The Cryptian 2025-2026

The

Cryptian

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Contents THE HEADMASTER’S WELCOME

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HEAD OF YEAR REPORTS

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SUBJECT-SPECIFIC REPORTS

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SCHOOL EVENTS AND EXTRA-

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CURRICULAR

SCHOOL UPDATES

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THE CRYPT ALUMNI

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Edited by Lizzie Chilman and Deborah Jordan

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Headmaster’s Introduction Welcome to the new look Cryptian magazine, which has once again succeeded in documenting so much of the diverse and remarkable life of the school over the course of the last academic year.

As with all previous editions of the magazine, it is remarkable to see collated into one place so many of the wonderful opportunities that our students are provided with at their school. Our generous and talented staff enable this to be the case, but equally our students co-author so much of what takes place at Crypt and give so much to enrich the life and work of their school. As Headmaster, I remain very proud of our school and I know that our Crypt families and Old Cryptians will feel the same way too.

I must thank everyone connected to the life and work of the school for the incredible support they have all offered this past year. Thank you to our students and to our staff; to our wonderfully supportive parental and Governing Body and Old Cryptian community and to those who work tirelessly in the CSPTA, supporting our work in school in so many different ways. Our staff at Crypt continue to care deeply about their students, their school and its purpose, and our students have shown themselves to be an equally remarkable group of individuals, who play a leading role in making sure our work in school is shaped by their voices too.

My sincere thanks go to our new editorial team - Lizzie Chilman and Debbie Jordan - for taking on the huge task of producing this magazine, and to Old Cryptian Club (now Crypt Alumni) President Steve Knibbs for his support of the school over the past year.

What a special, inclusive, vibrant and welcoming space The Crypt School is - a beacon of hope and optimism, and a place where students can flourish and grow into the person they wish to become.

With very best wishes, Nicholas Dyer.

Headmaster

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Head of Year 7 Report

by Henry Bowen

Transition to Year 7 The transition to year 7 is one of the most important points in the development of any young person. This year, it has been an immense privilege to welcome our latest cohort of Cryptians, and to see them flourish under our care.

Transition events have formed a large part of the process: each student was visited in their primary school; they and their parents were welcomed to our Meet the Tutor evening in June; students got a flavour of what a Crypt day looks like in their July transition day; and finally students had the school to themselves for the day in their first day of school in September.

Residential The early transition period culminates in our annual residential trip, held in October. This year, we ventured to Condover Hall, a new venue for us. The weather held firm and students got to experience a range of activities, including laser tag, tunnelling, and a mammoth climbing wall. Lots of students stepped outside of their comfort zone, and everyone got the chance to try something new with the range of unusual activities on offer.

Next year, the residential trip will be moving to the Summer Term with the hope of better weather, and the promise of some watersports, at Croft Farm near Tewkesbury.

Heritage Day On 23rd September, students went to St Mary de Crypt Church for the re-named Heritage Day. Students learnt about the origins of school back in 1539, and what Tudor school life was like. Students were then taken through the more recent history of the school by an Old Cryptian, and also took the opportunity to learn more about the church in which the old schoolroom is situated. Students of course also received their annual education in the school song from the ever enthusiastic Mr Whittaker.

Extra Curricular As always, we have seen the next generation of talented sportspeople come through our doors.

Equally as impressive is the array of musicians who have come through our doors this year, not just by sheer quantity, but also in their immense individual and collective talent. A special mention must go to Sophie Sharpe who received a glut of first and second places at the Cheltenham Performing Arts Festival, and Lily Mansell who qualified for the National Show Jumping Championships.

Going forward We look forward to our celebrations at the end of the year, including our commendation lunch for those most-highly achieving students, and to our year 7’s first annual Founders’ Day service. Students in year 7 will progress into year 8 under Mrs Duxbury’s expert care.

This will also be my last entry as Head of year 7, following three wonderful years in the role. I am moving within the school to become the Head of year 12 and will excitedly watch from afar as our youngest Cryptians continue their journey through the school. Next year’s cohort will be under the dutiful care of Mr Rausch, and I look forward to reading his entry next year.

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Head of Year 8 Report

by Chris Germaine

Year 8 have enjoyed a busy, positive and rewarding year at The Crypt School. Throughout 2025/26, pupils have thrown themselves into school life with enthusiasm, taking part in a wide range of academic, pastoral, sporting and enrichment opportunities.

Participation across the year group has been excellent. Pupils have represented the school in a variety of sporting fixtures and events, including rugby, netball, cricket and rounders. Whether competing for school teams, supporting one another, or simply getting involved, Year 8 have shown commitment, teamwork and a strong sense of school spirit.

A particular highlight of the year was the Meet the Employer event in March. Year 8 pupils had the opportunity to speak with a range of employers from different sectors, including solicitors, brand analysts and accountants. This gave pupils a valuable insight into the world of work, helped broaden their understanding of future career pathways, and encouraged them to begin thinking about the skills, qualities and attitudes that will support them in later life.

Across the year, Year 8 have continued to develop as thoughtful, curious and increasingly confident young people. Their willingness to participate, ask questions, try new experiences and contribute positively to the school community has been a real strength. As they move into Year 9, they should be proud of all they have achieved and look forward to building further on the foundations they have established this year.

Head of Year 9 Report

by Hannah Searle

Year 9 have enjoyed a fantastic year and should be immensely proud of all they have achieved. Throughout the year, they have shown considerable maturity and have increasingly recognised the importance of their studies as they look ahead to the next stage of their education. A significant milestone was sitting their first GCSE examination in Religious Studies, as well as carefully selecting the GCSE subjects they will begin studying next year.

Students have also engaged enthusiastically with a range of career opportunities, including Meet the Employer events and careers fairs, helping them to gain valuable insight into future pathways and ambitions.

Outside the classroom, year 9 have embraced a wide range of extracurricular opportunities.

The cricket team celebrated a historic moment by securing their first-ever victory, while the girls’ rugby team has continued to impress with their commitment and success. Music students have also been highly successful with many year 9 students excelling in choir, orchestra and ensembles. This year has also provided many memorable experiences for those on the ski trip and surf camp, demonstrating resilience, teamwork and a willingness to challenge themselves. It has been a year filled with growth, achievement and plenty of memorable moments. I am incredibly proud of the young people year 9 are becoming and look forward to seeing all they will accomplish as they begin their GCSE courses next year.

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Head of Year 10 Report

by Dianne Duxbury

The pupils in year 10 have had another very successful year. They have made an extremely positive start to their GCSE courses, making great progress as the year has gone on, and taken on board all the advice given by their teachers, particularly following their recent examinations. They are delightful pupils. Many staff comment on how much they enjoy teaching and interacting with them. They display the Crypt values in abundance.

Alongside their academic studies, the pupils have embraced a wide range of opportunities. Over half of the year group participated in the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award Practice and Qualifying Expeditions, either walking or canoeing over considerable distances, and are busy completing the other sections on the Scheme. Many have played a significant role in school concerts and drama productions. Several performed on stage or helped behind the scenes in the school musical "Oliver", demonstrating both how talented they are and how well they work as a team. There have been many musical events this year and several pupils have excelled in solo performances or as part of a group.

Another area of the school where year 10s are so impressive is on the sports field. There are an incredibly large number of pupils who are so talented, many in one than one sport, and they have once again achieved outstanding success. No visit to Kingsholm this time, but both football teams reached finals and performed superbly. The Handball team is also competing in an upcoming final.

The students have just completed three days of Work Experience, gaining valuable insights into what it is like in a different environment. We have received very positive feedback from employers.

I have been so proud of all these pupils as they have flourished during the past three years.

They have learnt and progressed so much. I wish them well as they embark on the final GCSE year and make plans for the Sixth Form.

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Head of Year 11 Report

by Harry Windsor

Year 11 have experienced a challenging yet highly rewarding year as they navigated the demands of assessments, mock examinations, and preparation for their GCSEs. Throughout the year, they have shown resilience, determination, and maturity, making them a pleasure to guide through this important stage of their education.

Alongside their academic commitments, year 11 students have achieved some outstanding successes beyond the classroom. The U16 Girls’ Football Team enjoyed an excellent season, reaching the County Cup Final, while the Netball Team finished their final tournament together in style by winning the District Tournament.

Many students also stepped up to represent senior sports teams across football, rugby, and cricket, demonstrating both talent and commitment to the wider school community.

The performing arts also provided memorable moments, with several year 11 students delivering exceptional performances in lead roles in this year’s production of Oliver!. Their confidence, dedication, and talent helped make the production a tremendous success.

As they prepare to move on to the next stage of their education, year 11 should be proud of everything they have achieved. We wish them every success in their examinations and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.

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Head of Year 12 Report

by Sarah Parkin

Extra Curricular Students have excelled both within and outside of the classroom. In Wednesday and Thursday enrichment sessions, students expanded their academic and extracurricular profiles through activities such as EPQ, DofE, First Aid, Core Maths, music, and sports such as climbing and Padel. It has been wonderful to see students thrive across their areas of interest, from some fantastic performances in Oliver! both on stage and in the band; sporting achievements including the members of our first ever U18 girls’ basketball team; and those who have contributed by leading societies or giving talks, for example in hidden histories. In tutor times, our tutors guided students in their work towards the EDGE+ award, a recognition of their achievements in the domains of community, wellbeing, scholarship and employability. I look forward to celebrating their achievements when the awards are given at the end of the autumn term of year 13.

Achievements Every student will have something to be proud of this year. Whilst I can’t mention them all here, I would like to highlight a few outstanding achievements: Lily H, who will be representing us at the national final of the Economics Olympiad at SOAS; Callum A, who achieved the Gold Award in the Chemistry Olympiad a year early; and Ella C who has committed to run 22 miles to raise money for Children of Peace.

Our prefect team, selected in November, have made a huge impact on the school, providing our younger students with brilliant role models.

As always, selecting the Student Executive was a difficult decision after a multi-stage process involving written and video interviews, and finally speeches given to teachers and peers.

Huge congratulations to our new Student Executive, and particularly to Ella C, our new Head Girl, and Oliver B, our new Head Boy.

Post-18 Preparation Students have been encouraged to look to the future from the start of the year and we are deeply grateful to Helen Michaluk, our careers adviser, for her amazing guidance. Our visit to the UCAS Discovery Day in Worcester was a fantastic event that allowed year 12 to talk to representatives of a wide range of universities. Careers talks on a Wednesday afternoon began in term 5, with input from professionals in a diverse range of sectors, from the Crown Prosecution Service to aviation to software engineering. We look forward to hearing about our students’ work experience later in term 6, and to our Post-18 Drop Down Days in which we will focus on employability skills and getting ahead with the UCAS process.

I am looking forward to moving with this year group into year 13 and seeing them rise to the challenge and flourish. I would like to thank the tutors who have worked hard to create a safe and positive space for tutees to start the day and the countless conversations they have had to support the students with their wellbeing. I would also like to recognise the warmth and dedication of our Sixth Form pastoral workers, Mrs Price and Mrs Attwood, who have given invaluable support to so many students through the ups and downs of Sixth Form life.

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Head of Year 13 Report

by Matthew Bevan

As A level exams draw to a close and the 6th form study room falls quiet, it is a privilege to wish our departing year 13 cohort the very best as they leave the Crypt. Watching them grow from eager year 7 students into confident and capable young adults standing before us today has been an absolute joy. This year group has left a real impact on school life. From the sports pitches to our student executive team and leading charity initiatives, their contributions have been exemplary. Thank you for making our school a brighter, more vibrant place.

Our students met the perennial challenges of year 13 with resilience: writing personal statements for UCAS, the pressure of mock exams, and somehow navigated the daily challenge of making it to morning registration on time…mostly! As they turn the page to their next chapter of life after school—whether to university, apprenticeship, gap year or employment —students should know that we are incredibly proud of them.

Liam, Tianna and the Student Executive Team have been wonderful in leading the school this year, contributing in all aspects of school life. They organised Christmas Jumper Day for the school on the 11th December, raising money for the James Hopkins Trust, a local charity that provides nursing respite care for Gloucestershire’s life limited and life threatened young children. It was great to be able to accompany them on a thank you lunch in May, held locally at the Barn Owl in Quedgeley. Each year, the School treats the hard-working executive team to a thank you meal at the end of their tenure, and it was really good to see them all together, perhaps for a final time, before they go on study leave for their A-level examinations. Thank you to all of the team for everything they have so generously contributed to both sixth form and wider school life over the last year.

In January, our year 13 chemists sat the Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad competition.

