This summer term newsletter reflects on the many highlights that have made this term so busy and memorable. From the excitement of Geography fieldtrips and the flourishing efforts of our Gardening Club, to the outstanding achievements in sport, science and library competitions, our students have truly embraced every opportunity to grow, explore and succeed.
This term has also seen enriching collaborations with students from our partner schools across the Trust, and our Careers Academy has continued to provide a wealth of experiences, guidance and support to help students take confident steps towards their futures.
Mr Mashingaidze, who joined us in September as I did, shares in this newsletter his reflections on arriving at LPGS and in the UK. He speaks warmly of the strong sense of belonging and the incredible welcome he has received from students, staff and families—a sentiment I wholeheartedly echo.
As we look back on these moments in our end-of-year assemblies, I hope every student feels proud of their journey this year. It has been a joy to witness their enthusiasm, resilience and achievements.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated staff for their tireless work in creating such rich and varied opportunities for our students. And finally, I wish all of you a safe, restful and enjoyable summer break.
Mr Whittle - Headteacher
Summer Term Geography Fieldwork Round-Up
This summer term has been a busy and rewarding one for our Geography students, who have taken their learning beyond the classroom and into the field.
Year 12 students travelled to Dorset for a residential based at the beautiful Leeson House Field Studies Centre. Surrounded by the rolling Purbeck Hills and the dramatic Jurassic Coast, students explored a wide range of physical and human geography. They investigated sand dune succession at Studland Bay, assessed coastal management strategies in Swanage, and visited Boscombe to consider the effects of regeneration in a coastal town. Evenings were a blend of hard work on their NEAs and healthy competition, with classroom analysis sessions followed by garden games and some fiercely contested board games. The teachers were, predictably, the most competitive of all.
Year 10 Geographers stayed a little closer to home, heading to the Isle of Dogs for their urban fieldwork enquiry. Walking a transect through the area, students collected data on environmental quality, noise levels, and traffic, focusing on how quality of life varies across the area, particularly as they approached the investment heavy district of Canary Wharf. The data they gathered will inform classroom discussions on urban change, regeneration and inequality, and ultimately prepare them for their examinations next year.
A huge thank you goes to the Geography team for their time, energy and expertise. Mr Maisey supported the Dorset residential, while Mr Acomb, Mr Adriano, Ms Lunskey, Mr Maisey, and honorary geographer Ms Klawiter from the History department ensured the Year 10 trips ran smoothly.
It has been a fantastic term of fieldwork, and we are proud of our students for their curiosity, resilience and enthusiasm throughout.
For updates throughout the year, please follow our Geography Instagram page: LPGS_Geography
Ms Hudson – Head of Geography
The Gardening Club
Wickes Community Programme
Our gardening club is very grateful to have received a £100 donation from Wickes in the form of a variety of tools and equipment through their ‘Community Programme’ initiative, following an application put in by our science technicians. We have also had a generous donation of outdoor paint from Crown paints in Sydenham.
The gardening club, run by Mr Burnett, is a small but dedicated group of students from across different year groups which meets every Thursday lunchtime to work on our wildlife garden and growing plants for our vegetable beds. These donations will help to enhance and maintain the outdoor space.
Any further donations of plants or equipment will be gratefully received!
English Department News
Virginia Woolf Enrichment Trip
Earlier this term, Sixth Form English students took part in an enrichment trip exploring Virginia Woolf, the Bloomsbury Group, and experimental fiction.
The day began with a literary walking tour of Lewes, tracing Woolf’s connections to the town and placing her work in its wider cultural and historical context. Students then visited Charleston House, home to Vanessa Bell and a key site of Bloomsbury activity, where they explored how art, politics, and literature shaped the group’s way of life.
In the afternoon, students attended a live conversation at Charleston with author Eimear McBride and actress Denise Gough. The event focused on narrative voice and experimental form, particularly the legacy of female authorship and its influence on McBride’s “A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing”.
The trip offered students a rich opportunity to see literature as part of a living cultural tradition, while deepening their understanding of voice, form, and context.
