It was great to see so many parents at the annual Art & Photography exhibition on Thursday after school. The standard of work was superb and it was lovely to speak to the students and listen to why they had chosen certain themes and used particular styles in their pieces. The students were rightly proud of what they had achieved and hearing them discussing their inspiration was most refreshing. Mr Tisdale, Head of Art, was very pleased with the quality of work on show from the GCSE cohort and the AS students and suggested that this has been one of the best years the school has had in terms of the work that has been produced. Very well done to all those students who worked so hard to develop their talents and also a very big thank you to the teachers who have supported the students throughout the courses. It really is a tremendous team effort so congratulations to all concerned. On Thursday this week we were visited by the Royal Navy Youth Engagement Team who gave an insight into their work and got the Year 10s involved in a range of activities. It was great to see the students enjoying a different approach to education and they certainly benefitted from hearing about specific projects and the importance of their education. The day comprised confidence and team building activities as well as science and applied technology sessions. Speaking to a number of the students through the course of the morning it was clear that this was a valuable addition to the programme and one that we will look to provide in years to come. The Royal Navy staff were full of praise for our students and commented on how polite and pleasant the groups were and how smart they looked. Always very good to hear. Thursday was a very busy day at school because it was also the Cup Cake Bakeoff Challenge run by the Food Tech Department. Twelve students in Years 7 to 10 took part in the competition and had an hour and a quarter to produce and decorate twelve cakes. There were plenty of willing staff judges after school and the standard that the students achieved was incredibly high. Very well done to all who took part but special congratulations must go to Ellie Blundy from Year 8 who was victorious although she was pressed hard by Maryann Thurgood in Year 10 who was a valiant second. Thanks also to Mrs Goosen and Mrs Abbott who ran the competition and helped make it such a lovely atmosphere. James Luck, Headteacher
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