our local area

It is important that our children know and understand their own community and also the communities of those further afield.  Below are some local and distant community groups and organisations we work closely with.

• Although we are not a church school, we value the links we have with our local churches which include St. Mary's Willesborough, Christchurch Willesborough, The New Frontiers and Willesborough Baptist Church; we love it when Revered Watson, Sam or Mark come in to celebrate assembly with us

• We work closely with Surestart and local Pre-schools
• We work in close partnership with local Ashford schools
• We link with local organisations and businesses to enhance children's learning such as the RSPCA, Ashford Designer Outlet, The William Harvey, our local Green Party Councillors, the Co-op, post office, fire service, ambulance service, police,  Brabourne care home and many others 

Willesborough Windmill Art Competition

In Summer 2019 Willesborough Windmill celebrated it's 150th birthday.  We were very proud to be asked to participate in an art competition as part of the celebrations.  The Windmill kindly donated prizes to all three year groups and came into school on Friday 12th July to present them to the winners.  Well done to everyone who entered and especially to the winners.

International Week

As a school, we celebrate the diversity of our families, their backgrounds and their cultures throughout the year.  We hold a special celebratory week annually. Our next International Week is in January 2022. 

Each class has adopted a country linked to the origins of some of our families to learn about. They are creating an exhibit linked to the country for the Willesborough Schools International 

                   

                   

                  

Fire Safety Talk

 Pat came to speak to us about fire safety.  Pat told us all about the work of the fire service and the different ways they help people.  We watched a short film about ‘Frances the Firefly’.  Frances was not very sensible at the start of the film.  She learnt about the dangers of playing with matches and, by the end of the clip, she had learnt her lesson and was a very sensible firefly. Pat told us how important it is to have a smoke alarm in our homes.  They should be checked once a week to make sure they are working properly.  So please make sure you have a smoke alarm in your home and check it regularly.

                                        

                              

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Some very clever canines came to see our Year Two’s this March!  As part of our charity topic, we enjoyed an informative visit from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.  The children had an enlightening presentation about how guide dogs are trained and just how much they help the blind.  As well as this, the children were able to meet a puppy in training named Noah and an experienced guide named Gold.  Both pups were so well behaved!  We are all really looking forward to sponsoring a puppy as a school and being part of his guide dog training journey.

                                                    

                                                      

Our visits to the Church

 

              

                             

 

'We are making reindeer food in school to sell at St Mary's Church Fair to raise money for our school funds' 

                         

                                                        

Romania

In August 2013 a group of very excited teachers and teaching assistants from some Ashford Schools went out to Romania as volunteers to work with and help orphaned, sick and disabled children and young people. The teachers included Mrs King, Miss Healy and Mrs Rusbridge.  There is still much poverty in Romania and there are some very 'needy' families.  This mission was arranged through 'Cry in the Dark'.  There is a link below if you would like to find out more about the charity.  We are continuously building on our links with Romanian children through 'Cry in the Dark'.  Every  Christmas the children of the Willesborough Schools make up shoe box gifts to send to the children in Romania they have been learning about. A member of staff from the schools goes out to deliver the gifts in person. Mrs Beretta, Miss Rice, Miss Doyle, Mrs Rice, Miss Baxter have all been.  We have loved sharing their experiences in assemblies.

Parts of Romania are very poor.  Many houses do not have water like we do. We forget how easy it is to turn a tap on at home. These people have to go to a well to get water. 

 

                                 

                                                                   

The gift boxes made by the children of WIS begin their journey to Romania! Mrs Beretta and Mrs Rusbridge drove them to Colchester, where they will be loaded onto a lorry. The lorry will carry 1200 in total!

August 2016 - Mr Wright went out to Romania to help build houses for some families this summer. He came back in September and told us all about it.

October 2016 - We have just launched this year's appeal. Start collecting children. Miss Baxter is going to deliver the shoe boxes in Romania this year.

December 2016 - Miss Baxter was part of the team of volunteers that delivered the shoe boxes for ‘Cry in the Dark’ this year. Whilst she was out in Romania she had an eventful week visiting Casa Albert in Luncani, a Romany village and Casa Lumina (The house of light). She couldn’t believe the delight on the children’s faces at receiving their shoebox. Thank you so much for your support in creating them. They were most definitely gratefully received.

 We continue to send a member of staff out to Romania and support CITD in every way we can - most recently, through their Ukrainian refugee project.