Semper Fidelis - Edition 6

Edition 6

SEMPER FIDELIS Marching on to the Parade Square for the start of the Patron’s Parade in honour of the School’s Patron HM The Queen and celebrating the Platinum Jubilee.

4. PIPES, DRUMS AND PARADES 8. AROUND THE HOUSES 24. CCF AND DOFE 32. CO-CURRICULAR 34. CREATIVE ARTS 40. CHARITY AND COMMUNITY 46. EVENTS 56. ACADEMIC 60. SIXTH FORM 66. SPORTS 74. INTER-HOUSE COMEPTITION 76. GORDONIANS 78. STAFF 80. ACHIEVEMENTS

PIPES, DRUMS AND PARADES

Annual Parade 2022 marked the official end of the Band’s 80th anniversary celebrations. It was a truly special Parade; to be able to share it with family and friends watching after such a long absence due to the pandemic.

Additionally, it was wonderful to see how many Gordonians came back for ‘The Big Blaw’. Whilst not everyone participated, there was many a Gordonian who had been in the Band during their time at Gordon’s, who came to watch, listen and share their stories with the members of the Pipes and Drums. The community aura was in abundance.

In the Band’s 80th anniversary year, the Pipes and Drums have been very busy, their engagements surpassing 40. But that wasn’t all as students attended the Last Post Association Service at Menin Gate in July after the school broke up for Summer. As ever, it was truly humbling to be part of the Last Post Association Service and an honour to be there and represent the School.

A significant moment in the Band’s 80th anniversary year and its history, was the Band’s first appearance at some of the Major Championships hosted by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association. Some members of the Pipes and Drums travelled up to Scotland in July to take part in the Scottish Championships in Dumbarton and then again in August to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships on Glasgow Green.

Both trips and competitions were great fun and many memories were made. When in Scotland in August, we were able to really embrace the Scottish and piping culture. Excitingly, we managed to get tickets to watch Inverary and District Pipe Band live at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall, as well as attend the Edinburgh Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. We also had the honour of taking part in the Piping Live! piping festival in Glasgow, as well as being in Edinburgh during the Fringe festival. Whilst there were many nerves when it came to the morning of the World Pipe Band Championships, the Band and its students played their absolute best and we were therefore delighted when we found out we had come 13th in Novice Juvenile B at the World Pipe Band Championships. An amazing achievement.

Other highlights have been: playing with 10QOGLR Pipes and Drums at a Beating Retreat in Aldershot; providing musical support for the American War Graves Commission for their Memorial Day Service at Brookwood Military Cemetery; and pipers playing at various Beacon Lighting events locally as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Looking ahead, the Band look forward to performing at Wembley Stadium for the National League Playoff Finals in May 2023.

Iona Scotson Senior Pipe Major

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Not only performing on their own but the Gordon’s Pipes and Drums also played alongside the 10 Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment Pipes and Drums at the Aldershot Garrison at a Beating the Retreat Ceremony.

As beacons across the country were being lit as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Piper Lucy played at the Frimley Beacon Lighting Ceremony. Afterwards, Surrey Heath Mayor Councillor Helen Whitcroft visited the school to thank her personally for her contribution to the ceremony and present her with a gift and flowers.

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Bringing the bagpipes to Woking town centre, Alice and Georgie of the school’s Pipes and Drums, who were busking to raise funds for the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as part of their volunteering with NCS (National Citizen Service). The talented pair also entertained with their singing and playing the piano!

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AROUND THE HOUSES

AUGUSTA HOUSE: SHOPPING, ROLLERCOASTERS AND COOLING OFF BY A TIDAL WAVE The Summer Term was as busy as ever with lots of fun-filled activities on offer. Highlights for the girls were the shopping trips, particularly Westfield, where they shopped to their heart’s content, and filled the coach with bags of new purchases on our return. Thorpe Park was also a highlight and the whole boarding community had a thrill-seeking afternoon riding the roller coasters and enjoying the glorious weather, with many cooling off in the splash zone of the Tidal Wave ride!

There were a host of events following the end of year exams and we treated our Year 11 and 13 students to meals out to wish farewell to our leavers. Year 13 enjoyed a meal at the Cinnamon Palace in Lightwater and the Year 11s spent a lovely summer’s evening at the Half Moon Pub where we all made the most of the wonderful buffet.

The highlight for many, was the end of year Prom for the Year 11 students. The girls looked stunning in their outfits and the juniors enjoyed watching the array of various vehicles arrive on the red carpet before students headed to the marquee for a delicious meal prepared by our catering staff.

We were sad to say farewell to our wonderful Year 13 girls, who were an absolute delight to look after over the years. They achieved high grades in the end of year exams and have gone on to study at their preferred universities – we are very proud of all that they have achieved.

Thanks to the GSPA we were able to purchase new garden furniture at the end of last term and the girls are now making the most of the newly equipped garden. Hopefully as the nights draw in we will be able to light the fire pit and settle down with some smores!

We have a busy activities programme in store for this term and have already enjoyed zorb football, shopping and cinema and a trip to the trampoline park. Toward the end of term, we look forward to visiting the Christmas markets and ice skating to name a few, with lots more to look forward to this academic year.

Angela Mathews Augusta Houseparent

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BALMORAL HOUSE: OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW What a Summer that was! It’s been a hive of activity in Balmoral over the holidays! Old bunk beds, desks and carpets were removed, along with the old upstairs toilets, showers and sinks, and in came the super modern, clean and stylish new bathrooms and dorm furniture.

The whole of the front corridor dorms were painted, as were the back downstairs corridor and dorms, and it is all such a welcome sight, giving the House a much more modern, comfortable and homely feel. For the students who started back in Year 7 and the parents who knew what the ‘old’ Balmoral looked like,

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we have been proudly showing off our new facilities! Feel free to come in for a tour!

We have also been very fortunate to gain funding from the GSPA to pay for our new super large TV in the senior common room and more new outdoor furniture. I enjoyed ‘kitting out’ our new bathrooms with some super large mirrors for these ever-growing boys and we are always putting up new pictures around the House, of events that we have held with the boys throughout the term. It really is coming together nicely!

A student voice moment is always important here at Gordon’s and in the first few weeks we held our Year Group Rep meetings, giving all the students a moment to feed back their thoughts on future possibilities. The meeting was a great success with lots of food for thought and we will continue to make improvements throughout the year.

Our first Inter-House was Cross Country. It’s true …it’s not our boys’ favourite event, but they did their best and huge congratulations to James Dove with a first place in Year 9. Next up is Chess, Music and Debating, all events we

have previously done pretty well in, so we are keeping everything crossed!

Our boys have enjoyed a few trips off-site recently, shopping in Reading and ‘Jump In’ at the trampoline park in Camberley were the warm up to the on-site Halloween party! Huge thanks to our senior boys in Sixth Form who have been helping out and volunteering at drill to ensure Balmoral continues to look its best on Parade!

Danielle Heathcote Balmoral Houseparent

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BUCKINGHAM HOUSE: NO TWO DAYS...

No two days are ever the same in Buckingham.

With 130 students we are the largest House and we have plenty of support from our students for Inter-House events, which we approach with zeal and determination, (and a new colour for our House tops from September 2022!). Look out for Buckingham boys in green this year.

At the end of the Summer Term, we shared a fantastic chocolate cake (thanks to the wonderful Catering team) and bid farewell to Miss Sage and Mr Griffiths who had been fantastic House Tutors for the boys this year.

Mr Griffiths was clearly taught well, as he has moved to become Head of Khartoum House and we wish him every success in his new position. Rest assured, we haven’t divulged Mr Matthews and Mr Sinclair had a very all our top tips to him, as we need to make sociable time entertaining the departing Year sure Buckingham boys outperform Khartoum 11 boys as they celebrated the end of their in lots of Inter-House tournaments! Miss Sage GCSEs in June. With a meal out in Woking and has swapped Buckingham for the bright pink the Year 11 Prom, the boys were able to relax of Victoria House and her calming, tidying and unwind after a busy exam time. The Year 13 influence will be sorely missed. students had drinks with Mr Sinclair and other Sixth Form Tutors to mark the end of their time Miss Jackson has been a wonderful Assistant at Gordon’s. We wish them all well in their new Head of House for over four and a half years ventures. but left us at October Half-Term to take up a new position in a school closer to her home.

In Inter-House Cricket the boys donned their She has put her competitive spirit to great whites and proceeded to smash the ball to use over the years and has accompanied, all corners, with all year groups sharing the encouraged and photographed the boys at success. This meant Buckingham strolled to the Parades and on many sporting occasions. She trophy in style and kept up the pressure in our will be greatly missed. efforts to retain the Inter-House shield. Sadly we fell agonizingly short, but all boys put in a Lots of our boys were involved in DofE sterling pull in the Tug-of-War, then sprinted, expeditions to the Surrey Hills (Bronze), ran, threw, jumped and sprung their hearts out Malvern Hills (Silver), and Adam Mills was part in Inter-House Athletics. of the very successful Ten Tors group who yomped to success in super-quick time. A Students in Years 7-10 enjoyed a fantastic superb achievement, richly deserved. opportunity to cool off after some very hot summer days when they went to the Thorpe Already our new Year 7 students are making Lakes Aqua Park on a House trip. We saw some their mark. They performed outstandingly well creative ways of getting from one water-based in Inter-House Cross Country in September obstacle to another, and Mr Sinclair definitely and we think they have great athletics careers enjoyed being splashed by dozens of boys all at ahead of them. It was lovely to see how well once, even if he wasn’t fully appreciative at the they all did on their activity camp at the start time! of term and we look forward to seeing more smiles and beaming faces as they embrace life at Gordon’s.

Jamie Sinclair Head of Buckingham House 12

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CHINA HOUSE: A BUZZ IN THE AIR

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A buzz filled the air in September, as we welcomed 14 excited Year 7s into the China fold, and Miss More who joined as one of the House Tutors. Our Year 8s have taken on their buddy roles with great commitment and have helped them settle in. We also welcomed five new Sixth Form students to the House, who have embraced all the challenges thrown at them.

challenged with a quiz, set by the House staff.

With the evenings finished off with some Just Dance, it was the perfect start to the year and has helped bond friendships that will last a long time.

Already this term, we have taken part in the Inter-House Cross Country, Chess and Music competitions, with Year 7 and 8 winning their Cross Country groups. All the girls who have taken part so far, have fought with great enthusiasm and resilience. We are currently in second place behind Victoria and I hope we will be in top spot by the next time I write this!

