Wellesley HD Weekly 31st October 2022

Safety Notices

This is a polite reminder to parents that if you are walking to school each day that you enter and exit using the correct paths to avoid oncoming traffic at the exit.  Thank you.

It is also a polite reminder that parents must not enter our school buildings without signing in at the office first.  Naturally, this is for safeguarding purposes.  If children have forgotten uniform items or bags (which can happen!), these can be dropped at reception and we will ensure these reach your child.  Thank you.

Social Media

If you would like to follow us on social media, please see the pages below, where you can keep up to date with day to day events at Wellesley Haddon Dene.

School Last Week

Kent Test

Congratulations to everyone in Year 6 who received their 11+ results before our break at half term. We were delighted with every child’s achievements in the test; each individual performed to their very best. Nearly 80% of children achieved a grammar place this year, placing them in the top 25% of all children across Kent who took the test. High academic standards remain as our core focus and we are committed to ensuring all our students have the best possible choices whatever their chosen future pathway is.

Year 8 to Paris

Despite an encounter with some difficult traffic on the journey out, our Year 8 pupils enjoyed the most spectacular four-day trip to Paris before half-term. A huge amount was packed into their short stay, including a day of sightseeing on foot to take in the Musée du Louvre (the Mona Lisa and Liberty Leading the People were firm favourites), the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Nôtre Dame Cathedral. A wonderful day of weather allowed the children to enjoy these beautiful landmarks of the city after some shopping in Montmartre and admiring the breathtaking views from Sacre Coeur. The following two days saw some less favourable weather with a damp visit to Disneyland and a rainy, but stunning, night-time river cruise on the Seine. The weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, and many of the children said they enjoyed the river cruise the most! Other highlights included incredible views of the city at night from the Montparnasse Tower (the tallest building in Paris) and a day at the Palace of Versailles.
We thank the staff (Madame Laurans, Mr Hallam and Mrs Spencer) very much for providing the children with this fantastic educational (and fun) opportunity.

Year 3 & 4 Trip to the Roman Museum, Canterbury

Years 3 and 4 took the train from Broadstairs to Canterbury West for their day at the Roman Museum to learn about Roman History. The children had a busy but wonderful day. They looked at some of the objects used by Romans such as the abacus to add up complex sums, bills and accounts, bracelets and guessed some of the mystery objects. Children used replica tools to mint their own unique Roman coin, which they took home as a souvenir and had fun creating mosaics inspired by the Roman collections and mosaics on display.
They finished the day spending some time in the park before taking the train back to Broadstairs. What an amazing day the children had! Thank you to Ms Jefferies for organising this trip, Mrs Satish, Mr Pullman, Miss Power and all the parent helpers for accompanying us.

Honey Harvest Day

As you may know, we are fortunate to keep our own bees in our WellBEEing garden adjacent to the shooting range on our playing fields. On Wednesday before half term break, children from Years 5, 6 and 7 participated in the honey harvesting process, supported by our team of staff and the expertise of a WHD parent. The raw material has been extracted from the hives, filtered through a centrifuge machine, and then separated into jars. The pupils assisted in each stage of the harvest to gain an invaluable first hand experience of beekeeping. It’s sticky work, but lots of fun! The next steps are to find a label for the jars from one of our children and Mr Parfitt, Head of Art and DT will be encouraging the children during their art classes to submit their efforts. We very much look forward to our WHD honey being on sale – an unbeatable stocking filler!

School This Week

Halloween Festivities

Our superb catering team have gone all out to provide those children staying for supper with a real treat this evening – you can see the menu here! Afterwards, Mrs Spencer, Miss Wallace and Mrs Franklin will accompany our boarders for a (fancy dress) trick and treat trip around Broadstairs this evening, followed by hot chocolate and trimmings on their return!

School Photos – Wednesday

Class, sibling and individual photos will take place on Wednesday. Details regarding uniform and arrangements for ordering photos will be sent through to parents on Tuesday morning.

After School Club on Thursday this week

As a result of the Bonfire Night and Fireworks display, after school club will take place in the Nursery in Junior House on Thursday afternoon. From here the children at after school club will be able to be supervised in a safe and secure setting whilst still enjoying the fireworks display. Parents, please note that collection will be from the nursery classrooms downstairs in Junior House.

Team of the Week

Each week, a group of pupils is invited to meet with Mr and Mrs Franklin in the library at break time to enjoy some squash and snacks prepared by the catering team. This week, it is the Year 8 pupils for their “great conduct and company” (in the words of Madame Laurans) throughout their trip to Paris before half term. Very well done to them all for being such fine ambassadors of our school.

Friends of WHD Bonfire Night

Please see the advertised flyer here with details of our Bonfire Night, taking place on the playing fields of Wellesley Haddon Dene. We hope that many parents / family members can join us and we thank the Friends of WHD for their sterling organisational efforts with this.
Parking for all parents will be through the barrier by the squarabaout and along the hedge by the art school (turning right through the barrier).

School Calendar

Please click here and scroll through for the most up to date calendar of events for the term.

Future Events

Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion have asked if we can support them in selling poppies (and other RBL merchandise) within our community in the weeks leading up to Armistice Day. The children may bring a donation into school and choose from the RBL boxes something that they can wear during this period of Remembrance. Pre-prep donations and boxes are in Junior House and Yrs 4-8 can make their donations outside the school office. There will be a school only Remembrance service on Friday 11th November at 11am and a Remembrance Chapel service for year 4 to year 8 pupils, which all parents are warmly invited to in the Ridgeway Chapel/Old Hall at 4pm.

ISEB Common Pre-Test – Thursday 10 and Friday 11 November

Some of our Year 6 and Year 7 pupils will sit these tests in English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning (taking place in our ICT suite at WHD) that form part of the entry requirements into a range of Senior Independent Schools. We wish them all well.

Remembrance Chapel Service – Friday 11 November

We very much look forward to inviting all parents to our Remembrance Chapel Service in the Ridgeway Chapel here at WHD on Friday 11th November, when we will have the opportunity to pause, reflect and consider the sacrifices that people made and continue to make to protect our freedom. Further information and a google form for attendance will follow in due course.

Menus

This week the kitchen will be serving menu week 1.

On Social Media