Dear Parents/Carers,
At Woking High School we are extremely mindful of our students’ wellbeing, safety and are constantly updating our safeguarding training and the advice we give to students and parents. On Tuesday we welcomed Tea Stegerman from the Breck Bednar Foundation who came into talk to every year group about online safety. In each session, she spoke of the dangers of online grooming, using the tragic story of 14 year old Breck Bednar, who was murdered by an 18 year old he befriended online. These talks were a preamble to a series of lessons that all students will receive in January, which will explore online grooming in more depth.
There was also a parent session in the evening centred around the danger signs of grooming in young people. Again led by the Breck Foundation and Mr Crowley, this event was very well received and all of the presentations will be on our website soon.
Another academic year brings with it Woking High School’s annual entry into the prestigious Youth Speaks competition – a national Public Speaking Competition that promotes the opportunity for students to develop their public speaking skills and talk about a topic that matters in their lives. Woking High School has won the local round in both Intermediate and Senior categories for the last 10 years and this year was no different. The students were exceptional – coming first and second in both groupings, beating John the Baptist and Gordon’s School. Congratulations to all the students involved: Alana Lynch, Issy Metcalf, Maddy McClements, Roisin Fellows, Charlotte Hamilton, Emma Joll, Adam Ahmed, Matthew Rayner, Amy Cox, Emma Twiston Davies, Daniela Moya and Mamtha Muralidharan.
Congratulations also go to the following students for success in Music examinations:
Andries Verhaeghe, Year 11 – Grade 8 Guitar with Distinction
Emily Loxton, Year 11 – Grade 6 Pianoforte with Merit
With wet, dark and cold winter days now the norm, it’s time for Cross Country! On Tuesday this week, just over forty of our students were competing in the District Cross Country Championships at Lightwater Country Park against eleven other secondary schools. In difficult, cold and blustery conditions, they performed particularly well and were extremely unlucky to miss out on silverware. Out of the eight age group competitions, we had four team second places and one third.
Please see selected team results (top 3 only):
Year 7 girls Second
Year 7 boys Second
Year 8 girls Second
Year 9 boys Second
Year 10/11 boys Third
Selected individual results (top 10 only):
Year 7 girls 5th Laura Kersley
Year 7 girls 7th Bella Hornzee
Year 7 boys 3rd Jiyah Kapotwe
Year 7 boys 4th Joseph Walters
Year 7 boys 8th Archie Robinson
Year 8 girls 7th Carla Manning
Year 8 boys 7th Teddy Gannon
Year 8 boys 8th Toby Spencer
Year 9 boys 8th Stevie Barron
Year 10/11 boys 7th Liam Stone
As a result, many will be selected to represent North West Surrey at the Surrey Schools Cross Country Championships at Reigate in January 2019.
On Friday 23rd November, Woking High school hosted an 'Employability Workshop' run by a charity called 'Look'. The VI students in Years 8-10 were joined by other VI students from Oxted, George Abbot and Gordon's Schools and took part in activities to develop interview technique, discuss presentation skills and to understand more about the Access to Work scheme for people with disabilities. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to be able to discuss VI related issues, to get to know other VI students and meet employees from Look who are visually impaired themselves and have experience of interviews and employment.
As the festive season approaches, there are a number of community events we have been asked to publicize. A separate letter with details was sent via Schoolcomms on Tuesday 27th November.
Mrs Edwards and the restaurant team have some exciting events lined up for our students over the next 2 weeks. From Monday 10th to Friday 14th December, at lunchtime, in the area beside the Kiosk, there will be a Christmas food and drink market. Food items on offer will change daily and there will be sample in the restaurant next week to give students a taster of things to come. The delights will include hot fruit punch, hot dogs, Bratwurst, filled jacket potatoes, cakes and bagged Christmas treats. Students will be able to pay for this using their usual cashless system.
Tuesday 18th December is our annual Christmas lunch, which will be the only service at lunchtime on that day. Students will have the choice of turkey with a pig in blanket, Quorn fillet and sausage or vegetarian wellington, accompanied by stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots and sprouts followed by Christmas pudding or a festive shortbread for the cost of £3.25. This will need to be paid for by Friday 7th December, and it has been added to the Scopay system for your convenience; you will receive a separate email giving details of this and how to make the main course selection. We look forward to as many students as possible joining us for these events, which are a great addition to our Christmas celebrations.
May I draw your attention to the fact that “No December” a band made up of Madeleine McClements and Alana Lynch, Year 11 - Vocals, Edward Steel, Year 11 – Bass Guitar, Thomas Bates – Lead Guitar and Sam Fox – Drums, both ex-students now at Woking College, are playing at the Horsell Christmas Fair from 5-6 p.m. on Saturday 1st December.
Best wishes,
Jane Abbott
Headteacher