Blog week ending 25th May

This week we staged an ‘own clothes’ day in support of staff members who have taken part in charitable endeavours for causes that are close to their heart but clearly resonate with our whole school community.  We have been overwhelmed by the positive feed-back, kind messages and donations staff have received from our relentlessly supportive and amazing school community.  From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Miss Sweeney, London Landmarks Half Marathon, on behalf of NSPCC Amelia Sweeney is fundraising for NSPCC (justgiving.com)

Mrs Deicher, London Marathon, on behalf of Dementia UK Dementia UK: Gina's page (enthuse.com)

Mr Dent, Great Bristol Run, on behalf of St Christopher’s Hospice St Christopher's Hospice: Paul's Bristol Half Marathon (enthuse.com)

Miss Barry, Marathon, on behalf of Guy’s Cancer Charity Sarah Barry is fundraising for Guy's Cancer Charity (justgiving.com)

Our Year 7 Artists have been working on their preparation sketches and ideas for their end of year exam piece.  Students have been studying the work of eminent artists’ depictions of animals, in terms of their artistic styles, symbolism and subject choices.  Using their research as inspiration students have been working on creating mythical beasts – a hybrid creature featuring characteristics of a combination of animals.  Students have shown a huge amount of skill and imagination to create their wonderful (and some terrifying!) artworks.

Sports Department Update – a double celebration!  The Year 8 football team played in the North Kent final against Bexley Grammar on Wednesday. The game was held at Hayden Youth football club and the students played in front a large crowd in the sunshine. I’m pleased to report they won the game 3-2, meaning they have now won this cup two years in a row. The highlights of the game were:

• Two Goals by Jaden G
• One Goal by Leslie A-Q (both strikers were level on goals before the game so Jaden has claimed the golden boot)
• Two amazing saves by MOTM and goalkeeper Josh H
• Goal saving tackle with the last play of the match by Jachin E

We would like to Hayden Football club for hosting the match, the officials on the day and our opponents Bexley Grammar. The game was an excellent advert for school football.

Team sheet.

Josh H

Edward D

Ayo N

Edward K

Jai O

Edward S

Frank P

Dexter J-S

Nonso N

Jaden G

Jachin E

Vasil A

Leslie A-Q

Harry M

Our Year 10 Cricket Team beat Bexley Grammar School by four wickets in a thrilling match!  This marked the boys’ first major win since joining the team – their commitment, hard work and resilience over this time has been admirable, and we are all delighted that they have secured such an important win!
Please join me in congratulating the boys, especially Aahil, and Rajvir who steadied the ship and Luke K who hit the winning runs! The boys chased down the total with six balls to spare.

Team sheet;

Louie H

Luke K

Karandeep Y

Rajvir C

Aahil D

Caleb B-D

Aaran N

Ayaan B

Jack J

William P

George P

Callum B

Albie B

Carnegie Shadowing Group.  We were very lucky to have been chosen to receive a talk from one of the shortlisted authors, Nicola Davies, regarding her book, Choose Love. Nicola has produced a cycle of poems about the realities people face as they are forced to leave everything they know behind to seek safety and asylum in other countries.  Nicola shared the real-life inspiration for her poems and spoke to our students about the lived experiences of children refuges, away from any political message or agenda. The Yoto Carnegies

After the event, Nicola sent a very encouraging message saying ‘It was a pleasure talking to your boys. Such thoughtful questions - if this is what the new generation of young men is like then I feel very much more hopeful about our future’ .

On the same day, we were very lucky to receive an email from the organisers of The Yoto Carnegie Awards inviting us to attend the ceremony in person. It is with great pleasure and excitement that we will be taking our Carnegie Shadowing Club attendees to The Cambridge Theatre, on 20^th June, where we will be eager to see who wins the Carnegie Medal this year.

Careers Update.  We are currently looking for employers to offer Year 10 WGSB students a week of work experience from Monday 8th July to Friday 12th July 2024. If you could please email the Year 10 work experience co-ordinator kcast@wgsb.co.uk if you or your contacts are able to help with work experience, we would appreciate hearing from you by Friday 24th May 2024.

We are also running a live whole WGSB school career event the morning of Tuesday 18th June 2024 which involves all students from Years 7 – 10 and WG6 Year 12 Students.

We are looking for volunteers to speak to students in classes of 30 students, either face to face or by Teams Video if you prefer. We expect each session to last around 30 minutes and you can do as much or as little as you are able. 

