Headteacher's Message
Please note next Wednesday, 18 November, is an inset day for staff training and so the school is closed to students.
After a shorter week last week, at least for those students not taking mock exams, this week has been back to full speed with trips, matches and in-school events.
On Monday we had a group of selected music students from across the school and Sixth Form attending the Gabrieli Roar Workshop, alongside other schools, in preparation for their performance of Mr Handel’s Christmas Story at Sinfonia Smith Square later this year. Mr Handel’s Christmas Story brings together movements from Messiah and other Handel works to tell the Christmas story. It is sure to be a fantastic experience for them and a wonderful performance on Tuesday 8 December.
Our Year 12 English Literature students attended the eMagazine Literature Conference at Friends House to explore the ideas, construction and impact of the literary works which will inform their A Level studies, from Shakespeare to Elif Shafak. This was an inspiring trip and I am sure they will all have gained a lot from it.
Speaking of inspiration, our Year 9s were lucky enough to visit the National Physical Laboratory in Wednesday in Teddington. It was an enjoyable and informative morning, giving students an insight into the work of scientists and the opportunities available within the field of science and technology.
On Wednesday we also had plenty of excitement in school as 11 students from Year 10 took part in the Rotary Young Chef competition. This was the first round in a four-stage National competition, with great prizes for the overall winner, which include a short holiday in Tuscany, as guests of Fillipo Berrio, including cookery classes in Italian cuisine. Our students did an amazing job with tantalizing smells spreading through the corridors throughout the afternoon.
Local Chef and joint owner of A Cena restaurant in East Twickenham, Thomas Rowlandson, was the judge for the event. He chose the dishes by Gabriella G, 10FLE, as the winners, with second place taken by Mariam C, 10FLE and third was Bea C, 10STR but commended the efforts of all the students who took part. My thanks to Mr Rowlandson, our Mayor, Councillor Nancy Baldwin, and the Rotary Club of Richmond Upon Thames for hosting this wonderful opportunity once again. The district final will take place on Saturday, 31 January 2027 and we wish Gabriella and Mariam the best of luck!
My thanks to all the parents and carers who were able to attend Wednesday’s Year 8 Parent and Carer meetings. We had a fantastic turnout with meetings taking place for over 96% of all our Year 8 students.
Our School Production this year is Wellington 24, an upbeat and empowering wartime tale about the female workforce as one factory pulls together to try to build a Wellington bomber in record-breaking time: under twenty-four hours. As temperatures rise and prejudices bubble up, will they be able to pull together in time?
This is a play for our time, challenging traditional gender stereotypes, and a reminder to celebrate and remember what women in history have achieved and ask ourselves what our Waldegrave students might achieve in their futures. With life imitating art, our students have created this play in only nine weeks! Tickets on sale here.
As the decorations appear in the shops and the Christmas adverts are bombarding our screens, it can only mean one thing – it is time for the Friends of Waldegrave Christmas Tree Sale! On Saturday 5 December, 9.30-11.30am the Christmas Sale will take place with a second-hand uniform stall running alongside just outside our main reception. It is the perfect ‘one stop shop’ to get your tree and stock up on some spare uniform whilst contributing funds to the school in the process.
Please visit ParentPay to see tree sizes, prices and to place your order. Please note: all Christmas tree orders must be made by 4.30pm on Thursday 3 December.
I also want to share that we are currently recruiting both for a Parent member to join our Board of Governors. As the parent or carer of a student currently on roll you have a right to nominate yourself for the Parent Governor role. We would like to invite applications from any parents with a genuine interest in education and who want to work at a strategic level to develop the school. Please see full details of the Parent Governor role in the letter previously sent home.
We are also looking to expand our pool of Invigilators for this summer exam season. No experience is necessary as full training will be given. These are casual roles paid at an hourly rate of £14.49 p/hr. If you are interested or would like any further information, please email Gill Gildersleve, Head of HR, at jobs@waldegravesch.org
This week Mr Greaves has been holding assemblies ahead of Anti-Bullying Week which takes place from Monday 16 – Friday 20 November this year. This year’s campaign – Break the Silence – encourages children, young people and adults across the UK to start conversations about bullying, speak up, listen and take action together.
On Tuesday we had 15 students taking part in the Middlesex T1 Rugby Tournament, which took place at Chiswick RFC. Our U12 team were pushed hard by their opponents and did not manage to make it past the pool stage. Our U14 team fared better, making it to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Grey Court School. These were closely fought games against tough competition and the players should be proud of the teamwork they showed on and off the pitch.