Mrs Gee (Head of Chemistry) reports that our students performed very strongly indeed with 7 Gold awards (the top 8.3% of applicants nationally) awarded to year 13 students Michael, Sam, Daniel, Josh, Aleks, Pheo and Jacob . In addition, 13 Silver awards and 15 Bronze awards were also achieved. This is a testimony to the strength of our chemistry students at school.

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Our two F1 in Schools teams, led by year 13 students, competed in the national finals in March, held this year at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham. This event was a great opportunity for our two teams to showcase the work they have been undertaking across many months, and which culminated in the finals. Both teams performed very well indeed, falling just short of progressing into the world finals.

The final day in school for our year 13 students was Friday 9th May. We marked this occasion with a breakfast and final assembly together in the Common Room with Mr Dyer, Ms Glock, Mr Bevan and form tutors. It was a lovely final morning together, full of good humour, shirt signing, and some ill-fitting lower school blazers! Students Rachael, Manasik and others had put together a short film interviewing teachers and students which we watched together - a great memento for our students to remember their time in the sixth form.

To our departing students, I offer my best wishes for the future - you have made us incredibly proud. Embrace new challenges, seek out new knowledge, and never stop learning - and flourishing! The world is waiting for your contributions, and I have no doubt that you will continue to achieve great things. We look forward to hearing about your future successes!

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KEY STAGE 3

Art

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KEY STAGE 4

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KEY STAGE 5

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Biology KEY STAGE 4 Practicals Amongst many other practicals, our younger biologists completed two dissections this year a heart and an eye. Students showed excellent respect and engagement as they connected the structures they had studied to real-life anatomy.

Fossils Students were encouraged to explore our fossil display and identify the specimens. With support from our Sixth Form biologists, they identified a dolphin skull, ammonites, and even a megalodon tooth!

Owl pellet dissection During our owl pellet dissection, students had the opportunity to dissect the remains of an owl’s dinner! Using an identification guide, they were successfully able to identify the species of small mammal the owl had recently eaten.

Moss Safari Students were fascinated when flushing moss with water to have a look at the microorganisms within under a microscope. They were able to see everything from Nematodes to water bears!

Chicks To celebrate Easter, we incubated and hatched chicks. As one of our most popular extracurricular activities, students were beyond excited to see and interact with them!

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KEY STAGE 5 Year 12 Some students took part in an extracurricular epigenetics research project exploring how the effects of wartime hardship may be passed down through generations at a genetic level. They presented their findings through a series of thought-provoking presentations.

Many of our year 12 students volunteered to help run a range of activities for younger years through Our Natural World Club, including an owl pellet dissection and the popular moss safari.

They were enthusiastic and supportive, helping to foster a wider interest in biology.

Year 13 Our students took part in a range of practical activities, including liver and kidney dissections, daisy sampling, and culturing a harmless strain of E. coli, developing their confidence and independence in practical work.

We celebrated the departure of another highly successful year 13 cohort with biology-themed cakes and wished them all the best in their future endeavours.

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Business Studies KEY STAGE 3 Business Society Our year 8 Business Society students have been busy developing their entrepreneurial skills by creating their own business ideas. They have designed logos, explored marketing strategies, and adapted their products based on feedback. This exciting project has given them a taste of what studying GCSE Business will involve, helping them build confidence and creativity ahead of their future choices.

KEY STAGE 4 Year 10 Business Trip to Twickenham Year 10 Business students visited Twickenham Stadium, where they gained a real insight into how large-scale events are planned and delivered. The trip brought classroom learning to life, as students explored key concepts such as adding value and different revenue streams within a major sporting venue. It was a fantastic opportunity to see business theory applied in a real-world setting. From there they completed a project where they had to create their own event and make many business focused decisions which they then presented to their class, developing their confidence and oracy skills.

KEY STAGE 5 Year 12 Enterprise Enrichment Our Year 12 students have been developing innovative business ideas as part of their Enterprise Enrichment programme, with a focus on making a positive impact in society. They carried out market research, created websites, and produced detailed business proposals before pitching their ideas to our very own “Crypt Dragons.”

This experience has helped them strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset and presentation skills in a highly engaging way.

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Chemistry KEY STAGE 3 Year 9 students had a chance to be creative with a homework challenge as part of their learning of the structure of the atom earlier this year. They were able to choose any element from the first 20 on the periodic table, from Hydrogen (H) to Calcium (Ca) and create a 3D model with an accompanying factfile.

There were some super models made including cakes, 3D-printed element symbols and colourful hanging models.

Students were then able to mark each others’ work for chemical accuracy!

KEY STAGE 4 As a department we embed practical work throughout our scheme of work giving students the opportunity to be investigating, observing, experimenting or testing out ideas.

Year 10 In year 10 we develop scientific working skills by using experiments to model science mathematically. To verify the balanced symbol equation, students measured the increase in mass as magnesium reacts with oxygen.

Year 11 A notable example of practical work occurred during year 11 revision, where students were challenged to “work like a forensic scientist” and correctly identify five unknown compounds in under an hour. This task required them to recall and apply their knowledge of ion tests from Required Practical Activity (RPA) 7, necessitating that they plan and execute their own experimental methods independently.

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Part of the GCSE Chemistry course involves the various methods to make water potable (safe to drink) from fresh, ground, salty and waste water. Students learn about the various processes involved for each water type and have to evaluate the ease of obtaining potable water from each. This year, we welcomed Severn Trent Water to Crypt, and Rob took the students through an engaging and interactive presentation on the science of waste water. The Y11 students found the talk really interesting and applicable to the real world and their studies.

KEY STAGE 5 Y12 Cambridge Chemistry Challenge In June, all current Y12 Chemistry students will be participating in the Chemistry Challenge.

This is a National Competition organised by Cambridge University and involves the students undertaking a challenging written paper which contains questions on topical areas of chemistry. The level of the questions are pitched at challenging A level content and beyond and provides the students an excellent way to stretch themselves, apply their knowledge and prepare for the rigours of Y13 chemistry.

In June 2025, when our current Y13 students sat the 90 minute written paper, it included detailed and stretching questions on isomerism and the ‘non-boring’ element Boron.

We are delighted that many of our students gained awards - 2 Gold, 8 silver and 18 copper awards. All students that entered should be very proud of themselves for demonstrating they can embrace a challenge and excellent resilience and problem solving skills.

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Y13 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Olympiad We are delighted to announce that our Y13 Chemistry students have excelled in the 2026 RSC Chemistry Olympiad, with 36 awards being achieved - our highest number ever!

Overall, they have been awarded 8 Gold awards , 13 Silver awards and 15 Bronze awards which is truly impressive and they should all be very proud of their accomplishments, and be confident in their abilities as they approach their A-level exams this summer.

This prestigious competition had record numbers of students taking part this year, 17,241 from over 1100 schools. It involved a fiendishly challenging 2 hour written paper which required the students to apply their knowledge of A-level chemistry to unfamiliar and novel questions. This year, it involved questions around isocyanides, compounds in henna tattoos, and even 'pee in swimming pools'.

Only 8.5% of students achieved a Gold award, so special mention goes to the following Y13 students: Michael N, Sam T, Dan H, Alek R, Joshua S, Pheo O and Jacob P. We also highly congratulate Y12 student Callum A who sat it a year early and also achieved a Gold award!

A-level Chemistry continues to be extremely popular!

Chemistry numbers at A-level have continuously increased over recent years and we now have 4 sets in Y12 (nearly 80 students) and from September 2026, also 4 in Y13. This reflects a national picture of an increase in STEM subjects.

Chemistry is a mandatory subject for very competitive courses such as medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science, dentistry and chemical engineering courses. It is widely regarded as rigorous and develops many transferable skills such as problem solving, analytical and evaluative skills as well as competent mathematical ability and practical dexterity. It also provides a basis for understanding topical issues such as climate change, sustainability, drug design, and material sciences, aligning with current global interests.

Part of the A-level involves the practical endorsement, a range of practical and enquiry skills that are introduced, developed and mastered, over the two year course. Some of our current Y12 students are shown here, completing experiments as part of this.

All Y13 students have completed and successfully passed their practical endorsement, which means they have consistently developed and demonstrated key practical skills and techniques over the two year course - some photos!

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Computer Science KEY STAGE 3 Congratulations!

The Computer Science Department would like to offer our warmest congratulations to Liam in year 8, a pupil who has successfully completed Harvard University’s CS50 Cybersecurity course in their own time.

This is an outstanding achievement. CS50 is a challenging university-level course, and completing it at such a young age demonstrates exceptional curiosity, commitment, and determination. Taking the initiative to explore advanced topics in cybersecurity beyond the classroom shows a genuine passion for computer science and a maturity well beyond your years.

EMPOWER CYBER EVENT 2025 On the 14th October students recently took part in the Empower Cyber Event 2025 at Oxstalls sports arena in Gloucester. An exciting day designed to inspire and challenge young people interested in technology and cyber security. The event brought together schools from across the region to explore real-world cyber challenges and learn from industry experts.

Throughout the day, students attended interactive workshops delivered by leading organisations including Gemba Advantage, Golden Valley, NCC Group, and Bromford. These sessions gave them valuable insights into topics such as ethical hacking, digital defence, and careers in the growing cyber sector.

A highlight of the day was the Cyber Challenge run by Bromford, where participants tested their problem-solving and technical skills in a series of hacking and security-based tasks.

We’re thrilled to share that four of our students successfully completed all their challenges, achieving 1st and 2nd place on the leaderboard. The Bromford team were particularly impressed by their advanced understanding of cyber security concepts and practical hacking techniques.

We’re incredibly proud of all our students for their enthusiasm, teamwork, and outstanding performance throughout the day.

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Python Programming and Cyber Explorers Cup 2026 The Cyber Explorers competition at KS3 level was an exciting and engaging experience that encouraged students to develop their digital and problemsolving skills. It was great to see a strong and balanced mix of both boys and girls taking part, all working collaboratively to tackle challenges related to cybersecurity. The competition not only built confidence and teamwork but also sparked interest in technology and future careers in the field, making it a valuable opportunity for everyone involved. Well done!

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Drama KEY STAGE 3 Year 8 enjoyed a new scheme of work this year, called 'missing person', a 'who-dun-it' style of lessons where students were introduced to the missing person 'Jo', given some context and then clues each week. One week the drama studio was turned into a crime scene, where students had to interact with items 'found' at a crime scene related to 'Jo'. The students really enjoyed playing police detectives, and building their own story line and performance of what really happened to Jo!

KEY STAGES 4 & 5 In October 2025 we had Julian Smith, a working actor and director (and long time friend of Mrs Crozier) come into school to deliver a range of workshops to our exam students. Year 10 enjoyed a Brecht workshop to support their component 1 and Year 11 learnt more about Stanislavski to support their component 2. Year 13 delved into the world of physical theatre to support their devised component 2.

The Wednesday club 'unpolished playground' saw a group of students from years 7-11 work together to write and perform their own play, "Dead End". This was overseen by Mr Walthew, but the students absolutely led the way and put on a fantastic show for friends and family.

Year 8 and year 9 have both enjoyed learning basic stage combat (year 8) and advanced stage combat (year 9), and applying it to short scenes from specific texts. Rest assured that the skills in these lessons are taught at a very slow pace, with all safety measures adhered to. They are only ever taught by a specialist drama teacher with experience of stage combat.

The students really engage with this, no doubt because it is very 'different' to the rest of their day. Mrs Crozier's favourite stage combat moment this year was when she took a group of year 9's onto the field (as it was so sunny!) so that they could practice outdoors, and Mr Windsor came round the corner looking very bemused as to why half of the class seemed to be kicking their partner in the ribs while their partner lay on the floor!

Year 11 and year 13 have worked incredibly hard over these last two years and we were sad to see them go on study leave (but of course wish them luck!)

A new addition to the exam provision this year is that Mrs Crozier organised informal evening performances of their exam pieces (component 2) to friends and family a week before their real exam. This was to help shake off any nerves of performing in front of a live audience, as well as show off their months of hard work to their nearest and dearest. The performance went fantastically and several parents commented that it was nice to see in person what their child had been working on in class.

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Trips This year has seen 5 drama trips take place, with plenty of students getting involved!

Years 10, 11 and 13 went to see 'Lost Atoms'

by Frantic Assembly to support their physical theatre education, as well as a day trip to Gloucester University where they experienced a range of performing arts workshops to help them start to think about life post-18.

We also ran trips to see 'Mary Poppins', 'The Woman in Black' and 'Matilda', which were open to students across the whole school.

