Children’s Mental Health Week - 3rd-9th February 2025

Children's Mental Health Week is an initiative established by the children's mental health charity, Place2Be, aimed at raising awareness about mental health. The week is designed to empower, equip, and amplify the voices of all children and young people across the UK. 

This year's theme for Children's Mental Health Week is "Know Yourself, Grow Yourself." The focus of Children's Mental Health Week 2025 is to encourage children, young people, and adults to embrace self-awareness and reflect on its significance in their lives. This understanding will help them build resilience and better cope with life's challenges. 

• Starting January 27th, we will be selling handmade green ribbons in the Library to show our support for Children’s Mental Health Week. Please see Mrs. Hawgood and bring 20p in cash. As there are limited ribbons available, be sure to get yours before they are all gone. All proceeds will be donated to Place2Be. 
• Additionally, there will be a display in the library featuring a selection of self-help, well-being, and mindfulness books available for students to borrow. We have a variety of titles centred around the theme of mental health.
• We will also be sharing several free, valuable links and resources through our website and social media platforms, so please stay tuned for those updates.
• This year, we have invited our amazing staff members to share a quote or some insightful thoughts on how we can celebrate young individuals building resilience, the importance of fostering self-awareness, and recognising the value of strong connections with others. These quotes will be featured in a display near the canteen for all students to enjoy and reflect upon.
• Staff only - wear green! On Friday 7th February we have invited all staff at WPSfB to wear green clothing to school as a gesture of support for both the charity and our students. Our commitment to supporting our students extends beyond just Children’s Mental Health Week; we are dedicated to their well-being every day. Additionally, any donations from staff will also go to the charity Place2Be.

Thankyou for your continued support.

Brand New Post 16 Building at Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys

We're thrilled to share with you our brand-new Post 16 building at Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys. This development will cater to the additional numbers enrolling from the girls' school. August 2024 saw the first cohort of students to graduate from Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls and in September 2024 we warmly welcomed these students to the Sixth Form. Check out the video below that showcases the new building and how it seamlessly blends in with the existing school structure.

Mr T Lawrence, Headteacher of Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys states, ‘I am delighted to be able to say that our new build has finally been finished and to such a high standard! PolyMAT, the design team and the builders have been highly flexible in consulting on our needs for an expanding 6th form and have made structural revisions to enable us to have bespoke spaces that adapt to our changing requirements, thus future-proofing the new space provided. It is a building that is welcoming, accessible and enhances the other satellite building to which it is attached, improving access and movements around the latter. And it has incorporated new solar technology as part of our commitment to a greener future. It is a most welcome new space for us to use and will enable us to continue to deliver excellence to our students.’

Mr Tim Plumb, CEO of PolyMAT, has expressed his enthusiasm for the project stating, ‘We were thrilled to be part of a project that will benefit students and the local community. By expanding our current facility, we have created an inclusive space that caters to students from Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls. This will help them not only thrive, but also enjoy their interactions with their learning, with each other and with staff. This expansion has provided students with the ideal environment to further develop their skills and strengths. It will enable them to not only excel in their studies but also to make a positive impact on the world beyond the Poly.’

• Christmas at Woolwich Works | Woolwich Works
• End of Term Winter Party | Woolwich Works
• Christmas Crafternoon | Woolwich Works
• Gingerbread Greenwich - Art Exhibition in Woolwich, Greenwich - Visit Greenwich
• Winter Light | Southbank Centre
• Kids' Countdown with Just Vibez | Southbank Centre
• Fleet Street Quarter Penguin Parade | Wild in Art
• An interactive trail
• Bridging Generations: Family Play and Connect
• Warm Hubs - Thamesmead
• Winter Lights 2025
• Sparkle in the Park 2024
• Santa on Tour – Dartford Borough Council
• ELF YOURSELF! — Enjoy Bexleyheath
• Free Carol Services at All Souls Langham Place, London
• Southbank Christmas Market 2024: Dates & Info For Winter Market
• Family Carols | St Paul's Cathedral
• Warm + Welcoming Spaces for Residents — The Exchange
• Calendar - Young Greenwich Youth Services
• Where kids can eat for free or £1 in Christmas holidays 2024 | The Northern Echo
• Events & Activities | Greenwich Libraries | Better
• Saturday Farmers Market - Hall Place & Gardens
• 38 free things to do in London with kids
• Kingston Christmas Market
• Free Christmas events in London 2024: Things to do with kids
• Gingerbread Decorating | Greenwich Peninsula
• Love Soupe Cafe & West Thamesmead Community Church
• Christmas Celebration at Heronsgate
• Christmas Carolling at Greenwich Market - Family Event in Greenwich, Greenwich - Visit Greenwich
• Free and budget friendly Christmas things to do in London 2024
• Free Things To Do In London - A Curated List By Locals
• Best Free Things to Do in London at Christmas - The Life of a Social Butterfly
• The ephemeral space at Maison Diptyque London | Diptyque Paris
• Winter Past 2024 | Rooms Through Time | Museum of the Home
• 30+ Free Light Festivals and Illuminated Trails UK (2024) | Museum Mum
• Meet Santa and Friends at Selfridges London | Selfridges
• Your access to Cirque du Soleil content, all in one place | CirqueConnect | Cirque du Soleil
• Full Broadway Shows - Watch FREE on YouTube

Woolwich Polytechnic Sixth Form Year 12 & 13 Art Trip to the London Leather Workshop

On Friday, November 22nd, we took our Year 12 and 13 art students to a morning session at the London Leather Workshop. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet and work with Sara and Melissa, who shared insights about running their own leather business. They craft a wide range of leather goods, from handbags to small keyrings, and also create prototypes while providing guidance to renowned fashion houses. Their generosity with their time allowed students to create a leather keyring from start to finish. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, learning how to cut the leather and attach the hardware for their keyrings. It was an incredible trip!

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Wear it Pink Day 2024 at Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys

On Friday, November 8th, we hosted our annual Wear it Pink Day event to raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Now – a cause that holds significant importance to us. We take pride in supporting this charity for several years, as many of our colleagues have directly benefited from their assistance.

Both staff and students contributed donations and wore something pink to school. Additionally, we organised a Poly Bake Off where staff showcased their homemade desserts, which were judged by a panel including Ms Manley, Mr Davies, and Ms Smith. The judges faced a challenging task, but ultimately awarded 1st place to Mrs Warner for her Chocolate Cake, 2nd place to Mrs Prescott for her Neapolitan cake, and 3rd place to Miss Brunton for her Biscoff cake. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time to bake and enter the competition.

During break time, we held a bake sale featuring all the scrumptious entries from the bake off, and every piece of cake was devoured!

A big thank you to everyone who participated in Wear it Pink Day; your support means a lot to us.

We raised an impressive £214.66 for Breast Cancer Now – thank you for your generous contributions!

A special shout-out to Mrs Hawgood for organising this event and going the extra mile to make it memorable for our school community.

Watch now: