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Carisbrooke College Weekly Updates – Friday 12 June 2026

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12 June 2026

Weekly Updates from Carisbrooke College

As we move further into June, there is a great deal happening across the school. 

This week marked an important milestone as Y11 students officially began their study leave at the end of the school day on Wednesday. We look forward to celebrating their time at the school during our Leavers' Assembly on Friday 19 June. As part of the traditional shirt-signing activities, students are reminded to bring a spare shirt for signing. The shirt being worn on the day should not be signed.  

Earlier this week, Mrs Jones accompanied a group of students to BAE Systems to compete in the First Tech Challenge Final. This prestigious event gave students a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate their engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while competing against other talented teams from across the region. We are delighted to share that the team were crowned champions, securing first place in the competition! We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Mrs Jones for her support, encouragement, and commitment to the team. 

And more fantastic news: one of our students, Jacob, has been selected to play for the Under 16s Academy team at Eastleigh FC Academy Under 16s next season. Everyone at school is incredibly proud of him, and we look forward to following his progress in the future.  We would also like to thank Jacob’s family for their kind words. In a message to the school, they expressed their appreciation to Ms Sheppard, the PE Department, and all staff who have supported Jacob throughout his journey. 

A reminder that the Department for Education has earmarked Wednesday 17 June as Thank a Teacher Day. This is a moment to recognise the dedication, creativity, and care of all staff that work in schools.  If you and your child would like to send a free e-card to a member of staff, you can do so here.  

Letters were sent home this week to parents and carers of Year 10 students regarding the upcoming trial examinations. We encourage all Year 10 students to begin preparing early and to make use of the revision guidance and support available from their teachers.

Thank you to all parents and carers who recently completed our Google Form regarding mobile phone policy in school. Following the publication of updated national guidance and our own review of current practice, we sought the opinions of our school community. The responses received have been carefully considered alongside the needs of students, staff, and families.  Further details will be sent to parents shortly.

The Personal Development team at Carisbrooke College would be most grateful if parents/careers could complete the PSHE/RSHE consultation form linked below by 30 June.  Parent Consultation Form Your feedback is very important to us and helps us to constantly improve systems and ways of communication which is crucial in our ever-changing world.

Thank you to those of you who have already taken the time to complete our logo design consultation.  This is a reminder that the consultation will close at 11:59pm on Sunday 14 June. You can access the consultation form here: Logo Design Consultation Form   

Finally, if you have any school uniform that your child has grown out of, including Year 11 students who, from Friday next week, no longer require their uniform, we would be very grateful for donations to the school.  Donated items will be reused to support other students and families within our school community, helping to reduce waste and ensure that good-quality uniforms continue to be put to good use.

If you have any items you would like to donate, please send them to school via Reception.  Thank you for your support and generosity.  If, as a parent or carer, you require support with school uniform, please contact Reception. We can check our donated uniform stock and, where possible, help provide items for your child.

As the summer term continues, there are many exciting opportunities and events still to come. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the school and our students.

Natalie Sheppard
Headteacher

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Feel Good Friday!

Our Feel Good Friday message this week is simple: be thoughtful, be respectful and always choose kindness online

12 Jun 2026
First Tech Challenge
On Thursday 11th June, we took 11 year 9 students to compete in the first ever First Tech Challenge competition held at BAE Systems in Cowes. The day consisted of a presentation to a panel of judges with the students explaining the process of designing, planning and building their robot to move and...
Read more
12 Jun 2026
Thrilling Last-Over Victory for Carisbrooke U13 Cricket Team
The Carisbrooke College U13 cricket team got their season off to a winning start with a dramatic last-over victory against Cowes Enterprise College at Northwood Cricket Ground.Captained by Logan, Carisbrooke made the perfect start on the field when their skipper claimed the wicket of Cowes'...
Read more
12 Jun 2026
Cricket Festival Monday 8th June
On Monday 8th June, a little bit of torrential rain wasn't enough to dampen the spirits of our newly selected Carisbrooke College year 9 Sports Leaders. In their very first official leadership outing, our students stepped up to host and run a brilliant SEND Cricket Festival for over 12...
Read more
12 Jun 2026
U13 Girls Cricket
Carisbrooke U13s opened their cricket season with an exciting home fixture against Cowes Enterprise College. After losing the toss, the girls were put in to bat first. Despite the early challenge, Carisbrooke quickly found their rhythm and began to build a competitive innings.Cowes proved to be...
Read more

