Bulmershe Community Bulletin
Autumn Term 2024
We’re delighted to bring you the latest news from The Bulmershe School! From student achievements to community events, this bulletin offers a glimpse into the heart of our vibrant school community. To discover more about The Bulmershe School, and the transition programme we put together for incoming Year 7s, visit our website.
A message from Mrs Woodfin
It’s incredible to think we’re already nearing the end of the first term of this academic year. Welcoming our new intake of students has been such a pleasure, and I feel especially lucky to teach one of our Year 7 English classes myself. As Headteacher, I believe it’s important to stay connected with what happens in the classroom—not just to meet our students but to fully understand their experiences, challenges and triumphs first-hand.
At The Bulmershe School, academic success is, of course, a key focus, but equally important to us is the happiness and wellbeing of our students. We’ve invested significantly in our pastoral care structure to ensure that, whenever challenges arise, every child knows there’s someone they can turn to. This commitment reflects our ethos as an inclusive, diverse, and caring school that values every individual and nurtures them to thrive.
I’m proud of the strong sense of community that underpins all we do here at Bulmershe. It’s a place where students are supported to become confident, happy learners who are ready to take on the world.
Year 7s settling in
Our new Year 7 students have settled in brilliantly during their first term at Bulmershe. Thanks to our bespoke transition programme, they’ve adjusted confidently to secondary school life, taking full advantage of the opportunities on offer. From exploring extracurricular clubs to embracing our ClassCharts reward system, which has seen them earn nearly 100,000 points already, their enthusiasm is inspiring!
We’re so proud to see their eagerness to engage and grow, and we can’t wait to see how they continue to flourish throughout the year.
What is ClassCharts? The Bulmershe School have adopted ClassCharts as a way for Students to take ownership of their learning and engagement in school. Throughout the day, Students who align with our Core Values, or who show kindness, or evidence working above our expectations, receive Achievement Points on the ClassCharts App. These points are accumulated and can be spent on goodies in our Reward Shop. The shop offers low point items such as Canteen Cookies (100 points), Multi-coloured pens and highlighters (150 points) to high end prizes such as Amazon Vouchers (1,000 points), Games Console vouchers (2,000 points) and even cake with the Headteacher (750 points)!
Bulmershe Open Days
We have had a busy start to the Autumn Term, welcoming over a thousand prospective children to the school for our annual Open Day events. Attending a school open day offers valuable insights beyond brochures or websites. Families considering Bulmershe School should make the most of its open day events next year to experience the school first-hand. Our open evening and mornings offer a chance to meet teachers, chat with current students, and hear directly from school leaders about the values and opportunities that set Bulmershe apart. By visiting, families can tour facilities, explore extracurricular offerings and gauge the school’s atmosphere to see how it suits their child. An open day visit provides essential insights, making it easier to decide if Bulmershe is the right choice.
If you would like to visit the school, take a look at our Visiting Bulmershe page.
Peer Mentors
Our amazing Year 10 and 6th form Peers Mentors have recently completed a training programme which taught them how to provide 1-2-1 mentoring for their peers using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. They were also given intensive safeguarding and mental health first aid training so that they are not only able to support their fellow students in school, but also gain lifelong skills for their own future. Research has shown that peer mentoring can increase self-efficacy, self-reflection and enhance problem-solving and decision-making abilities for both the mentee and mentor. It also fosters a sense of inclusion and belonging – values integral to providing a happy environment at school.
Year 3s get a taste of Bushcraft
On Thursday, 28th November, The Bulmershe School was delighted to welcome 60 enthusiastic Year 3 students from our neighbours at Highwood Primary School for a special Bushcraft adventure.
“Bushcraft Camp” is a highlight of the Bulmershe experience, offering Year 7 students the chance to attend a week-long residential packed with exciting activities such as shelter building, archery, axe throwing, wood carving, open-fire cooking, and much more. This visit gave the Year 3s a taste of what makes Bushcraft so unforgettable.
We were fortunate that the activity was blessed by a crisp, sunny November day, and the Year 3s impressed us with their enthusiasm and excellent behaviour. A big thank you to Highwood Primary for joining us, Dr Harris for his expertise, and our brilliant Year 9s for helping make the event run so smoothly. We can’t wait to see these young adventurers again in the future!
Primary Climate Change Awareness Event
Year 3 students from Woodley C of E, Highwood and Rivermead recently took part in an exciting Woodley Cluster event focused on climate change, where they learned about its effects on the environment and the steps they can take to make a difference. The event was designed by Mr Tomala and Mrs Garrard, from the Geography department of the Bulmershe School, to educate young learners about the urgent issue of climate change and help them understand how it impacts our planet.
Throughout the day, students participated in hands-on activities, such as discussing how rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and extreme weather events affect animals, plants, and ecosystems. They spent time under a large parachute which represented the greenhouse gasses and felt the effects of a warming planet!
The event, run in organisation with the Woodley Cluster and Woodley Town Council, culminated in some fantastic artworks being produced showing the impact of climate change on coral reefs which were then judged. Parents of the children then joined us for a celebration and prize giving ceremony.
By fostering awareness at an early age, we hope to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders who will work toward protecting the planet for future generations.
Woodley History Detectives
The Bulmershe School hosted Year 6 Children from South Lake, Highwood, and Willow Bank schools last term to take part in a Historical Detective Activity Day. Guided by teachers from Bulmershe and experts from the Ure Museum of Archaeology, the children were invited to inspect artefacts provided by the Museum, piecing together clues to construct narratives and theories about some discovered skeletons. Their final task for the day was to produce a display to share the information they had learnt. The day culminated in parents viewing their hard work and a prize giving ceremony presented by Cllr David Bragg, Woodley’s Deputy Town Mayor.
