Blog week ending 15th January
A new year opens the door to new opportunities, and our Careers Programme is ready 
to help students make the most of them! With an inspiring mix of events, workshops and personalised support, we’re focused on helping every student discover their strengths, explore their options and build confidence. With so many enriching experiences on offer, we’re confident this will be a term that sparks curiosity, builds confidence and helps every student move forward with purpose.
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 9-15 February. Since September, more than 30 Year 13 students have taken part in specialist apprenticeship workshops covering organisation, applications, video interviews and assessment centres. Over 20 students have also received personalised 1:1 coaching, and seven have already secured Degree Apprenticeships in areas such as Audit, Tax, Business Consultancy and Corporate Banking. Many more are progressing through final stages, and we’re looking forward to celebrating further successes throughout the year. To explore a wealth of online resources and view current apprenticeship vacancies click here
For students in Years 11, 12 and 13, the Apprenticeship Academy Programme returns from 25 February to 25 March. This five‑week online course runs each Wednesday from 4–5:30pm, with recordings available afterwards, and offers expert guidance for anyone considering the apprenticeship route for more information click here. Registration is now open via the Apprenticeship Academy website. Please complete this registration form to sign up!
Unifrog Virtual Apprenticeships Fair. This event is free for all students and ideal for Years 10 to13. Students can connect with a huge range of employers and are welcome to drop in for just one or two sessions, or stay for the full fair. Expert advice will be available on how to find the right apprenticeship and apply successfully in live sessions with top employers including the BBC, Aldi, and Unilever. Click here to sign up Apprenticeship Fair. The North Kent Apprenticeship Event is being held at nearby Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy this year, details in the below poster.
Year 9 Careers Sessions. Students are currently exploring their GCSE subject options which will be supported by in-school sessions and a dedicated Options Parents/Carers Evening. Students have been asked to complete the Future Skills Questionnaire. This is not a test of student careers knowledge; however, it helps us to understand what we can do to support them with their ‘career journeys’ during their time here at WGSG.
Additionally, we are delivering two focussed online sessions during the term as part of our careers programme with external providers. This aims to increase student understanding of the range of pathways available to them at 16 & at 18. These online sessions are with North Kent College & Vetter. Students will learn about vocational qualifications at the college and how they differ from the qualifications on offer at our own 6th form, WG6. The representative from Vetter (who are a subsidiary of Laing O’Rouke) will speak with students regarding careers in construction and the built environment. This sector has a large number of opportunities and different pathways (graduate schemes & apprenticeships) for students with an interest in STEM subjects.
Year 12 are taking part in a series of special assemblies “Standing out from the Crowd” delivered by our Careers Team. Sessions highlight CV, LinkedIn, Interview skills as well as maximising experience and personal attributes – tailoring responses to platforms and specific university/apprenticeship and career opportunities.
Year 11 are currently undertaking 1:1 next-step meetings with our Senior Leadership and Careers team.
Alongside these structured opportunities, students will continue to have dedicated careers assemblies, form times, visiting alumni speakers and one‑to‑one careers meetings, ensuring they always have space to ask questions, explore pathways and make decisions that feel right for them.
Supporting our students through exam season. We would like to reassure parents and carers that every student has access to a strong network of support throughout their GCSE and A Level preparation. We offer a wide range of academic opportunities, including subject‑specific workshops, after‑school and lunchtime revision clubs, and targeted sessions to help students strengthen their knowledge and build confidence.
Our partnership with The Life Skills Company also provides specialist coaching via the Maximising Success Revision workshops, giving students practical strategies for effective study, organisation, and exam technique.
Alongside academic support, our teaching and pastoral teams are always available to offer guidance, encouragement, and wellbeing support whenever it’s needed. Together, we’re committed to helping every student feel prepared, supported, and ready to succeed.
Miss Skrine has shared the below Year 11 subject workshop timetable with students and would ask that parents/carers encourage students to take advantage of the support, insight and subject feed-back available.
The WGSG library has welcomed back the students and launched them straight into the 2026 National Year of Reading, an exciting incentive from https://goallin.org.uk.
Throughout 2026 there will be exciting events focusing on the joy of reading, how it can positively affect our mental health, and how it brings people together. As part of this, Year 7 will be exploring Mindful Reading habits within their Library Lessons this term (pictured below).
Students may notice that some of their teachers are also getting involved in the National Year of Reading, by displaying what they are currently reading, on posters situated around the building and displayed in the main foyer.
In addition to this, there is a new KS3 Quiet Reading Club which is starting on Tuesday lunchtimes in the library. Here students will be able to relax and reflect whilst reading a good book. For KS4 students, a TTRPG club, The Gaming Guild, will be held on Wednesdays. In this club, students can develop their role playing and storytelling skills through the medium of dice rolling and Dungeons and Dragons (though not all games will feature fantasy, dungeons or dragons!).
For students in KS4 and 5 we also have a new range of careers books, focusing on degree apprenticeships, ESATs, LSATs UCATs and Oxbridge Interviews. These books are placed in the careers section of the WGSG library for students to use when preparing for their next steps.
Finally, the Sparx Stars display will be being updated to reflect the positive efforts made by students this term. Well done to all of the students who received certificates and prizes in their celebration assemblies for smashing their SRP targets, with honourable mention to Skyla T in Year 9, who topped the leaderboard for the entire school! Ms Booth, Librarian.
Mrs Carwithen’s Year 8 Physics students took part in a practical lesson to investigate how changes to a circuit affect current. Students were able to measure their results and record current and potential difference (voltage).
Mrs Cregan’s Year 7 Art students have been studying colour theory and this lesson have been creating their own colour wheel, carefully mixing each hue to build a cool colours wheel. An excellent foundation to developing their creative skills!
Year 12 WG6 students have been investigating the behaviour of light. In this practical lesson they used ray boxes to shine beams of light at semi-circular blocks and triangular prisms to see the effects of dispersion and total internal reflection.
This month’s House Challenge really is just that! Set by Mr Colledge, Head of Economics & Business Studies. Students have been charged with an emotive challenge – in this instance to make a purely economic recommendation – but forms part of their economics ethics and moral economy learning. The idea is based on the fact that economics is based on scarcity and choices, and in every walk of life we have scarce resources and choices to make, sometimes very difficult ones!
Forthcoming Dates;
Year 9 Parents’ Evening – 15 January (virtual)
Year 13 Mocks end – 16 January
Year 11 Written Report home – 16 January
Years 10 & 11 Maximising Success Workshops – 29 January
Year 11 A Level Subject Fair – 29 January
Year 9 Options Evening – 29 January (in person) 6-7.30pm
All Years Student Council Meetings led by Head of Year – 2 February till 6 February
Year 10 Progress Exam Assembly – 9 February
Year 9 Option Choices deadline – 10 February
Year 13 Grade Report home – 10 February
Last Day of Term 3 -13 February
First Day of Term 4 – Tuesday 24 February
Best wishes,
Dave Fuller
Headteacher
