The Bulmershe Bulletin – Issue 28
25th April 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back! I hope you have had a restful holiday.
Each half term we introduce a new curriculum theme, and this term we will be looking at Community. At Bulmershe, we believe community is more than just being in the same place at the same time – it’s about how we treat one another and the choices we make every day.
In my assemblies this week I asked students to reflect on this simple idea: we should be looking out for each other, not at each other. Being part of a strong school community means showing kindness, being safe and acting thoughtfully. Whether that’s smiling at someone in the corridor, helping a classmate, or simply saying thank you – it all matters.
I reminded students that their actions also shape how people see our school. Outside in the community, the small things are noticed – both the positive and the not-so-positive. Anti-social behaviour in the community has a huge impact and we all encourage our students to try to be the best versions of themselves when in public. We want every student to feel proud of being part of Bulmershe, and that comes from each of us taking responsibility for how we behave, how we treat others, and speaking up when something isn’t right.
Please talk to your children and emphasise how we’re all in this together – students, staff and families. When we support each other, and communicate with kindness and respect, we create the best possible environment for our young people to grow.
We’re proud of our students, and we’re grateful for your ongoing support. Let’s keep building a community that truly looks out for each other.
Amanda Woodfin
Headteacher
Upcoming Events
28th April – Year 7 Bushcraft Parents’ information presentation (online) – 5:30pm – 6:30pm
30th April – Year 8 Trip to France – Parents’ information evening – 5:30pm in the auditorium
1st May – Year 10 Parents’ Evening (online) – 4pm – 7pm
5th May – Bank Holiday – School is closed
8th & 9th May – Year 9 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition
14th May – Pastoral Coffee Morning for Parents and Carers
22nd & 23rd May – Year 9 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Expedition
23rd May – Year 13 Leavers BBQ from 3pm on the school field
24th May – 1st June – Half Term Holiday
Summer Term Clubs Now Live!
Our new Summer Term clubs timetable is now available on our website – and with longer days and warmer weather, it’s the perfect season to try something new!
This term brings a few exciting additions, including a Poetry Club, and a brand new Rounders, Cricket and Softball Club on Wednesdays with Miss Cronin. There’s also a Tennis Club starting on Wednesdays – ideal for anyone looking to build their skills or try out a new sport.
Our extra-curricular clubs aren’t just about fun (though there’s plenty of that!) – they’re a chance to build confidence, develop interests, and make new friends.
If your child hasn’t joined a club yet this year, we’d really encourage them to give one a go this term. It could be the start of a new passion.
Introducing our HERO Attendance Programme
This term, our attendance team are on a mission to reward responsibility with our brand-new HERO Programme – recognising students who are Here Everyday, Ready Ontime.
From next week, students who achieve 97% attendance and 100% punctuality (to both tutor time and every lesson) will officially earn HERO status. HERO students will be awarded a digital badge on ClassCharts and receive a brilliant 25 achievement points for their efforts.
We all know that good attendance and punctuality are key ingredients for success. In fact, national data shows that students with 95% attendance or above go on to achieve significantly better GCSE results.
So let’s all aim high, arrive in tutor rooms by 8:30am, and finish the term strong. Whether you’re a Year 7 just finding your feet or a Year 11 powering through revision, every day really does count.
Let’s all be HEROs!
Well done Year 11
As we approach the final term of the school year, we want to take a moment to congratulate our amazing Year 11 students for all their hard work, determination and resilience. You’re entering what may be your final weeks at The Bulmershe School, and we couldn’t be prouder of how far you’ve come.
The first GCSE exam is just around the corner on 8th May, and from 9th May, personalised study leave begins. All students without an exam on that Friday day will be dismissed at 12:20pm. Students have spent time in tutor preparing personalised timetables that include their exam dates and any intervention sessions – please encourage your children to follow these closely to make the most of this important time.
A few key dates to keep in mind:
- 13th May – Deadline to order your Leavers’ Hoodie. Mrs Cousins will be sending a reminder next week with instructions on how to order.
