Semper Edition 11

Edition 11

SEMPER FIDELIS A trip of a lifetime to New York for Creative Arts students, singing at the Empire State Building and taking part in the Tartan Parade.

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140TH ANNIVERSARY

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GORDON IN MEMORIAL

8. PIPES AND DRUMS 10. PARADES 12. AROUND THE HOUSES 34. CCF AND DOFE 36. CO-CURRICULAR 42. CHARITY 46. CREATIVE ARTS 52. ACADEMIC 56. NEWS FROM THE PEWS 64. BOUNCE DON’T BREAK 66. SPORTS 78. CAREERS 82. SIXTH FORM 84. HEAD BOY AND HEAD GIRL 88. STAFF 90. ACHIEVEMENTS

CON

NTENTS

140 ANNIVERSARY TH

Gordon’s School celebrates its 140th anniversary and St Paul’s Cathedral where wreaths were this year (2025) with a host of events and laid at the monuments to the Victorian war fundraising activities. hero and the students performed outside for appreciative crowds. Over the year, they will Originally founded as the Gordon’s Boys’ Home also perform at Rochester Cathedral, St Alfege’s in 1885, as the national memorial to General Church, Greenwich; the Royal Engineers Museum Gordon, the site has undergone a number of in Chatham; Queen’s Park, Southampton and changes over the years, including becoming a Windsor Castle. school and offering places to girls! It is now one of the most successful schools in England.

In March over £30,000 was raised for bursaries in the school at an event hosted by the Girdlers’ Celebrations for the 140th anniversary began Company at Girdlers’ Hall in London. Other in London with the Whitehall Parade, an annual planned activities include recreating the walk event to the statue of General Gordon on the made by the original ‘necessitous’ Gordon Boys banks of the Thames at Victoria Embankment to the site in West End from Brookwood Station, Gardens. This was followed by the start of the when all the current students will be sponsored Pipes and Drums 140th anniversary tour of to complete the five kilometre journey. places associated with General Gordon. After Whitehall they headed to Westminster Abbey

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Thousands of pounds were raised for bursaries for students in March at a glittering evening hosted by the Girdlers’ Company at Girdlers’ Hall in London. The event, in this the school’s 140th anniversary year, attended

by Gordon Foundation Trustees, Governors, Gordonians, staff, parents and supporters of the school, included a live and silent auction with many of those present generously donating items, services and events.

Angus Maitland, Master of the Girdlers’ Company, spoke of the livery company’s support for Gordon’s bursary students stretching back some 40 years and past and present students described the opportunities their bursaries had given them. Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell, Chairman of the Gordon Foundation Trustees declared that they were “…enormously important. They change lives”.

Head of Careers, British soprano Augusta Kennedy, a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music performed for guests and was part of the live auction, offering to sing at a dinner party or event of the highest bidder’s choice! She raised £1,100 for bursaries! Other donations included a flying lesson, polo, golf and stays in Cornwall and Guernsey’s premier hotels.

Gordon’s bursaries continue General Gordon’s legacy of providing for ‘necessitous children’.

They ensure that no child is precluded from joining Gordon’s School on financial grounds.

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GORDON IN MEM

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MORIAL On what would have been General Gordon’s 192nd birthday (26th January), a short service took place at Gordon’s.

Piper Amber Wright performed the lament and the School Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright conducted the service. A wreath was laid at the foot of the Gordon Statue, by Gordonian Officer Harriet Turk. The quiet, intimate service followed similar ones held at the Gordon Statue on the Thames Embankment; the memorial at Westminster Abbey and the monument at St Paul’s Cathedral.

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January kick-started the Pipes and Drums commemorative tour to mark the 140th anniversary of the School’s foundation. Following a memorable Whitehall Parade amidst Palestinian protests and a barricade of riot police, the Pipes and Drums were fortunate enough to perform outside the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, following a short memorial service in the Abbey, followed by another performance on the West Steps of St Paul’s Cathedral after visiting Gordon’s sculpture inside the Cathedral. This is just the beginning of a series of events that the Pipes and Drums hope to do over the course of 2025 to commemorate the life of General Gordon.

Going into February, the Pipes and Drums returned to Menin Gate to take part in the Last Post Association Service in Ypres. Over the last two years the Menin Gate has been under restoration, however the day that the Pipes and Drums performed was the day that the majority of the scaffolding came down which meant they were able to perform under the Gate in its true glory once more. During the Service, Pipe Corporal, Rory Green, led the Pipes and Drums in Amazing Grace as wreaths were laid and Pipe Major, Harry Gordon, played the Lament following a minute’s silence to remember The Fallen.

March began with a Masterclass with Finlay MacDonald, Director of Piping from The National Piping Centre, and Paula Monahan, from The Force Drum Major Display Team, six times World Champion Drum Major winner. The focus was on brand new music and a drill routine never seen or done before by the Pipes and Drums to be able to perform an eight-minute solo routine for London 8

Band Week’s Tattoo performance at the ExCel in London. Next, it was up to London to Girdlers’ Hall to play to Trustees and Governors who arrived for the Foundation fundraiser. The Pipes and Drums also returned to open Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s.

Also in March, a group of students travelled once more up to Kilmarnock to compete in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships and entered both the Novice Juvenile B contest as well as the Freestyle contest. Whilst we didn’t win, every year the Band go up to compete, they get stronger and stronger! It was fun putting together ‘Lorna McKie’ composed by Finlay MacDonald with other instruments which we played for the Freestyle contest, and even more meaningful that Finlay was there when we performed it at the competition.

Last year the inaugural Inter-House Pipes and Drums solo round was held. This year the winner goes to Rory Green for Khartoum House. This year was the inaugural Inter-House Pipes and Drums group round. It was great to see the students get so creative, with performances like Blinding Lights and Starwars, to traditional MSRs (March, Strathspey and Reel) reels and hornpipes.

Congratulations to the winners Victoria House!

The next stop was New York for the Tartan Day Parade in April, London Band Week at the ExCel in London and Hampton Court Palace, plus performances at other locations associated with General Gordon for our 140th anniversary!

Iona Scotson Senior Pipe Major

PIPES AND DRUMS

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PARADES

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An extra special Whitehall Parade as the event also launched the 140th anniversary year of the school. However, protestors filling the iconic London street, almost scuppered the event and up until the last moment, it wasn’t known whether it would go ahead, the route be altered or abandoned entirely.

In the end, the usual route along Whitehall was taken, with students staying true to the school’s character values and showing much resilience in the face of the shouting and chanting around them.

At the Gordon Statue in Victoria Embankment Gardens, three wreaths were laid on behalf of the Gordon family, students and staff and Gordonians.

Returning to King Charles Street, the students were escorted by Metropolitan Police.

The Pipes and Drums began their anniversary tour straight after Whitehall, going on to Westminster and St Paul’s.

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AROUND THE HOUSES

Augusta House: Celebrating Galentine’s and Enjoying Badminton and Memorable Outings This term has been packed with exciting Inter-House competitions. Augusta excelled in badminton, with our team securing first place, thanks to Rani, Alyshea, Yuvika, and Aster. We are delighted to have another trophy to be displayed in the House entrance. The girls did us proud in their preparation for the much-anticipated art competition with a ‘Weeble Wobble’ theme and the Inter-House drama competition focusing on resilience. Despite not coming first the students hit the brief perfectly.

Prior to Christmas, the House was buzzing with festive spirit and fun activities. Our annual gingerbread house competition was again a very close call for the judges, unfortunately we were pipped to the post by Woolwich this year, however Aster and Alyshea should be congratulated for their creative design. The Family Christmas Party saw Daisie’s family crowned winners after a series of Christmas-themed games, including cup stacking and musical candy canes. In addition, this term has featured fun events like Dobble and a poker evening for our Sixth Form boarders.

Boarders had a memorable term, including a thrilling trip to Hampton Court Palace for ice skating, followed by a visit to Coral Reef Water Park. Despite chilly weather, these trips brought everyone together for fun and bonding.

We also ventured to Hoebridge Golf Centre for a competitive round of Pirate Mini Golf, which was a hit with everyone, in spite of the weather!

Throughout the term, House families participated in festive activities like the Augusta Christmas Party, where students enjoyed games and received gifts. The ‘Bounce Don’t Break’ initiative during Children’s Mental Health Week encouraged activities designed to build resilience, such as family plank challenges and thank-you note exchanges.

This term has been full of standout moments. Kath (Year 12) won the photographic competition with her stunning autumn photo, and five senior students were appointed to prestigious leadership roles, including Izzy B, Elissia, Rani, Carolyn and Summer who are all senior prefects. Additionally, Elissia and Emily were part of the 1st VII netball team that qualified for the Nationals after excelling at the Regional Finals.

The girls have embraced creative weekend activities, including paint-bynumbers projects and baking treats like banana bread and cookie-dough.

The House also celebrated Chinese New Year by decorating the House and enjoying a delicious spread of food in the dining hall.

In the final week before half term, the girls enjoyed a Galentine's evening with cookie decorating and Valentine-themed quizzes. It’s been a memorable term, filled with festive cheer, academic achievements, and plenty of fun!

David and Angela Mathews Augusta Houseparents

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Balmoral House: In my second year as Houseparent of Balmoral we have continued to show great development and progress across a range of School events, where students are becoming involved in lots of different activities, as I do believe a successful Gordon’s student should be a busy and tired student at the end of every term. The students say they feel safe in the House and enjoy their time with their year group friends but also students who are younger and older, which is always a ‘lightbulb’ moment for us as staff when we see these friendships develop, so they can generate friends who they are able to call upon when required at school, or in later life. This is also the same for the bond between House staff and Balmoral parents, and we all really appreciate their support.

The two values which we ask for are still ‘effort and manners’ and this also continues to grow and is pleasing to see around the House and School. I firmly believe they have again contributed to the success of the House in terms of sporting and Inter-House success but also to the behaviour and the approach to Balmoral life shown by the boys. This then carries through to their academic approach, and has also been highlighted with their effort and behaviour reports.

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We have been more competitive in the InterHouse competitions and for me it is rewarding when students are putting themselves out of their comfort zones and giving it a go. As a House we are fortunate we have students willing to try new skills and create that holistic approach to their personality.

A big part of boarding is House trips andso far this year have been: Camberley Bowling; Laser Tag; TeamSport Go-Karting; Crazy Gof; KFC and Curry Nights at Lightwater.

Combined House trips have included Thorpe Park, Thorpe Lake, Kick X , Reading, Kingston and Westfield shopping, kayaking and Coral Reef.

As a staff we like to lead from the front and this approach means ensuring we are also doing above and beyond to create a friendly and safe environment. The Balmoral House staff continue to be fantastic and all of the boys respect and appreciate their hard work.

I would like to conclude by wishing all students who are leaving Balmoral this Summer good luck for the future and please keep in touch - we know they will all succeed.

Paul King Balmoral Houseparent

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Buckingham House: Parties, Puzzles and Trips Christmas parties and the legendary Christmas Dinners are notable highlights in the last weeks of the Autumn Term. This year we had fun challenging the boys to pick up smarties using chopsticks (it turns out that smarties are very slippery sweets!), a fast and furious Duck Hunt (some ducks were so well hidden that they weren’t found until February!), and a quiz, amongst other activities.

Chess playing and board games are in high demand in our common rooms during breaks from lessons.

In the Spring term, Zoravar demonstrated excellence with his chess skills to win the Arete Chess Competition. A great achievement!

House Families events take place regularly and this term 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles have been the star attraction. From London Tube maps to Spiderman and Marvel characters, world flags and European landmarks, the boys have worked together in their Families to complete the puzzles.

Student positions of responsibility are important to help the smooth running of the House, to showcase good behaviour and to encourage younger members of the House to broaden their interests. This year we were delighted that Owen has become House Captain, with Charlie as Student Head of House. Will is a Sports Prefect and Cassius is House Sergeant. Luke was voted into the role of Student Governor, while Mustafa, Zarif, Affan and Kiran became Junior Prefects.

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Everyone looks forward to House trips and in February it was the turn of Years 9-10 who enjoyed an evening of bowling at Guildford Spectrum, with pizza and chicken wings to reward the high scorers or to console those who need a bit more practice!

Inter-House competitions come thick and fast in the Spring. Lucas won his Public Speaking category; Buckingham won Years 7-10 Maths, led by Aiden; Owen was outstanding in Sixth Form Orienteering and we thank Henry and Iwan for their efforts in the lower years’ competition. Art, Drama, Shooting and Pipes and Drums, also kept us busy – something to suit all interests and abilities, and Buckingham students have been quick to volunteer to participate. Could this possibly be because everyone looks forward to the pizza reward after the events?!