Hyundai's Great British School Trip

Hyundai are giving parents/carers the chance to win a fantastic 1-night residential trip for their child's school, and we would really appreciate it if you could take the time to vote for us! 

School trips are incredibly valuable in terms of supporting children's learning and wellbeing. However, cost is often a significant barrier. The Hyundai school trip will include a 1-night residential, return coach travel and food and accommodation at the venue, fully funded, for 32 students!

Please consider nominating us using the following link: Nominate a School For a Free Trip – The Great British School Trip

The deadline for nominations is 4pm on Monday 29 June. 

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If you're going to the IOW Festival this year, come along and support our students (from across years 8–11), performing on the Kidzone Stage from 3:00pm-3:30pm on Sunday 21st June!
 
There will be repertoire from Oasis, Nirvana, The Rolling Stones, Noah Kahan, Marvin Gaye and our students' very own original song. They are VERY excited!!
 
We also have our Summer Creative Showcase pencilled in for 6:30pm on Wednesday 1st July at CC, with performances from both our Drama and Music departments and a display of students' artwork – save the date! 
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PSHE and RSHE Newsflash

The Personal Development team at Carisbrooke College would be most grateful if parents/careers could complete the PSHE/RSHE consultation form linked below by 30 June.  Parent Consultation Form  Your feedback is very important to us and helps us to constantly improve systems and ways of communication which are crucial in our ever-changing world.

This term, in PSHE/RSHE lessons, year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will be discussing ‘Relationships’. Links to a more detailed summary of what each year group will be discussing will be posted in next week's newsletter.

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Maritime Futures Programme

Fully funded spaces are available for this programme which takes place during the summer holidays for students aged 14 and above. Funding is subject to criteria for those in genuine financial need. Please see the UKSA website for further information. 

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Cowes Harbour Commission is delighted to invite pupils, parents and families from across the Isle of Wight to attend our Harbour Safety Day on Saturday 18th July 2026 at the Sugar Store, Shepards Marina, Cowes, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

This free community event has been designed to help children and young people learn about staying safe on and around the water through a range of interactive exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities.

With the Isle of Wight's strong connection to the sea, we believe Harbour Safety Day provides a valuable opportunity for children to discover more about maritime safety, emergency services and the important organisations that work together to keep our waters safe.

What to Expect

  • Interactive maritime safety exhibits
  • Hands-on activities for all ages
  • Safety equipment demonstrations
  • Opportunities to meet local maritime experts
  • Family-friendly learning experiences
  • Information on staying safe on the water and around the coast

Meet the Experts

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet representatives from a range of local and Solent-based organisations, including:

  • Cowes RNLI
  • NCI Coastwatch
  • Maritime Volunteer Service
  • Flying Fish
  • SeaSafe
  • Royal Life Saving Society
  • St John Ambulance
  • Gosport Lifeboat
  • HM Coastguard
  • Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire Service
  • Ryde Lifeguards
  • Alzheimer's Café

Event Details

Harbour Safety Day 2026
📅 Saturday 18th July 2026
📍 Sugar Store, Shepards Marina, Cowes
⏰ 10:00am – 4:00pm
🎟️ Free Entry

Carisbrooke College Logo

You will be aware that we have been on a journey at Carisbrooke College where we have established a very clear vision for our school's future. This has included adopting our school motto of 'Education is our Castle' and our associated school CASTLE values. We are excited to now begin the process of refreshing our branding in-line with our current position, particularly looking at our school logo. 

