Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Academy Conversion

  Thu 30 Nov 2023

  Following on from a consultation meeting with parents in September, I'm happy to update that the move to convert from a local authority maintained school to an academy is well on track to take place, as planned.

   

  The scheduled date for Conversion is February 1st. On this day, Walsall Wood will join St Martin's Academy Trust. 

   

  As I've shared previously with parents, the transition will be a smooth one and parents shouldn't really notice a difference at all. The school name remains the same, the uniform remains the same and the day to day running of the school continues as normal. 

   

  Across the country, local authority schools are making the choice to move to academy trusts because this allows single schools, such as ours, to team up with other schools to share resources, share good practice and, most importantly, work together for the benefit of our children. 

   

  Should you have any questions about the conversion, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. 

• Anti-bullying Week

  Tue 14 Nov 2023

  The theme for Anti-bullying week, this year is: Make a noise about bullying.

   

  The theme of Make A Noise About Bullying came about following consultation with teachers and pupils by the Anti-Bullying Alliance which coordinates Anti-Bullying Week every year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Teachers and children wanted a theme that empowered them to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.

   

  Following the success of the campaign in 2022 – when 80% of schools marked the week, reaching over 7.5 million children and young people – Anti-Bullying Week will remind everyone whether it’s in school, at home, in the community or online, we can bring an end to bullying.

   

  Our call to action: 

  Too often, we are silent when we see bullying take place, silent about the hurt bullying causes, and silent when we hear bullying dismissed as ‘just banter’.

  
  It doesn't have to be this way.
  
  Of course, we won’t like everyone and we don’t always agree, but we can choose respect and unity.
  
  This Anti-Bullying Week let’s come together to have discussions about what bullying means to us, how banter can turn into something more hurtful, and what we can do to stop bullying. Together, we can make a difference and take a stand against bullying.
  
  From the playground to Parliament, and from our phones to our homes, let’s make a noise about bullying.

   

  https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week-2023-make-noise-about-bullying/anti-bullying-week-2023-make-noise-about-bullying

   

   

   

  

• Odd Socks Day

  Tue 14 Nov 2023

  Anti-bullying week - Monday 13^th to Friday 17^th November – began with our annual event, Odd Socks Day.

   

  On this day we donate essential funds to the Anti-bullying alliance so that they can continue the great work they do throughout schools. 

   

  Our children see this day as a chance to express themselves, uniquely and individually. Wearing colourful odd socks, we are celebrating that difference is something to be proud of! 

   

   

  

• Macmillan Coffee Morning

  Fri 06 Oct 2023

  On Friday 29th September, we held our annual coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer Support. Children from across the school visited our special cafe and sampled the cakes that families had donated.

  Parents also enjoyed a coffee and cake before and after school with us. 

   

  Thank you to everyone who supported with cake or cash donations. A fantastic £475 was raised for the wonderful charity. 

  

• Roald Dahl Celebratory Lunch

  Thu 05 Oct 2023

  On National Poetry Day, we celebrated the wonderful, witty works of one of our favourite authors, Roald Dahl. 

   

  Based upon the theme of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes book, our cook put together an exciting menu of:

  • Farmer Boggis' Bird Pie;
  • Mrs Twit's spaghetti;
  • James & the giant peach crumble;
  • Bruce Bogrotter's Chocolate cup cakes.

   

  The children had a lovely time eating together in our decorated hall, while staff served them. Feedback from the children was that the food was far from revolting!

   

  

• Easter Raffle

  Tue 21 Mar 2023

  All of this week, Monday 20th March to Friday 24th March, raffle tickets will be on sale for our Easter Raffle. There are 12 prizes, made up of cuddly toys and chocolate. Plus, we have two Big Bounce tickets to win too! It costs £1 to have a go on the raffle. Good luck!

  

• Science Week

  Mon 06 Mar 2023

  British Science Week officially runs from 10^th - 19^th March. In  school we start celebrating this, week beginning 6th March, with additional Science lessons and activities. 

   

  This year's theme is 'Connections': connections in our bodies, between people, between plants and animals, between planets and even electrical connections.

   

  We will start the week with a special assembly on Monday morning to launch the events and competitions that will be taking place. Each afternoon, (Monday to Thursday), children will take part in Science investigations.

  Then on Friday afternoon, all children will take part in an additional experiment linked to this year's theme. 

  Reception- Water Wall Experiment 

  Year 1- Travelling Colours

  Year 2-Bridges and Tunnels

  Year 3- Escape the Ice 

  Year 4- Electrical Connections

  Year 5- Parachutes

  Year 6- Fingerprints

   

  Competition for the children

  This year we are asking children to design a poster to celebrate connections. This may be to do with the experiment they completed in school, or something else they have been curious about during the week. 

• Mental Health Week

  Mon 13 Feb 2023

  Every day during the week 13th - 17th February, our children took part in positive mental health activities. 

  Beginning each day with a new theme, the children had the opportunity to discuss and explore strategies to support with positive mental health. 

   

  Our School Council launched this special week with a whole school assembly to introduce the themes we would learn about this week, including: 

  • Thought catching and thought swapping;
  • Managing our big feelings; 
  • Laughology;
  • Music Matters;
  • Seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.

   

  The week was planned so that there was, hopefully, something for everyone. We know that as we are all individuals, not every activity/strategy may be the one for us. However, there will be something that we enjoy and benefit from. 

• Safer Internet Day

  Tue 07 Feb 2023

  On Tuesday 7th February our school joined schools across the globe to celebrate Safer Internet Day 2023.

   

  Safer Internet Day is a campaign to promote the safe and responsible use of technology, which calls on young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers and more, to join together in helping to create a better internet.

   

  Using the internet safely and positively is a key message that we promote at Walsall Wood School and celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year.

   

  Our Key Stage 2 Digital Leaders have worked with staff across the school to deliver an assembly, an afternoon of activities and lessons that help to educate our pupils about online safety.

   

  You can continue to celebrate the messages from this day by continuing the conversation at home. To help you with this, you may be interested in downloading the free Safer Internet Day Resources for Parents and Carers which is available at:

   

  saferinternet.org.uk/sid-parents.

   

  There are top tips, quizzes, and films which you can use at home with your child.

• Online Safety Award

  Wed 14 Dec 2022

  On 14th December 2022, the school were assessed by an external consultant and awarded the 360 Online Safety Award. 

   

  The report states that:

  1. The whole school approach to online safety is exemplary with all stakeholders’ pupils, parents and carers, all staff, and governors taking responsibility to keep everyone safe online.

   

  2) As a result of the outstanding work Miss Pascall does with the digital leaders they are knowledgeable and supportive and they themselves offer outstanding support to all pupils and staff and to parents and carers in workshops.

   

  3) Without exception, all stakeholder views, and ideas about how to stay safe online are valued and considered, especially those expressed by pupils.

   

  4) The computing curriculum is outstanding and empowers teachers to plan and resource lessons across all areas of the curriculum each term including online safety. This is further enhanced through the work of the PHSE/SEAL lead and the PHSE/SEAL curriculum which includes support for online safety in each theme at every opportunity.

   

  5) Excellent CPD opportunities are provided for staff and governors by the computing lead and the LA consultant, who also run workshops for parents and carers in school.

   

  Examples of outstanding practice that would be of benefit to other schools:

  1) The outstanding planned computing curriculum empowers all teaching staff to teach the subject including online safety each term.

  2) The upskilling of pupils to become digital leaders who really do lead on online safety providing outstanding support for all stakeholders.