Every trip sold out within hours and had a waiting list of students who wanted to join us - it's fantastic that we have so many students keen to experience live theatre!

Musical Theatre Club Musical Theatre club was a popular new addition last academic year, and we are delighted to have continued it this year. Following the success of our full school musical in November 2025 (Oliver!), the Musical Theatre club has seen large growth in numbers. At the club, students learn group numbers (both singing and choreography) and are working towards a summer showcase (Cabaret Night) on Saturday 4th July.

Many students have auditioned solos, duets and their own group numbers for this showcase, and we are very excited by the level of talent!

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THE CRYPT SHOOL PRESENTS...

Oliver!

One true highlight of the Drama department's year was the school show, Oliver!, performed in November 2025. Auditions took place in June of 2025, with rehearsals beginning as soon as the new academic year began.

We had over 65 students in the cast, band and backstage team, as well as around 10 staff involved in bringing the whole show together.

Everyone worked incredibly hard with fantastic commitment, and we are sure you will agree that the show was a raging success!

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Economics KEY STAGE 5 Economics Olympiad Following the strong turnout for the initial round of the Economics Olympiad in school earlier this term, we are delighted to share an update on our students’ progress. Several of our Year 12 and 13 students demonstrated top-tier analytical skills in a highly competitive regional round at the University of Worcester on 13th March. Several other local schools were represented as well as many other schools from the 'Severn' region.

We are incredibly proud to announce that, as a result of their performance in the regional round, Lily H (year 12) and Rohan R (year 13) have officially qualified for the National Round of the competition. This is a significant achievement, placing them among the top tier of young economists in the country.

The National Round will take place on 22nd June at the prestigious SOAS University of London.

This stage of the competition will involve a written examination (judged by an academic panel), a presentation on a current economic problem, guest speakers and gruelling high-level economic challenges. Should they place in the top five students at this event they will earn a place at the International Final in Ancient Olympia, Greece, representing the UK. Please join us in congratulating Lily and Rohan on this excellent accomplishment and wishing them the very best of luck as they head to London to tackle the next round.

The Government Game Year 12 students were able to bring together all of their macroeconomic learning to participate in the government game. By carefully considering and selecting a range of policy options, students were able to see the impact on the country in real-time. Dylan S, Ben A and Senuk E combined to score the highest team score.

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English This year has been a successful one in the English Department as many positive changes to our lessons have been made!

KEY STAGE 3 The year started off with ‘Open Evening’ in which we opened up room 25 to potential students. We invited them to write an autumnal metaphor on a leaf to build our literary tree. As well as this, children were encouraged to use different nouns and adjectives in order to create their own spell to put into a cauldron. This activity was influenced by our Gothic and ‘Macbeth’ schemes of work, to give the prospective students and their parents a glimpse into what we offer as a Department!

One of the changes that we have made this year has been the introduction of homework booklets across Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. These booklets have given all students the opportunity to be creative in their homework as well as work on key skills such as reading and writing. As part of the year 9 ‘Dystopia’ unit, they enjoyed making a propaganda poster from the perspective of a dystopian government trying to control its citizens.

KEY STAGE 4 Year 11 students have also been encouraged to get creative this year!

Before studying ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in term 1, students are instructed to make a zine booklet based on the context of the play. The students always impress us with their creativity in this context project, creating impressive booklets that not only look amazing, but are useful in consolidating their knowledge of Shakespeare’s time of writing and the tragedy genre.

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GCSE ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ Production Year 10 and 11 students had the pleasure of watching a production of ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ in the school hall. Grove Productions put on a fantastic performance, transforming Stevenson’s words effectively on the stage.

All of the students enjoyed watching Dr. Jekyll turn into Mr. Hyde and it offered excellent revision for year 11 in preparation for their GCSE question on the text.

KEY STAGE 5 A-level English Literature: Trip to Stratford Upon-Avon!

In September, eighteen of our Year 13 Literature students enjoyed a wonderful trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, where they deepened their knowledge of Shakespeare and his world.

The day began with a visit to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for a tour of Shakespeare’s house, before a walking tour of the town took us to sites such as Holy Trinity Church and the RSC waterfront, where we paused for lunch. The afternoon was rounded off with a bespoke lecture on their set text, 'Hamlet', after which the lecturer commented on how impressed they were by the thoughtful contributions and insights offered by our students. It was an inspiring and enriching day that will support their studies as they prepare for their final year of examinations.

Year 12 Presentations In English, we encourage our key stage 5 students to feel confident presenting their ideas about the texts we are studying and any further reading that they are doing. Over the year, we have heard some fantastic presentations about the key themes of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. We have also heard book reviews from students as they begin to decide which texts they will explore for their coursework in year 13.

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Food Technology

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KEY STAGE 3

Geography

Year 7 Early in term 1, year 7 took part in their first geography fieldwork task. Students learnt how to select locations around the school ground and then collect accurate data in order to identify differences in microclimate. Working effectively in small groups enabled the students to develop their collaborative skills and become more confident in using fieldwork equipment. Lesson time was used to map and analyse the data before reaching conclusions so that students were introduced to the major steps in a geography investigation.

End of Term Projects Term 6 saw year 7 and 8 students complete a longer topic homework enabling them to explore a geographical area of their choice in greater depth. Students are given a wide choice of tasks including creating posters, power points, models and videos. Once again, the construction of volcanoes (including some that could explode) alongside models of river and coastal landforms proved very popular. Equally, the geography staff were delighted with the quality of power points and videos looking at topics as diverse as recent news events, the unique characteristics of named countries and the threats to global ecosystems.

Year 8 Year 8 students have explored a wide range of topics this year, from Hydrology and Flooding to Population and Migration. As part of their Urban Landscapes module, students investigated the impact of urban development on the local environment. They also had the opportunity to practise their fieldwork skills by carrying out environmental quality surveys around the school site — a technique studied in greater depth at both GCSE and A-Level. Students enjoyed working collaboratively around the school, assessing different areas and suggesting ways to improve environmental quality.

As part of a campaign to promote Antarctica as an area of global importance, year 7 and 8 students created posters highlighting the unique features of this continent. The best posters were then sent to scientists working with UK Polar Network in Antarctica. The students work has since been photographed by the scientists with a backdrop of the stunning landscape in Antarctica.

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Year 10 Gloucester Geography Trip In March, 80 year 10 pupils took part in urban geography fieldwork in Gloucester to investigate how effectively the city meets the needs of visitors. Using a range of data collection techniques, pupils explored whether Gloucester successfully caters for tourists and day-trippers.

Back in the classroom, the data was analysed and the effectiveness of the fieldwork methods was evaluated. The experience provided pupils with an interesting snapshot of Gloucester’s transformation from a traditional retail centre into a vibrant mixed-use city focused on culture, Year 10 Rivers Trip leisure, and tourism.

Year 10 students visited Blackpool Brook in the Forest of Dean for a day of river fieldwork in June. The investigation focused on whether the river followed the theoretical Bradshaw Model.

A total of 80 students took part in the trip and enjoyed a hands-on experience collecting data by measuring river width, depth and velocity.

The day provided an excellent opportunity for students to develop practical geographical fieldwork skills while investigating river processes in a real environment.

KEY STAGE 4

KEY STAGE 5 During Term 1, Year 12 Geography students visited Northleach to support their Changing Spaces; Making Places module. The trip allowed students to explore this important case study firsthandand they carried out independent fieldwork, collecting data including traffic counts and environmental quality surveys.

Sixth Form geography and maths students took the opportunity to complete a new competition being run by the Office for National Statistics. Students investigated a variety of demographic and socio-economic indicators in order to create a place profile for a small area or location. They then used this data to identify a particular challenge affecting this area. Students extended their knowledge of how to extract data, maps and graphs from the ONS website whilst also deepening their understanding of how deprivation and employment can affect quality of life in the chosen areas. All those who participated enjoyed working on a skills-based project which enabled them to apply their geographical and mathematical knowledge to a real-life situation.

Year 12 Geography Swanage Trip A group of 14 Year 12 students spent three days in Swanage as part of their Geography fieldwork programme In February. During the visit, students explored some of Dorset’s most spectacular coastal landscapes, including Chesil Beach, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. Students observed a variety of coastal processes and landforms.

On the final day, the group visited Sandbanks, where students were able to view Old Harry Rocks from across the bay and investigate the range of human coastal defences used to protect property and manage erosion along the coastline.

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History To celebrate the 150th writing of 'Invictus' by ex-Cryptian William Henley, Crypt students collaborated on an exhibition which has been running at St Mary De Crypt this year. This poem is famous, both in Britain and around the world, and Crypt students have traced the myriad of ways it has influenced figures from Nelson Mandela, to Winston Churchill. The themes of resilience, suffering and inner strength are all relevant to us all today. During Hidden Histories club students have researched, written out and presented various topics, and this makes up the display at St Mary De Crypt We are pleased to say that Mrs Hayes has been nominated for the National Diversity Award, which is in part due to her work with the wider history community. We are very proud of her!

Battlefield Trip At the very end of last year we had the first Battlefield Trip run in many years, led by Mr Howell. 85 Y9 students left for the an action-packed 3 day tour of the Ypres Salient. Students visited preserved trench systems, explored the memorials, and remembered the fallen at war cemeteries.

Tyne Cot is the largest of the war cemeteries, and illustrates the scale of the slaughter. Students could get a sense of the battlefield when visiting Hill 60 and 62, which has the craters, bunkers & trenches that help to bring the war to life. Mr Howell’s highlight was seeing the students pay their respects to the 68 Old Cryptians that lost their lives during the First World War. Students were able to lay wreathes, and perform the Last Post ceremony.

KEY STAGE 3 Another way of bringing history to life, a bit more closer to home, could be seen with predominantly KS3 students joining a Hidden Histories lunchtime session in which we unpacked a ‘WW2 loan box’ from the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum.

Students were able to get their hands on a range of replicas, from helmets, & uniforms to rationing cards & propaganda posters.

We are looking forward to another loan box next year!

Our history house competition in term 6 is linked to the Historical Association’s ‘Richard Slessor prize’. This is open to all students but we normally get strong representation from KS3. Students will need to either create a podcast or short written account of an interesting historical story, or event from either the local area or international history. All students who get involved will earn house points, and the winner receives a £100 prize. The deadline is 20th July.

Finally, our new Y7s were able to explore more about the history of the Crypt School during their Y7 Heritage Day. Mr Higgs gave an account of some of the most renowned ex-Cryptians, as well as a potted history of the school, including how the various monarchs, wars & historical trends have all 31 impacted the school over the last 500 years.

KEY STAGE 4 Crypt School students were again offered to take part on the ‘Heritage Ambassadors programme’, delivered by Voices Gloucester & Gloucestershire Archives. Rafferty L was our Y10 representative, and he was lucky enough to go behind-the-scenes at various heritage sites around the city. He first went to Gloucester Archives “where we studied documents pertaining everything from Gloucester Castle’s stoneworks to 1880’s censuses. It was a fascinating talk and a true behind-the-scenes experience which I feel privileged to have shared with my colleagues.”

He then was given a guided tour of Gloucester Cathedral, after which “we split into groups for a creative task - the standout of which was a medieval calligraphy lesson - and eventually reconvened for a focus group session in which we discussed ideas on making Gloucester Cathedral a more visitor-friendly and accessible destination for tourists.” Rafferty’s last session was a reflection on how Gloucester has changed so much in recent years, with “A particular highlight for me was the study of Gloucester’s oft-overlooked international community during the 1850s-1900s, something which I knew relatively little about until the meeting.” “Overall, Heritage Ambassadors has been a varied and eclectic experience, allowing me a chance to do everything from explore the city of Gloucester’s myriad stories to work as part of a team on creative tasks, and one I feel lucky to have been able to participate in.”

We are also planning our first GCSE History trip in a number of years. We are planning to take our Y11 students to London for a day trip to the Hunterian Museum (full of medical marvels), the British Museum, St Paul’s Cathedral & maybe even Pudding Lane (the start of the Great Fire of London). This will link with students’ study of medicine through time, 17th Century Restoration England & 20th century conflict & tension.

KEY STAGE 5 Hidden Histories club has ran throughout the year on Monday lunchtimes, with many VI form students leading sessions and disseminating their knowledge on a range of subjects to lower school students. 4 students in particular stand out for the contributions; Sanjeevani (Y13) delivered a brilliant presentation on the history of K pop; Mantra (Y12) led a session exploring Persian culture & history, linked to the conflict in Iran today; Aleksia spoke about the history of Bulgaria, and some of its important figures. Finally, Fergus has been a stalwart member of the group, creating numerous presentations throughout the year (including the historical places he visited last summer) and encouraging younger students to attend.

