C (h)
Sunday
Golf v Parents: Mixed U13 A (Royal St George’s Golf Club)
Matches Last Week
| Fixture | Result |
Cricket v Junior King’s: Boys U11 A (a) | Lost by 96 runs |
Cricket v Junior King’s: Mixed U11 (h) | Lost by 92 runs |
Cricket v Northbourne Park: Mixed U9 A (a) | Drew |
Cricket v Northbourne Park: Mixed U9 B (a) | Won by 28 runs |
Cricket v Kent College: Girls U9 A (a) | Lost by 37 |
Cricket v Ashford Prep Tournament: Mixed U9 A (a) | 5th |
Cricket v Districts: Mixed U11 A (a) | 1st |
Cricket v Junior King’s: Girls U13 A (h) | Lost by 14 runs |