LIBRARY: SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2025
It’s been a busy Summer Term in the Library. It began with the excitement of Geri Halliwell-Horner’s visit to talk to Y7 and Y8 about her career and to introduce her new book Rosie Frost : Ice on Fire.
From March until June the Carnegie Reading Group for Y8 and Y9 students met weekly to discuss the Carnegie shortlist; a really excellent selection this year. On 19 June we hosted the Shadow Carnegie Book Awards and were joined by students from Langley Boys and Hayes. For once we agreed with the judges in London! Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald was the medal-winner, an emotional yet uplifting story of two teenage boys raised in the care system. All the shortlisted books are available from the Library.
The Lit in Colour Lunchtime Book Club goes from strength to strength giving students the opportunity to ‘picnic’ in the Library and chat about what they are reading. Y7 Library Lessons have continued apace and Y8 and Y9 students also had timetabled visits to the Library to choose books for summer reading.
Hundreds of students submitted reviews for the READ WELLbeing Inter-House Reading Competition. This year was a three-way battle between Gamma, Lambda and Sigma. The final result was:
1st GAMMA - 2nd LAMBDA - 3rd SIGMA - 4th KAPPA
Well done Gamma, the 2025 winners of the CELEBRATING READING CUP.
Prizes go to the following students for particularly thoughtful reviews:
Miyah A 7GA, Eva T 7GB, Ellie J 7LF, Maisie K 7LF
Maryam A 8LF, Estelle I 8SH, Kayla O 9SH, Mali S 9KD
Meanwhile, throughout the year, Y7 have been taking part in a Mega Library Reading Race. Each student was asked to complete six increasingly detailed reading ‘track events’. This starts with the Triathlon, with just three books to read, eventually working up to the Marathon with 26 reading tasks to complete.
Many congratulations to our fantastic winners who completed the Marathon:
Teya C-S 7KD (who completed the Reading Race in record time), Jazzy S 7GA and Lara D 7LI
Very well done to our Runners-Up:
Niamh B 7KC and Monica L 7KD
The summer holidays offer a wonderful opportunity to read and relax and so we hope everyone will take part in the SUMMER READING CHALLENGE to read 6 books during the break. Students receive P Points for the books they list on the Firefly home page and will be entered into the prize draw.
Wishing you a very happy holiday and happy reading!
Mrs Hall - Librarian
News from the Science Department
The LPGS Science department recently hosted two events for Trust schools. On Friday 27 June, 16 intrepid Year 12 students found their way to LPGS to participate in our first ever Trust Chemistry Olympiad Workshop: 'Periodically Nerds'. Participants engaged in a variety of fun problem solving activities and games, working in small teams with other students they had never met before! We will be following up on this with a series of autumn online workshops open to all Year 13 Chemistry students across the Trust.
On 3 July, visiting teams of Year 8 students from Langley Boys, Ravens Wood and Hayes joined teams from LPGS for our annual Trust KS3 Science Challenge. Students were given a series of practical challenges and demonstrated excellent teamwork and problem solving skills, drawing upon their science knowledge to complete the challenges. One of our LPGS teams was crowned the overall winners of the day: congratulations to Lily H, Holly D, Isla B, Eden W and Naya M. Thanks also to Gracie, Plamena, Nadia and Isabella from Year 12, who assisted throughout the day and entertained the students with their LPGS Science Shorts talks.
Year 12 Applied Science students recently visited Tate and Lyle in Central London. We enjoyed a tour of their facilities, including their labs and packing facilities, and learned about their processes and research.
Our pond has been very widely used in this lovely weather: our own students have been taking part in sampling activities and we have also hosted classes from Langley Park Primary School and Hawes Down Primary School, as well as running workshops for Year 6 students who will be joining us in September.
Our final event of the year involved a small number of Y7-9 students participating in a garden and wildlife workshop in our wildlife area.
Summer Term Sport at LPGS – Miss Harris, Head of Health Faculty
There has been lots of sport happening over the Summer term, which has seen many students proudly represent LPGS in league fixtures and borough tournaments. It has also been fantastic to see new and exciting opportunities grow, particularly in cricket, which has been brilliantly led by Miss Tyler!
