Summer 2020 WGS Newsletter

Issue Highlights

Head Teachers Message

Student Awards

Deputy Heads Message

Heads of Year

Final Goodbyes

YOU!

Dear Parents/Carers and Students, This is the first WGS newsletter and I hope you like it. A number of people have worked extremely hard in bringing this to fruition which is very much appreciated. We are coming to the end of an unprecedented year in our lives. When I started in January, I could not have expected that the challenge would be so dramatic! However, I am proud to say that virtually everybody has risen to the occasion and our parents have stood out in my view, in doing their level best to support their daughters with their work. Teaching can be tough for teachers so what some parents have achieved has been exceptional. As you know, the Trust has prioritised safety for all of our girls and staff. It is therefore really positive going forward that so many girls in Year 7, Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 took advantage of the school reopening.

MESSAGE FROM HEAD TEACHER

WGS Newsletter

ISSUE 1

Term 6

WGS Newsletter

Attendance was significantly higher than the national average. I really appreciate the trust you have shown in our plans to keep everybody safe and in September, when all pupils are back in school barring a local spike in COVID cases, I hope you will react similarly.

Following on from the GOOD inspection outcome in December where the inspectors were able to see that the quality of teaching is much improved throughout the school, we had hoped that improved public exam results would follow. Obviously this confirmation will now have to wait until next year because of the virus and lockdown but I'm very confident that will happen. Some of the work that the girls have produced in lockdown has been of an exceedingly high quality as demonstrated in this newsletter. Looking to the future, if we can support the girls to achieve their potential then we can all look forward to unparalleled success. I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you a well deserved summer break. The school will be back in touch during the last week in August as we prepare for the September start not forgetting the results events for Year 13 on 13th August and Year 11 on 20th August.

Mr Reese

WGS Headreacher

SFLT CEO

Recognition of Achievement Awards

Faculties have nominated students for achievement awards, for

showing excellence in learning over lockdown and for the

determination and commitment to being independent at

home. The winners are presented over the next few pages.

Well done! We are very proud of you!!

WGS Newsletter

Recognition of Achievement Awards ENGLISH Year 7 Bethany Morecraft Sophie Cooper Isabelle Ongley Alexandra Marlow-Gadsden Year 8 Summer Peat Year 9 Faith Howard Latisha Ashdown Beth Newton Kaitlyn O Connor Georgia Clay Year 10 Emily Ongley Charis Dalligan Eloise Wood Hannah Mackelden Phoebe Manning Year 12 Jack Pendergrast Evie Ravenscraft

MATHEMATICS

Year 7 Bethany Morecraft Connie Thomas Olivia Fitzgerald Ellie Baker Mia Smith-Lapper Isabel Austin Year 8 Kaitlin Mason Alice Green Amelia Box Hannah Forster Sophie Gates Grace Finnemore Year 9 Emma Wiley Georgia Clay Tia Mackins Kallie Everard Isabelle Harber Kaitlynn O'Connor Year 10 Chloe Impey Kaysha Munson Mea Bragginton Emily Ongley Lauren Hayter Mya Connell

SCIENCE Year 7: Lexi Guyatt Year 8: Lylah Cardy Year 9: Jessica Odell Year 10: Omalia Ellis-Johnson Year 12: Aliyah Raza

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Child Development Year 9: Tia Mackins Year 10: Olivia Townsend

Criminology Year 12: Ellie Hughes

Health and Social Care Year 9: Daisy Black Year 10: Omalia Ellis-Johnson Year 12: Aliyah Raza

Psychology Year 9: Kallie Everard Year 10: Eden Hartzell

Sociology Year 9: Kyra Roach Year 10: Nicole Austin

MFL

Year 7 Gracie Hughes Olivia Fitzgerald Bethany Morecraft Year 8 Kaitlin Mason Lola Williams Oliwia Fon Year 9 Adrija Morozova Madison Watts Caitlin Ramsay Meghan Jones Lauren Adams Kallie Everard Year 10 Ioana Necula Rebecca Ajayi

PERFORMING ARTS

Dance & Drama Year 7 Bethany Morecraft Mia Smith- Lapper Year 8 Ellie Stout Lyla Cardy Olivia Lapper Year 9 Kaitlyn Cook Year 10 Lacey Morgan Sophie Maynard Year 12 Fadhila Kambona Masika

