Beginning at 9.00am last Sunday, 30 students from Year 11
embarked on a two day intensive mathematics residential at a nearby hotel. They
completed a huge amount of work and left tired but pleased to have attended,
and are now even better placed to meet or exceed their targets in the summer.
There will be more opportunities of a similar nature to follow, including
holiday revision sessions and the highly effective Saturday Maths School. We
will be writing to some parents in particular about the Saturday sessions, and
if you are one of those, attendance is essential. However, even if we do not
write to you individually, anyone in Year 11 is welcome to attend.
Year 7 basketball kicked off (bounced off?) at 8.00am on
Tuesday with over 30 students in attendance. A great turnout for an early
morning club, and we look forward to seeing even more students as the club
continues in this new slot. Keep an eye on the website for new information
about other clubs and activities, and remember, participating beyond the classroom
gains credits towards the Principal’s Challenge. Details of this can also be
seen on the website.
We were delighted to launch the ROAR challenge during the
week – a new addition to our gifted and talented provision. Students now have
the opportunity to raise money for school children in India by running their
own business here, aided by volunteers from firms such as HSBC and Accenture.
This all culminates in a Dragon’s Den style finale where our students will
pitch their ideas in competition with teams from other schools.
Add to all this the securing of a place on the highly
prestigious and competitive Cambridge University Student Shadowing Scheme by
one of our Year 12 students, and the visit to Year 8 girls by two Olympians,
and it has been an exciting week. I’m looking forward to Monday already.
Please do not forget Year 11 parent consultation evening on Tuesday
26 January at 4.30pm. This is a crucial part of the preparation for Year 11
exams in the summer, and your opportunity to hear first-hand from your child’s
teachers how they can best prepare. We will also give out Mock grades and
important information about upcoming Year 11 student and parent events which
will help you to help your child.
On Thursday 11 February at 7.00pm is the brilliant House
Drama, and on Wednesday 3rd February at 6.00pm is the Options
Information Evening – an extremely important event for Year 8 students and
parents.