We are looking for volunteers from all industries and sectors and would like you to share details of your current company and role, opportunities for young people in your sector and your own personal career journey and experiences with our students.

If you are interested please click here to complete the registration form by Friday 24th May 2024 or email our Careers Leader Mrs Walker twalker@wgsb.co.uk.

Year 7 Scientists have been exploring light waves during physics.  In this practical lesson students investigated refraction and were able to identify and correctly measure the angle of incidence and angle of refraction.  Using glass blocks and prisms students went on to split the white light into a spectrum of different colours.

Year 7 students were delighted to receive a letter from Sir David Attenborough!  In Sir David’s hand-written letter, he told students how complimented he is that we should name one of our Houses in his honour.  Our new Houses will be in place from next academic year, the full list is as below;

• Isambard Kingdom Brunel: British Engineer and innovator was considered to be one of the most ingenious figures in engineering history. As one of our existing Houses, we maintain a link with the history of WGSB and its traditional excellence in Engineering.
• Alan Turing: Turing’s groundbreaking work as a computer scientist laid the foundations for modern computing and AI. He suffered prejudice and persecution due to his homosexuality but since his death he deservedly received a posthumous royal pardon.
• Helen Keller: Unable to see or hear from the age of 19 months, learnt to communicate through touch by interpreting hand signals pressed into her palm. Wrote numerous books and campaigned for the rights of those with disabilities.
• Katherine Johnson: American mathematician who overcame racial and gender barriers because of her extraordinary ability, was a key figure in NASA’s Mercury and Apollo programs.
• Sir David Attenborough: Credit with bringing the natural world into our living rooms and educating people worldwide on environmental issues and the impact of the human race on the planet.
• Nelson Mandela: South Africa’s first black president, focused on social justice and economic growth during his leadership. His emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation, alongside his commitment to unity and equality won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

WG6 Update.  Year 13 enjoyed a final celebration on 3^rd May with a special assembly that included breakfast, subject awards, a montage of messages and photos of their school career, it was a lovely and fitting celebration and send-off. 

Year 11 and 13 students have made a positive start to their public examinations, we are all incredibly proud of their dedication to their studies.  The revision sessions and workshops have provided a study framework and structure to exam preparation and wellbeing.  Staff are on hand to provide any further support that students may require – please do let us know if there is anything you need!

Mental health support – we have two amazing, dedicated WG6 student support managers (Mrs Wheatley and Mrs Regan) who work alongside our form tutors as part of a whole-school wellbeing initiative.  Additionally, workshops and activities took place to mark mental health awareness week.

Year 12 mocks - students worked really hard in what was a very intense week and a half!  Students will receive their grades this week, the results of which will inform topic revision and targeted lessons.  Additionally, Year 12 have received training on Unifrog, which is an online platform and research tool that can help inform their future pathway decisions by allowing them to compare and research education opportunities as well as complete applications.  Students are in the process of finalising their work experience placements for 8^th - 19^th July, uploading details onto Unifrog. Futures Week in Term 6 will build upon these sessions.

Year 12 student Eliora wrote the below report of an exam preparation session they attended.   “Kirsty and  I had the privilege of attending an event organised by Motivez at Hult International Business School, where insightful speakers shared invaluable tips for exam success.

Isaiah M. Wellington-Lynn, a distinguished educator and academic powerhouse, emphasised the importance of setting the right intentions for exam season, outlining the 6 Ps: Purpose, Plan Strategically, Prioritise, Procure, Past Papers, and Persistence. With a wealth of experience in academia and a passion for guiding students towards success, Isaiah's holistic approach to exam preparation goes beyond mere studying techniques. He encouraged us to delve deeper into the purpose behind our studies, strategically plan our revision schedules, prioritise tasks based on energy levels, procure knowledge with care, utilise past papers effectively, and embody persistence in the face of challenges. Isaiah's guidance not only fosters academic excellence but also personal growth and resilience.

Jade Bowler, the author of "The Only Study Guide" and creator of the "UnJaded Jaded" channel, shared invaluable insights into effective study techniques through her SAAD approach. With space repetition, she advocates for consistent review over time, emphasising the power of regular, incremental learning. Through active recall, Jade encourages us to engage in retrieval practice, pulling information from memory to enhance retention. Her emphasis on associations underscores the importance of connecting new information with existing knowledge, making learning more meaningful and memorable. By embracing desirable difficulty, Jade helped us to find the optimal balance between challenge and confidence in our revision journey. Additionally, she advertised utilising AI tools like ChatGPT for personalised revision.

