News and Events

Two vacancies exists on our school’s governing body.  We would like to inform you of the election arrangements and to invite you to stand for election. Parent governors are appointed for a period of up to four years, irrespective of whether their children remain in school during that period.

Parents who are willing, and eligible, to stand as a candidate for election may obtain nomination forms from the school office or download one from here. The nomination form then needs to be signed by the candidate and two other parents. Parents of all children currently registered at the school are entitled to stand for election or to nominate others. For these purposes ‘parent’ includes a step-parent, guardian or other persons having parental responsibility. Please note that if you are employed at this school for more than 500 hours in the year (i.e. more than one third) you are not eligible to put yourself forward for election. You will, however, be entitled to vote in the election.

A completed nomination form must be returned to the school no later than 29 February 2012. It would be helpful if candidates would submit a brief statement about themselves (200 words maximum).  This will be distributed to all parents to help them to make their decision when voting.

As soon as possible following the closing date for nominations all parents will be sent a ballot paper giving details of each of the candidates. Parents will be asked to indicate their preference as appropriate and return the ballot paper to the school office no later than the date shown. To comply with statutory regulations the ballot will be conducted in secret.

All candidates will be invited to attend the count although it will not be invalidated due to inability to attend.

The results of the ballot will be posted on the school notice board and the website immediately following the count.

In the event of bad weather and possible school closure, please listen to Heart FM or Beacon for news. Always check our website and look out for text messages coming through. If you have changed your mobile number, please make sure you let school know.

In case of bad weather the following bus routes will change:-

Route 813 – Snow Procedure

0805^hrs – B5314 Chester Road/junction Chatwell Lane
0810^hrs – Weston under Lizard A5 the post box
0812^hrs – A5/Junction Blymhill Road
0815^hrs – Bradford Arms Public House
0817^hrs – New Buildings Farm Ivetsey Road
0818^hrs – Birchenese/Ivetsey Road
0821^hrs – Wheaton Aston Paper Shop
0825^hrs – Vaughan Arms, Lapley

Parents can contact Soveriegn on 01922 635080 or School Transport on 01785 278719.

Route 814 – Snow Procedure

There will be only one pick and drop off which will be the Bell Inn (the Ham and Eggery) car park on the A5 at 0835^hrs.  Parents can contact Crusade Travel on 01785 714124 or School Transport on 01785 278719 or 01785 278718.

Route 819 – Snow Procedure

0815^hrs – A449 Layby just past Penkridge Market
0820^hrs – A449 Bus Stop at the end of School Lane
0825^hrs – Acton Gate

Parents can contact Crusade Travel on 01785 714124 or School Transport on 01785 278719/01785 278718.

Another great day! We have been to Solfatara seeing the volcanic activity. We have also seen the roman amphitheatre plus a coach tour of Naples itself.

Message from Mr Fuller in Italy.

We finally made it to Naples after a few delayed flights. Everyone is having a great time so far. Unfortunately, the Vesuvius was shut due to snow (first time in 50 years) so we visited the local lemon and olive farm instead. Pompeii was fantastic and HUGE! A great first day!

Following a thorough two day inspection by 4 assessors last week (2nd / 3rd February) we are delighted to have been awarded Dyslexia Friendly status. More details to follow in our next SNU.

I would be grateful if you could provide us with your views on our anti-bullying measures at Wolgarston High School. Here at school our Family and Student Services Centre staff, provide support with any such issues and enlist house or senior staff as and when necessary. Therefore, your feedback will help us to review how we can improve our service to families and students in the future.

Feedback is crucial to our planning and in February last year we consulted with the school’s Parents’ Forum and student representatives before introducing a highly successful and effective “Social Exclusion” for students who were misusing social network sites mainly outside of school, such as Facebook, to cause upset and concern to other students. This sanction was introduced along with a non-negotiable Senior Leadership detention for any students having a mobile phone out in any learning area such as a classroom or assembly venue. Students were informed to use their mobile technology safely at all times.

Your feedback this year would be gratefully received to help us in reviewing our recent strategies and to continue working towards being the safest school we can be for your son/daughter.