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Mathematics KEY STAGE 3 Intermediate Maths Challenge February brings the intermediate maths challenge aimed at the best in years 9 to 11, but we believe if you are old enough, you’re good enough and enter students from years 7 and 8, too.

Some year 9 students took advantage of Simon Singh’s parallel webinars to prepare, and one of these, Guhan, came best in year. Two year 8 students, Elliot C and Freddie T achieved gold awards which are only given to the top 8 1/3% of all entries in any year group. Both succeeded to the next round the grey kangaroo. Jakub was best in year 7 with Fliss close second (both 7JC).

Junior Maths Challenges April brought the Junior maths challenge to 146 students in years 7 and 8. The results were a record number of awards (85% of students compared to 50% nationwide), a record number of gold awards (32, 22% compared to fewer than 9% nationwide) and a record number of qualifiers to the successor rounds: Joseph K, Trevis, Fliss, Ethan P, Arita, Sopie L, JohnHenry, Jakub, Dylan and Clara in year 7 and Elliot, Jaenah, Arjun, Mithul, George S, Samuel B, Oscar, Jaanvi and Finley in year 8.

Many of the year 7 students took advantage of free webinars from the parallel organisation to prepare, so it was pleasing to see them do so well.

May 2025 brought the junior maths challenge for years 7 and 8. 143 students entered and a record 121 won awards, more than any year since records began. As awards are only given to half the entrants nationwide this is a very strong achievement. 23 students (16%) won the coveted gold award only given to the top 8% nationally.

Ten students scored enough to get through to the next round, the junior kangaroo, in June: Elliot, Jaanvi, Oscar P, William T, Hugo, Rowan (again), Joshua H, Meenakshi and Yui Chit.

KEY STAGE 4 Senior Maths Challenge In November students sat the senior maths challenge, a national competition of tough maths questions aimed at VI form. We believe if you’re good enough you’re old enough and entered almost 60 students from key stage four. 75% achieved awards compared to two thirds of all entries nationally.

Two students won the coveted gold award which qualifies for the follow-on round, the Senior Kangaroo: Ryan in 11RR and Reuben in in 10JC, both best in year and both did the same in the intermediate challenge. So, credit also goes to Tabitha T in year 10 and Maddie E in year 11 for coming a creditable second with good silver awards.

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KEY STAGE 5 Senior Maths Challenge In November 76 VI formers sat the senior maths challenge, a national competition of tough maths questions such as: “A palindromic number is one where the digits read the same forwards as backwards, such as 123 321. What is the hundreds digit of the largest six-digit palindromic number that is divisible by 18?” Answer on page XXX. Over two thirds of entries achieved awards, with four winning the coveted gold award which qualifies for the follow-on round, the Senior Kangaroo: Elijah in year 13, Callum A, Sophie C and Tristan in year 12. Both Sophie and Elijah won a bronze kangaroo award, Callum won a gold kangaroo.

Page XXX Answer: one, the hundreds digit of 891198.

M3 Challenge Friday 28th February, a group of five sixth formers, Elijah, Roman, Liam P (Year 13) with Percy and Michal (Year 12) took part in the MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge [sic the challenge originates in the USA]. They created mathematical models to answer three reallife problems on the use of online gambling, demographics of those taking part and on problem gambling. Over the course of 14 hours, the team developed a mathematical model to represent the problem, tested it against data, used it to predict future developments and proposed an approach to solve the issue at hand.

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Modern Foreign Languages KEY STAGE 3 Year 7 German students have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with our year 12 mentor, Bethany, who has supported them throughout the year with their speaking. She has built excellent rapport with the students and it has been a delight to see their confidence skyrocket with her support.

Year 9 French students explored three French poems in commemoration of Armistice Day last November. They recorded readings of the one they found most poignant, allowing them to gain deeper understanding of the sounds of the French language, and the importance of Rememberance Day not just in England but across Europe.

Year 9 Spanish students had the opportunity to take part in their own version of the Spanish Christmas lottery, El Gordo, this year. They learnt all about the history of the tradition, and then got to choose who to share their tickets with in the grand draw.

German Play A German theatre company came to visit and put on a play for all students of German this March. It was the story of a Haunted House, and was delivered entirely in the German language. A special shout out goes to guest actor Callum from year 13!

Languages Talk Last November, years 9-13 had the opportunity to listen to Enrico Cecconi from the University of Bath talk about futures in languages at university level. He explored the importance of languages, how to be a successful learner, routes into languages in higher education, and gave practical advice to years 12 and 13 about their UCAS applications.

Year 9 and 10 Trip to Cologne Students of year 9 and 10 visited the Christmas market in Cologne which was great fun!

All students loved experiencing the German traditions: meeting Nikolaus on the river Rhein cruise; eating a Spaghettieeis at the ice cream parlour (even when it was -1 degree outside); and visiting a traditional Brauhaus where students ordered in German and ate typical German food, soaking up the atmosphere.

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Music A year of musical excellence This has been an extraordinary year for music, marked by outstanding performances, ambitious projects, and remarkable achievements across all areas of the department. From major concerts and productions to tours, workshops, and community events, our students have demonstrated exceptional talent, commitment, and enthusiasm throughout the year.

Concerts and Performances The year began in spectacular fashion with our Autumn Concert, showcasing the breadth and quality of music-making across the school. Our largest-ever orchestra, comprising more than fifty students, opened the evening with Bizet’s March from Carmen, while a host of soloists and ensembles delivered memorable performances spanning classical, jazz, popular and choral repertoire. The debut of our touring choir, Vox Floreat, was a particular highlight, demonstrating the musical excellence that would define much of the year ahead.

The annual Carol Service provided another musical highlight, bringing together choir, orchestra and instrumental ensembles in a joyful celebration of Christmas. From traditional carols and contemporary choral works to festive orchestral favourites, the service showcased the strength and diversity of our musical community while creating a wonderful atmosphere of celebration and reflection.

Our Spring Concert continued this tradition of excellence, featuring performances from the Symphony Orchestra, A Cappella Choir, Young Voices, Jazz Band and Vox Floreat. The centrepiece of the evening was a powerful performance of Fauré’s Requiem, reflecting the concert’s theme of “Peace in Our Time” and providing a fitting demonstration of the maturity and musicianship our students have developed throughout the year.

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The Year 9 Showcase and GCSE Performance Evening offered further opportunities for students to perform to family and friends, celebrating individual achievement and encouraging the next generation of musicians as they progress through their musical studies.

Choral Success and the Launch of Vox Floreat This year saw the inauguration of Vox Floreat, our touring choir, which has quickly established itself as one of the school's flagship ensembles. Following its impressive debut performances, the choir continued to develop throughout the year, performing at Gloucester Cathedral Evensong and receiving high praise from cathedral musicians for the quality of its singing.

The choir also played a central role in a number of major events, including the Carol Service, Spring Concert and Founders’ Day celebrations, consistently demonstrating musical excellence, professionalism and dedication.

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Belgium Tour A major highlight of the year was the inaugural international tour of Vox Floreat to Belgium.

Following months of preparation, forty-five students embarked on a memorable musical journey, performing in some of Belgium’s most prestigious venues.

The choir presented acclaimed concerts at St Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent and St Martin’s Cathedral in Ypres, performing a varied programme of sacred, contemporary and popular works. Alongside these concerts, students explored historic sites including Gravensteen Castle and the Flanders Fields Museum, enriching their understanding of European history and culture.

The tour concluded with a deeply moving performance at the Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony in Ypres. Singing in such a significant setting, surrounded by the names of those who lost their lives in conflict, provided a powerful and unforgettable experience for all involved. The choir’s performances received widespread praise from audiences and musical professionals alike, including positive comments from renowned choirmaster Gareth Malone.

Community Engagement and Remembrance Music continued to play an important role in school and community life throughout the year.

Our musicians contributed significantly to the annual Remembrance Service, where Cantores Cryptienses delivered moving performances that enhanced both the solemnity and dignity of the occasion. The choir’s rendition of John Rutter’s A Flower Remembered, together with stirring congregational hymns and a heartfelt performance of The Last Post, helped create a memorable and meaningful act of remembrance.

Students also shared their music beyond the school community through performances at a local care home, bringing festive cheer and demonstrating the positive impact music can have in connecting generations.

Workshops, Collaborations and Enrichment Our students have benefited from a wide range of enrichment opportunities throughout the year. Vox Floreat was invited to collaborate with the Chamber Choir of Bath Spa University at Bath Abbey, participating in workshops led by internationally renowned choir trainer Julian Jensen. Performing alongside university musicians and experiencing life on campus provided valuable inspiration for students considering future musical study.

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Later in the year, the choir performed at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon as part of a large-scale choral project led by composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. This opportunity, made possible through our Lead School status with the Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire Music Hub, allowed students to work with musicians from across the region and perform in a professional theatre setting.

Fundraising and Celebration Students also demonstrated their commitment and generosity through Keys for a Cause, a live-streamed piano marathon fundraiser. Across two days, pianists performed continuously for twelve hours, raising funds while showcasing their dedication and resilience.

Founders’ Day once again provided an impressive platform for musical performance in Gloucester Cathedral, while our Musical Theatre Club delighted audiences with Into the Spotlight: Cabaret Night, featuring music from The Greatest Showman, Come From Away, SIX and Dear Evan Hansen.

Looking Back This year has been one of the most successful in recent memory. From large-scale productions and international touring to community performances, workshops and concerts, students have embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm, commitment and professionalism.

Most importantly, music has continued to bring students together, fostering creativity, confidence, friendship and a strong sense of belonging. We are immensely proud of everything our musicians have achieved and look forward to building on this success in the year ahead.

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KEY STAGE 5

Politics

Politics has been as busy as ever, with students keeping up with the latest events, often needing to amend their notes on a regular basis!

The European Youth Parliament was a particular highlight. This involved 8 students going to Tommies for the regional heats, and were the second cohort to take part in this event. The students prepared well under Mr Howell’s tutelage, and this shone out throughout the debates, with the judges noting the academic vigour of their argument.

Students were able to amend their proposals based on discussions with students from other schools, and their resolution was passed successfully. However, we didn’t get through to the national stage, which is a milestone we will aspire to next year!

Y12 students were also able to meet their local MP for Gloucester, Alex McIntyre, who visited the school for a question & answer session. VI form students had the opportunity to ask a variety of questions, with some well researched questions showing perceptive political thinking. Alex McIntyre was keen to stress the emphasis he places on providing opportunities for younger people, which has led to the creation of a work experience week between 10th and 14th August, we will be offering a fully funded week-long programme working with local businesses to develop skills and discover different industries, from the BBC to Fasthosts - with a trip to London and the Houses of Parliament.

Our Y13 students complete a study of feminism as part of their political studies. Students were able to contribute to a ‘feminism for boys’ assembly delivered by Mr Higgs. This focused on the positive messages that feminism has for boys, in contrast to the toxic alternatives found online. This led to lots of interesting conversations both in lessons and outside!

Finally, our current Y12 students, and those new to Y12 next year, will have the opportunity to visit Parliament at the start of the next academic year. The plan is for students to have a tour of Westminster, as well as the UK Supreme Court. This has been hugely enjoyable in previous years, and we look forward to another exciting outing!

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KEY STAGE 3

Physics

Careers in Science are explored throughout lessons, linking each topic to real roles such as aerodynamicists, dieticians, electrical engineers and atmospheric chemists. STEM club stayed busy with rocket launches, glider projects and national competitions, with one team earning full marks across all engineering challenges. Students also joined the Moon Rescue mission‑patch competition and read the related book together. For Culture Day, classes learned about the diverse international teamwork behind NASA’s Artemis programme and its inclusive crew.

Students explore real Science and Engineering careers in every topic, from forces to electricity to space. STEM club thrived with rocket launches, glider challenges and national success. Many joined the Moon Rescue mission‑patch competition and group reading. For Culture Day, students discovered how NASA’s Artemis programme celebrates global teamwork and diversity.

Science lessons link each topic to real‑world careers, while STEM club activities such as rocket launches and glider projects brought hands‑on engineering fun and national recognition. Students also enjoyed the Moon Rescue competition and learning about the inclusive, international nature of NASA’s Artemis mission.