With Christmas quickly approaching, the girls have been excited to decorate the House and with Halloween first, our usually pretty House has been turned into a spooky, spider sanctuary!

Each year group enjoyed a pizza and movie night and our Sixth Form students were also

Heidi Doe Head of China House

Our Year 7s were excited to finally collect their Blues and take part in their first Parade. They marched so well and all looked so proud.

There is so much more to come next half term and I look forward to telling you all about it!

GRAVESEND HOUSE: The last six months has seen the boys in Gravesend House excel in a number of different events in the school. In May, Ben and James won the Key Stage 3 Inter-House Baking Challenge. Their custard cream biscuits were excellent. In June, the boys put in some excellent performances in the Inter-House Athletics, Cricket and Tug-of-War competitions.

One of the highlights in the athletics was the array of medals won by Harry Gordon.

In the cricket, the Senior Team won their competition with some outstanding individual performances. The boys’ hard work and commitment was rewarded in the Inter-House Tug-of-War competition, with our team coming out victors after a hard-fought contest.

The Summer Term saw us say goodbye to not only the Year 13 students, but also to Mrs Blomeyer and Mrs Taylor, who have done a wonderful job as House Assistants. Our new Assistant Head of House, Mrs Lovell, has settled in extremely well and we have also welcomed two new House Tutors to the House during this new academic year; they are Mr Cherry and Mr Harkness. The Year 11 and 13

Proms were both enjoyable evenings and gave the students an opportunity to celebrate their time at Gordon’s School. We hope that all those students who have moved on from Gordon’s School will look back with fond memories of their time in Gravesend House.

The Autumn Term kicked off with two excellent performances from Tom and Cory in the InterHouse Cross-Country competition, winning their races comfortably. Gravesend also won the Inter-House Chess Trophy for the second year running, with our team of Arjun, Harry, Adil and James.

Finally, Gravesend House produced some fantastic music in the final of the InterHouse Music event. Gravesend were narrowly beaten into second place by China House, but a massive congratulations goes to all those involved: Jason, Dylan, Ben, Jake, James, Bayan, Leo, Harry, Kishoar, Lyan, Tom, George and Byron.

Gary Knight Head of Gravesend House

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KENSINGTON HOUSE: SUMMER OF FUN

As always the Summer Term was full of activities and achievements including House parties (great karaoke!) and a wonderful warm evening at Thorpe Lake. At one party we were so proud to witness Jasmine Young have her long hair cut by a stylist in front of the girls for The Little Princess Trust.

The fun of summer culminated in recognition of the girls’ abilities and efforts in: the Longmoor Cup for Parade Drill in May, the Tug of War Girls’ Competition in June (first time winners!) and the House Trophy for best effort grades, which was awarded at Annual in July.

As expected Year 11 and 13 girls excelled in the public examinations and our Year 11 girls have returned to us or gone to a sixth form college all ready for a new challenge. I am delighted that, although they are missed in the House, our Year 13 girls are all enjoying university or apprenticeship life as diverse as: Leeds Conservatoire, North Carolina University USA, Apprenticeship with BDO, (Chartered Accountancy) and Cambridge University.

The Autumn Term brought new girls of all ages into the House and we were delighted to welcome 13 new Year 7 girls and a Sixth Form group of 30 who have all settled very well into school.

New tutors Miss Sollars and Mrs Cunningham have brought fun and enthusiasm with them, establishing themselves as true Kensington girls! The first Inter-House Competition shone a light on emerging as well as established stars including Isabella Thercaj in Y7 and Genna Vine Y13 who came third and first in their respective cross country races. Upholding House honour in Inter-House Music were: Alice Kermeen, Elizabeth Bailey, Jasmine Young, Leanne Seet, Ella Richardson, Jemima Robinson, Matilda Spin and Tiana Viljoen, as well as Dasha Hudson in the soloist category.

Inter-House Chess saw Leanne Seet win her round in a challenging contest.

Pizza evenings and the House party marked the end of the first half-term in which we enjoyed fun evenings in the House and the Y7 Swing Ball Challenge against friends in other Houses.

Now we are eagerly anticipating the challenges and fun that the run up to Christmas always brings alongside hard work and academic aspirations including a skating trip and visit from Santa at our House party.

Kate Connery Head of Kensington House 16

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KHARTOUM HOUSE: THERE’S NO LIMIT ‘It’s not about winning or losing a competition, it’s about beating the doubt from within yourself and knowing that at the end of each day you are one step closer to your goals.’

of the boys let the House down. We managed to bring home the overall trophy and start the year with maximum points on the Inter-House board!!

Needless to say, a few pizzas were enjoyed by all participants. A special mention to Harry Butler in Year 7, William Unsworth in Year 8 and Marcus Hibbins in Year 10 for their exceptional performances.

There is no limit to what Khartoum boys can accomplish except the limits they place on their own thinking. The quote above from Jonathan Horton completely embodies the spirit that the boys in Khartoum House possess, which enables Next up was Inter-House chess and music. I will them to prove themselves in all spheres of school be actively encouraging boys to excel not just in life time and time again.

Inter-House sport but also the arts this year as participation in both benefits their development In my first half term as Head of House, I have and broadens their horizons. tried to instil into all the boys that they have such an opportunity by being at Gordon’s and they Inter-House music was a true reflection of need to embrace everything that is thrown at how the arts can develop and build character. them and be willing to grasp those opportunities The sight of 20 Khartoum boys preforming the and not take them for granted. I’m glad to say Madness classic ‘Welcome to the House of Fun’ that nearly all have risen to the challenge and has been my highlight of the term so far. It was what a half term it has been! such a joy to see boys from all year groups pull together and put on such a good performance. It Our new Year 7s started with camp at High demonstrated how our older years can have such Ashurst, pushing themselves to the limits a positive impact on our younger years, as they with climbing walls, high ropes and taking mentored and encouraged them to take part and part in team building exercises. Many of them excel in an event that Khartoum would normally are completely fearless, throwing themselves shy away from. through the air 15 metres up to grab a trapeze without a care in the world. (I wish I could say the There are many activities on the horizon: same for me, however once on the platform my debating, rowing, shooting and rugby to name legs turned to jelly!!). but a few. It’s brilliant to be part of such a warm, vibrant House which is always full of energy and Within two weeks it was our first Parade and, amazing getting to know all the boys. To the fun more importantly, we have our first trophy of times ahead!!! the year. Big congratulations to all our runners in Inter-House cross country. I challenged the Jonathan Griffiths boys to give it their all and aim high and none Head of Khartoum House

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SANDRINGHAM HOUSE: RETURN OF COCOA AND CATCH UP Sandringham House enjoyed a wonderful, and for once in a long time, normal end to the Summer Term. Highlights included Summer Arts, Year 11 Prom and bidding farewell to our Year 13 leavers with a delightful end of year dinner.

Residential junior boarders have made the most of all our trips out including Thorpe Park and various onsite activities. We were delighted with our success in the Inter-House athletics with our Year 10s sweeping the leaderboard (the weather even held off for the big day!).

In the Summer Term we introduced our popular ‘cocoa and catch up’ nights hosted by our team

of tutors with our year groups as well as our Year 7s in preparation for them coming up to the House in September – it’s been a wonderful opportunity to get to know the newbies!

Over the Summer works commenced on upgrading the facilities in the House and we now have a brand new, large kitchen in one of our family rooms as well as ultra modern dorm furniture and a brand new shower block. The additions have proved a huge success with the boys and the kitchen a very popular place to make snacks, relax and chat.

Nathalie Webb Sandringham Houseparent

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VICTORIA HOUSE: QUIZZES AND OBSTACLES A brilliant Summer Term to end what has been a great year. We have had some real highlights in Victoria and it has been amazing to see the girls grow as a group and as individuals. We are all so proud of them.

Victoria has seen outstanding results in the Inter-House Competitions last year and this continued into the Summer Term with a first place finish in the Inter-House Hockey, Netball, Cricket and Athletics competitions, which brought home the 2021-2022 Inter-House Sports Cup, the Arts Cup and the Rees-Graham Memorial Trophy at the Annual Parade in July.

With House trips back on the agenda last year, following a difficult couple of years, we made the most of the glorious summer weather and headed to Thorpe Lake Aquapark with our Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 Victoria students. The girls and House staff had so much fun challenging themselves on the obstacle course. It is always really special for us as House staff to see the girls socialise so beautifully outside school.

For their end of year get together, our Year 12 students enjoyed an evening of rounders, pizza and ice cream. Following their last GCSE exam, we had an in-House Karaoke party for our Year 11 whilst our Year 13 students enjoyed a meal out and glass of bubbly at Zizzi with Mrs Jones and Miss Radley to celebrate the end of their A-Levels. It was a very emotional moment to see the girls looking gorgeous for their Prom and Leavers’ Ball for a final farewell before they went on their next adventure.

In House, we held our annual Wii Just Dance competition whilst our Year 7 girls also took part in some team bonding activities with our Year 7 weekly challenges.

This academic year we have welcomed 20 lovely girls who have settled in very well and are already getting involved in some of our House activities. Joining our wonderful team of House Tutors are Bethan Sage, Harriet Turk and Nicole Humphrys and we are very lucky that Klaudia Gibson and Frances Radley are staying with us for another year.

We kicked off this year’s social calendar in House with our annual Sixth Form Form Quiz and our Movie and Pizza nights and we have lots more in the pipeline for another fun academic year.

Marie Jones Head of Victoria House

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WINDSOR HOUSE: We welcomed new Year 7s and Sixth Form students to Windsor in September and they have already settled in beautifully and become very much a part of the House.

Inter-House competitions began with a vengeance at the start of the Autumn Term and Windsor has already achieved successes.

Wei-Yee snatched first place in the solo round of Inter-House Music with her phenomenal performance from Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso on the piano and in the chess, sisters Shantilly and Savannah drew first place in their round of the competition.

We have introduced a new award into the House, a weekly Windsor Warrior to celebrate students who emulate one or more of the Gordon’s Character Values of courtesy,

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integrity, diligence, enthusiasm and resilience.

The girls are nominated by staff and their peers. In addition to this, each week the House picks a ‘Woman of the Week’, celebrating an inspirational woman from whom we can learn.

Evenings and weekends have been full of activities for all year groups – chips and dips; shopping; facemasks and pampering sessions and trips to the cinema. To celebrate Halloween, girls enjoyed pumpkin carving and the annual Halloween Party.

Thank you girls and parents for welcoming me (and Saint!) into the House.