Please click to participate in the survey.

We will close the survey link at 1530hrs on Friday 10 February 2012.

Benjamin Zephaniah (Born 15th April 1958)
Poet. Playwright. Author.
Dyslexic.

The SNU has been issued today. Click to see a copy.

Congratulations to our students on their GCSE Maths module results this January. I am delighted that they show that Year 11 students are on track to hit the school’s Maths target of 67% A*-C this summer.  Indeed, as a result of a number of ‘near-misses’ (several students missed by just one mark) we are determined to do even better and to hit 70%.  The number achieving A/A* also went up.  Indeed, 75% of Year 11 are currently making ‘expected progress’ in Maths compared with 57% last year. 
Overall our Year 11 tracking data shows that this year group are capable of achieving a 5 A*-C result of 90%.  The school’s previous best of 81% was achieved last summer.  Keep it up Year 11!

*Note:  Expected progress is a new Government measure. It compares performance in English and Maths at the end of Year 6 (the Key Stage 2 SATS) with progress made by the end of Year 11.

Parents claiming some benefits can also claim free school meals for any of their children who are registered at a Staffordshire school and who would normally be at school at lunch time. School meals are a good way to make sure that your child eats well at lunchtime. By claiming free school meals you save yourself time and money. Please click for further information and details on how to apply.

Please click to see our SNU for this week.

We would to like inform you that out uniform suppliers Crested School Wear have changed address and contact details. The new address and contact details are as follows:

Crested School Wear
Unit 4
Crown Bridge
Penkridge
(next to Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe)

Telephone number: 07527 713135 (subject to change)

Opening hours:

During the summer holidays the shop will be open for longer hours.

Crested School Wear would like to thank all our parents for their support.

Noel Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) Musician and singer-songwriter of rock band Oasis. Dyslexic.

Here is the Christmas edition of the Wolgarston SNU.

Click to download the application form for entering our Sixth Form in September 2012.

Please click to see this special bumper edition of the Wolgarston SNU for this week.

Wolgarston today welcomed seventy five senior citizens from the local community into our school hall for an evening of food and entertainment. The evening was a great success with performances from our student musicians and our new singing group "Viva Voce". We look forward to seeing our guests again next year.

The SNU has been issued today. Please click to see a copy.

On Thursday 1 December, Wolgarston ICS department welcomed the New Vic Theatre into school. There was a performance for our Year 9 students, followed by some group activities for the Holocaust Memorial Day. Look out for more pictures and information in the next edition of the SNU.

Keira Knightley: Oscar nominated actress and star of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Born: March 26, 1985.  Dyslexic.

As you may have seen in the media, trade unions representing staff employed in the public sector, including schools, have called for industrial action on Wednesday 30 November, 2011.

This industrial action is being taken over the issue of proposed changes to public sector pension schemes.  As such, the dispute is with the Government, not with the school or local authority.  Neither the local authority nor the National Governors’ Association support the action; however, as it results from ballots conducted in accordance with current employment legislation, it is regarded as a legitimate trade dispute.

In such circumstances, responsibility for responding to the strike as it affects this school falls upon the governing body.

Following an assessment of the likely number of staff who intend to take strike action and the implications of that action for pupils, it has been decided that the school will be closed on Wednesday 30 November, 2011.

The governing body apologises for any disruption caused by this industrial action and wish to assure you that everything possible will be done to maintain the continuity of education provision for your children.

Please click to see the SNU issued today.

As part of its programme to update the Monckton, the management committee recently ran a competition to design a new logo for the centre.  Open to students at Wolgarston High School who were studying BTEC Art & Design, the brief was to come up with a design that would represent the many facets of the Monckton Recreation Centre, whilst being bright, modern and easy to reproduce in different sizes.

The response from students was excellent, giving the committee a difficult job in selecting a winner from the innovative and imaginative designs submitted. Eventually, they settled on Danny Lowe from Wheaton Aston, whose winning design is shown in this article. Danny won cash prizes for both himself and his school totalling £100.

Chairman of the Monckton Committee, Val James said:

''We were delighted to work with our local school on a community project such as this. I hope that we can do more projects together in the future.''