Rounders Success
The annual rounders tournaments at Charles Darwin School were a great success for LPGS, with each year group putting in strong performances:
• Year 7 showed excellent teamwork and enthusiasm, finishing in 3rd place.
• Year 8 played some thrilling matches and finished as runners-up.
• Year 9 were dominant throughout and were crowned champions!
• Year 10 also impressed, narrowly missing out on the title and finishing 2nd.
A huge thank you to Miss Azra, Miss Bush, Miss McGovern, and Mrs Hurley for their expert coaching and unwavering support throughout the rounders season – the success across all year groups is a credit to their dedication and enthusiasm.
Cricket on the Rise
Cricket has gone from strength to strength this term. Miss Tyler has led a fantastic programme that has seen growing numbers at training sessions and fixtures. This term saw two brilliant cricket trips – one to the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground and another to Kent County Cricket Club, where students had the chance to watch England take on New Zealand in a thrilling live match.
LPGS teams have also had some excellent results in competition. In the U13 tournament, the team won all their group games, securing a place in the playoffs. They played brilliantly in the final but were narrowly beaten by a strong Bexley Grammar side. The team should be incredibly proud of their performance.
In the U15 tournament, the team won three games and just missed out on a perfect record after a close loss by just one run in their final match. Every player contributed and performed superbly throughout the tournament.
The enthusiasm for cricket is clear, and it’s exciting to see so many students getting involved and thriving.
Athletics Achievements
It’s also been a brilliant term for athletics.
At the West Kent Athletics Championships at Norman Park, LPGS athletes delivered outstanding results, with a number of top 3 finishes and several event winners, including:
• Rayanna – 100m winner
• Connie – 100m winner
• Emiko – 200m winner
• Ella B – 200m winner
• Liv L – 300m winner
• Bella O – 800m winner
• Amy R – Javelin winner
• Delilah – Shot Put winner
Over 20 LPGS students competed in the Bromley Minors’ competition, with many strong performances across the board. A special mention to Jazzy S, who ran a superb race to win the 1500m. Thank you to Mr Saunders for his excellent running of Athletics Club this term – it’s been really well attended and has given students a great platform to train and compete.
We rounded off the year in style with our Sports Day at Norman Park on 15th July, where students once again showcased their athletic talents and celebrated the spirit of LPGS sport. A big thank you to the PE team for all their hard work in organising Sports Day – it is a brilliant way to end the year!
WSL Trophy Came to Langley
One of the most exciting moments of the term came when LPGS had the incredible opportunity to welcome the Women’s Super League (WSL) trophy to the school! Huge thanks to Mr Robertson for winning us this opportunity, and to Mr Saunders for organising the visit. Our students were thrilled to get up close and even have their photo taken with the trophy. Who knows – maybe one day, it will be one of them lifting it!
It’s been another fantastic year of LPGS sport, packed with effort, passion, and success across so many disciplines. A huge well done to all the students and staff who made it happen. We would also like to thank parents/carers for their extraordinary aupport this term and throughout the year. We cannot wait for next year already – bring it on!
Gardening Club
We are excited to announce that the Gardening Club has restarted this year – and it is already thriving despite the drought! Every Thursday at lunchtime, students from years 7 to 10 gather to reconnect with nature, grow their own food, and enjoy a calm, hands-on break from the school day.
Our raised beds are full of activity, with the first set of tomatoes now ready to be picked and the runner beans beginning to flower. We’ve also recently added a new herb garden, which is already thriving with fragrant favourites like mint, basil, and thyme.
In our ongoing effort to be more sustainable, we’ve acquired new compost bins, which are now a key part of the garden’s ecosystem. One of our goals this year is to produce our own compost using garden and food waste from around the school. Not only does this reduce waste, but it also gives us a rich, natural fertiliser to help our plants grow even stronger — all while teaching valuable lessons about recycling, sustainability, and environmental responsibility.
Gardening isn’t just great for the environment — it’s also a powerful boost for mental health. Being outdoors, working with plants, and seeing your efforts grow into something real can be incredibly calming and rewarding. It’s been a joy seeing the hard work of our members pay off, as the garden begins to flourish and reflect the care and dedication put into it each week.
