A Foreword From Mrs Parpworth
Dear Parents,
It has been a wonderful week of sports for our children with cricket season well underway. Congratulations to our Year 2 Agility Team for coming first against several other schools in Thanet! This term is always an opportunity for our pupils to experience the very best use of our extensive grounds and we hope to see you at our upcoming scheduled fixtures.
Our phenomenal success rate into highly competitive grammar schools speaks for itself, as does the array of top senior independent schools that our pupils transition to. This week is a reminder of this as we wish 3 of our year 8 pupils well in their academic scholarship assessments at King’s Canterbury. We congratulate one of pupils who completed a range of gruelling scholarship assessments at Tonbridge School last week. This is testament to the resilience and high aspirations of our pupils and the excellent preparation they receive from the teaching staff at our school. We wish them all the very best of luck!
Mrs Jo Parpworth
School Last Week
Reading Conferences
Lots of pupils initiated their reading conferences this week which involved 1:1 sessions with our reading coach ‘Alice Henry’ designed to engage, motivate and build confidence for pleasurable reading. These sessions have had a profound impact on the pupils, with so many more children choosing to read in their personal downtime.
Alice reports:
‘Reading is an active, imaginative act; it takes work.’ – Khaled Hosseini
This time of year always brings signs of hope, with the fresh green starting to peep through in hedgerows, the increase in daylight and of course the desire for our children to play outside. For some, this is the final term at WHD, the end of an era and plans to transition to a new school. Before getting carried away with the future, living very much in the present and thinking about seizing every opportunity that WHD can offer, here is an opportunity to consolidate or maybe kickstart your child’s independent reading habit. Over the last year, I have worked with a number of Year 8 students and have seen exponential growth in them as readers. It has been exciting to see these young people grow in confidence and develop agency over their reading journey. Reading for pleasure has a hugely positive impact on educational performance as well as reducing stress, building empathy and increasing focus. If you would like your child to experience this and have a reading coach for your child this term, please contact Linzi or Alice – Alicethereadingcoach@gmail.com.
Eco Shop Update
Mrs Parpworth ran some very tough interviews on Thursday last week having shortlisted the candidates who applied for the roles. We are delighted to announce that the following students have been appointed to run our new Eco Shop:
Directors | Suri Lear Izzy James |
Marketing Managers | Rebecca Segawa Brooke Webb |
Finance Managers | Kaspar Lear Genevieve Frogley |
Stock Manager | Olivia Ross Isabella Stevens |
Buying Manager | Pearl Dunbar-Brunton Felix Worthington |
Sales Team | Emmy Dobbs Clara Montgomery Hector Halton |
Market Research | Juelle Simpson Sophie Spencer |
The Eco Shop will launch after half term and the team will be in touch shortly with details of our launch.
RNLI Assembly
Thank you to the RNLI who delivered a very powerful and informative ‘beach’ safety briefing for our pupils in readiness for the summer season.
Darcey Sets The Bar High!
Congratulations to Darcey O in Year 5 for her achievements in ballet, gaining a Grade 2 in her recent exam. She achieved a Distinction Star which is the highest level a person can be awarded. The examiner noted that she performed with an exquisite sense of poise and that she danced with musicality.
We are so proud of the effort and commitment Darcey has put into this!
School This Week
Year 3 trip to Whitstable Museum – Tuesday 30th April
This is an exciting trip to Kakawa Artisan Chocolate & Co Ltd, in Whitstable, which ties in beautifully with their Geography and History topics of The Americas and in particular, South America and The Mayans.
Exeat – Friday 3rd May
The school will close at 3.30pm on this day. After-school Club will not run on this day. Boarders will arrive on the evening of Monday 6th May.
Bank Holiday – Monday 6th May
School will be closed for day pupils.
Future Events
Class assemblies this term (Old Hall)
Reception – Friday 21st June at 9am
Year 1 – Friday 14th June at 9am
Year 2 – Friday 7th June at 9am
Year 3 – Friday 28th June at 9am
Year 4 – Tuesday 2nd July at 9am
Year 5 – Tuesday 11th June at 8.30am (World Environment Day)
Year 6 – Tuesday 18th June at 8.30am
Seniors – Tuesday 25th June at 8.30am
Year 6 SATs Week – Begin Monday 13th May
The exams will run Monday to Thursday with a treat planned for the end of the week with !
Year 2 Dover Museum Trip – Tuesday 14th May
Year 2 has been learning about the Bronze Age and Iron Age this term. Dover Museum is privileged to host the famous Bronze Age Boat in the acclaimed Bronze Age Boat Gallery.
This prehistoric wooden boat, discovered in September 1992, is thought to be some 3,500 years old. The boat’s excavation was an internationally important archaeological discovery. After seven years of research and conservation, the Dover Boat came back to Dover and is now proudly on display at Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery. The discovery, excavation and preservation of the Dover Bronze Age Boat has been internationally praised. In December 2000, the Bronze Age Boat was awarded the British Archaeological Awards ICI Award 2000 in recognition of its contribution to archaeological knowledge.
