Headteacher's Message
Firstly my thanks to pupils, parents and staff for your support in getting through the extreme weather this week, allowing lessons and our end of year assessments to continue as normal. We are all looking forward to a return to more usual summer temperatures over the weekend and into next week.
We are disappointed the extreme weather has impacted on a number of trips and extra curricular activities this week. This was a difficult decision but we believe it was the best course of action in the interest of student and staff wellbeing.
The Year 11 Prom took place last night and it was a wonderful evening for all, my thanks to Ms Porteous, as Head of Year 11, and the wonderful senior prefect team for making this such a fantastic the event. Many of the school staff attended to welcome the Year 11 leavers as they arrived looking absolutely spectacular! The event had a great atmosphere and was a special send off celebrating the students achievements and marking the end of their secondary school journey.
I am proud to share that yesterday a small team of Year 9 students took part in the final stage of the V&A’s ‘Innovate’ competition. Their ‘Gripper’ design, an aid for people with limited hand mobility, was shortlisted against three other front-runners in the ‘Join’ design challenge to meet a real-life problem with a new design. Isobel A, Denise A, Niina MO, Lily P and Hazel W from Year 9 created their design as part of D&T Enrichment lessons with Ms Burger. Yesterday was the final pitch, which took place over a video call to a judging panel. Team Gripper were awarded an ‘Honorable Mention Award’ for their category and a lovely trophy is on its way to us. Very well done to them all, especially for doing so well in the panel!
Our rota of Summer Term international trips continued this week as Year 12 History and German students visited Europe’s most populous city, Berlin. They had a wonderful time taking in the history and culture of this wonderful city and enjoying slightly milder temperatures than Twickenham! We also welcomed Year 10 parents into school on Tuesday evening to discuss the upcoming trip to Normandy. Another trip that is sure to create some fantastic memories for all students involved.
Finally a thank you to all our Year 7 students who have been showing their parents and carers around the school today and last Friday. It has been a joy to see your delighted faces as you have shared the school with your families. We are incredibly proud to see you really owning the school as you have grown in confidence.
As we look towards the end of the term, I am pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for the Performing Arts Summer Festival 2026. The festival is an al fresco evening of music, dance and drama in Digby Court at Waldegrave School on Thursday 9 July with a comedy theme for this year. The event will begin at 7pm with refreshments provided by the PTA from 6.30pm. Please feel free to bring a cushion for the benches or alternatively you can bring your own folding chair.
Tickets for the event are available via Ticketsource using the following link: Summer Festival Tickets
Our Year 12 German students and some of our History students were away from Monday to Thursday this week visiting Berlin. The trip took them to many historical and cultural sites from the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag, the site of Hitler’s bunker and Checkpoint Charlie to the Berlin Wall and much, much more! It was a hot trip walking around the sites of the city but having spoken to them all today, they had a fantastic time and enjoyed putting their German speaking and listening skills to the test.
