Boarders' Activities
The Head of Boarders for J&O organised a Christmas cookie decorating afternoon for both boarding houses. All the boarders loved this activity and were really creative with their designs
Thanks to the Catering team for providing the cookies to make this possible.
J&O have also getting into the Christmas spirit with the first of their jigsaws competed in just a couple of evenings.
Sixth Form Film Studies Trip
Last week, the Film Studies department ran a trip for Sixth Form students to visit ‘Futures Festival’ at Pinewood Studios. Futures Festival is one of the biggest careers events for those looking to start a career in the Film and Television industry. Pinewood Studios has been the world famous hub of film and TV production in the UK for over 85 years, producing some of the biggest blockbuster films of recent years including popular franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean, James Bond, and Stars Wars.
The day began with a workshop titled ‘Job Application 101’ which was led by Industrial Light & Magic’s Talent Acquisition Manager, Leanne Loughran. Created by George Lucas in 1975, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the workshop, students received insider application tips on how to stand out from the crowd and land their first job.
Students were then given a tour of some of Pinewood Studio’s impressive soundstages where they were able to meet potential employers and take part in a number of fun demonstrations using state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment. They were even able to meet some familiar faces from film and television including Voldemort, Captain Jack Sparrow, Deadpool and a squad of Stormtroopers!
Here’s what Tara and Beatrice had to say about the experience:
I really enjoyed the trip; the experience was amazing and it was clear everyone who worked there loved it. I particularly enjoyed meeting all of the droids from Star Wars and characters from films. I also found the Industrial Light & Magic talk so useful for when I will make a CV as well as the opportunities the company presented to us that I hadn’t considered before. Having always been someone who preferred to be working in front of the camera rather than working behind the camera, I found it very eye-opening to be shown all of the different opportunities by an organisation that focused more on post-production of films. In addition to this, there were countless other film production and behind the scenes companies that we got to explore, including visual effects, working as extras and make-up. Beatrice, Lower Sixth
I had such an amazing experience visiting Pinewood Studios. It was a unique experience to be able to walk around an active film studio and see so many of my favourite characters in real life. I loved seeing and trying some of the incredible equipment used in films up close. For example, seeing the drones used to map out landscapes in Dune and trying out the different background of the green screens. During our talk from Industrial Light & Magic, I learnt a lot about what recruiters look for in a CV in a fun Star Wars themed way. This has all given me more confidence to do this in the future. This talk also gave me a deeper understanding of the different roles in the film industry and how there are so many different areas to be interested in. Tara, Upper Sixth
Edwin Drood Rehearsals
The company of Edwin Drood had a festive warm up this week before rehearsals!
Lower Sixth Photography
Lower Sixth Photography students tried their hand at experimenting with light trails and long shutter speeds.
It was a very clear night and they captured such a great shot of the moon!
Lower Sixth Biology Trip
Lower Sixth Biology students went on a trip to the Biology In Action conference at the Emmanuel Centre for a day of discussions, interactive sessions and inspirational stories for A Level students. They enjoyed the lectures, and as well as finding them inspiring, students found the stories about career paths, like this slide from the first speaker Marius Moosajee a Clinician Scientist in Opthalmology, incredibly useful.
Year 7 Art
Year 7 Art pupils have been learning to draw using their Surface Pros. This is a great way to show the versality of their devices.
ISC and COP28
Pupils in the International Study Centre and from the lunchtime club, Climate Action, have been getting involved in COP28 taking place in UAE this week, where world leaders come together to discuss progress and action on climate change.
Through the Global Schools Alliance and their partner, World's Largest Lesson, students across the country, have been tasked with designing a poster on a range of topics including: affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water or life on land. These posters will be submitted and the best ones chosen to be held by activists during COP28. We will be looking for them on the news coverage!
Here are some of the posters from Year 10's Lluna, Hermione, Siri, Chloe, Carolina and Jaslyn, Year 9's Donna and Hailie and Year 8's Jimena and Martina. Well done to you all!
Year 9 Geography Trip
Year 9 Geographers had a brilliant trip to the Natural History Museum on Wednesday this week. To compliment their work on Natural Hazards this term, pupils discovered more about the dangers of volcanoes and earthquakes as well as how they uniquely shape our environment. It was a fantastic opportunity to extend learning through interactive exhibits, informative displays and of course immersive experiences such as the earthquake simulator!
Home Clothes Day
Bring out your favourite Christmas jumper, holiday pyjamas, elf costume, or Santa beard for our Home Clothes Day on Thursday 7th December. It’s time to start the season of giving by showing your super Christmas spirit. Make sure you don’t forget to bring £2 (or more) for charity and pupils can bring in their coins to Form Time or if you forget your change, head to the Chaplain's office to make a contactless payment.
For this Home Clothes Day, we are spotlighting our local charity, Folly Wildlife Rescue in Tunbridge Wells. Situated in the Broadwater Forest near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Folly Wildlife Rescue Trust is a charity dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of injured, orphaned and distressed wild animals and birds throughout West Kent, East Sussex and the surrounding region.
You can bring in your £2 for Home Clothes Day, but you can also donate to Folly Wildlife Rescue with an online donation, buying an item off their Amazon Wishlist, or even virtually adopting a cute, little hedgehog! Visit their website for more information.
Carol Service
Please note this is a compulsory event for all Senior School students.
The Wellbeing Hub
Please find below the content line up for the Wellbeing Hub for the Spring Term 2024.