Blog week ending 15th October
To mark World Mental Health Day, students and staff across WGSG came together to celebrate the kindness, support and positive relationships that form the fabric of our school community. Through a range of initiatives focused on wellbeing, gratitude and appreciation, students were encouraged to recognise the impact of small acts of kindness, while staff and students alike took the opportunity to acknowledge and thank those who make a difference to their daily lives. The enthusiastic response reflected the strong sense of belonging and mutual support that sits at the heart of life at WGSG.
The appreciation postcards proved especially popular, with students and staff alike taking the opportunity to recognise the support, encouragement and care shown by others. The countless messages shared not only celebrated the many contributions that help our community thrive, but also encouraged everyone to reflect on the positive difference they make to the lives of others, reinforcing the sense of connection and belonging that supports positive mental wellbeing.
The messages shared by students spoke eloquently of the warm and inclusive culture that exists across our school community – including;
Year 8 “always optimistic. A great friend who is always there when you need her. Makes people smile and laugh and her presence is always positive”
Year 7 “she is always positive and she always seems to make a way to make me smile when I’m feeling doubtful, she is a very good friend and I appreciate her very greatly”
Year 11 “always checks in on everyone, asking them if they are ok and cheering up everybody by including them if they aren’t in the conversation. You can tell she cares for her friends and classmates in both listening, giving advice and making you feel seen, and she deserves the thank you back!”
Many students also chose to recognise the positive impact of staff, thanking those who encourage, support and inspire them each day through messages such as;
“you notice us for who we are and allow us to shine”
“you make me believe in myself”
“even if we’re having a bad day we know you can turn that around”
Year 10 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition. Eighty-seven Year 10 students recently completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award qualifying expedition, setting off from Pratts Bottom and Keston Ponds before camping overnight at Cudham Shaws. Blessed with excellent weather throughout, students navigated their routes, carried their equipment and worked together to overcome the challenges of expedition life.
From pitching tents and cooking meals outdoors to managing tired legs, sore shoulders and the occasional navigation mishap, students embraced the experience with determination, resilience and good humour. Along the way, they developed valuable teamwork and problem-solving skills, as well as creating lasting memories with friends.
Reflecting on the expedition, one student said “My DofE expedition was a challenge, but a good challenge. I made so many memories and really enjoyed the experience.”
Congratulations to all students who took part. It is wonderful to see so many already keen to continue their DofE journey and work towards the Silver Award.
Careers Update. Thank you to our WG6 students who shared their experiences of the WGSG Careers Programme during assemblies for Years 7 and 8 this week. Drawing on their own experiences, they spoke about the value of work experience placements, offered practical advice on making the most of one-to-one careers guidance interviews, and highlighted the many opportunities available as students progress through the programme at WGSG.
The assemblies served as a useful reminder that careers education is a journey that begins early, helping students to explore their interests, develop aspirations and make informed decisions about their future pathways. Students also highlighted the weekly WGSG Careers Newsletter as a valuable source of inspiration, further reading and information about the latest opportunities and events.
A Year 10 Careers assembly was delivered to launch Work Experience, which will take place from 12th to 16th July 2027. The assembly provided students with key information about securing placements and preparing for their work experience. In addition, Year 11 students had an assembly delivered by London South East Colleges, which focused on post-16 pathways and provided guidance for students considering their next steps after GCSEs.
You can read the latest edition of the newsletter here: WGSG Careers Newsletter – Edition 6.
Students seeking careers advice and guidance are encouraged to speak with Mrs Kennedy, our Careers Lead, who is based in the Manor Building and can be contacted via LKennedy@wgsg.co.uk.
As part of their textiles manufacturing topic, Year 7 Design & Technology students are designing and creating their own Felt Friends. From developing initial ideas to producing patterns and carefully planning each stage of manufacture, students are building the skills needed to turn their creative concepts into finished products.
Year 10 GCSE Drama students are currently working on their exam performances, drawing on skills and techniques explored through practical workshops to develop characterisation and performance. Following a showcase of their work, students took part in peer evaluation and feedback, helping each group to reflect on and refine their final pieces.
Announcing our latest WGSG Production (drum roll …) 9to5! Auditions will begin after half term – I will include updates in our Blog as I get them!
What does a changing city look like? Year 11 Geographers travelled to Stratford this week to find out. Investigating the hypothesis “Has regeneration in Stratford had a positive impact on the built environment?”, students collected data around the Olympic Park and examined the contrast between older housing and modern developments. The fieldwork brought key GCSE concepts to life, helping students see first-hand the impact of regeneration and urban growth, while gathering evidence for a written assessment that forms part of their GCSE examination.
Students approached the fieldwork with maturity and enthusiasm throughout the day, we are very proud of them all!
