Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,
The wet weather this past week has been a sure sign that autumn is here. The summer sun has faded, winter uniform rules have commenced, and we’ve started seeing jackets and umbrellas in abundance! With the changing season, we’re already gearing up for some important school events.
The autumn term is the perfect time for students to explore our wide range of extracurricular and enrichment opportunities. We encourage all students to get involved in these activities, whether it’s joining a club, learning a new skill, or pursuing a hobby. These clubs not only offer something fun to do during the colder months but are also a key part of personal development, helping students to grow in confidence, work as a team, and develop leadership skills. Encourage your daughter to take a look, there’s something for everyone: Extra Curricular Activities | The Holt School
Our House charity events are an important part of school life. Last week Mrs Kennedy and I delivered assemblies to all students in Year 7 – 11 to celebrate ‘International day of the Older Person.’ Students were reminded about the integral role of the older generations within our community as workers, volunteers and carers. The Holt School have partnered with WADE since the 1970s, WADE is a registered charity whose aim is to promote the welfare of elderly people within Wokingham and the surrounding areas. Members go along to meet with friends, and they are served a nourishing lunchtime meal. Two Holt students go along daily to help to serve this. There will be a non- school uniform day on Thursday 24th October, we ask all students to make a donation of £2 to allow us to make a donation towards the important service that WADE offer to local residents.
Harvest is another important Holt tradition marked by a formal assembly on Thursday 3rd October. Following on from the assembly, our Year 11 students will distribute the food collected to WADE, Wokingham Foodbank and elderly residents in the local community. It would be great if every student is able to donate at least one item from the shopping list provided below:
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WADE Day Centre |
Wokingham Foodbank |
- Tea
- Coffee
- Biscuits
- Sugar
- Squash
- Tinned Veg
- Baked Beans
- Long Life Milk/Cream
- Tinned Fruit
- Gravy Granules
- Dried Fruit
- Caster Sugar
- Soup
- Tinned meals (eg. curry, chilli, casserole)
- Tinned fruit
- Tinned vegetables
- Coffee
- Tinned pies
- Rice pudding
- Snacks (eg. cereal bars, crisps, pot noodles)
- Fruit squash
- Confectionary
- Washing up liquid
- Antibacterial cleaning spray
- Hotdogs
- Cooking oil
- Condiments (eg. Mayo, ketchup)
Finally on the theme of Charity, our annual Macmillan coffee morning takes place for students on Friday 27th September. This is always a remarkable event that raises large amounts of money for such an important cause.
In addition to the whole school events listed above, all registration groups host different charity events throughout the school year. We have everything from apple bobbing to lunchtime discos – the more creative the better! I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for your ongoing support in this important aspect of school life. We really appreciate the donations and support that goes on behind the scenes!
On Thursday 26th September it is European Day of Languages. To celebrate this international event, the languages department will be running various events, including language clubs and GCHQ problem-solving and ‘Languages for peace’ competitions. We are also asking all teachers to share different languages across the school day on Thursday. Whether from school or at home, we are aware that many of our staff, students and parents speak a wide variety of different languages. To find out a little more about the linguistic diversity within The Holt Community, the department would be grateful if all staff, students and parents/carers could spare a few minutes to complete the following survey: Languages @ The Holt We appreciate your involvement and will be excited to share the subsequent results with you.
It feels like just yesterday we welcomed Year 7 to the school, and now we are hosting Open Mornings, which mark the beginning of the Year 6 transition. It’s always an exciting time as we start meeting the families and students who could potentially be joining us in September 2025! Our Year 11 prefects do a fantastic job at showcasing what the school has to offer.
Finally, I would like to close this week’s blog with an important message regarding road safety on Holt Lane. We recently had a theatre company come into school to deliver a performance to all Year 7 students teaching them the importance of taking care on the roads. This message is then continuously re-enforced in assemblies, PSHE sessions and conversations with our students. Mr McWilliam recently sent a letter to all parents with some important reminders re. pick up and drop off. As the morning and evenings become darker and the weather becomes wetter, please take extra care on Holt Lane and avoid the temptation to double park across the bays or to pull up on the zig zag lines. This causes a great hazard to other students trying to cross the road and to the drivers trying to navigate Holt Lane. Wokingham Borough Council have ANPR cameras outside the school to improve the safety on Holt Lane. The council do enforce the ‘School Keep Clear’ markings and will be issuing penalty notices if you stop in this area. Road safety has vastly improved since the introduction of these cameras; however, it is important that all members of The Holt community remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary risks. Thank you for your support with this matter.
Mrs Martin
Assistant Headteacher