Katie Masterson Windsor Houseparent

WOOLWICH HOUSE: EBBING AND FLOWING Like the tides ebbing and flowing and the waxing and waning of the moons, Woolwich bids farewell to one cohort and welcomes the newbies in September. As always, Year 7 camp was a big success with students pushing their comfort levels with the high ropes and learning to make new friends in close quarters. It’s then down to learning the ropes in House with the extensive induction programme, intermingled with the odd chocolate fountain social and game of capture the flag, two boarding standards that will never change.

Time in the House will see a variety of activities from the more relaxed and mindful hammerbeads to the bloodpumping early morning HIIT exercises before breakfast to get the students going first thing. We even managed to fit in a group photo on the first day of school! Along with our new contingent of Year 7s we welcome Mrs Masterson, our new Assistant Head of House and Miss Fairbrass, our Graduate Tutor. Both of whom, within less than a month, have the Woolwich spirit and bug deeply engrained into their souls. Long may it continue.

Sam and Daisy Cooper Woolwich Houseparents 23

CCF AND DOFE

GOING FOR GOLD Going for Gold in Wales on this their final expedition of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. To achieve this part of the coveted award, the students were expected to walk around 23 kilometres a day over four days while carrying their camping equipment as well as food and water.

With Bronze and Silver Awards behind us, it was time to go for Gold.

First up, five days in the Black Mountains in baking sunshine, to complete the Practice Expedition. Following a rigorous kit check – which mostly involved removing excessive amounts of clothing and replacing it with extra water bottles, we were ready for the likes of Hay Bluff and Twmpa.

The quiet, remote and very peaceful campsites in the Black Mountains were much needed after the last four or five weeks of final exams in School. The five days shot past; however, we were reminded that the Surrey Hills and the Welsh Mountains were very different.

We rested for ten days before the long drive to North Wales for the final expedition and the mountains of Snowdonia.

The weather in North Wales was much, much cooler and we even had some rain. After a good night’s rest we were on our way again, this time in the lower areas of the Snowdonia National Park for the first couple of days. The final days in Wales were tough, a mixture of bad weather and big mountains until our descent into Betws-y-Coed train station and a long journey back to school.

It has been a real privilege to complete all three DofE Awards at School and our thanks go to the DofE Team for their total commitment along the way.

WO1 Phil Fox School Staff Instructor CCF 25

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MAKING MEMORIES AND FRIENDS IN THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Our Ten Tors Teams (opposite) broke all previous school records this year, finishing in the top 20 out of 400 teams and in their fastest time ever. Here Thomas Allen describes the preparation for taking part in this amazing challenge of navigating 35 miles across Dartmoor.

It all starts with a simple choice. The choice to exit school life and push yourself to the max.

Most turn down the offer, but some ‘crazy’ people like us decide to go for it.

We started our training in January 2022. It was commonly known as EMT, which stands for: Early Morning Training. The first challenge was the early start. We were ordered to wake up at roughly 6am three times a week to get to school for 7am and begin our session. These lasted for 45 minutes and mostly consisted of the famous ‘one-minute fast lap’ around the Parade Square which will forever be remembered. These three months were full of pain, blood and sweat, leaving you feeling like throwing up after each session! But ultimately they paid off.

After the episode of our initial physical training, the true test began. This involved the journey down to Dartmoor, including 22 keen students, equally attempting to gain a place in the official Ten Tors team.

We spent four days down in this unique area. The days were spent walking and sleeping in tents overnight. The true focus of this practice was to assess the candidates’ skills on the job.

This branched out from just physical fitness and considered attributes such as practicality and congenial behaviour.

After four days of successful navigation around the moor, and many memories made, it was time to decide who was really up for the challenge. It was a truly tough decision, but the 12 members were decided.

With all our training now completed, the real expedition approached swiftly. Our optimal fitness was maintained as we eagerly waited for our second trip down to Dartmoor.

On arrival it was obvious something about this event was truly special. It was a rare occasion to see so many tents in one beautiful area, and the abundance of teenagers was overwhelming. The atmosphere of the campsite was exciting and joyous, with many new friends made.

The real event is ultimately too long to describe in much detail, but it’s safe to say the experience was absolutely unforgettable. It was exciting and entertaining, and it made you feel part of something great. The event came with extreme learning curves and will undoubtedly influence our future. It certainly had its ups and downs on everyone’s part, but I know most of the memories made were positive.

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The RAF section has had a good year coming back from the pandemic and resuming RAF training. The year started with cadets taking Part 1 tests to ensure they have an understanding and knowledge of airfields, basic airmanship, drill, and organisation of the RAF. The Part 1 test is a requirement to go flying, gliding, visit stations and attend camps. All cadets who passed the test attended a station visit at RAF Odiham in October where they were able to look around the Chinooks, armoury and safety equipment bay.

The section went gliding in Viking Gliders and flying in June at RAF Benson in Grob Tutor aircraft and the section’s two senior cadets Cpl Leonor Nunes and FSgt Liam O’Hara were awarded Gliding Scholarship courses, both earning their silver gliding wings by flying solo!

Cdt William Bowe was awarded a place at the National Air and Space Camp where he took part in a variety of engineering activities and flying.

Nine cadets attended the summer camp at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria where they took part in activities hosted by the fire section, shooting on the DCCT, hill walking on Hadrian’s Wall and trips around the electronic warfare range.

Finally congratulations to newly promoted Cadet Sgt Leonor Nunes who has been appointed to Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet.

CCF Commander for Gordon’s Major John Balmer

This year cadets in the section completed: RAF Flying Scholarship ... 1

RAF Gliding Scholarships ... 2

National Aerospace Camp ... 1 Cadet Summer Camp ... 10 Essential First Aid ... 19

First Class Cadet Examination ... 19 Instructor Cadet Course ... 4 Weapon Handling ... 10

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Cadets from the Royal Air Force spent the day at RAF Benson, enjoying a flying experience day.

HIS MAJESTY’S LORD-LIEUTENANT’S CADETS Awarded an RAF Scholarship, at the beginning of the year, 17 year old Leonor Nunes is now ending the year with an honour, having learned that she has been selected as one of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadets.

Leonor, a Sergeant in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), will support Surrey’s LordLieutenant Michael More-Molyneux on official engagements. She is one of three Cadets to have been appointed, due to her outstanding service to the school’s CCF. The Sixth Form student, who is also captain of the school’s shooting team and plays the pipes in the Pipes and Drums Band, was presented with a certificate and Lord-Lieutenant’s Badge

by Lord-Lieutenant More-Molyneux at His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey Awards 2022 in Guildford Cathedral on Thursday 20th October.

In the citation for the appointment, Leonor was described as demonstrating a determination to succeed and help others. As well as being awarded the ACPS (Air Cadets Pilot Scholarship), she has completed the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, is working towards her Gold, and has finished the RAFAC instructor course.

She enrolled in the RAF section of the school’s tri-service CCF (Combined Cadet Force) two years ago as a compulsory co-curricular activity in Year 10 and continued on through to Sixth Form. This year, she was also awarded the Sword of Honour and Gardiner Memorial Award by Gordon’s as the best senior cadet in the CCF. “I was very surprised to have been selected”, said Leonor, who is delighted at her selection and very much looking forward to beginning her year as one of the Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadets. She revealed: “My duties will be to help the Lord-Lieutenant at events, along with other cadets; see if everything is OK, start conversations with people and make the LordLieutenant’s job as easy as possible”.

Major John Balmer, Contingent Commander of CCF at Gordon’s said of her, “Whether carrying out her normal CCF duties, piping with the music sections or captaining the shooting team she has displayed impeccable standards with a willingness to help and mentor others. Leonor is a shining example to all members of the CCF.”

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The Navy section has worked on their basic training syllabus. The training includes; map reading, shooting, navigation and leadership tasks.

The section visited The Historic Dockyard for their field day and received tours around several Naval vessels giving them a greater insight into the history of the Senior Service.

A special mention goes to Navy Cadet Archie Bloomfield who was promoted to Junior Cadet in Year 10 as he fully represents all of the core values of the Royal Navy. He has now returned in Year 11 to guide and support the new cadets, whilst further developing his leadership skills.

We are thrilled to have him back!

Gordon’s CCF Commander Major John Balmer

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Fire-fighting training for our Royal Navy CCF Cadets on their field day at HMS Excellent (shore establishment) in Portsmouth in October. Meanwhile, our RAF cadets were learning new skills at RAF Odiham and Army cadets at Longmoor Military Camp. All Year 10 students join one of the school’s tri-service CCF with the opportunity of taking part in one field day per term.

The Army Section Cadets worked throughout the year on elements of their basic training syllabus which includes leadership training, archery, weapon handling, navigation and field craft.

During the Spring and Summer Terms the Section attended field training days at Longmoor Camp where they took part in field craft exercises and live firing ranges. For the first time in three years the Section attended a

CCF summer training Camp at Crowborough in Sussex.

Cadets are set to undertake night training exercises on the local Army training area, carrying out reconnaissance patrols and night ambushes.

Gordon’s CCF Commander Major John Balmer 31

CO-CURRICULAR

Home-made ice cream for the Science Club students (but without even using a freezer!).

Plenty of volunteers to test the results of placing milk, sugar and vanilla essence in a ziplock bag within another bag packed with ice and salt! The ice and salt create an endothermic reaction, which lowers the temperature of the mixture and freezes the ice cream. The group also made orange scented soap, using distillation to extract the oil from orange peel.

The Herculean task of arranging around 1,000 people in height order for the school photograph underneath the Horse Chestnut trees on the Front Field. The school photograph is taken once every four years. Among the members of staff in this year’s photograph was Main School Registrar Sue Tozer who had registered all those in the picture who entered the school in Years 7 to 11. Mrs Tozer retires in March 2023 after 26 years at the helm of Main School Admissions.

Animals have always played an important part of the life of the school – there can’t be many schools anywhere with a camel overlooking their playing fields!

In Buckingham there are newly-hatched tortoises; Sandringham boasts the school’s youngest boarder, Orlando and Woolwich the beautiful black Labrador Barney. In Windsor no bedtime reading would be the same without snuggling up with the Saint Bernard/ Newfoundland cross.

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CREATIVE ARTS

Final touches by some of our Art Ambassadors, who have been working with students from Common Ground Collective Charity and Frimhurst Enterprises making a display based on Anthony Gormley’s Terracotta Army and a large colourful painting inspired by Sonia Delaunay. The work was displayed at an exhibition hosted by the Art Ambassadors and attended by the students from the charities, who were keen to see their work on display!

