Blog Week Ending 6th March
What an amazing experience! Our PE Department Ski Trip travelled to Nassfeld in Austria, which thanks to its high altitude and snow cannon coverage offered perfect conditions for our skiers – honestly, the photos don’t do it justice! Our students took full advantage of all the opportunities on offer, our excellent instructors built confidence and technique making all time on the slopes brilliant fun. Another highlight (there were lots!) was the Zipfelbob race (like a mini sports sled) which certainly brought out the competitive spirit of our students. Mrs Iles and her team are already planning next year’s trip ..
We are very proud of our Year 7, 8 and 9 students who took part in a Cross-Country event at Northfleet Technology College. The students ran a total of 2.2km in very cold conditions and performed very well. We would like to congratulate our Year 8 competitors, Neve Arnold for coming 3rd place (pictured) and Jessica Long 4th place and Year 7 Florence W-S for securing 4th place.
With all the runners scores combined we placed 1st in Year 7 and 2nd in Year 8/9 for the tournament! A brilliant team performance.
New Event – Saxons Orienteering Club will be holding one of their popular orienteering events at Knole Park in Sevenoaks on the morning of Sunday 23rd March. Members of the club will be on hand to provide coaching on the day. It’s a beautiful park .. come along if you are able. Knole Park is an historic deer park surrounding Knole House, over 1000 acres, friendly herds of deer roam the parkland and woods.
For more information https://www.saxons-oc.org/events/knole-park-sun-23-mar-2025 if anyone would like to attend, just email here schools@dfok.co.uk and they will do the rest!
Ms Booth, our Librarian put together a truly exciting and enriching programme of activities and initiatives to support World Book Day, including, Blind Date with a Book! which the students are preparing for below. Students are encouraged to choose a wrapped ‘mystery’ book, purely based on some key words. In the photos below students are wrapping and captioning the books ahead of the event.
Year 7 students solved the mystery of the Book Club Butcher?! Another of Ms Booth’s initiatives to celebrate a life-long love of reading. Mr William’s class took part in an activity focusing on the crime and suspense genre, students worked using critical thinking, teamwork and a knowledge of books to correctly identify the murderer! Well done everyone.
Staff Shelfies – Students were challenged to see if they could guess which member of staff owns the bookcases pictured. All entries will get an R1 and a prize will be given to the winner. Below, a sample of three bookcases .. can you guess whose they are? One is mine, one Ms Booth our Librarian’s and the other, Mr Green, Head of Computing. Answers at the foot of my Blog*.
Progress exams – I’d like to congratulate students for the pro-active and diligent attention to their exam preparation, and remind all students that these vital exams support their learning and revision plans ahead of public exams as well as enable students to familiarise themselves with exam requirements and processes. As always, all Teaching and Pastoral staff are on hand to offer any additional support and guidance. We would urge students to take advantage of the many subject revision and intervention sessions available.
Mr Colledge’s WG6 New York Trip certainly made the most of their visit! Naturally, for the Head of Economics and Business Studies, a visit to the financial district was a featured highlight as part of a packed (really packed!) and immersive schedule. Activities and treats that captured the essence of this culturally and commercially rich city included ice skating in Central Park, shopping at Columbus Circle, the view from Top of the Rock, theatre and Bubba Gump Shrimp on Broadway, the Empire State building, a river cruise and Grand Central Station! Mr Colledge would like to thank all staff and students for an amazing trip.
Mrs Munden’s Year 13 Chemists have been working on a four-part practical – synthesis of Aspirin. Following a series of scientific processes; distillation, heating, esterification and finally purification, students made Aspirin. Elements of the process can be seen in the below photos, the final step is to test their samples to ensure it is Aspirin.
Year 12 WG6 students choose from a range of academic and personal development sessions as part of our Electives Programme. This group, which is tailored to university cooking and life skills for independent living have perfected empanadas .. and very delicious they were too!
PFA Update. Thank you to all parents who are supporting the WGSG PFA Pre-Loved Uniform Scheme. Donations of preloved uniform, in good condition, especially PE kits – long sleeve/¾ zip PE tops and leggings would be gratefully received.
Forthcoming Dates;
Year 7 Parents’ Evening (virtual) – tonight, 6 March
Year 10 Progress Exams – till 11 March
Year 7 Epistemic Insight Evening – 19 March
Year 12 Progress Exam Briefing – 27 March
Year 11 GCSE Revision trip – 28-30 March
Year 11 Grades Report home – 31 March
Culture Day – 4 April
Last Day of Term 4 – 4 April
First Day of Term 5 – 22 April
Year 10 Written reports home – 23 April
Year 12 Progress Exams commence – 23 April
GCSE Art Examination – 24 April
Best wishes,
Michelle Lawson
Headteacher
*Shelfies Answer
- Mr Green, B) Ms Booth & C) Mine!
