Dear parents and carers

Welcome back to the head’s newsletter – I hope you have all experienced a pleasant summer break. Firstly, thank you for helping to make the start of term such a success. The students have all been amazing over the last three days and have started the year exceptionally well. I am particularly pleased to see the positive manner in which students have started in class in terms of their attention, effort and presentation of work at the start of term.

Our key messages that we have shared in assembly this week have been focused on being the best version of themselves each day and to ensure that learning and achievement sits front and centre in the classroom and of course they take opportunities to develop themselves in extracurricular activities. I have also shared with students that one of our priorities this year is to enhance our homework provision and I have reinforced with everyone at Wollaston the importance of high-quality homework being set by staff and completed by students. The benefits of homework are enormous in terms of pre-learning material to be covered in class or consolidating knowledge that has already been taught. I would value your support this year in supporting your child(ren) to complete their homework in a timely fashion. Our new deputy headteacher, Mr Matthews, will be leading on this priority and will share expectations for homework provision in next Friday’s newsletter once we have finalised our arrangements.

We have also welcomed some new staff to Wollaston who complete our team and despite the recruitment crisis in education we are in the privileged position to be fully staffed. I am pleased to see how warmly they have been welcomed by our students who are helping them to settle in and get to know the school! We are also in the enviable position of being able to develop our site and resource to enhance our provision for students and I am pleased with how students have largely ignored the building works going on and this work has not interfered with the day to day running of the school. We are awaiting the start date for ground to be broken on our new 3G pitch, pavilion and carpark however this is imminent, and we look forward to tracking that project over the coming months.

Year 11

I am extremely pleased with how Year 11 have returned to school in what is such an important year for them. I have been working with Mr Logan and Mr Towers on a plan for the year that will go some way to ensuring the conditions are optimised for success for the cohort and I will share this with Year 11 parents early next week so please do look out for that.

2024 Exam Results

We were very proud of all of our students who received examination results in the summer and excited for the many positive destinations that they have moved onto for their next adventure. We have a huge number of students that we are privileged to welcome back as well as a number of students new to Wollaston altogether. I appreciate that this time of year can be daunting for young people (and parents!) as they embark on those next steps. Each year we do get some ex-Year 11 students return to our sixth form having tried an alternative path. We do have some space left in our Year 12 so please be aware that the option to return will be open to students (or indeed students who have previously studied elsewhere)  who meet the admission criteria. More information can be sought from our sixth form centre manager Mrs Melia via [email protected] .

Schools’ Transport

We are aware of issues with the schools’ transport provision in the first few days of term. Reading the Northants Telegraph it seems that we are not the only school that has had a few issues with the bus service provided by the local authority schools’ transport team. Please be reassured that we are working very hard with them to ensure their service is where we would expect it to be. I am hopeful that all issues with manifest lists, timetables and passes will be resolved by Monday PM. We will keep you posted if needed however, usually these teething problems settle after a few days of service, and I anticipate that we will have fewer problems into next week.

Exciting Careers News

Mr Myers writes “Well done to Mark Hampton in year 13 who has already secured a degree apprenticeship for Autumn 2025 with Niche Solutions LTD. This is in the field of Food Technology and will be a paid opportunity with university fees paid for by the employer. It is interesting to note that Mark made contact with the company at the 2024 Wollaston School Careers Fair and then worked for them over the summer holiday.”

Thank you once again for your support in making this week such a positive experience for the community.

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Simon Anderson