Not only did she act, sing and dance in the British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) production of the Angry Salmon but Alice Kermeen also added a Scottish twist by playing the bagpipes! The play, performed over two nights at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth in August, tells the story of salmon escaping from farms without being equipped for life in the wild. Alice, whose performances have been enjoyed at many of the school’s musical shows, played alongside a cast of 13-21 year olds in this outstanding production.

MUSICAL AGAINST THE CLOCK What could possibly go wrong with trying to put together a musical in just 24 hours for charity?

But the Drama Department and a crew of talented students proved that not only could they deliver a professional performance in just one day but they could also raise £760 for King’s College Hospital, London!

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ART IN THE SUMMER TERM The Summer Term is always a busy one for the Art Department, as we manage to squeeze all our biggest events into one short term! We are finally back to celebrating our Art & Photography students’ work through our end of year exhibitions for both GCSE and A Level, which were extremely well attended and a fantastic opportunity to really celebrate all their hard work.

Summer Arts was another success with 20 per cent of sales going to charity, so we raised £276.30 for the Camelthorn Foundation. We displayed a range of fantastic drawings, paintings, prints and photographs by our whole school community, including staff. A wonderful way to end the year and bring back an event that had been sorely missed during the pandemic.

In co-curricular news, our Painting Club artists took part in a project with The Lightbox Gallery in Woking, and showcased a collaborative piece of artwork in an exhibition over the summer holidays. Students responded to ‘Star Turn’ by John RattenburySkeaping and created paintings of themselves in different poses to show movement. We loved the colours and the character each student managed to capture in their pieces, and the work looked great on a gallery wall. A brilliant opportunity to be part of the Centrepiece Exhibition.

Trips were back in full swing, with Print Club students enjoying pottery painting at Mrs Potts’ Place, and our Good to Great Artists enjoying a wander and sketch at Farnham Sculpture Park.

The Art Ambassadors have been particularly busy already this Autumn Term, as they have embarked on a really special project with Frimhurst Enterprises and The Common Ground Collective Charity. Our Ambassadors ran an Art workshop with adults with learning disabilities, based on the theme of ‘Collaboration’.

During the workshop they were able to create individual clay figures inspired by Anthony Gormley’s Terracotta Army, and paint a canvas inspired by Sonia Delaunay. The work was then displayed in an exhibition the following week for a private viewing, which was expertly lit by our Drama Technician Tom Holmes. The students were so proud of their work and felt like celebrities for the evening! We are looking forward to working with Frimhurst Enterprises again in the future.

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No mistaking Gordon’s contribution to the exhibition at Woking’s Lightbox Gallery!

Paint Club students created Gordon’s students on the move in response to John Rattenbury-Skeaping’s ‘Star Turn’, which was on display in August as part of ‘Centrepiece’. Centrepiece works with a number of local schools, allowing exclusive access to work from the Ingram Collection.

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CHARITY AND COMMUNITY

Their passion and enthusiasm shone through as four Year 9 PSHE groups competed for a £1,000 donation from First Give for their chosen charities.

The groups had not only collectively raised £2,200 since January for their charities, but also awareness of them. The winning team was 9D for the Hope Hub, Surrey Heath.

KINDEST CUT

Hair today, gone tomorrow to the Little Princess Trust!

After seven years of growing her hair, Sixth Form student Jasmine Young had it cut in aid of the Little Princess Trust, who provide free real hair wigs to children and young people up to 24 years old who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

In addition, Jasmine’s House, Kensington, made a £200 donation to the charity.

Performing the haircut, free of charge, was Gordonian Matilda Bradford, who now works at Toni & Guy, Guildford (with help from mum Gill Bradford, also a hairdresser).

In the pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now. The mufti day held on the day the school broke up for Half Term made over £800 for the charity in donations and produced a wonderful array of pink creations.

As the last student left the school in July, work started on a new science laboratory to allow students to undertake more practical work in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and reflecting the growing popularity of these STEM subjects as well as the changes to the GCSE and A Level specifications. The science laboratory, the school’s seventh, was made possible thanks to a £44,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation.

Other projects to enhance the school’s facilities included: enlarging and relocating the Fitness Suite to the sports hub, opposite the Sports Hall; the addition of a new classroom and enlarging the art studio; refurbishment of the Simmons Memorial Library and the first phase of a five year £1 million refurbishment to senior Residential Boarding Houses.

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THE BIG REVEAL!

Light, bright, contemporary and the perfect place to relax. Sandringham and Balmoral Houses underwent a facelift over the Summer as part of a five year £1 million refurbishment of the school’s Residential Boarding Houses.

Bathrooms, bedrooms and living areas all transformed. Students and staff delighted with the new look, for Residential Boarders at Gordon’s, TES Boarding School of the Year 2022!

SHE BANGS THE DRUMS As Drum Major, Rose Roberts led the Pipes and Drums, and behind them the school, on Parades at Gordon’s and the annual Whitehall Parade in London. She set the Band’s tempo, which in turn dictated the marching speed, all the while wielding a ceremonial mace.

But behind the smile, professionalism and diligence, the Sixth Form student carried out her duties and school work, while suffering from Stargardt’s Disease, which affects her eye sight, making it challenging to not only study but fulfil her role in the Pipes and Drums.

In recognition of what Rose achieved and overcame, Rose was presented with a Girdlers’ Medallion from the Master Girdler, Major General Sir Sebastian Roberts KCVO OBE. She was nominated by members of staff from Gordon’s, who have been supported by an annual grant for bursaries from The Girdlers’ 42

Company since the mid-1960s.

At the annual awards dinner, held at Girdlers’ Hall in London, the citation was read to members of the livery company and assembled guests including her parents. The citation featured tributes to Rose from her former Head of House, Heather Pavis, and Senior Pipe Band Leader Iona Scotson.

Mrs Pavis described her as humble, gracious, dignified, warm and caring, stating ‘Rose manages her challenging disability with dignity and has never once used it as a reason not to do something. In fact, it has always been the opposite with Rose, who always rises to the challenge’, adding: ‘She is an exceptional young woman and I feel privileged to have been part of her life’.

Mrs Scotson wrote: ‘Rose personifies the five Gordon’s character strengths: courage;

The stuffed miniature of General Gordon’s camel Lightning are as much a feature of Woolwich House for our Year 7 Residential Boarders as their painted handprints on a large piece of board in the hallway. Each of the 11 year olds finds their camel waiting for them on their bunk beds when they arrive in the co-ed, bespoke boarding House in September. But recent daily dormitory checks have found that not only are the 32 Residential Boarders active every moment of the day but so are their camels! Woolwich’s Assistant Head of House, Mrs Masterson who carries out the daily checks when the boarders are in lessons, never knows what she might find the camels doing. Some may be having fun with make-up, others caring for rabbits, listening to top secret messages or playing hide and seek. The results are always enjoyed by Mrs Masterson although, she stresses, add no weight to how many marks they get out of ten each day for the tidiness of their dorms!

integrity; diligence; enthusiasm; and resilience, in everything she does and has achieved.

Rose has had the courage to overcome the challenges; the diligence to master skills that may come easier to others; the integrity to be honest with herself and face the challenges; the enthusiasm to power on and inspire others; and most notably the resilience, that nothing will get in her way to achieve what she wants.’

Rose, who has been appointed an Ambassador for the charity Fight for Sight, after she and her family raised over £80k for the charity, supported by friends, family and fellow students was delighted with her award from the Girdlers’.

She said: “It was lovely for me and my family as we were all invited up to the awards ceremony in London. It was a wonderful occasion”.

Master of the Girdlers’ Company, Major General Sir Sebastian Roberts, KCVO OBE congratulating Rose Roberts on her Girdlers’ Medallion at the annual awards dinner.

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ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME They travelled between 475 and 500 miles on the Via Francigena challenge, making it to Lausanne on the 1,900km pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome. But sadly a combination of heatstroke and heartrelated problems, meant Isaac Johnson and Daniel Drakeford had to end their pilgrimage at La Sarraz.

The pair, who shared a study room at Gordon’s during the Sixth Form, decided in January that they would attempt the historic UNESCO trail and trained for it in between their revision and learning the languages of the countries they would be visiting.

They were blessed in the Chapel at Gordon’s and at Canterbury Cathedral and were hoping to make it to The Vatican but illness forced them to end their journey almost half way, after completing around the same distance as Gordon’s to Aviemore, Scotland.

The pair raised almost £1,000 in sponsorship for Gordon’s whole-school charity, the Camelthorn Foundation, to raise money for a girls’ boarding house in Zimbabwe.

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Day 1: Canterbury  Sangatte

Day 17: Sexfontaines  Rolamport

Day 3: Wisques  Houdain

Day 19: Rest day: Heatstroke

Day 2: Sangatte  Wisques Day 4: Houdain  Ervillers Day 5: Ervillers  Peronne

Day 6: Peronne  Seraucourt le Grand

Day 18: Rolamport  Langres

Day 20: Langres  Pierrecourt

Day 21: Pierrecourt  Sainte-Reine Day 22: Sainte-Reine  Geneuille

Day 7: Seraucourt le Grand  Crepy

Day 23: Geneuille  Besancon

Day 9: Veslud  Cormicy

Day 25: Les Oyes  La Cluse et Mijoux

Day 8: Crepy  Veslud

Day 10: Cormicy  Val des Vesle

Day 24: Besancon  Les Oyes, Loue Valley Day 26: La Cluse et Mijoux  La Sarraz

Day 11: Val des Vesle  Chalons en Champagne

Day 27: Rest day: Heatstroke

Day 13: Vitry le Francois  Lac de Der

Day 29: Taking the Train from La Sarraz to Lyon

Day 12: Chalons en Champagne  Vitry le Francois Day 14: Rest day: Illness

Day 15: Lac de Der  Doulevant le Chateau

Day 16: Doulevant le Chateau  Sexfontaines

Day 28: Rest day: Heatstroke

Day 30: Taking the Train from Lyon to Calais, and then a ferry to Dover.

Journal entry from Day 23: Today, out of concern for the heat, we broke up camp early and escaped from the worst campsite in Europe. Not wanting to catch an exciting new disease, I unfortunately had to give the unspeakably rank showers a miss.

Following an hour and a half’s walk through the suburbs and various towns, we arrived at our targeted Carrefour at the exact minute it opened: 8:30. In there I resupplied fully on food stocks, including my luxury item, apple juice. Following about ten minutes of being unable to find one another in the shop, we made our way towards Besancon. On the way we saw our first sign for somewhere in Switzerland (Lausanne) and had many photo opportunities. Our first stops in the city were the Cathedral (nice and cold), the tourist office and a taco restaurant.

