Dear parents and carers

Thank you to all families who attended our Year 9 options evening this week. It was very well attended, and we are looking forward to working with the Year 9s at this seminal point in their school careers. It has also felt like spring has finally arrived and students have been enjoying the good weather at break and lunch. It is perhaps timely to issue a reminder to families to ensure that students bring a named water bottle to school as there is not the provision for students to be provided with bottles or cups. If parents could also speak with their child about using break and lunchtime to fill their water bottles up rather than waiting until lesson time, this will avoid any unnecessary issues around students requesting to leave lessons as this will not be permitted.

We are very proud to say ‘well done’ to Sam Mallalieu in Year 12 who has been given one of five national Honourable Mentions for his entry in the #philosophymatters campaign competition run by the British Philosophical Association last week. His teacher, Mr Hopkins, had been informed by that there were many excellent submissions and Sam’s was one that stood out from across the country. As a result, Sam was invited to London on Thursday 20^th March to attend the Campaign Launch at Senate House, the central library for the University of London and the school of Advanced Study. We look forward to hearing all about this from Sam.

Over the last few weeks, I have been working closely with our student ambassadors on their school improvement projects for the year. It is always inspiring to work with this amazing group of children and hear about how enthusiastic they are and how creative they are with their ideas to improve the school. Our next ambassador conference will take place on the morning of April 3^rd and student will be putting their excellent plans into action! Year 11 have also been working hard and the level of focus and agency they are showing as a cohort is great to see. Information will be shared on Monday about Easter School Revision sessions, so please do expect communication home for students to sign up for these sessions. Should pupil post experience some delays, if you could remind your child to sign up then it will greatly help with staffing during the Easter break.

Music Trip

Mrs Hollis Brown writes, ‘On Thursday 13^th March the A level and some GCSE Music students visited the Barbican Theatre in London to see the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). The Wollaston School students were outstanding in every way and they thoroughly enjoyed the performances from the LSO. We got to see four works performed by the LSO which were Albert Roussel’s Le Festin de l’araignee, Maurice Ravel’s Histoires naturelles, Benjamin Britten Les illuminations and our A level set work Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 ‘London Symphony’. The LSO was being conducted by Barbara Hannigan and there were two vocal performances by Barbara Hannigan and Stephane Degout. Thank you to Miss Annabel Indge whom accompanied the trip.’

RAG WEEK Friday 28^th March – Thursday 3^rd April 2025

Wollaston School Head Students Write: ‘RAG Week, is an annual Wollaston tradition. We are aware some students have not had the full experience of a RAG Week and we’re so excited to let you know the time has come again. During this week Sixth Form students and teachers will be taking part in events and dressing up to raise money for charity.

The charities we will be supporting this year are:

• Youth Sport Trust, who aim to improve children’s development and education through sport.
• The National Federation of Young Farmers, we selected this charity in memory of Joe Maddy a member of Year 11 who sadly passed away recently, we know how much this organisation meant to Joe so we will be donating half of our proceeds to this organisation.

RAG Week is being arranged by the Sixth Form students so please make sure you show your support and come to as many events as possible, they will be mainly held in the Main Hall, outside the Sports Hall or the Field. Watching activities such as Lip Sync Battles and Strictly Come Dancing always provides an entertaining lunchtime with your teachers participating every step of the way. Posters have been put up across the school giving details about events and when you can come. This year for our final event on the Thursday, we’re holding a sixth form vs staff football game which we are holding on the field. We are hoping for this event to be our biggest one yet, you’ll be able to come and buy a sweet treat and support your favourite teachers or sixth form members as they play for the win.

Each event will be a £1 minimum donation, which will of course be going directly to our charity choices.  Alternatively, students may purchase a VIP Pass, granting them access to the Main Hall throughout the week, the cost of this is £5 and is available on parent pay from now until Tuesday 26^th. Upon purchase students will receive their pass during form time on Wednesday 27^th or Thursday “28^th.

On Thursday 3^rd April, you are welcome to wear Mufti with a £1 donation. On the Friday Sixth Form students will come round Form Rooms to collect your donations.

We hope you can help us all to raise money, thoroughly enjoy the events and contribute as much as you possibly can’.

Key Dates

Monday 24^th March – Year 7 disco 6-8.30pm

Tuesday 25^th March – Year 11 field trip to Hunstanton, Excellence Tie Evening 6.30 -7.15

Thursday April 3^rd – Student Ambassadors Conference, Year 8 Take Your Child to Work Information Event 6-7.30, FINAL DAY OF TERM

Friday April 4^th – Teacher Professional Development Day – school closed to students

Tuesday 22^nd April – first day of term

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Simon Anderson