Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,
We are just beyond the midpoint of this half term and already there is so much to share. Last Friday our Year 11 students did a great job distributing the harvest food parcels amongst elderly residents in the local community. We have received some lovely feedback from local residents thanking The Holt Community for their generous donations but also praising our students for their polite and friendly deliveries. This is an important Holt tradition allowing us to continue to form relationships beyond our school community.
Last Wednesday we officially opened our new science laboratory. This was funded by the generosity of one of our former students Regina Wilkinson or Regina Dorgan as she was known during her school days. Regina left The Holt in 1949 and never forgot her time here. Sadly, Regina died in 2023 and left a generous gift in her will, this allowed us to transform a classroom into a modern and much needed new science laboratory. This gift allows future generations to explore, question and discover, a fitting tribute to somebody who dedicated her life to education. Regina’s family friend, Dr Russell Wilshaw and his wife, Jane attended the opening, they were able to see the laboratory in use and witness Regina’s legacy in action. Three of our students reported on the event, you can read their full article here: The Holt School unveils new Science lab in honour of Regina Wilkinson – Wokingham.Today
The newest members of our school community visited Ufton Court for our annual Year 7 team building day. The whole year group participate in lots of different games all designed to encourage communication and hopefully make some new friends along the way. Fortunately, the weather was kind, and a wonderful day was had by the everyone who attended. Below are some pictures of the day in action.
The Year 13 biologists went to Nettlecombe Court on the edge of Exmoor last week, to complete their practical accreditation work. They were able to complete sampling in three different ecosystems, grasslands, fresh water and rocky shores. They extended the skills learnt in the classroom, and completed quadrat comparisons, scientific drawings, a full transect and choice chambers with a freshwater invertebrate of their choice. The students were excellent, and their efficient practical work enabled us to hunt for fossils on the rocky shore, a very successful endeavour due to the sedimentary rock falls and mudstone layers. It was a great trip, and the students gained a lot of new skills as well as brushing up on old ones, such as their statistics and bingo.
Thank you to Mrs Whitehouse, Mrs Morgan and Mrs Mathers for accompanying the trip.
Year 12 Artists were fortunate to visit the ‘Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025’ at the National Portrait Gallery. Forty-six captivating portraits from around the world have been selected for display in the exhibition; students had the opportunity to view classic and contemporary art and reflect on the creativity of the artists’ processes.
Trips, clubs, and all the extra opportunities on offer help our students grow in confidence, discover new interests, and have a lot of fun along the way. Thank you to all the staff who make these experiences possible and to our students for showing such enthusiasm.
Mrs Martin
Assistant Headteacher