Music Year 7 Olivia Fitzgerald Paige Crompton Cloke Sinthuja Sooriyakumar Mia Lapper Smith Syke Nelson Ellie Baker Year 8 Jazmyn Horsburgh Lola Williams Lyla Cardy Tolani Alawode Ellie Rose Wilkins Year 9 Jasmine Murphy Georgia Clay Meghan Jones Jessica Odell Ellie Wright Stephanie Whyte Year 10 Ellie Hollands Freya Parsons

SPORT, BUSINESS, ICT AND NUTRITION

PE Year 9: Tarys Barrs Year 10: Chloe Harding

Business Year 9: Georgia Clay Year 10: Rebecca Ayjaya Year 12: Eden Hartzell

ICT Year 9 Jessica Odell Cree Kitney Isabelle Harber Lauren Yates Tia Harwood Lily Martin Year 10 Piper Williams Kayla Baker Rebecca Ajayi Chelsea Croft Omalia Ellis-Johnson Amelia Leigh

Food and Nutrition Year 7: Katie Ongley Year 8: Amy Bouchard Year 9: Ruby Black Year 10: Mea Bragginton

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VISUAL ARTS

Fine Art Year 7 Connie Thomas Libby Harvey Wells Mary Miller Year 8 Lilly-Jo Miller Imogen Gray Jessie Jenkins Year 9 Caitlin Ramsay Caitlin Ramsay Year 10 Mea Braggingon Lylah Quinn-Mercer Year 12 Caitlin Phipps

Media Year 9 Leah Short Year 10 Katie Godrey Year 12 Josh Wood

Photography Year 9 Jessica Odell Year 10 Sydney Howlett Year 12 Joshua Wood

Textiles Year 9 Caitlin Ramsey Year 10 Isabelle Houghton-Hunt Year 12 Abby Cornwall

MSC

Year 7 Hannah Reynolds Abby Blunden Emily Houghton-Hunt Mary Miller Year 8 Ellie Rose Wilkins Jazmyn Horsburgh Holly Scott Year 9 Faith Howard Jessica Odell Thierry Anderson Kallie Everard Year 10 Chloe Harding Ellie Tucker Daisy Musgrove Tayler Davison

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HUMANTITIES

Geography Year 7 Emma McDonagh Ruby Cole Emma Larman Libby Harvey-Wells Amy Foreman Olivia Fitzgerald Year 8 Amelia Box Layla Cardy Matilda Appleby Ellie-Rose Wilkins Kaitlin Mason Year 9 Katelyn Cole Kaitlyn Cook Kallie Everard Cree Kitney Katie Jones Lilly Hicks Year 10 Omalia Ellis-Johnson Alice Birdsey Chloe Harding Chelsea Croft Sydney Howlett Eleanor Chandler

History Year 7 Bethany Morecraft Connie Thomas Olivia Fitzgerald Abby Blunden Aneete Gunda Sinthuja Sooriya-kumar Year 8 Aisha Rawfy Olivia Phipps Jazmyn Horsburgh Jessie Jenkins Holly Scott Sofija Badaitis Year 9 Meghan Jones Year 10 Lucy Wilks Ioana Necula Mya Connell Year 12 Evie Ravenscroft

Ethics Year 7 Connie Thomas Gracie Hughes Sinthuja Sooriyakumar Bethany Morecraft Emma Larman Mary Miller Year 8 Matilda Appleby Temitayo Owulabi Elizabeth Owusu Elle-Rose Wilkins Ellie Stoute Lyla Cardy Year 9 Angelica Ezeugwu Zaima Qureshi Jaydee Alexander Katie Jones Kallie Everard Year 10 Alice Birdsey

WGS Newsletter

What a strange year it has been for all of us here at WGS. We have had such a roller coaster of a year with many events and changes that have been out of our control, but one thing is for sure we have stuck together as a community and got there in the end. I am so immensely proud to be part of the WGS community, seeing just how resourceful and resilient our pupils are fills me with joy. You have had to adapt to different ways of working, different ways of communicating, and staff suddenly being on the phone or video call with you, which for some of you would be very odd indeed. However over the year I can clearly see how much you have grown, matured and progressed as young people. Whatever way you look at it, life at WGS will never be the same again. You should be very proud of yourselves, give yourself a huge pat on the back, and congratulate your parents and carers for also surviving this difficult year. I look forward to seeing you in September. Mrs Ranson-McCabe

