Headteacher's Message

EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS – We have been made aware that for a number of parents some of our email communications are heading straight to spam/junk folders. Please can we ask you to check these folders regularly for any missed school emails while we try to resolve this issue. Many thanks for your patience in this matter.

We started the week with a flash, or plenty of them for the whole school photos which took place throughout Monday and Tuesday. My thanks go to the staff and students who helped everything run to time, ensuring lesson disruptions were minimised.

Our second half of Year 7 tutor groups enjoyed wonderful weather this week as they headed off to the Thames for their kayaking and raft building activities. These trips are a rite of passage for Year 7 – with the infamous dock jump at the end of the day! – and I hope enjoying these fun activities together has helped them get to know their tutor groups outside of the school environment.

On Tuesday we welcomed our new Year 7 parents to Waldegrave for an Information Evening, giving parents the opportunity to meet their tutors and learn a bit more about our school. It was lovely to see such a high turnout, thank you to everyone for making the time to attend.

Yesterday and this morning we have been showing prospective parents and pupils around the school during our open mornings – three more of which take place next week. As Head Teacher it is wonderful to showcase not only our facilities and staff but the brilliant attitude of our students too and I have been very proud of our fantastic Year 8s who have shown such maturity and confidence while taking tours of the school. Well done to them!

Finally, today we welcomed a special guest for the first of this year’s Working Lunch series of careers talks. Our speaker from the Cabinet Office talked about her role as part of the government team responsible for major national crises and emergencies, from extreme weather and pandemics, to major fires and transport issues. It was a thrilling talk and is sure to have inspired students interested in a career in government, politics and the civil service.

Please note we have updated our Safeguarding Policy, this can be found on our website.

Have a lovely weekend.

Ms E Tongue

Monday 28 – Wednesday 30 September All Waldegrave School Open Morning
Friday 2 October Years 10-13 Working Lunch – Henrietta Rees, Consultant Psychiatrist
Friday 9 October All Macmillan Coffee Morning Charity Fundraiser – buy tokens here

Year Group Messages

Year 12

Year 12 students had yet another busy week in and out of lessons. This week, they took part in various enrichment activities. They all seemed to have enjoyed taking part in them. As a reminder, this is a compulsory session and it is treated in the same fashion as all timetabled lessons.

On Wednesday our Year 12 netball team took part in a tournament against other local schools – read more in the Sports Fixtures section below. Finally, today, we also had our first Waldegrave Working Lunch of the year. The speaker was excellent and the event was very well attended by our students. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in the Civil Service would have found it especially interesting.

Next Friday, we are delighted to have another Working Lunch taking place in the hall. This time round, we are going to have Dr Henrietta Rees, who is a consultant Psychiatrist. Any students considering a career in this field are strongly encouraged to attend this really interesting talk.

Please note our Parental Meetings are coming up on Wednesday 21 October, we have sent a letter home this week. Please check any spam folders to ensure you are receiving all Sixth Form communications.

Have a good weekend.

Mr C Stavrou, Head of Year 12

Year 13

Well done to all Year 13 students who have been working hard on their personal statements and beginning their UCAS applications. All students will have allocated time in their tutor time slots to work on both their applications and their personal statements.

A reminder that students making an application need to start thinking about this now. If any students are struggling with how to make a start, they can speak to myself or Mr Bannister for advice. Students who have begun working on this can share their personal statements with subject teachers or form tutors for advice on how to edit them.

I am continuing to add work experience opportunities and virtual webinars to the careers classroom, code 23j77kln, so I would advise students to look at these as these will enhance their personal statements.

The Year 13 mock examinations will be taking place 9-13 November. Mr Bannister will be arranging an assembly to be shown to Year 13 discussing the arrangements for the exams and the timetable will be sent out shortly.

Please can I ask you to check any spam folders to ensure you are receiving all Sixth Form communications.

Have a great weekend!

Ms R Pugh, Head of Year 13

Health & Wellbeing

Last week I shared information about online safety and creating healthy digital habits. This week I want to raise awareness of digital harassment by others.

Building general safety and legal awareness is one of the most powerful ways to protect yourself and your friends. The UK has significantly overhauled its laws to address the gaps that previously allowed digital harassment and covert filming to thrive.

While non-consenual filming is rare, we are aware that young women and girls and more at risk than other groups. While taking general photos or videos in public is usually legal, it crosses into illegal territory if the person is persistently targeting you to cause distress or taking images where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g. in bathrooms or changing rooms).

The Young Women’s Movement offers advice on your rights regarding AI and digital harassment. Some of their recommendations include:
1) Be aware of the rise of subtle recording tech, such as smart glasses or hidden button cameras. Legitimate smart glasses feature an external LED light that shines when recording.
2) Spot the Red Flags: Be alert to people holding their phones at unusual angles (e.g. low to the ground near skirts, or high up over bathroom stalls/changing rooms) or individuals who seem to be filming general “prank” or “pickup” content without engaging people respectfully.
3) Prioritize Your Safety: Never put yourself in physical danger and do not attempt to forcefully remove the device. Legally, members of the public cannot compel someone to delete footage or grab their phone. Doing so could put you at physical or legal risk. If the person seems aggressive or the situation feels unsafe, move to a crowded, well-lit area or approach a security guard or venue staff.
2) Lock Down AirDrop and Quick Share: Prevent others from sharing unsolicited intimate images or to scrape data. Keep your wireless sharing settings set to “Contacts Only” or “Receiving Off” when in crowded public spaces or on public transport.
3) Practice “Digital Hygiene” with Disappearing Media: If you are sharing expiring images via social media remember that these can be copied or screenshotted. Note: the law specifically criminalises anyone who copies or screenshots images that were explicitly shared on a temporary basis.

 

Ms S Moore, Director of Wellbeing

Careers Contact Details

If you require any further information on careers please contact Jack Bannister by email below.
careers@waldegravesch.org

Sports Fixtures

On Tuesday afternoon, the Year 8 football team went up against Grey Court in their first match of the new season. The final scores were 2-2 with Luna B, 8EAL scoring both goals for our team. Sophia W, 8FKI also received player of the match for her excellent goal keeping skills. Well done to the whole team!

On Wednesday our Year 12 Netball Team took part in a tournament against other local schools, Turing House, Sir Richard Reynolds, Lady Eleanor Holles and Lift Richmond Park. Our team fought hard against worthy adversaries coming in sixth place. They will be entering the plate league with upcoming games against Lift Richmond Park, Turing House and The Kingston Academy.

Finally, last Thursday our Netball Teams from Years 9, 10 and 11 were due to take part in our first sports fixture for the new school year, all playing away at Christ’s School. Unfortunately this has been postponed to later in the term.

News

Sixth Form Open Evening - Wednesday 14 October

Please click HERE for more information and to book tickets.