The Willink School & Sixth Form

🎉 What a fantastic start to Sixth Form life!

This week, we were delighted to welcome our Year 11 students and those new to The Willink for our Sixth Form Induction. Despite the heat ☀️, it was wonderful to see so many students taking part.

Students met their new tutors and tutor groups, got involved in icebreaker activities, experienced lessons in their chosen subjects 📚 and began developing the independent study skills that are so important for Sixth Form success.

🥪 Tuesday's lunch was another great opportunity for students to connect ahead of September.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, our dedicated Sixth Form team for organising the event, and our amazing Year 12 student helpers for making everyone feel so welcome. 👏

🌍 We can't wait to welcome our new cohort back in September as they continue their journey towards becoming Future Global Changemakers!

💻 To find out more about The Willink Sixth Form, visit our website: https://zurl.co/OqOJn

📣 Calling all Sixth Form Geography students – past and present!

Geography Fieldwork Equipment – Urgent Return Request

Following a recent stock take by the Geography Department, it appears that some Sixth Form fieldwork equipment—typically borrowed over the summer break to complete coursework—has still not been returned.

We kindly ask all current and former Sixth Form Geography students to please check whether they still have any department equipment in their possession and return it to school as soon as possible.

Your support in helping us account for and retrieve this equipment is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your cooperation.

📣 School Canteen Update – Menu Changes This Week (Hot Weather)

With the weather being so hot this week, the school canteen has planned a couple of changes to the set menu to keep things a little lighter and more refreshing.

Monday: Normal Menu
Tuesday: Meatball Sub / Quorn Meatball Sub with Wedges, Coleslaw & Salad
Wednesday: Pulled Pork Bap / Quorn Fillet in a Bap with Chips, Salad & Coleslaw
Thursday: Pork Sausage / Quorn Sausage with Seasoned Potato Twisters & Salad
Friday: Normal Menu

They are also introducing some new pre-made salads this week for those looking for cooler meal options.

Thank you.

📣 Last Call: Year 11 Prom Raffle Prize Donations! 🎉

We are seeking a few more raffle prize donations to help make our Year 11 Prom extra special. Items do not need to be high value, but should be appropriate for 15–16 year olds (e.g. vouchers, experiences, or small gifts welcome).

📅 If you would like to donate something, please do so by Wednesday (24 June '26) lunchtime.

If you are able to contribute, please drop donations off at the school reception or contact Mrs Johnson:
📧 [email protected]

Thank you for your support in making the Prom a memorable event for our students! 🎓

Tickets are now on sale for The Willink's production of Peter Pan!

Join us for a magical journey to Neverland, brought to life by our talented students. With adventure, laughter, pirates, fairies and plenty of theatrical magic, this promises to be a fantastic evening for the whole family.

📅 Tuesday 30 June, 7.00pm
📅 Wednesday 1 July, 7.00pm

Tickets are just £5 each, with a special offer of 4 tickets for £15.

This production is in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Since J.M. Barrie gifted the rights to Peter Pan to the hospital in 1929, proceeds from UK performances have helped support seriously ill children and their families.

Book your tickets via the link or scan the QR code on our poster. We hope to see you there!

🎶✨ Summer Music Concert ✨🎶

Don’t forget to get your tickets for our Summer Music Concert! 🎤🎸🎻

📅 Tuesday 7 July 2026
🕖 7:00pm
📍 Main Hall, The Willink School

Enjoy an evening of live performances from our talented students across a fantastic range of genres and styles 🎶✨

🎟️ Tickets are just £3 and available now via Scopay - don’t miss out!

We look forward to welcoming you for a brilliant evening of music and celebration 🌟👏

🎓 A-Level Examinations Complete! 🙌👏 Well done Year 13!

We are so incredibly proud of our Year 13 students 💙 and how you have all worked hard and approached this exam period.

We know every student has shown real resilience, independence, and determination 💪 throughout what has been a demanding final stage of their Sixth Form studies 📚⏳

Now it is time for a well-earned rest as you prepare for your next exciting steps beyond The Willink Sixth Form, and the journeys you will take as our next generation of future global changemakers 🌍

A huge thank you also goes to our amazing teachers and support staff 👏 who have helped you reach this point, and of course to our fantastic examinations team 📝💙 for all they have done to ensure everything has run so smoothly.

We look forward to celebrating with you at the Summer Ball ✨ and, of course, on Results Day in August 📅

Well done, Year 13 — we are incredibly proud of you! 💙

🌟 Celebrating an incredible achievement for our school community 🌟

Huge congratulations go to Mrs Clare Downey, our Sixth Form Pastoral Mentor, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in recognition of her outstanding services to children and education in Țîntăreni, Moldova.

Mrs Downey said she is “delighted to accept this honour on behalf of all Flying Pigs, past and present,” reflecting the spirit of a project that has grown from a bold idea into something truly life-changing.

The Flying Pigs project began in 2004 after the first inspection trip to Țîntăreni What started as an “unlikely” idea has developed into two summer schools across local villages, bringing together Sixth Form students, UK staff, volunteers, and the partner school Ion Creanga School.

Over the years, the project has:

Provided enriching summer schools for over a hundred children
Built lasting international friendships and cultural exchange
Given Sixth Form students real leadership, planning, and teaching experience
Supported host families and the local economy
Strengthened English language and leadership skills among local translators

Despite disruption from Covid and the war in Ukraine, the work has continued thanks to a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, keeping the vision alive and preparing for the next chapter. Headteacher Ms Nicolle Browning is due to visit the activities in July and there is also hope around the potential return of student participation in the Flying Pig programme in the future.

This award is a powerful recognition of a project that truly reflects the school motto: “Village School, Global Outlook.” 🌍

Congratulations Mrs Downey - we're very proud of this well deserved recognition!

🎓 GCSEs are finished! 🎉

We could not be prouder of our Year 11 students 💙 and how you have all worked hard and approached this exam period.

The results of the exams are both important and not important – what matters most, as has been said throughout, is that every student has done their very best 💪 and shown real resilience, determination, and strength through what has been a demanding and often gruelling month 📚⏳

Now it is time for a well-earned rest 😌🌿

A huge thank you also goes to our amazing teachers and support staff 👏 who have helped you reach this point, and of course to our fantastic examinations team 📝💙 for all they have done to ensure everything has run so smoothly.

We are really looking forward to celebrating with students at Prom on 24 June ✨💃🕺, and before that, welcoming most of them back for Sixth Form Induction on 22 and 23 June 🎓📅

Well done, Year 11 – you should be incredibly proud of yourselves, and we certainly are incredibly proud of you. 👏🌟💙

Bilbao Trip Update 🇪🇸✨

Today was the group’s last full day in Bilbao, and it was certainly a busy one! 🤩

The day began with a visit to the iconic Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, where students admired the spectacular architecture of the building and visited the famous Puppy 🐶🌸 and Maman 🕷️.

In the afternoon, the students cooled down in a shopping centre, spending their remaining euros on gifts and souvenirs 🎁🛍️ before enjoying a special cultural experience: watching the new Super Mario movie in Spanish 🎬🍄🇪🇸.

Back at the hotel, everyone came together for their final Spanish dinner 🍽️ before celebrating the week with a prize-giving event 🏆🎉, recognising some of the many memorable moments from the trip.

What a fantastic final full day, packed with culture, fun, language learning and lasting memories! 🇪🇸❤️