From the Headmaster’s Study

It is our intention to make sure that correspondence between the school and parents is as open as possible.  This is a reminder that all industry scores are available to parents via the parent portal.  Industry scores are marked in the school calendar as “Mark Readings” and take place every 3 to 4 weeks.  At this point, each teacher has the opportunity to award each pupil a score for their specific subject based on their performance and attitude in lessons and with preps.  For your information,the grid detailing the criteria for the different industry scores is on the reverse of your child’s report found on the parent portal, as well as in your child’s pupil planner.  Your children will be working closely with their form tutors, through using their pupil planners, to review their scores and to plan accordingly for improvements (if possible!) in the next “Mark Reading”.  The philosophy behind industry scores, is to promote a “growth mindset” amongst our pupils and to recognise and reward hard work, not just attainment.  If you have any specific academic or pastoral questions, your child’s form tutor will be only too happy to help.  We hope that you find the open communication beneficial.

We really look forward to hosting those of you who can make it at our Macmillan Coffee morning this Friday that Claire will be hosting in the Headmaster’s private side (details below).  Please accept my apologies for absence at that – I am away for the second half of this week at the IAPS annual Heads’ conference.  Mr Spencer will be in charge of the school in my absence.  I hope that you all have an excellent week.

Gavin Franklin

 

JDRM Gavin Portraits-2

School Last Week

Senior School Preparation

On Thursday Block 3 had a visit from Mr Henry Faber, director of Oppidan Education (https://www.oppidaneducation.com). Oppidan believe that an engaging mentor is the route to an engaged child. They put pro-social and interview skills at the heart of all their mentoring work, challenging students to discuss, learn, fail and succeed. Following a Q&A coffee with parents, Block 3 pupils all had an individual session with Mr Faber during the day and will be given a written feedback on their session with him. Learning how to get the best out of their interactions with adults is a valuable exercise and it forms an important part of their preparation for a senior school entry. It was an incredibly stimulating and, at times, challenging experience for our pupils who enjoyed the day very much. The feedback from Mr Faber was overwhelmingly positive about our Block 3 pupils who he described as “full of individuality, interest and enthusiasm”. 

Jeans for Genes Day

On Thursday 19th September we took part in Jeans for Genes Day, which raises money to help transform the lives of children affected by genetic disorders.  The children, and staff, supported this very worthwhile cause by wearing either a pair of jeans or another denim item into school. Thank you for your donations.

School This Week

50th Anniversary Event

On the 12th October, the school will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its amalgamation with St Peter’s Court. To mark the occasion a Service of Thanksgiving is to be held in the Ridgeway Chapel at the school, followed by a buffet lunch. The Very Revd. Dr Robert Willis DL, Dean of Canterbury will be preaching at the Service, and a number of Old Welleslians, past governors and other invited guests will be attending. As current parents, we would be delighted if you would like to attend this special commemorative event.

The service will begin 12 noon, followed by lunch in the school dining room at 1pm. Pupils will be given a picnic lunch in the sports hall.

If you would like to attend this special Service and lunch, please RSVP by Friday, 27th September to hmsecretary@wellesleyhouse.net

Team of the Week

‘Team of the Week’ are the Junior hockey girls (U9 team) for the great enthusiasm and teamwork that they demonstrated in their opening fixture v Dover College last week.

They will be rewarded with cookies and squash in the Headmaster’s drawing room during a morning break.

Mark Reading

The first marks of term have been given and the standings (taking into consideration all industry and good and bad marks) are as follows:

1st      

Saxons

 2nd      

Danes

 3rd    

Romans 

 4th    

Vikings

 Special mention goes to the following pupils who have achieved the highest set of marks for their year: Felix Butterfill and Frederick Southorn, Grace Flowers, Margot Grand, Rohan Dhesi and Amelia Lawton.

Most improved pupils cannot be selected as this is the first mark reading, therefore we celebrate the highest scoring tutor group, which this week is Form 3.  Well done to everyone in Form 3.

Music Exams

Congratulations to the following for obtaining their ABRSM certificates:

Tom Leonard: Trumpet Grade 3 Merit

Oscar Vaughan: Trumpet Grade 2 

Margot Grand: Piano Grade 1 Distinction 

eal

Congratulations to Simon Ji who achieved a pass in his Cambridge Key English Test.

