WHITEFIELD NEWS
FUNDRAISERS | TRIPS | UPDATES | RESOURCES
Kiln Theatre Visit
Whitefield Basketball
Circuit Breakers
WHITEFIELD SCHOOL
Headteacher’s Letter
Dear Parents/Carers,
As we come to the end of a short but productive half-term, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful engagement we have had with our local community. It has been a pleasure to welcome various educationalists and our governors to the school, giving them the opportunity to see first hand the great work happening here. Their visits have reinforced what we strive for every day—developing well-rounded students who not only achieve great grades but also demonstrate great character.
Following their visits, a couple of our guests shared their thoughts:
“It was truly one of the most impressive school visits I’ve attended. It was inspiring to see how engaged your students are and to gain such a clear sense of your school’s ethos and values.”
“Thank you so much for your time and for showing us around. It was great to see how proud you were of the school and the high standards of behaviour at the school.”
Hearing such positive feedback is truly encouraging and a testament to the collective effort of our staff, students, and families. Together, we have worked hard to transform our school into a place of excellence, and we are committed to continuing this journey.
As we look ahead, our focus is firmly on supporting our Year 11 and Year 13 students in their preparations for their upcoming exams. Following feedback from their recent mock exams, we are ensuring that each student has the guidance and resources needed to make significant progress. There is still plenty of time for students to improve by at least a grade in each subject, and we are committed to helping them achieve their full potential.
Thank you for your ongoing support. I look forward to all that we will achieve together in the coming months.
Chris Hunt Headteacher
University of Hertfordshire Science Trip
This term STEM club students had the opportunity to tour the University of Hertfordshire’s engineering school under the guidance of UoH student ambassadors. They learned about the different engineering schools that the University has to offer. They also had first hand experience with the latest technologies around flight simulation and car racing, using simulators that the university students work with.
Following the tour, they took part in a Q&A session where they got to ask key questions about university life and the student ambassadors answered all their questions. By the end of the day, all of our students were very impressed with what they learned and more than half of them expressed an interest in applying to an engineering program!
Mr Grigoroudis Science Teacher
Image from Kiln Theatre
Kiln Theatre Drama Trip
The Drama department are pleased to be working with the Kiln Theatre this year as part of their residency programme.
Last week, the Year 10 Drama students watched their production of ‘Lonely Londoners’ and were also invited to a backstage tour.
They enjoyed learning about the different backstage and technical jobs such as stage management and lighting design. They particularly enjoyed getting to create their own designs on the Kiln stage!
Ms Turner Drama Team
Whitefield 70th Summer Celebration
New houses from September 2025
After much deliberation and consultation between students and staff, we are happy to announce our new house sytem for September 2025, when we launch as Clarion.
There will be a new house system based upon the constellations in the night sky. Each with a distinct character representation.
Aquila, Draco, Phoenix and Scorpius will be our new houses.
Aquila is the eagle, Drace the dragon, the Phoenix is a bird reborn from ashes and Scorpius is the scorpion.
Circuit Breakers
The Robotics Club at Whitefield School AKA ‘Circuit Breakers’ took part in the annual Regional VEX IQ Rapid Relay Tournament at The City of London School in Barbican.
An intense but exciting event where our team of six students: Arman (8R), Stella (8A), Azziah (8J), Ruby (11J), Kevin (11J) and Lyla (11J) put their teamworking and collaborative skills together to build and control a robot that can lift, throw, climb and gather. Expanding the boundaries of experimental intelligence.
Circuit Breakers have worked hard using their problem-solving, logical thinking, leadership, and creativity skills, combined with passion, and innovation to prepare for the competition. This is yet another excellent opportunity for Whitefield students to enhance their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills.
Mrs Y Sheikh Teacher of Computer Science & ICT
Fresh Enterprise Workshop
We are extremely grateful to Sharon from School Food Matters who facilitated our Year 7 Fresh Enterprise session, working with students to develop their own multi-purpose paste, sauce or dip. Ingredients were kindly supplied by Belazu, as this workshop will go on to give students a chance to have their own sauce developed into a Belazu product.
This is our sixth year working with the Fresh Enterprise programme and we’ve successfully had three sauces produced! Students have found the sessions insightful and creative. We will have more updates in the next term on our successful student chefs.
Mrs James Director of Learning for Catering and Technology
Sixth Form Chess Champion
Earlier in the term Whitefield Sixth Form hosted a chess tournament to encourage competition and community spirit. This is due to popular demand as chess has been growing in interest and students often play games after school.
Mr Walker organised the Sixth Form tournament to allow students to compete, after multiple rounds the final was between Omar and Sebastian in Year 12. Congratulations to Omar who won the final and is our chess champion! Headteacher Mr Hunt congratulated both for their participation and presented the finalists awards.
There will be a wider school tournament running this term, so look out for a new chess champion coming soon. We intend to orginise three tournaments a year and hopefully other year groups can be involved should they wish to play. We are also happy to announce our partnership with Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC), a charity that will provide chess coaching and support students to level up their game and take part in competitions.
