School Newsletter

24.04.26

Good afternoon,

It has been another positive week in school, with students continuing to show great focus and enthusiasm in their learning.

A special mention must go to our Year 11 students, who have made an excellent start to their final exams. We are very proud of their maturity, and we wish them every success as the exam period continues.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and I hope you have a restful weekend.

Information for Parents/Carers of All Years

Punctuality Matters

Every day there are children and young people who arrive at school after 9am without a valid reason (for example, having a medical appointment would be a valid reason).

There is a statutory requirement for our register to close at 9am every day for the morning session. If your child is not present at 9am, they will lose a session’s attendance. For example, if your child arrived at 9.05am once every week, this would mean that, over the year, your child’s attendance will drop to 90% and you will fall into the Government’s definition of Persistent Absence. This is without taking any other time off school due to illness or appointments.

Being late can mean that your child is beginning the day feeling out of step with others, not seeing friends, missing important messages and work in Personal Development Time and needing support to access their day.

If you would like to discuss your child’s attendance or punctuality with our team, then please contact attendance@westfield.chorustrust.org

Yorkshire Water - Water Safety

KS3/4 Water Safety presentation during Drowning Prevention Week on 18th June

The Royal Life Saving Society’s (RLSS) Drowning Prevention Week takes place from 13-20 June and will focus on education families about water safety, particularly for children aged 5 to 15. The goal is to prevent accidental drownings and ensure people enjoy water safely.

They have teamed up with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to offer a virtual Water Safety presentation on the 18 June at 2pm. The session aims to educate students on the dangers open water poses, such as cold-water shock, hidden undercurrents and unseen operational machinery, as well as how to keep themselves and their friends safe and what to do in an emergency.

During the presentation you will be able to interact and ask questions using the secure Q&A facility.

Click here to book a session

Good news stories

This week, Year 7 students have been reading, memorising and performing 'Full Fathom Five' from The Tempest in their English lessons as part of the Poetry by Heart competition. Team English have been so impressed with the performance of these, and Year 7 students can now say that they know a ten-line Shakespeare verse by heart. Well, done!

GCSE Speaking Exams

We want to say a huge well done to our Year 11 cohort of Spanish and German GCSE students. They have worked hard to carry out their speaking exams this week, and we are very proud of them.

BiG Challenge Success

One of our talented students, Zach, has achieved fantastic success in the BiG Challenge last week.

Zach attended a special awards dinner alongside nine other teams from schools across Sheffield, where students showcased their creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurial skills. Competing against strong entries, Zach stood out and was recognised with awards for both Problem Solving and Best Dragons’ Den Presentation/Pitch.

These achievements reflect Zach’s hard work, innovative thinking, and confidence in presenting ideas. His success is a wonderful example of the opportunities the BiG Challenge provides for students to develop real-world skills.

For Key Stage 3 students that want to take part in next year's BiG Challenge, look out for announcements in September 26! In the BiG Challenge, students are encouraged not only to make money, but to create a new idea that is uniquely theirs. Something with purpose, that meets a need, and which thinks outside the box.

Well done, Zach—we are incredibly proud of you!

Picture of Zach holding his awards