Withernsea High School

Year 10 students were recognised for their academic achievement, dedication and exemplary conduct during a Celebration Assembly, held this week in the school hall.

The whole year group attended the event alongside subject representatives and senior leaders to celebrate the outstanding effort, commitment and positive contribution demonstrated by students throughout the year.

Each subject department nominated students whose achievement, perseverance and attitude towards learning had stood out over the course of the academic year, with an overall Subject Award winner selected in every curriculum area.

Alongside these academic honours, School Values Awards were presented to students who consistently exemplify the school's core values of being Ambitious, Respectful, Responsible and Kind, recognising the positive impact they have through their character, actions and contribution to the wider school community.

The celebration reflected the school's commitment to recognising not only academic success, but also the qualities and behaviours that underpin future achievement. As Year 10 students move beyond the halfway point of their GCSE studies, the assembly provided an opportunity to acknowledge the qualities that will support them through the year ahead.

Andrea Monaghan, Head of Personal Development, said: “The assembly was a positive and uplifting way to conclude the school year for Year 10. Reaching this stage of their GCSE journey is a significant milestone, and it was important to recognise the commitment, conduct and learning habits that will help our students succeed.

“What made the event especially memorable was the genuine support students showed for one another. Seeing the hall filled with applause and encouragement, and watching students beam with pride as their achievements were recognised, created a wonderful atmosphere and demonstrated the strength of our school community.”

Mark Crofts, Headteacher, added: “This assembly gave us the opportunity to reflect not only on individual success, but also on everything this year group has achieved collectively. There is a great deal to be proud of.

“When our students entered Year 10 last September, they were taking an important step into their GCSE journey. Over the past year they have grown in confidence, maturity and determination, and have put themselves in a strong position for the challenges and opportunities that Year 11 will bring.

“While this celebration marks the successful completion of Year 10, it also gives us every reason to look ahead with confidence. I see a year group with enormous potential, and I believe they can become one of the most ambitious Year 11 cohorts we have seen for some time. Throughout the year they have demonstrated our school values of ambition, respect, responsibility and kindness, not only in their learning but in the way they support one another and act as positive role models for younger students.”

Reflecting on the response of the students during the celebration assembly, Mr Crofts said: “One of the most rewarding moments of the assembly was seeing students' reactions as they were recognised. Many were genuinely surprised to be acknowledged, but what stood out most was the warmth and enthusiasm with which they celebrated each other's success. By the end of the assembly there was a real sense of shared pride in everything this year group has achieved together.

“While our award winners have truly exemplified our school values and demonstrated exceptional commitment, I was equally struck by the sheer number of students who received nominations. That reflects the strength of the year group as a whole. My message to every student was that everyone has something to be proud of. By recognising the qualities celebrated in others, they should also recognise those same strengths in themselves and carry that confidence forward into Year 11."

The winners of this year's Door to Draw attendance reward incentive will be announced tomorrow, Friday 17th July. 

The live draw will take place at 9.00am and will be broadcast to every tutor group during tutor time, giving students across the school the opportunity to watch the winners being revealed.

Door to Draw rewards students for maintaining outstanding attendance throughout the academic year. Every week that a student achieves 100 per cent attendance, they receive a raffle ticket, earning one entry into the end-of-year draw.

A wide range of prizes will be awarded, including a £100 shopping voucher, a £50 shopping voucher, three £25 Amazon vouchers, a signed Hull FC rugby ball, two Amazon Alexas, and a selection of sporting equipment, including dart boards and rugby balls.

Students are reminded that they must be in school tomorrow to qualify for the final draw.

Good luck to all students who earned entries into this year's Door to Draw prize draw!

Withernsea High School's Parent, Teacher and Friends Association (PTFA) has officially become a registered charity, marking a significant milestone less than a year after the organisation was launched to strengthen links between the school and its community.

The association has been entered onto the Charity Commission register (Charity Number: 1218725), enabling it to apply for grants and funding while expanding its fundraising opportunities to further enhance the experiences of students across the school.

The achievement follows months of work behind the scenes to establish the PTFA, appoint trustees, develop its governing document, open a dedicated charity bank account and successfully complete the Charity Commission registration process.

