Head's Welcome
Dear Families, A massive thank you to everyone who supported our cake sale this week. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the number of delicious donations that arrived at our doors, it’s safe to say our sweet tooths were well and truely satisfied! The funds raised are going toward a very special project: purchasing a fruit tree for the school grounds. This was a specific request from our House Captains and Vice-House Captains, who are keen to leave a legacy for the school. We can’t wait to see it planted and eventually enjoy the fruit together. Today Mrs Littler led a wonderful assembly focused on the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. We were all inspired by his message of peace, kindness, and leading by example. It was a fantastic session that sparked some great questions. If you have a moment this weekend, please do ask your child what they learned about Gandhi. Have a wonderful weekend Mrs Rich
In this week's newsletter
Head's Welcome Students of the Week Dates for the Diary What we've been up to Student Corner Other news and updates, including lost property
Students of the Week
Dates for the Diary
- Wednesday 4th February - 1pm - 30 min Italian lesson with Mrs Porter in the Spanish Room
- Thursday 5 February - 5-7pm: Year 7 Progress Check evening (online)
- Friday 13th February: Own clothes day for Children's Mental Health Awareness Week - come as yourself and be comfortable! No donation
- Friday 13th February - 8.15-9.15am: PSHE/RSE coffee morning
- 16th – 20th February 2026: Half Term
- W/C 23rd February: Mock Exam week for Y11 and Y12
- Thursday 25 February - 5-7pm: Year 8 Progress Check evening (online)
Italian Lesson
Are you going on the school ski trip? Would you like to learn a few key phrases in Italian before you go? Come to the Spanish room on Wednesday 4th February at 1pm for a 30 min lesson with Mrs Porter
What we've been up to
Jay from Ctrl-Z
We were delighted to host Jay from Ctrl-Z again last week, as he came in to hold an interactive session with us during Friday lunchtime. The students loved seeing him again and having conversations as an extension of his assembly last term around smoking and vaping. As always, every student upheld our school values as they spoke to him - they asked insightful questions and learnt more about the impact of smoking and vaping on our physical, mental and financial health. We look forward to Jay coming again soon as we continue this great partnership with Ctrl-Z.
Bake Sale Fundraiser
There were some amazing cakes baked and donated for our fruit tree fundraisier today - thank you so much to everyone, Mrs Rich had a very hard time judging. In the end, Pavel tipped the vote with a meringue cake - something we have never seen before! Congratulations! Then well done to everyone else who participated: Ella, Nico, Ben Y7, Logan, Henry, Daisy Y7, Oliver Y9, Nina Y8, Layla, Harry, Arya, Ms Lansdell, Mrs Milestone and Mrs Davies.
KS3 Assembly
Ms Eynon held our KS3 assembly this week where she talked through our KS3 affirmations - we have put some of the slides below so we can all remember what was said. We are also all going to ask ourselves: Which healthy habits can I build on? So that is one to think about over the weekend.
Science
Year 8 have a had a busy week of science practicals! On Monday, they carried out a fractional distillation practical, during which Ms Anjam demonstrated how simple distillation can be used to separate ink and water. We also heard that Ms Anjam and Mr Stables got covered in water during setup....! Thursday the class then carried out a paper chromatography practical. On Friday, Year 9 were learning about covalent bonding - finding out the difference between simple and giant covalent compounds - please do come and tell Mrs Milestone what this means!
Rounders
KS3 had a great indoor rounders session in games this week - we will look forward to taking these skills outside once the weather warms up!
Microscopic Masterpieces: Year 9 Channel Their Inner Klari Reis
This term, our Year 9 Art students have been busy trading their traditional paintbrushes for a more "scientific" approach. Taking inspiration from the world-renowned contemporary artist Klari Reis, the art studio was transformed into a laboratory of color and chemical reactions. The Inspiration Klari Reis is famous for her Daily Dish project, where she creates vibrant, organic compositions inside Petri dishes using epoxy polymer and industrial pigments. Her work explores the beauty of the microscopic world, making cellular structures look like exploding galaxies.
The Process: Art Meets Chemistry To recreate this effect, our students experimented with a unique mix of PVA glue and drawing inks. While Reis uses complex resins, our Year 9s found that the thick, viscous nature of PVA glue provided the perfect "medium" to suspend color. The Technique Students filled circular bases with a layer of glue, then carefully dropped architectural and drawing inks into the wet surface. The Result As the inks hit the glue, they began to bloom, swirl, and marble, creating intricate patterns that look remarkably like living organisms or satellite imagery. The Challenge Unlike a standard drawing, this technique requires students to embrace "controlled accidents"—learning when to let the materials do the work and when to intervene with a cocktail stick or a gentle tilt. Why It Matters This project isn't just about making something "pretty." It encourages our students to: Experiment: Understanding how different liquids react to one another. Observe: Looking closer at the natural world and finding beauty in the "unseen." Risk-Take: Working with a fluid medium means no two pieces are ever the same! We are incredibly proud of the continued focus and creativity shown by the Year 9 cohort! #ArtsAmbassadors
Gandhi Assembly
Thank you to Ms Littler for delivering a wonderful assembly on Gandhi today - chosen as it is the anniversary of his assassination (30th January 1948). We learnt about the life, work and impact of this important historical figure as well as learning what other historical events happened on this day. Please ask your children what they learnt!
Student Corner
Traitors Winner - who was right?
Well done to those who correctly predicted who would win Traitors, although none of us suspected a double Traitor win!
- Stephen - Rory, Olivia, Alice, Arya, Brooke, Lysandar, Mrs Milestone, Mrs Strawbridge, Mrs Davies and Miss McDonnell
- Rachel - Hattie, Lexi, Jerusha, Sofia B, Ms Hanna-Shaikh, Ms Cowlam
Other News & Updates
Scrapbook Club Request
Please send in any unwanted magazines for the scrapbook club! There is a box by Ms Lansdell's desk for donations.
Careers - Volunteers Needed
We are also looking for volunteers who might be willing to showcase their careers in the following ways:
- Short case study for the careers board and website
- Being present at our inaugural careers fayre on 20th April 2026
Please email Mrs Milestone if you would like to take part and she can discuss this in more detail with you.
Business Notice Board Items
We are moving some of the notice boards around and have taken down the Business Workshop items from the notice board by the science lab. If you would like to keep your items, please come to collect them from Mrs Milestone in Wellbeing.
Local activities and clubs for children and young people
Cold and Wet Weather
Please make sure you send your child in with a waterproof coat as the weather is very mixed at present. Students will not be allowed out in the playground without suitable clothing, especially if it is raining/ sleeting/snowing.
Winter Hints & Tips from our Head Students, House Captains and House Vice Captains
Credits:
Created with an image by lucid_dream - "Charity Money Jar"