Co-Deputy Head Teacher

DEPUTY HEAD TEACHERS

We have finally reached the end of what has been a very different and for many a difficult academic year. Everyone has faced new challenges and together we have turned a difficult situation into a new experience. There are areas from this year that we can be truly proud of, you all made the change to home learning and more recently having to use Microsoft teams. This technological advancement is definitely one of the highlights to come from this time of uncertainty. Parents, students and teachers alike faced this together and have really made a leap forward, I certainly as a mum myself have to take my hat off to all the parents out there that have managed to juggle home life and working along with home schooling, it really isn’t easy but together we have made it to the end of term 6.

Although we cannot be sure of what the future holds what I can say is we are all looking forward to September and seeing more of you. We know everyone has worked hard and to make the best of this situation and staying safe has been the number one priority, but you have made a huge jump into far more independent learning. I hope you are all able to enjoy some glorious sun over the summer holidays and that we will see you bright and breezy in September.

It would be wrong not to give a special mention to our year 11 and 13, well done you have been amazing and I look forward to seeing you on your respective results days in the summer.

We will see you soon!

Mrs Eddy

Co-Deputy Head Teacher

WGS Newsletter

As we come to the end of what has been an extremely unusual year it seems important to look back at SFL over this year.

Seeing classes have amazing SFL ambassadors greeting staff and visitors has been a real highlight this year. Seeing the girls grow in confidence able to speak to people visiting the classrooms with poise and a real clarity has been a great skill to add to their academic success. This year has seen every girl in the school train as an ambassador and have the opportunity to showcase these skills. We are really looking forward to the new year 7 joining us next year and training as ambassadors.

During this year we have also had a number of SFL assemblies varying from the Medical Mavericks to Kenward Drugs Trust. Pupils have experienced a number of different job prospects and the much wider variety of opportunities that exist in almost every walk of life than you would first think of. Every year group has had the opportunity to find out about different job opportunities.

There was real excitement in year 7 when we welcomed the boy band ‘Road Trip’ and year 10 welcomed ‘Lola Young’. We had the opportunity to listen to some amazing live music in our own school hall.

We have also had workshops run by Future First looking at the world of work, allowing small groups of pupils to consider the skills needed and what is expected of them.

It’s been a busy year for SFL. Even once we went into lockdown we have seen pupils continue to display some remarkable Skills for Life, for example motivation and perseverance with tackling home learning, that’s goes for pupils, parents and staff in what has been challenging times.

With all that has been managed this year we are looking forward to what can be accomplished in the year ahead.

SKILLS FOR LIFE

Mrs Eddy

Co-Deputy Headteacher

WGS Newsletter

MEDICAL MAVERICKS

THE BOY BAND

“ROAD TRIP”

SINGER “LOLA YOUNG”

FUTURE FIRST WORKSHOP

Nobody could have predicted how we are ending the year like we are but how far we have come! The year 7 students that wandered into the school in September, a little bit nervous but a little bit curious, are now confident young women who have persevered through this pandemic and motivated themselves to produce independent work in all curriculum areas. This new way of learning has not been problem free but I have been so impressed with

the attitude of our students, who have risen to the challenge of communicating by email,

accessing our school website and OneDrive and then have been asked to learn how to

learn through Microsoft Teams. Thank you to all those parents who have made this

possible for our young people.

I have been privileged to be copied in to many emails congratulating students on their

work, creative art work for diversity, empathic work on suffragettes in history, culinary

creations in food and VE day celebrations are just some examples. Staff have praised the

girls with ClassCharts, positive points, virtual postcards and our social media has been

flooded with SHOUT OUTs for Year 7. I hope that you will look back on this time and

celebrate your daughter’s successes that are the result of her independent learning.

Olivia 7P has produced many excellent pieces of work and has participated in all the

Inter House Challenges for Parks.

“My 'Be Kind' poster was an art project

where we had to use the whole page with

no gaps, and giving out a positive

message. I am very proud of this piece of

work as Art is not one of my strongest

subjects. The Parks painting is to

promote our forms charity Mind and

was an inter house challenge that I won

for Parks”

Katie 7N has developed her culinary skills and followed the instructions to prepare her own chicken goujons. Cakes and other sweet treats have also been a popular choice of activity for Year 7.

