Sent to parents and carers on 3/10/25
Weekly Bulletin for Friday 3 October 2025
It was wonderful to welcome the families of local Year 6 pupils to Westbourne yesterday evening for our annual Open Evening. It is always a real pleasure to look round our academy during events such as this, which really do highlight all the great education on offer here. It was lovely to see so many local families present. I very much enjoyed the opportunity to share the progress we are making on our journey towards achieving our potential as a school in the talks that I gave.
We are making progress behind the scenes towards our goal of becoming a phone free school after October half term. I will write to you separately about this important change next week. I will be able to explain the reasons behind the changes we are planning and answer any questions during our next parent/carer forum on Wednesday 22 October. A MS Form will be shared in the Friday bulletin on 17 October where you can register your attendance.
This week, in tutor time, students were invited to take part in a writing competition about ‘Home’. Full details can be found here on the poster as well as the prizes on offer to the winners:
Writing Competition Your Story
Celebrating Our Student Volunteers
We are incredibly proud of the 100+ students who generously gave their time to support our annual Open Evening. Acting as tour guides, some students welcomed prospective students and their families, sharing their experiences of life at the academy with warmth, confidence, and enthusiasm. While, in subject areas, other students interacted with our visitors and gave them the opportunity what it is like to learn the wide range of subjects we have on our curriculum.
Our visitors frequently commented on how impressed they were with the maturity, positivity, and pride shown by our student volunteers. Their contribution was a true reflection of the academy’s values in action, and they played a vital role in making the evening such a success.
We would like to thank each and every student who took part – you have been outstanding ambassadors for our school!
Issues with Satchel One for Year 7
We can now confirm that the technical issue affecting lots of Year 7 students being unable to log in to Satchel One has now been fixed.
Please ask your child to try and log in at home on their device. If they cannot remember their username or password, please ask them to speak to Mr Melton (B26) or Mr Burrows (B25) next week.
Miss Hale, one of our teaching assistants, can usually be found in the library after school from 15:00-16:00 Monday to Thursday but not Friday. All students can go there for help logging into academy systems as well as use the PCs to complete their home learning tasks.
Instructions for signing into Satchel One can be found here:
https://www.westbourne.attrust.org.uk/students/home-learning/
Data Collection Sheets
Over the past fortnight, all students have been given a paper copy of their data collection sheet to take home. Parents and carers need to check that the information on their child’s data sheet is correct and up to date. Any changes may be written on it and the sheet returned to school via your child’s form tutor.
Thank you to those of you who have already returned the sheets to school. Even if there are no changes, we would like the sheet back so that we know it has been checked through by a parent/carer. If your child has lost their copy or has not brought it home to you, please request a replacement by emailing wes-office@attrust.org.uk
SEND Coffee Morning: Wed 8 October 2025
You are invited to come and meet the SEND team and SENDIASS on Wednesday 8 October from 9:00- 10:30. There is no need to book. Just turn-up at Reception at 9:00. There will be a presentation at 9:30 where you can find out how we are helping students succeed with Adaptive Practice in the classroom.
Enquiries may be sent to our SENDCO: willow.piper@attrust.org.uk
Nasal Flu Vaccinations
Earlier this week, parents and carers received a separate communication about giving or declining consent for nasal flu vaccinations on 6 and 13 October. Classes will be taken to the LRC by their teacher when it is their turn. The nurses will check their system to see who has had parental consent and who has not. A copy of the information sent by email can be found here on our website:
Flu Vaccination for Years 7 to 11 – Westbourne Academy
Monday 13 October is the date when students in Years 10 and 11 will have an opportunity to get the nasal vaccine if consent has been given in advance.
Any queries about the vaccine or giving/declining consent should be made direct to Vaccination UK on 01449 701430 or by email to suffolk@v-uk.co.uk. Their online form does not always work properly for some devices.