Despite not feeling like buying anything from the taco place, I managed to convince Dan to let me finish his burrito. The cathedral itself is a strange design and does not have transepts as usual and instead just many smaller chapels. I already had both a stamp for my pilgrim passport and a postcard from the tourist office, but both opportunities had to be taken once more at the cathedral, leaving me with more postcards than I had people to send!

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TES AWARDS

Gordon’s School has been recognised as Boarding School of the Year in the TES (Times Educational Supplement) Schools’ Awards.

The School was one of eight boarding schools across the UK to be shortlisted for the category, which included Bedford School, Brighton College and Millfield School.

The Awards, described as the ‘Oscars of education’, recognise and celebrate everything that is great about schools and staff. Judges were particularly looking for ‘innovation, imagination and efforts to develop children in ways that go beyond the league tables’.

Tes Editor and Chair of Judges Jon Severs said: “We had so many entries from teachers and schools across the country; choosing the winners was no easy task. Congratulations to the winning schools and thank you to all school staff who do such vital work every day”.

A panel of expert judges, including school leaders, inspectors and education researchers, heard that the school opened in 1885 as a home for necessitous boys and has now become a senior co-educational residential and state boarding school judged ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED in their last four inspections.

EVENTS

Durrell Barnes, judge and head of governance and compliance at RSAcademics said: “It’s a state boarding school and they explained well how boarding impacts on the quality of the whole school, and its existence making the school a different place for all of the students, not just the boarders.”

Gordon’s Headmaster Andrew Moss said: “I am delighted that the school has been honoured with this award. It is testament to the hard work and enthusiasm shown by staff and students in every aspect of school life, from academics to sport to the arts and much more”.

A trip to the moon (and back!) for Year 7s, who enjoyed a visit from Winchester Science Centre’s planetarium. The fascinating talk, complete with stars and constellations, brought the night sky to life.

SUMMER ARTS

Showcasing all the talents of the school’s musicians and artists, Summer Arts proved to be another much-enjoyed occasion for all.

What better than to sit with a picnic and enjoy the varied programme performed by Semper Fidelis Singers, the school orchestra, Pipes and Drums and a special set by staff at the school?

As well as providing a feast for the ears,

artists at the school – both staff and students – exhibited their work and offered some for sale.

In a special nod to our Patron HM The Queen and her Jubilee year, the orchestra played Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and traditional favourite of the Last Night of the Proms, Land of Hope and Glory.

Eagle-eyed members of the audience at Summer Arts may have spotted a remarkable similarity between four of the musicians. For the annual event on the Front Field has now become very much a family affair for the Halletts! Gordon’s students Emily and Ben are members of the school’s Concert Band, Jazz Band and Orchestra playing the trombone and trumpet, father Richard plays trombone for the Concert Band and Jazz Band and mother Helen, the violin for the Orchestra and String Group. Mrs Hallett is also learning the cornet “…to keep up with them” but it seems unlikely that the four will perform together at school. Mrs Hallett explained: “We have a rule that all four of us are not allowed to play at once, otherwise I think the room would explode! One parent in the room is definitely enough!”

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PATRON’S PARADE: GORDON’S HONOURS ITS PATRON, HM THE QUEEN After a three year absence, due to COVID regulations, Gordon’s annual Patron’s Parade finally went ahead in the Summer Term to honour its Patron HM The Queen. The event was also a celebration of HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Fresh from performing with the 10 Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment Pipes and Drums at Aldershot Garrison, the Gordon’s Pipes and Drums, led by Drum Major Rose Roberts, marched on to a Parade Square bedecked in Union Jacks, playing Diu Regnare (‘Long Reigning’) composed by Stuart Liddell for the Platinum Jubilee. Following them, the rest of the student body, wearing their ceremonial Blues uniforms.

Inspecting the Parade was Major General Angus Fay, a Gordon’s parent and Trustee of The Gordon Foundation, who congratulated the students on an ‘outstanding Parade’ and reflected: “As we celebrate our Sovereign’s Platinum Jubilee and Patronage of the school, there can be no better example for any of us preparing for life’s challenges than the Queen who, on her 21st birthday in 1947, pledged her life to the service of our nation.”

During the Parade, which was watched by parents and staff, the school Chaplain the Reverend Graham Wright read the Jubilee Prayer and the National Anthem was played.

Immediately after the Parade, two of the school’s youngest students, Sophie Wallace and Annabelle Hayakawa – both born on August 31st 2010, helped plant a tree outside the school Chapel as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.

They also buried a time capsule containing a science project on what scientific advances had been made during Her Majesty’s reign.

During the lead up to the Platinum Jubilee, the school wrote a letter of congratulations to Her Majesty and bunting appeared across the site. Union Jacks were hoisted on all three flagpoles and the Catering Department reflected the historic milestone through their lunchtime menus of traditional British dishes such as bangers and mash, trifle and scones with jam.

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LEAVERS ARRIVE IN STYLE AT SCHOOL PROM Ice cream vans, vintage cars, lorries and a JCB tele-handler accompanied by Spiderman congregating on Surrey Heath.

It could only mean one thing, Prom at Gordon’s School!

The red carpet was rolled out again on the Parade Square at Gordon’s, to welcome the Year 11 leavers of 2022 to their Prom and Leavers’ Dinner.

Arriving in a spectacular array of transport, this year’s cohort brought glitz and glamour with them as they made their spectacular entrances into the school, signalling their arrival at

the school with coloured smoke, water bombs, car horns and revved engines and cheered on by waiting students, staff and parents.

Their formal dinner, held in a marquee in the grounds of the school, is an annual event for all the Y11 students to enjoy a meal with their peers, teachers and Houseparents in the school’s beautiful surroundings.

For some it signified the end of their journey at Gordon’s, for others, the end of their time in the Lower School and start of that in the Sixth Form.

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HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II 1926-2022 As the nation and people around the world heard the news that the family of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II were gathering at Balmoral where the Monarch remained under medical supervision, a rainbow appeared over the dining hall, a symbol of hope.

That night however, on Thursday 8th September, it was announced that HM Queen Elizabeth, Gordon’s Patron, had died.

Union flags across the site were lowered to half mast and the following morning, students, staff and parents congregated on the School’s Parade Square for prayers led by the School Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright. The Last Post was sounded and the School’s Pipes and Drums played The Lament Flowers of the Forest. A two minute silence was observed.

The subsequent first Parade of the academic year, was also dedicated to Her Majesty and members of the school community were given the opportunity to light a candle in her memory in the Chapel.

As the National Memorial to General Gordon, Gordon’s School has enjoyed a long and proud association with the Royal family and in particular the reigning Sovereign. It was Queen Victoria who insisted on a national memorial to the philanthropist and war hero and so Gordon Boys’ Home for necessitous boys came into existence, evolving years later to become the school Gordon’s is today. Since its inception, the Patron has always been the reigning Sovereign.

HM The Queen’s father HRH the Duke of York, later King George VI, was Chairman of the Gordon Foundation Executive Committee from 1924 to 1936 and the young Princess Elizabeth is believed to have watched her first film at the school with boys from what was then Gordon Boys’ Home.

The school last welcomed HM The Queen at its centenary celebrations in 1985 when 50

Her Majesty unveiled a plaque. Her Majesty, together with the HRH Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother generously donated to the school’s Centenary Appeal, which raised over £300,000 to modernise the buildings. However, Her Majesty was very much a part of school occasions and students and staff delivered a letter from the Monarch to the Khartoum International Community School during their visit to Sudan in 2018.

Day and Boarding Houses, as well as being named after people and places associated with General Gordon, also reflect the school’s Patron and include Sandringham, Windsor, Victoria, Balmoral, Buckingham and Kensington Houses.

In June, as the Monarch celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, Gordon’s held the annual Patron’s Parade in a Parade Square bedecked with union flags. Immediately after the Parade, two of the school’s youngest students, Sophie Wallace and Annabelle Hayakawa – both born on August 31st 2010, helped plant a tree outside the school Chapel as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. They also buried a time capsule containing a science project on what scientific advances had been made during Her Majesty’s reign.

It is with great pride that Gordon’s has paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II every year with the Patron’s Parade, and with the singing of the National Anthem at whole-school gatherings. Students have been honoured to take part in events attended

by HM the Queen at Windsor Castle and Westminster Abbey.

Gordon’s School Headmaster Andrew Moss commented: “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was very much a part of Gordon’s rich heritage and we were proud that she was Patron of the School, continuing an unbroken line of Sovereign Patrons since Queen Victoria.

Her Majesty’s visit to the School in 1985, its Centenary Year is a treasured memory of Gordonians who witnessed the event.

“The School joins the nation in mourning Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose legacy of faithful leadership and selfless service will be remembered by generations and will inspire future generations.”

Members of the Gordon’s School community were invited to light a candle in the Chapel in remembrance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was Patron of the school.

Staff, students and parents united on the morning after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death was announced.

A symbol of hope over Gordon’s as the Royal family gathered in Balmoral where HM the Queen, the School’s Patron remained under medical supervision.

Piper Harry Gordon plays the National Anthem before the Aldershot Town FC game against Halifax.

Remembering the School’s Patron HM Queen Elizabeth II with a photograph on the Chapel altar.

Union flags around the Gordon’s site were flown at half mast as soon as the announcement of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death was announced on the evening of Thursday 8th September.

The first Parade of the academic year, in September, was dedicated to the memory of the School Patron, HM Queen Elizabeth II.

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A LOOK BACK TO THE ROYAL VISIT ON 8TH JULY 1985 The visit by HM The Queen, the School’s Patron and HRH Prince Philip on 8th July 1985 was the highlight of Centenary Year of Celebrations.

Planning and preparation began for the visit in the previous December and help was given by the Royal Engineers and RMA Sandhurst. Every eventuality was considered for the event, including tea for 2,000 and putting on a ‘wet weather’ programme for Her Majesty, however this was abandoned as she said she was prepared to get wet if the school were!

During the visit, HM The Queen inspected the Parade and presented a new colour to the school to replace the one given

by Prince Philip 30 years earlier, as well as prizes to four students. The Queen also announced that the Headmaster of the School, Mr E Firth, had agreed to her request that the following term there should be a special day’s holiday!

Members of the Pageant and the gymnastics display team are presented to HM The Queen.

In Her Majesty’s speech, the Queen said: “A Colour is to be prized and cherished because it is a symbol of the qualities we should aim to acquire in life – courage, loyalty, steadfastness and a Christian attitude to our fellow men. But we all need a particular inspiration and for your School this came from General Gordon – that remarkable man who was a tactical genius with a flair for leadership, and who was also a devout Christian with an enormous capacity for compassion.