YEAR 7

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Connie 7F has excelled in history and art

receiving many SHOUT OUTs.

I have had the pleasure of working virtually with a

truly remarkable group of young people from year

7 in the past weeks. The Transition Advisory Board

(TAB), as we now

call them, were

instrumental in

creating and

Improving resources

to ensure we would

be offering the best

transition package

for our new intake.

Bethany, Emma,

Isabelle, Izabelle and Olivia completed this work

alongside their normal curriculum and have impressed

us with their organisation, motivation, team work and

creativity. We have been able to create a ‘Welcome ‘

postcard, a Transition Activity booklet, where Emma created her own

activity, developed a list of FAQ that ‘Wonder’ the WGS bear then

answered to alleviate the worries of our new intake and contributed to

a training video on Skills for Life that will be used by all students new to

the school.

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The TAB were also instrumental in

writing the most empathic ‘penpal’

letters to those students who will be

joining WGS on their own in September.

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Mrs Simm

Head of Year 7

As we approach the end of their first

year, I think of those nervous, shy

individuals that met as WGS girls for the

first time last September and now see

resilient, focused & confident young

women. The change has been immense and it is exciting to think of what they will

be capable of in the future. I will watch them from afar as they continue their WGS

journey and will be proud to tell people that I was their Head of Year 7.

EMMA LARMAN

WGS Newsletter

Beauty

As I sit in front of the mirror all I can see are the lines of age, a reflection of me.

One's inner beauty revealed so pure, an image of life, a caricature.

With no obligation to follow the crowd, no need for makeup, skin bare allowed.

Freckles are scattered out on display, sun kissed reminders, seen day after day.

Rosie red cheeks are positioned just so, a crooked smile, located below.

For beauty is never defined by race, seek happiness in your skin, embrace.

For every flaw that you discover, be proud to show, no need to cover.

Don't be vain, you're not a clone, perfection is found in the skin you own.

For beauty is never just skin deep, real inner beauty though conduct does seep.

Today inner beauty from within is accepted, a clay covered face perfected rejected.

Discovering beauty in life is a pleasure, seeing it in yourself, utter treasure.

From unpainted lips of poppy-pink slip words of wisdom from those who think.

From those who have learned to love and care, that vanity’s masks, are shallow, unfair.

HEIDI CHEEL-JENNINGS

CHELSEA CHEEL-JENNINGS

OLIVIA

FITZGERALD Year 7 Poetry

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BETHANY MORECRAFT

A big hello to our amazing Year 8 students who have really been an absolute credit to the school and shown how flexible they can be in adapting to home learning at this unprecedented time. Our Skills for Life values have certainly been demonstrated especially through the perseverance, motivation and organisational skills that you have shown to me and your teachers as you learnt how to use Teams and engaged with your work in this way and many of you are now proficient experts. Others of you have been involved in completing your work using your home learning packs and you have been diligent and applied yourself well to this way of working. Well done Year 8.

Thank you to all our parents who have helped and supported their daughter with her home learning. I appreciate that many families are juggling with their own work commitments, managing young children and looking after family members whilst home educating their Year 8 daughter, not to mention other school age siblings. Many of you have taken the trouble to communicate with me and together we have been able to ensure that your daughter is happily doing her best work and is ‘on track.’

Seeing and hearing about the progress Year 8 are making has to be the highlight of the year for me as Head of Year and it has been wonderful to see the number of ‘great work’ rewards and ‘shout outs’ that have been given out for excellent work by your teachers. I have seen some incredible work, too much to mention here, and many of you have shown maturity and interest whilst learning about human diversity, the work of the NHS and Black Lives Matter incorporated into your lessons across the curriculum.

I am delighted with the number of you who have kept in touch with me, and your form tutor, on a weekly basis emailing me work

you are proud of, your news about your family, looking after a new baby brother or sister, caring for your pets, cooking meals, helping with gardening and even growing your own vegetables. Make sure girls that you continue to help out at home and show that as young women you can take on responsibility for things that need doing.

Unfortunately, there are a small minority of you in Year 8 who have not applied yourself to your lessons as you could or should. You know who you are! You cannot and must not allow yourself to fall behind and it is still not too late to let me or your form tutor know if you need any help at all. We are here for you and you can do it! Education is everything and vital so that you can be the independent and strong young women this country needs.