We are asking parents, carers, staff, governors and our wider school community to share their views to help shape a new design that reflects who we are today and our future aspirations.

Please take a few minutes to complete our online feedback form here: https://forms.gle/scxEsPQifHvfhPm36

The deadline to complete the form is 23:59 on Sunday 14 June. We will then collate your feedback and share the next steps in the process. 

Students will also be asked to share their feedback with us via a separate online form or via a creative design task we will be running in school from Monday. 

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The history department are excited to launch another creative competition. Students across all year groups are invited to create a Canopic Jar!

Canopic jars were used in Ancient Egypt to store organs during mummification and were often decorated with special lids representing Egyptian gods. This competition is a chance to combine historical knowledge with creativity and craftsmanship.

The deadline for entries is Friday 19 June, so there is plenty of time to get involved! Good luck! 

If you need some inspiration, take a look at the following links: 
https://freekidscrafts.com/paper-mache-egyptian-canopic-jars/

https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/make-your-own-canopic-jars-11650188

https://www.bakerross.co.uk/craft-ideas/teachers/egyptian-canopic-jars/
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Over 100 free or low cost events at this year’s Biosphere Festival with loads of stuff for kids to do!

Get ready for the Biosphere Festival! The programme has now gone live with over 100 things to do, mostly free or low-cost, all being run by our brilliant local community. Nine days of events all over the Island to celebrate our UNESCO Biosphere Reserve from 27th June to 5th July with lots of activities aimed at families and young people. Don’t miss out, lots of events have limited space and require booking. You can see the full programme at www.wbiosphere.org/biospherefestival.

Recently named one of The Guardian’s top 10 UK nature festivals (https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/apr/30/10-best-uk-nature-festivals-late-spring-summer), the Biosphere Festival is a great opportunity to engage with our amazing island nature, creativity and heritage in new and exciting ways. Many of these events are unique to the festival, you won’t get these experiences anywhere else. In fact, we think that this festival, with so many entirely community organised events, might be unique on the planet!

Local libraries are running crafting sessions, seed potting and a scavenger hunt. The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary is offering low cost entry for their Festival of Conservation and Science. Hop aboard the maritime discovery bus and dive into the marine world of the Isle of Wight at the new and exciting Museum and Maritime Archeology Centre. Learn about local species and do real citizen science as part of the Nature Safari at the Watermill Calbourne. Try zinemaking in Sandown, word collage at the Quay Arts Centre, go Wild in Godshill, go on a Bug Hunt at Farringford, get on your bike at the Cyclewight family bike ride, take a Byways and Birdsong nature walk, explore the rockpools of Bembridge, join a community picnic in Gurnard and help clean our local beaches on a Nurdle Hunt.

And for the teachers, there are loads of adult-oriented events too, including a Primary Teachers' Tea Party at Naturezones.

Our Biosphere Reserve status is a prestigious UNESCO designation, like World Heritage status, that recognises our unique combination of people, wildlife and landscape. It celebrates all our local efforts, individual and organisational, to live sustainably within our remarkable environment and to protect, conserve and enhance it for future generations.

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Dates for your diary

Chemistry Exam
9:00am – 10:15am
12
June
Physics Exam
9:00am – 10:15am
15
June
Year 7 Visit to Carisbrooke Castle
9:15am – 3:00pm
16
June
Year 11 Leavers Assembly
8:45am – 3:15pm
19
June
Students Performing at IOW Festival
3:00pm – 5:00pm
21
June
Year 11 Prom
6:30pm – 11:00pm
25
June
Year 10 Taster Days at VI Form
8:45am – 3:15pm
from 01 Jul until 02 Jul
01
July
Summer Showcase
8:45am – 3:15pm
01
July
Transition Day
8:45am – 3:15pm
07
July
Inset Day - Students not in School
8:45am – 3:15pm
08
July

Useful Links

Term Dates and College Day

Attendance

Arbor (Communications and Payments)

Latest News

School Clubs

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