Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I eat lunch?

You can eat inside the school hall or at our outdoor picnic benches within the courtyard (labelled Fire Assembly Point Y7-11 on your map) and table tennis area (next to Language Block). The canteen provides a wide selection of cold and hot meals (the live cooking station is particularly popular), or you can bring your own packed lunch. A room is open for Year 7 during the cold/ rainy season.

How do I join after school and lunch time clubs?

In September we run a Club Fair for Year 7 students where representatives from lots of different clubs come along and encourage you to sign up. As well as attending the Club Fair your form tutor will tell you where and when the clubs are and your PE teacher will tell you more about the sports clubs. There is a Clubs List in this booklet and a new one will be issued when you join. Students who attend clubs receive credits towards Willink Ways Certificate.

How many different lessons/classrooms will I have in a day?

The answer is 6. You will see 6 teachers, usually in 6 different rooms. Peer Mentors (older students) will be there to guide you on your first day and you will quickly learn your way around so don’t worry. Where are the toilets? There are toilets located in most of the blocks and they are easy to find.

What do I do if I feel unwell at school?

If you feel unwell, let your teacher know. They may advise you to have some water or fresh air. If you are really unwell the main office (above the Library Resource Centre in the Admin Block) will contact home for you.

Are mobile phones allowed?

Mobile phones should be turned off and stay in the bottom of your bag if you need to bring it to school. Mobile phones seen or heard during the day will be confiscated. Staff working in the main office will contact home if you are unwell so there will be no need to use your mobile phone during the school day.

What will happen on my first day in September?

On your first day you should go to the school hall where your form tutor will meet you. Only Year 7 students and Peer Mentors will be in school then so you have some time to get to know your way around.

How much homework will there be?

Year 7 students can expect to have homework from each subject weekly. Some subjects such as Maths, English, Languages and Science may be slightly more frequent. Homework tasks and deadlines will be set on the ClassCharts website and app. Our Library Resource Centre is open to students during morning and afternoon break and until 4pm. You can attend Homework Club in the Library after school which provides the additional bonus of staff to help you with your work.

Are we allowed to have lockers?

Yes. Lockers are located in your tutor room. You will be given a form to order a locker.

What do I do if I am ill in the morning before school?

Just ask your parent or carer to call the school office and explain why you won’t be in school.

Who can I talk to if I have a problem?

You can speak to any adult in school. You will see your tutor every morning so this will give you an opportunity to talk to them. You can also talk to your Head of Learning, Mr Rakowski, or Year 7 Pastoral Assistant, Miss Fullbrook, Assistant Head, Ms Browning, Peer Mentors or Inclusion Staff in the Learning Support Centre.

Where can I go if I have a problem?

You can go to the Head of Learning Office next to main reception before school, during breaks or after school where Peer Mentors or pastoral staff can help you. Alternatively, you can go to Learning Support Centre in S Block.

What is Learning Support Centre?

The Learning Support Centre is located in the S Block and can be accessed by all students. We aim to provide all students with structured and coordinated support to overcome barriers to learning caused by personal, social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. All students at The Willink School are provided with a rich set of learning experiences and opportunities which begin in the classroom, extend to the wider school, and the local community beyond that. However, we recognise that some students will find accessing these opportunities challenging. Support is provided to students and families via different approaches and covers a range of issues:

Special Educational Needs
Literacy
Emotional Literacy (recognising emotions, social skills, self-esteem, loss and bereavement)
Relationships
Complex medical conditions
Attendance
Financial hardship

I am a child of service family. Is there anybody who I can talk to about that when I need to?

The Willink School has a significant number of students who are children of service families. All can access support via individual mentoring in Learning Support Centre or by attending our Willink Armed Forces Group.