We’re also hugely grateful to Wickes, who generously donated free equipment to help us get going again — thank you for supporting our green goals!
Mr Burnett and Mrs Hickley
A Year of Belonging
By Alois Mashingaidze
My name is Alois Mashingaidze, and I joined the Langley Park School for Girls community as a Physics teacher in September 2024. Before that, I spent 15 years teaching in Africa, a journey filled with rich experiences, challenges, and personal growth.
Relocating to the UK and joining LPGS was a significant transition, both professionally and personally. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but looking back on this past year, I can confidently say it has been a time marked by kindness, support, and a deep sense of belonging.
From day one, I was welcomed with warm smiles, helping hands, and genuine encouragement. The school’s core values, especially kindness, belonging, and respect, aren’t just words on a wall, they are lived out in every interaction. Whether through thoughtful guidance from colleagues, support from leadership, or simple everyday gestures, I have felt truly embraced by the community.
Teaching Physics has always been my passion, and it has been a joy to share that passion with such engaged and inquisitive students. Adapting to a new curriculum and educational environment brought fresh challenges, but also many rewarding opportunities. Collaborating with supportive and enthusiastic colleagues has made the transition smoother than I could have imagined.
As I reflect on this first year, I feel incredibly grateful for the warm welcome, the everyday acts of kindness, and the opportunity to continue growing as an educator. I look forward to the year ahead and to continuing my journey here at LPGS.
Careers Academy – Summer Newsletter – July 2025
The Summer term has been a busy one for the Careers Academy with lots of work experience, employer interactions, trips to universities and apprenticeship applications and successes!
Year 10 and Year 12 work Experience
Wow! In May, all 240 Year 10 students were out on placement and in July, 228 Year 12 students went out to complete a one week placement. The employer feedback has been OUTSTANDING! Your Careers Team could not be any prouder of the way you approached your work experience placements. During the work experience weeks, when we were making calls to the employers, we were frequently asked what our dates were for next year so they could diarise to take more LPGS students!
Employer quotes included:
“I cannot believe her age, she is extremely mature and confident and the questions she is asking us have blown us away!
“Early every day, immaculately presented, fantastic attitude, eager to learn, what more could we possibly ask for?”
Future Frontiers Programme
Starting in April this year, fifteen Year 10 students travelled up to London, one day a week, for four consecutive weeks to spend the day at Axis Capital PLC, a global insurance company. They were each paired with a mentor who worked through the programme with them, helping them make decisions about their post 16 options. On the last week of the programme, the students all met with a person their mentor had found for them who works in the career that they are considering. We had meetings with an author, a lawyer, a financier and a social worker to name a few.
Smallpiece Trust – Formula One Day and RAF, “Blast Off” Day
We started working with the Smallpiece Trust this year. They are a fantastic company who promote opportunities and careers in STEM.
The Year 10 students attended a day in conjunction with Formula One, where the students were asked to design and make their own Formula One car and then deliver a sales pitch to attract sponsors and investors. We had budding engineers, market managers, finance managers and compliance managers competing against each other for victory! A fantastic day!
A huge thanks to the lovely volunteers from Formula One who spent the day with us – they were extremely impressed with our students and as a result, we are now working with them to pilot some insight sessions and future work experience opportunities – watch this space – exciting times ahead!
In May, we welcomed the Smallpiece Trust back to school, this time to deliver a 'Careers in Space Day' for some of our year 8 students, in partnership with the RAF. What a day! The students thoroughly enjoyed working in teams to design and develop a prototype of a vessel to land on their chosen part of a planet. They then developed their prototype and presented a pitch to potential investors. Well done to our budding engineers, developers, marketing and finance managers!
Year 9 Public Services Day
This was the first one we have run and it was a great success! Special thanks to the British Army and the Metropolitan Police who ensured every single one of our Year 9 students took part. There was something for everyone - from problem solving, to physical tasks, to observation tasks and even a game of “how many Year 9 students can we fit in the back of a police van!” Highlights of the day included; Miss Azra being dressed up in riot police wear and “accosted” by some disgruntled Year 9 students and Mrs Kourtaa being arrested, handcuffed and taken away!
