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Welcome to our weekly News Bulletin: Friday 10 October 2025

 Upcoming school events over the next two weeks:

Date* Event
Tuesday 14 October SMILE Training
Wednesday 15 October Year 10 Trip to Oxford University
Knife Crime Talk for parents/carers
Charlie's Promise
Thursday 16 October Open Morning Tour – Fully Booked
Restart a Heart
Year 13 Parents' Evening
Friday 17 October Year 8 Financial Awareness Workshop
Monday 20 October Year 11 PPEs begin
Tuesday 21 October Year 10 Trip to Bayer
Wednesday 22 October Year 10 Trip to Bayer
GCSE Music Performance Evening
Thursday 23 October Year 8 Geography Trip
Natural History Museum
Friday 24 October Year 8 Geography Trip
Natural History Museum
*Dates may be subject to change. Correct at time of publication.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY – 10 October 2025

Today is World Mental Health Day. We have been raising awareness all week with opportunities available for our entire Little Heath Community. With drop in sessions in Sixth Form, wellbeing activities for all year groups at lunchtime, and getting feedback on wellbeing in school from both staff and students.

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We also had Time to Talk in school, not only running wellbeing assemblies for all years, but also to run a session for parents and carers.

Thank you to all the families who joined us for the talk last week. If you were unable to come along, please find the presentation here: Time to Talk Presentation – Oct 2025

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SIXTH FORM LEADERSHIP TEAM
Videos for Students

Our Head Students, Jessna and Emma, along with other members of the Student Senior Leadership Team, have put together the following videos for students with advice on what support is available to help with their mental health. 

You can watch them here:

Year 7 - Y10: https://youtu.be/7aDWvItv0UI

Year 11 - Y13: https://youtu.be/IFSXMvtsCmQ

WELLBEING NEWSLETTER

You can find the latest information on mental health and wellbeing in our latest Wellbeing Newsletter here: Little Heath School - LHS Wellbeing Newsletter (Issue 12)

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10 WAYS TO HELP A STRESSED OUT TEEN
The Parents' Guide To...

Do you have a stressed out teen? The Parents' Guide To... have put together 10 quick ways to help them reduce stress and feel better. Read the article here: 10 quick ways to help teens reduce stress and feel better

You can find more information on wellbeing for parents/carers on our website here: Little Heath School - Support for Parents

Information for students can be found here: Little Heath School – Student Wellbeing

WHOLE SCHOOL Notices

 

ROAD SAFETY
Urgent request to Parents/Carers

Please can we remind, and politely ask all our parents/carers, to take more care and consideration when dropping and collecting students to and from school.

We are receiving daily emails and phone calls from parents, neighbours and local road users, particularly in the mornings, about inconsiderate and unsafe driving.  The safety and care of our students is always our highest priority, and we are becoming increasingly concerned that a serious incident is inevitable.  

We are aware that the front of school on Little Heath Road can be particularly busy in the mornings, and as we head into colder and darker months this will no doubt become worse.  We would always encourage students, where possible, to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to school, but if you have no other option but to drive into school, please park safely, legally and further away from the school entrance. We have staff members at the front of school in the mornings with the sole purpose of ensuring the safety of the students, and the easy and unrestricted access of the three buses that transport the students to school.  Inconsiderate parking, including stopping on or opposite the restricted ‘zigzag’ lines, pulling up in front of the school entrance and completing ‘illegal’ manoeuvres whilst turning in the road, making this task extremely dangerous for all.

We have received details of recent inconsiderate driving/parking where cars have blocked private driveways and caused issues in residential cul-de-sacs.  We have advised these neighbours to report any infringement of the highway code directly to the Police/Highways Agency, so please do park considerately.

Thank you for your cooperation and consideration for our school community.

 

CHARLIE'S PROMISE TALK FOR PARENTS/CARERS
Knife Crime Presentation, Wednesday 15 October

Over the last year, students from Year 11 through to Year 13 attended a powerful assembly by Martin Cosser, the founder of Charlie’s Promise. Charlie’s Promise is a charity that was created in memory of Martin’s son Charlie, who sadly lost his life to knife crime in 2023. Charlie was 17 years old, and was not involved in any criminal behaviour.

As part of our ongoing commitment to safeguarding our young people, we will be welcoming Martin back into school on Wednesday 15 October to deliver the same presentation to parents. All parents and carers are welcome to join us from 5:30pm, with the presentation beginning at 6:00pm.

We do not have a knife crime issue at Little Heath School, but we are committed to working to protect our young people from becoming victims of knife and weapon-related crime through education, information and intervention.

As places are restricted, tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis through the following link: Charlie's Promise talk – 15/10/25. For more details, please see the letter emailed home last week.

 

FUNDAMENTAL FITNESS
Course Cancelled this Term

Unfortunately, Fundamental Fitness have had to cancel their autumn athletics course, which was due to take place on Mondays after school.  Refunds will be issued and they hope to run the course in January. If you have any questions, please contact Charlotte at Fundamental Fitness directly: Fundamental Fitness - Contact Us

 

HAVE A GO EVENTS
Berkshire Music Trust

Come and try an instrument for free and learn about lessons at the Berkshire Music Trust music centre, schools and the other opportunities on offer.

Download the flyer for more information: Berkshire Music Trust - Have a go events flyer Oct 2025

Use this link to book online: Have A Go Series Booking Form

 

FOODBANK HOUSE COMPETITION
Donations by Friday 24 October

Students in Year 8 Geography are studying the problems of food insecurity this term, both as local and global problems, and part of this work involves thinking about how we can help.

We have been working with the West Berks Foodbank, a charity organisation and member of the Trussell Trust, that works hard to collect food donations and distribute them to people in need in the West Berks area on a weekly basis.