Since its launch in October, the PTFA has quickly become an active part of school life, supporting a range of events while raising valuable funds for the school community. Volunteers have sold refreshments at parents' evenings, school production performances and Year 6 transition events, organised a tuck shop for students on Sports Day and launched a staff summer raffle featuring prizes including a luxury hamper.

Kim Wallis, PTFA Vice Chair, said: “Becoming a registered charity is a huge achievement for our PTFA and gives us an exciting platform to build on everything we've achieved during our first year. It means we can apply for grants and funding that simply weren't available to us before, allowing us to support even more projects that will benefit our students.

“We'd like to thank everyone who has supported us so far, from our parents and carers to staff and members of the wider community. Their enthusiasm has helped us get off to a fantastic start, and we're looking forward to returning in the new school year with even bigger ideas, exciting events and more opportunities for people to get involved.”

The PTFA was established to bring together parents, carers, staff, friends of the school, and the wider community to support Withernsea High School through fundraising, volunteering, and collaboration. It recognises the vital role that parents and carers play in enriching students' educational experiences, strengthening partnerships between home and school, and fostering a supportive community that benefits all students.

Sarah Crook, School Business Manager, said: “Achieving charity status is a fantastic accomplishment and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in establishing the association. It will provide access to new funding opportunities and help the PTFA continue making a meaningful difference to the experiences of our young people. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the PTFA during its first year and look forward to seeing it continue to grow.”

Plans are already underway for a programme of fundraising events and initiatives in the new academic year as the newly registered charity looks to build on its early success and continue making a lasting difference for students at Withernsea High School. 

The school continues to welcome anyone interested in contributing ideas, time or support to join the PTFA. Please send expressions of interest to Mrs K Wallis at wallisk@wscampus.net 

The next PTFA meeting will take place at the school on Tuesday, 15th September at 4:30pm. 

Students delivered an outstanding series of performances at the East Riding Athletics Finals, held at Costello Stadium yesterday, competing against peers from secondary schools across the East Riding.

Representing the school across a range of track and field events, every competitor demonstrated exceptional commitment, determination and sportsmanship, reflecting the school's values throughout the competition.

A particularly impressive achievement came from the following students, who secured top-five finishes in their respective events:

• Ellis Z (Year 7) - 1st in the Javelin
• Daisy P (Year 10) - 1st in the 200m
• Ben H (Year 10) - 2nd in the Discus
• Chloe G (Year 7) - 2nd in the Discus
• Faye L (Year 7) - 2nd in the Shot Put
• Blake J (Year 9) - 3rd in the Discus
• Alfie F (Year 10) - 3rd in the 1500m
• Faye D (Year 10) - 4th in the Shot Put
• Jack D (Year 8) - 5th in the 800m
• Archie (Year 10) - 5th in the Long Jump
• Jack D (Year 9) - 5th in the 1500m
• Tom S (Year 7) - 5th in the Shot Put

Achieving a top-five placing at the East Riding Athletics Finals is a significant accomplishment, recognising these students among the region's leading secondary school athletes.

Nick Richmond, Teacher of PE, SSCO and Enrichment Coordinator, praised the students’ efforts, saying: "I am incredibly proud of every student who represented the school. Their attitude, behaviour, determination and commitment to performing at their very best were outstanding. They supported one another throughout the day and represented the school with real pride and professionalism. To see so many students achieve top-five finishes against such strong competition is a fantastic accomplishment, and they should all be immensely proud of what they have achieved."

Year 10 students have completed a series of college taster visits alongside a dedicated post-16 application support session delivered by Log On Move On.

Over the past fortnight, students have visited Bishop Burton College, Wyke College and Wilberforce College, where they experienced college life, explored potential subject choices and learned more about post-16 opportunities.

As part of the visits, students took part in a wide variety of taster lessons, experiencing both traditional academic subjects and hands-on vocational courses, including construction and public services. One session saw students working with Humberside Police, providing a valuable insight into careers in policing and the wider public services sector.

During an engineering taster session at Wilberforce College, students Olivia F and Lewis G were recognised as Engineering Students of the Day in recognition of their enthusiasm, engagement and effort throughout the session.

