A Level DT students took a trip to the Mini factory in Oxford, the UK’s centre of excellence for BMW Mini production. The pupils toured the museum and had a guided tour of the main areas of the manufacturing production line.
Year 10 trip to Bread Ahead Bakery in Borough Market
Our Year 10 food and nutrition GCSE pupils took a trip to Bread Ahead Bakery and School in Borough Market. They rolled up their sleeves and got hands-on, crafting their very own pizzas from scratch. From kneading the dough to adding the perfect toppings, our students showcased their creativity and skills in the kitchen.
Year
8
trip to the Roman Baths
Our Year 8 classicists had an amazing time exploring the historic city of Bath! From uncovering the secrets of the Roman baths to discovering the surprising ingredients in ancient wine and mouthwash (trust us, you don’t want to know), they got a real taste of Roman life—literally, with some handmade fudge to finish the trip!
AUTHOR VISIT
Ravena Guron, a lawyer with a biochemistry degree, who has turned her hand to writing best-selling murder mystery novels for young readers came to Claremont to talk to Year 8 pupils on Monday afternoon. She shared insights into her creative process, the challenges of writing, and the importance of perseverance. Her passion for the detective genre and genuine connection with the students was clear and we thank her for encouraging young minds to embrace their creativity.
The recent busy term for house events culminated in the exciting annual chess competition, where talented players from various houses showcased their strategic skills. Tom GS from Banstead triumphed to claim 1st place, followed closely by Nathaniel S from Stanmore, who secured 2nd place. Toby B also representing Stanmore, rounded out the top three with an impressive 3rd place finish. This term also saw the inaugural LEGO building competition, where students had to replicate the mansion using LEGO bricks. The event was a true display of creativity and craftsmanship, with Norwood taking 1st place, Longcross securing 2nd, and Stanmore earning 3rd. Last week, the excitement continued with a Bananagrams competition, where Banstead and Esher tied for 1st place, while Norwood claimed 2nd. Both events showcased the impressive talents and enthusiasm of the pupils, making for an action-packed and memorable term of house activities.
At the end of this busy half term, the house standings are as follows: Norwood leads in 1st place, followed by Banstead in 2nd, and Esher in 3rd. With some exciting and challenging competitions still to come next half term, the race is far from over, and there’s plenty of opportunity for all houses to make their mark. The competition remains fierce, and the coveted trophy is still very much up for grabs.
Chess competition HOUSE UPDATE
YEAR 11 “THE 39 STEPS” PERFORMANCE
YEAR 7 PANTOMIME PERFORMANCES
CAKE AT BREAK
The weekly Claremont cake at break is awarded to celebrate pupil endeavour and success! Individuals, teams or groups of pupils are carefully selected by the senior management team to receive this prestigious accolade each Wednesday break time.
Our Claremont cake winners so far have been the Stanmore 6 tutor group (nominated my Mrs Robinson for their incredibly positive approach), Year 7 winners of the Cambridge School Classics competition and the u13 gymnastic team for their excellent results in the recent ISGA competition.
UPCOMING TALKS:
14 FEBRUARY
JGP INSPIRE LECTURE SERIES
We had the incredible honor of hosting Rick Findler on 23 January. Rick is an award-winning photojournalist known for capturing compelling stories both at home in the UK and in some of the world’s most dangerous environments. His work sheds light on underreported ussues and human resilience, bringing powerful narratives to life through his lens. Rick’s photography has appeared in leading global publications, with regular features in The Guardian, The Times, and The Telegraph. His career has seen him face ISIS sniper fire in Syria, document courageous Afghan women skiers defying Taliban threats, and chronicle the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Dr. Luca Vigano is a professor in the Department of Informatics at King’s College London, where he leads the Cybersecurity group. The group’s research focuses on the desicn, modelling, analysis, verification, and testing of networks and systems to address critical cybersecurity and privacy challenges that impact industry, society, and our increasingly technology-dependent world. Fairy tales have long captivated audiences, but few realize they illustrate key concepts in cybersecurity and AI. In this talk, Professor Vigano, reveals how Cinderella reflects two-factor authentication, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves teaches lessons on eavesdropping and confidentiality, and Pinocchio and Pygmalion explore AI and robotics.
28 FEBRUARY
Dr. Helen Pankurst is the great-grandaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, leaders of the British suffragette movement. She has extensive media experience including national and international radio and print interviews and was involved in the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics and the 2015 film Suffragette. The Sunday before International Women’s Day each year, Helen leads an annual march in London, joined by the Olympic Suffragettes, #March4Women. She is also senior advisor to CARE International, working in the UK and in Ethiopia.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
Oxbridge Mentoring for Year 12
Oxbridge applicants are being supported by Mrs Jones with understanding the process of applying to these prestigious universities. This has included personal statement writing support and after half term students will be able to benefit from guidance from Oxbridge subject specialists in school. They will also be able to develop their critical thinking skills with weekly guidance sessions. Law, medicine, STEM and admissions test preparation will also be specifically supported.
Coming up...
Visit to Brasenose College
On Monday, students from Year 12 visited Brasenose College, Oxford. The visit acted as an introduction to Oxbridge for our students, giving them the opportunity to visit an Oxford College and speak to current undergraduates about student life.
On Tuesday 25 March 2025, Year 12 will be attending the UCAS Explore event at the Excel Centre in the Docklands, London. This will provide them with the opportunity to investigate higher education and apprenticeship options by talking to universities and apprenticeship providers.
After half term the Head of Student Futures will be offering interviews to all Year 8 and 9 pupils who require guidance with their GCSE options choices. She will also be attending the options evenings to provide advice to pupils and parents. Students will be sent an email asking them to complete a Microsoft form if they wish to book an appointment with Mrs Elbourn.
We are planning to commence our very successful careers lunches starting after half term. This is an opportunity for pupils in all year groups in the senior school to learn about different career sectors. We are incredibly grateful to our parents who have volunteered their time to give an insight into their career and inspire our pupils about the different pathways they can pursue in the future. We will communicate the dates and times of these presentations after half term.
On Wednesday, 26 February pupils from Years 10 and 11 will be attending a medical careers day hosted by Saint Francis Xavier Sixth Form College. The event will be led by MCS Projects Ltd who have organised for medical students from local universities to share their experiences and lead medical activities. This will give our pupils the opportunity to learn about topics including procedures needed after a medical emergency, diagnosing conditions and medical ethics.
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