Senior School Newsletter - 20 Oct 2017
Dear Parents and Carers
We're in!
On Friday lunchtime building control officially passed our new building as fit for purpose and we were able to occupy it for the first time. Appropriately enough, the first people to have a proper tour of the new space were our students and there were cheers, gasps and whoops as they set foot in it for the first time. We toured the students on Friday afternoon before they became the tour guides on Saturday for our Open Day - more on that below.
I have said a number of times in this forum that the new build will be a transformational space, and, now that we are in, it is becoming clear about exactly how that will be happening. Seeing our boys and girls enjoying the rooftop MUGA and the sports hall was wonderful. Later that day, I had a look in the daily ‘Student Blog’ at all the clubs and activities that will be using this space from after half-term - there really will be a huge shift in the opportunities from a sporting perspective.
Saturday also saw the first lessons taught in our new classrooms and the writeable walls were enthusiastically embraced. The space felt like a hive of activity and the result of the morning’s activities were there for all to see as I walked around at the end of the day.
Having such flexible spaces gives us teachers so much opportunity to promote learning in our lessons - being able to see the whole topic in one view, and having all students engaged simultaneously will transform lessons.
I hope those of you who came to one of our early evening events enjoyed having a look around and I look forward to welcoming everyone else in the future.
They came!
Open Day on Saturday was a tremendous success. Firstly, could I thank all parents for supporting us by enabling the students to attend on Saturday morning? Our students are always our best ambassadors and they stepped up admirably once again. They have such enthusiasm and pride in the school and I left at lunchtime with praise for them ringing in my ears.
It is heartening that there is so much interest in the school, and this can only bode well for the future. We had over 240 families on Saturday, and this was over a third up on last year (in itself a record!) It is just a shame that, even with the new build, we won’t have room for everybody who wants to come.
She's arrived!
To end with some personal news, we welcomed Harriet Elizabeth Walker to the world on Saturday 7th October. She weighed in at 33N (or 7 lbs 6 oz in ‘old money’) and both mother and daughter are doing well. Thank you for all the messages of goodwill.
Warm wishes,
David Walker
Head of Senior School
Thinking about Christ and the Cosmos
On 27 September, RS and Philosophy students in Year 11 and 6th Form engaged in a lecture on 'Christ and the Cosmos' given by Professor Keith Ward, Professorial Research Fellow at Heythrop College, London and former Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Oxford.
"The lecture was engaging and encouraged everyone to think critically about the arguments presented. Every audience member came away with much to discuss.” Lara, Year 11
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Our older students have a great opportunity to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme.
In this blog, Jessica a Year 11 student shares her experiences on the recent Silver expedition in the Peak District.
Year 10 - Exploring plasticity
On Monday 18 September, fifty Year 10 students visited Cambridge Corn Exchange to attend the opening public lecture for the International Conference on Technology of Plasticity hosted by the University of Cambridge.