Mr Walker Sixth Form Pastoral Support
University of Cambridge Workshops
Should everyone receive the same income? What is the problem with the current income distribution? These were the questions posed to our Year 7 students in a series of workshops in parternship with the University of Cambridge. Students participated in discussions around income disparity and learned about various case studies on universal basic income and an equal pay study.
Through the sessions students also learned about university life and were able to ask a range of questions about the difference between their current school schedule and a typical unveristy schedule.
Student Feedback:
‘The workshop was engaging and we were able to ask a lot of questions.’
‘Very educational and informative’
‘I learned a lot more about univeristy and the finances’
We are extremely grateful for our continued parternship with the university programme and look forward to having them back soon.
This term the Whitefield basketball club returned to competition, playing in fixtures against JCOSS, East Barnet School and London Academy. Teams from both lower and higher age categories built on their skills development and game understanding to compete at a very high level.
The Year 8 and 9 combined team came away with an impressive two wins and continue their streak of unbeaten matches from last term.
Whitefield Basketball Site Updates
Mr Croucher
Year 8 YTL and Head Coach
Over the winter break, the site team has worked incredibly hard on projects across the site to maintain and improve our facility. The latest improvements include, new window designs and new gym equipment.
Have your say. Scan the QR code to fill out a short survey, pick up a copy from the Visitor Pavilion or visit transformingbx.co.uk/communityspace
brentcrosstown.co.uk
Trips and Enrichment
As you will already be aware, we place a great emphasis on our students experiencing a rich cultural capital, which means we plan very carefully experiences and trips beyond the classroom. This year (from September 2024) we have already spent £15,000 on providing every child with these opportunities and as could can imagine, this is not sustainable with such a tight school budget.
Caring for people, our places and the planet
Most schools ask parents to cover the whole cost of trips but I am writing to let you know well in advance about the minimum contribution of £10 per child per trip.
and the planet
We will follow up with a further letter giving details of the July trips and the two ways you can pay on:
Parent Pay
Just Giving Page
Caring for people, our places and the planet
Ms Dervis Director of Operations
KEEPING
BARNET SAFER
A SAFETY GUIDE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS
Click the image to read the full guide
Year 7 YTL
As I am writing this, all Year 7 parents will have received a message from the school stating that Year 7 would not have to wear school uniform on Friday as a result of winning a schoolwide competition. The competition was for having the least amount of missed detentions, and I’m pleased to reinforce and praise the Year 7s for their growing maturity and ability to be organised and accountable for themselves. As you know, centralised detentions are for punctuality, equipment and uniform and Year 7s have definitely improved on ensuring that they are showing effort in keeping themselves organised for school.
Our focus for the Year 7s this term has been on home learning and ensuring that students are recording and completing home learning, as this is the majority of negative behaviour logs. At home, we request that you check and sign students’ planners, as well as My Child At School, and encourage your child as much as possible in engaging with and completing their home learning. Educational research suggests that regularly completed homework can add up to 5 months worth of progress onto a child’s results, and we definitely want all our students to be maximising their progress in order to earn great grades!
Have a great half term and keep safe, Year 7.
Year 8 YTL
Ms Ott
Year 7 Team Leader
The Year 8 cohort have had a productive winter term with many successes identified around displaying Whitefield Values to a high standard.
Student Progress Evening is on Thursday 6th March , I wish to request all parents make a note of this date so as to avoid missing this crucial evening of feedback and reflection on learning. It is a delight to see your child responding well to school routines, learning culture and opportunities to display school values.
Well done to 8J as the leading form class this term across the areas of Home Learning, Positive Logs and Student Helper rankings. Moving into the Spring, Home Learning will take even greater precedence, with the nominations of Home Learning Student Champions. They will support those students finding it difficult to remember, engage in and complete tasks.
Mr Croucher
Year 8 Team Leader
Year 9 YTL
As Year 9 students settle into the new year, it’s more important than ever to focus on making the right choices —choices that will shape their education, future opportunities, and personal growth.
Every day, students face decisions that impact their learning:
- Choosing to attend school consistently ensures they don’t fall behind.
- Choosing to complete homework reinforces knowledge and prepares them for assessments.
- Choosing to participate in lessons builds confidence and deepens understanding.
- Choosing to respect others creates a positive learning environment for everyone.
- Choosing to make an effort in every task helps develop resilience and skills needed for GCSEs.
- Choosing to attend detentions when required shows responsibility and commitment to improvement.
Making these choices now will not only lead to better academic results but also help develop self-discipline and habits that will benefit students in later life.
Student Progress Evening – 20th March
A crucial part of making the right choice is selecting the right subjects for GCSEs . To support students in this process, we invite both parents and students to our Student Progress Evening (SPE) on 20th March. This event will provide key information about subject options, helping students make informed decisions about their future. Attendance is imperative!
More information to follow.