Finally, Year 8, it has been an absolute pleasure to be your Head of Year and I am so proud of how you have adapted to home learning at this time. You all have so much to offer and look forward to and I wish you every success in Year 9.

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YEAR 8

Mrs Cox

Head of Year 8

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YEAR 8 HOME LEARNING

JAZMYN HORSBURGH

AMELIA BOX

LOCKDOWN Corona-virus is taking over our lives We cant even high-five When going shopping is mental And everyone is stressing ou-out Because on lockdown no bodies gonna let me out And on lockdo-own we have to stay inside Only allowed out for essential items Also to go and exercise Because on lockdown no bodies gonna let me…out When will this virus go oh People are getting really low And getting frustrated Will summer ever happen again New traditions are forming, As a nation we are joining, We clap every Thursday at 8, Colourful rainbows we make, To show our appreciation to those Saving the nation, The blue army their called, They rise so we don’t fall

OLIVIA LAPPER

ELLIE-ROSE WILKINS

LOIS CORDER

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Lois Corder helped

her dad make safety

screens to help keep

people safe.

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YEAR 9 As many of you are aware I started teaching not long after the dinosaurs left this

earth – many, many years ago. I have never known an academic year like this one.

Routines and structures went out of the window in March and we all had to find

another way to get on and cope.

Home Learning

We all had to get to grip with this and if course it is still being used now. I am

pleased to say that many girls have carried on with their learning through these

tools and as a result nominations are being sought for Recognition of Achievement.

Qualities that are being recognised are:

Excellence, Motivation, Manners, Organisation, Commitment, Determination,

Inspiration, Initiative and Creativity.

I am pleased to note that already I am aware that several students in the year group

have bene nominated in a range of subjects across the curriculum for this award.

The GCSE and Options subjects.

For Year 9 this meant that the GCSE and Options process was very difficult because

it had to be done remotely. For several weeks phone calls and mails were sent and

finally it now appears to all be sorted. This means that for the year group the cohort

will be able to start their GCSE subjects and they will be able to plan ahead for the

next stage of their education.

Life in Lockdown

Life outside the classroom has allowed some of the students and

members of the tutor team to blossom in other ways.

Mrs. Urban 9A Form tutor produced this

amazing piece of art work.

Isabelle Jerome and mum produced this fantastic piece of embroidery

Mrs. Urban has also spent some of

her time baking – mmm, looks posi-

tively delicious………….

9J and 9A form plants, well done Mrs Wheeler & Mrs Urban

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A Is for Anxiety : Try to relax and think happy thoughts B is for Boredom : find a hobby C is for Corona-virus : Avoid watching the news D is for Depression: Yoga and speak to somebody E is for Epidemic : Think about getting through it F is for Fear : face your fears G is for Go out : H is for Hunger: Make sure you eat I is for isolation : find things to do around you J is for join the Gym: K is for kindness towards others: L is for Live life: M is for motivation: N is for Nutrition: O is for Opportunities: P is for Poverty: Speak to someone who can help Q is for Quite: R is for Rest: S is for stress: Meditate T is for Tiredness: sleep U is for Uncertainty: Don’t worry about things you don’t need to be worrying about V is for Vulnerable: Gain confidence X is for Xenophobic (fear of strangers): Speak to friends and family don’t go out alone Y is for Yoga: Z is for Zone out:

This was produced by Faith Howard in 9A – succinctly and very

eloquently expressed.

Miss Hatton

Head of Year 9

WGS Newsletter

YEAR 9 FINE ART AT HOME

WGS Newsletter

YEAR 10 I hope you and your families are all safe and well.

We find ourselves in a really strange situation teaching and learning from home, but

you have all done so well. Not only have you had to be self-motivated and

independent in your learning, you have managed the transfer from the Home Learning

site to Teams really smoothly. As we complete the last couple of weeks of term,

motivation and routine are still key.

I have been reflecting on how the world has changed since you all completed your

work experience back in January. It seems a whole different world away and sadly

some of the businesses that you did your placements in may have had to close or say

goodbye to staff because of the effects of Covid-19.

Apart from your school work I have been hearing about the new skills you have been

learning whilst in lockdown. Some of you have been learning how to bake and are

cooking for your families. Some have been singing or learning to play an instrument.

Some of you have taken to keep fit or practising your dance routines learnt at school in

your back garden.