As part of the ‘Give Back’ programme in PSHE, Sankeeth organised a sale of hot chocolate drinks during morning break to raise money for the Grace Dear Trust, a local charity supporting young people with mental health issues. £51 was raised in just 25 minutes! Thank you to all who supported this event.

Jamie Sinclair Head of Buckingham House

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girls, once again, fully embraced the InterWhat a busy few months The House competitions. We started the year with we have had here in China! the new Badminton competition for the Sixth In the lead up to Christmas, there were parties, quizzes, the Sixth Form form dance off and a delicious Christmas meal served by our fantastic catering team for all year groups. We ended the term with a House trip to Hampton Court ice rink, which was such a lovely way to end the year. Our new Junior Prefects were announced and congratulations to Amber, Milly, Dunni and Phoebe. Our Year 12 senior school prefects were also announced and congratulations to Michela, Maya, Charlotte, India and Gabi.

In January, the girls taking part in the Memorial Weekend, were professional to the end, on quite a challenging occasion. They showed what a resilient group of young ladies they are. After the service at Guildford Cathedral, Esme stepped down as House Captain and Charlotte took over the role. She is joined by Maya as House Sergeant and Year 11 Issy as Drill Sergeant.

February saw the start of the House trips, with the Sixth form going to Jump In. We also celebrated friendship on Valentine’s Day. The girls were all given treats and a card to give to a friend who they really appreciate. Four of our girls took part in the Arete Bake off Cup at Woking High, and Year 9 Nayraa was the overall winner.

Year 8 Florence also won her group. In February we also launched our new reading corner. With so many girls enjoying a quiet breaktime, it was important that we recognised this, and it also gave us a great opportunity to promote reading.

The campaign to represent the House as our Student Governor, was well fought, with three girls looking for voters. Year 11 Anureet and Year 10s Grace and Audrey. On voting day, the common room became our polling station, and all the girls were issued with a ballot paper. The results were very close, and Anureet will now be our Student Governor.

March brought us pancake day and the rest of the House trips. Year 8s and Year 10s went to The Spectrum and showed off some awesome bowling skills and Year 7, 9 and 11 went to Jump in.

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Form. The girls were exceptional and just lost by a few points, finishing in second place. In Art, they were tasked with recreating a character who has shown great resilience. This is in-line with the school initiative of `Bounce Don`t Break` and led by Year 12 India, the team created the iconic revenge dress, worn by Princess Diana.

They also designed the background, bodyguards and the car. Drama came next with 11 girls, led

by Year 12s Susie, Emilia and Charlotte. They had to present a piece based on resilience and did a fantastic comedic routine, set in a talent agency.

Their piece was inspired by the BBC skit `Leading Lady Parts` and it encapsulated the harsh reality and process of casting within the performance industry. Their piece carried the message that you may get turned down for 100 jobs, but you should persevere. It may not be you, just that you aren't right for that part. We were so delighted that the girls won!

Our older girls also took part in a very tough debating competition and argued their way to a resounding win against Buckingham House.

In the KS4 Inter-House shooting Year 11 Jess and Year 10 Grace, took to the range and finished in third place.Another new Inter-House, was the public speaking where each key stage, was given the opportunity to give a two-minute speech around resilience. The new competition was well received with Year 9 Tara, Year 10 Dunni and Year 12 Charlotte speaking in their relevant key stage competitions.

We were also delighted that so many of our girls were in the school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Year 11 Jess playing the part of Charlie. The overall performance was amazing, and all the students put on a professional show.

Heidi Doe Head of China House

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Gravesend House: New Leadership Roles and InterHouse Competitions The Spring Term commenced with our Memorial weekend in January. It was the last time that Nick and Sam led the House, and they did a super job. The new positions of responsibility were decided this term and Hamish and Ryan took over the reigns of leading the House at marching. Bayan has also taken on the prestigious School Sergeant Major role and Ammar has become our new Student Governor, voted in by the boys in the House.

James was awarded Student Head of House as well as Vice President of Societies and congratulations to Ben, Kishoar and Joe for taking on the roles of Inter-House Captains. We have also welcomed our new Junior Prefects, George, Ethan, Joe and Julian in Year 10.

There has been a busy schedule of Inter-House Competitions during the Spring Term. In the Sixth Form Badminton event our team performed very well being placed second overall, only beaten on points difference by Khartoum who won the competition.

Disappointingly, our Buzz Lightyear Weeble did not get placed in the top three in this year’s Inter-House Art Competition, however we were very pleased with our finished piece and the boys can be proud of what they have done. The theme of this and the Drama Competition was ‘Bounce Don’t Break’. Congratulations to all the boys who represented the House. Their comedy piece was a play within a play and looked at the challenges of putting on a drama production and the resilience required from the performers to put on a top performance. Well done to Ben, James, Ryan, George, Ruben, Alex, Arty and Jonathan for their excellent performances.

The audience thoroughly enjoyed it and the judges placed us in second place overall, with China House claiming first position.

Gravesend House had some significant wins in the Inter-House Competitions this term. James (KS3) and Fraser (KS4) won the Orienteering event, Nikolai and Monty won the KS4 Shooting event and Hamish won the Inter-House Public Speaking Competition for KS5 students. Finally, well done to Harry on coming third in the Inter-House Pipes and Drums Solo Competition which took place at the end of the term.

Gravesend House ran two excellent House trips this term. The Year 8 and 9 students enjoyed an evening out at AirHop Trampoline Park in Camberley and the Spring Term concluded with the Year 10 and 11 students competing at the TeamSport Go-Karting track in Farnborough. Congratulations to our race winners Byron and Huw. Gary Knight Head of Gravesend House 21

Kensington House: Hunting for Hearts and Visiting Escape Rooms In a busy Autumn Term December is always the busiest month of all! The Christmas Fair enabled us to raise money for charity through our House stall, while we also enjoyed an evening trip ice skating at Hampton Court, which is fast becoming one of our Christmas traditions.

This followed a week of House parties and Christmas dinners and concluded with the Sixth Form girls winning the Dance Off with Balmoral. A great way to end a fun-packed term.

The new year brought a wonderful Memorial weekend and a flurry of Inter-House competitions, with Kensington enjoying second place in Art, Key Stage 4 Shooting and Maths as well as winning Orienteering.

This term’s Family Competitions included Karaoke and Hunt The Hearts as well as competing through baking to raise the most money for charity. As if mock exams weren’t scary enough we took Sixth Form girls to Escape Rooms and Year 11 to JUMP! We look forward to going out with Years 7-10 in the new term as well as celebrating the end of exams with Years 11 and 13.

Kate Connery Head of Kensington House

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Khartoum House: Competitions, Celebrations and Achievements The past few months have been an exciting and eventful period for our House, filled with competitions, celebrations, and outstanding achievements.

We ended the year on a high note with the muchanticipated Year Group Christmas Parties. Each year group brought their own festive spirit, with music, games, and delicious treats to celebrate the holiday season. It was a wonderful way to wrap up the term and strengthen the bonds within our House.

The Inter-House badminton tournament showcased some fantastic talent and teamwork.

After intense rallies and closely fought matches, our House emerged victorious, demonstrating skill, determination, and sportsmanship.

Congratulations to our players for bringing home the trophy!

Pancake Day was a delightful occasion, with students gathering in the House to enjoy delicious pancakes together. It was a wonderful opportunity to relax, socialise, and share in the tradition, making for a memorable and enjoyable experience.

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Creativity took centre stage during the InterHouse drama competition. Our House put on a stunning performance that captivated the audience and judges alike. The dedication and hard work of our actors, directors, and backstage crew were evident in every scene, earning us welldeserved praise and recognition.

A proud moment for our House came when students from Years 9 and 11 represented the school at the prestigious Whitehall Parade in London. Their disciplined marching and commitment to this significant event were truly commendable. Despite facing adverse conditions, including marching past groups of protestors, our students remained composed and carried themselves with great professionalism and respect. It was an honour for them to take part in such a meaningful ceremony, reflecting their dedication and resilience.

As we move forward into the next term, we look forward to more achievements and memorable moments. Well done to everyone for their hard work and enthusiasm—let’s continue to make our House proud!

Jonathan Griffiths Head of Khartoum House

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Sandringham House – Karoake, Drama and Tea and Toast Challenges Exciting and action-packed in Sandringham, full of memorable events, friendly competitions, and plenty of laughter. We kicked things off by celebrating the end of 2024 with our in-House Christmas parties and an epic House Karaoke party in collaboration with Balmoral. The holiday spirit was alive and well as students came together to enjoy festive fun and showcase their singing talents.

Throughout the term, the school buzzed with a variety of family-friendly activities. Mr Blatch kept things lively with his weekly table tennis competition, bringing out the competitive spirit in students. We also had our share of sporting fun with dodgeball and football games, where the energy was high and the rivalry fierce. However, the most hotly contested event was undoubtedly the Tea and Toast challenge. Students battled it out to create the best cup of tea and toast for the staff, proving that it's not just about the taste but the creativity and effort put into every batch!

The Inter-House competitions were as lively as ever, with the drama events standing out as the highlight. This year, the students put on a hilarious show with a memorable performance featuring Donald Trump applying for Mrs Webb's job as Houseparent. Hamish took on the role of Mrs Carruthers, while Aadee was more Mrs Forster than Mrs Forster herself, earning plenty of applause and laughs from the audience. The drama event was a reminder of the immense talent and creativity within our House community.

In another big moment, Houseparent Mrs Webb, announced her impending departure, sparking an interesting and active process to choose new Houseparents. The students were fully involved, even Bona Lisa (our resident gold glittery full size skeleton) made her contribution, ensuring that their voices were heard in this important decision. It was great to see everyone take such an active role in shaping the future of their House.

As the days got longer, the return of evening recreation time on the Front Field was a welcome change, with students enjoying the extra daylight and making the most of the open space for sports and relaxation. We enjoyed pottery painting, a trip to Ninja Warrior and a ten mile hike on Mothering Sunday around Swinley Forest - tech free!! These moments marked the start of the transition toward the end of the Spring Term and the impending Summer Term.

As we head into the next chapter, the excitement and energy from the Winter Term will surely carry us forward into even more memorable moments ahead.

Natalie Webb Sandringham Houseparent

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Victoria House: First Place Finishes and Fun As always, the end of the Autumn Term was filled with celebrations. To mark the start of the festive season, we took 71 Victoria girls to Hampton Court Palace for a magical evening of ice skating beneath the Christmas tree. The festivities continued with House parties and festive coffee mornings for each year group, where the girls enjoyed seasonal games, tested their knowledge in a Christmas quiz, and showcased their creativity with yule log decorating.

After a well-deserved Christmas break, the girls returned energised for a fun-packed and exciting Spring Term! Inter-House competitions, mock exams, and House trips have kept us busy, ensuring a dynamic start to the new year.

In House, we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a pancake bar, embraced the Easter spirit with a chocolate egg quiz, and marked Mental Health Week with a series of daily activities promoting well-being. With our Intra-House families, the girls continue to earn points through volunteering hours, Inter-House participation, classroom commendations, and engaging in our many family challenges.

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This term, some of our Year 11 and Year 12 girls have stepped into new leadership roles within the House, doing a fantastic job supporting the staff while earning hours toward their voluntary service. With each Parade, we see our Year 7 and Year 8 girls grow in confidence with their marching skills, and we are incredibly proud of our new House Captain Skye, House Sergeant Ella, and Drill Sergeants Josie and Emilia, for ensuring the girls look impeccable on Parade days. Additionally, our newly appointed Student Governor Olivia, along with Junior Prefects Maisie, Jess, Alicja and Ruby, and Senior House Prefects Sophie, Lulu, Amy, Amelie, Jess and Eden have embraced their responsibilities with enthusiasm.

The girls never cease to impress us with their commitment, enthusiasm, and diligence.

Their sporting, academic, and creative arts achievements continue to shine, with first-place finishes in Inter-House Pipes and Drums, cycling, rowing, creative writing and cooking, as well as a strong second-place finish in Art and Quiz.

Marie Jones, Head of Victoria House

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Windsor House: Bouncing but not Breaking December started with a bang, (well, fortunately not too many bangs on the ice rink at least!) where over 100 boarders enjoyed a trip to Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink. We saw some spectacular skating, and some spectacular falls! We continued on the Christmas theme with year group karaoke and Christmas challenges at our House parties.

