William Ellis School Parent Portal - NEWS AT WES

${item_alt_tag}$

Autumn Term - 25th September 2026

Welcome to our latest news update, including important information about our upcoming Progress Review Day for years 7 to 11 on 8th October and careers opportunities for students of all ages outside school. We have also had a very successful last few weeks of open events - mornings and evenings - and would like to thank all the students and parents and carers who have supported these events.

Progress Review Day, Thursday 8th October

On Thursday 8th October students in Years 7-11 and their parents/carers will have Progress Review Meetings, coming into school for a 15 minute session with Form Tutors to discuss the progress being made and targets for the academic year.

Normal timetables for Years 7-11 will be suspended on this day, and so students will only come to school for their meeting on this day.

Families will book their meeting slots in a similar way to Parents Evening appointments, via MCAS. Families will be notified when booking opens next week.

Successful Open Evening

There was a really positive buzz throughout the school yesterday evening as we opened our doors to families considering their secondary school places for September 2027 and beyond.

Thank you to all the students who stayed to lead tours, help with activities and speak about their favourite subjects. Our greatest asset is our students and visiting families gave overwhelmingly positive feedback about their interactions.

Thank you also to WESPA, whose support is critical to making our events a success.

Our Open Event season continues with Open Mornings every Wednesday between now and half term, and an after-school Headteacher's Q&A session next Wednesday.

Demand is high for all these events and spaces are filling fast, so if you have any friends and family with a son soon to begin the Secondary Transition journey, please advise them to visit the admissions page of our website to book any remaining places.

‘From the Boys’ Podcast launch, Thursday 22nd October

We are delighted to invite our pupil and parental community to the launch of ‘From the Boys’ – a pupil-led podcast all about growing up male in North London today.

The podcast series launches on Thursday 22^nd October with a community event from 6-9pm to be held at the school. It is an opportunity for us to come together as a community, to hear from the boys themselves and to hold a conversation about how we can best invest in the future success of boys as a collective that cares. You can register to attend through our Eventbrite page.

As their work experience, sixteen Year 10 pupils recorded a five-episode podcast series which invites us into the worlds they are navigating as teenage males today. They developed the content, and learnt a wide range of skills from researching interviews and audio recording to constructing narratives and editing. The podcast is also partially soundtracked by William Ellis music technology pupils giving them credits on published and widely shared work.

The William Ellis Trust was delighted to fund this collaborative project developed by Middlesex University in partnership with the school. Our thanks to partners the Hadley Trust, Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, and Olly Olsen, as well as members of the Rather Use Than Fame Club for helping make this possible. It has already featured extensively in local press, on BBC London News and anticipation for its launch was high at the recent national Boys’ Impact conference held in Bournemouth

Free Support Programmes for Children and Young People

A range of free support programmes is available for children and young people, including online mentoring, wellbeing support, tutoring in Maths, English and Science (ages 5+), GCSE support, life skills development, and specialist SEN support. Free digital skills programmes are also available for young people aged 12-18 and young adults aged 18-25, covering AI, programming, ethical hacking and computer literacy. All programmes include certification on completion.

Association for Art History Careers Webinars

So, You Want to Work in Art? Careers in the Art World

Saturday 10 October, 11am-12.30pm

Join a panel of art world professionals for an insider’s guide to working in galleries, auction houses and international art fairs. Discover how the speakers got their start, what their jobs involve day to day, and the practical steps you can take to break into the industry. Whether you're interested in working with artists, becoming an auction specialist, or even founding your own gallery, this is your chance to gain valuable advice and ask your questions.

Find out more and book.

The Art History Festival has a range of events for young people coming up. Find out more here. The festival's full programme can be explored here.

AI Connect at the London AI Campus - applications closing Wednesday 30th September

Applications for AI Connect at the London AI Campus are only open until Wednesday 30th September.

Designed especially for Camden Year 12 students, it offers unique opportunities whether students are considering a career in AI or are simply curious to know how it could shape the future of their chosen field.

To apply, students must be in Year 12 at a Camden state secondary school, taking Maths A-Level, and have achieved at least a Grade 7 in both Maths and Science at GCSE Level. If students are eligible for free school meals or have been looked after, the grade requirement is a grade 6 or higher in these subjects. All students who meet these criteria are encouraged to apply; students do not need to have attended our taster day to apply for AI Connect.

Here is the link to the application form for students: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe16SKOZoHaw56jH0HB8jvm0xSeedlV6ZQINGVZ4RE-eH9XsQ/viewform

Yours faithfully,

Izzy Jones

Headteacher