Another week has flown by with a range of different activities for the students.

On Monday, 40 Year 9 students attended a maths trip to the home of the Williams F1 team in Oxfordshire. The aim of the trip was to gain an appreciation and understanding of how maths is applied in a real-life situation. The sessions consisted of a brilliant activity that gave students an opportunity to understand the maths and engineering formulae applied to the design of a F1 car nose cone. Students then designed, tested and built their own nose cone, mimicking the decisions various different departments across the Williams F1 team make on a daily basis. Every student also took part in a F1 e-Sports simulator racing against each other at 4 different race tracks. All involved had a fantastic day. Hopefully, we have inspired the next generation of Formula 1 engineers.

As part of their Making a Difference topic in Futures, students in Year 7 have been challenged to choose a charity and to then raise awareness of it. Some of the groups decided to turn theory into practice and have organised a range of events, including a number of very successful (and tasty) bake sales. One group in Mrs Hillsley’s class went a step further and decided to organise a mixed gender Euros themed football competition to raise awareness and money for their chosen charity, Young Minds. The boys organised everything, including contacting Young Minds to get T-Shirts and banners to promote the event. On Tuesday, the tournament final was played between 7T (Netherlands) and 7Y (France) with 7Y emerging victorious on penalties. The tournament was a huge success enjoyed by all (despite the torrential rain during the final) and really made a difference, raising £195 for Young Minds. Huge congratulations go to Jack, Noah, Adam, Jacob and Logan who worked tirelessly to make it a success.

This Thursday saw our Annual Awards Evening for students in Years 7 - 10. This is our opportunity to formally celebrate and recognise the students who have made the most progress and those who have achieved the highest standards in all our subjects. It was a pleasure to see so many parents able to share in this celebration with their children. 

Also this week, about 70 of our Year 10 students enjoyed a visit to Cirencester College. This was an opportunity to discover more about the post-16 routes available, to find out about college life, and to experience lessons in a range of subjects.  As an 11-16 school, it is really important we give students a wide range of experiences of the post-16 provision available and this will continue with the post-16 taster days for the class of 2025 during next academic year’s flexible learning day in November.  

You may also notice some storage units and fencing at the front of the school. We are starting a short building project that will see the windows at the front of our 3-storey block being replaced. These new windows have significantly greater thermal properties which should help keep rooms warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. 

I include my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. If your financial circumstances have changed, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals. If you click on this link you will find guidance on the eligibility criteria and the application process. It's a quick process and we are notified of all FSM entitlements by Gloucestershire County Council each Monday. I would urge you to take a look if you think you may benefit from financial assistance. 

I can’t end without a mention of the football. Following some pretty mediocre performances earlier in the tournament, I’m not sure any of us expected England to reach the final of the Euros. They have, and I’m sure the vast majority of us will be glued to our TVs on Sunday evening willing them to victory. Could it finally be coming home!?

I do hope you enjoy a great weekend.

Regards

Richard Johnson  
Headteacher