Lots of fun was had, before they headed off to the delicious dinners that our fantastic catering team provided. Sixth Form students took to the dance floor in the annual Dance Off, and we saw some impressive and interesting moves! Lots more fun was had getting creative with the Gingerbread House Decorating competition, festive arts and crafts being made at weekends in the House, ensuring there were some lovely gifts to take home and to decorate the House. The Christmas Quiz for all boarders was organised by the graduates, where all the students enjoyed some more delicious festive food and hot chocolate and gingerbread in the dining hall, whilst getting their brains ticking on some tricky quiz questions! Just before all the boarders headed home we enjoyed the Windsor House Christmas Party, with festive food and some dodgy whistling by Mrs Heathcote in the music quiz, for ‘name that tune!’.

With the New Year, came new job roles for our students, and we welcomed our Year 10 Junior Prefects, and new Senior Student Leaders in House. Inter House competitions came thick and fast with Maths, Pipes and Drums, Orienteering, Debating, Badminton and, most exciting of all, Windsor placing first in KS3 Rowing, KS4 Shooting, KS4 Public Speaking, together with a fantastic win in a very difficult category, Art, where our Weeble of ‘Malala’ wobbled but it didn’t fall down!

The Year 9 and 11s did us proud as we marched down Whitehall and every Parade our girls receive such positive comments, about how great they look out there marching, so one day we might bring home that Longmoor Cup! We love having our Family Fridays in House with Mrs Berry, and we loved celebrating Chinese New Year in the House kitchen, making delicious Udon Noodles all together in our families! Our kitchen really is the hub of the House (and this was proved 30

with the Family Friday Fried Egg Competition, possibly the most competitive intra House challenge yet!!). We love baking at weekends, improving our piping skills with our home made cakes, making pancakes, and of course, we love to shop! The girls emptied their wallets and filled their bellies in Reading Shopping Centre recently! At the weekends our evenings have been spent playing badminton and indoor cricket in the sports hub, walking Flash on the back fields, Valentine’s arts and crafts in House and the mindfulness of pottery painting for Mothering Sunday treats.

Lots of us went to support our Windsor performers in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the theatre in Woking, seeing how hard they had all worked whilst rehearsing and juggling a busy school schedule, this alongside the Music Showcase which was performed in the Rec, included wonderful solos and group pieces to enjoy. The Dance Showcase was a gorgeous piece of theatre too, involving again more Windsor Warriors, with lovely storytelling and such talent! Windsor students are busy rehearsing for the KS3 show Newsies, as we go to print! The talent doesn’t just stay on stage, our Taskmaster Weekend Challenge was such a joy to recreate a live action version of Donkey Kong (see our social media pages for the hilarious video) and of course our girls throw themselves into MUN weekends too!

Fixtures have kept our girls uber busy, with thrilling national competitions in hockey and netball, again, all whilst the girls juggle work and play! We are so proud of you all!

Our girls definitely put the Bounce in the ‘Bounce Don’t Break!’ and they continue to live up to the daily expectations of being Windsor Warriors, clearly evident in the ‘Super House Challenges’, where we won £500 in the Sixth Form for the least amount of lates around the school, and the least amount of behaviour points around the school too…. Another £500 for the whole House. Now to put on our thinking caps for how to spend it!!

Keep it up Windsor, we are so proud to be your Houseparents!

Ben and Danielle Heathcote Windsor Houseparents

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Woolwich House: Glitz, Glamour and Gold As The Great Bard (and many before him) noted, “Non omne quod nitet aurum est.” However, neither he, nor Chaucer, nor even Aesop ever experienced life in Woolwich House. Did they?

This term has seen the creme-de-la-creme of success and involvement from a vintage year of students. Winners have come from all areas, chess competitions, the Woolwich Christmas Talent competition, the Woolwich World Cup. We have brought home the gold in the hotly contested Gingerbread House decorating competition, silver in the World Book Day story writing competition and this year accumulated no less than 2956 good comments, an average of 92 per student!

But it's not all been the feverish scramble akin to the Klondike. The Woolwich students have taken their room cleanliness above and beyond the 10/10 to stage reenactments of Waterloo and the screenplay for Godzilla. The Woolwich students have shown glittering enthusiasm for activities in House. The trashion show threw up some glitz and glamour at the weekend; the cultural cooking evenings have provided sushi, classic American burgers and the perennial chatpate; and the recent baby photo competition had Mrs Lowe cooing like a gilded dove.

There has been more, so much more that this golden troupe has accomplished. The days are long, full and require some means of decompression. Enter our glitter jars, which are like the students' brains at the end of the day, whirling in gyroscopic glimmering speckles of gold dust that transfix the onlooker in a gaze of awe and wonder. And when the gold dust settles, sore labour's bath, chief nourisher in life's feast ensues, and the students slumber, knowing that all that glitters in Woolwich, is gold.

Sleep tight sweet princes and princesses. tomorrow, we go(ld) again.

Sam and Daisy Cooper Woolwich Houseparents

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In a class of their own, Woolwich House, winners of the Gingerbread Decorating Competition!

While all the Residential Boarding Houses entered the competition, the creativity of the school’s youngest students clinched the trophy, presented by Headmaster Andrew Moss.

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Blue skies in Dartmoor as students, hoping for a place in the Ten Tors team, set off for their practice weekend. The group has been attending early morning training three times a week since January in readiness for the event.

The six chosen this weekend, will form one of 400 teams of teenagers (2,400 individuals) taking on the rough terrain of Dartmoor and will hike for 35 miles.

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Cadets out in force for CCF Field Days at Portsmouth and Hampshire. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Cadets visited the historic dockyard, enjoying a harbour tour by boat where they saw aircraft carriers; frigates and destroyers. They boarded both the Mary Rose and HMS Victory, which offered a fascinating insight into past and modern practices. Army Cadets were at Longmoor Camp where they fired SA80 GP rifles and all qualified for Army Camp in Scotland in the Summer.

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CO-CURRICULAR Stunning origami models made by students for their co-curricular Period 7 activity. Flowers, frogs and handbags among the fantastic array of paper objects produced by them. The Origami Club was recently introduced to the line up of after school activities by popular demand from the students and has been a huge success!

New to the cocurricular line up, Warhammer!

Students paint their figures before embarking on a miniature medieval fantasy wargame.

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Chess at Gordon’s There has been an explosion of interest in playing chess over the last few months. Period 7 chess on a Monday is now solely for competitive chess and training (so replacing ‘recreational’ chess, which was more casual with competitive chess optional). A trophy is awarded to the winner of the Spring Term and medals given to the first three placed students, plus first girl.

Nineteen students are competing for the trophy and medals. The games are keenly fought and chess playing standards are clearly improving in Period 7, but also elsewhere.

Residential chess takes place for students on Sundays, mostly from Woolwich. These younger students have formed their own chess club.

Sets, clocks and magazines have been provided to the students. Eight students are playing in a residential tournament on Sundays, with medals and a trophy being awarded at the end of the year. More students are welcome to join.

Gordon’s continues to offer free-of-charge chess tournaments four or five times per year, inviting strong local junior players to compete against our students. These tournaments are English Chess Federation (ECF) rated. The two tournaments held in the Spring Term are EJCOA National Youth Tournament Zonals, so allowing winners of different age categories to progress to the National Youth Finals in Nottingham in July. Oliver Roberts qualified for the finals in the under – 18 category after finishing third overall in the February tournament. The tournaments are now well – known locally. They are full (40 students maximum) more than two weeks before the tournament start date.

The most notable improvement in chess standards at Gordon’s has been realised for performances in the Briant Poulter (Surrey Schools Chess League). In the first term Gordon’s struggled to compete against more experienced schools, but latterly have won two matches in succession. There is a keenness to represent Gordon’s with 13 students wanting to participate in the last two six-board matches of the term. This gives scope for expanding involvement of students in the Briant Poulter League which is an encouraging development for If a student is interested in playing competitive chess at the school. chess at Gordon’s school then Mr Jon Lloyd The younger year groups won the Arete Trophy JLloyd@gordons.school would be delighted vs three other schools. This again shows to hear from them. More chess competition is planned, so don’t miss out! potential development of chess at Gordon’s, which we are eager to encourage.

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Exeat weekend for all but seven students who found themselves in Guildford Magistrates Court!

However, the seven were acting as witnesses, defendants, magistrates and lawyers for the prosecution and defence. The students were taking part in a Mock Trial and as well as visiting the court, toured the holding cells at Guildford Crown Court and were given the chance to engage with a wide range of legal and law enforcement professionals.

Whodunnit? The new P7 activity, Crime Solvers, has turned the students into detectives as they work their way through a murder case each week. Also new to the co-curricular line up is Criminology, in which they learn about criminals and the law.

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A popular P7 activity, running, either a Parkrun on a Saturday morning or across Surrey Heath and High Curley Hill in the afternoons.

One of 12 finalists in the national Springboard Futurechef competition, Matilda Spink enjoyed a night in a top London hotel before cooking a meal for 17 of the UK’s most talented chefs, including her idol, Bake Off: The Professionals Judge and international pastry consultant Cherish Finden. Matilda

had just two hours in which to fillet a fish and produce four plates of cured and torched mackerel fillets with watercress mayonnaise, potato and butternut fondants, charred shallots and rainbow chard followed by her own take on rhubarb and custard.

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Gordon’s MUN The Wynter Bee Theatre packed for Surrey Heath MP Al Pinkerton’s address to the Gordon’s MUN Conference. The two day conference welcomed over 150 students from Prior’s Field School, Hurstpierpoint College, Blenheim High School, Robert May’s School and The Marist School in nine different committees.

Dr Pinkerton brought his experiences in international relations as an MP and Associate Professor in Geopolitics at Royal Holloway University to the event, and spoke of the Trump/ Zelensky Oval Office meeting.

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Major Ali Bexton served as the evening speaker and provided a unique and focused perspective on the current state of global affairs. Major Bexton has extensive experience in Ukraine and was able to provide a very succinct commentary on the weekend’s crisis between the President of the USA and the President of Ukraine, providing a boots on the ground perspective of life in under-siege Ukraine. Major Bexton also fielded brilliant questions from our Secretary General and Head of General Assembly.

Both speakers shared incredible insight into the state of the world currently and were incredibly valuable parts of the highly successful event.

Haileybury MUN Hot on the heels of Gordon’s Model United Nations (MUN) Conference, was Hailebury MUN, the largest MUN conference in the UK, attracting over 900 students. Gordon’s proved their debating prowess with James, Peter and Nathanial coming away with Highly Commended; Amelie with Distinguished Delegate and the team of Ewan, Amelie, James, Aaryan and Nathanial, representing China, who were Best Delegation of the General Assembly.

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CHARITY He’s usually seen on the rugby pitch but Sixth Form student Harry Ludkin took to the Parade Square on the last day of the Spring Term where he volunteered for the eye-wateringly, painful leg waxing – all in the name of the school’s charities!

As well as the lex waxing, Harry had all his hair

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shaved off his head and face to raise funds for Treloar’s School and College. Harry’s fundraising efforts even persuaded a fellow student to undergo a wax on his beard! The event raised almost £400 and was a great end to the Spring Term.

The challenge for Year 9 was to learn about the social issues facing the local community and research those charities providing crucial support. Students then split into groups, with each selecting one of the local charities. After meeting and consulting with the charities, each group devised and delivered a social action plan to support their charity.

Graham Dear from the charity was able to attend the final and had high praise for the group, who made an awareness training film and campaign.

He was particularly impressed that they had been able to get across the key message that ‘it’s OK to not be OK’ and that as a school, Gordon’s has such a good range of mental health support strategies.

One thousand pounds was up for grabs from First Give for one of the charities, as the judging panel of Councillors Pat Tedder and Liz Noble, together with teachers James Greggor and James Butler listened to their presentations. The team representing the Grace Dear Trust which campaigns to prevent teen suicide, won.

Also listening to the First Give presentations were representatives from the other charities picked by students - Carol Ellis from White Lodge, Gemma Johnston from The Hope Hub Surrey Heath and Irina Bush from Catalyst Support.

Congratulations to all the students taking part.

Not just high octane adventure for students on the The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, but giving back. Some 250 students are now enrolled for the scheme either working towards their Bronze, Silver or Gold and all volunteering. The DofE Scheme has calculated that 3055 hours were spent volunteering, the value of which is £16,128!

Every student and member of Balmoral House was involved in ‘free throwing’ for five minutes in the hope of achieving 1,000 baskets between 11am and 5pm.

The boys and staff smashed this total, making 2,000 baskets and raising £600 for school charities!

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For Ned Hewson his 18th birthday meant just one thing – he would then be able to run in marathons!