Mrs C East, Head of Design & Technology at Wolgarston, added;

''It's so helpful for our students to work on real projects - it provides a real-world aspect to their work and gives it context.''

Danny's design has already started to appear on Monckton publicity and stationary and will be used extensively in the future on new signage and other marketing projects.

Please click to see the SNU issued today.

Chris Boardman   (Born: August 26, 1968)
English cyclist and Olympic Gold Medalist.
Dyslexic.

Wolgarston High School are inviting pupils in Year 9 to begin lessons on various musical instruments.  As a new member of staff in the Music Department this year, I am very enthusiastic to see more pupils learning to play and becoming involved in the various clubs on offer at lunch times and after school.  We hope to see students who will make the commitment and enjoy all the benefits’ playing an instrument offers.

Instrumental lessons take place each week on a rota basis to avoid missing the same part of a school lesson each time.

We have lessons available for Flute, Percussion, Singing and Guitar.

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please download the Parent Letter and Return Slip HERE.

Many thanks,

Mrs Parkes.

Please click to see the SNU, issued today.

Aspens Services Ltd is the company chosen by our school to provide the meal service to our students. 
  
They specialise in providing catering to schools and colleges across the country and are passionate about serving fresh, high quality and locally sourced food that is cooked in our kitchen.

If you want to look at the current menu cycle and supporting nutritional information or have a question you would like to ask them please click on the link below.

Aspens Services - Wolgarston High School

Staffordshire County Council provides the school with a bus service which enables students to travel back to neighbouring villages free of charge. Students must show their school bus pass to be allowed onto these bus services. As of September this year, Arriva Midland took over the bus route, making a number of changes.

The 88A bus will come into the school grounds at approximately 1550hrs taking students to Lapley, Wheaton Aston, Bishops Wood, Brewood, Coven and finally onto Wolverhampton.

However, many students choose to stay for after school activities and travel on a later bus.

The 88 bus will come into the school grounds at approximately 1650hrs taking students to only Lapley, Wheaton Aston and Bishops Wood before going on to Codsall, Perton and Wolverhampton. Please note, this bus route does not go to Brewood and Coven.

The 88A bus can be caught in Penkridge village centre at 1750hrs taking students to Lapley, Wheaton Aston, Bishops Wood, Brewood, Coven and Wolverhampton.

We are aware that these changes could cause problems for some students, therefore we are trying to negotiate a better arrangement with our transport department at county. Travel will still be free as long as students show their school bus pass.

Timetables for both bus routes can be found at www.travelinemidlands.co.uk

Should you wish to speak with Staffordshire County Council School Transport Unit, please call 01785 278 719.

Our half term next June runs from Friday 1 June to Friday 8 June. We have now been advised by the examination boards that some of the external examinations will be taking place on Friday 1 June. There will be a Humanities exam for all of Year 11 and also exams for some AS and A2 level subjects. We therefore strongly advise you not to take a holiday at this time. Further information will follow closer to the time. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Jamie Oliver (Born 27th May 1975) Chef, writer, campaigner. Dyslexic.

The Wolgarston SNU (School News Update) has been issued today. Click here to view, or let us know your email address and it will be sent directly to your in-box.

Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (born February 24, 1955) is an American entrepreneur and inventor. He is co-founder, chairman, and former chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Dyslexic

Following our excellent A Level results, the picture at GCSE is more mixed. 

The top end performed strongly and there are some outstanding individual performances.  Nine students achieved 8 or more A/A*s (not including BTEC/Dida) – up on last year.  However, a disappointingly high number of C/D borderline students have gained Ds rather than Cs overall and this will impact on our headline 5 A*-C (including English and Maths) score. 

All our BTEC courses performed very well once again this year.  Year 10 module results are also significantly up on last year and this bodes well for the new Y11. 

Congratulations to all our students. 

Wolgarston High School is once again celebrating excellent A Level results. 