Lots of you have also been taking up the challenges laid down by the heads of house

and so many of you applied to become prefects. Congratulations to all those that were

selected. I know you will be an amazing team. The process for selecting prefects was

very different this year because we are not in school and therefore we couldn’t do face

to face interviews with you. So many of you applied but unfortunately, we don’t have

enough places to offer everyone the position of prefect. I know it is disappointing if

you were not selected but you must use this experience and build on it. Preparing for

and writing your application will have been good practice for when you have to write

letters of application for sixth form next year or for part-time jobs.

The return to school this term has been welcomed by many of you. I know this because so many of you have turned up and have told staff how much you have missed school! It is strange because when we were all in school back in February many of you would have loved the idea of a lockdown, but after a couple of weeks the novelty of not being in school wears off and then we all crave a bit of 'normality'.

Mrs Richards

Head of Year 10

I know you won’t admit it but I bet secretly lots of you were quite happy to be going

back into school albeit for one day a week!

It is very different in school but at least you can see familiar faces of some of your

friends and teachers. However, we still all have to be mindful of following the strict

procedures when we do come into school as we all want to stay fit and healthy.

Year 10 have been hit the hardest by this pandemic and it won’t be long now until the

summer term ends and you think about what lies ahead in Year 11 when Mrs Devaney

will be your Head of Year. It is really important that you realise the importance of

continuing your learning and studying throughout the summer as you will be sitting

your GCSE exams in just under a year. If you have course work to complete then it

might be an idea to try and finish this before September so you don’t put too much

pressure on yourself in Year 11. With that in mind you will get the opportunity to take

part in summer school or projects at home to ensure that you get as up to date as

possible with your studies. Don’t forget to complete the work set on Teams, email and

on the various apps GCSE Pod, Hegarty maths etc. It is also important that you send

any completed work back to your subject teacher so they know what you have done

and where the gaps in your learning are. They will give you support and feedback so

you can improve.

Keep looking at the schools Twitter account as your teachers might be sending you a

‘shout out’. You can also keep up to date with your various subject departments on

their department Instagram accounts!

Have a good summer break girls, but remember, keep safe and keep your distance!

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WGS Newsletter

Prefects 2020—2021

Habibat Adeniran Nicole Jagun

Sumaiya Akbar Khan Karen Main

Angel Alaoye Sophie Maynard

Isabella Andrews Ioana Necula

Kayla Baker Emily Ongley

Harriet Bannister Madison O'Sullivan-Boddy

Alice Birdsey Freya Parsons

Ellie Bouvier Tilli Pickering-Fraser

Chloe Brooks Lylah Quinn-Mercer

Eleanor Chandlor Caitlin Reynolds

Chelsea Clarke Bebe Sapa Safi

Abigail Clements Millie Scott

Amber Covill Jessica Simmons

Ikachukwu Annamaria Ezeugwu Shania Stevens

Katie Godfrey Olivia Thompson

Gracie-Jane Gray Rebecca Ajayi

Ella Harvey Leah Tregunno-Bradley

Lauren Hayter Ellie Tucker

Ellie Hollands Emily Walker

Isabel Horsley Piper Williams

Sydney Howlett Ellie Wood

Chloe Impey

WGS Newsletter

YEAR 10 HOME LEARNING

OLIVIA THOMPSON

EMILY ONGLEY

WGS Newsletter

After a highly unusual year, I would like to wish our year 11 cohort the very best for the future. They have been a truly tremendous year group, one that has been full on enjoyment and excitement. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with each and every one of our year 11 girls and getting to know them over this time. They have proved themselves to be a mature, confident and charismatic bunch, and have had a profound effect on many of their teachers. Despite the fact they have not been able to complete their year in the traditional sense of exams and celebrations, for the majority they have continued to work hard and stay focused, even during lock-down. I do hope that all of our year 11 students and parents managed to watch their end of year tribute video that is available on the WGS website, Facebook page and the PGW group on Microsoft Teams. It is a real credit to the girls to see what positive comments members of staff had to say about them, and it is without a doubt they have really made their mark at WGS. It has been a pleasure to hear that so many of our year 11 students have made the decision to continue their studies at PGW and I look forward to seeing them continue to flourish in to fantastic young women. For those who are moving on to pastures new, please make sure you keep in touch and let me know how you are getting.

I look forward to seeing you all at some point in the future.