“Such was the reputation of General Gordon, such was the shock at his death, that Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales took the lead in setting up this National Memorial to Gordon.

Since then members of my family have always taken a personal interest in the Gordon Boys’ School. My father was Chairman of your Committee for 12 years and my mother has asked me to bring you her greetings today.” “…What has impressed me most about your recent history has been the way in which the School has adapted itself to meet the challenges of far-reaching changes in our society and in education….As a result, young men from the Gordon Boys’ School have continued to make a notable contribution to our country, both in the Armed Services and indeed throughout the community. I am sure they will continue to do so.”

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HM The Queen presents the Senior Victor Ludorum Challenge Bowl to Paul Hull of Khartoum House.

Head Boy David Brookes receives the Higginson Medal and Edelston Prize from HM The Queen. David’s role during the visit was to escort the Royal party. He remarked afterwards: ‘One is left with a series of distinct and powerful impressions rather than a detailed and coherent picture of events.

‘I make my way back across the Parade Square to Khartoum but the buildings and fields of GBS will never seem quite the same again!’

HM The Queen and HRH Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh with Gordon’s student Gary Drudge-Coates after the 11 year old had presented the school’s Patron with a posy of flowers. Gary Drudge-Coates was the youngest student in the school at the time.

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VIVE LA FRANCE Experiencing a true flavour of Paris, Years 11 and 13 packed in an extraordinary number of activities and sights during their four day trip to the capital.

In just one day they had toured Le Musee d’Orsay, Montmartre, le Sacre Coeur, l’Arc de Triomphe, a walk along the Champs Elysee and cruise on the River Seine!

There was also an all-day visit to Park Asterix, climbing the Eiffel Tower and taking in the paintings in Le Louvre.

A wonderful experience for all the students taking part from the Modern Foreign Languages Department.

Gordon’s has been awarded all of the possible eight PTI Subject Leadership Marks. The Marks recognise outstanding teaching in Art, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Music and Science.

In order to achieve the PTI Mark, these eight departments have shown that they have increased the challenge within their subject curriculum, developed their staff’s specialist subject knowledge and subject-based links outside school as well as enthusing students through their subject-based activities beyond the curriculum.

Broadcaster, podcaster and author Justin Brierley gave a fascinating presentation on ‘How on earth can it make sense to believe in God in 2022’ as the first of the School Chaplain’s speakers on life’s big questions. Mr Brierley is pictured with the Chaplain the Reverend Graham Wright.

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YEAR 7S ACHIEVING NEW HEIGHTS FROM THE WORD GO!

What a way to begin the Gordon’s journey! New Year 7s abseiled, scrambled up a climbing tower and competed in challenge courses, and much, much more as part of their team building. The year group of Residential and Day Boarders slept in tipis and enjoyed two days of getting to know each other soon after their arrival at the school. A great time had by all!

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Demonstrating their all-round knowledge of Biology, these are just five of the students that competed in the UKBC Biology Challenge alongside 41,000 students from 550 schools! Adam Mills was awarded Gold, putting him in the top five per cent of entrants to the competition that tests their knowledge of not just the set curriculum but what they may have read in books and magazines, by watching natural history programmes and scouring news items for those with a biological slant. Eight students were awarded Silver, putting them in the top 15 per cent of participants and a further 30 achieved Bronze with 16 Highly Commended and 15 Commended.

ACADEMIC

FOOD.IT IS JUDGES’ FAVOURITE Their app Food.it, encouraging users to change their diets for the better, reduce food waste and improve the future of the planet earned a team from the school’s Code Club first place in the final of Apps for Good Showcase.

The app encourages users to share recipes and work together to use all the ingredients they have to avoid food waste. In addition, it highlights how a more plant-based diet helps the environment and encourages consumers to buy locally.

The team of four competed against two other shortlisted teams for the Global Innovations category and presented to a panel of industry experts from Spotify before being awarded ‘Judges’ Favourite’ in the Global Innovators category. Announcing the award, James Ferguson from Spotify said their app “…really stood out”. He continued: “Both the pitch itself was superb, the presentation, idea, research and understanding and ability to answer any question posed to them was truly impressive.”

Year 10 students competed against each other to raise awareness of a mental health issue that affects young people and researched into OCD, depression, anxiety or stress, as part of the Kitchener Psychology competition. The winning entrant was Sophie Mardani, whose work was displayed in all the Houses.

A visit from Brin the buzzard and a grey owl as well as some hatching chicks for students in Year 8 to extend their knowledge of adaptation and for the Year 7s to enrich their studies of life cycles.

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The glorious sunshine proved too tempting for these Sixth Form Maths students, who felt some sun and fresh air would help with their revision!

For their chosen topic of postpartum depression in men and the importance of raising awareness for a positive change to support both men and women and challenge stigma, Psychology students at Gordon’s competing against over 24 schools across the country, won second place in the National Royal Holloway Psychology Competition. Lana Scott, Paige Daniel, Foluke Shokunbi and Sophie Jones produced a three minute video, poster and addressed the issue with a panel of judges.

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Year 10 headed to the New Forest for a weekend’s Geography enrichment during the Summer Term.

As well as measuring river depth, flow and wetted perimeter, their packed programme also included learning about the geological history of the Jurassic Coast. Stunning views and a great hands-on experience all round.

Three Year 8 students were recognised by local Rotarians for their outstanding efforts in a national Rotary writing competition for schoolchildren.

Kate Brazendale, Izzy Kypri and Luke Brennan’s poems were on an environmental theme and were judged by an experienced judging panel of a retired classics teacher, Caroline Bowden and Rotarians Ray Alder and Peter Kleyn. Their chair was competition

organiser, Rotarian Mike Head. Mr Head commented: “The competition called for entrants to show imagination and creativity, along with a very good standard of vocabulary. I’m delighted to say all of them demonstrated these requirements admirably”.

The students were presented with vouchers and certificates at a meeting of the Woking District Rotary.

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SIXTH FORM

Among the Awards presented to students this year were two Swords of Honours and Gardiner Memorial Awards to the best senior cadets in Gordon’s CCF for 2021 and 2022. Abigail Hunter-Blanco, was the recipient for 2021 and Leonor Nunes for 2022. The award commemorates the life of Daryl Gardiner, a Gordonian, who served in the British Army and was killed on active duty in Afghanistan. As part of the award the girls will each take part in a tandem parachute jump.

Abigail (above) is pictured being presented with her award by Major General Angus Fay, a Gordon’s parent and Trustee of the Gordon Foundation, during the Patron’s Parade.

Wide-ranging topics covered in Year 12’s Cultural Arts Day, which has seen these Sixth Form students learn street dance, yoga and meditation, west African drumming as well as meeting stand-up comedian Rich Wilson who talked about mental health, and Khadijah Safari, a Muay Thai kickboxing instructor who spoke on faith in sport.

Since his arrival at Gordon’s in the Sixth Form, Isaac Johnson has wanted to play the Chapel organ. The Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright, heard about it and on the day his A Levels finished, Isaac was granted his wish! A delighted Isaac, a selftaught pianist proved an accomplished organist!

Modelling the latest range of items for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care Retail Shops, four students on work experience. The group helped prepare items for their online shops and put together a fashion show!

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£1,000 FOR SPUR OF THE MOMENT DECISION A spur of the moment decision to ‘give it a shot’ and enter the Linklaters’ Making Links Schools Challenge earned Gordon’s Head Boy Callum Keigher a runners-up place, £1,000 in online vouchers and the school £1,000!

The challenge presented to Year 12 students across the UK by the multinational law firm, was on the theme of change with the brief: ‘We are living through a time of great change. What in your opinion will be the greatest challenges and opportunities in this changing world?’

Sixth Form student Callum was inspired to enter the competition after being told about it by the school and set about producing a PowerPoint presentation with the themes of technology, environment, society and economy.

His submission earned him a place in the finals, a day in which the 20 finalists were treated to a morning workshop on presentation skills before being tasked to produce a two minute video. Four were chosen for the Grand Final which involved talks from two of the firm’s partners and an associate partner about their work and an opportunity for him to present his video to them as well as answer questions from the panel of judges.

Callum, an aspiring Oxbridge candidate said the experience had not only honed his skills in research and presentation but had been really helpful as he is interested in a career in commercial law.

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“It was great to see names and faces of people really high up in the law firm that I may want to work for in the future. It was a really good experience overall” he said.

Traditional sports day favourites alongside freshly dreamt challenges for the Year 12 Olympics. Closely fought to the end, among the events the Sixth Form students enjoyed were egg and spoon and wheelbarrow races, running with an inflated balloon, turning around a hockey stick and the longest time spinning a hoop.

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A-LEVEL RESULTS DAY A Level students recorded an outstanding set of results, in which all passed three with over 48% achieving A*-A grades, well above the national average quoted as 36.4%. BTEC students both at Diploma and National Diploma level, also excelled with over 55% securing distinction or above.

48% of entries were graded A* - A 77% of entries were graded A* - B 91% of entries were graded A* - C Headmaster Andrew Moss said: “These results are outstanding and testament to the resilience and ability of our students in the face of what has been an incredibly difficult period in which to study for their A Levels. We are delighted at what they have achieved through their hard work and determination together with that of our staff and their dedication in helping students accomplish their very best.”

Lakhan Barrotte who made the top 50 of 7,000 students on a Cambridge Chemistry Challenge last year, continued to excel in chemistry recording A* at A Level as well as A* Maths, A* Further Maths; A* Physics and A Biology (AS). He turned down an offer from Cambridge to study a Master’s degree in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry at Warwick University so he can follow a career in the chemical production industry. Lakhan, who spent results day celebrating with family and friends said “I am really grateful and really happy!”

Tilly Phillips secured her place at Cambridge with her A* Economics, A*s Psychology and A in English Literature to read Human, Social and Political Sciences. Heading with her to Cambridge is Ameerah Saliu whose three A* have led to a place at St John’s College to read Medicine.

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Neve Pereira achieved three A*s in Chemistry, Biology and Maths to study Veterinary Medicine after a gap year.

Rishitha Sali, who represented students from all over the UK as part of the UK Schools Sustainability Network at the UNs COP26, achieved A* in Biology, A* in Chemistry and A* in Maths.

Also among those celebrating were Harvey Hewson, Millie Cottrell and Alex Phelps who were offered sports scholarships in the USA and Ryan Knight and Molly Campbell who are continuing their acting at Leeds Conservatoire studying Music and Performing Arts.

Edward de Vries achieved A*s in Economics, French and Maths as well as first place in the school’s inaugural Wynter Bee Global Citizen Award which took him to Costa Rica for two weeks in the summer on an all-expenses paid trip to take part in conservation and development work.