The A Level student signed up to the Brighton Marathon, taking place soon after his milestone birthday. So he grasped any opportunity to train in between his duties as Head Boy, House Captain, Deputy Head of House; as well as learning lines and rehearsing for one of the lead roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and studying for his A Levels in PE, Economics and Drama!

On the way, he ran in the Surrey Half Marathon, achieving a personal best and then came Brighton! Ned achieved his goal of sub four hours with just 30 seconds to spare, completing the 26.2 mile course in 3:59:30. The Sixth Form student also realised his fundraising goal, and more, for mental health charity MIND, raising £2,804!

Ned’s determination to run the marathon was to raise money and awareness for the mental health charity MIND. He says: “I have chosen this mental health charity ‘Mind’ due to the difficulties I have been exposed to throughout my life. Just like everyone in the world, I have had my share of ups and downs but I believe that the ups are often spoken about more than the downs; when actually both are just as important in making someone the person they are today. I decided to embark on this journey to prove to myself and all of you that we are capable of overcoming any challenge we face and that sometimes you need to have moments of pain to experience the times of glory and greatness.”

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Angus’ Army: The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity Every day, for a year, Sandringham Houseparent Tom Webb ran 5K to raise money for Angus’ Army, the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The charity, one of the whole school ones for the year, was started after student Angus was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the summer of 2023 and received treatment from the Royal Marsden.

Sandringham House formed themselves into Angus’ Army, enlisting students, staff and parents from across the school community. First they ran the Oxford Half Marathon to raise money for the charity and then 100 miles of the South Downs. Mr Webb continued the fundraising by pledging to run 5Ks every day, whatever the weather and wherever he was in the world.

On January 1st 2025 he completed his year of running, bringing the total number of kilometres run to 1,825 and helping to boost the amount raised for the charity which now stands at almost £50,000!

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CREATIVE ARTS Dance Production

Wow! What a busy term for Dance.

Back in January we started our rehearsal for the 2025 Dance Production, ‘The Space Between Us’. Students were thrown into rehearsal and auditioning for selected groups where they can choreograph their own pieces.

This was quite the challenge as the production was narrative driven, all pieces had to push the story forward. The students did an amazing job at continuing the story to create a clear through line. We had the privilege of performing in the new Wynter Bee Theatre. Having a venue like this on site is truly an asset and made for a professional looking show. It was a joy to have a practically sold-out evening for this production, and I look forward to the next. I would like to say a huge congratulations and thank you to all 50 students involved.

Martha Banks Thompson Head of Dance 46

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory For the first time since 2019, the Drama Department took their Senior production off school site and out to the Rhoda McGaw Theatre in Woking. Our production played to three sold out audiences in the final week of January 2025.

The production consisted of over 60 students in the cast and the technical crew and it was an absolute delight to see the students flourish in a professional theatre space. In recognition of their hard work and dedication to the show, the musical has been nominated in four categories at the ‘National School Theatre Awards’ with notable ‘Best Actress’ nominations going to Emma Harrison (Year 13) and Jessica Murphy (Year 11) for their outstanding portrayals of Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket.

Rehearsals for our KS3 production of ‘Newsies Jr!’ are well underway; our first production in our new theatre space. The cast consists of over 60 students from Years 8 and 9 and they have been working particularly hard to hone their skills as performers. We are really excited to share the production with audiences in our new theatre.

Whilst our Drama and Musical Theatre Scholars are preparing for Drama School auditions, our writing scholar Charlotte Newing (Year 12) has been writing a play to be performed in the theatre in December 2025. On Friday 21st March, 15 senior students auditioned for a place at the prestigious National Youth Theatre. Having had success in gaining ten places over the past three years, we are eagerly anticipating the results!

For the third consecutive year, we have had Robbie Olden success in reaching the regional finals of the ‘ESU Director of Drama Performing Shakespeare’ competition with Tara Udassi (Year 9) presenting a moving performance as Shylock from The Merchant of Venice. The next round takes place in May with the winner granted a place to perform at Shakespeare’s Globe in the final.

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As winter’s chill gave way to the first signs of spring, we filled the season with melody and celebration.

The Autumn Term concluded with four spectacular performances of our annual Carol Service, enjoyed by a combined congregation of over 700. The Girls’ Choir, Boys’ Choir, and the Semper Fidelis Singers excelled themselves, as ever, with fine performances. As the new year began, our musicians dived straight into an extraordinary production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - a show that dazzled and delighted.

This year, we entered two ensembles into the Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival, with our senior group reaching the semi-finals. February brought a whirlwind of performances, from our inspiring music showcase to our annual Songs from the Shows concert, performed for the first time in the Wynter Bee Theatre.

March crescendoed into a truly magnificent spectacle - the Spring Concert, featuring a recordbreaking 140 students — our musicians, lighting up the stage at the Wilde Theatre in Bracknell to a full and enthusiastic audience.

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In addition to these grand performances, 15 of our students had the remarkable opportunity to visit Steinway Hall as part of our campaign to raise funds for new Steinway Grand pianos. They took part in masterclasses and performed a recital that captivated a hall full of VIPs. We also made two enriching visits to the Yehudi Menuhin School - one for composition workshops and another to witness a stunning performance by the Surrey Mozart Players.

It has been another successful term for ABRSM and LCM music exams, with several of our students awarded bursaries by the Woking Young Musicians’ Trust to further develop their talents. The Girls’ Choir gave beautiful performances in the chapel, while the Semper Fidelis Singers left a lasting impression with a stirring Evensong after the final parade of term.

As this remarkable season drew to a close, our musicians were preparing for an unforgettable adventure: a trip to New York, where they will perform at the Empire State Building!

Adam Stanworth, Director of Music

Our senior trio, comprising music scholars Kath, Alyshea and Beiyee, competed at the Pro Corda National Chamber Music Festival Semi-Final.

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Lessons in history and maths as Year 12 A Level students visited Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, the centre of allied code breaking during the Second World War. The maths students learned about the history of the codebreakers such as the founder of modern computing Alan Turing, and how they cracked the Enigma, which played a crucial part in ending the war against Germany.

ACADEMIC A chance for our female mathematicians in Year 12 to attend inspirational lectures and workshops at Oxford University’s Mathematical Institute at the It All Adds Up conference. The conference, designed to increase female participation in maths and related subjects at Oxbridge, also gave them the opportunity to try out some entrance exam problems and attend a Q&A with current students.

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Creative and insightful works into depression and anxiety by students Meagan and Yuvika, winners in the 2025 Psychology Competition, as part of the school’s Mental Health Week initiative. The students created their posters to highlight key messages around self-care, resilience, seeking support and fostering a culture of compassion and understanding. Mental Health Week is dedicated to raising awareness on mental health wellbeing, reducing stigma and encouraging all to take care of it. It’s also a reminder that mental health affects how we think, feel and act and is vital at every stage of life.

Ends

All the best work goes up on the fridge at home, so why not at school? Introducing the DT fridge where the best of Year 8’s work is displayed.

Hip hop artist, poet and author, Karl Nova brought his unique style to Gordon’s students as part of World Book Week. As well as providing an inspirational and engaging talk about his early life in London and Nigeria, Karl spoke about his journey into creative writing through rap music and word slam poetry.

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Baron Robert Winston It was a privilege to welcome Baron Robert Winston for a fascinating talk and question and answer session with Sixth Form students. The professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour peer answered wide ranging questions from a mixture of psychology, sociology and biology students on ethics, epigenetics, genetics and gene editing. Head of Psychology Gurdeep Bilkhu, pictured (left) with Baron Winston said: “What makes today even more special is that Lord Winston is generously sharing his time and expertise with us out of his own good will. We are deeply humbled by his unwavering commitment to advancing science and education”. Also pictured is sociology teacher Bethan Sage and students.

Dissecting eyeballs as part of a physics lesson on light. The Year 8 students were clearly fascinated by their practical study of how the eye refracts, reflects and forms images.

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A chance for Year 10 scholars working on the Schools of Empire project to discuss their research with two of its architects Dr Thomas Smith and Dr Timothy Guard from Rugby School. In addition Year 8 were treated to a fascinating talk on Empire and Artefacts by the two of them, and Sixth Form historians learned about the benefits of studying a humanities degree. The Schools of Empire is an award-winning research project exploring the historical intersection between schools, class and colonialism.

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The Pipes and Drums in Ypres at St George’s Memorial Church remembering the 156 Gordonians who lost their lives in World War One with a Service conducted by the school Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright. They also performed at the Last Post Association Service at Menin Gate.

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NEWS FROM

The Bishop of Dorking, the Right Reverend Paul Davies joined confirmation candidates and students from the school’s Alpha Youth group and Easy Chapel. Bishop Paul delivered the Gordon Sermon in Guildford Cathedral as part of the Gordon Memorial Service and will return to Gordon’s for the Confirmation Service.

Four Carol Services took place in the Chapel, involving over 130 students either singing or reading. The school welcomed Gordonians, residents of Lakeview Care Home; Greenview Hall

Care Home and students from Holy Trinity School as well as parents and friends.

The stunning nativity scene on the front of the Order of Service was designed by Niamh, a Year 7 student.

THE PEWS

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Creative Arts Trip to New York Off on the trip of a lifetime, 49 students departed for New York in March to experience all that the Big Apple has to offer. After a slightly turbulent flight and not long off the plane, the group were ready and raring to go and visited Margaritaville for their first American dining experience.

No time for jet lag, it was up early the following day to take in some of the sights along Fifth Avenue, including a visit to St Patrick’s Cathedral and Grand Central Station. The choir, Semper Fidelis Singers, had the amazing opportunity to perform at the Empire State Building later that day, where they sang a variety of different songs to parents and members of the public.

Reeling from this, it was time to head up to the Observatory to see the New York skyline – very impressive! That afternoon, one group went to Steinway & Sons in Queens, whereby they had a guided tour of the factory, also observing how the instruments are made. Concurrently,

the other group had time to visit Central Park and spend time in the region of the Rockefeller Centre where some may have even had a quick glance in the Lego Store! That evening it was dinner at Planet Hollywood, entering on the red carpet. Experiencing Times Square at night, the group then made their way along Broadway to St James’ Theatre where they watched Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Sunset Blvd’, directed by Jamie Lloyd, six-time Olivier winner, which starred Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis. What an incredible show from the music, the acting, the lighting, the dance choreography, the overall production (at one point live from the streets of New York ending on the stage – just wow!) - a show to remember for sure!

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EVENTS

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Day three started with a Broadway workshop in Stage Combat at Ripley-Grier studios where Jonah and Victor led students through the preparation, safety and tools to choreograph a fight scene in a movie. Extremely engaging and fun, yet tiring, some students then shared their choreography with everyone which was very convincing! A quick turn-around, the Pipes and Drums then got ready to lead the group down Sixth Avenue for the Tartan Day Parade. Paula from ‘The Force’, who tutors Drum Major, Lucy Carter, was also in New York for the Tartan Day Parade with her display team and it was amazing for Lucy to be able to flourish the mace alongside Paula and her team before the Parade started. After a quick tutorial from Mrs Scotson in the hotel lobby and on the streets of New York just before the Parade, five students volunteered to do some Highland Dancing and did an amazing job flying the flag for the School and the Arts, but showcasing how talented, adaptable and willing our students are. Alan Cumming – yes *the* Alan Cumming – commenced the Tartan Day Parade as Grand Marshall. Isla and Imogen held the banner in front of the band as we took to Sixth Avenue, with the dancers, and the rest of the group walking behind the band. As we marched down Sixth Avenue, the atmosphere from the crowd was amazing, with lots of cheers and jubilance as we went past. After a commentator narrated who we were and the School’s history to the crowds, we finished the Parade by passing Alan Cumming on the Grand Marshall float. Not everyone can say that they have been on Sixth Avenue, let alone been part of a Parade on Sixth Avenue which stops New York traffic, and marched past Alan Cumming! If that was not enough, that evening we had the experience of ‘The Ride’ interactive bus tour which was an amazing way to see the City, but what was more incredible were the live street performances of song, rap and all styles of dance. Gordon’s even got a shout out from one of the performers as a part of their act!

After, it was dinner at the world-famous Hard Rock Café where guitars played by Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and John Lennon were on display, followed by a shopping opportunity around Times Square.