Year 9 took part in the Famelab Academy competition by researching a Science topic and giving a short talk. Class winners reached the school final, and Jennifer went on to the regional stage. Year 7 joined a Mini Famelab version. These projects built confidence and improved communication and research skills.

KEY STAGE 4 Our Y13 students complete a study of feminism as part of their political studies. Students were able to contribute to a ‘feminism for boys’ assembly delivered by Mr Higgs. This focused on the positive messages that feminism has for boys, in contrast to the toxic alternatives found online. This led to lots of interesting conversations both in lessons and outside!

Finally, our current Y12 students, and those new to Y12 next year, will have the opportunity to visit Parliament at the start of the next academic year. The plan is for students to have a tour of Westminster, as well as the UK Supreme Court. This has been hugely enjoyable in previous years, and we look forward to another exciting outing!

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For the first time, a small group of our Year 12 students have been mentoring our GCSE pupils.

They helped a group of Year 11 students first, then later Year 9 and 10 students. Sessions included supporting their peers with revision strategies, working through Physics skills, knowledge and equations. This has enabled the Sixth Form students to develop leadership and communication skills, whilst younger pupils have learned from their older peers.

Extra-curricular activities have taken a Space focus this year. Sixty Year 11 students attended a Space masterclass delivered by the National Space Academy where they learned how their Space knowledge from GCSE Physics is used in different careers in the Space industry. We also celebrated Culture Day by focusing on the multicultural teams behind the Artemis mission, and how 'We Go Together' to the Moon.

Some of our Year 11 students took on the challenge of the prestigious British Physics Olympiad Year 11 Intermediate Challenge, supported by Mr Croft. Five students achieved Bronze awards. The questions extend pupils far beyond GCSE level and encourage problem solving skills. For example, past questions have asked students to complete a series of calculations about a model hydroelectric dam, including calculating pressure, flow rate and power output.

KEY STAGE 5 Students supported younger Physics learners, built leadership skills, and took part in two popular projects: STEM Racing and Lego Robotics. Teams reached national finals and gained strong design and teamwork experience. Year 12 completed materials research projects, building confidence in presenting. Year 13 carried out all required practicals, from sound wave measurements to capacitor investigations. Many students entered British Physics Olympiad challenges, earning gold, silver, bronze and commendation awards.

Students mentored younger Physics groups, joined STEM Racing and Lego Robotics, reached national finals, and strengthened teamwork. Year 12 completed materials projects and presentations, while Year 13 finished all practical work. Students also took on British Physics Olympiad challenges, earning a wide range of awards.

Students mentored lower years, joined successful STEM Racing and Lego Robotics teams, completed research projects, carried out practicals, and achieved strong results in the British Physics Olympiad.

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PE & Games NETBALL It has been a really strong season overall for our netball teams, the U13, U14 and U15’s all competed with their respective sisters in sports competitions. Students had excellent commitment to our netball club and showed great determination in wanting to imporve, in total we played 94 games winning 55, drawing 1 and losing 38 across all year groups. Our highlights of the season included the District tournaments hosted here at Crypt and several teams competing in the Sisters in Sport national competition. The 1VII’s highlight of the year was beating Kings Gloucester in a tightly contested game.

Thank you and well done to our year 13 leavers who have been exemplary in their dedication and performances over the years.

Stand out moments of the season: U16 The team competed in the Sisters in Sport National Bowl, recording an impressive 51–17 win in their first match. They progressed to the second round feeling confident and played with great drive and determination against Henlow Academy. In a closely fought game, they narrowly lost 27–25 after strong performances in both attack and defence.

U13 The U13 girls netball team represented the school well in the SIS competition, producing a strong performance against Robert Bloomfield Academy. After a closely contested match, the game finished in a draw and progressed to a thrilling golden goal finale. Despite a determined and resilient effort from Crypt, the decisive goal unfortunately went to Robert Bloomfield Academy.

Overall, the team showed excellent teamwork, resilience and composure under pressure, setting a strong foundation for the fixtures to come later in the season.

Seniors Both the U18 1st and 2nd teams have worked incredibly hard showing strong commitment and a willingness to work together to develop as teams. Locally, both teams have performed well against neighbouring schools, with the 1st and 2nd teams securing impressive victories against King’s Gloucester. These results reflected the progress made in training and the growing confidence within both squads. The U18 1st team also competed in the Sisters in Sport National Plate competition. Every match was closely contested, and the team worked exceptionally well together, overcoming injuries and players competing out of position to deliver strong performances. A confident 40–32 win against Trent College saw the team progress to the final eight of the competition.

In the semi-final against RGS Worcester, the opposition proved strong and well-drilled. Despite producing a committed attacking and defensive performance with plenty of turnover ball, the team were unfortunately defeated 51–22. Overall, it has been a great term for the U18 netball squads, highlighted by an outstanding run in national competition. Well done to all players for their effort, resilience, and teamwork.

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RUGBY It has been an exciting season for rugby at The Crypt School, with students showing great commitment and enthusiasm across all age groups.

This year saw 78 rugby union fixtures played by 14 teams respectively, alongside 12 rugby sevens matches, including participation at the prestigious Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens. Our new touch rugby programme also continued to thrive, with 24 fixtures played and our first ever qualification for the National Finals at Allianz Stadium, where our year 9 mixed team enjoyed a fantastic day of rugby. In addition, two more of our touch rugby teams have been invited to compete at the National Finals in Oxford this June against other regional champions.

These achievements are testament to the hard work and dedication shown by our students towards the extensive rugby programme at The Crypt School.

The year 7 rugby team showed excellent enthusiasm and commitment throughout what proved to be a challenging season, continuing to play competitive fixtures through to the end of February. As always, the focus has not simply been on winning or losing, but on encouraging students to actively participate in sport and represent the school with passion, pride, and commitment. While results were mixed across the different year groups, the progress and development shown by our students has been extremely rewarding to see.

The senior squad made an excellent start to the season, progressing through the opening rounds of the National Cup with impressive victories over a strong Hereford Cathedral side and a narrow 22–17 win against Cokethorpe. A bye into the third round left the squad full of confidence and optimism heading into the latter rounds of the national cup.

A narrow Friday Night Lights defeat to St Peter’s proved a setback, before the team narrowly lost 14–5 to Hereford Sixth Form College in the next round of the National Cup a game which, on reflection, the squad will feel they could have won.

The standout performance of the season came in the final fixture against Bristol Grammar School, in what was an enthralling end-to-end contest. A late try and conversion in the dying moments secured a dramatic 35–33 victory and provided a fitting end to the campaign. A moment Mr Windsor will be celebrating for years to come.

This season was a testament to the leadership and commitment shown by our Year 13 students, who stepped up admirably to the increased level of competition. We now look forward with excitement to the challenges of the 2026/27 season and to seeing our current Year 12 students develop into leadership roles within the squad.

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GIRLS RUGBY Girl’s rugby has come on leaps and bounds this year with participation growing substantially. In November, the U14 girls took part in the first round of the EDF cup held at Churchdown school. It was a difficult tournament, playing challenging teams from across the county. Despite the challenge, the girls stood their ground and played some great rugby, scoring a few nice tries along the way! The second round saw the girls dominate their group, progressing to the finals which meant they then had the incredible opportunity to play at Kingsholm. The girls unfortunately missed out on the trophy in the finals by just one try but nevertheless it is still a fantastic achievement and well deserved for such a hard-working team. Following on from the EDF, the U14 and U12 girls took part in Churchdown’s rugby festival and despite the torrential rain, gave it their all with the U14s topping their group and beating rivals Dene Magna to take home the cup! It's been a privilege to coach this group of girls and see them develop in both their skill and confidence throughout the year.

FOOTBALL Another successful football season overall this year. Many of our teams reached either the semi final or final of county and national competitions.

The success no doubt is down to the new facilities at Blackbridge that we are able to train and play at. This year saw the introduction of football in Y7 for our boys for the first time in the school's history. The first year 7 football team have shown what the love of football combined with strong friendships can achieve. All of the players have represented the school with pride and resilience as they have battled through wins and loses.

Stand out moments: Y10 Boys Football A fantastic start to the season for this extremely talented group. It has been a pleasure to see the progress this group has made as a team and as individuals, with some fantastic football being played. They comfortably beat all teams who they played, except their old foe and national finalists St Peter’s, who they faced in the Gloucester county cup final.

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Senior football Once again the 1XI had a very successful season but ultimately fell short in their cup competitions. A massive thank you to Chris Gooch for coming in and coaching on training and match days. The football on show from this group was a pleasure to watch alongside their terrific work rate. A huge thank you to all our Year 13 leavers for all their efforts in a Crypt Football shirt. Some outstanding achievements to report on from some of the games include a hat-trick for captain Harry H in the 6-2 win against Bournside, and Martha C becoming the first female player in the history of the school to represent the 1st XI. She followed this up with a goal in a one-off friendly with Cheltenham College, which ended in a 4-0 victory for the team.. They enjoyed the use of Blackbridge as a home ground, which has been a welcome change from the grass pitch at school, allowing them to play some excellent free-flowing, attacking football.

U15 & U16 Girls Our match report from the U15 girls last ESFA game: National quarter finalists! The Crypt School U15 girls delivered a superb performance to secure their place in the quarterfinals of the ESFA Small Schools Cup, defeating Forres Sandle School 8–0 despite some awful weather conditions.

From the first whistle, Crypt took control of the match, playing confident, attacking football on a pitch made challenging by heavy rain and standing water. The team adapted brilliantly, moving the ball well and showing great determination, skill, and teamwork throughout. Although chances were limited at the Crypt end, goalkeeper Libby remained fully focused and produced an outstanding save, quite literally launching herself into a puddle to keep a clean sheet. It summed up the commitment and bravery shown by every player on the pitch.

Goals flowed at the other end as Crypt dominated possession and converted their opportunities clinically, resulting in an impressive 8–0 scoreline and a thoroughly deserved victory. A huge thank you also goes to Mrs Knight and Mrs Dyer, who provided fantastic support, great company, and served as unofficial team mascots on the long journey. Their encouragement was greatly appreciated by players and staff alike. An outstanding team performance in difficult conditions, well done to all involved!

They faced LEAF academy in the national quarter finals and unfortunately just wasn’t their day.

U16S The team remained unbeaten throughout the Gloucester district competition, dominating against local opposition and demonstrating the quality, determination, and teamwork that have become hallmarks of this group. Their success earned them a place in the district play-off against the Cheltenham champions, Balcarras School. The girls produced another excellent performance, securing a convincing victory and booking their place in the County Cup Final.

The final, held in Cirencester, presented a tough challenge against a strong Bristol school. Despite facing quality opposition, the team showed tremendous character, resilience, and togetherness throughout the match.

Although the result did not go their way, they never stopped competing, never gave up, and represented The Crypt School with pride from the first whistle to the last.

Reaching a County Cup Final is a fantastic achievement and one that reflects the hard work and spirit of this talented group of players.

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BASKETBALL It has been another very exciting year for Basketball here at Crypt. Both our U12 & U13 teams competed in the Junior NBA competitions at Oxstalls Sports Park and the year 7 team were exemplary in their first season, with notable wins over Sir Thomas Richs & Pitville. On a senior front, the team had a mixed season but finished with an excellent win away to Dean Close by 7 points. Well done to all our committed Basketball players for their efforts.

HANDBALL

It's been another great year for handball and it's been brilliant to see so many students step outside their comfort zone and give a new sport a go. Both the boys and girls team competed in the SouthWest regional schools finals and displayed some excellent teamwork and skill. The boys faced some tough competition and came 3rd in their group, just narrowly missing out on a spot in the national finals. The girls team dominated their group, not losing a single game and showing massive improvement thanks to their dedication in training. This means that they are now through to the national handball finals held in Nottingham on the 25th of June, an excellent achievement! It's been a pleasure to have seen both the boys and girls progress throughout the year and find enjoyment in something new.

ATHLETICS Another busy year for our athletes. We started with hosting the District Trials in which we had 9 athletes through to the County event on June 6th. Then it was the schools cup competition.

We had 4 teams represented in this fixture with some outstanding individual performances.

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Unfortunately none of the teams progressed to the next round. We also hosted a relay night vs St Peters which we hope to run again next year. Athletics then culminated in our sports day which showed off some incredible performances. Athletes of note were as follows: District qualifiers - Obi E, Enrico S, Andrew C, Monty C, Zach S, Emmanuel D, Max B, Kim Hand James A. Schools cup over 30 points: Junior Boys - Aryan M 30, Obi E 31 and Finn W 35 Inter girls - Tabby T 30 Inter Boys - Rick E 38, Jimmy G 38, Monty C 38, and Enrico S 52 points.

