Category: WLD Updates

GCSE mock examinations:  We wish our Year 11s all the very best in their mock examinations over the next week or so. These are an important marker in their preparation for success in the summer. Please would you remind everyone doing examinations that they must bring appropriate equipment (black…

Ethical Leadership in Education:  At the governing body meeting this week we adopted the principles of Ethical Leadership in Education as a school.  They seem to be self-evidently a very good idea and in keeping with our ethos as a school.  Further information about the principles can be found…

A number of updates this week:

Remembrance Day this week was marked by a period of silence at 11am on Monday our of respect for those who died to maintain the freedoms that we so often take for granted. Amnesty Club also marked Remembrance by decorating the Peace Poles in the…

"Each and every student was engaged and interested in the event, they all asked questions and spoke to us in a respectful and polite manner.

I would appreciate if this email could be passed to the head teacher and the students acknowledged for their behaviour. I can’t praise your students…

A number of things to mention this week, in no particular order!

Year 10 work experience:  Please would parents/carers of Year 10 students note that it is very important that the work experience placement forms must be handed in to Mrs Wall by Monday 2nd December.

Year 11 mock interviews: …

This post is for Year 11 parents/carers and students, but I have published it more widely because the information may be of interest to other year groups.

Year 11 mock examinations are approaching - they begin on 2nd December (which is 5 weeks on Monday!).  It is worth making the following…

As we return to school after the half-term break we are piloting a consistent approach to ensuring that homework is completed by all students, balancing support with sanctions.

Our reasons for setting homework are clearly stated on the website and have not changed.  To quote the first line…

We have been working hard to be clear about our curriculum over the last few months.  This has given us the chance to reflect on the purpose of education and what makes education at WLD very special.  As you have seen, we take our motto "Learning for Life" extremely seriously and that has led us…

I have been a teacher for 28 years now and the more I look at the results that students achieve each year the clearer it seems to be - students who work hard and attend school do well! It doesn't sound very complicated, and it isn't. We call it "attitude to learning" at WLD and, if your child is…

Close to the start of the new school year, I have some concerns about homework which I am with raising staff, students and parents/carers. We are very clear about our reasons for setting homework - they are described on the website here and we publish our homework policy for each subject here. …

For many years now, the Prom at the end of Year 11 has been a lovely annual event at which we celebrate all the friendships and memories that have been created over five years at Walton-le-Dale.  This year we are moving the venue to the Marquee at St Catherine's so that we can enjoy their…

Open Evening was amazing!  Thanks to everyone for coming and to everyone who helped with the organisation.  I always urge parents/carers, whether or not they have been to Open Evening, to make an appointment to see around the school "in action"....  I have already started showing people around and…