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FREE Online Knife Crime Awareness Course - The Ben Kinsella Trust
Published 12/03/24Parents & Carers: Knife Crime Awareness workshops
Knife Crime Awareness
Parenting children and young adults is hard, sometimes it can be scary and overwhelming with news stories and social media influencing how safe we feel our children are and the risks they may face in today’s climate.
Join our FREE workshops in person or virtually to learn more about topics such as the influence of social media, the signs and stages of exploitation, and how we can prevent young people being affected by knife crime as parents, carers and as a community.
During the workshop you will develop understanding around the following topics:- Young people's brain development, behaviour and responses to stress
- The importance of healthy, safe attachment for young people
- The stages, signs and risk factors of exploitation
- Gangs - what they are, how they operate, and why?
- External influences - language, social media, gang-related music
- Building resilience within the family and community
- Further support available for families
The workshops are hosted by The Ben Kinsella Trust
Upcoming Sessions:
Date: Monday 25th March
Location: Online via Zoom
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Date: Wednesday 27th March
Location: Online via Zoom
Time: 7pm - 8:30pmSign up here: Parents & Carers Workshops - The Ben Kinsella Trust
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Bannockburn Fun Run 10am Sunday 17th March 2024 - Get involved!
Published 29/02/24Bannockburn Fun Run 10am Sunday 17th March 2024 - Get involved!
All proceeds support Cancer Research. Bannockburn have raised approximately £10,000 through this event over the years.
Help us spread the word within the community, for children, and families who enjoy running. Participants can choose from 2k, 5k, and 10k races on RunBritain, listed under Bannockburn as a multi-terrain event. Every runner receives a medal and the winners receive trophies.
Thank you in advance for your support!

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Aruna Jalloh former student stars in new BBC series 'Boarders'
Published 26/02/24Aruna Jalloh concluded his studies at Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys in 2016, after studying GCSE and A Level Drama here. During his time at the school, he secured spots at the National Youth Theatre of GB and Rose Bruford Drama School through successful auditions. Known as a dedicated student, Aruna was asked by Miss Waine to return to the school during his University years to participate in a National Theatre Connections show, "Children of Killers". He readily agreed and not only mentored younger students but also shared his acting skills and expertise.
Currently, Aruna is starring in the new BBC Three series "Boarders", a coming-of-age comedy drama that tracks the journey of five underprivileged black students who earn scholarships to an esteemed boarding school. In this show, Aruna portrays Femi, a Nigerian student striving to make his family proud and navigate his new environment. All episodes are now accessible for download on BBC iPlayer.
Prior to this, he captivated audiences in "For Black Boys..." at the Royal Court and Apollo Theatre in the West End, performing to sold-out crowds every night.
We are immensely proud of his accomplishments and cannot wait to see what he does next!
Boarders review – this private school satire is absolutely packed with future megastars


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Royal Borough of Greenwich Apprenticeship Summit
Published 22/02/24On the 5th of February 2024, a group of our Year 12 students participated in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Apprenticeship Summit. This event, hosted at Woolwich Works, was part of the National Apprenticeship Week celebration.
Students had the chance to listen to prominent apprenticeship organisations, connect with employers and peers, and acquire valuable industry insights.