Surrey’s first Youth Mayor, Jacob Wrenn combined his work on the Surrey Youth Cabinet and mayoral duties with that of his A Levels, notching up A* in Computer Studies, A* in Economics and A* in Maths to earn him a place at Durham University reading Computer Science.

Arriving at Gordon’s two years ago in the Sixth Form as one of the first DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) students on the Harlequins/Gordon’s Partnership, Tom Golder not only achieved a Distinction Star in Business Studies and a double distinction in sport but has also landed a contract with the Harlequins Senior Academy. Alongside his rugby, Tom will also study for a degree in Business Management.

And Archie Pearson, whose strong academic and leadership potential led to the award of an Army Officer Sixth Form Scholarship was on his way to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst to study for an in-service degree.

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TENNIS The School tennis programme has gone from strength to strength.

The senior girls’ first team began their season with a tough away fixture against Cranleigh in the national cup. Although narrowly losing, there were clear signs that good things were to come, and sure enough they did, with wins against Pangbourne College, ACS Cobham and St Catherine’s on a run to the semi finals of the Branston Shield, a county competition. The fact that we were only beaten by Surbiton High, a specialist tennis school, shows how far tennis has come since the programme started with coaching videos being uploaded during the pandemic two years ago.

The start of the Autumn Term saw the U14 boys’ team ace their games against two local schools and reaching the regional knockout of the LTA Youth Schools Competition, eventually losing to a strong side from London.

Tennis returns in the spring with the plan to field six tennis teams – Year 7 and 8 boys and girls; Year 9 and 10 boys and girls and senior boys and girls.

SPORTS

Mark Eaden, Head of Tennis

CRICKET

With the new on-site facilities and use of Valley End CC, which has the best cricketing club facilities in the County, together with the first year of a 1st XI Proper, on-site winter nets and no disruptions due to COVID brought some Girls’ side, the future is looking very outstanding results for cricket with 1st exciting.

XI boys celebrating an unbeaten year!

Paul King, Head of Cricket Many of the team play a very good level of men’s club cricket at weekends and are regularly playing the different formats of the game. Girls’ teams have also triumphed at the crease, with the U13 girls becoming Indoor District Champions.

U13 Girls Indoor District Cricket Champions U15 Girls Indoor District Cricket Champions U13 Boys Indoor District Cricket Champions U15 Boys Indoor District Cricket Champions U13 Boys County Cricket Champions

ICE HOCKEY Silver medal for ice hockey player Thomas Flannery, competing with the Basingstoke Bison U12s in the National Finals in May. Flannery and the team had enjoyed a brilliant run up to the final but were sadly beaten on the day by Sheffield.

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INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY The annual Inter-House Cross Country, held in September on the back fields, saw the Main School (Years 7-11) Residential Boarding Houses combine into one team under the umbrella of Woolwich and taking on the Day Boarding Houses and a separate Sixth Form Inter-House competition.

The Main School boys’ competition was extremely close, with Buckingham and Khartoum both winning two races each, resulting in the latter being crowned this year’s champions. In the Sixth Form competition, Buckingham got their own back with a dominating performance and are this year’s winners.

The Y7-11 girls’ competition was a tight affair between China and Victoria, each House winning two of the five races and all being decided in the final race. Victoria came out on top and are this year’s champions. In the Sixth Form competition, Victoria prevailed again having four of their five runners come inside the top ten allowing them to take home the Sixth Form trophy as well.

In the Arête Cross Country there were some good individual performances: • Y10/11 Girls Race – Mair Price finished in third place

• Y10/11 Boys Race – Marcus Hibbins won the race by finishing almost half a lap ahead of the next competitor.

• Y9 Boys Race – James Dove won the race against a strong Woking High competitor • Y8 Girls Race – Grace Gerrish finished in third place

• Y7 Boys Race – Caleb Kuwana finished in third place • Y7 Girls Race – Azra Johnson narrowly missed out finishing in second place.

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HOCKEY

After a 100% win ratio in the English Tier 1 League the year before and a complete changing of the guard with nine first team starters leaving Gordon’s, the team faced a difficult season ahead. However, the side performed extremely well with a huge step up in the standard of the fixtures played and the Saturday block opposition.

Four of the team have been here since Year 7 and five joined for Sixth Form. All have performed superbly to form a senior core of the side this year, leading from the front.

Winning 25 games and scoring 86 goals in the season was a fabulous achievement.

Ella, the speedy Welsh winger has played for Wales U18 and U21 this year and the school has high hopes she will represent the full side one day.

The side were crowned Champions for a second year running in the Lord Wandsworth 7 a side and the KCS Wimbledon 11 a side tournaments.

Gordon’s have now held both trophies for three years due to covid.

Captain, Anna has given her all for two years through pain, adversity and injury and has represented her country at the England DiSE.

Thirteen outstanding hockey players left the school in the Summer and all will be missed for everything they gave to hockey and sport.

Matt Boote, Head of Hockey 69

NETBALL With two Gordon’s netballers selected to play for the England U17 Invitational side in the Europe Netball U17 Championships this year and success for Gordon’s netball students in county, franchise academies, NPL squads, England Roses Academy and some breaking into Superleague, Netball is on the crest of a wave.

Through our partnership with Surrey Storm (Gordon’s hosts their U17 North Academy) students were treated to a masterclass with two giants of the netball court, Proscovia Peace the Ugandan Captain and Felisitus Kwangwa the Zimbabwean Captain.

It has been a very busy start to the new academic year for netball performance squads with several National Competitions underway.

The first team are through to the third round of the Independent Schools Netball Cup, after beating King’s College, Wimbledon 30-29 in round one and Colfe’s School 41-35 in round two.

The second team are through to the plate competition after a great first round of the cup against Downe House’s first team.

Our U15As are soaring through two national competitions, having beaten Epsom College 35-32 in round two of School Sport Magazine Cup, and beating The Holt School 32-21 in round one of Sisters N Sport Cup. Nicole Humphrys, Head of Netball

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GOLF Just months into the new school year and Gordon’s golfers are already showing promise and winning on the greens and fairways.

Millie Cottrell was crowned HMC National Girls’ Singles Champion for 2022 at The Berkshire GC. After a tough front nine she shot an outstanding 33 coming in – including four birdies – to clinch the national title.

In the Schools Golf Tournament at Goodwood GC Gordon’s won the Team Stableford event.

The ISGA National Invitational Tournament at St Pierre Marriott GC saw two Gordon’s teams taking on some of the top golfing schools in the country. Gordon’s A finished joint seventh and the B team 15th (third out of the B teams).

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ROWING

Rowing has had an exciting first term welcoming six new Year 8s and two new Year 12s into the squad.

James Gibson, James Clarke, Emilia Hewetson and Immie Spink had a brilliant first race of the season at the Scullers Head of River Race; the largest sculling head race with all the best competition in the country. It is raced over the famous Oxford and Cambridge boat race championship course and is 6.8km long! They all coped with the course impressively and had a great row.

Izzy and Ella in a double and their first ever head race, overcame the odds to win the women’s Junior 14 double at the Weybridge Silver Sculls. Second places for James in his Junior 17 single scull and racing with James in the Junior 17 double sculls against tough opposition. The Weybridge Silver Sculls is the oldest sculling head on the non-tidal reaches of the Thames and previous scullers who have won the trophy there include Sir Steve Redgrave, Dan Topolski and Guy Pooley!

Both junior and senior rowing teams spent their Autumn half term holiday on the Thames practising for upcoming Burway and Walton Small Boats Heads.

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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 12 YEAR OLD WAKEBOARDER Little did he know, when his father first introduced him to wakeboarding at the age of eight, that four years later, he would be travelling the world representing Team GB at both Boat and Cable Wakeboarding.

Marley O’Toole, now aged 12 has had a very busy summer travelling to Denmark, Germany and Italy competing at European and World Championship events representing his country at both boat and cable wakeboarding in the Under 15s category.

Leaping into the air and performing twists and turns at high speed is the very essence of terrifying to most people, but Marley begs to differ. While admitting to being scared “sometimes” he quickly adds: “Not that much though. It’s just that mental barrier. You just need confidence and have a good mentality. I just go out there and do it.”

Practice sessions take place all over the county, even during winter months. Wakeboarding holidays are also commonplace in his family.

He says: “I’ve even ridden in the snow. But if it’s too cold or dark to go to the lake I practise on the trampoline.”

The season finishes with Marley competing at the Cable Wakeboard World Championships in Thailand. The opportunity is something he relishes at such a young age: “I’m the youngest Marley describes being on the water as his in the team!”, he says proudly. ‘happy place’.

Engaging, bright and humble, Marley brushes off his success so far, describing wakeboarding as ‘snowboarding on water’ and saying: “Anyone can do it. It’s not that hard, you just get pulled up and when the tricks come it starts to get a bit harder.”

In Thailand, where he will be competing in the U15 category, aged just 12 years old, Marley’s target is to qualify for the finals. The judges, he says, will be looking for technicality of the trick, execution, style and composition. Part of his game plan will be to attempt his hardest tricks at the end of his performance “…in case I land it [land in the water]”.

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INTER-HOUSE COMPETITION

The Drill Cups - Longmoor (girls’ Houses) and Talbot (boys’ Houses) were up for grabs in the Inter-House Drill competition, the most hotly contested in the School’s calendar. For weeks every House worked on giving their Parade Shoes a mirror shine, every Blues ironed and any opportunity for a practice on the Parade Square seized. Judging the Houses on turnout and their drill, were Sergeants Callum Marr and Warren Grant of the Royal Scots Regiment, who are both instructors at RMA Sandhurst. The winning Houses were deemed to be Balmoral and Kensington.

For their mash-up of of Beyonce, White Stripes, Eurythmics and Spice Girls, China House won the Inter-House Music competition. The competition saw a frenzy of musical activity in each House with practice sessions at every opportunity (pictured are the girls from Augusta perfecting their contribution). The competition is divided into solos and groups with an overall winning House. Windsor House topped the Houses for solo performances.

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GORDONIANS

Great to see so many Gordonians back in school over the summer holidays, staffing Barracudas Activity Camps. The Barracudas take up residence at Gordon’s in the Easter and summer holidays, entertaining children between the ages of four and a half and 14.

Judging by sounds of happy children across the site, all have had the best fun!

To celebrate the start of the School year, Gordonians took on the staff in netball and football matches. This popular annual event is attracting greater numbers every year with four teams turning out to play football! Afterwards staff and Gordonians enjoyed a hearty BBQ.