CE French Listening / Speaking Exams – Tuesday 14th May
We wish all our students the best of luck in these important exams.
Digital Marketing and Careers Presentation – Friday 17th May
As part of our Careers Programme, one of our parents, Emma Frewin, will join Years 5-8 to discuss her career in marketing, the steps she took to get there and the skills required. We are looking to inform our students about the opportunities for employment and how their learning will support different pathways.
PFA Fundraising Day – Friday 24th May
We are inviting children to come to school in their pyjamas on this day to raise funds for the PFA. A voluntary donation will be added to School Money.
CE Exams start this week – Monday 3rd June
We wish everyone in Year 8 the very best of luck for these important exams. The children will end the week with a fun session down at the beach on Friday!
Reception 2024 Transition Session – Wednesday 5th June
We warmly welcome our new cohort of children who will join us in Reception this September. We have lots of fun planned in our forest school and this will be a brilliant opportunity for parents to meet the class teachers and other families in the class. We look forward to giving each child their very own Wellesley Haddon Dene School bear. The session starts at 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
Year 5 STEAM Day – Thursday 6th June
We are looking forward to a day at Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School for a fun and interesting day of maths, science and engineering!
Seniors Trip to Rockley – Monday 10th June
Our leavers will join Mrs Parpworth and Mrs Crompton 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.
Exeat – Friday 14th June
The school will close at 3.30pm and there will not be any after school provision on this day.
Summer Showcase of Performance – Friday 21st June
Please join us for an afternoon of performances celebrating the very best talent across our school.
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
Holiday Club with TSC
We are delighted to announce our Half Term Holiday Camp with Thanet Sports Coaching (TSC).
The camp will run over the following dates in May: 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st (Tuesday – Friday)
To book, please click on the following link.
Ambition Sports Update
We are aware that there are some supply issues with the summer dress. If you are unable to purchase the summer dress in the size required, please visit Marks & Spencer who have something similar available here.
Summer Photo Opportunity
Clare Smith is offering the opportunity of some affordable mini-photo shoots at Botany Bay on the 4th, 25th and 26th May. This is perfect for couples and growing families who want to capture some special moments at an affordable price. Please see the leaflet attached for more details.
School Values Awards
Pre-Prep
| Reception | Caleb Purland and Hendrix Franco-Robinson for reading everyday at home. Well done, boys! |
| Year 1 | Margot Watson for her fantastic work in Maths lately. She has really grasped the concepts of counting in and multiplying by 2, 5 and 10. Her confidence is growing and her enthusiasm is shining. Tilda Hempstead for her excellence in her work and attitudes to learning. Tilda always tries her best and is keen to do more. Tilda has also demonstrated continued kindness and friendship to others. |
| Year 2 | Teddy Beattie- Teddy continues to be a great role model to others, his kindness has shone really through this week. Teddy has been working really hard in English in particular this week, we have noticed that he is making a real effort to take care with his presentation! Frederick Tipping- For his resilience in maths, with a little bit of patience Freddie has been able to apply his ever-growing times table knowledge to his fraction work and is always ready to give himself an extra challenge! Freddy Mulvihill has been making a super effort to be helpful, both in class and in the Dining hall. Mrs Moosudee has been very impressed with his attitude and thoughtfulness during lunch service. Coco Smith for being respectful and kind to her classmates. Coco is a generous and caring girl who tries really hard to show kindness and thoughtfulness to her peers. I have also received positive comments from parents too, which is lovely to hear and acknowledge. |
| Year 3 | Frankie-Mae for her excellence in maths. She is always focused and hardworking and strives to find answers when posed with more problematic questions. Freddie Spencer for his gentlemanly attitude and behaviour. He is often commended for his kindness and behaviour by other members of staff. He is an exemplary role model for his peers. |
Seniors
| Year 4 | Kody Simpson is a very able mathematician yet very humble. He always gets on with the work without wasting any lesson time. |
| Year 5 | Lucas Qui for making a super effort and a great first week of boarding. |
| Year 6 | Olivia Ross for resilience. Theo Eberlin for being supportive of his fellow students in class offering help in a respectful, confident and mature way. |
| Seniors | Melody Flowers for making a great effort to ensure the Wellow House students feel at home. Mel has also been working hard in her classes and diligent in her prep. |
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 Duke of York’s: 1st XI (h)
Cricket v Northbourne Park: U11 A (a)
Cricket v Duke of York’s: U13 A Girls (h)
Cricket v JKS: U11 A Girls (h)
Thursday
Cricket v Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School: 1st XI (a) 1.30pm
Football: Year 2 A and B (a) 4pm – 5.30pm
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 Year 1 | No results, lots of fun! |
Infant Agility: Year 2 | 1st and 4th |
Cricket v JKS: 2nd XI | Won by 1 run |
Cricket v St Lawrence: U9 A | Won by 9 runs |
Cricket v St Lawrence: U9 B | Lost by 7 runs |
Cricket v JKS: U13 Mixed | Won by 18 runs |
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