The lunchtime and after school activities programme for this term has been confirmed and circulated this week and as always there is a lot going on. From Art to Archery, a plethora of Sport, Music and Drama, Languages and Computing, Gardening and Board Games and Debating and a whole lot more, there really is something for everyone to be involved in.  

This morning we have our annual Year 7 Freshers’ Fair which is organized by our Year 13 Student Leaders’ Team and provides an opportunity for the Year 7s to talk to some of our older students about what is on offer and what might be grabbing their attention at this point – it might be something they are already doing or something new and the key is giving it a go, meeting new people and enjoying participating. 

This week has seen the announcement of the cast for our whole school production of Shrek which will take place in January and as ever it will be a highlight of the school year. The cast list is huge, there is a lot of work ahead but even at this stage it is a joy to see the number of students who will be involved from Years 7 to 13 both on stage and behind the scenes. 

A big part of our extra-curricular and enrichment programme are educational trips and visits and we have had a number out this week including our Year 13 Geographers in South Wales undertaking field work and Year 10 Textiles visit to the Botanical Gardens in Oxford. They are great experiences and add considerable value to the curriculum as learning takes place beyond the classroom. 

And as always with the life of our school, the House system is never far away. Today sees the House Speed Language Learning Competition which is always a fascinating event with a broad and diverse range of languages on offer – and a fierce sense of competition as House points are up for grabs!