- 16th May – Final payment deadline for Prom. Please note this date is strictly final, and tickets are now sold out.
- 4th July – Our Leavers’ Assembly and Prom! More details will be shared closer to the date. Uniform is required for the assembly, so please hold off on tie-burning celebrations just yet!
We’re cheering you on every step of the way. Keep focused, stay positive, and remember that your teachers and tutors are here to support you. Good luck with the exams – you’ve got this!
A “Fetch” evening out in the West End
On Wednesday 23rd April, the cast and crew of our incredible school production Kinky Boots swapped their high heels for theatre seats as they set off on their celebration trip to see Mean Girls the Musical in the West End.
Two coachloads of excited students and staff headed into London and took over the entire grand circle of the Savoy Theatre. The show was packed with brilliant choreography, outrageous comedy and an important message about kindness and identity – all wrapped up in pink and glitter.
But as impressive as the performance was, it was our students who really stole the spotlight. Bulmershe students were a credit to the school throughout the evening, with Mr Hood’s legendary “no snacks in the theatre” rule strictly observed. In fact, the theatre ushers went out of their way to tell staff that we were the “best school group they’d ever had” – and better behaved than some adult audience members!
Mrs Woodfin was especially proud to hear how well our students represented The Bulmershe School in the wider community. Polite, respectful and full of enthusiasm, they showed exactly why we’re known for being kind and considerate. A huge thank you to all the staff who organised and supported the trip. We hope everyone who came had a totally fetch time!
Job Opportunities for Sixth Form Students at Bulmershe!
At Bulmershe, we are always looking for ways to help our students prepare for life beyond school. Following feedback from our Student Council, who shared that Sixth Formers would love more opportunities to apply for real roles within the school, we are thrilled to have launched a brand new initiative!
Three of our Sixth Form students have recently been appointed as Library Assistants, following a formal application and interview process – just like applying for a real job. They even went through an official onboarding process and will now be paid for their work. This experience is not only giving them a valuable insight into the world of work, but will also help to build strong CVs, develop employability skills and boost future job or university applications.
This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to build confidence in the application and interview process and experience the responsibility of being part of the school staff team. We are incredibly proud of the professionalism they have already shown and are excited to see how they grow in their new roles.
We are committed to providing meaningful opportunities like this across the school, helping our students to aspire, achieve and move confidently into the future.
Supporting Revision with AI
We wanted to share a new, student-friendly online tool that some of our teachers have started introducing to their GCSE classes. It’s a free AI chatbot designed specifically to support revision across a number of subjects and exam boards, including those used at The Bulmershe School.
The tool, called Crest, allows students to ask questions based on their GCSE specifications. The AI then gives a clear explanation and can either simplify the answer or offer more detail, depending on what the student needs. It’s a helpful way for students to test their knowledge, revise key concepts and take more control over their learning.
You can try it here:
https://crest.ludenso.com
At Bulmershe, we recognise that AI tools like this can be fantastic learning aids – when used responsibly. We talk to students about the difference between using AI to support revision and using it to do the work for you. While AI can help explain ideas or structure revision, copying answers or passing off AI-generated work as your own is not acceptable and breaches exam regulations.
We encourage families to talk about AI use at home too. It shouldn’t feel scary, but it’s important to understand its limitations and to use it as a tool – not a shortcut. You can read more about how the Exam Boards Rules on AI use on our website.
Let’s help our students become thoughtful, ethical users of technology – ready for both exams and the future beyond them.
Calling Students – Book Cover Competition
We’re incredibly proud of an exciting STEM project that’s been running since January with 30 of our Year 10 students. Every Thursday after school, they’ve been working hard on a huge collaborative challenge: writing and designing a book about 240 real-world STEM careers!
Together, they’ve already written detailed entries for over 100 jobs, covering everything from the skills required and daily responsibilities, to salary ranges and famous faces in those roles. It’s a brilliant opportunity for students to build confidence, teamwork and research skills while exploring inspiring futures in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Now, we’re inviting the whole school community to get involved—by helping us choose the book’s cover!
