5th September 2025

Dates for Diaries

Sunday 21st September - Pet Service at Wilden Church 10-11.30am

Thursday 25th September - Y3 Trip to Bishops Wood

Friday 26th September - MacMillan Cupcake afternoon and Great Wilden 'Cupcake' Bake off!

w/c 29th September - Y5 Bikeability Level 2 training

We have been so impressed with how the children have returned to school this week, with wonderfully positive attitudes and a readiness to learn. We thank you as parents for ensuring that they are dressed so smartly in the correct uniform.

On our first day back we all enjoyed our 'Clypping' ceremony, one of our unique Wilden traditions! We made a giant ring around the church and gave thanks for the new year and our wonderful school and church community.

The children might have only been in school for three days, but we already have achieved so much. What an exciting year we have ahead of us, we can't wait!

Polite reminder - Deposits and payments required for the following Autumn trips on ParentPay:-

Y3 Bishops Wood - Consent & Payment needed by 19 September

Y5 Bikeability - Consent & Payment needed by 19 September - Bikeability link to be completed too

Y1 Hartlebury Castle - Consent & Payment needed by 7 November

Y6 Blackwell Adventure Residential - Consent & Deposit needed by 31st October

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! I hope you all had a restful summer and are ready for the start of a new school year.

As Executive Headteacher, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all pupils and families returning to our school, and a special welcome to those who are new to our community this September. This time of year is full of new beginnings and opportunities, and we are excited to embark on another year of learning and growth with your children.

As we welcome our children back, we will make sure all our pupils settle quickly into school life by establishing clear expectations and routines. After the summer break, these routines will help our children feel secure and settled, creating an environment where they can focus, learn, and show us their brilliance.

I hope you all have a positive return to school and a great half term.

Best regards,

Shelley Reeves-Walters

Executive Headteacher

Meet Ruby!

Ruby is Mrs McDonald's new cocker spaniel puppy. She is absolutely desperate to become part of our school! We are not too sure what Ruby's role in school will be as yet and she needs to be older before she spends too much time in school, but she will be popping into school at times to say hello to the children and get to know the building. Please be assured that all appropriate risk assessments will be completed and that any contact with Ruby will be very closely supervised.

If you have any concerns about this please do get in touch.

Roald Dahl Day

Saturday 13th September in National Roald Dahl Day. If your child has a favourite Roald Dahl book and they would like to bring it in to share with the class on Friday 12th September then they are very welcome. Please ensure that any books brought in are named.

Wilden Pet Service

On Sunday 21st September we will have our annual Pet Service at Wilden Church at 3pm. All pets are welcome; dogs, cats, rabbits, tortoises (horses might have to wait outside to be blessed!). If your pet would be happier staying at home or if you want to bring a photo of a pet who has passed away, a prayer will still be said for them. Equally if you want to come to the service with your favourite cuddly toy pet, that's fine too! It would be great to see lots of you there!

Earrings, nails and hair accessories

Just a reminder that long hair does need to be tied back in school with either blue, black or brown hair ties. Please save the fancy ones for parties! We also ask that no children have false nails/acrylics or nail varnish on.

Earrings are allowed to be worn in school, but only a simple stud ear ring. On PE days we would prefer it if ear rings weren't worn, or if they are worn, children need to be able to remove them themselves.

Lunchbox and snack reminders

Please can we remind you that we do ask that you send your children in only with healthy, low sugar and salt snacks for breaktime. We appreciate that some children really do need that mid morning boost, particularly in KS2 where lunch is later. Fruit and vegetables are a great choice, or breadsticks, crackers, cheese or a couple of plain biscuits. From Reception to year 2 free fruit is provided for all children.

Also lunchtime try to think of the amount of food you would normally give your child at home for lunch. Sometimes it's tempting to fill up a box with lots of different packets, when in reality they really don't need this much food.

Please could we also give you to important reminder that we have children in school with allergies to nuts, seafood and fish, so please avoid these in lunchboxes.

Parking - Important

Please can we continue once again to reiterate how important safe parking and drop off arrangements are. Sometimes parents need to park a bit further away and walk or simply have to wait for a space. We have had reports of parents parking on the Zigzag lines which is not only illegal, but very dangerous for our children.

Please could I also remind you that parking on zigzag lines is illegal and dangerous at all times of the day. We have had a complaint regarding parents parking on the zigzags whilst dropping off at breakfast club, making it near impossible for secondary school children to safely cross the road.

Morning drop off

We politely ask parents that they do not park and leave cars in the lay by outside school between 8.35am and 8.50am. This then allows parents to pull in, watch their children into school and then drive away again. Unfortunately if there are Wilden Lane resident's cars parked here there isn't anything we can do about this as we don't own the lay-by. Please try to avoid double parking and allowing children to weave between cars into school. As a parent you need to make a safe decision about how your child makes it to the school gate. Please be aware that blocking the road to allow your child to get out the car causes a lot of difficulties.