The visits were complemented by an application preparation session delivered in school by Log On Move On, an independent and impartial careers platform. The workshop introduced students to the application process ahead of applications opening in October.
The events form part of the school's careers programme, which includes one-to-one guidance interviews for every Year 10 student.

Viki Foster, Careers Leader, said: “Preparing for post-16 early gives students the time to research their options and make informed decisions about their future. Every Year 10 student has been offered a one-to-one careers guidance interview, with any missed appointments and follow-up support continuing into Year 11.

“Over the past two weeks, students have visited local colleges, as well as taking part in an application preparation session with Log On Move On. College taster events give students the opportunity to experience lessons and explore courses they may wish to study after their GCSEs.

“We also moved work experience earlier in the year so students have more time to reflect on what they learned, research future opportunities and take advantage of the taster events, which had previously clashed with placements. Most post-16 applications open in October and we encourage students to submit them by Christmas.”

The recent activities build on careers education already delivered this academic year, including visits to Willerby Ltd and Siemens Mobility for National Manufacturing Day, a Channel 4 Creative Industries workshop, the school's Careers Evening and Futures Fair, work experience placements and evaluation sessions, and ongoing one-to-one careers interviews.

During the summer holidays, students are encouraged to complete their personal statements, update their Log On Move On profiles and use the platform's CV Builder in preparation for applications.

Support will continue into Year 11 with follow-up careers interviews, the East Riding Apprenticeship Expo, college open evenings, interview skills workshops, mock interviews and support throughout the post-16 application process.

A visit from Withernsea High School's Reading Leaders and Reading Ambassadors brought stories to life for nursery children during a recent session at the town's Children's Centre.

The visit not only gave the nursery children the chance to enjoy books with older students, but also supported the school's wider commitment to promoting literacy within the local community.

School librarian Julie Thompson, who accompanied the group, said: “Our Reading Leaders and Ambassadors did a fantastic job sharing stories with the children and they all really enjoyed them. The nursery children were so engaged and loved having the older students read to them. It was a lovely opportunity for both groups to share their enjoyment of books together.”

Laura Aldridge, Lead for Whole-school Reading and Literacy, said: “Getting children interested in books and enjoying stories from an early age is crucial to developing young people who go on to become independent readers. With the nursery being on site, it was a lovely opportunity to bring the two groups together and have our students share their love of books.

“We know poor literacy can be a lifelong hindrance and, as a school, I think it is our duty and responsibility to be a catalyst for change. That will only go so far if we keep it within our four walls. By getting out into the community and raising the profile of books beyond our walls, we can help make reading something the whole community can be part of."

The school’s Reading Ambassadors initiative was launched as part of this year's National Year of Reading. Students nominated their peers to champion books and literacy alongside existing ambassadors for sport, mental health and active travel as part of the student-led Board for Change. More than 70 students put themselves forward before two ambassadors were elected to represent Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

A Reading Leaders group was also created to support the ambassadors and give more students the opportunity to help promote books and literacy across the school.

Julie Thompson added: “A number of students were really disappointed not to be selected as ambassadors, so we created the Reading Leaders group to support the ambassadors and give more students the chance to get involved. They are really excited to be part of it.”

Withernsea High School's Sport and Performance Faculty celebrated the success of its fourth annual Performing Arts Summer Showcase on Wednesday evening.

Having been staged at Hull University's Middleton Hall for the previous three years, this year's showcase was held in the school's Main Hall for the first time, giving students the opportunity to perform in their own community before an audience of family, friends and school staff.

The showcase featured a varied programme of music, dance and drama performances.

Jamie Hughes, Head of Sport and Performance, said: “Mr Fryer has led another fantastic summer showcase this year. As a performing arts team, we are so privileged to see the immense talent at Withernsea High School, so we love every opportunity to showcase our young people - they did a fantastic job. Thank you also to everyone who came and supported, cheering and clapping along.”

Music Teacher and event organiser Lewis Fryer said: “A huge congratulations to everyone involved in the WHS Summer Showcase. The event was a great success, with outstanding performances from start to finish. It was so impressive to see how students conducted themselves both on and off stage, ensuring the professional running of the show. I am immensely proud of everybody involved, and it is a pleasure to organise such an evening of entertainment.”