Blog week ending 29th September

Our new Term 1 programme of Enrichment Clubs and subject support groups is now live!  This term’s schedule offers a dizzying range of options with the certainty that we have something for every student whether to support an existing pastime or to pique interest in new life-enhancing activities.  Clubs include Scrabble, Rugby, ‘Glee Club’, Science Mastery Club and everything in-between!  Please do encourage your child to choose at least one new activity.  For more details please see our website here

We are delighted to be able to offer British Sign-Language sessions, expertly led by Year 8 student Amelia W.  This week Amelia led a group of 14 students and *spoiler alert* they are currently practising a special Christmas song for a performance during our Christmas service, which I am very much looking forward to.  In case you were wondering, students in the below photo are saying/signing, thank you.

 

Pictured below is the first meeting of our KS3 Vocalize singing club delivered by specialist singing coach Mr Fabricatore every Tuesday lunchtime 12:20 – 12:55pm.

And one of our student SAMBA group.

Our Year 9 Netball team were in action after school this week facing Wilmington Academy’s Year 9 & 10 team.  Coach, Mrs Carwithen said “they played very well indeed. They've honed their skills but unfortunately lost 4-6 against the much more experienced Wilmington Academy team. They will get their re-match against the Year 9 team in a future fixture. 

Our Year 9 Art students have been exploring portraiture.  In this lesson, students have been practising the techniques required to create their own monochromatic triangulation drawing using the work of artist Josh Bryan as inspiration for their pieces.

Our Year 13 A level Art students continue the work on their personal projects, producing a practical portfolio of work that follows their own areas of interest, in response to a selection of given themes.  Students are working on a range of concepts, from portraits, to botanical illustration, to imagination and memory, and are currently using their sketchbooks to plan and research, in preparation for production of the final outcome at the end of the project.

WG6 Enrichment Clubs and opportunities.  Students are able to select from an extensive programme that is designed to work in conjunction with our careers guidance and provides an opportunity for students to learn new skills that complement or support their post WG6 ambitions.  The full Life @ WG6 booklet can be read by clicking here

Referencing.  Mrs Smith, Librarian at WGSG leads a Skills Group – Referencing.  This is a valuable and transferable skill that adds value to their A Levels studies and especially for those taking an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) as well as for those planning to study at university.  This course highlights the importance and significance of referencing and acknowledging the contribution of others to your work, and how to demonstrate knowledge, fact-checking, evidence and analysis.  In this lesson students are reviewing aspects of a plagiarism case before presenting back their findings to the group.

Race around the World Enrichment group.  Delivered by Head of Geography WGSG, Mrs Barclay. Each week students are challenged to research the quickest and cheapest route between two given locations, Newcastle UK to Slovenia – on a fixed budget.  This week students were competing for the Newcastle to Ko Samui in Thailand leg.  Strangely enough their suggestion – perhaps researching potential gap-year trips?  Students must be mindful to avoid any areas of unrest or conflict, demonstrate understanding of local culture or customs and identify key features such as local foods, and potential means of financial support (ie what part time jobs are available to supplement their budget)

Careers Guidance update.  Careers guidance offered to students in the school includes information on the range of education or training options, including apprenticeships and technical education routes. Getting students ready to make informed choices about their next step is an important responsibility for the school. The school is committed to meeting the Quality in Careers Standard incorporating the Gatsby Benchmarks and sustaining the quality of provision, and we will be sharing more information about this soon.

Alumni.  We have been busy contacting our Year 13 leavers and wish those enjoying Freshers this week before study starts good luck. Students have already started apprenticeships with employers such as KMPG, Amazon and Deloitte. Others have entered the world of work or are taking a gap year, giving them an opportunity to gain skills and experiences, while giving them time to reflect and focus on their future plans.  We are currently setting up a series of alumni events, which are an opportunity for a reunion, and also for networking opportunities and we are delighted by how many of our alumni enjoy coming back to our schools providing support and inspiration to existing students. Alumni are welcome to follow us on LinkedIn and share their career journeys click here 

Parent/Careers Support.  As part of our ever-growing careers guidance programme, we are now seeking your help to further expand what’s on offer to our students. If you feel that you, or your organisation, would be able to contribute to our careers, work experience and enterprise programme, please contact dmartin@wgsg.co.uk. Further information about our careers programme and can be found on the Careers pages of the school website here. 