Sunday started with a trip on the Staten Island ferry where students (and staff!) managed to get their pictures of the Statue of Liberty and

the Manhattan skyline. Getting off the ferry, the group then walked to the 9/11 Memorial Gardens, passing through Wall Street and Stone Street, one of New York’s oldest streets, dating back to the 17th century. After a humbling experience at the 9/11 Memorial Gardens, remembering all those involved in that tragic day, the group headed to Brooklyn Bridge for a photo, before taking the subway to Brooklyn where students had a lesson in graffiti artwork as well as a guided tour of Bushwick Brooklyn neighbourhood, learning about the murals and artwork there as well as information about the artists. This was great fun and some of the artwork that was created by students by the end was professional looking and the tour guide was really knowledgeable and passionate about the art form! That evening, we headed to the famous Ellen Stardust Diner, located on the corner of Broadway, where we were serenaded by waiters and waitresses, all of whom are actors and actresses, performing in various shows on Broadway, paving their way to success in their field. SFS put in a request for ‘A Million Dreams’ from The Greatest Showman that they had performed at The Empire State Building, which was obliged just as we were leaving. A special memory to take away with them, they broke into harmony with the singing waitress, before we were ushered to leave, still singing as they left!

Despite the Monday morning blues on the fifth day as we packed our luggage into storage in the hotel, there were still two things to look forward to before the inevitable return to the airport. First was a visit to the Museum of Modern Art. Some students took on the challenge of recreating the art – some of the creativity into the recreations were amazing! Finally, we finished our tour of New York with a guided tour of Radio City Music Hall.

It was great to see not only the vastness of the concert hall itself, imagining all the famous people who had taken to its stage, but to go behind the scenes and learn about the history of the building.

Perhaps best of all, certainly for our dancers on the tour, was meeting one of the world-famous Rockettes and having a small Q&A session with her, as well as a group photo!

It may have been a jampacked itinerary, but the memories shared with friends will be there for a lifetime.

Flippin’ fast! The frying pans were out on the Parade Square as boarders competed in the annual pancake race. Reigning champions Balmoral once again put on a display of speed and accuracy to clinch another win. Pancakes were served up in the Houses as well as at lunchtime.

His stuttering led to bullying at school but Corporal Luke Gurung from Pirbright Army Camp bounced back, working his way up the ranks of the Army and completing two tours of Afghanistan. He spoke to children in Year 7 about resilience and overcoming challenges, in an inspirational story of how he met challenges head-on; how to be confident and that everyone is unique.

One of the more unusual ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day – a heartshaped hair plait!

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Steinway to Heaven Visits to Steinway on both sides of the pond for creative arts students! In February, Gordon’s pianists experienced a once in a lifetime opportunity when four of them took part in a Masterclass with Charles Owen, a leading British classical pianist at Steinway Hall, home of Steinway and Sons in Marylebone.

The students, who played a range of music from Chopin to Gershwin, were also able to take part in a question and answer session with Mr Owen, who is Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Guest Professor at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Steinway & Sons’ UK Ambassador. During their visit they toured Steinway Hall.

Also, during the creative arts visit to New York, students were privileged to receive a personal tour of the Steinway factory there, where pianos have been handmade since the 19th Century.

The events were part of Gordon’s School’s intention to form a partnership with Steinway & Sons and become a Steinway School. At the start of the year, fundraising began to buy a fleet of Steinway pianos, including a grand piano to be installed in our new Wynter Bee Theatre. This will ensure that all our students will be able to practise, rehearse and be accompanied on the highest-quality instruments available. In addition, our students will be able to participate in Steinway-sponsored masterclasses and events. The door will also be open to collaboration with other prestigious Steinway institutions, enabling our music students to pursue their ambitions to the highest level.

At the London Steinway Hall, after a concert given by the students, John Darnell, Chairman of the Arts Society, Mayford presented the Director of Music, Adam Stanworth with a donation towards the school’s appeal.

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They were active, received chocolate, wrote notes of appreciation to staff and students, gave back by helping around the Houses and finished off Bounce Week by playing board games for ‘connected and engage’ day.

On a wet, Friday afternoon, it was the perfect end to the inaugural Bounce Week! Bounce Week is modelled on the NHS5 and Gordon’s Bounce Don’t Break programme.

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Character values represented in cakes and biscuits! That was the task facing some students in Years 8 and 9 in the Arete baking competition. The group produced some imaginative and delicious results, winning both their categories, with Year 9 girls also seizing victory with their biscuits!

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SPORTS Gordon’s Badminton: A Successful First Year and Future Aspirations Gordon’s Badminton has experienced a highly successful inaugural year, establishing itself as a competitive and well-structured programme within the school. Throughout the year, the team has participated in numerous fixtures against local schools, providing players with valuable match experience and fostering a strong sense of teamwork and sportsmanship.

In addition to local fixtures, the team has taken the ambitious step of entering two national competition qualifiers. While the primary objective was not necessarily to secure victories, these competitions have served as an invaluable opportunity for players to compete at a higher level, gain experience, and develop their technical and tactical skills. Exposure to such events has contributed to the team’s growth and has set a strong foundation for future competitive success.

A key aspect of the programme’s development has been ensuring that players have access to high-quality resources and structured training.

Over the course of the year, the club has successfully sourced the appropriate equipment, including racquets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to support both training and competitive matches.

Furthermore, the introduction of player uniforms has helped to create a sense of identity and unity among team members. Dedicated training sessions have been established alongside scheduled match dates, allowing players to consistently develop their skills and refine their performance.

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Currently, the club maintains well-organised squads of eight players per Key Stage for both boys and girls. To ensure continued development and inclusivity, new trials were held, offering an opportunity for more students to join the programme. By expanding the squads, the club aims to increase participation and provide additional players with the chance to engage in competitive badminton.

Looking ahead, Gordon’s Badminton has set ambitious goals for the coming year. One of the primary objectives is to enter the first official league competition, which will provide a structured framework for development and increased competitive opportunities. This step marks an exciting progression for the team, as it will allow players to test their abilities against a wider pool of opponents and strive for further success.

With continued commitment to training, recruitment, and competition, the club is confident in its ability to build upon its achievements and elevate its standing within the school sports community. By attracting more players to trials and fostering a culture of dedication and improvement, Gordon’s Badminton is well-positioned for sustained growth and success in the years to come.

Matthew Gullick, Head of Physical Education

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Triple success in the National Schools Golf competition at Crowborough Beacon GC for Gordon’s in the scratch, stableford and team events. Zach Mathews clinched the scratch tournament with a -1 round of 71 by two shots with Ben Lovell finishing runner up with a +1 round 73. In the stableford, Gordon’s came first (Jamie McNeil with 43 points), second (Will Unsworth 42 points), third (Cameron Moulsdale 40 points) and fourth with seven golfers making the top ten. And in the team stableford, the boys in green came away with first, second, fourth and eighth places.

With just three more events and many golfers now qualifying for the national finals, the school looks set to have a record breaking field at the end of the season.

Golfing Success Home and Away Wins in Portugal for Gordon’s golfers in both the Scratch and Stableford Individual Competitions at the Schools Golf competition at Vale de Pinta and Amendeoira Golf Clubs, have put Fraser Brammall, Zach Mathews and Freddie Blomfield through to the final competition at Worplesdon Golf Club in June. In the team stableford event, Gordon’s finished second and third!

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More golf successes for Gordon’s golfers, who recorded a triple win in the recent National Schools Golf at Farnham GC. Golf Scholar Jonnie Summerfield won the Scratch Tournament scoring an impressive even round of 72 on countback; Will Lawrence won the stableford event finishing with an incredible 7 over par round (off handicap 18) 79, scoring 45 stableford points and winning the tournament by 7 points and Gordon’s C team won the Team Competition event with Will Lawrence (45 points off handicap 18), Jai Stanley (38 points off hcp 13) and Alfie Webb (33 points off hcp 13).

A total of 116 points, 7 points ahead of Kingswood on 109 points.

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Shooting (Live Fire and Marksmanship) “Gordons Marksmen master the fundamental principles of rifle musketry enabling them to competently and expertly operate any rifle.”

Shooting, as a Period 7 activity endured a tricky start to the term (due to only theory training taking place on site, the range being closed whilst awaiting the fitting of replacement air filters) but has had an excellent second half.

The further expansion of eight places a week (period 8 Monday dedicated for Year 7 and 8) for students to try the sport firing small calibre (.22RF rounds) has proven successful and popular.

Twenty eight students took part in the range day on army ranges firing the cadet general purpose rifle at 25 yards. Top shot on the day was Oscar E with a 34mm and a 16mm group!

Another day is planned for June and meanwhile the cadet small arms team has been steadily training for the national CADSAAM competition in the autumn….

The team have been practicing in school, on the gallery ranges at Bisley, as well as at 100,300 and 600 yards with both Iron-sighted and Telescopic rifles of both historic and ultra-modern types firing .303in, 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition.

Against other schools, team members have competed in 4 .22RF friendly matches comporting and acquitting themselves well.

The tally is two wins and two losses.

They fire unsupported against teams who often use slings and jackets.

Nationally the team has again competed in the Cadet ‘Country Life’ Competition.

The School was represented in the Spring Action national competition by Jasmine S. who came provisionally fifth in the 25m precision small bore target rifle and 12th in the issued Mini-McQueen.

Excellent results for the school’s first ventures in these disciplines!

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Entry into the Phoenix and Imperial competitions will take place this year with all six team members soon to be eligible to take part following the successful completion of the probationary training for full bore by Jess, Alisha and Nikolai.

The school is expanding its available equipment with a scoped rifle to be available for the school range for those who struggle with the iron sights, and a left handed rifle which will both increase access to the sport.

Next term should also see eight students try marksmanship as a PE P6 activity in year 11.

Nick Driver, Head of Shooting

Ski Trip Round up The thrills (and spills!) of the annual ski trip for senior students. Some 90 students headed to the slopes in Obertauern, Austria for a week over the Christmas holidays with five hours of lessons every day! Apres ski, the students enjoyed a trip to one of the world’s oldest advent markets, the Christmas market in Salzburg. Younger years got their chance to take to the slopes in April over the Easter holidays (below).

Hitting the slopes on their first day of the junior ski trip on the French/Italian border in Montgenevre. The week long tour was packed with time on the slopes as well as plenty of apres ski!

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Equestrian Having successfully competed in dressage, showjumping, cross country and polo (for which her team won the National Schools and Universities Polo Association finals!), Inèz Schilbach then set herself the challenge of military riding!

The 13 year old, who was introduced to riding as a toddler, competed with the Army Cadet’s Chobham Detachment in a Military Equitation Competition held at Royal Windsor.

Military Equitation involves riding with one hand and sitting in the correct military position while managing formation with horses, in military tack. The cadets were competing under the instruction of a former Lt Colonel of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment while the Judge, formerly from the Kings Troop, assessed them for their military bearing.

Inèz was granted special dispensation to compete at such a young age, and was up against the Army Cadet Force, Combined Cadet Force and Royal Air Force Cadets from military detachments in Portsmouth, Dover and across the South of England. The horses, which are also used to escort the Lord and Lady Mayoress at the Lord Mayors Show in London each year, were randomly drawn for each rider.

In spite of being one of the youngest competitors and having only been military riding for seven months, she was awarded third place!

“We had five minutes to familiarise ourselves with the horses and warm up, meet the other cadets we would be riding alongside and then we started the competition” explained Inèz, adding that the judges were looking for the cadet’s affinity with their horse and the control and effectiveness of their riding - which included cantering within formation.

Inèz is very keen to continue with military equitation, and has future ambitions – “What I really want to do, maybe when I am a bit older, is the Lord Mayor’s Parade on horseback” and looking further to the future, she declared: “It’s definitely a military career for me!”

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The 1st XI Girls Hockey competed in the U18 Spring League, cruising through the group stage, winning all four matches without conceding a goal. This put them into the Final at Lee Valley.

Unfortunately, the girls didn’t get the result they wanted. However, they can take a lot from the experience and enjoyed being part of a big occasion. The photo is of the girls walking out onto the Lee Valley pitch before the match.

The Year 7 and 8 boys have been getting stuck into some hockey this term. They have been working hard in their weekly sessions and have enjoyed local matches against the likes of Hoe Bridge and St John’s. As well as this, we also

Tennis Our senior tennis teams have already had a busy season. Playing home games at our partner venue, Bagshot Tennis Club, the Boys U18 team recorded emphatic wins over Claremont Fan Court and George Abbot in the LTA winter national championships before bowing out to a strong Farnborough Sixth Form outfit.

Since the turn of the year, the boys have also beaten ACS Cobham in the Rootham Shield and face Grey Court in the next round. Participation

hosted a junior mixed game vs Woking High. A great contest which ended 3-2 for Gordon’s with Isla M scoring the winning goal in the last minute.

Outside of school, Alice C, Michela F, Phoebe S and Sid M have been training hard with their EH Talent Academy Squads in preparation for the summer tournaments and National selection.