Best wishes,

Mrs Devaney

Head of Year 11

YEAR 11

Your video

https://www.facebook.com/517512148660599/posts/904969076581569/?

WGS Newsletter

This year’s National Writing Day, on the 24th June, gave the talented writers of WGS a chance to shine.

The wonderful reading organisation ‘First Story’ produced a great range of activities to spark the

creativity of all secondary school students in the country. The English Faculty decided to use this as

part of a competition, and we received some fantastic entries.

One of the activities was to write a poem based on the theme of ‘coming home’: students had to

write about the sights, smells, sounds and feelings that embrace them when returning to the place

they call home. Below, is Saska Hatzky’s (11F) WINNING entry. Isn’t it lovely?

National Writing Day

SASKA HATZKY

Sixth Form Induction This year, we had to be creative with how we delivered our PGW induction week to our new Year 12 cohort. Most of our induction was delivered via our Microsoft Teams platform and involved a variety of different activities and tasks – it was evident that many of our Skills for Life principles were being put to the test (for both staff and students)! Whilst this wasn’t the induction week that we envisioned for our new cohort, we were pleased to see so many of our current Year 11 students actively engaging with the tasks that had been set on Microsoft Teams. It’s not easy to embark on the unknown, especially when we can’t do that together, and face-to-face in the comfort of our school environment, but all students stepped up to the challenge and successfully undertook introductory A Level work. It was felt, however, that as well as our students were working on Teams, we wanted to try and organise the opportunity for them to come in to school so we could meet our new year 12s face to face and on the last week of term, we were delighted to be able to arrange for them to come into school to meet their teachers. For many of our students, it was a big step to come back in, given the year they have faced and it was wonderful to see so many of them and was great to be able to welcome them back to school, even if we still had to do this with social distancing!

Mr Cross and Ms. Haysman would like to wish our new Year 12 cohort a restful summer and we look forward to welcoming you in the new, Academic Year. On returning to PGW Sixth Form, please do arrive with the same great attitude that was demonstrated during induction – you all showed exceptional communicative skills, perseverance and dedication – we hope to see more of that when we commence the new Academic Year!

WGS Newsletter

WGS Newsletter

SIXTH FORM Congratulations to all our sixth form students for reaching the end of another Academic Year. It certainly has been a very strange year and not how we envisaged our Term 6 to end. It would seem that Covid-19 has robbed us of lots of opportunities – most importantly, the chance for our Year 11 (new Year 12) students to sit their GCSE examinations, for our current Year 12 cohort to continue with their vital, in-classroom, high quality A Level teaching, and for our Year 13 cohort to sit their exams. Alongside this, we have not been able to celebrate in our usual fashion, but that doesn’t mean we have nothing to celebrate. At this stage in the year, arguably, we have more to celebrate than perhaps we ever have before. You’ve all learnt to persevere whilst underneath the backdrop of a pandemic, you have met deadlines and you have continued to deliver an exceptional body of work. You have learnt to be resilient and self-sufficient. Your dedication to your studies has never faltered and you are continuing to strive towards the goals you have set yourself. For our current Year 13 cohort, we have written you a separate ‘goodbye’ message, but for our current Year 12 students, we thank you for being a group of students who have taken this very unique situation in your stride and, on a daily basis, you have continued to make us feel very proud of you. Whilst the lockdown restrictions are easing, we still urge you to be careful and cautious during your summer break, but we truly hope you find ways of enjoying yourself and returning back to previous simple pleasures that, perhaps, we’ve not been able to enjoy as of late. Have a restful summer and we looked forward to seeing you again soon!

Mr Cross

Head of Sixth Form

Farewell to our Year 13 We are devastated that we have not been able to say goodbye in person to our year 13 students at the end of this year but it was wonderful to “see” many of them at our year 13 end of year assembly which we held using Microsoft Teams. The unwelcomed arrival of Covid-19 meant we were sadly faced with the loss of the Year 13 prom, our leavers’ lunch, our leavers’ assembly … in short, you missed out on a lot. Whilst we weren’t able to give you the goodbye that you deserve, there are an array of things that Covid-19 wasn’t able to take from you. You will never be stripped of the hard work you put in for the last two years, you will not find yourself without the determination and motivation that have propelled you to the stage you now find yourself at, you cannot have your kindness, politeness and team spirit taken from you, you will always carry with you the happy memories you fostered during your two years at PGW, and the Skills for Life you showcased, and have continued to showcase since school closed, will always be a part of you. You have shown more resilience than any other Year 13 cohort we have ever worked with and this has come at a time when we’ve been faced with more uncertainty and challenges than we’ve ever known. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you and we wish you all the luck, success and happiness in your future endeavours. We are looking forward to seeing many of them on their results day on August 13th and will be looking to organise some face-to-face events with the year group later in the year.