Some staff and parents make use of the ample parking at the Wilden cricket club and walk down the hill from there. For the few minutes that it takes to walk, this provides an excellent safe route to school and a great bit of exercise (although not suitable for pushchairs).

Harvest Festivals

This year our Harvest festivals will take place on Friday 3rd October. Parents are welcome to join us for our service in church. Reception, year 1 and 2 service will be at 9.00am and year 3-6 service will be at 2.30pm.

If you are able, children can bring in harvest produce which will be donated to the foodbank. Please only send non perishable items. The food bank are currently requesting the following items: coffee, tinned fruit, tinned spaghetti, tinned meat, squash, tinned carrots and peas, soup, jam, baked beans, fruit juice, rice pudding and tinned potatoes.

Warm Welcomes

As we start our new term we welcome one new and one familiar face to our staff team. Mrs Kate Edmonds

Miss Jess Wood joins the staff team as a teaching assistant in year 3. Jess has been with us as a volunteer and student for a long time so it's lovely to finally make it official! We know that they will both be a fantastic asset to the Wilden family.

PLEASE Label Everything!

I think the title of this section says it all! Please remember that all clothing, lunchboxes and water bottles need to be labelled clearly for school. Many children have identical items and it is very hard to reunite items that are not named.

MacMillan Cupcake Afternoon and Great Wilden 'cupcake' Bake Off!

On 26th September we will be holding our Great Wilden Bake Off! This year we are asking for all entries to be cupcakes (or small individual cakes of any kind). These will be judged carefully and prizes awarded in school! At 3pm all cupcakes will be available to buy on the playground in return for a donation to MacMillan Cancer Support.

High School Open Days

The Bewdley School - Thursday 18th September from 6pm - https://www.bewdley.worcs.sch.uk/2025/09/02/open-evening-2025/
King Charles - Thursday 25th September - 5.30-7.30pm

Baxter College - Thursday 2nd October 4.30 - 7.30pm - see website for booking details
Stourport High School - Thursday 9th October 5 - 7pm

Punctuality and Attendance

Punctuality and attendance are very important for all children. There are morning learning activities and opportunities available but the whole class learning and routines start at 8.40am in year R-2 and 8.50am in 3-6. Our school worships begins at 9am. Although it wouldn't be our intention, arriving late is often upsetting for children, especially those who are anxious or sometimes dysregulated in school. Please ensure that your child attends regularly and on time, this will support friendships, learning, routines, anxiety and many other learning behaviours. For us to enable your child to settle, be happy and learn at their best, we do need your support with their morning routines and regular attendance.

Attendance is expected at 95% or above. We realise we say this every year, but the Government is now taking a very strict view on attendance and our hands are tied with our approach. Please ensure you contact us before 8.30am if your child is going to be away for any reason; there is an answer machine for these messages and you can leave them at any time. Alternatively, you can email office@wil.saet.co.uk. Emails are picked up constantly and often an easier option than trying to get through on a busy phoneline. It helps us enormously if we are not having to chase absentees who have not messaged us. As you will appreciate, our front office is a very busy place, making these calls is time consuming.

Prospective Parents Open Morning

Wednesday 8th October 2025 - 9:30am - 10:30am

We will be holding a Whole School & Nursery Open Morning on 8th October 2025 9:30 - 11:00am for those parents looking for a place in Preschool or Reception in 2026. If your child will be 4 by the 1st September 2026 for Reception Class or 3 by the 1st September 2026 for Preschool we would love to see you. We do have a few spaces throughout the school, so if you do know other families who might be interested in joining the school then please encourage them to come along too.

Fancy Volunteering?

We are always keen to welcome parents into school to help listen to readers or join us on trips and visits. If you would like to become a volunteer please contact the school office. We do need to ask you to complete some paperwork and gain a DBS check, but we can help you with this.

Tax Free Childcare Vouchers

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to

help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is

disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll set up an online childcare account for your child. For

every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your

provider.

You can check your eligibility and apply here: https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

Free Data for those who need it most

For those struggling with the cost of living at the moment, it may be worth you looking at this service O2 are offering of free data for those that need it most. Follow this link for details

Are you entitled to Free School Meals?

During this very unsettled time family’s circumstances can change, please check to see if you are entitled to Free School meals. This not only gives you Free School Meals within school but you receive shopping vouchers throughout the holiday periods (£2.20 per day per child) You will also receive assistance with trips costs and Holiday activity clubs. We therefore encourage even those children that currently receive Universal Free School meals (Reception - Year 2) to apply so they are entitled to vouchers, trip assistance and activity clubs. Please click here to access the link.

Worcestershire Children's First, Family Support Hub

All families come under different strains at times, and as part of our Early Help offer, we would always want you to talk to us and see if there is support that we can offer. WCF Virtual Family Hub Page offers a wide range of services to support families. Click this link or picture below to take you to the site.

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