From the Head’s Study
Firstly, our thanks go to Mrs Crompton and Ms Elliott for organising, leading and taking our Year 6 children away for a week of activities, teamwork and leadership skills. In spite of some rather inclement weather, much fun was had by all and we have loved hearing the many stories that have returned with the children from the trip. It is clear from the photographs taken during the trip that the children were immersed in a wide range of activities and opportunities, creating unforgettable memories which will last a lifetime. Thank you to Theo A for his in-depth account of the trip in this morning’s assembly.
Secondly, I want to say how proud I am of the sports provision at our school. We may not always win but the breadth of opportunities we provide and the sense of enjoyment that is experienced is simply wonderful. It is no secret that I am not an expert in the technical aspects of sport but I do recognise progress when I see it. I also recognise excellent teamwork, supportive relationships and resilience. Having watched some of the football this week and having heard of our success at the Thanet Dodgeball Tournament, I feel confident in saying that our children are showing impressive rates of improvement both in skill and communication with their respective teams. I am extremely proud of all our children for taking part, giving their all and remaining committed to continuous improvement.
Finally, please note that second Mark Industry reports are now live on the portal so please do log in and view them.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
Mrs Jo Parpworth
School Last Week
Year Six Residential to Hindleap
We extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs Crompton and Ms Elliott for accompanying the children during their unforgettable time at Hindleap. They have gained so much from this experience, strengthening interpersonal skills, problem solving and a general sense of independence. They faced their fears and embraced challenges showing great determination and resilience. During the week they took part in many activities such as axe throwing, orienteering, underground tunnels, tree top challenges, the leap of faith and many more. They have all grown in these last 5 days and Mrs Crompton and Ms Elliott are extremely proud of their behaviour and effort throughout the week. Well done Year 6!
Anti Bullying Week
We held Anti Bullying Week, kicking off the event with Odd Socks Day. Year 5 assembly presented a poignant assembly about the importance of Kindness to mark World Kindness Day, giving time to reflect on the impact this can have on one’s self esteem and that of others. We are proud to announce that Felix B and Felix W have been given the role of ‘Anti Bullying Ambassador’ for our school – they will be in charge of helping to ensure that day and boarding pupils feel included and valued.
Children in Need
On Friday we had lots of fun raising money for this important charity. Thank you to Year 1 and 3 for their fantastic assembly which highlighted how the money raised is used to support youngsters in need. It was a very moving and poignant assembly highlighting the difficulties faced by many youngsters backed up with a positive message about how the charity has helped to support their lives. We are delighted to have raised a total of £220 – thank you everyone for your support.
School This Week
Year 5 Roman Day – Tuesday 21st November
This is a history themed day and we invite all the children to come to school dressed in Roman costumes. On Tuesday, lessons will have a Roman theme and they will also be having a special lunch inspired by some Roman recipes. Please be aware that afternoon activities will be on as normal, but the children can change into their PE kit if they’d rather not attend these sessions in costume. Please could we ask that no weapons are brought into school – plastic or otherwise!
Kent Eco Awards – Thursday 23rd November
We are delighted to announce that we have won another award for our efforts in building a sustainable school and our conservation work. Mrs Sabin-Dawson and some pupils from Year 5 and 6 will travel to Ashford to collect the award and we look forward to sharing the details of this with you next week.
Senior School Show – 23rd and 24th November at 6pm
Join us on Thursday and Friday evening this week for our senior school annual production of ‘A Quest for King Arthur’, which is part of the National Theatre ‘Let’s Pretend’ project. Ms Websper and Year 7 and 8 have worked extremely hard and we look forward to showcasing their talents. Please join us from 5.30pm onwards for pre-show drinks from 5.30pm. Please fill in this Google Form to book your seats for the show.
https://forms.gle/kbkMYYDWZFVSTgbf7
Future Events
Tombola items
Tombola items needed for Childrens’ Christmas Fair – any donations for this will be gratefully received throughout November. They can be left with the school office/given to form teachers. Items in the past have included toys, craft activities, games, books, stationery, soft toys, chocolate and sweets or anything that you can think of that the children might like to win!
Class Assemblies Dates
1st December – Year 2
School Exams Week – starts Monday 27th November
Year 3 London Theatre Trip – Wednesday 29th November
Year 3 has been studying wild habitats in geography this term. As part of their learning programme, they are terribly excited to be taking a trip to London to watch The Lion King.
Senior Paris Trip – Saturday 2nd December to Tuesday 5th December
The seniors have a jam packed itinerary planned for their trip to Paris. They will take in the key tourist sites such as the Arc de Triomphe and to the Trocadero for a view of the Eiffel Tower by night. They will travel to the Christmas market at the Tuileries, visit the Louvre museum, Notre-Dame and they will be met by a guide who will give them a tour of the Quartier Latin. Of course, no trip to Paris would be complete without a stop at Disneyland and a night cruise on the Seine after dinner. It is set to be a trip of a lifetime.
Pre-Prep Nativity Performances – Wednesday 6th December and Thursday 7th December
Being one of most looked forward to events in the school calendar, we cannot wait to welcome our Nursery and Reception parents to WHD’s Nativity performance. More details to follow.