Isla K, Alice C, Lauren G, Talia P, Michela F and Luci G-J have had great success with Woking U18s.

They have reached the National Final which will be played up in Nottingham .

Matt Boote, Head of Hockey

among girls also remains strong, with several members of the squad training on a weekly basis, and our U18 team showing admirable resilience to beat St Teresa’s back in December.

They will attempt to do what the boys couldn’t, and topple Farnborough Sixth!

In the Summer Term, our Period 7 programme started up again, with record numbers of students participating and representing the school in fixtures across all age groups.

Mark Eaden, Head of Tennis 73

Gordon’s Netball National finalists for the second year running in England Netball’s National Schools competition – the 1st VII Netball team after winning six out of seven games yesterday afternoon in the Regional Finals. The team, captained by Summer Chapman, included two playing up two years.

They beat Benenden (15-4); St Paul’s Girls’ School (12-3); Latymer Upper School (6-3); Sydenham High School (9-2); Coopers’ Company and Coborn 74

School (14-2) and Epsom College (3-1). A delighted Head of Netball, former Superleague player Nicole Humphrys said “I am very proud of them. They stuck together, dug deep, and executed when it mattered to get the job done”. The team will take on the top 18 schools in the country in the national championships on March 15th at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield.

A place on the Northern Ireland Netball Squad for Emily Brownleader, a Gordon’s netball scholar.

Emily, who arrived in September in the Sixth Form, heard about the trials through social media and decided to have a go. She was thrilled to not only go through to the next round but end up in the short squad! “I was really happy, I didn’t really expect it, It was just a good experience to try”.

Once a month she now flies to Northern Ireland for netball camps, studying for her BTECs during the flight!

She also took part as wing attack for the team, travelling to Scotland for the Europe Netball Under 19 training event, playing against teams from all over Europe.

Gordon’s Invitational In February we hosted our U16 invitational tournament, where the squad were crowned plate winners. Captain Amelie Shepheard pictured with the Head, with London Pulse player appearance Tyler Orr.

In March we hosted seven schools at our U13 invitational tournament. The U13A’s were Cup runners up after winning every game in their group, winning the semi-final against St Teresa’s by 1 goal, and just losing out to this years’ champions Hoe Bridge by 2 goals in the cup final.

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Rugby: School History Made School history was made on Wednesday 4th December when the ACE team travelled to Sixways Stadium in Worcester to play in the RFU ACE League final for the first time. Their opponents were 13 times champions Hartpury College, who had never lost an ACE League final in their 13 finals!

Having topped the South Group for the second consecutive year, the team had only lost once all season – by a point away at Hartpury College. Roared on by 200 Gordon’s students and staff in the stands, the team put on a flawless performance to run out 34-25 winners and becoming only the fourth school ever to win the league. All season they were an absolute credit to the school, representing the values of the school in every way and were fantastic ambassadors for Gordon’s, the rugby programme and their families.

Moving into the Spring Term it has been a busy 7s season with 28 tournaments played. There were excellent performances from every age group. The U12s finished fourth in a strong prep school competition for their first ever tournament, the U13s finished runners up at the Shrewsbury House Festival whilst only losing one game out of the 20 they played across the season. The U14s reached the cup quarter finals of the Surrey 7s, the U15s were knocked out in the semi final of the Bowl competition at Surrey. The U16s had their best ever finish at our own tournament and were unlucky to be knocked out in the plate quarter finals.

The U18s had some excellent performances finishing runners up at our own tournament and reaching the semi final of the prestigious Surrey Schools 7s. Although Rosslyn Park did not end in the way the team had hoped, they still come out of the season with much credit.

Rosslyn Park week belonged to the girls! Our incredible U18 team won every game on Day 1 and, for the first time in the school’s history, qualified for Day 2 and the Cup quarter final group. A good win against Trinity wasn’t quite enough, however the two teams they did lose to went on to compete in the main final. An incredible achievement by the girls!

Sam Richards Head of Rugby 76

A record eight Gordon’s teams competing in the Rosslyn Park National Schools Rugby 7s, with the Pipes and Drums performing at the opening ceremony. The U18 girls and boys teams were presented with their match tops by Headmaster Andrew Moss.

History made on the pitches of Rosslyn Park by Gordon’s girls, competing in the largest school rugby tournament in the world! The U18 team were unbeaten, winning 31-15 against Moulton College; 29-5 against Dartford Grammar School; 40-10 against Rugby School and 41-17 against New Hall School. This is the first time the Gordon’s girls have made it through to the second day of the Rosslyn Park 7s. In the Quarter Finals, they met Peter Symonds’ College; Trinity School and Hereford Sixth Form College.

Not only playing for the England U18s in the Six Nations Festival (in which they were unbeaten in all three games), but Sixth Form student Elliot Williams (above left) captained the side for their game against France - and was voted man of the match! The away game brought Elliot’s caps for England tally to ten and saw the England team make a nailbiting comeback to win 27-29, watched by a crowd of 5,000 French supporters! Congratulations Elliot and the team!

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CAREERS Over 30 educators and businesses converging on Gordon’s for the Careers Fair. The event, held as part of National Apprenticeship Week, saw students and their parents from Years 8 to 13 finding out about a wide range of careers including law, finance, healthcare, leisure, public services and creative. Organisations taking part included: Active Learning; Animal and Plant Health Agency; British Army; Bayfields Opticians; David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation; Forces Employment Charity; HM Prison Service; Innervate Careers; Lancaster University; Lifestyle Fitness Lightwater; Not Just Travel; Powerhouse Studios; ramsac; Royal Air Force; Infinigate Group; Royal Holloway, University of London; Royal Navy; Swiss Education Services Sousse; Siemens; Primus; Surrey Hills and Rivers; University of Surrey; USA Study; Watlow; Tim Speller Events; Talent Bureau; Tax Assist Accountants Woking; George Wallace Aviation; KBR; RHS - Royal Horticultural Society; University of Birmingham and University of East Anglia (UEA).

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Fluffy the cobot took centre stage with Year 7 students as the BAE Systems, RAF and Royal Navy STEM roadshow arrived at Gordon’s, promoting the career opportunities available from studying STEM subjects. Fluffy, who uses

LiDAR to detect obstacles, was a firm favourite at the interactive roadshow which supports the national curriculum and the importance of STEM in everyday life.

Fourteen diverse careers represented for the Year 10 Careers Speed Networking event in which they had just four minutes in which to guess the profession of the person sitting in front of them! Alongside a general practitioner and physiotherapist were a range of professions including an environmental health officer,

head of health economics and global benefits and wellbeing director. A further four minutes with each visitor allowed students the chance for more quizzing. Thank you to all our parent volunteers for giving up their time for this popular careers event.

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CAREERS INSIGHT TALKS Over 60 roles are available in the Royal Air Force with 22 apprenticeships on offer. Flight Sergeant Richard Seed, a Survival and Equipment Specialist highlighted a few of them to students as part of National Apprenticeship Week. A fantastic opportunity for students to hear first hand about a career in the Royal Air Force.

We have been fortunate enough to be supported in the Careers Key Note Speaker Series by numerous Gordonians including Zak Soliman; Lucy Reeve; Josh Deakin and recent leavers now completing apprenticeships: Tamara Dlamini; Harrison Dodd; Ollie Styles and Sam Bodoano. In addition, we welcomed Kirsty Loveridge from AEG; Richard Seed of the Royal Air Force and Kris Dyer of Deutsche Bank. Our Dine and Discuss series continued for Year 12 students, building cultural capital with Chris Dyson, architect.

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Top tips from Gordonian Josh Deakin (pictured with Careers Lead Augusta Kennedy), who shared his journey from Gordon’s to the multinational technology conglomerate Siemens, on their graduate business programme.

His insightful talk covered university, part time jobs, internships, working within the financial services division of Siemens and what to say in that all important job interview. Thank you Josh!

The exciting and varied careers at AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group Inc), the largest sports teams and events company in the world, were explained to students by Kirsty Loveridge (right), the company’s Executive Vice President of People and Culture. Ms Loveridge, an HR professional with over 20 years of experience, is responsible for setting the people direction for over 1,000 employees across 12 different offices and venues.

Lovely to welcome back two Gordonians, Rachel Sexton, formerly Windsor House and Lucy Reeve, formerly Kensington and China House.

Both left in 2006 and remain firm friends. Lucy was here as part of National Careers Week, to talk about her role as Chief of Staff for The Halo Trust, the de-mining charity championed

by Princess Diana. She spoke of her role for the NGO, which works in war zones including Ukraine and Syria and how she has de-mined areas and taught locals to do the same, thereby protecting lives and creating jobs.

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SIXTH FORM Senior Prefects from Gordon’s and Blenheim High School joined forces for the second of two days of their Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 3 Award. The students must complete the two units of problem solving and decision making and developing yourself and others for the industry -recognised leadership and management award.

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One of the most hotly contested Inter-House activities – the Sixth Form Dance Off - was won by Balmoral and Kensington. Boys’ and girls’ Houses were paired together and rehearsed for weeks for this most energetic and colourful spectacle. The neon-costumed Khartoum and Victoria danced away with the best-dressed title.

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HEAD BOY: ELLIOT WATSON 84

I am an outgoing and friendly character, always eager to meet and talk to new people. Both sports and the creative arts have been an integral part of my time at Gordon’s, and being part of the school productions and the football and tennis teams (despite still not being able to hit a serve properly) created some of my proudest and favourite moments. I am currently studying Maths, Economics and Geography, with an EPQ as my fourth option and looking forward to pursuing a degree in Land Economics in the future. My idol is Roger Federer as I admire his constant hard work and determination, as well as his morals, friendliness and sportsmanship. I strive to live by his quote: “There is no way around hard work.

Embrace it. You have to put in the hours because there is always something you can improve”.

Camels or Horses?

It would have to be camels - 100%. They have such an incredible survival endurance from their complex adaptations - so much so, it inspired a song about it. I also have camels to thank for my Geography GCSE Grade 9 (top tip: they make a great six marker example). Also, fun fact: camels can sleep standing up (probably a useful skill for when it posed for General Gordon’s statue!).

Early Morning Training or Late Night Prep?

Although I am not the best role model to advocate for it, nothing can beat the feeling of a successful morning session. However, at the same time, I feel my brain is never awake enough to study too early in the morning - and I’m far too young to start a caffeine addiction. So, I’ll have to go down the middle - I prefer the mornings for workouts and runs, but any revision sessions go best with a hot chocolate at night.

Rom-com or Action Movie?

I can proudly say I’m a huge sucker for a good romcom – in fact, you could say I’m Clueless when it comes to action movies by comparison! It may be due to the years of conditioning from my older sister, but nowadays, I watch them all the time. That being said, I’m not sure much can top the feeling of watching huge battle scenes in action movies, such as in Avengers Infinity War and Endgame. But, my favourite childhood film (which is probably still my favourite film) is ‘How To Train Your Dragon’, which really incorporated the perfect balance between romance, comedy and action!

Pizza or Hamburger?

What stand out memories do I have?

Hamburger. Nothing more needs to be said.

I would say the moments that stood out most to me have always stemmed from Inter- House competitions. I can distinctly remember the incredible feeling of scoring a last minute goal for Buckingham in Inter-House football in Year 11, winning the competition in our year group. Also, the nerve-wracking but highly rewarding Inter-House music performances, singing in front of the school.

Of course, the whole school events such as sports day, fun day and Whitehall (even when I messed up the orders, much to Mr Fox’s annoyance!). Having any role in the school performances, in particular being Grandpa Joe in this year’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, were all incredible experiences I was honoured to be a part of. I couldn’t narrow down to a favourite memory as there’s just too many amazing moments I’ve had in this school - from huge MUN speeches to just playing football with my mates on the Front Field in summer - I’ll remember my time at Gordon’s for the rest of my life.

Ed Sheeran or Post Malone?

Option C - Bruno Mars. Nothing against the other two - ‘The A Team’ and ‘Sunflower’ are some of my top songs, but nothing compares to just the way Bruno Mars is!

What am I hoping to bring to the role?

I am hoping to act as an inspirational role model for the younger students. I’d also like to encourage pupils into utilising the opportunities provided

by Gordon’s that have benefitted me so well throughout my time here. I’m honoured to have been offered this role, and hope to make my parents and family proud by making a change and showing I can take on this huge responsibility with maturity and diligence. My goal is to ensure that every student feels heard, supported, and inspired to make the most of their time here. Whether it’s through strengthening the student voice, fostering a greater sense of community, or simply being someone you can approach with any concerns, I want to contribute to making Gordon’s a place where everyone can thrive and feel supported.