Sports Day (Mr Hart) Thank you to everyone who made sports day such a success this year. We were blessed with perfect conditions to compete and spectate and the athletes were doing their best for their house. We started with an opening ceremony including all the winners of events and those who have made any final. Thank you to Mr Whitaker and his music team for providing the marching band.

The competition was fierce throughout which showed in the closest final positions of sports day in recent years. Please see the final teams scores.

1st Place Cooke 1465 2nd Place Henley 1463 3rd Place Raikes 1337 4th Place Moore 1172 Athletics Vitrix Lodorum 5th Place Waboso 861 We also recognised individuals who scored the most points in each year group. These received the Victrix Ludorum Trophy.

We also had 3 school records broken: Enrico S 300m Inter boys new record 36.60 sec Erin K Long Jump Inter Girls new record 4.90m Tabby Tr High Jump Inter girls new record 1.50m Thank you to everyone who made the day special, especially the PE Department and Mr Higgs for the results.

Y7 BOYS

Seb F & Laurie M

Y7 GIRLS

Eliza M

Y8 BOYS

Michael E

Y8 GIRLS

Megan D

Y9 BOYS

Oliver T

Y9 GIRLS

Kimberley H

Y10 BOYS

Enrico S

Y10 GIRLS

Sahara A

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CRICKET Our Cricket season is still ongoing, we have made a curriculum change that all girls now are taught cricket and compete in both softball and hardball competitions. We once again hosted the MCC which was one of the highlights of the year.

A huge well done to the 1st XI cricketers who battled hard yesterday against the MCC. After restricting the MCC to just 163/7dec with some excellent bowling and fielding, unfortunately the chase never got going and we were eventually bowled out for 58, missing out on a draw with just 4 overs to spare. The boys acquitted themselves extremely well, and special mentions should go to Zac H for captaining and keeping, Shubham M for his figures of 4/46 off 14ovs, and Ben A for a sharp direct hit run out. Shubham also received the spirit of cricket cap from the MCC, also frustrating the opposition batting for over 100mins. Thanks to all who came out to support and we look forward to going again next year.

TENNIS This year we entered the LTA and school mags cup for tennis, these fixtures are ongoing but our U14 girls currently remain unbeaten with no games dropped in the school magh cup.

Looking forward to seeing how far these girls get in the competition.

CHEERLEADING On Saturday May 30th our competition cheerleading team attended a competition in Worcester, competing in the school's level 1 division. The students performed incredibly and their routine looked fantastic - they were confident and demonstrated excellent showmanship. They won their division with a fantastic score and fantastic comments from the judges. We're really proud of all of their hard work and commitment to the team throughout the year.

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RS, Philosophy & Ethics

KEY STAGE 3

Y7 are starting their spirited arts projects, ready for submission to a national competition.

Y8 welcomed visiting speakers on Hinduism into their lessons. Y8 also led debates in philosophy society, for example about the nature of religions and cults, and whether our school resembles either.

Y9 sat their short course GCSE RS exam, and await results in August.

KEY STAGE 4 Y11 made posters to teach each other about the different beliefs Christians, Muslims and Humanists have about the afterlife. Y11 celebrated their final lesson by rewatching their favourite dramatic reconstruction of Sunni and Shi’a Muslims meeting on a park bench.

After their end of year tests, Y10 have been consolidating understanding by conducting independent research projects into ethical issues in our modern world.

KEY STAGE 5 Y13 regularly beat Dr Young on philosophical blookets, even though he wrote the questions!

Maddy presented to our philosophy society on idealism the idea that ‘to be is to be perceived’.

Maddy and Daisy led a philosophy society debate on the ethics of lying.

Daisy led a philosophy society talk on existentialism - Are we condemned to be free?

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Events

Run the World In October, students were challenged to collectively run 24,901 miles to raise money for Talk Well, a charity that supports children and young people aged 9-25 in Gloucestershire. We presented a cheque for £5000 to the Talk Well Charity and, as a school, we managed to cover just under 20,000 miles.

CAREERS

Careers Convention An impressive 47 exhibitors visited the school this year for our flagship Careers Convention. The exhibitors ranged from the Army and University of Bath to Spirax Sarco and Taynton Solicitors. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for students to explore the diverse world of work and further education. The Careers Convention is a key feature of our comprehensive careers education programme, designed to prepare students for the rapidly changing world of work and to ensure every young person can make informed, aspirational choices about their future.

Meet the Employer Event In March, we hosted a highly successful Meet the Employer event for our year 8 and 9 students. We welcomed nearly 25 employers from a wide range of industries, all of whom generously have their time to speak with students about their career journeys, job roles and the many different pathways into employment. Employers highlighted the enthusiasm and curiosity shown by students!

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LITERACY & THE LIBRARY Literacy This year, our literacy Coordinator Mrs McAvoy has implemented some changes to our literacy programme.

Students have enjoyed using room 25 as a ‘Reading Room’ where they can sit on beanbags at lunchtimes to read.

Our whole school literacy focus has been reading for pleasure and each student in year 7, 8 and 9 has dedicated reading time as part of their school week.

Students in year 7 have been reading ‘Oh My Gods’ by Alexandra Sheppard and year 8 have been reading ‘A Streetcat Named Bob’ by James Bowen.

The Summer Reading Challenge Over the summer the new year 7 students were given a challenge to complete over the summer holidays. The activities included - read a book with a purple cover, read somewhere unusual, write a fictional story and draw your favourite fictional character. Over 35 students took on the challenge, all of them have received merits for all their hard work. Congratulations to Maya 7JC and Bobby 7DW on being chosen as our winners. They both received a £10 book voucher.

Book Buzz To welcome year 7 to the library we run Bookbuzz which is an exciting reading programme developed by Book Trust, the UK largest children’s reading charity.

The year 7 students were able to choose and keep a book from a collection of 16 fantastic titles, newly selected each year.

Foreign Language Week The students had to name the colours in different languages. There was lots of enthusiasm and eagerness to try and connect the colours with the countries.

The winners were a group of year 7 girls. Congratulations to Ruby, Phoebe, Jaiya, Isabella, Sherlin, Neha and Lily.

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Library Quizzes The library has run various successful quizzes throughout the year. We have had a Percy Jackson quiz (won by Isabel in year 9), a Halloween quiz (wone by Aadya in year 9), a Christmas quiz won by Matvei (year 7), a Hobbit/Lord of the Rings quiz won by Oliver (year 7) and a Star Wars quiz won by Vihaan (year 7). Well done to our winners!

Harry Potter Book Day In October, we had a very enjoyable evening to celebrate the ‘Harry Potter’ series, with over 45 students taking part. Lots of chocolate frogs, wand waving and cheering.

The students of Hogwarts enjoyed pizza in the canteen and then worked in teams to answer questions put together by Professor McGonagall (Mrs Jordan). During the interval, Professor Snape (Mr Bowen) entertained the students with some science magic. This proved very popular and exciting to see the magic put together with science.

World Book Day In March we celebrated World Book Day over the week. The students hunted around the school for a bookmark and won a £5 book token if they found one.

The year 7s enjoyed the day by dressing up. Each tutor group has been asked for a theme - Mr Bowen (head of year 7) judged the winning tutor group: 7DW who dressed up as ‘Hunger Games’.

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Easter Egg Challenge Two Easter eggs images were hidden around the school. Any student who found an egg returned it to the library to receive an Easter egg from the choices available.

Multi-Cultural Week and Earth Day In April we had displays of fiction and nonfiction for multi-cultural week and Earth Day. We celebrated Earth Day by running a quiz.

Congratulations to both Isabel and Bella 7JM who worked together getting all the answers correct and being pulled from our draw.

The Carnegies A group of students from years 7 to 9 took part in the Carnegie shadowing group of reading the Carnegie shortlist.

Known as the Crypt Bookworms, they read and wrote reviews about the selected books on the shadowing site. The meetings were very lively and full of a mixture of opinions about the books they had read.

Earth Day On Wednesday 22nd April, The Crypt marked International Earth Day with activities focused on climate change. In assemblies, students learnt about Wangari Maathai, whose Green Belt Movement has led to over 40 million trees being planted across Kenya, improving climate resilience and supporting communities. Students also took part in a scavenger hunt linked to climate displacement, while Geography Documentary Club members watched Climate Change – The Facts narrated by David Attenborough. The library further supported the event with an environmental book display and quiz throughout the week.

WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS

International π day Saturday the 14th was international pi day (3.14 in the American system). To celebrate we challenged the students to recall as many digits of the number π, the ratio between a circle’s circumference and its diameter, as they could for a house competition. 34 students remembered an average of almost 52 digits each, nearly ten more than last year’s mean.

Eight students recalled at least a hundred digits: Louisa E (Henley), Neha P (Raikes), Arjun S (Moore), Jack H (Cooke) and Saumyah R (Waboso) whilst both Tito A and Fola O (both Henley) remembered over 150 but our winner, the reigning champion from Waboso, Shivani S, came in at a remarkable 323 digits.

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Intermediate Maths Challenge 248 students from years 7 to 11 sat this tough maths challenge with 157 (63%) achieving awards, well above the national average of 50%. 31% of our student achieved silver or better compared to 25% nationwide and 9% gold compared to just over 8% of the approximately 250 000 entrants.

12 students from KS4 qualified international kangaroo successor round [top 4.7%]. In year 11 Ryan 11RR; Reuben 10JC; Daniel 11RR; Krystian; Rayna, Ethan J; Advaith; Harikesh Rajanikanth; Max Y; Liam and Tomasz Figarski, in year 10 Reuben and Jack W. A sample question: The numbers x and y satisfy the equations x + y = 6 and x3 + y3 = 198. What is the value of xy?

Answer on page XXXXX Page XXXXX Answer: one.

Cipher Challenge Each year the University of Southampton runs a cipher challenge sponsored by GCHQ. Teams compete week by week to crack increasingly difficult codes. This year’s theme involved Charles Dicken’s trip to the postbellum USA and a conspiracy against president Ulysses S Grant.

Over twenty teams of different sizes from years 7 to 13 took part from the Crypt.

Congratulations go to team “ Cyber Linguists’ “ [sic] who not only topped our leaderboard but also cracked all the codes including the difficult ones at the end where you had to code a computer. A creditable second goes to team enigMMa aka Maddie S in year 12.

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s u i l o c n n I Events

Black History Month Community Hour In October, the whole school came together for a powerful Black History Month Community Hour. Mrs Hayes spoke about the Bristol Bus Boycott - an impactful moment in our local history. Our Student Executive Inclusion Leads (Manasik and Sanj) supported the assembly. Following the assembly, students spent their first lesson looking at different areas of Black History, focusing on the theme of ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’.

Diwali Assembly It was wonderful to welcome into school Amol and Sam Deorukhkar, who led a whole-school assembly on the meaning and importance of Diwali - the Hindu Festival of Lights - which is also celebrated by other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. A spectacular celebration indeed and one which was enjoyed by many of our students and families here at Crypt.

Community Iftar Our second community Iftar was a splendid evening of food and togetherness, in line with our values of kindness and respect. We are grateful to the families who joined us (and brought a huge amount of delicious food), and Salman and Paul from the Islamic Society of Gloucester who spoke powerfully about the importance of respect and integrity during Ramadan. Artwork was presented, book were on display and a lunchtime cooking session provided some food.

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Culture Week In April. we had a whole week celebrating different cultures: students wore clothes which celebrated their own cultural identity; food was brought in to share; many activities were run by staff and students to celebrate our different cultures.

Holocaust Memorial Day The school marked this imporant and poignant day with a whole shool assembly led by Mrs Hargraves (Deputy Head) and Mrs Hayes (Inclusion Lead), and three of our year 12 historians. It was an impactful assembly, not only highlighting the Holocause by also highlighting ongoing conflicts such as Palesteine and Ukraine.

Anti-Bullying Ambassadors In January, Mrs Hayes and the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors spread kindness, positivity, and gratitude by encouraging students to write thank you cards to students and staff. Over 100 cards were written in the hopes that it would brighten someone’s day!

A huge thank you goes out to all of the staff and students for running and supporting the Inclusion events this year.

We look forward to future Inclusion events such as the Pride Community Hour and assembly.

