Announcements

Important Update: Early School Closure and Arrangements During Extreme Heat

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for extreme heat this week. To ensure the health and safety of our community, all schools within our Trust will close early on Tuesday 23 June, Wednesday 24 June and Thursday 25 June 2026.

We have completed a full risk assessment to keep our site safe. This page outlines the different timetables and rules for our current students and our arriving Year 6 transition students.

Current Students: Year 7, Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10

To avoid the peak temperatures in the afternoon, the school day will finish early at 12:20pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Temporary timetable

• 8:30am – 8:45am: Tutor time
• 8:45am – 9:25am: Lesson 1
• 9:25am – 10:00am: Lesson 2
• 10:00am – 10:30am: Extended Break (the canteen will be open)
• 10:10am – 11:10am: Lesson 3
• 11:10am – 11:45am: Lesson 4
• 11:45am – 12:20pm: Lesson 5
• 12:20pm: School closes

Horseman coaches will depart from the school at 12:35pm. If your child cannot safely travel home at 12:20pm, please contact their Head of Year so we can arrange for them to be supervised on site.

The Headteacher will contact parents on Tuesday afternoon to confirm the ongoing plan for Wednesday and Thursday.

Uniform and PE Lessons

Students should wear their school PE kit instead of their normal uniform to help them stay cool. PE lessons will be adapted so that students do not exert themselves or spend prolonged time in the sun. The outdoor GOALs area will be closed during break time.

Year 12 Exams

Morning exams in the Auditorium will start as normal at 9:00am. Afternoon exams will go ahead but will be moved into smaller classrooms that have active air-conditioning.

Year 12 taster day (for Year 11s) - Thursday 25th

More information about the new timetable for this event will be shared with Year 11s and their families shortly.

The Year 8 Land and Wave Trip

This residential trip will go ahead as planned. Temperatures on the Dorset coast are lower, and the provider has strict safety procedures in place. Students will complete a water activity every day, use sun cream and refill their water bottles regularly. The company has also set up sun shelters on the beaches and will change activity times if necessary to avoid the midday heat.

Arriving Students: Year 6 Transition Days

Our Year 6 Transition Days on Tuesday 23 June and Wednesday 24 June will still go ahead because we want our new students to experience Bulmershe life. However, the day will now finish early at 12:00pm.

All outdoor activities have been removed from the schedule to keep the children safely indoors. They will still experience two secondary school lessons, attend an assembly and eat their lunch on site.

Transition Timings and Collection

• Arrival (Unchanged): 8:40am at the main entrance off Woodlands Avenue.
• New Departure Time: 12:00pm from outside the main school reception.

Walking Home Alone or Waiting for Siblings

If you want your child to walk home alone at 12:00pm, or wait at school to travel home with an older Bulmershe sibling at 12:20pm, they must bring a written permission letter signed by you on both mornings. Your child must keep this letter with them to show the transition team, as we cannot release any transition student early without written consent.

Heatwave Reminders for All Students

Please ensure your child comes to school prepared for the heatwave with the following items:

• A refillable water bottle (extra water stations will be available at break times to top these up)
• A sun hat or baseball cap
• High-factor sun cream already applied before leaving home
• Year 6 students should wear their primary school PE kit or cool sportswear
• Year 6 students must bring their own packed lunch

Contact and Next Steps

We are sorry for the disruption caused by this extreme weather, but these choices have been made to keep our children safe.

• Current Parents: If you have immediate queries, please contact your child's Head of Year.
• Year 6 Parents: If you have questions about transition week, please email the team at transition@bulmershe.wokingham.sch.uk.