10 March 2026
Mrs Gail Haythorne, Assistant Head Empowered Learning
This year’s Connections Week focused on the bonds that unite us. From small acts of politeness to deep kindness, we’ve been practising what it means to build a caring community.
Our glittery Connections Week badges made another appearance, as did the always-popular stickers, given out to mark caring and kind actions. In year groups, we also wrote and gave gratitude notes that described the many ways we appreciate our friends, with comments such as: “You always have time to listen to me,” “You help me when I get stuck on my homework,” “You make everyone laugh and brighten up every room.”
Wellbeing Wednesday was great fun, with some girls accompanying Meg, Paddy and Willow (and their owners Mrs McKenna, Mr Johnston and Mrs Woolaway) on a Woldingham Walkies in glorious sunshine, and others writing down words describing how we grow a strong community on paper leaves which then adorned the beautiful “Communi-tree”, painted by Miss Lancaster, our artist in residence.
On Thursday, we ate lunch with new people, grouping ourselves by Connections Week badge colour, and finding out as many things as possible we have in common. We then wrote these on coloured strips of paper to make one enormous paper chain that soon afterwards decorated one wall of the dining room.
Friday lunch was more peaceful, but just as meaningful, as we ate a frugal lunch to show our solidarity with and raise money for those less fortunate than us, who are helped by the wonderful work of the Cardinal Hume Centre.
It was a joy to spend the week discussing and experiencing community and inclusion, and a real eye-opener to see that, although we are all individuals with our own strengths, challenges and dreams, we have so many things in common. Woldingham may be situated in a beautiful, secluded valley, but Woldingham girls are as connected as ever!