And remember, Once a Walderslade Girl, Always a Walderslade Girl!

PGW Support for Year 13 and their future PGW Sixth Form has continued to support our Year 13 students since school closed in March. Students have been called regularly by the Sixth Form team and have been sent almost 100 emails offering guidance and support in their future career paths. Emails have included: Job and apprenticeship opportunities within the SFLT Trust; offers of one-to-one telephone careers interviews; 'All You Need to Know About Apprenticeships' guide; Student Finance support; Jobs, apprenticeships and training in many varied career fields; virtual job fairs; university and apprenticeship webinars; Post-18 guidance booklet; Personal Finances support sessions, plus dozens more.

Year 13 – please stay in touch!

Our Year 13s have been invited to stay in touch after they leave us by joining the SFLT Alumni programme, and they should also continue to follow PGW Sixth Form on Facebook and Twitter which regularly advertises job and apprenticeship opportunities. Students are encouraged to contact Marie Colgan from Chatham Job Centre, or Emma Inch from IAG Medway for career support, even after they have left us -

Marie Colgan MARIE.COLGAN@dwp.gov.uk Tel: 07393 761921 Emma Inch emma.inch@medway.gov.uk 01634 335599 ext. 7821 or 07719419953

WGS Newsletter

WGS Newsletter

In the House! The Heads of House have been very busy this term, helping to keep up the WGS community spirits,

we have had everything from dancing bees to dressing in green, all designed to put a smile on your

face and maintain our school links and pride!

AUSTEN HOUSE CHALLENGED WGS TO

CREATE A TIKTOK DANCE FOR THEIR

BEE!

CURIE HOUSE CHALLENGED WGS TO

GO GREEN!

JEBB HOUSE

CHALLENGED

WGS TO CREATE

ART WORK FOR

THE HOUSE

CHARITIES

FRY HOUSE CHALLENGED WGS TO

CREATE SFL WORDS FROM

OBJECTS IN HOUSE COLOURS

NIGHTINGALE PROMOTED THEIR

HOUSE CHARITY, AGE CONCERN

WGS Newsletter

PARKS HOUSE CHALLENGED WGS

TO CREATE A BADGE FOR THEIR

HOUSE

THIS ENTRY WAS THE WINNER OF THE PARKS COMPETITION.

IT IS AN AMAZING ENTRY, BUT MEANS EVEN MORE BECAUSE IT WAS

CREATED BY ONE OF OUR NEW YEAR 7 STUDENTS STARTING IN

SEPTEMBER! AN EXCELLENT START TO WGS!

AMEERA ARCHER, 7A

WGS Newsletter

SHANIA BLU PORTER

ISABELLE ONGLEY

EMILY FORDER

MADISON ARNOLD

JAZMYN HORSBURGH

Lets Get Cooking!

WGS Newsletter

REBECCA FLYTE

BETHANY MORECRAFT

ELLIE-ROSE WILKINS LISSANDRA BOCHIS

WGS went rainbow to celebrate the diversity in our

school community. Students took part in a variety of

activities through MSC and branched out to express

themselves! From baking, thought provoking art and

impassioned speeches, students demonstrated

tolerance and acceptance.

WGS Newsletter

ABBY BLUNDEN

WGS Newsletter

Summer Fun! If you are stuck for something to do over the summer break , then look no further!

READ, READ, READ!!!

Set yourself a reading challenge and get

stuck into some good books

I KNOW YOU ARE

ALL OLDER !

BUT….

The things to do

are really good fun

and get you out

and about! Also,

sometimes it is

nice to be 113/4 or

at least pretend!

APPLY FOR A

BLUE PETER

BADGE!

This isn’t hard to

do and you get

free entry to lots

and lots of places,

you just need to be

under 15 years

old! We want to

see those Blue

Peter badges on

your blazers!

Have a lovely summer and

remember to stay safe! We are

looking forward to seeing you

all again in September!