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Neurodiversity Celebration Week Neurodiversity Celebration Week challenged stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences while celebrating the unique strengths and talents of neurodivergent individuals. It provided a valuable opportunity for our school community to continue building an inclusive environment where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Students and staff took part in a range of activities designed to raise awareness and promote understanding. The programme began with a whole school assembly featuring guest speaker Charli Clements, a speaker, trainer, and consultant with lived experience of being multiply neurodivergent, chronically ill, and queer. Charli shared insights into their experiences and work supporting organisations to develop meaningful and sustainable inclusion, encouraging open conversations and practical strategies to better support diverse individuals.

There were also opportunities for both students and staff to engage more deeply with key topics. A drop-in session organised by Miss Whiting, enabled staff and students to discuss barriers and explore ways to improve inclusion across school life, covering areas such as learning differences, autism, sensory needs, physical challenges, and mental health. Staff also took part in dedicated professional development sessions, including a focus on ADHD and autism, as well as sessions led by Mr Lipscombe and Mrs Vine on supporting students with ADHD and Autism in the classroom, highlighting how young people with ADHD can thrive with the right strategies and support.

Extra-Curricular Flying Start 2026 Since Christmas, 20 Crypt students from years 8 and 9 have been taking part in The Flying Start Challenge. Ambassadors from local engineering company, Dowty, came into school to launch the challenge and then students were set the challenge of designing and building a glider that had to carry a payload as far as possible.

This year, we had a knockout stage in school and competition was fierce between the teams to see who would go to the Gloucestershire regional final.

In Mid-April, the three qualifying teams who reached the final took part in engineering challenges and delivered a presentation to a judging panel about their constructions before taking part in a flyoff. Crypt achieved 3rd and 7th place from the field of 15 teams, with two teams progressing to the national final in May. At the grand final, students had a chance to tour the aerospace museum and look around a complete concord aircraft. There were more engineering challenges to take part in, where one of the Crypt teams scored maximum points.

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F1 Team The F1 team returned from the Schools South West Regionals as victorious, securing two podium positions out of 24 professional entries!

Ceres Racing demonstrated an impressive pitch display and verbal presentation, meaning their all-round excellence secured them a fantastic 2nd place finish.

Altais Racing deserves enormous credit for taking a massive leap this year. They managed to overcome machine faults and the massive workload of a new class. Securing a 3rd place win is extraordinary. A huge well done to all our engineers and enterprise students for their resilience and success!

Year 7 & 8 LEGO Robotics Year 7 and 8 LEGO Robotics club has been busy introducing younger students to the world of engineering and programming.

Working in teams, students have been designing, building and coding their own robots. Many students have successfully incorporated gear mechanisms into their designs to imrpove performance.

Year 12 LEGO Robotics This year, a group of year 12 students have been taking part in a LEGO Robotics enrichment programme, combining creativity, engineering and problemsolving skills. One group even created a robotic drawing machine, capable or producing artwork using a programmable movement!

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Cheerleading Club Cheerleading club was a new provision last year, with two teams who competed at National competition, and both came an incredible 2nd place.

This year Mrs Crozier held tryouts for the competition team (for those that are focused and dedicated to training every week), of which there are 22 students.

Mrs Crozier also runs ‘recreational cheerleading’ which is open to all and is aMrs Crozier also runs ‘recreational cheerleading’ which is open to all and is a much more informal, come-and-go style of session where we cover the basics of cheerleading and tumbling.

We look forward to the competition team attending National competition again in June this year, as well as a local showcase, and wish them the best of luck!

Classics Club This year, we have focused on building our very own Trojan Horse in Classics Club! We started the year off by delving into the story of the Trojan War and why the Trojan Horse was used. The students then worked together to build and decorate the Trojan Horse using lollipop sticks and pompoms! We also started a collaboration with WarHammer club to create some miniature soldiers to hide inside of the horse. Look out for the finished product at the end of this year!

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Cross Country Club Cross Country club runs every Thursday lunchtime - rain or shine! This year we have mostly been using the Athletics Track and it is a welcoming group for any pupils or staff who fancy a run over lunchtime. The club was busiest during the Run The World Fundraiser but has had a committed group of pupils of various ages throughout the year. Running at any speed is great for wellbeing as well as endurance and fitness, as well as the chance to chat with friends away from homework or screens. We are looking forward to the club continuing next year and perhaps venturing up Robinswood Hill or canal towpaths as it did last year!

Environmental Club This is a Year 10 student-led club for pupils passionate about making a difference in the local environment. The club is in its infancy and has started by looking at what could be done in school to promote biodiversity and improve the environment. We are hoping to support a local Podsmead initiative for biodiversity and wildflowers at Blackbridge Sports Centre.

Geography Documentary Club Once a fortnight, we watch a geographical documentary linked to different areas of the Geography curriculum.

A particular favourite of attendees is a series by National Geographic called 'Pole to Pole' which features Will Smith and various diverse explorers. We have also watched the Netflix series 'Oceans' which was voiced by Barak Obama.

Natural World Club Every term, Our Natural World Club is offered to the whole school. We undergo a wide variety of activities (supported by our year 12 biology students). This year ran a 'guess the organism' activity, in which a variety of fossils, bones and other animal remains were displayed for students to guess the plant or animal they originated from.

We also ran an owl pellet dissection, in which we identified the diet of owls by dissecting their regurgitated remains. Up next, a 'moss safari', in which we will flush moss with water and use a microscope to identify microscopic organisms living in the moss.

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Hidden Histories saw one of our best presentations yet, with Sanjeevani S exploring the fascinating history of K-pop.

Hidden Histories Club To celebrate the 150th writing of 'Invictus' by ex-Cryptian William Henley, Crypt students have been collaborating on an exhibition which will run from now until the end of the year. This poem is infamous, both in Britain and around the world, and Crypt students have traced the myriad of ways it has influenced figures from Nelson Mandela, to Winston Churchill. During Hidden Histories club students have researched, written out & presented various topics, and this makes up the display at St Mary De Crypt. Please do visit the exhibition (it is free).

Journalism Club It has been another successful year of student publications by a dedicated team of student journalists led by editor Oscar D. Oscar himself contributed to researching and writing notable articles for The SCrypt, together with Year 11 colleagues Maxwell Y, Connor G, Harry M and Daniel W, including exclusive "behind the scenes" interviews with Old Cryptian Geoff Squire and with members of the staff and student body who contributed to the amazingly successful production of Oliver. Oscar and Max further honed their expertise in writing sports and opinion articles, Harry M wrote a fascinating piece on "The Mystery of the Zodiac" and Connor wrote an ambitious feature (published over two editions) reviewing forty films! Lower school contributions have also been more varied than ever, encompassing topics such as "life hacks", astronomy, the Grenfell Tower fire and Donald Trump. The standard of journalism has been superb. Oscar now passes the mantle of student editor to a lower school editorial team headed by Comfort and Cressie in year 9 and Jason in year 8, to take The SCrypt magazine to even greater heights in 2026-27!

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LGBTQ+ Club LGBTQ+ club worked hard during LGBTQ+ History month creating interesting resources for different tutor groups to look at. We looked at why LGBT history month is important, LGBTQ+ history in the national archives and our Crypt students even voted for the most well known LGBTQ+ individual in history. After hundreds of votes the most well known LGBTQ+ individual according to Crypt is...

Emperor Hadrian!

Mathematics Society Year 12 volunteers ran mathematics society every Tuesday lunchtimes from October to Easter.

They helped those in years 7 to 11 who enjoy solving tough mathematics problems to prepare for maths challenges, codebreaking, crossnumbers and any problems the pupils may bring. It was interesting to see a year 7 and a year 12 debating the correct use of path integrals; it shows driven students use social media to access mathematics well beyond the school curriculum. I am grateful to regulars Liv, Ola, Michal, Percy, Ahmad and particularly to Ben for all the effort they put in put into this.

Mathematics society ran every Tuesday lunchtime from October to Easter. Year 12 volunteers helped those in years 7 to 11 who enjoy solving tough mathematics problems to prepare for maths challenges, codebreaking, crossnumbers and any problems the pupils may bring. It was interesting to see Joseph in year 7 debating Michal in year 12 the correct use of path integrals; it shows driven students use social media to access mathematics well beyond the school curriculum. Other regulars included Jaanvi, Liam, Sajjad, Aadya, Neha, Lily and Amrita with many more dropping for specific activities.

MFL Film Club Mrs Meers ran a popular MFL film club this year, during which students had the chance to watch films in many different languages, including Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Some particular highlights included La Isla del Capitán and Un Sac de Billes.

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MedSoc MedSoc continues to go from strength-tostrength at Crypt as we foster the ambitions of the next generation of healthcare professionals. MedSoc’s format is now firmly established: a blended mix of talks from healthcare professionals and students, and student-led presentations on exciting aspects of medicine and healthcare.

This year students have heard from A Cambridge undergraduate medic about the admissions process and the life of a medical student A consultant dermatologist about her career to date and her specialist field of research A representative from the biosciences department of a major UK university, on choosing the right healthcare or biosciences course A representative from the Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust, on the various allied healthcare professions and the pathways to employment, including degree apprenticeships The students themselves have delivered wonderful presentations on a diverse range of topics, including: Brain development and hormonal controls The relationship between cancer and muscle mass Medical imaging Students will then head into the summer holidays with a clear idea of the pathway that is right for them, whether they are going to apply for medicine, whether they intend to pursue a healthcare vocation straight from school, or whether they will go on to study an academic subject in the field of bioscience.

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Philosophy Society Our philosophy society meets on Monday lunchtimes to present and debate ideas about religion, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, politics and anything else our members have been pondering. We've had presentations recently on existentialism, idealism, bioethics and mind-brain dualism. Here are some of our members trying to construct a useful definition of a cult, so as to distinguish it from a healthy community like The Crypt (even though we do admittedly share some similarities!)

STEM Society STEM society has seen really strong participation from all year groups ranging from year 7 to year 11 where students get to explore topics in STEM through practical activities. These activities range from constructing towers using only marshmallows and spaghetti, making paper aeroplanes to balance accuracy and distance to building a bridge entirely out of paper to hold as much weight as possible! At The Crypt, we pride ourselves in educating our students outside of the curriculum in real world scenarios in a fun, collaborative and team environment!

Train Club Every Wednesday lunchtime in room 6, the Train club is available - founded by Szymon and attended weekly with 8-10 members. In these lessons, we learn about the fascinating world of trains: from their history, to manufacturing, to general discussions, we have it all.

Explore hundreds of different models and the rail network in the UK!

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Duke of Edinburgh The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme continues to thrive at The Crypt, with an incredible 220 students signing up this year. Through their commitment to the volunteering section of the Award, our students have contributed over 5,000 hours of service to the local and wider community, representing an estimated social value of more than £45,000. This remarkable achievement highlights the generosity, dedication and community spirit shown by our students.

Our Bronze participants have made an excellent start to their DofE journey. They have successfully completed their expedition training, first-aid qualification and practice expedition in the beautiful Cotswolds.

The students demonstrated resilience, teamwork and enthusiasm as they developed their navigation, camping and outdoor skills, and they are now eagerly looking forward to taking on their qualifying expedition.

Our Silver walkers have also enjoyed a challenging and rewarding year. Following a refresher in first aid, they completed their qualifying expedition in the stunning Brecon Beacons, tackling the climb up Pen y Fan and exploring the area’s spectacular waterfalls.

The expedition was a true test of perseverance and teamwork, with students showing great determination throughout.

The Silver canoeing team has achieved an equally impressive feat, completing a firstaid refresher before undertaking their qualifying expedition along the River Wye. Covering over 100 kilometres by canoe, students displayed exceptional endurance, communication and cooperation on the water.

Looking ahead, our Gold students are currently p reparing for their ambitious summer expedition in Scotland, where they will canoe the iconic Great Glen Trail from the west coast to the east coast.

This promises to be an unforgettable challenge and a fitting culmination of their DofE experience.

We are immensely proud of all our DofE participants, whose commitment, resilience and willingness to challenge themselves continue to embody the values of The Crypt.

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U p l d o a o t h e c s S A new era of development and fundraising at The Crypt This year has seen the establishment of a new development office at the school, led by new development manager Sarah Veal. Sarah's background in marketing and fundraising will bring coordinated professionalism to the school's fundraising efforts, with Sarah focussed on increasing financial contributions from a range of stakeholders: parents and families at home; alumni and corporate donors, as well as other funding organisations.

One of Sarah's main roles is to lead the school's ambitious plans to bring a new creative and performing arts centre - The Charles Lepper Centre - to the Crypt campus; a space which will be shared with the local and wider city community. It will be a space within which creativity can be nurtured, talent enabled and what we believe are uniquely human skills and qualities enhanced and strengthened; and a space where we can bring school and community together. The project has already received widespread attention, with one single donation totalling £250,000.