Congratulations to our WG6 mathematicians who recently took part in the national Mathematical Competition for Girls designed to challenge and inspire young female mathematicians. Competing against students from across the country, they represented the school superbly and achieved some excellent results. Special mentions for Paige H (Y12) and Emily S (Y13) who both achieved merits and the best in their year groups. From the Junior Mathematical Challenge through to the Intermediate and Senior Challenges, students across the school enthusiastically participate in a range of UK Mathematics Trust competitions with the WG6 cohort recently sitting the Senior Maths Challenge – results pending.
Year 13 WG6 student Talin W has provided the below feature to document his work on behalf of a charitable enterprise that aims to raise awareness and valuable funds for men’s health issues.
More Than a Moustache: My Movember Journey
This November, I am taking part in Movember, a global movement that raises awareness and funds for men’s health. By growing a moustache (and a goatee) and encouraging donations, I hope to support an important cause and help start conversations about issues that often go undiscussed.
Men’s health covers a range of important issues, including mental health, suicide prevention, and awareness of prostate and testicular cancer. These topics affect people and families across the country, yet many men still feel uncomfortable speaking openly about their struggles or seeking support when they need it.
The scale of this challenge is significant. Thousands of men in the UK lose their lives to suicide each year, highlighting the importance of raising awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. Campaigns such as Movember encourage people to talk openly, support one another, and access help when needed.
This is where Movember comes in. By growing a moustache or taking on a personal challenge, participants show their support for men’s health and help raise valuable funds for research, support services, and awareness campaigns.
As part of my own Movember campaign, I will be growing a moustache and goatee while also running 80 kilometres throughout November. This is the equivalent of almost two marathons and will be a considerable challenge, but one that I am proud to undertake in support of such an important cause.
If you would like to get involved, there are many ways to support the movement, whether through a donation, taking on your own fundraising challenge, or simply helping to raise awareness. Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a difference.
If you would like to support my campaign, donations can be made by clicking here to visit my Movember page.
Movember is about much more than growing a moustache. It is about raising awareness, supporting those who may be struggling, and helping to improve men’s health around the world. Any support for the campaign is greatly appreciated.
PFA Update. Thank you to all the parents and carers who have volunteered to help or have got in touch with the PFA since being back at school and those who attended the AGM. We have a new committee in place who are extremely grateful for people volunteering to be on the team and we never turn down expertise or support!
Our events are made all the better with help from you all and a couple of hours of your time in the school year makes a real difference. If you would like to help or get in contact with us, please message us at, wgsgpfa@gmail.com
The PFA are delighted to be running our Y7/8 disco again this year on Friday 6th November at 6.30pm. Tickets are available on IPay at £5 each. Flyer attached.
Below, local events and opportunities that have been shared with us that we hope will be of interest.
Kent Libraries are part of the Youth Engagement Network. The aim of the network is to develop youth led co-creation and engagement, working with young people aged 11–16. This is an opportunity for young people to shape library spaces and services. We are hoping to encourage participation by providing free refreshments at these drop-in sessions including pizza, soft drinks, or other freebies! We don’t have a defined outcome in mind, it could be about changing the young people’s area at Dartford Library to make it more appealing, it could be about choosing different books for young people, it could be about developing groups or activities for young people, it could be about how we communicate what the library can offer to young people. We have an open mind about how this work can develop and are committed to listening to and co-creating with young people.
As the first step in this project, we are hosting three drop in sessions at Dartford Library to engage directly with young people about what they would like to see from our libraries.
These sessions will take place at Dartford Library on:
Saturday 17 October, 11am to midday
Thursday 29 October, 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Ebbsfleet Young Design Group’s October half term programme.
I wanted to reach out to you about our Ebbsfleet Design Group programme for 16-25 year-olds local to Ebbsfleet (including those living in Dartford, Greenhithe, Swanscombe, Northfleet and Gravesend).
Led by architecture studio Flimsy Works (who also led last year’s programme), the Ebbsfleet Design Group 26/27 programme will work with the Design Group to continue designing and building new community resources for Ebbsfleet Garden City.
This will involve a series of practical, hands-on workshops alongside other opportunities for the Design Group to take their building work to local events in November, March, and June.
By joining the Design Group, students will:
- Learn new design and practical skills using recycled, natural, and locally sourced materials
- Take part in workshops with professional artists and designers who put sustainability at the heart of their practice
- Meet and collaborate with other young people interested in sustainable design and architecture
- Make real-world interventions in the new garden city in Ebbsfleet.
The link to sign up to the Design Group can be found here:
The full programme schedule is as follows:
October Workshops
Tuesday 27th October
Wednesday 28th October
Thursday 29th October
November’s Local Event:
Saturday 21st November
Forthcoming Dates:
Year 11 Mock Exam Assembly – 19 October
Year 6 Open Evening – 22 October
Year 6 Open Day (by appointment only) – 23 October
Year 13 Reports sent home – W/C 19 October
Last Day of Term 1 – Friday 23 October
First Day of Term 2 – Thursday 5 November
Best wishes,
Dave Fuller
Headteacher