Mr
Tan Year 9 Team Leader
Year 10 YTL
As you are at this key stage in your educational journey, I want to remind you of the incredible potential within each of you. Year 10 may feel like a year filled with pressure, decisions, and challenges, but it is also a year with opportunities to discover your passions, grow your confidence, and set a strong foundation for your future.
At this point, you might be wondering what path lies ahead—what subjects to concentrate on, what career to consider, or even how to manage the challenges that come your way. Remember this: You don’t have to have it all figured out right now . Life is a journey, not a race. What matters most is that you approach each day with curiosity, determination, and a willingness to learn from both your successes and setbacks.
Dream big , even if your goals seem far away. Every great achievement starts with a single step, and Year 10 is filled with opportunities to take those steps. Whether it’s through excelling academically, trying new extracurricular activities, or simply learning to manage your time better, which most of you need to start exploring, each effort brings you closer to becoming the best version of yourself.
Remember when things get tough (because they will), that resilience is built through challenges. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, lean on your friends, teachers, and family, and most importantly, believe in your ability to overcome obstacles.
As we are at the midpoint of this year, celebrate the small gains, learn from the losses, and stay focused on your goals. Most importantly, remember that your value isn’t determined solely by grades but by the kindness you show, the effort you put in, and the impact you have on those around you.
You’ve got this. Keep pushing forward, stay curious, and embrace the journey ahead. Our trip to University to Hertfordshire and work experience are going to add to your life experience Wishing you all the best for the half term
Warmest regards,
Year 11 YTL
Mr Opoku Year 10 Team Leader
Year 11 have been working hard this term so far, showing a conscious effort to ensure they are best prepared for their GCSEs. We had a lovely celebration of their mock grades, handed out in an assembly. This was a brilliant occasion and really showed how much they care about their grades and their futures.
We also held our student progress evening, their last one as Whitefield Students (before the name change to Clarion) and this was incredibly well attended with lots of positive and beneficial conversations between teachers and parents looking to build on some already fantastic results.
There have been thirty four grade 9s and twenty one L2 Distinction* earned.
Well done Year 11. Enjoy the break.
Mr Boyles
Year 11 Team Leader
We are proud to have an experienced counsellor, Jon Thompson, who runs one-to-one support sessions for students identified as needing extra support. Jon works for FYP (Forever Young People) and helps students understand the difficulties they are facing, work through a booklet to help set targets, and learn strategies to cope with problems that may arise in their future. If you would like more information about this, please contact Mrs Hammond or Ms Thomas.
Forever Young People uses thought, emotional intelligence and ethical practices to create an inclusive and meaningful future through our teenage mentoring programs and coaching which engages young people through conversational-based learning. We aim to provide young people, children, and community groups with coaching/ mentoring that will support them with their low emotional well-being.
To learn more visit: www.foreveryoungpeople.com
Counselling Support Sixth Form
The Sixth Form has had another busy and rewarding half term! Year 12 have been on a trip to Brunel University where they participated in university tours and workshops. Multiple students took part in a Cambridge University workshop and have started to consider their next step options. We have also had multiple support programs including Path to Success where students have been target setting for their end of year exams.
Many students have joined the M&G workshops and have been developing their business skills through presenting ideas and building their CV’s. We have also been working hard on finding work experience placements for the Summer term. Placements include architecture, construction, education, healthcare providers and many more. Students will be beginning exams from next half term and we will be holding support workshops for revision and organisational skills next half term.
Year 13 have been completing UCAS applications this half term. The offers have started rolling in and we have been goal setting and selecting firm and insurance offers. We have launched a study skills program to support students with revision and examination preparation. There have been a number of educational and engaging trips and workshops this half term including the the sociology and Drama trips.
We look forward to the next half term!
Ms Hodgson Sixth Form Director (Maternity Cover)
Dates for your diary
FEBRUARY
10th February - National Apprenticeships Week
17th to 21st February - Half Term
23rd February - 1st March - Ski Trip
24th February - First day of term (Week 2)
27th February - Year 12 Professional Interviews Day
MARCH
3rd March - World Book Week
3rd March - National Careers Week
4th March - Year 11 Professional mock interviews
5th March - Year 11 Morning sessionprofessional mock interviews
6th March - World Book Day
6th March - Year 8 Student Progress Evening
10th March - British Science Week
20th March - Year 9 Student Progress Evening
25th March - Year 8 Reading University Trip
26th March - Year 10 Hertfordshire
University Trip
APRIL
4th April - Last day of term (Early finish 12:30pm)
7th - 21st April - Easter Break
22nd April - INSET Day
23rd April - Students first day back (Week 2)
24th April - Year 7 Student Progress Evening
MAY
5th May - May Bank Holiday
15th May - Year 10 Student Progress Evening
21st May - International Culture Day
26th May - 30th May - Half Term
JUNE
June 19th - Barnet Youth Theatre Festival
JULY
July 11th - Whitefield 70th Celebration