We’ve launched a whole-school cover design competition and would love your child to take part. The winning design will appear on the final published book and the designer will receive a £50 Amazon voucher as a prize.
Please encourage your child to get creative and join in. The design can be hand-drawn or digital, and it should reflect the exciting world of STEM careers. We can’t wait to see what our talented students come up with!
Parent Pastoral Coffee Morning
Following the positive feedback from families who attended our March event, we’re pleased to invite you to our next Pastoral Coffee Morning on Wednesday 14th May, from 8:30 – 9:30 am in the school library.
At The Bulmershe School, we understand that every child’s journey is different. These informal coffee mornings are a chance for families to chat to key members of our pastoral team – without needing an appointment. Staff from Oasis, SIGNAL, Attendance, Year Teams and Leadership will all be on hand to listen, offer advice, and point you towards the right support.
If your child is struggling with attendance, anxiety, or any barrier to learning, please don’t hesitate to come along. You’re welcome to drop in at any point during the hour, and younger siblings are very welcome too.
To help us prepare (and make sure there’s enough tea and coffee!), please sign up below:
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at: attendance@bulmershe.wokingham.sch.uk
Summer Work Experience for 15 – 18 year olds
We’re excited to share some fantastic summer work experience opportunities available to students through InvestIN, an organisation that offers hands-on career programmes designed to bring future aspirations to life.
These summer schools are based in some of London’s most exciting locations and provide a chance for students to explore what their future workplace might look like. Whether your child dreams of a career in law, engineering, medicine, finance, or politics, there’s something inspiring on offer.
Highlights include:
- Exploring sports psychology at a Premier League football club
- Trading live on the London stock market
- Collaborating with engineers onboard a Boeing 747
- Debating in the Houses of Parliament or even tackling a human rights case in the Supreme Court
Students also have the option to stay at UCL Halls of Residence for the full university experience.
Please note: many of these experiences are now over 85% full and places are closing quickly. If your child might be interested, you can explore all available summer schools and register via the InvestIN website.
Photographer in School
We are excited to let you know that on Tuesday 29th April, we will be welcoming a professional photographer to The Bulmershe School. Throughout the day, he will be capturing a range of images to be used in our new prospectus and on our school website. These images are an important way for us to show the vibrant, inclusive and supportive environment our students enjoy.
All of the photos taken will be staged with selected students, and their parents will be contacted separately with regards to giving permission. We hope students enjoy the day and the experience of being a Bulmershe Superstar!
Cucina Main Meals – w/c 10th March
Shout Outs
On a Friday we like to shine a spotlight on those who deserve a thank you or have done well over the past week. If you would like to nominate your child, or a member of staff, please use our nomination email address: HeadsPA@bulmershe.wokingham.sch.uk.
Student Shout Outs
Mrs Whitmarsh would like to give a shout out to all our students who attend the Mean Girls trip who were hailed as “the best behaved school group the theatre has ever had!”
Miss Hudson would like to offer a huge congratulations to the Year 11 French and Spanish students for completing their speaking GCSE exams this week!
Staff Shout Outs
Happy Birthday to Mrs Edwards and thank you for giving half your life to The Bulmershe School!
What’s On
Go Drive Road Safety
Wokingham Borough Council have shared details of a new initiative aimed at helping young people stay safe on the roads. With Safe Drive, Stay Alive no longer running, GoDrive is being offered as a useful alternative for 16+ year olds to gain practical road safety knowledge before they begin driving.
The GoDrive session is a short, one-hour course designed to engage young people with interactive discussions and peer-led activities that focus on real-world road safety scenarios. It’s been developed specifically with teenagers in mind and is an opportunity to build confidence and awareness as they prepare for life on the road.
While this isn’t a Bulmershe-led event, we’re pleased to share the information with families in our community who may find it useful.
You can find out more, watch a short video, or register directly via the Wokingham GoDrive page
