Headteachers Letter – 17th September 2021
Dear Parents and carers,
It has been wonderful to be back this week and to see Wollaston School return to our very best! Students and staff are relishing the opportunities of being back in specialist faculty areas, in addition to once again feeling like a whole school community as year groups are able to mix right across the school site.
In addition to great lessons, using specialist resources, we are also returning to a full programme of life enhancing extra curricular experiences. There are a wide range of activities available for students in each year group, and please do encourage students to take part in at least one activity – making the most of the fantastic additional opportunities which are available.
Thank you also to Mr Anderson for authoring the previous headteachers’ letter – contracting Covid was not my planned way to finish the summer holiday! Nevertheless, I am fully recovered and it has been a joy to be back at Wollaston and focused on delivering excellence in education this academic year, with many of the previous restrictions now lifted.
Student achievements
We continue to derive great inspiration from the extraordinary achievements of Wollaston’s very Masie Summers-Newton – double gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 and world record holder! We have an incredible range of talents and accomplishments in a wide range of fields with our student cohort, and I would like to continue to celebrate their achievements in these newsletters.
To begin with, my congratulations to Phoebe Kershaw, who after 79 instructed flights and 12 and a half hours of flight time, piloted a glider solo for the first time over the summer break. Phoebe has been learning to fly for the past couple of years and has had to slot her training around numerous covid related disruptions.
Phoebe is now working towards a single seat conversion before taking her private pilots licence. Congratulations to phoebe – and if you have any achievements to share, please contact FitzhughJ@wollastion-school.net as we are only too happy to celebrate our incredible students.
Hot Chocolate Fridays
New for this academic year, is a rewards event for students who have been recognised by their Head of Year for excellent achievement. The prize is an opportunity to enjoy Hot Chocolate on a Friday with myself and enjoy recognition for contributing so effectively to Wollaston School. It has been the turn of Year 7’s today and it was a great pleasure to meet five Year 7 students who have made such a wonderful start to their Wollaston school careers.
Congratulations to Maisey, Tammie-Jo, Darla, Charlie and Emily!
Year 7 and Year 12 meet the Tutor Evening
On the evening of Thursday 23rd September we will be inviting parents of our new Year 7 & Year 12 cohorts into school to celebrate their early achievements and discuss how we can work in partnership to ensure educational and personal success in the coming years. There will be an opportunity to meet the form tutor for Year 7 parents and to meet the allocated sixth form mentor for parents of students in year 12.
Details will be sent separately to parents of each year group, and if you have any queries please contact;
Mr Atherton Head of Year 7 – AthertonH@wollaston-school.net
Mr Mills Assistant Headteacher & Head of 6th Form – MillsT@wollaston-school.net
Opportunity to join the Nene Valley Partnership Trust Board
Wollaston School is proud to be a founding member of the Nene Valley Partnership, our small Multi Academy Trust, which also includes Bozeat Primary School and Irchester Primary School. There is currently a vacancy for a member of the NVP trust board, which is the body that sets the strategic direction for the trust, oversees financial performance and holds Senior Leaders to account for educational performance. Trustees would particularly welcome expressions of interest from applicants who have financial, legal or marketing experience – although any interested individuals are welcome to get in touch for further information.
Owing to rules laid down by the Department for Education regarding composition of the trust board, we are unable to consider applications from Local Authority elected representatives or anyone employed by a Local Authority.
If you would like to know more, or for a discussion about the role, please contact the NVP Governance Professional, Liz Procter ProcterE@nenevalleypartnership.com
Opportunity for Positive community Improvement
North Northampton Council are offering young people aged 12-16 from Wellingborough and the surrounding villages the opportunity to be involved in a student forum to make positive changes in the local community.
Further details are on the attached flyer with a link to a parental consent form for those who are interested in taking part in this initiative.
The consent form can be found here ; https://76196.aidaform.com/expert-parental-consent-form
Vaccinations for children aged 12-15 Years
You are likely to be aware that the Government are progressing plans to offer vaccinations to 12-15 year old students. Although we do not yet have full details of the mechanics of this plan (I am attending an information session this evening) we expect that our school will be asked to host a venue for vaccinations and arrange time slots for students who have consent to be vaccinated.
I recognise that in a large school community such as ours, there will be a range of opinions on vaccinating children, and we of course respect the principle of informed consent for any vaccination programme.
As we do for all vaccination programmes, we are happy to facilitate the provision and timing of vaccines, but do not hold a position or offer health advice on the benefits or disadvantages of vaccination. These are a matter for individuals, families and Public Health. I will of course detail further information as soon as I have it.
Open Evening 2021
We are delighted to return to a live and in-person Open Evening for prospective parents and students who are applying for a year 7 place for September 2022. The evening itself will take place on Thursday 30th September and tickets must be booked in advance HERE
As in previous years, we will also be using current students in a range of leadership roles on the evening, we know that the best advertisement for our school are our excellent students and staff!
We will also shortly begin recruitment for our Sixth Form cohort of 2022. The Sixth Form Open Evening will take place on 4th November 2021, but in the meantime if Year11 students or parents have any questions or anything they would like to discuss regarding Sixth Form, please contact Mr Mills MillsT@wollaston-school.net Assistant Headteacher & Head of 6th Form.
Mr James Birkett
Headteacher