The students heard about the various career paths they can take in both the Police and Army and about the vast amount of careers available within these prestigious organisations.
We were also extremely happy to be told by The British Army that LPGS now holds the record for the fastest tyre moving operation drill in London! This particular drill, required students to show physical strength, as well as logical strength. Not one, but two teams smashed the London record and we now hold 1st and 2nd place in the standings!
MAREX – Girls Insight into Careers in Finance Day
This was another first for LPGS and something we hope we will establish as a yearly occurrence. In May, 16 female year 12 students interested in finding out more about careers in Finance were invited to Marex’s head office to find out more about what the company does and what a career in financial services may look like.
A team of Marex volunteers took part in speed-networking sessions with the students, sharing their experiences with them. The students were also treated to a lovely lunch where they could sit with their mentors and ask more questions.
Studying abroad session
This term, LPGS hosted our other trust schools to attend a session, run by one of our brilliant stakeholders, UES Education on applying to study abroad.
We welcomed admissions teams from Bentley University, University of British Columbia, Savannah College of Art and Design, St John’s College and Washington University. Our fabulous guests spent the afternoon, speaking to our students about the opportunities available to them, admissions procedures, admission tests and how the application processes differ from the British system.
This was a very insightful event with invaluable advice and tips for students considering this pathway.
Baker McKenzie – employability skills afternoon
A senior partner and his team from Baker McKenzie, a global law firm, came to LPGS to run an employability session for our year 12 students, giving them their top 5 tips for success.
After the session, we ran a law clinic for all students interested in a career in this field, providing students with an opportunity to practise their networking skills. We are proud to say the students excelled at this - well done to you all!
As we have now come to expect, students asked some excellent questions and established quality LinkedIn contacts.
Apprenticeships
It has been a record breaking year, with more students applying to degree apprenticeships than ever before. So far, we have confirmed offers from investment banks, law firms, government organisations, top 4 accountancy firms and global retailers.
Degree apprenticeships are an alternative way for our students to gain a degree, “earning while they are learning” and we are passionate about showing them this as an alternative pathway, whilst running our traditional UCAS programme with them. Students who are interested in this pathway can work with the Careers Team to identify and apply for opportunities and prepare for assessment centres and interviews.
Farewell to the Class of 2025: A Celebration to Remember
This term, we bid a fond farewell to our incredible Year 13s, the Class of 2025. As they prepare to embark on new adventures beyond school, we marked the occasion with a series of heartfelt celebrations.
Our annual Leavers' Breakfast was a touching start to the goodbyes. Students gathered to watch video messages filled with warm wishes and memories, signed shirts as keepsakes, and enjoyed a special performance by our talented resident performer and lyricist, Javarn.
The celebrations continued in style at Prom, held at the stunning Farleigh Golf Club. Students arrived dressed to impress, ready to dance the night away. The evening was filled with laughter, music, and unforgettable memories - a perfect send-off for a remarkable group of young people.
We’re also looking forward to celebrating with them once more on Results Day in August, when we’ll come together again to mark their achievements and the next steps in their journeys.
We are filled with pride and excitement for what lies ahead and can’t wait to see where life takes this exceptional cohort!
Summer Arts Festival 2025
Another successful evening of Visual and Performing Arts took place on 24th June 2025, celebrating aspects of Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts.
Well done to all those involved and especially our GCSE, A Level and BTEC Artists and Photographers for such a wonderful, rich display of creative work!!
Click above to play video of example Art work...
Credits:
Created with images by Viktor - "Pineapple with sunglasses and headphones sits on beach. Tropical summer vacation. Colorful flowers and fruits around it. Sunny day and turquoise sea. Relaxing summer vibe. Fun and creative image." • Beach Pilgrim - "Sunset Durdle Door Dorset" • Rawpixel.com - "Kid in a garden experience and idea" • Romolo Tavani - "Laboratory Research - Scientific Glassware For Chemical Background " • Liudmila - "The sense of belonging symbol. Concept words The sense of belonging on beautiful brick blocks. Beautiful green background, wooden table. Business and the sense of belonging concept."