Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,
As a new Assistant Headteacher, this is my first blog! Looking back at the last week, there have been so many wonderful opportunities for our students, I have lots to share.
Year 7s have been making the most of all the extra curricular clubs at lunchtime, demonstrating some amazing skills, getting to know each other outside of the classroom and having they seemed to be having fun
Last Wednesday we had a Breast Cancer Awareness talk for our Year 11 students organised by Mrs Hornblow who said:
On Wednesday, our Year 11 students had the opportunity to take part in an important and inspiring breast cancer awareness talk delivered by Sakoon Through Cancer, a charity supporting those affected by cancer.
Samina from Sakoon Through Cancer shared her own personal experience of breast cancer, providing students with a powerful insight into the realities of diagnosis and treatment. Students learned about some of the common facts and myths surrounding breast cancer and discussed the importance of being aware of changes in their bodies.
A particularly valuable part of the session was learning how to carry out a breast self-examination. Students were able to put their learning into practice using specially knitted breast models, helping them to understand what they were looking for and how to check for changes in a safe and practical way.
The session was an excellent opportunity for our students to develop their health awareness and ask questions in an open and supportive environment. We are very grateful to Samina and Sakoon Through Cancer for delivering such an engaging and informative session and for helping our students understand the importance of knowing their bodies and looking after their health. Later in the academic year, we will be holding fundraising activities to support Sakoon Through Cancer and raise funds for the charity, as a small way of showing our appreciation for the important work they do.
Thank you, Mrs Hornblow, for organising this event for our Year 11s.
We also had Mrs Donald-Onumana enter students for The Senior Maths Challenge (SMC), a mathematics competition organised by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) for students in Years 12 and 13 (ages 16–18). Students are tested on algebra, geometry, number theory, probability, logic and problem-solving. Questions start relatively accessible and become progressively harder. Mrs Donald-Onumana said the main aim is to test mathematical reasoning, creativity and logical thinking rather than just routine calculations. You don’t need advanced university-level maths, but you do need to think carefully and spot clever solutions.
Thanks you Mrs Donald-Onumana for giving the students the opportunity to take part in this competition.
On Thursday our Year 11-13 geography students left for Iceland. Thanks to Mrs Wragg and the geography department for leading a fantastic trip.
Mrs Wragg shared the following:
On Thursday, 50 students from Years 11, 12 and 13, along with five staff headed off on the Geography trip to Iceland. We had a fantastic time, starting off with a visit to an area that had recently been covered by lava and seeing how an entire town had been evacuated and partly destroyed by this. We also visited some hot springs and a bridge between the continents before heading to our hotel. The second day was jam packed, some of the highlights being visiting two waterfalls, seeing the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano which disrupted travel back in 2010 and going to a lava show where we learnt about lava and saw it up close. The third day started with a walk around a crater and then a relaxing dip in the geothermally heated Secret Lagoon. We also went to see the Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall, as well as Thingvellir National Park, the site of the first Parliament and where we could walk between two tectonic plates. We returned to the hotel for a swim in the outside pool. The final day saw a ‘fly over Iceland’ simulator experience and a bit of time to explore Reykjavik before heading back to the airport. Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy to get a proper view of the Northern Lights, but that was the only thing that didn’t go to plan! The students were a pleasure to take away, showing a real interest in all the things we saw and learnt about.
In keeping with our House competitions, last week our Year 8 form boards were judged and our joint winners were 8B and 8G.
And finally, yesterday The Royal Society of Biology ran a national webinar on Tuesday evening, allowing students to hear from a community ecologist and a neuroscientist. Students from Years 9-11 chose to stay after school to listen to the careers talks. They heard about each scientist’s journey to their current role and a little about what that role consists of. We heard about how the neuroscientist used to be a chiropractor and because he was intrigued by where pain came from, started studying the brain. Thank you to Mr Thrower for organising this opportunity for our students.
As October half term approaches, you might be wondering what activities are available. October Half Term Events and Activities in Wokingham has a variety of events that might be of interest.
Elizabeth Griffiths
Assistant Headteacher