Sent to parents and carers on 19/06/26
Weekly Bulletin for Friday 19 June 2026
We have truly seen some of the best aspects of our school this week. We started on Monday with our student council visiting a local care home with cakes they had made at home for the residents and also litter picking in the local community. They were keen for the local community to see the positive side of our young people, to balance the negative portrayal that can sometimes be covered on social media.
On Tuesday we welcomed back our Year 11 students for the final time, in what has been described as the best leavers assembly yet. Students arrived for a 2.15pm start and stayed long after school talking with their friends and their teachers. It was a real privilege to be their Principal and, for some of them, their history teacher as well. Although we will miss them, we will be excited to hear how they get on as they approach the next phase in their educational careers and we look forward to seeing them at Prom in a few weeks time.
On Wednesday, we welcomed Mr Robinson and Mr D’Cunha, former headteachers of Stoke and Chantry High Schools in Ipswich, for our fourth Academy Improvement Board (AIB) visit. The purpose of the AIB is to review the progress we have made since our Ofsted Inspection in June 2025, offer challenge to leaders at Westbourne and within Academy Transformation Trust and make sure that we are making the best decisions to help improve our school. This is a robust process and they have certainly given me some helpful feedback on how things are going and what further improvements we need to make moving forwards.
Throughout this week, our Year 10 students have been sitting mock exams (PREs). They are expected to be one of the best performing year groups we have seen go through Westbourne in recent years. They have approached these exams with dedication and hard work. Students who develop good habits earlier on in their school careers generally thrive when they come to their final exams in Year 11. This is promising for the future, for our Year 10 students, as they step up to become the senior most year group in the school.
As I write this on Friday morning, the second of two Year 10 geography fieldwork trips is departing for the Olympic Stadium in Stratford London. This is part of the broad curriculum enhancement offer we have for our students, and I know that many Year 10 students are also looking forward to the history trip to the Battlefields of Belgium and Normandy in a couple of weeks’ time.
As you will be aware from previous bulletins, Mr Elseidy left us at the end of May. Following a recruitment process to find his replacement we have appointed Mr Masters as the new Assistant Head of Year 8. Mr Masters has previously worked in our Inclusion Centre and runs after school rugby clubs on Mondays and Fridays.
Earlier today, you will have received a separate communication for parents and carers from the CEO of Inspiration Trust, Mr Stevens. You can find a copy of the letter here on our website news page:
Letter from the CEO of Inspiration Trust to Parents & Carers – Westbourne Academy
Finally, thank you to those parents and carers who have taken the time to write to me regarding the changes to the uniform policy that I shared in last week’s bulletin. I will respond individually to this correspondence in due course, thank you for your patience.
Year 9 Students Explore AI
Students in 9y/Sc1 recently took part in an exciting webinar hosted by the National Robotarium, where they learned about the fascinating world of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). You can read Mr Russell’s report here on our website news page:
The Future of Robotics and AI – Westbourne Academy
Year 11 Football Matches
At 15:15 on Monday 22 June, the staff will take on Y11 at football on the 3G pitch. Spectators are welcome, there is a £1 admission fee which will be given to charity.
At 15:15 on Tuesday 30 June, Y10 students will take on Y11 at football on the 3G pitch. Again, spectators are welcome.
Entry and exit for both matches is via the staff and community car park and not Reception.
Parent/Carer Forum: Tuesday 30 June
The forum for this half term takes place on Tuesday 30 June at 18:00 for approx. 45 minutes. During this meeting Mr Higgon will go through the progress we are continuing to make following our Ofsted visit and answer any questions parents/carers may have about our ongoing efforts to improve the school. Entry is via main Reception at 18:00. Staff will meet you on arrival and take you through to the Main Hall.
To give us an idea of the numbers expected, please register your attendance on our online MS Form here:
Registration for Parent/Carer Forum: Tue 30 June 2026 – Fill out form
WA Community Hub Events 2026
The dates of community hub events for 2026 are as follows, all are welcome between 15:15-16:00:
- Monday 29 June
- Monday 13 July
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.
You can contact the attendance team direct on 01473 466145 or by email wes-attendance@attrust.org.uk
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:
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 than the app. A copy of the self-sign-up instructions can be found here:
Cashless System – Westbourne Academy
NOTE: If you have MCAS, then you won’t receive SMS messages from school so please remember to turn on notifications on your device because any messages will go through MCAS.
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 and new menus will be introduced after half term:
Catering & Food Hall – Westbourne Academy
Key Dates 2026
Monday 22 June – 15:15 Y11 v Staff Football Match (3G pitch)
Wednesday 24 June – Y6 Transition Day 1 of 2
Thursday 25 June ` – Y6 Transition Day 2 of 2
Friday 26 June – Staff PD Day (closed to students)
Monday 29 June – WA Community Hub 15:15-16:00
Tuesday 30 June – 15:15 Y10 v Y11 Football Match (3G pitch)
Tuesday 30 June – Parent/Carer Forum 17:15-18:00
Friday 10 July – Y11 Prom (All Manor of Events 19:00-10:45)
Monday 13 July – WA Community Hub 15:15-16:00
Friday 17 July – Last day of the summer 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