Headteacher's Message
Welcome back to everyone after the Christmas break. It is a challenge for everyone to adjust after relaxing our usual habits, however I am certain a full week back has put us all back on track and for many there is comfort in school routine.
It has been great to see pupils fresh faced and enthused in their classes this week, despite less than ideal weather outside. Our Year 13 PE and Textiles students have got straight into their mock assessments and have impressed teachers with their focus and hard work.
We started the week with a lovely presentation of the Jack Petchey Awards to three deserving pupils for hard work and leadership. Annie B, Year 8 was nominated by her English Teacher, Miss Ansel who said she has “shown effort, leadership and engagement in her classes” last term, while both Robyn Z-B and Luciana B, both Year 11 were nominated by Drama Teacher, Mr Page for their dedication to Performing Arts. These pupils have run the lighting and sound, set and stage management aspects of our productions. Their effort and energy before and after school, as well as at weekends have helped ensure our theatrical productions run smoothly. They have also shown leadership by setting up a club to share their skills with other pupils and I commend them for their hard work.
Pupils in Years 10 and 11 started the term with a bang, being treated to a magical theatre experience on Wednesday. They watched the GCSE set work, ‘Wicked’ in London and learned about how a musical is put together by professionals. I am sure this trip will inspire them to ‘defy gravity’ with their results this year!
Our English Department also organised a trip to see ‘Ballet Shoes’ on Thursday for Year 9 and 10 pupils who are taking part in the National Theatre New Views playwriting programme that Miss Lynes is supporting in school. Pupils taking part in this after school programme are writing their own plays and we are very much looking forward to seeing where their imagination takes them.
If you missed our School Magazine at the end of last term please do take a look at the fantastic articles our pupils have written covering events in the Autumn Term. We have plenty more trips and activities to look forward to this term, from sports matches and theatre visits, to careers and arts excursions, all culminating in our annual ski trip, this year to Italy, at the beginning of the Easter holidays. We are looking for students to write about these activities for this term’s magazine. Pupils can let their form tutor know if they would like to volunteer.
In the spirit of New Year resolutions, please can I ask everyone travelling to and from the school, particularly at the beginning and end of the school day to strive to use sustainable transport options. Many of our pupils live close by to the school and can walk, cycle or take public transport; when there is a need to use a car please respect our neighbours and the law by parking courteously in marked parking bays and not idling your engine.
This week has been an exciting one for our music students who attended a Wicked workshop at Danceworks in Mayfair, followed by a trip to the musical on Wednesday. They had a fantastic day and made us all very jealous!
Also, during this week, the Year 13 PE students took part in a number of NEA sessions, to help them with their coursework. A huge thanks to the PE department for organising them. Finally, on Wednesday, a large number of Year 13 students attended another ‘Waldegrave Working Lunch’, which was organised by Ms Lee-Lewis. During it, Cath Rew, who is an investment banker, but read an Earth Sciences degree from Oxford University talked to them about what careers in investment banking might look like. A huge thanks to Ms Lee-Lewis for organising such a brilliant talk.
