Dear Parents, Carers, and friends of The Woodroffe School,
Thank you for taking the time to read our latest edition of ‘Rough Notes’, we hope you enjoy the content.
In this edition, I would like to pay tribute to our amazing year 11 and year 13 students. At the end of this month, our year 11 and year 13 students will leave us, following the completion of their ‘milestone’ assessments. The last two years have been very challenging for us all and have created situations that none of us could have ever expected. I feel particularly sorry for those students who have, through no fault of their own, faced a huge amount of uncertainty throughout the examinations process. The added stress and unfamiliar end to both GCSE and A-Level courses, as well as the modified assessment process for BTEC qualifications, has not been easy.
Despite the additional challenges, our students have consistently demonstrated that they are able to adapt and be resilient, whilst persevering through the new educational landscape created in the wake of the COVID pandemic. I have been hugely impressed with the way that they have gone about their studies and have no doubt that the experience will provide them with the knowledge that they can achieve great things, no matter what they face along the way.
I would like to wish all those moving on the very best, whether that be on to other educational establishments to continue their education or entering the world of work. And to those choosing to remain with us, we look forward to welcoming you back very soon and watching you take the next steps with us.
It has been great to see students engaging in an ever-increasing range of school-based activities, as we continue to move back towards the more normal functioning of the school.
Last month 120 students from The Woodroffe School participated in the Junior Maths Challenge organised by The University of Leeds and led by Ms Prince in the Maths department. This is a national competition designed for students to challenge their Mathematical thinking whilst having fun along the way.
Congratulations to Thea Hodges from Year 8 who received a Gold Certificate and will progress to the Kangaroo round. Joe Broome scored highest in Year 7 and gained a Silver Certificate along with fellow year 7 student, Aubrey Green.
In addition, 13 year 8 students were awarded a Silver Certificate and another 18 students were awarded Bronze Certificates. In year 7, a further 11 students were awarded a Bronze Certificate. Congratulations to all the participants.
Next moth year 8 students will have the opportunity to visit Carey Camp as part of their outdoor education experience. Whilst this is much later than normally planned and following an amended format, it proves to be a great opportunity for students to enjoy some different activities whilst participating in physical challenges and team building games, all within the beautiful Dorset countryside.
In addition to my five-a-side football club at lunch, many staff continue to encourage students to participate in activities at lunch and after school. Even the recent poor weather has not been able to dampen the spirits of students attending tennis and rounders clubs. A firm favourite at lunchtime has been the cooking club. Students have made, and eaten, a wide range of cooked items, and the photo of Jayda sent through by Mrs Neave is a great example of this, well done Jayda, they look delicious!
On the 20th of May, students had the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of individuals and employers as well as talking to representatives from a wide variety of industries from, aerospace to Uniformed Services. The Careers and Apprenticeship show was a live online event and allowed for interaction between students and employers, despite the current restrictions.
We recognise that our students have missed out on some of the aspects of school that add to the richness and depth of their education. We are hoping that many more of the broader experiences usually on offer to students at Woodroffe will return soon.
I hope you enjoy our latest edition of ‘Rough Notes’. Should you wish to find out more about our school, news, or events, please visit the school website which I am sure you will find useful. In addition, for regular updates, why not look at our social media outlets:
Woodroffe can be found on Twitter and Instagram.
The Woodroffe School Headteacher can be found on Twitter - @HeadteacherTws
The Woodroffe School can be found on Twitter - @WoodroffeSchool
The Woodroffe School on Instagram – woodroffeschooldorset
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your continued support, your messages and kind words mean a lot to the staff at Woodroffe and help during these challenging times.
Take care and stay safe,
Dan Watts
Headteacher