School Alumnus Jaedon is already making waves as a student athlete at his university in Kentucky USA. Jaedon is the subject of an article published by his university ahead of his involvement in the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.  He arrived on campus in August and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science.  To read the article, please click here

Huge congratulations to Year 13 student Harry C who recently won Gold in the British gymnastics inter regional tumbling competition, representing London, competing against the rest of the UK. A tough week of tonsillitis leading up to it meant he missed nearly 2 weeks training ahead of it and this was a fantastic achievement showing his determination and focus when performing under par. 

Lewis F of Year 12 is an accomplished, and very successful, BMX cyclist.  In fact Lewis is the British number 3 and the World number 5.  Lewis has competed in the National BMX Series for the last 7 years and represented Great Britain for the last 5.  He is 9 times Regional Champion and National Champion.  He has also recently become part of the Great Britain Talent Development Team for track sprinting in the Velodrome.  We are incredibly proud of his achievements on the track, and in school, and look forward to hearing about future successes.

Congratulations to David Ruston, previously of Year 13, currently at Cambridge reading history. David has won the 1st prize in the 4th Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain Holodomor Essay Prize Competition 2023. 

The event press release stated; The Lead Judge Professor Olga Onuch, Professor of Comparative and Ukrainian Politics at the University of Manchester said of the winning essay, which focused on the French Statesman Edouard Herriot and his denial of the Holodomor after touring Kharkiv in 1933 "This is an outstanding essay and benefits from truly excellent writing.  Overall, the essay and its main ideas are very well argued, organised, and researched. It was a pleasure to read it."

Winner David Ruston, of Wilmington Grammar School, who is now set to study History at Selwyn College, Cambridge University said “I very much enjoyed the process of research and attempting to put to paper what I wanted to say about such a momentous event in less than 2000 words…  I will be studying History…so just the penning of this essay was useful to me as a way of improving my historical skills and I am very glad for it.”

Dr Luke Harris, David’s teacher said “David is one of the finest historians we've had the opportunity to teach here at Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, this is further evidence of this. We're very proud that he's going to Cambridge to read history. Thank you for organising the competition and for the fantastic prize.”

PTFA Update.  We would like to invite you to the Parents & Friends Association (PFA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) Tuesday, 10th October 2023 at 6.30pm.  The AGM will be held in the School Hall, with refreshments from 6.00pm. For those who are unable to attend in person, you can still join the meeting through Microsoft Teams. Just contact us via email at wgsgpfa@gmail.com, and we will send you a link that will allow you to join the meeting. However, if you are unable to join the meeting by any means, you can still contribute to the meeting by dropping us a line at the same email address above (wgsgpfa@gmail.com). All ideas, suggestions, comments are welcome!

The AGM will include a presentation of the previous years’ results and activities from the Treasurer and Chair, respectively, a speech from our Head Teacher (the President of the PFA) and the election / re-election of PFA Officers and/or Committee Members. We anticipate that the AGM should last approximately 30-45 minutes.

The PFA plays a vital part in the school community and all parents, as members of the PFA, are invited to support the AGM.  This is your chance to hear and see how the funds you have helped raise have been/will be used for the benefit of the students.

Forthcoming Dates;

Year 11 Geography Field Trip – 2^nd October

Senior Maths Challenge – 3^rd October

Year 7 Meet the Tutor – 4^th October

Year 11 Parents’ Evening – 12^th October

Year 6 Open Evening – 18^th October

Last Day of Term – 20^th October

First Day of Term – 2^nd November

 

Best wishes,

Michelle Lawson

Head Teacher