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Royal Borough of Greenwich letter to parents/carers: School Attendance
Published 22/02/24Click to download the Royal Borough of Greenwich Attendance Letter February 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
I trust this letter finds you well and that your children have enjoyed the half term break and are settling into the new term, with enthusiasm and a desire to learn.
As we head into this new term, I would like to emphasise the importance of good attendance at school. While some children face occasional illnesses or barriers to attending school, maintaining regular attendance is key to ensuring they receive the education and support they need to thrive.
Why is good attendance so important?
- Learning Consistency: Regular attendance ensures that your child can consistently engage with their teachers and peers, contributing to better learning outcomes.
- Social Development: School provides a vital environment for children to develop socially, build relationships, and develop interpersonal skills. Missing school can disrupt this crucial aspect of their growth.
- Academic Progress: Absenteeism can result in missing out on key learning experiences and valuable classroom activities, potentially leading to gaps in your child's knowledge. There is documented data on the correlation between absences, academic achievement and lifelong outcomes.
- Preparation for the Future: Regular attendance helps your child build a strong work ethic, which is essential for their future endeavours.
- Sanctions for irregular school attendance. As well as the impact on your children, parents and care givers can face sanctions for not ensuring their children’s regular school attendance. Action, we strive to avoid.
We understand that there can be challenges to ensuring regular school attendance and we are committed to supporting parents/care givers and children to enable regular school attendance. Each school is committed to:
- Providing a clear Attendance Policy, clarifying the school rules regarding attendance.
- Providing guidelines on when it is appropriate to keep a child home due to illness, and when it is safe for them to attend school.
- Supporting with health and well-being concerns; Parents are encouraged to communicate any health concerns promptly. Parents are encouraged to communicate any other issues that are impacting on their ability to ensure regular school attendance, so that supportive measures can be put into place, via school resources, signposting and/or involving or referring to support agencies.
- Schools will work on and review strategies to build the resilience of their students, equipping them to adapt to challenges that may arise during their school journey.
The Local Authority, School staff and teachers are committed to providing the best educational experience for your children. We believe that by working together with parents and care givers, we can create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment that will enable your child to succeed.
With your support and collaboration in encouraging your children’s good attendance, we can endeavour to ensure they make the most of their learning opportunities and lifelong outcomes.
Kind regards
Florence Kroll Director of Children’s Service
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FREE Medical & Dental Virtual Work Experience
Published 20/02/24Understanding the pivotal role that work experience plays in shaping a student's perspective on their future career, we're delighted to extend an invitation to your students to participate in our FREE 6-month medical or 4-month dental virtual work experience programme.
There is only a limited time remaining for students to explore specialties in Critical and Intensive Care or New Dental Patients before the next rotation begins on the 4th March. Aimed to provide students with insights into the medical and dental fields, this free virtual work experience empowers students to make informed decisions about their future.
Students can find out more here:
https://medicmentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/
To ensure your students don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity, they need to attend our upcoming Get Into Medicine or Get Into Dentistry conference, granting them IMMEDIATE ACCESS to the Virtual Work Experience programmes.
By attending a Free LIVE Virtual Get Into Conference and completing the free virtual work experience programme, students will also receive a 'Highly Commended' reference from the Presidents at Medic Mentor. This reference is a powerful addition to boost your medical school applications and C.V. It can be proudly listed on your UCAS application under the section for ‘conferences you have attended which have prepared you for higher education’.
If your students haven't attended a Get Into Conference but would like to join the Virtual Work Experience, they can sign up for the next upcoming conferences on these dates:
For aspiring Doctors: FREE LIVE VIRTUAL Get Into Medicine conference dates:- Sunday 25th February from 9:30am - 3:30pm
- Saturday 2nd March from 9:30am - 3:30pm
- Sunday 3rd March from 9:30am - 3:30pm
For aspiring Dentists: FREE LIVE VIRTUAL Get Into Dentistry conference date:
Saturday 24th February, 9:30am - 3:30pm
Students and parents can register for free at these links:
Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/get-into-medicine-university-conference/
Dentistry: https://dental-mentor.org/get-into-dentistry-university-conference/
Throughout these conferences, students will have the chance to interact directly with doctors, dentists, and medical and dental students LIVE. They'll gain critical information to make a competitive application to study medicine or dentistry at university.
Students aged 14 - 18 are invited to attend with a parent or guardian, equipped with a working camera and microphone.
Medical Registration Link: https://airtable.com/appgXnyzN5ZD9Iwk6/shry7MZYtt3MGPjvO
Dental Registration Link: https://airtable.com/appgXnyzN5ZD9Iwk6/shrBuiR7SBAcC19kEIf you have any questions at all, feel free to drop an email education@medicmentorfamily.org
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Year 12 students at the Royal Borough of Greenwich Apprenticeship Summit February 2024
Published 19/02/24On the 5th of February 2024, a group of our Year 12 students participated in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Apprenticeship Summit. This event, hosted at Woolwich Works, was part of the National Apprenticeship Week celebration.
Students had the chance to listen to prominent apprenticeship organisations, connect with employers and peers, and acquire valuable industry insights.

#royalboroughofgreenwich #woolwichworks #apprenticeships #apprenticeshipsummit #Greenwich #woolwichpolytechnic #woolwichpoly #thamesmead #polymatschools #polymat Woolwich Works Royal Borough of Greenwich
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WPSfB supporting LGBT+ History Month 2024
Published 19/02/24
LGBT+ History Month
Claiming our past – Celebrating our present – Creating our future
LGBT+ History Month is for everyone; whether you work in education, a museum, a library or an art gallery, a business, a service, or are a member of a network/social group or an individual.
It is celebrated every February across the UK and was founded in 2004 by Schools OUT UK co-chairs, Paul Patrick & Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders. It was first celebrated in February 2005.
For so long LGBT+ people’s history was hidden, following the repeal of Section 28, UK LGBT+ History Month was created to:
- claim our past
- celebrate our present
- create our future
We are delighted to announce that the UK 2024 LGBT+ History Month theme is:
Medicine – #UnderTheScope
The 2024 theme celebrates LGBT+ peoples’ contribution to the field of Medicine and Healthcare both historically and today.
We want to showcase the amazing work of LGBT+ staff across the NHS and in other healthcare settings, in providing healthcare, especially during the pandemic. Whilst still shining a light on the history of the LGBT+ community’s experience of receiving healthcare which has been extremely complicated leaving LGBT+ people still facing health inequalities even today.
Click to view the LGBT+ History Month 2024 Website
HERE ARE SOME USEFUL LINKS AND RESOURCES FOR STAFF PARENTS/CARERS AND STUDENTS FOR LGBT+ HISTORY MONTH
- Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons' Trust (mosaictrust.org.uk)
- Coming Out to Your Parents - Strong Family Alliance
- Kids & Young People - Mermaids (mermaidsuk.org.uk)
- LGBTQ+ Family Network | Royal Museums Greenwich (rmg.co.uk)
- METRO Shine | METRO Charity
- MindOut | Mental Health Charity for LGBTQ community
- London LGBTQ+ Resources | Rainbow Mind
- Zest - LGBTQ+ Youth Club - Young Greenwich Youth Services (young-greenwich.org.uk)
- 30+ Books for LGBT+ History Month 2024 | LoveReading4Kids
- LGBTQ+ History Month 2024 - Teaching Resources - BBC Teach

