School Newsletter

06.11.26

Good afternoon,

Welcome back to the start of a new half term! I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing break and had the opportunity to recharge.

We are looking forward to welcoming our Year 8 parents and carers to Parents' Evening next week. Appointments are now available to book via the school website.

It has been lovely to see our students and staff back in school this week as we begin Half Term 2 and we have plenty to look forward to over the coming weeks.

Information for Parents/Carers of all years

Attendance Matters at Westfield School

We hope all our students and families had a good holiday and are ready for the half term ahead.

Since our return our levels of attendance have dropped significantly due to the number of term time holidays being taken as well as a flu and sickness bug. We wish all those students affected a speedy recovery, and we look forward to seeing them back in school as quickly as possible.

We continue this half term to focus on improving levels of attendance further and welcome the many conversations that we are having about how we can support our young people, especially those who may have some barriers to attending regularly. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help and support you and your child further.

Next week’s assemblies will focus on why regular and routine attendance is important. We are also excited to announce our ‘October Attendance Challenge’ winners. Over 700 students maintained 100% in October and many, many more worked hard to improve their attendance from September. We are so proud of them all.

On Monday we launched our next challenge for half term 2. For the next 7 weeks we will be focusing again on 100% attendance as well as improving levels of attendance. Lots of treats and rewards are waiting for our half term 2 winners.

We will also be holding a non-uniform day on Friday 18th December if, as a whole school, we can smash our attendance record and be higher than we were at the same time last year. We will be tracking this closely and hoping we don’t get hit by another wintertime bug!

Our young people are really engaging well with our commitment to improving attendance levels. We also thank you for working closely with us too. The increased levels of attendance are really beginning to impact positively on levels of learning and student progress.

Year 11 Updates

On Wednesday 11^th November, all Year 11 students will be receiving an assembly on exam regulations. The information in this assembly it from JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) and is required content that all Year 11s should receive ahead of exams. Please can you encourage your child to attend school on time so that they can hear these valuable messages.

Students received their bespoke mock exam timetables this morning, including their seat number and any access arrangements. These will also be shared with parents via email through our Exams Assist programme. This email should arrive with you by Monday at the latest.
Year 11 AP1 reports, including predicted grades, are now available to view on the Arbor app. Students will be receiving a printed copy of this report in form time on Monday. The careers team are available at lunch times in their office or room 216 to support with uploading these predicted grades to Sheffield Progress, college and apprenticeship applications.

We now have a Year 11 revision room open every lunchtime and every day after school. This will be staffed each day so that students can use the quiet space to carry out independent revision.

If any Year 11s missed the revision evening or the past papers handed out on Thursday 22^nd October, please see Mrs Hassall for the resources.

Careers’ Fair Exhibitor Request – calling all parents/carers!

We are delighted to be planning our upcoming whole school careers’ fair and would like to invite working parents and carers to get involved.

As a school, we are committed to helping students understand the wide range of career opportunities available to them. One of the most valuable ways we can do this is by connecting students with people from the world of work.

Many organisations actively support education through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, recognising the positive impact that employee volunteering can have on young people's aspirations, confidence and career awareness. If your employer encourages staff volunteering or community engagement, this could be an excellent opportunity to represent your organisation while inspiring the next generation!

Event Details: -

Event: Westfield School Careers’ Fair
Date: Wednesday 24 February 2027
Venue: Westfield School, Eckington Road, Sheffield, S20 1HQ
Time: 9am – 12pm
Set-up Time: 8.30am

If you are interested in holding an exhibitor stand, please confirm your attendance by filling out this short Microsoft Form by Friday 18^th December 2026. If you have any questions or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the careers team via email: careers@westfield.chorustrust.org

Careers Immersion Week – Languages Department

As part of our Careers Immersion Week next week, students will be discussing the skills they are learning in each subject and how these can be applied in everyday life, further education and future careers. We hope this helps students better understand the relevance of their studies and encourages them to think positively about their future aspirations.

Career of the Month

Poster with details of the role of a stage manager

Year 11 Sheffield Progress

Students have been busy working on their Sheffield Progress application this term. Many providers are now open for applications. In order to make an application, all sections of Sheffield Progress need to be complete. Please check parent and student information has been filled out correctly and that work experience and personal statements are complete. Attached is a personal statement guide for help completing this section. The qualifications section will be populated this week with students most likely outcome (MLO) grades. Students can then apply for courses from home.

Art Club

The art club session taking place on Thursday 12 November will be cancelled due to Parents Evening.

Cross Country

Cross country season has seen our highest turnout for years and some great success in the first few races. There are two more open events and the city finals coming up in the coming weeks and months.

Please arrive in plenty of time to warm up and collect a Westfield athletics vest before your race starts. Students find it useful to look at the map and walk the course route with a parent or carer prior to the race, so they are familiar with the course.

Upcoming dates:

Saturday 7^th November Bradfield School
Saturday 21^st November Norfolk Park
Saturday 12^th December Graves Park Cross Country Championship

Order of races and distances:

Year 7 Girls (2500m – 3000m)
Year 7 Boys (2500m – 3000m)
Junior (Year 8/9) Girls (3100m – 3500m)
Junior (Year 8/9) Boys (3100m – 3500m)
Intermediate (Year 10/11) Girls + Senior (Y12/13) Girls (3500m – 4000m)
Intermediate (Year 10/11) Boys (4500m – 5000m) + Senior (Year 12/13) Boys (6000m – 6500m)

First race starts at 10am

Remembrance Day

On 11^th November Westfield School will come together as a school community to show our respect for those killed during World Wars and more recent conflicts by holding a two-minute silence.

Students who are members of any of the uniformed services are welcome to attend school in their uniform or bring their uniform into school to wear for the memorial, they have been asked to gather at Westfield Memorial at 10.45am alongside members of staff. We have poppies available for students for a small donation in reception.

Year 11 GCSE French/Spanish Speaking Exams

The Year 11 GCSE French/Spanish mock speaking exams will take place week commencing the 9^th November.

Pupils have received guidance on how to revise for these exams. We ask that they arrive to the exam well prepared so that they can receive useful feedback to guide future revision. Please remind students to arrive at reception promptly for their allocated examination time. Any questions that you may have regarding revision or the exam, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Mrs Street or Mrs Moutry.

Foodbank Donations

Please see the poster below regarding donations of advent calendars for our local foodbank. If you would like to donate but are unable to bring in a calendar, there is the option to make a financial contribution on the Arbor Parent Portal under the Arbor shop. Thank you.

Poster asking for donations of advent calendars to donate to our local foodbank

SEND - Preparation for Adulthood Virtual Event Series

Please see the details below of a series of virtual lunchtime events bringing together organisations that can offer support and guidance to young people with SEND who are preparing for adulthood.

Sessions are aimed at young people, families and professionals and provide clear information, practical guidance and opportunities to ask questions and cover:-