Blog week ending 30th September

Our Year 7 students have started their Epistemic Insight Programme.  The study programme helps our students understand how scholorship and knowledge work together across the different subjects – helping them make connections between different disciplines.  This approach helps them maximise their learning, developes critical thinking and instills effective research skills.  Pictured below, me with one of my Year 7 classes.

Epistemic Insight.  This week I was invited to contribute to a conference with the LASAR Centre to explore the idea of Flourishing Schools.  I was part of team creating a film led by Dr Suzanne Dillion, OECD Chair of the Global Forum on the Future of Education and Skills.  I presented the work of WGSG on Epistemic Insight alongside a range of other professionals. Dr Scarfe who is the founder and CEO of Positive Ed and a member on the advisory board of the Global Flourishing Study led by Harvard University in collaboration with Baylor University. Marianne Cutler, Director, Curriculum Innovation, Association for Science Education (ASE). Dr. Bonnie Zahl is a Principal Advisor to Templeton World Charity Foundation's Big Questions in Classrooms initiative and The Science of Religious and Spiritual Disciplines initiative. Professor Dana Zeidler, Distinguished University Professor in Science Education at the University of South Florida's College of Education Helen Burns, University of Dundee, School of Education, Social Work and Community Education and Dr Martin Hagan, St Mary's University College Belfast. Head of Education and Chair of the BEd Programme Board at St. Mary’s University College.  Following this we had discussions with the Templeton Foundation about the impact of the work we are doing on students and how this can be developed beyond just our school.  Mrs Dhaliwal, WGSG Assistant Head was a member of a panel exploring how we can develop students’ knowledge through metacognition in the classroom.

The overall aim is to continue to explore how we can really transform learning in schools so that it addresses both disciplinary knowledge as well as personal growth and development. 

Our lunchtime and after school Clubs and Support Sessions have started in earnest and offer such a range of activities, offering students the opportunity to have fun whilst learning new skills or developing existing interests.  To see the current programme click here – please note that additional clubs will be added throughout the term.  Following our outstanding Mandarin GCSE results, our teachers of Mandarin continue to offer students of all year groups opportunities to practise, learn and crucially, make the sessions interactive and enjoyable for all!  This week, our Year 7 Mandarin students created their own classroom language Rap.  It was very excited to listen to them to sing in mandarin the rap they created themselves!  非常棒!

Mrs Pickstone’s Mandarin club saw students continue the musical theme, this time singing a song the students all knew .. but in Mandarin!  Brilliant work, especially considering students have only just starting learning Mandarin!

 

 

 

We are delighted to welcome (back!) Mrs Rubbera, Teacher of Spanish and French. Mrs Rubbera is our new Second in Charge of MFL and Head of Year 8. She joins us from Bexley Grammar School where she was Head of KS3 Languages. “I am delighted to return to WGSG and am really looking forward to bringing the language and cultural elements of their studies alive. We hope to run plenty of exciting new language competitions and extra-curricular clubs for our students who are passionate about languages”.  In the lesson pictured below Mrs Rubbera’s Year 9 Spanish class were learning and practising pronunciation of vocabulary on the theme of holidays.

Calling all French/Spanish-speaking parents!  Are you a native speaker of French or Spanish?  Would you be willing to volunteer a few hours of your time each week or fortnight for conversation lessons with our GCSE and A-level students? 

If so, please contact Mrs Rubbera at arubbera@wgsg.co.uk for more information. 

Introducing Miss DiLauro, Teacher of MFL who joins us from Harris Acadamy Garrard, is an exceptional teacher of languages whose experience and flair for bringing a subject alive will undoubtably make a difference to our students.  In the lesson pictured below students are taking part in a ‘quick-fire’ translation game where they match the spoken French phrases to their English translations.  Using white boards Miss DiLauro is instantly able to gauge student knowledge and identify any gaps in learning before moving on.

 

 

Our PE Department offer a wide range of clubs that supplement our learned sports and more importantly, offer endless opportunities to be physically active, be part of social groups and compete in school-based or sider local community competitions. 

The below photos show the Dance Club warming up (to some very up-beat music!) and the Fitness Club members taking part in an induction session with Miss Skrine to be able to effectively and safely use the new gym equipment.

Ms Rosa, Head of Drama was absolutely delighted to see so many students in attendance for our Matilda The Musical Club.  Our performing arts room was absolutely packed with students eager to take part in the forthcoming production.  There are lots of cast, chorus, stage and production roles available – we will keep you updated with the progress of the production.

Students are currently rehearsing ahead of our very special Poetry and Comedy Night on Wednesday 19^th October.  The Drama department is working to stage a cross-subject student event in our pop-up ‘Jazz Bar’ (the performing arts room!) 

Ms Rosa has asked me to include the message “could I ask that if you are having a clear out and have anything you are keen to throw away, please think of the Drama Department, we would be very grateful for any donations of props and costumes so we can build up a wonderful world of recourses that our students can enjoy for many years!”

Mrs Patel’s Year 10 Physics students have been exploring static electricity.  In this practical lesson students used the Van de Graaff generator to demonstrate the effects of static electricity!

Mrs Carwithen’s Y12 Physics students have been exploring light and sound waves.  In this practical lesson students are exploring and plotting refracted light through a crystal prism.  The Rubens tube is used to demonstrate acoustic standing waves in a tube .. in this instance Mrs Carwithen played a rather fitting song; Firestarter(!) to illustrate the relationship between sound waves and sound pressure.  

Our Year 13 A Level Biologists went on an excursion to Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve.  The ranger talks outlined the park’s conservation work with rare and endangered animals before taking students on a safari tour.  The aim of the outing was to enlighten and develop the interest of animals, their conservation and the wider ecosystem amongst our Year 13 cohort. 

Our Year 12 Professional Construction students are working on an architecture project to design and create plans for their ideal WG6 student block.  In this lesson students are using specialist industry software CAD to create 3D scale images of their designs.

Forthcoming;

Good luck to all 100 of our Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award participants for their qualifying expedition at Blacklands Farm in East Grinstead this weekend.  I look forward to seeing you all when you reach the campsite.

Tonight, is our PFA Year 7 Disco – have fun everyone!

6^th October – Year 7 Meet the Tutor evening

13^th October – Year 11 Parents’ Evening

Best wishes,

Michelle Lawson

Head Teacher