We are delighted that the school achieved a best ever A Level pass rate of 100%.  Many students studied the so-called ‘hard ‘A Levels. All 48 students passed their Maths A Level, 13 their Further Maths and all 28 their Physics A Level. The percentage of students achieving A* to B went up by 5 percentage points. The advanced level BTEC courses also did extremely well with an outstanding 100% pass rate with 86% of entries achieving a distinction.

Well done to all our Year 13!

"Upon hearing the results, I wish to congratulate the students individually and collectively for achieving the best ever A level results in the school.  It has to be recognised that results of such a high standard do not come without the dedicated study of the students and the commitment, dedication and ability of all staff at Wolgarston School. Congratulations." - Howard Stemp (Chair of Governors)

From left to right: M Edwards, A Clarke, A Brough and T Parton all achieving A/A* grades.

Front row from left to right: M Edwards, A Clarke, A Brough and T Parton.
Back row from left to right: J Welsh, A Allman and S Davies

Robin Williams. (Born: July 21, 1952)  Actor. Comedian. Dyslexic.

Wolgarston Duke of Edinburgh Award students, with the help of all tutor groups, have raised £495 for ShelterBox. These funds have been allocated to two boxes and as each box bears its own unique number, you can track it all the way to the country it's sent to through the Young ShelterBox area of their website: www.youngshelterbox.org

Each ShelterBox will support a family with a tent and lifesaving equipment when they have been displaced or made homeless by natural or manmade disaster.

Our box numbers are: YSB0004941 and YSB0004943

Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE (born October 30, 1945) is an American actor, director, producer, and author. Dyslexic.

Message from Mr Simmonds - Head of Sixth Form

"May 26 was the last day that all of Year 13 were in school.  This last day was celebrated in style by students, staff, parents and guests with the presentation of awards and the sharing of food, drink and good cheer! I had the privilege of hosting the proceedings and was overjoyed by the atmosphere created by the participation of all the people involved. As you will see from the photographs numerous students received subject and contribution to school life awards - some getting more than one! The formal presentations culminated in a, specially written for the occasion, Leaver’s Song performed by Jenna Moseley, our Music Award winner, which caused more than one tear to be shed. The final gathering in the canteen saw all participants enjoying a wonderful selection of food and memories of their time together.

I would like to thank all the parents who have supported these students through their time at Wolgarston, the site staff for preparing the facilities so well, Mrs Cooper for the plaque and all her hard work and to all the students for being a great year group.

I would like to wish all the Leavers the very best in their exams and their futures and look forward to celebrating with them again on Results Day (18 August, 1030hrs in the hall) and ask them to please return the helium balloons that seem to have been “liberated” from the Lecture Theatre."

Above: Mr Simmonds presenting the Biology award to Stuart Davies.

Above: Miss Hinch presenting the Health and Social Care award to Sarah Hill and Beth Cumming.

Above: Mr Tapp presenting the Sociology award to Abi Clarke.

Above: Mr Baynham presenting the Exceptional Mathematics award to Tom Parton.

Above: Mr Lewis presenting the Product Design award to Fran Atkins.

Above: Jenna Moseley after her performance.

We are proud to announce that we have once again achieved the LPPA (Leading Parent Partnership Award). An inspector visited school before Easter and gave us a glowing report. She was very impressed with the developments that have been made over the last three years.

She was particularly impressed with the level of parental support quoting "parent partnership is fully embedded in the life of the school". She also praised the way in which the Parents' Forum has an impact on the strategic direction of the school through both our meetings and also the working parties that various parents take part in. This is the first time that she has ever seen parents involved in this way.

To see a full copy of the inspector's report, click on the link.

Pupils from Wolgarston's Community of Schools took part in the third Annual First Schools' Dance Festival on Tuesday 22 March 2011.  Parents and relatives came to two shows where the children showed off their talent to a variety of music.  Lighting and effects were provided by a team of Wolgarston students.

Organiser, Sally-Ann Stanton, Community Sports Co-ordinator, said:

"Once again, it was a very successful event.  The children benefit not only from being able to perform on a large stage, but also by being part of a larger group to create something entertaining."

The seniors' show takes place on Tuesday 5 April at 1800 hrs in the main hall at Wolgarston.