A thrilling finish to the annual Gordonian cricket match against Salesian at the end of August, which saw the Gordonians win by just one wicket! Salesians set a target of 181 from 30 overs, but the Gordonians chased it down with just two overs to spare.

A fantastic team effort and over £1,000 was raised for charity, with donations going towards the Ukrainian crisis.

Congratulations to Gordonian Hannah Russell, who collected her OBE from Prince Charles in June at Windsor Castle. The 24 year old was recognised in the New Year’s Honours List after achieving a gold medal at last year’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo while defending her 100m backstroke title.

After an absence of three years due to the pandemic, Gordonians were finally able to return to Gordon’s for the Annual Parade and the Gordonian Memorial service. The Memorial Service, in the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor, was led by the Reverend Graham Wright, the School Chaplain. As part of the service, the congregation remembered all those lost in the last 12 months with a particular mention to Jay Tamsitt (7311) and Christian Rowe (12318). We welcomed back Gordonians from 1946 all the way through to 2021 for the well overdue reunion which also provided an opportunity for our Pipes and Drums to play.

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REMEMBERING STEVE MONK It is with huge sadness that we share the news that Steve Monk passed away on 9th August. The Gordon’s community have lost a much loved former colleague and friend to many.

God bless you from the Gordon’s family.

STAFF

AUGUSTA KENNEDY Eagle eyed viewers of Crufts, the international dog show, may have spotted a tuneful link with Gordon’s. For Augusta Kennedy, who helps students with their careers choices, is also a renowned soprano and entertained the thousands packed into the NEC Birmingham for Crufts and the millions watching on TV. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music, Mrs Kennedy has sung with the English National Opera and as a soloist all over the globe. Her performance of three arias, ‘Merce, dilette amiche’ from Verdi’s opera Vespri siciliani; ‘Vissi d’arte’ from Puccini’s Tosca and ‘O mio babbino caro’ from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, was particularly special to her as her grandfather was the former Chairman of Crufts. Mrs Kennedy said: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to sing to the packed arena and share in this wonderful occasion”.

SARAH JACKSON While everyone else was beating a hasty retreat to holiday destinations, the end of the Summer Term signalled the Swanage Triathlon for Buckingham House Assistant Sarah Jackson. Mrs Jackson, who only started attempting the arduous sprint triathlons about five years ago, competed against 26 other runners (of which only three were women!) in the gruelling challenge. The reason for signing up for it?

“It’s in memory of all the loved ones lost to this cruel and indiscriminate disease, that takes lives too early and leaves massive holes in people’s hearts. I’m hoping that I can help in a very small way.”

As well as swimming two kilometres in open water across Swanage Bay, Mrs Jackson completed a 77km bike course (with several hills thrown in for good measure), and a 21 kilometre run on the Purbeck Hills, raising over £1,000 for Cancer Research UK. Her target was to complete it in seven hours but she beat that by 13 minutes! She said afterwards: “Thank you all for your amazing support and words of encouragement, they truly got me round.

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ACHIEVEMENTS INIDIVIDUAL SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

Ice Hockey

• Tom Flannery: Silver at the U12 National Finals.

Netball

• Jayda Pechova: London Pulse U21 Squad; England Roses National Academy; Captain for England U17; Athletics England U21 Team for Europe Netball; England • Rojhe Rowe: 200m winner – English Schools Netball’s Future Roses Programme.

Competition.

• Pippa Dixon: Saracens Mavericks U21 Squad; • Felix Rose: Discus winner – English Schools England Roses National Academy; England U21 Competition.

Squad reserve; England U17 Squad.

• Fabian Allen-Dale: Discus winner – English Schools • Sophia McNair: U13 Berkshire County Netball.

Competition.

• Amelie Lomas: U15 Berkshire County Netball.

• Sophie Bodell: Surrey Storm U17s; North Surrey Badminton Academy.

• Aditya Shobin: U16 Surrey County Team.

• Libby Lomas: Surrey Storm U17s; North Surrey Academy.

Cricket • Lucy Fernandez: London Pulse U19 South • Joe Hill: U14 Surrey Cricket Performance Academy.

Programme.

• Jo Hay: Saracens Mavericks U19; National Performance League.

Equestrian

• Molly Barnard: NSEA Southern Eventing Champion; NSEA Championships Finalist.

Football

• Harvey Hewson: University of Alabama; Member of Woking U18 Academy.

• Michaela Ferdinando: Reading FC U14.

Rowing

• Izzy Kypri and Ella Pollock: Winners of the J14 Weybridge Silver Skulls.

Rugby

• Caleb Ashworth: U18 in Six Nations; DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby; England Rugby U18 Training Squad.

Golf • Tom Golder: Wales U18 Training Squad; DiSE • Charlotte Jean: Qualified for World Junior Golf Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

Championships; 7th in European Golf Championship • Tosin Teriba: England U18 Training Squad; DiSE U14.

Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

• Millie Cottrell: Selected to play for Wales in the • Theo Martin: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

Wales v Ireland Challenge Match; 8th in the Justin • Ben Elsey: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

Rose National Junior Golf Championships.

• Theo Currie: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

• Alex Phelps: Junior European Open; 3rd place in the • Guy Rogers: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

Justin Rose National Junior Golf Championships; • Zak Stephenson: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Surrey and South of England U18.

Rugby.

• Evie Kircher: Girls U18 Captain at Windlesham; • Oscar McArdle: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Surrey U18 and South of England.

Rugby.

• Jack Kircher: Home Nations Final in Portugal.

• Luke Whistlecroft: DiSE Programme – Harlequins Rugby.

Gymnastics • Louis Phipps: Harlequins U18 Representative.

• Olivia Gill: Great Britain Team – European • Scott Ross: Harlequins U18 Representative.

Championships in Luxembourg.

• Ethan Leech: Harlequins U18 Representative.

• Olly Wiseman: Harlequins U18 Representative.

Hockey • Christopher White: Harlequins U18 Representative.

• Cara Falconer: Scotland National Girls’ Hockey • Matthew King: Harlequins U18 Representative.

Squad; Surrey County Hockey.

• Harry Martyn: Surrey U17.

• Anna Court: Selected to play for England – school • Harrison Dodd: Rugby Scholar – Berkshire U17. games against Wales and Scotland U19s; Selected • Jake Power: Surrey U17; Welsh Exiles U17. for England Hockey DiSE Programme.

• Robert Harrison: DiSE Programme – Surrey U17.

• Ella Jackson: Wales U18 Squad.

• Nathaniel Cotton: Welsh Exiles U17.

• Tierney Kerr: Surrey County Hockey.

• James Alcock: Surrey U17.

• Charlie Mather: Middlesex U17.

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Sailing

• Kaitlyn Wyatt: Great Britain Team (Laser World Championships in Portugal); Qualified for European and World Champions.

Shooting

• Henry Chedd: Gold Medallist – British Shooting School Competition.

• Zoe Chedd: Gold Medallist – British Shooting School Competition; Winner – Junior 10m Air Rifle category.

• James West: Gold Medallist – British Shooting School Competition; Gold – Intermediate Section of British Shooting School Competition; Winner – Intermediate 10m Air Rifle Category; Surrey Scouts Rifle Champion; Bronze – U21 Men’s Sporter at England Small-Bore Shooting Union.

Swimming

Hockey

• King’s College Tournament Winners for third year in a row.

• Semi-finalists of the plate in St George’s Weybridge Sixes.

• Champions of the Lord Wandsworth 7-a-side tournament.

• The English Hockey Tier 1 Championships league against the top schools in the south.

Netball

• 1st VII: National Cup Semi-Finalists.

• 1st VII: County Cup Runners-up.

Rugby

• Rugby U18 7s: Rosslyn Park Plate Semi Finalists; Reed’s School 7s U18 Bowl Winners; Gordon’s 7s U18 Cup Runner Up and Portsmouth Grammar School South Coast 7s U18 Shield Winners.

• Alex Platt: Broke Woking Swimming Club’s 10 year record in the U12 50m freestyle; Silver in the 50m DRAMA ACHIEVEMENTS freestyle at National Arena League.

• Ben Platt: Silver in the 50m freestyle at National • Molly Campbell: Acting at Leeds Conservatoire Arena League.

(Drama School).

• Joshua Thompson: Gold in the 100m breaststroke • Ryan Knight: Musical Theatre at Leeds – Surrey Schools Individual Swimming Champions.

Conservatoire (Drama School).

• Lillian Everidge: Phil Winston’s Theatre Works in Tae-Kwon-Do Blackpool (Dance College).

• Julian Mostert: Silver in the TAGB Welsh • Rose Roberts: Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts International Open; Scottish Championship.

(Dance).

• Georgina Fowler: National Youth Theatre.

Wakeboarding • Phoebe Schollick: Guildford School of Acting.

• Marley O’Toole: Selected for Team GB at World • Zoe Legge: British Youth Musical Theatre (Summer Championships for Boat and Cable.

Residency).

• Isabelle Depoix: Top 100 in the National Theatre Playwriting Competition.

TEAM SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

Equestrian

• Equestrian Team: 2nd NSEA Plates 90/95cm Showjumping.

Football

1st XI: English School FA Cup finalists

Golf

• ISGA National Finalists at Formby GC. • British Schools ISGA National Finalists at Breadsall Priory.

• HMC Regional Finalists.

• Ranked top school in the ISGA National Rankings.

• ISGA National Champions at the Berkshire GC and Worsley Park.

• HMC Foursomes Finalists at Huntercombe GC. • Schools golf stableford Team Champions at Tandridge, Hollinwell, Beau Desert, Windlesham, Piltdown and Berkhamstead.

MUSIC ACHIEVEMENTS • • • • • • • • • •

Abi Hunter-Blanco: DipLCM Singing (Diploma).

Ryan Knight: Grade 8 Singing.

Bei-Yee Zhou: Grade 8 Piano.

Wei-Yee Zhou: Pianoman Scholarship.

Elizabeth Macpherson: National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

Emily Hallett: Woking Festival Winner – Pop/Jazz U19.

Molly Campbell: Woking Festival Winner – Musical (after 1970) U19.

Kate Brazendale: Woking Festival Winner – Christmas Song or Carol U13.

Wei-Yee Zhou: Woking Festival Winner – Bach U17 (The Ena Margaret Churchill Cup).

Semper Fidelis Singers: Woking Festival Winner – Chamber Choir 15-18 (Thomson Cup).

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A hat-trick for First XI Hockey team who retained their title of Champions of the King’s College School XI Tournament, winning for the third year running.

GORDON’S SCHOOL

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