Careers in Science:
In our science department, we have assembled a display featuring a select group of individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of medicine. Thank you to Mr Maddox for putting this display together.

Book recommendations in the Library:
Our wonderful librarian, Ms Griffiths has put together another fantastic display supporting LGBT+ History Month as well as a section of book recommendations that students can check out right now.


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Year 11 & Year 13 PPE Timetable February 2024
Published 19/02/24 - Read More
WPSfB supporting Children's Mental Health Week 2024
Published 08/02/24Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys is proud to support Children's Mental Health Week 2024.
This year’s theme is: Your Voice Matters.
This Children’s Mental Health Week we want all children and young people, whoever they are, and wherever they are in the world, to be able to say – and believe - “My Voice Matters”.
In honour of “Children’s Mental Health Week” we have been encouraging students to speak up about their mental health and provide them with the tools that they need to do so. It is without a doubt that young people struggle with emotional literacy, so this week has been about developing that.
Each morning, a student has shared a poem they have written over the tannoy and our senior mental health lead has been reminding students to speak out if they are struggling with their mental health. We are also encouraging students to share their creative work and this will be published on the website.
My Mind is a Battlefield - Written by Zion
My mind is a battlefield my intrusive thoughts are winning
My mind is a battlefield my head feels like its spinning
My mind is a battlefield my mind feels like it is slipping
My mind is a battlefield A guiding light I am constantly grasping
My allies have arrived, and I am not surprised
They lifted me up when they heard my cries
My mind is a battlefield my mind is winning
My mind is no longer a battlefield
My mind is at peace as me and my friends are grinning
I am basking in my glory and cannot wait to tell my story
If you are struggling tell someone they may be able to help you
Here are some other activities happening in school:
- Mental health workshop with Year 8.
- Posters are displayed in and around the corridors.
- Staff have been writing the students messages of support which will be turned into an art installation.
- Support group for female 6th form students.
- PD and morning activities.
In addition, we are signposting students to get the help they need. Please reach out if you have any concerns or questions.
We are aware that global conflicts affects the mental health of many of the young people in our community, so we will be holding a fundraiser on Thursday 8th February to raise money for “Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)” for their vital medical work in Palestine.
Happy Children’s Mental Health Week: your voice REALLY does matter to us!
Children's Mental Health Week 2024 Website
USEFUL LINKS & RESOURCES FOR PARENTS/CARERS AND STUDENTS
- Place2be - Parenting advice from our mental health expert
- Talking to your child about mental health
- Kooth.com - FREE online counselling service for 11-19 year olds
- National Literacy Trust - Happiness and wellbeing activities to do with your child
- Self-kindness tips for children
- CBBC Mental Health: 5 creative self-care ideas
- Mental Health resources for schools, caregivers and young people
- Young Minds - Mental Health resources and advice
- Mind - Useful contacts for 11-18 year olds
- NHS - Looking after a child or young person's mental health
- Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing - Greenwich Community Directory






Useful School Contacts:
Senior Mental Health Lead/ LGBTQ+ Lead and DSL for 6th form: Ms Elliott helliott@woolwichpolyboys.co.uk
DSL for whole school: Ms Kouame dkouame@woolwichpolyboys.co.uk
Mental Health coordinators: Ms Hawgood and Ms White dhawgood@woolwichPolyboys.co.uk chwhite@woolwichpolyboys.co.uk
Lead Counsellor: Ms Prescott jprescott@woowlichpolyboys.co.uk
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Royal Borough of Greenwich SEND Strategy survey for parents/carers
Published 07/02/24Click here to complete the Royal Borough of Greenwich SEND Survey
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is currently developing their new SEND Strategy and want to hear from parents/carers to help decide the priorities for Greenwich for the next 5 years.
There is also a SEND drop in session on 05/03/2024 at the Eltham Centre 10.30-11.45am where SEND officers in Greenwich and members of the Parent form will be available to support you in completing them.


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