Open Morning

Wellesley will welcome families to an Open Morning on Saturday 28th September at 10.00 am.  As part of the morning we will be running a stay and play session for younger children (aged 2 upwards).  Please do encourage any interested friends and families to contact Mrs Geraldine Baird at admissions@wellesleyhouse.net if they would like to join us for this event.

Change to the Calendar – Wellesley Music Evening 

Please note the change of date for the Wellesley Music Evening, this has been moved from Thursday 31st October and will now be held on Tuesday 29th October.  Further details will follow nearer the time.

Travelling Book Fair

This week we shall be hosting a book fair from ‘Travelling Books’ in the library.  An e-mail has been sent to all parents giving further details.  All English classes will have a session when they can look at the many books available, and children will have further opportunities to browse at various times during the week. 

East Kent Ploughing Match

Reception and JB will be accompanying Mrs Brown and Mrs Franklin on Wednesday for a Geography trip to this annual event, which is taking place near Dover.  We wish them an enjoyable trip.

Year 1 & 2 trip to Deal Castle

 JB will be accompanying Mrs Brown and Mrs Franklin to Deal Castle today for a History trip.  We wish them an enjoyable day.

Stay and Play

The first of this term’s stay and play sessions will be held on Friday, starting at 2pm.  The sessions are open to all and primarily aimed at children aged 0-4. Mrs Brown will be hosting these events in the Junior House and parents will remain with their children.  All enquiries/bookings should be addressed to admissions@wellesleyhouse.net

Sunday Outing

The outing for boarders in Blocks 1, 2 and 3 this Sunday will be to the Bayford Meadows Kart Circuit in Sittingbourne.

Dates for the diary

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

We shall be taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 27th September to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.  Please come along to the Headmaster’s house after drop off on Friday for coffee and pastries along with ‘a new game’!

Harvest Festival

Please remember to bring in your Harvest boxes on Monday 30th September.   The harvest boxes tend to be shoe boxes/small cardboard boxes made to look like small hampers which contain non-perishable / dried goods.  Sometimes they also include toiletries like soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes etc. As the boxes may not be distributed for a week or so, please note that they should not contain any perishable items such as fresh fruit or vegetables. 

This year the pre-prep will be celebrating the Harvest festival on Wednesday 2nd October at 8.30am where we welcome Debbie Ellison from Foodlink food bank in Margate to tell us all about their good work. Please join us for the assembly and there will be a coffee served afterwards in the Headmaster’s house at 9am. 

The prep school Harvest Festival will be in chapel on Saturday 5th October at 12.20pm and we welcome Paul Worledge,  Vicar at St Luke’s, Ramsgate. Soup and sandwiches will be served in the Library afterwards. We will be delivering the harvest boxes to Foodlink the following week.

Christmas Fair

The Friends of Wellesley would like you to Save The Date for the Wellesley Haddon Dene Christmas Fair.

This will take place on Saturday 23rd November in the Old Hall, between 11.00 am and 2.30pm.

Christmas Shopping, games, mince pies, music and more!

If you wish to take a stall at the Christmas Fair, please speak with either Claire Franklin or Belinda Wakeling.  Contact via the school office (office@wellesleyhouse.net).

 

Menu

This week the kitchen will be serving Menu 1.

Matches Last Week

Wednesday 19th September
Hockey v Dover College: U9 Won 6-1
Soccer v Dover College: 1st XIWon 2-0
Soccer v Dover College: 2nd IXWon 4-0
Soccer v Kent College (Junior): Colts ALost 0-10
Soccer v Kent College (Junior): Colts BLost 0-6
Soccer v Kent College (Junior): Colts CLost 0-4

Matches This Week

Please always refer to the website calendar as it is the most up-to-date place to check for fixture changes and locations.

Wednesday 25th September

U11 Hockey Festival at King’s School  Birley’s Field (starts at 12:00 not 3:30pm as advertised in the printed calendar)

 Hockey v Northbourne: U13 (a)

 Soccer v Northbourne: 1st XI and 2nd IX (a) Differs to printed calendar

 Soccer v Northbourne: Colts A & B (h) Differs to printed calendar

saturday 28th September

 Hockey v Duke of York: A & B (h)

Future Additions/Changes

Wed 30th October
U11 Girls v St Edmund’s (h)

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