What do I like most about Gordon’s?

What I love most about Gordon’s School is the balance it strikes between academic excellence and a thriving extra-curricular life. Strong academic departments, alongside healthy pupil competition have always nurtured an environment which pushed me to improve and achieve top grades, something which Gordon’s has always excelled at accomplishing. In addition, the abundance of sporting opportunities on offer has allowed me to find my passion for football and tennis, giving me a real sense of leadership, teamwork and personal growth. Beyond that, the drama department has always been a place of creativity, comfort and confidence-building for me, allowing me to develop skills that were pivotal in helping me attain this role. It is this combination of challenge, support and diverse opportunity that makes Gordon’s such an unique and special school.

What plans do I have for my future and interests outside of school I am looking to pursuing a career in finance, trying to utilise skills from all my A Levels. I potentially may apply for degree apprenticeships that can facilitate this career pathway. An alternative option is going to university to study either: Economics and Geography or Land Economy (which is just like a combination of both subjects, alongside law and real estate). I have always been pretty good at dealing with numbers and the dream of a city job with a clean suit calls to me. For now, however, I have to focus on what I can control which is work experience and of course, my A Levels.

I like to play tennis outside of school with my friends when I need a break from work - I will also never turn down the opportunity for a quick game of football or to watch a match. I also love to play the piano (although my grade one is not exactly Mozart level) when I want to de-stress. In my spare time, you’ll find me singing in the shower (which even led me to audition in front of Simon Cowell for his boyband last summer!)

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I am resilient, confident and easy going. I love meeting new people and making genuine connections as I always try to bring positivity into every interaction. No matter the situation, I like to stay open-minded and relaxed, making it easy for others to feel comfortable around me. I am quadrilingual and I love learning new languages, exploring different cultures, and travelling the world. My aim is to one day reach fluency in seven languages. I am an international boarder and have lived in Hong Kong my entire life. My A Level choices are English Literature, history and French and I aim to pursue a career in diplomacy or international law. My two big role models are Taylor Swift and Lando Norris. Both have taught me to chase my dreams fearlessly, to remain resilient and have proven to me that hard work can break any barriers, showing that success comes from resilience, authenticity, positivity and never giving up; and that is something that I strive to achieve in my life.

Camels or Horses?

It’d be boring to pick horses so I’m going to have to choose camels. The adaptation of their humps to store fat, their water storage, respiratory, feet and eye adaptations. They truly are astonishing creatures. It’s no wonder General Charles Gordon had such a notable connection to camels, particularly during his time as governor of Sudan in 1877-80.

Early morning training or late night prep?

Absolutely late night prep, no questions asked.

Mornings and I certainly don’t co-operate. Although working too late is definitely a habit that I am trying to break and my dorm-mate is most definitely sick of my constant typing and scribbling, there’s something so peaceful about working when its dark and quiet and it’s honestly the time I can truly focus and crack on with my revision.

Romcom or Action movie?

Another no-brainer- obviously romcom. I’m truly convinced romcoms are the best thing that has ever happened to cinema, and it’s something I’m very passionate about. The Notebook, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Lalaland, Ten Things I Hate about You, the list goes on. Romcoms are CLASSICS, and nobody can convince me otherwise. There isn’t even 86

a debate between an action movie and a classic romantic comedy.

Pizza or Hamburger?

Hamburgers all the way. There is nothing better than a classic wagyu beef burger with cheese, salad, onions, topped with a nice brioche bun. Either way, you can never really go wrong with a good burger and it’s honestly something you can find wherever you are, unlike pizza.

Ed Sheeran or Post Malone?

This one’s a hard one because both have worked with Taylor Swift and therefore, both are incredibly talented individuals. However if it came down to it, I’d probably pick Ed Sheeran just because his music never gets old. The way he creates his music, his lyricism, the catchiness, it just all works so well together and he is absolutely a pillar of the music in this generation and is someone that many upcoming artists can use as a role model.

What are you hoping to bring to the role?

As Head Girl, I hope to bring strong leadership, unity, and a positive impact on the school community.

My goal is to be a voice for students, foster a supportive environment and be the role model I would’ve wanted when I first joined the school. I want to create opportunities for everyone to be heard, benefit everybody in the school as well as our community (expanding on our very own ‘better me, better world’ ethos) and help strengthen the connections between students and staff. I aim to leave a lasting, positive legacy that inspires others to contribute and make a difference.

What do I like most about Gordon’s?

What I love most is the strong sense of community and tradition that makes our school so special.

The school has a deep sense of belonging and the environment is perfect for allowing each and every student feel like they have the space to achieve whatever they’d like and reach their full potential in any field. The supportive environment encourages every student to do their best, whether academically, in sports or through extra-curriculars like drama, dance or model united nations. The dedication of the teachers, the friendships we form and the opportunities to grow as individuals make Gordon’s a truly inspiring place. The values instilled

What stand out memories do I have?

Aside from the day I was announced Head Girl, some of my standout memories are from all the amazing school trips like my Model United Nations trip to Bilbao, Spain in which I was chairing a MUN conference full of hundreds of people as well as conferences all across the UK. However I’d have to say most of my stand out memories come from my experiences as a full-boarder. Whether that be our Saturday night chats, House trips to an all-you-caneat buffet or just genuinely enjoying each others’ company, all my stand-out memories come from the lifelong friendships I have made through the school.

What plans do I have for my future?

I’ve always wanted to be either a diplomat or a barrister. Although writing and analysing are my passions, I like work that is slightly more hands-on and physical which is why these jobs allow me to have time to spend in the office but also be active in my role, whether it be standing up in court and presenting my case to the jury or travelling across the world forming diplomatic relations, my dream has always been to fulfil a career in actually making a difference to the world, trying to form alliances and debate for prosperity and co-operation through the prestigious role as a diplomat and maybe even working in the United Nations.

What interests do I have outside of school?

Aside from English literature, history and learning new languages, I have a strong interest in Formula 1. As a big McLaren fan, my dream is to one day visit the factory and meet the drivers and even attend Silverstone. When it isn’t Formula 1 season, I’ve recently enjoyed watching tennis, one of my big role models is Jannik Sinner and I strive to mirror his resilience and work ethic. When I’m not studying or playing sports with friends like badminton and netball, you’d probably find me watching a good film, as I am a massive fan of cinematography, or reading a historical fiction book. As well as films, I also have a big passion for music. I generally like music from all genres but I particularly like artists like Taylor Swift and Laufey (both of which I’ve seen in concert).

HEAD GIRL: BETH BAILEY

here shape not just the students but future leaders and I’m proud to be a part of a place that inspires excellence and resilience.

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STAFF

She started off working in the kitchens and then became a housekeeper, retiring at the end of the Autumn Term after 16 years at Gordon’s! The glamorous Victoria with a huge smile, radiated cheerfulness and will be hugely missed by all. Thank you Victoria!

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ACHIEVEMENTS

ACADEMIC J Binu Jacob - Scholarship to the Medical School of Malta (Medicine), 2024 ART T Osinibi - A Level artwork accepted on to the Academy of Arts Young Artists Exhibition, 2024 R Parsons - A Level artwork selected for the Royal Academy of Art’s Summer Collection, 2023 D Bailey - Winner of the Prince’s Teaching Institute National Christmas Card Competition, 2022 ATHLETICS L Grice - Hampshire Athletics (heptathlon and high jump) 2024 N Tullett - County 400m Hurdles Champion, 2024 N Tullett - Selected to represent Surrey in the English Schools Athletics Championships, 2024 E Gannon - 2nd place: U20 discus international athletics meeting in Vaxjo, representing England, 2024 L Grice - Hampshire Athletics (heptathlon and high jump) 2023 E Gannon - 2nd place: U20 discus English Schools’ Athletic Association Track and Field Championships, 2023 E Gannon - 1st place: U20 discus competition in the South East Athletics Association track and field competition, 2023 E Gannon - First place at an international athletics meeting in Vaxjo, Sweden in 2023, representing England M Eastman - Selected for British Athletics Youth Talent Programme 2022-24 for ranking in the top 20 for high jump R Rowe - Discus Winner - English Schools Competition, 2022 F Rose - Discus Winner - English Schools Competition, 2022 F Allen-Dale - Discus Winner - English Schools Competition, 2022 BADMINTON A Shobin - Selected for U16 Surrey County Team, 2022 COMBINED CADET FORCE L Nunes - Appointed one of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadets, 2022 L Nunes - Awarded the ACPS (Air Cadets Pilot Scholarship) by the RAF, 2022 COOKERY M Brock - Winner of the Regional Final of the Future Chef competition, 2022 CREATIVE WRITING C Newing - Longlisted in top 100 nationally for the New Views National Theatre playwriting programme, 2024 O Knight - Senior winner of the local heats of the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2023 J Sherpa - Intermediate winner of the local heats of the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2023 Z Legge - Winner of the Massolit Video Essay Competition in association with Brasenose College, Oxford, 2023 Z Legge - Highly Commended and in the top 100 finalists for the international Foyle Young Poets of the Year award, 2022 G Jones - First place in the 11-13 age group for Prose in the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2022 E Wilkins - First place in the 11-13 age group for a Poem in the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2022 I Depoix - First place in the 14-17 age group for Prose in the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2022 Z Legge - First place in the 14-17 age group for a Poem in the Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2022 CRICKET A Shaw-Hales - Captained the Guildford Hub, the winning side, in the MCC National Hub T20 Competition at Lord’s, 2024 I Moors - Played for the Guildford Hub, the winning side, in the MCC National Hub T20 Competition at Lord’s, 2024 A Webster - Selected for the U16 Surrey Cricket Invitational Programme 2023 and 2024 R Doyle - Selected for Surrey County Cricket L Thabrew - Selected for Surrey County Cricket’s U18s Girls County Cricket Programme, 2023 A Shaw-Hales - Captained the Guildford Hub, the winning side, in the MCC National Hub T20 Competition at Lord’s, 2023 I Moors - Played for the Guildford Hub, the winning side, in the MCC National Hub T20 Competition at Lord’s, 2023 H Kohli - Awarded Surrey Cricket’s Bedser Scholarship, 2023 T Norman - Awarded Surrey Cricket’s Bedser Scholarship, 2022 F Rose - Selected for the U13 Surrey Cricket Club Winter programme, 2022 J Hill - Selected for the U14 Surrey Cricket Performance programme, 2022 CROSS COUNTRY K Webb - Ranking of 41 in the UK (Under 20 Women) following Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship, 2023 K Webb - Surrey Schools Cross Country Champion Senior Girls, 2023 M Hibbins - Selected for Surrey in the Inter-Counties event, 2022 K Webb - Gold Medallist in the Senior 1500 at the English School Cross Country Championships, 2022 DANCING B Walden - Selected to represent England in the Dance World Cup, 2023

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DRAMA E Harrison - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 P Williams - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 A Murray - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 P Schollick - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 E Wilkins - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 N Ben-Gashir - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 A Adebiyi - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 K Brazendale - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 J Murphy - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2025 A Kermeen - Offered at place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School on the Actor’s Workshop Foundation Course, 2024 G Fowler - Offered at place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School on the Actor’s Workshop Foundation Course, 2024 K Smith - Offered at place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School on the Actor’s Workshop Foundation Course, 2024 K Smith - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 S Early - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 C Pun - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 E Harrison - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 A Adebiyi - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 A Murray - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2024 A Kermeen - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2023 N Mensah Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2023 V Arinze-Agwu - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2023 E Stone - Offered a place at RADA Drama School, 2023 N Mensah - Offered a place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, 2023 M Campbell - Offered a place at Leeds Conservatoire to study as an Actor Musician, 2022 R Knight - Offered a place at Leeds Conservatoire to study Musical Theatre, 2022 G Fowler - Selected for the National Youth Theatre, 2022 P Schollick - Guildford School of Acting (GSA) Junior Conservatoire, 2022. The Junior Conservatoire offers her classes in Acting/Musical Theatre, Singing, Ballet and Jazz.

Once in the Junior Conservatoire you have a place until you finish at 18.

