Blog week ending 25th November

Christmas plans and events are afoot!  Christmas hampers and tombola items are coming together and I look forward to welcoming you all to our Christmas Fair this Sunday (27^th November).  As you would expect, there will be a huge range of Christmas stalls selling gifts and treats as well as refreshments .. and an opportunity to win one of the fabulous student form hampers pictured below.  A large number of the hampers will be donated to local organisations so they can be gifted to local families who are facing hardship and might not otherwise receive a gift.  Thank you for all of your many donations, your kindness and generosity of spirit will undoubtably make a difference to those families!

Below are a small selection of the increadibly thoughtful and amazing finished hampers, watching them all being delivered into the hall was quite overwhelming .. thank you all so very, very much.  

Pictured below Chair of the PFA Jayne Warrington who has the unenviable task of judging the hampers - prizes are awarded to the winning Forms.  

Year 7 Artists have been working on still life pen and ink drawings.  Students have been perfecting skills including proportions and perspectives as well as using hatching and cross hatching techniques to show light and shade.

Year 9 Art students have been exploring a project entitled 'Wonderland' Who am I? this term. They have been examining Alice in Wonderland, the famous children's book, written by Lewis Carroll in 1865 to explore its themes of identity, growing up and perceptions of reality.  As one of the most famously illustrated books, they have been using a variety of different media to replicate and respond to the work of famous illustrators including Sir John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham and Chris Riddell. They have also been taking their own Alice inspired photographs in the style of contemporary photographers including Annie Leibovitz and Tim Walker.

Our A Level Art students are currently exploring the history of anatomical drawing.  Historically, artists would often use and disect real bodies to understand form and contstruction .. fortunately we have a host of resources and stimuli avoiding the need for a body!!  Additionally, students have been working on portraits using colour block techniques.

Throughout the year there are a variety of House Challenges.  Each challenge is themed and provides an opportunity for students to research and complete a piece of work that is shared at form time and potentially, displayed around school.  Students can win House Points in the hope of winning the House Cup at the end of the year.  Our new challenge was set by the Art Department.

Miss Tame's A Level Physics student have been investigating how much energy is lost from the cells in solar panels.  Students have been building circuits to ensure that the panels extract maximum power and run efficiently.

A Level Chemists are currently manufacturing aspirin!  This requires students to complete a series of practical lessons the first of which (pictured below) was to make the precursor chemical that makes aspirin. 

Our WG6 Open Event is scheduled for Wednesday 30^th November.  For more information on the opportunities and subjects available to our WG6 students please read our Curriculum Booklet by clicking here.  To apply to WG6 please click here

I received the below letter from the Minister of State for Schools regarding our commitment to MFL.

Our Librarian has made us aware of the online service PressReader which she wholeheartedly recommends!  The service offers free access to most newspapers and magazines in the UK and overseas too.  This is a great free resource for students to boost their current affairs knowledge. Historians can look at BBC History magazine, Economics students can read The Economist.  Spanish students can read El Pais etc.  Science students can read BBC Science magazine etc.  The service can be accessed by following the below instructions.

How to guide

The weblink is https://www.pressreader.com/  Go to Sign in then click Library or Group

Then search for your local library service i.e. Bexley or Kent

Then enter your library card number. For Bexley libraries members this number starts with 20109…….

Our Built Environment students are finalising their exhibits ahead of the Society Exhibition next week.

Forthcoming Events;

Christmas Market – 27^th November 11am-3pm

WG6 Open Evening – 30^th November

Society Exhibition, Built Environment – December 1^st

School Carol service at St Michael and All Angels Wilmington - 8^th December –6.00 – 7.30 with refreshments served afterwards.

Year 7 Carol Service joint with WGSB during the school day - 13^th December

Christmas Lunch – 13^th December (click here to view letter)

 

Best wishes,

Michelle Lawson

Head Teacher