Year 11 Parent/Carer Evening & Success Fayre
Our online appointment booking system is now open for Year 11 parent/carer evening on Thursday 16 October 16:00-19:00. On the same evening, between 18:00-19:00, our Year 11 Success Fayre will also take place in the Food Hall next door to the Main Hall. A copy of the communication sent today can be found here on our website news page:
Y11 Parent/Carer Evening & Success Fayre – Westbourne Academy
Student Absence
Please ensure if your child is absent from the academy, that you have notified the attendance office at the earliest opportunity on each day they are not going to be in school, in order to prevent the automated text messages being sent or absence calls being made to parents/carers – these commence from 8.35am each day.
The ways in which you can contact the academy to inform us of student absence can be found on our website here.
Household Support Fund Discretionary Grant
Suffolk County Council is pleased to confirm that the Government announced a further extension to the above fund from April 2025 to March 2026. The grant issued for the October half term will be a £15 supermarket voucher for each eligible child from their provider Pluxee. It is designed to help families with essential living costs over the holiday. You can read a copy of their letter here:
SCC Letter To Families HSF Vouchers October HT 2025
Please ensure that we hold the most uptodate contact information for you as the voucher code will be emailed by SCC FSM team.
Applying for Free School Meals
You can apply for free school meals online direct with Suffolk County Council. You will get an immediate response and confirmation email after you have completed your application. You will not be able to apply over the phone because you need to provide an email address, password and sign the declaration stating that you have parental responsibility. Follow the link below which will take you to the SCC website:
The Department for Education (DfE) has updated the Free School Meals (FSM) guidance to confirm that all households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to receive FSM from the start of the 2026/2027 school year. They have also extended transitional protections until the end of the 2025/2026 school year.
Contact: freeschoolmeals@suffolk.gov.uk
MyChildAtSchool (MCAS)
If you have not yet registered, please do so at your earliest convenience to ensure you have access to all the academy’s communications and services. We recommend that parents and carers use the website version of MCAS rather than the app as the website offers greater functionality that the app. A copy of the email and instructions sent to new Year 7 parents and carers can be found here on our website latest news page:
Cashless System – Westbourne Academy
Food Hall Menus
The new menu on offer at break and lunch in our Food Hall can be found here on our website. The menus rotate every three weeks:
Catering & Food Hall – Westbourne Academy
Key Dates 2025-26
Monday 6 October – Y7-8-9 flu vaccinations
Wednesday 8 October – 9:00-10:30 SEND Coffee Morning
Monday 13 October – Y10-11 flu vaccinations
Wednesday 15 October – 9:00-14:00 EAL Parent/Carer Hub (info to follow)
Thursday 16 October – Year 11 Parent/Carer Evening 16:00-19:00
Thursday 16 October – Year 11 Success Fayre 18:00-20:00
Wednesday 22 October – Parent/Carer Forum 16:15-17:00 (registration form to follow)
Monday 27 – Friday 31 Oct – Half term holiday
Monday 3 November – Staff PD day (school is closed)
Wednesday 26 November – Parent/Carer Forum 16:15-17:00 (registration form to follow)
Monday 15 December – Flu vaccination mop-ups
Wednesday 17 December – Parent/Carer Forum 16:15-17:00 (registration form to follow)
You can view our academy events calendar together with term dates and PD days on our website here: Academy Calendar and Term Dates – Westbourne Academy
Kind regards
Mr M Higgon
Principal
Academy vision: Westbourne is an inclusive academy. We support all students, regardless of starting point, to achieve their potential and develop the skills necessary for employment and life.
Academy values: Be Safe, Be Thoughtful, Be Accountable and Be Respectful.
General queries to: wes-office@attrust.org.uk or 01473 742315
Attendance or Absence queries to: wes-attendance@attrust.org.uk
Exam queries to: anna.fulcher@attrust.org.uk
Lettings queries to wes-lettings@attrust.org.uk
MCAS, online payments and data information queries to: wes-data@attrust.org.uk
Safeguarding queries to wes-safe@attrust.org.uk
SEND queries to: willow.piper@attrust.org.uk