Vee K. Girls Education Activist and PhD student, addressed the flaws in the exam system and shared crucial tips for effective preparation, stressing the importance of rest and minimising distractions. She highlighted that exams don't always reflect intelligence, advocating for a holistic study approach like Isaiah. Vee's advice included doing past papers, writing essays, teaching others, and fostering accountability through teamwork. Furthermore, she reiterated the importance of a balanced approach to studying, prioritising wellbeing alongside academic success.

Before this event, we struggled with our revision and study techniques, but this session support boosted our confidence profusely. Embracing these strategies fosters success and growth. Let's tackle exams with purpose and resilience!”

WG6 Y12 Geography Field Trip.  Students travelled to East Sussex and spent the day on the beach at Seaford and Newhaven learning data collection techniques and trying out coastal field work. We arrived at our youth hostel and settled in and enjoyed dinner together before working in the classroom for a two-hour reflection and preparation for day two in Brighton.

Year 12 Geographer planned their Independent Investigation coursework ahead of the Field Trip, worth 20% of the final A Level grade. Here they are refining research questions and learning how to get the top grades. We are thrilled with the progress they made!

Year 12 WG6 Forensics and Criminal Investigation students have been taking part in practical activities around our school grounds.  Wearing forensics overalls (or bunny suits!) student investigators used their search techniques to isolate and secure the crime scene, search the area for evidence and log and bag all evidence items found. 

Our next Community Afternoon Tea will be 15^th July – save the date! Please email in (office@wgsb.co.uk) or phone (01322 223090) to secure a place – it is first come, first served. We can’t wait for the next one and to see you there!

Looking for a new career opportunity?  It is our firm belief that a motivated, supported and empowered staff are at the heart of our students’ achievements.  Endeavour MAT’s staff development programme offers our staff opportunities for career progression across our Trust schools for the next generation of exceptional teachers, support staff and leaders.  All our schools take pride in being warm, friendly and supportive workplaces.  You can be assured, regardless of your role, you will be working with people who enjoy their work, are proud to be here and who will want to welcome you to the team.  To view our current vacancies, please click here.  

PTA Update: We have had such a fantastic year so far with fundraising events and all money raised is given back to the school for various projects. 

A new project which we have been asked to support is to look to replace the gym equipment and to completely re vamp the room with a modern and updated look.  We have recently agreed to fund the initiative for a free book to be provided to each Year 7 student when they join in September as well as an extra full set of all of the books for the school library.  The school would not be able to do such projects without your support and we would like to thank everyone who does assist with our fundraising activities. 

Matched funding plea: We mentioned in our last blog about matched giving and asked if anyone could support our funding for the PTA.  We had an offer from a parent who supported this with £1000 donated from his company – Inter Steel https://www.intersteels.com.  This is such a generous offer and one that we and the school are incredibly thankful for.  If you or anyone you know can offer any matched funding please do get in touch with the PTA.

Summer Fair: 13^th July 11am – 2pm. We will be holding our annual summer fair with barbecue, stalls, entertainment, and games. We also hope to have the assault course that was such a success last year.  If you know anyone that would like to have a stall at the event please ask them to get in touch with us.  We are also asking for extra help on the day especially for the assault course, if you or anyone would be able to assist the PE department for this fantastic event for the children please do drop us an email on pta@wgsb.co.uk.

 

Forthcoming Dates;

Last Day of Term 5 – Friday 24 May

First Day of Term 6 – Monday 3 June

Year 7-9 Assessments - Monday 3 June – Friday 7 June

Year 12 Written Reports home – Wednesday 5 June

Year 7 trip to Wildwoods (7B, D & H) – Monday 10 June

Year 7 trip to Wildwoods (7N, S & T) – Tuesday 11 June

Year 12 Hampton Court Palace – Thursday 13 June

Sumer Arts Festival – 5pm-7.30pm 27 June

Careers Week & WG6 Futures Week – Monday 17 June – Friday 21 June

Sports Week – 24 June – 28 June

Year 12 Parents’ Evening – Thursday 4 July

STEAM Week – Monday 8 July – Friday 12 July

Year 7-9 Written Reports Home – Monday 15 July

Year 12 Work Experience – Monday 15 July – 19 July

Last Day of Term 6 – 12 noon Friday 19 July

 

Best wishes,

Stuart Harrington

Head Teacher