Year 1 -3 Christmas Celebration Performance – Thursday 7th December
We are very excited to welcome you to our festive programme of song, dance and poetry at our Christmas Service for Years 1 – 3 at 2.15pm. The children will take centre stage and will have their time to shine, filling our hearts with festive cheer.
Christmas Jumper Day – Friday 8th December
All children are invited to wear non-school uniform with a Christmas jumper.
Pre-Prep Christmas Lunch & Christmas Fair
We will provide a full Christmas banquet style lunch for our pre-prep children followed by a Christmas Fair and games in the afternoon.
Panto Trip Years 1 to 8 – Monday 11th December
We are looking forward to a trip to the Sarah Thorne Theatre where the children will enjoy the morning watching a pantomime. More details to follow on School Money.
Christmas Feast Y4 to 8 – Tuesday 12th December
Our infamous Christmas Feast will be held in the evening for Years 4 to 8 followed by parlour games in the Old Hall afterwards (5.15pm to 7pm).
Christmas Carol Service – Wednesday 13th December
Join us in the chapel at 11.30am for our traditional Christmas Service involving Years 4 – 8.
Term Ends – Wednesday 13th December at 12.30pm
Reminders
School Uniform Shop
We have a range of preloved uniform items available in our uniform shop. Please contact Liz Dilkes, Chair of the PFA, to arrange an appointment.
Boom Reader
Please remember to encourage your child to read every morning or evening and log this on their Boom Reader account. Class teachers and form tutors are reviewing this every day. Thank you for your support.
Money
Please ensure that your child does not bring money to school on any other day than tuckshop day.
School Values Awards
Pre-Prep
Reception | Zayyan Khan for always showing respect and kindness to his friends and adults. Well done! |
Year 1 | Bella Kane – for showing excellent progress and determination in her classwork. She always tries her best, with a smile, and has a wonderful attitude all-round. David Walters – David has really pushed himself on lately, especially when it comes to his self-confidence. David is keen to participate in lessons and happily encourages others inside and outside of the classroom. |
Year 2 | Felicity O’Dell- Felicity has such a fabulous attitude towards her learning all of the time. She has really impressed us this week with her triumphant effort towards her reading and phonics. She is rightly proud of herself and we are so proud of the progress she is making too! Harper Donnellan- Harper is a child that is always exhibiting our school values across the board! She is always focussed and hardworking. Harper has particularly shone through in maths this week with her 2 digit subtraction and addition! |
Year 3 | Cooper Webb – staying on task in maths until he has found a solution when problem solving in maths. Cooper never gives up and tries different strategies until he finds a plausible answer. Margot Owen for working hard to learn spellings and rising to the challenge of learning an increased amount each week. |
Seniors
Year 4 | Elodie is a perfect example of someone who is resilient, steady and meticulous. She is always focused during lessons and gives her 100% effort in every thing she does. She is rigorous in her work, follows instructions and achieves results. Well done, Elodie. Lyndon Smith, Teddy Lawson and Albie Stansfield for taking part in an U11 match and giving their very best! |
Year 5 | Teddy Miller for the courage to take his place on the stage for our form assembly. |
Year 6 | Mrs Crompton and Miss Elliott for incredible resilience at Hindleap. |
Seniors | Freddie Loudon for his mature attitude when working in class, his concentration and focus on tasks set and for making great progress in Latin. |
Team of the Week:
The choir for their fabulous performance in the Remembrance service!
The 1st XI football team. Their Molten Ball competition has been littered with huge defeats, but they have shown great determination, resilience and most importantly the willingness to listen to advice given to produce a more competitive performance against St Ed’s last week and then their best performance of the season against Northbourne yesterday. It was our only non-loss, but the boys celebrated the draw as though it was a win, because for all involved it was confirmation that if you work hard, are disciplined and remain positive you can always improve. This group has most certainly done that over the last few weeks. It was a great game to watch. Going 2 behind in the first half, they never gave up. Getting one back before half time really gave them the confidence for the second half, even though they were playing up the slope.
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 22/11/23
Football v Dover College: U13 A Boys (h) 2.30pm
Football v St Edmund’s: U11 A and U11 B Boys (a)
Football v Northbourne Park: U9 A and U9 B Boys (a)
Hockey v Dover College: U13 A Girls (a) 2.45pm
Thursday 23/11/23
Hockey v St Lawrence: U9 A and U9 B Girls (h)
Please always refer to the website calendar as it is the most up-to-date place to check for fixture changes and locations.
If your child has been selected for a fixture, we will communicate with you prior to the fixture with information regarding the recommended pick up time from Wellesley HD.
Matches Last Week
| Football v Northbourne Park: U13 A Boys (a) | Drew 2-2 |
| Football v Junior King’s: U11 B Boys (h) | Lost 3-5 |
| Football v Thanet Passport Tournament: U9 A Boys (Margate Football Club) | Win x1 Draw x1 Lost x2 |
| Hockey v Northbourne Park: U9 A and U9 B Girls (a) | Lost 0-3 Drew 0-0 |
| Dodgeball v Thanet Passport Tournament: U7 (Ramsgate Leisure Centre Gym & Pool) | Winners of the Tournament 10 games |