The aim of the House competition is to collect as much food aid as possible before the deadline date of Friday 24 October. This is open to ALL year groups. We would be hugely appreciative of any food items that you could donate to the appeal. Ideally:

  • Long life products (that are in date) – rice pudding/custard pots,  
  • Tinned food – baked beans, vegetables, fruit, soup, tomatoes, 
  • Dried items – fruit, instant noodles, pasta 
  • Packet items – cereal, rice, biscuits, small boxes of tea bags
  • Bottles or cartons of drink – fruit squash, long-life fruit juice
  • Toiletries – deodorant, shower gel

All donated items can be brought to T19 in the Geography Block or handed to any geography teacher.

Foodbank Competition 2025

SEND Notices

 

TIME OUT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS COURSE
For West Berkshire Residents

Community Learning for West Berkshire are running a FREE course for parents who have primary-aged children with special needs who live, or attend a school, in the West Berkshire local authority area. The course runs every Wednesday until 3 December (apart from during Half Term).

The course will look at:

  • Helping self esteem
  • Coping with feelings
  • Understanding behaviour
  • Managing behaviour
  • Home-school issues
  • Sleep challenges
  • The wider family

For more information, take a look at their flyer here: Time Out for Special Needs (West Berkshire)

You can book online here: https://parentingspecialchildren.co.uk/events/tosn-plus-sleep-west-berks-oct-2025/

YEAR 7 Notices

 

No notices this week. Please refer to the whole school notices section.

YEAR 8 Notices

 

No notices this week. Please refer to the whole school notices section.

YEAR 9 Notices

 

RESTART A HEART DAY
Thursday 16 October

World Restart a Heart Day is on Thursday 16 October. To enhance our Year 9 PSHE curriculum, we have arranged training workshops to teach this awareness to Year 9 students. 

We have volunteers who work with the South Central Ambulance service coming in to teach Year 9 all about CPR, how to put people into the recovery position, how to use a defibrillator, and how to look after the casualty until help arrives. It will be very interactive, with ‘resuscitation mannequins’ and full participation.

This is an annual initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK which aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by helping more people learn CPR. By taking part in Restart a Heart Day each year, we are giving all students the skills to give someone the best chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.  

If you have any questions relating to this, please see the letter emailed home, or contact our PSHE Leader, Mr James, at tjames@littleheath.org.uk.

YEAR 10 Notices

 

HAMILTON TRIP
Sign Up by 17 October 2025

Hamilton is a modern interpretation of the founding of America through the eyes of Alexander Hamilton and his main political rival, Aaron Burr. We highly recommend the show to anyone interested in English, American History, Music or Drama due to its coverage of history, use of a range of music genres, motif and staging. 

The trip is taking place on the evening of Tuesday 3 March 2026. The cost of the trip is £40 which covers the cost of transport, theatre ticket and insurance and can easily be made via ParentMail. The deadline to make this payment is 11am on Friday 17 October 2025.

More information was emailed home in mid-September.

YEAR 11 Notices

 

PPE REMINDER
W/c Monday 20 October

A reminder that PPEs begin on Monday w/c 20 October and will continue in the week following half term. 

 

FEEDBACK
Destinations Expo Trip

We hope Year 11 enjoyed the trip to Newbury for the Destinations Expo Careers Fair. The organisers have asked for all attendees to complete a feedback form. Please share the link with your child if they did not complete it on the day: Destination Expo - Feedback Form Oct 2025

YEAR 12 Notices

 

CLIMATE CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES
Trips Available in November

Year 12 students have been invited to take part in one of two Climate Conference trips taking place next month. The events, both organised by the InterClimate Network, imitate the real life COP30 Conference, giving young people the chance to step into the shoes of global decision-makers, while connecting directly with climate issues that affect their own communities.

Year 12 Politics students have been invited to attend the Climate Conference at Holme Grange School on Thursday 13 November. An email has been sent to those invited and parents can sign up via ParentMail by Sunday 12 October. Places are limited to 12 students.

The second event takes place on Tuesday 18 November, hosted by Reading Borough Council, and is open to all Year 12 students. It would be of particular interest to students looking to pursue careers and university destinations in environmental sciences, geography, journalism and more. Anyone interested in attending should form a team of four and sign up with Mrs Kelly by Friday 17 October. Places are limited to 8 students.

YEAR 13 Notices

 

PARENTS' EVENING REMINDER
Thursday 16 October

Parents' Evening will take place on Thursday 16 October and is 'in person'. Please book your slots by 11:55pm on Tuesday 14 October. Any queries or issues with the booking procedure, please email sixthform@littleheath.org.uk.

CAREERS BULLETIN

 

The weekly Careers Bulletin provides the latest information and opportunities for students looking for career options, including apprenticeships; university open days, talks and courses; work experience and insight events.

In this week's issue:

  • Careers events and activities this term
  • Useful Careers Information
  • Employment opportunities
  • Work Experience and Insight Events
  • College and University information

You can read this week's Careers Bulletin on the website here: Little Heath School - Careers Bulletin 2 October 2025

USEFUL SCHOOL INFORMATION
Links to the LHS Website

Looking for support? Visit our Wellbeing pages for students, parents and carers here: Little Heath School - Student Wellbeing | Little Heath School - Parents/Carers Wellbeing

Need to report an Absence? Go to: Little Heath School - Report an Absence

Want to see what clubs or activities we have this term? Check out: Little Heath School - Extra Curricular Activities and Trips

For any other queries, have a browse through our website, or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page here: Little Heath School - FAQs


Telephone: 0118 9427337

Email: office@littleheath.org.uk

Website: littleheath.org.uk

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