EQUESTRIAN M Barnard - NSEA Southern Eventing Champion, 2022 M Barnard - NSEA Championships Finalist, 2022 FOOTBALL F Fenton - Awarded a Scholarship to Pratt College, Kansas USA, 2024 H Mayhew - Awarded a Scholarship to Northwest College, Wyoming, USA, 2024 S Whitehead - Invited to trial for U18 England Schoolboys Football, 2023 First XI - English Schools Football Association (ESFA) finalists, 2022 H Hewson - Offered a place at University of Alabama USA to continue his football career, 2022 H Hewson - Member of Woking U18 Academy, 2022 M Ferdinando - Reading FC U14, 2022 FREESTYLE KAYAKING S Edwards - Selected for GB in the Freestyle Kayaking World Championships, 2023 GOLF J Summerfield - Winner of the National ISGA Schools Cup Individual Gross/Scratch Competition, 2024 Gordon’s Golf Team - Winners of the ISGA British Schools and Colleges National Nett Competition, 2024 Gordon’s Golf Team - Winners of the ISGA British Schools and Colleges National Nett Competition, 2023 M Cottrell - Winner of the HMC National Strokeplay Girls’ Individual, 2023 Gordon’s Golf Team - Runners up in the National Schools Golf Finals in the Team Gross and Stableford events, 2022 M Cottrell - Sixth place in the Wales Women’s Open Championship and awarded a World Amateur Golf Ranking, 2022 M Cottrell - National HMC Strokeplay Champion 2022 at The Berkshire GC D Mumford - joint first place in Schools Golf Stableford at Berkhamsted GC, 2022 Z Mathews - joint first place in Schools Golf Stableford at Berkhamstead GC, 2022 C Jean - Qualified for the World Junior Golf Championship, 2022 C Jean - Finished in seventh place in the European Golf Championship U14, 2022 C Jean - Qualified for the World Junior Golf Championship, 2022 M Cottrell - Selected for Wales to play in the Wales v Ireland Challenge Match, March 2022 E Kircher - Girls U18 Captain at Windlesham, 2022 E Kircher - Surrey U18 and South of England, 2022 J Kircher - Home Nations Final in Portugal, 2022 GYMNASTICS O Gill - Selected for the Great Britain team for the 2022 European Championships in Luxembourg HOCKEY P Schollick - England Hockey Talent Academy, 2024 A Clark - England Hockey Talent Academy, 2024 M Ferdinando - England Hockey Talent Academy, 2024 S Mathur - England Hockey Talent Academy, 2024 L Grice - Surrey Hockey 2023 and 2024/5 C Keigher - Surrey Hockey 2024/5 B Pio - England School Games XI 2024 C Falconer - Selected for Scotland Hockey U21s, 2024 C Morgan - Selected for Hampshire County Hockey U17 2022 and 2023 S Mathur - Selected for the Surrey U15 Hockey, 2023 B Pio - Selected for England Hockey Talent Academy 2022-3 and 2023-4 B Pio - Selected for England Hockey DiSE Programme, 2023 C Falconer - Selected for Scotland in the U18 European Championship, 2023

L Grice - Hampshire Hockey, 2022 S Mathur - Selected for Surrey U14 Hockey Squad, 2022 N Schollick - Selected for Surrey U17 Hockey, 2022 L Griffiths-Jones - Selected for South Wales Hockey Performance Centre C Falconer - Selected for the England DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) Programme T Kerr - Selected for the England DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) Programme M Cottrell - Selected for the Scottish National Emerging Girls’ Hockey Squad, 2022 C Falconer - Captained Scotland in the series against England in July 2022 C Falconer - Selected for the Scottish National Girls’ Hockey Squad, 2022 J Beard - Selected for Hampshire County Hockey Squad

KARTING K Rao - Ranked 9th in the country for Karting following the British Kart Championships in 2022

J Butler - Selected for U13 Berkshire County Netball, 2023 A Griffiths - Selected for U13 Berkshire County Netball, 2023 E Hill - Saracens Mavericks NPL and England Netball Roses Academy, 2022 S Bodell - Scotland U17 Squad, 2022 L Lomas - Surrey Storm U17 NPL Squad, 2022 A Lomas - Selected for U15 Berkshire County Netball Team, 2022 T Dlamini - Surrey Storm U19 Aspire, 2022 E Price - London Pulse U17, 2022 J Pechova - Captain for England U17 England Invitational side in the Europe Netball U17 Championships, 2022 P Dixon - Selected for England U17 England Invitational side in the Europe Netball U17 Championships, 2022 S Bodell - Selected for Surrey Storm U17s North Surrey Academy, 2022 L Lomas - Selected for Surrey Storm U17s North Surrey Academy, 2022 J Pechova - Selected for England U21 Squad for Europe Netball, 2022 P Dixon - Selected as Reserve for England U21 Squad for Europe Netball, 2022 J Pechova - Squad member of the England Roses National Academy, 2021-22 P Dixon - Squad member of the England Roses National Academy - 2020-21 and 2021-22

KAYAKING S Edwards - Selected for the GB Freestyle Kayaking Team

PUBLIC SERVICE R Roberts - Awarded a Girdlers’ Medallion, 2022

MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MUN) H Gordon - Distinguished Delegate - Reigate Grammar MUN Conference 2023 J Goate - Highly Commended at Reigate Grammar MUN Conference 2023 H Donaldson-Sinclair - Highly Commended at Reigate Grammar MUN Conference 2023 E Bailey - Highly Commended at Reigate Grammar MUN Conference 2023 H Donaldson-Sinclair - Highly Commended at Royal Grammar School MUN Conference, 2022 H Gordon - Highly Distinguished at the Reigate Grammar School MUN Conference, 2022 E Watson, O Knight and A Torrington - Highly commended at Reigate MUN Conference, 2022 H Donaldson-Sinclair - Best Delegate of his committee at the Reigate Grammar School MUN Conference, 2022

PUBLIC SPEAKING S Phipps and P Schollick - Regional Finalists in the English Speaking Union (ESU) Shakespeare Competition, 2024 C Falconer, C Franklin and N Schollick - National Semi-Finalists of the English Speaking Union (ESU) Public Speaking Competition.

HURDLES N Tullett - Winner of the Surrey County 400 metre hurdles, 2024 ICE HOCKEY T Flannery - Silver Medal at the U12 National Ice Hockey Finals as part of the Basingstoke team, 2022

MUSIC A Lee - National Finalist in the Pro Corda Competition, 2024 M Scannell - National Finalist in the Pro Corda Competition, 2024 W Zhou - National Finalist in the Pro Corda Competition, 2024 E Hallett - Offered a place at the ACM Music College and Academy for a Vocals Degree, 2024 E Hallett - Awarded ‘Most Promising Young Singer’, for the second year running by the Woking Music Festival 2024 Semper Fidelis Choir - Awarded the Grace Wright Rose Bowl for the best choral performance of the Woking Music Festival 2024 J Robinson - Awarded ‘Outstanding’ in the Grade 8 Piano Category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 Semper Fidelis Choir - Winner of the Ford North Cup for U19 Schools and College Choirs, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E and L Flynn - Winners of the Instrumental Duo Category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 K Brazendale and J Murphy - First place in the U19 Vocal Duet category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 A Lee - First place in the Senior String category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 A Lee - Winner of the Readings Cup, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - First place in the Pop category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - First place in the Folk category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - First place in the Vocal Solo category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - First place in the Composition category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - Winner of the Hilliger Memorial Cup (U19 Solo), Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - Winner of the Ryde Cup (Musical - U19 years), Woking Music Festival, 2023 K Brazendale - First place in the Christmas Carol category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - First place (Pop/Jazz U19) Woking Music Festival, 2022 E Hallett - Winner of the Hilliger Memorial Cup (U19 Solo) Woking Music Festival, 2022 A Kermeen - First place (Folk Song U19) Woking Music Festival, 2022 A Kermeen - Winner of the Ryde Cup at Woking Music Festival, 2022 A Kermeen - Winner of the Newman Cup at Woking Music Festival, 2022 MUSICAL THEATRE L Prince - Offered a place at the Performers Musical Theatre School to study Musical Theatre (BA Hons), 2024 F Kurzberg - Offered a place at the LIPA Musical Theatre School to study Actor/Musician Course (BA Hons), 2024 K Brazendale - First place in the Music Theatre U16 category, Woking Music Festival, 2023 E Hallett - Winner of Pop/Jazz title and U19 Solo Cup at the Woking Music Festival, 2022 A Kermeen - Winner of the Newman Cup at the Woking Musical Festival, 2022 A Kermeen - Winner of the Ryde Cup (U19 for a musical after 1970), 2022 A Kermeen - Winner of the Newman Cup in Musical Theatre (U19), 2022 NETBALL E Brownleader - Selected for the Northern Ireland National Academy - 2025 S Chapman - Selected for London Pulse U19, 2024 E Price - Selected for Surrey Storm Development Pathway U19, 2024 J Robson - Selected for Surrey Storm U15 Training Partner, 2024 J Butler - Selected for Berkshire U15 County Academy, 2024 A Griffiths - Selected for Berkshire U15 County Academy, 2024 M Rollason - Selected for Berkshire County Academy, 2024 C Lill - Selected for Scotland Netball U19 Squad, 2023 C Lill - Selected for Surrey Storm U21 Squad, 2023 A Griffiths - Awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the U13 Category in the World Schools Netball Cup, 2023 J Robson - Selected for U13 Berkshire County Netball, 2023

ROWING S Bannister - Team GB bronze medal winner in the Rowing World Cup, 2024 J Clarke - Winner of the single scull in the Ball Cup at Dorney’s Olympic Lake, 2023 I Spink and M Hewetson - Winners of the J16 double sculls at the Ethan Regatta, 2022 RUGBY F Clifford - Selected for Surrey Girls’ U18 Rugby O Streeter - Represented England in the U18 Six Nations, 2024 E Williams - Represented England in the U18 Six Nations, 2024 T Golder - Represented Wales in the U20 Six Nations, 2024 T Currie - Represented Scotland in the U20 Six Nations, 2024 L Pedreschi - Awarded a Scholarship to Queen’s University of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, 2024 D Roden - Selected for the Welsh Exiles, 2023 B Webb - Selected for England U18 Training Squad, 2023 Z Robb - Selection for England U18 Tour to South Africa, 2023 E Addai - Selected for the England U17s Development Training Camp, 2023 C Newing - Selection for Surrey U16 Rugby Team, 2023 C Ashworth - Selected for England U18s in Six Nations against France, 2022 T Teriba - Selected for England U18s Training Squad, 2022 SAILING K Wyatt - Selected for the ILCA6 British Youth Sailing Performance Squad, 2023-4 K Wyatt - Selected to represent Great Britain in the ILCA 4 Youth World Championships in Portugal, 2022 K Wyatt - Qualified for European and World Champions, 2022 SHOOTING L Mallek - National Schools Champion (Senior Category) 6yrds rifle shooting, 2024 H Chedd, Z Chedd and J West - Gold Medallists in the British Shooting Schools Competition, 2022 J West - Gold Medial in the Intermediate Section of the British Shooting Schools Competition, 2022 Z Chedd - Winner of the Junior 10m Air Rifle Category South East Region, 2022 J West - Winner of the Intermediate 10m Air Rifle Category South East Region, 2022 SWIMMING A Platt - Won silver in the 50 metre freestyle in the Swim England National Summer Meet, 2023 A Platt - Broke Woking Swimming Club’s ten year club record in the U12 50m Freestyle in 2022 with a time of 28.69.

J Thompson - Gold medal in the 100m breastroke in the Surrey Schools Individual Swimming Championships, 2022 B Platt - Silver Medal for the 50m Freestyle at the National Arena League, 2022 A Platt - Silver Medal in the 50m Freestyle at the National Arena League, 2022 TAE KWON-DO J Mostert - Silver medal winner in the Boys’ Light Weight Division in the TAGB Welsh International Open Tae Kwon-Do Championships, 2022 TENNIS H Wright - Byfleet Lawn Tennis Club Junior Champion, 2024 WAKEBOARDING M O’Toole - Silver in Boat European Championships, 2024 M O’Toole - Sixth in Cable World Championships, 2024 M O’Toole - selected for both the IWWF Boat European and Cable World Championships, 2024 M O’Toole - Gold winner in the UK Boat and Cable National Competitions, 2024 M O’Toole - Winner of the Nautique Wake Open, 2024 M O’Toole - Winner of both the U14 Boat and Cable Wakeboarding National Finals, 2023 M O’Toole - selected for both the GB Boat and Cable Wakeboarding GB teams for 2023 for the World and European Championships, 2023 M O’Toole - National Wakeboarding Champion. Selected for World Championships in Thailand, coming seventh in the Open Men’s Wakeskate, 2022

91

Blue skies and snowball fights as the junior ski trip enjoys one of the biggest snowfalls of the season in Montgenevre in the French Alps.

GORDON’S SCHOOL

BAGSHOT ROAD, WEST END, SURREY GU24 9PT Tel: 01276 858084 WWW.GORDONS.SCHOOL