Sent to parents and carers on 16/05/2025
Weekly Bulletin for Friday 16/05/2025
During an unusual week for the academy, I was delighted to drop into a light-hearted assembly led by Miss Feakes on Thursday, focusing on sun awareness week. Students heard about the importance of looking after ourselves outside from March to October in particular, including by wearing sun screen and drinking plenty of water.
Commiserations to our Year 10 boys’ football team who fought hard but sadly lost 3-0 to Chantry in the South Suffolk cup final yesterday. It was great to see so many staff, students and parents there supporting the team.
Year 11 continue to be busy with their GCSEs, with the first English, science, maths, geography and history exams this week. Please do encourage them to keep going, as I know you will!
By now, many students will have met and spoken to Mr Stronach, our new Vice Principal, who visited again this week. Our plans are now well developed for moving to year groups, improving how we respond when a student is removed from a lesson (C3), as well as how we are using our seclusion room. All of these significant changes will make a substantial difference to the daily running of the academy. They will also support our ongoing goal to improve the experience of coming to Westbourne for those students who sometimes struggle with connecting with our expectations. We will write to you separately outlining the changes before half term.
Thank you to those parents who contacted the school regarding the arrangements for the days affected by industrial action this week. I appreciate the current situation has been difficult for parents/carers and young people. I will be meeting with colleagues from both teaching unions later on today to try and avoid further instances of students having to learn remotely. Should my colleagues decide to continue the industrial action on Wednesday and Thursday next week we will be in touch as soon as possible with details of how we will facilitate face to face learning for as many students as we can safely accommodate on site.
Principal’s Commendation Winners
It has been wonderful continuing to meet our Principal’s Commendation winners every Friday, who truly represent our STAR values. Last week’s winners are:
- Churchill – Hermione L for being an excellent example of a Westbourne student
- Ennis – Alicia I for always showing resilience
- Nightingale – Harley M for having the most positive points in Nightingale this week
- Ramsey – Dylan R for making a positive start in their move to a new school
This week’s winners are:
- Churchill – Henry B for being an exemplary Year 10 student and his excellent attitude to education
- Ennis – Robyn C for being conscientious, polite and respectful and for always going above and beyond
- Nightingale – Luckveer K for incredible effort in class
- Ramsey – Favour O for settling into the academy so quickly and with such a positive attitude
WA Community Hub Event
Open to all! Our next Westbourne Community Hub event takes place on Monday 19 May 2025 between 15:15 – 16:00. Entry is through the main entrance doors to Reception. Bags of non-perishable food items and feminine hygiene products are available in exchange for a £3 donation (exact change please). Queries may be sent to opal.degville@attrust.org.uk
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.
Attendance Matters – “Attend today, achieve tomorrow”
“Education is your passport to the future, and good attendance is the stamp that gets you there.”
Attendance Focus for w/c 6/05/25)
Academy attendance across years 7-11 for the year to date is 87.6%
- academy attendance across years 7-11 last week was 87.9%
- 751 students across the academy had 100% attendance to school last week
- the best House attendance was Nightingale with 90.5%
- the best year group attendance was Year 9 with 89.1%
- the best tutor groups for attendance were N3 and R10 with 99%
- 333 students did not receive a single late mark last week and had both 100% attendance and punctuality to lessons
- the best House for punctuality to school and lessons was Churchill House
- the best year group for punctuality to school and lessons was Year 7
- the best House for 100% attendance and 100% punctuality last week was Churchill, with 91 students achieving this impressive feat.
- 95 students currently have 100% attendance to school this academic year
Praise & Reward Update
- 796 students received positive points during last week in their lessons for exemplary behaviour or attendance
- 10, 230 positive points were awarded to students during last week
Reminder: Year 11 Photos
The deadline for free delivery to school for Year 11 photos ordered from Kittle has been extended to Wednesday 4 June. Any orders received will be collected by Year 11 at their leaver’s assembly on the morning of Wednesday 18 June.
Reminder: Year 11 Leavers Hoodies
Parents, carers and Year 11 students are reminded to place their order for a leavers hoodie by the cut off date of 3 June 2025. Hoodies will be delivered to school and given out during the Year 11 leavers assembly on 18 June at 11:45-13:00. The cost is £25 and sample hoodies are available to try on in Mrs Fulcher’s office at break, lunch or after school. You can find a copy of the flyer here on our website:
Useful Links – Westbourne Academy
Next Steps After Year 11
Suffolk County Council (SCC) has asked schools to share the following letter with parents and carers of Year 11 students:
SCC Letter To Year 11 Parents MAY 2025
They want to let you know about the options for your young person and the type of support available over the next two years. Suffolk County Council (SCC) has a duty to follow up all young people in Suffolk to find out what education, employment or training they are in and offer them information about options and support if they are not doing anything.
Any queries may be sent to danny.payne@attrust.org.uk at school in the first instance.
Food Hall Menus
The menus on offer for the next three weeks in our Food Hall next week can be found here: Catering & Food Hall – Westbourne Academy:
- 2 June – menu 3
- 9 June – menu 1
- 16 June – menu 2
Suffolk Onboard: School Travel Opt-in
The deadline to opt-in for SCC funded school travel for the 2025/26 school term is fast approaching. If your child is eligible for SCC funded school travel to a mainstream school you will need to opt-in by 31 May 2025 to receive travel for the start of the 2025/2026 school year. If your child already receives SCC funded school travel you still need to opt-in every year.
If your child is starting primary or secondary school in September 2025 and they are eligible for SCC funded school travel, you will have received an email with details of how to opt-in.
For more information on the SCC school travel policy and getting your child to school, please visit: Opt-in – Suffolkonboard (suffolkonboard.com).
Appling 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:
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 parents and carers can be found here on our website latest news page:
Cashless System – Westbourne Academy
Key Dates 2025
Wednesday 21 May – industrial action
Thursday 22 May – industrial action
Tuesday 17 June ` – Y10 Geography field trip (10B & 10D)
Wednesday 18 June – Y11 Leavers Assembly 11:45 -13:00 in main hall
Wednesday 18 June – Y10 Food & Farming visit to Hollow Trees Farm
Thursday 19 June – Y8 In-Person Parent/Carer Evening 16:00-19:00
Friday 20 June – Staff PD Day (school closed)
Monday 23 June – Y10 Geography field trip (10A & 10C)
Tuesday 24 June – Y10 post-16 taster day at Northgate 6th Form
Wednesday 25 June – Y10 post-16 taster day at SNC
Wed 25 & Thu 26 June – Year 6 Transition Days for pupils offered a school place for Sep 2025
Friday 27 June – Y11 Prom at All Manor of Events Henley
Monday 7 – Friday 11 July – CCF Central Camp (Cumbria)
Thursday 3 July – Y7 In-Person Parent/Carer Evening 16:00-19:00
Tuesday 8 July – Y10 post-16 taster day at Suffolk One
Thu 17 – Sat 19 July – Y10 History trip to Battlefields
Tuesday 22 July – Last day of term
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
MCAS, online payments and data information queries to: wes-data@attrust.org.uk
Lettings queries to wes-lettings@attrust.org.uk
Safeguarding queries to wes-safe@attrust.org.uk
SEND queries to: opal.degville@attrust.org.uk