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Student Executive

This year, we said farewell to our 2025-2026 Student Executive team.

Here’s a re-cap of what they most enjoyed over the year...

What have you enjoyed the most about being part of the Executive team?

What has your overall experience of being at Crypt been like?

Manasik: I’ve most enjoyed building Rachael: A great experience, especially as an connections with other members of the team external student joining in year 12. One of the as well as working with younger students. best bits would definitely be all the events Immy: Being part of the team has helped me (including the learning festival where we be able to talk closely alongside my peers hosted a psychology activity for year 4 and teachers in school to help make students). improvements.

Liam: At Crypt, I have developed in so many Roman: I enjoy the collaboration with other ways I never would have imagined. Every bright minds as we actually try to make year has contributed to who I am now and to positive change to school systems. the lifelong friendships I’ve formed. I couldn’t be more greatful.

What was your favourite Martha: I’ve had a lovely time, especially the sports fixtures and South Africa tour. activity/achievement?

Edwin: Overall, Crypt is amazing. Personally Sanj: Having the opportunity to publicly speak in a school assembly for Black History balancing 4 A Levels with extracurriculars like F1 has been possible only with the support Month and practice my confidence skills.

Tiana: Taking part in Founder’s Day was a real and guidance of teachers.

Saph: I have really enjoyed being at Crypt delight. Speaking in the Cathedral as Head Girl was an honour, and experiencing some of because there is an enjoyable atmosphere the rich history and culture of the school was within and outside of the classroom and there is always soemthing that everyone can truly special. get involved in and be part of.

Alex: Car parking!

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Any advice for Crypt Students and plans for the future?

Manasik: After A Levels, I aim to pursue a degree in biochemistry at university. My advice is to make the most of the time you have left at school, have fun and don’t take things too seriously.

Sanj: I’m aiming to study history at univeristy.

My advice is to take part in as many opportunities as you can relating to your subjects.

Tiana: For advice, I’d say to take that metaphorical ‘leap of faith’. I was initially hesitant to apply for my role as head girl but taking that ‘leap’ was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. After Sixth Form, I want to go to Warwick University to study Economic and Management, whilst also continuing my sporting ambitions as a Slovenian national Team Athlete for Taekwondo. I’m hopig to represent Slovenia in the LA28 Olympics.

Immy: When someone says you can’t show them, you can! My plans for the future are to go and become a midwife alongside travelling the world.

Roman: Organisation is a key factor in success.

A thing that helped me was always trying to do homework the day I got it. I’m hoping to go to university to study mathematics and computer science.

Rachael: Enjoy your time at Crypt as much as you can because you’ll miss it even before you leave.

Liam: My plans for the future are to study computer science. After that, I hope to go into either software engineering or cybersecurity.

My advice is to take every opportunity possible, whether it’s a leadership role or even going on a school trip so that you can make the absolute most of your time here.

Martha: Work hard but remember to HAVE FUN! Saph: Enjoy the small and silly moments before school gets too serious. My plans for the future is to go to Cardiff university to study law or become a police officer.

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Student 20 20 Executive 26 27 Congratulations to the year 12 students who, following a very demanding and competitive selection process, have been selected to become a member of our prestigious Student Executive Team.

These students will work to support staff to both lead and manage the work and development of the school and sixth form over the coming year and lead our wider student body.

Congratulations to both Ollie and Ella on the achievement of becoming our new Head Boy and Head Girl.

NEW STUDENT EXECUTIVE TEAM: Ollie Ella Dina Rafferty Harry Ella Anushka Eva

Olivia Ahmed Dani Harry Holly Edgar Riley Ameenah

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New Staff

Alex Borley - Teacher of Chemistry I had the privilege of attending The Crypt for all 7 years of my secondary education where I loved every minute of it. I went onto the University of Keele to complete a BSc in Chemistry and Forensic Science, then moved back home to complete my PGCE having been inspired by tutoring students for their GCSE and A level exams. With placements at the Crypt during my PGCE year as well as another local school, being offered a job here was an instantaneous yes! Away from the classroom I am a keen golfer, cricketer and rugby referee, achieving my RFU accredited rugby referees award in 2019. I play both golf and cricket regularly. Alongside these sports, I am also a fairly new and keen runner, having recently been to Lisbon to complete the half marathon there with the ambitions to complete more in different countries all over the world. I have really enjoyed my first year here at The Crypt, feeling so welcome and included from my department and all staff within the school. I look forward to committing this chapter of my life to the Crypt and helping students to flourish.

Jennie Vine - Teacher of Food and Nutrition With 26 years of experience in education, I am delighted to be joining The Crypt School as a Food and Nutrition teacher. My journey began many years ago at Bath Spa University, followed by completing my PGCE at Worcester University. Interestingly, my very first teaching placement was at a grammar school here in Gloucester—so it feels wonderfully full circle to find myself back in the city all these years later.

From the moment I arrived, the pupils have been incredibly welcoming, and it is a pleasure to teach in such a calm, well-structured, and supportive environment. Throughout my career, I have enjoyed a range of both academic and pastoral roles, but my true passion lies in championing pupil well-being and helping young people navigate a rich, fulfilling personal journey through their school years.

Karen Newman - Exams and Admissions Assistant Originally from Tewkesbury I moved to Gloucester when I met my husband. We still live here with our two children.

Having watched my eldest child, who is about to leave to start his A-Levels, go through the Crypt, I was excited at the prospect of joining such a prestigious school.

Before starting my family I worked in financial services but after the birth of my second child I trained as a teaching assistant and for the last 9 and a half years I have worked at a local school in the area.

My free time is usually centred around my family mainly ferrying the children to and from various football matches and then standing on the sidelines watching them play, usually in the rain. I do like to catch up with friends when I can and enjoy chatting over a nice meal.

Since starting in January I have been made to feel so welcome and already feel like part of the family. I look forward to many more years at the Crypt School.

Kathryn Marrs - Teacher of Art I joined the school in September 2025 as a member of the DART Department, having previously completed part of my teacher training here. It has been a pleasure to return in a new role and to become part of such a supportive and welcoming community. I hold a degree in Animation, alongside a PGCE in Art and Design, and I am passionate about encouraging students to explore their creativity and develop confidence in their artistic abilities.

During my training, I was particularly struck by the positive atmosphere across the school. It is an environment in which creativity is clearly valued, and I feel very fortunate to now contribute to this. I look forward to supporting students in developing their individual artistic voices and making the most of the opportunities available to them.

Tom Farmer - Head of Boys PE Born in Cheltenham, I lived there for 25 years before moving to Brockworth in Gloucester. It has been an incredibly exciting opportunity to join The Crypt School as Head of Boys’ PE, where I have the privilege of shaping and delivering the boys’ PE programme across both curricular and extra-curricular activities.

I studied Sport and Exercise Science at Cardiff Metropolitan University, where I played rugby for both the university and Tredegar RFC in Wales. After graduating in 2015, I worked in advertising and media for organisations including the Gloucestershire Echo and Cotswold Life magazine. During this time, I continued to play and coach rugby at Cheltenham North and Cheltenham Tigers, developing a strong passion for coaching young people between U12 and U18 level.

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In 2017, I decided to pursue a career in full-time teaching. I secured a Cover Supervisor and PE support role at my former school, Cleeve, which I completed for one year before beginning my PGCE in 2018. After qualifying, I returned to Cleeve as a PE teacher and Cover Supervisor before securing my first full-time teaching position in February 2020 at a school in Stroud.

I later moved to Malmesbury School, where I served as Head of House and Lead Teacher for GCSE PE. These roles provided invaluable leadership and curriculum experience, preparing me for my current position as Head of Boys’ PE at The Crypt School.

I am deeply passionate about sport and committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate and thrive, regardless of ability. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Crypt so far and feel fortunate to work alongside some outstanding sporting educators. I am excited about the future of the boys’ programme — not only in striving to compete with some of the top schools in the UK, but also in promoting widespread participation and enjoyment of sport across all year groups.

Nikola Stoneman - Teacher of English I joined the Crypt School in 2025 as a teacher of English, having worked previously at another Grammar School in the Gloucester area. I am delighted to have joined such a passionate and dedicated department and that I get to spend my days teaching students about the joy of both Literature and Language. The Crypt School is a really wonderful, bustling and friendly place to teach and I am thrilled to be working here.

I studied English Literature at Cardiff University and then went on to also complete my PGCE in Cardiff. I taught in schools in Surrey and Hampshire before relocating with my husband and two children to Gloucestershire in 2018.

Outside of school I am a member of a book club, a keen theatre goer – feeling particularly lucky to live so close to Stratford so that I can take advantage of all the incredible productions staged in the RSC theatre – and a keen walker, mostly accompanied by my Golden Retriever, Charlie.

Thea Gooch - PE Intern Born in Gloucester, I joined the Crypt in 2018 as one of the first girls to attend the school in the new mixed cohort: one of the best decisions I've ever made! Following 7 brilliant years as a student, and my A levels this past summer, I am now back for another year and have stepped into the role of PE apprentice- a role I have wanted to take on since I first joined.

During my time as a student, I was both a player and a coach for the Y10 GCSE handball teams, and so I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to once again coach these teams, now as a member of staff. The teams I've been involved with this year have had some great success and It's been a great privilege to coach the girls handball team through to the National finals in Nottingham and the girls U15 rugby team through to the EDF finals held at Kingsholm. All those lunchtime training sessions definitely paid off!

This school has provided me with everything I could've possibly needed and more, and though I've only been at Crypt as a member of staff for this one year, I've truly loved every second of it and have made some great memories (the France ski trip being a definite highlight) and some even greater friends.

Starting September 2026, I will be off the University of Nottingham to study sports and exercise science. Whilst I am not yet dead set on what I want to do post-uni, the experiences I've had at Crypt, both as student and staff, have definitely motivated me to consider a role in teaching and education.

Staff Leavers

Anna Berry – Science Technician Anna joined the school in February 2014 as our Science Technician and worked closely with colleagues across the science faculty to support high-quality teaching and learning. Often behind the scenes, she was a constant presence in the preparation room, ensuring that practical lessons ran smoothly and that students could fully engage with experimental science. Anna’s contribution was integral to the success of the chemistry department in particular, enabling both staff and students to thrive in practical settings. Anna left the school in March 2026 to take up a role at another school, where her expertise will benefit a new generation of young scientists. We thank her for her dedication and wish her every success and happiness in the future.

Gemma Brittan – Teacher of Chemistry Gemma joined the school in September 2019, prior to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She quickly established herself as an outstanding teacher, adapting seamlessly to both classroom and remote learning environments. Gemma played an important role in the Chemistry department, maintaining consistently excellent student outcomes. She taught across Key Stages 3 to 5 and was also a valued tutor and supportive colleague. Beyond the classroom, Gemma shared her passion for conservation and ecology by leading a popular Ecology Club, inspiring students to engage with and care for the natural environment. Her enthusiasm, professionalism, and warmth have left a lasting impact on the school community. We wish her every happiness and success in the next stage of her career.

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Lisa Dutton – SEN Team Lisa Dutton was a valued member of the SEN team for over a decade before retiring earlier this academic year. During her time at the school, she undertook a wide range of roles, from providing one-to-one support as a Teaching Assistant to coordinating exam access arrangements for GCSE and A Level students - an essential and highly detailed responsibility requiring patience, expertise, and care. Lisa brought dedication, compassion, and professionalism to all aspects of her work. Her commitment to supporting students with SEND made a significant difference not only to their success in school but also to their future life opportunities. Lisa will be greatly missed by colleagues and students alike, and we thank her for her outstanding contribution over many years.

Sue Wales – Admissions Officer Sue joined the school over three decades ago and served with distinction in a number of roles, including as Headmaster’s PA until her retirement from that position in 2022. Such is her commitment to the school that she continued as Admissions Officer until February 2026.

During this time, Sue also played a key role in managing the Gloucestershire Grammar School Entrance Test process. In her role she exemplified the values of the school through her dedication, kindness, professionalism, and unwavering support for prospective students and their families. Sue’s contribution to the life of the school has been exceptional, and she is already greatly missed. We wish her a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement and hope she will remain in touch with the school community.

Julian Lowenthal – Design & Technology Technician Julian joined the school in November 2014 and has been a central figure in the Design and Technology department ever since. Over the years, he has supported the learning and development of countless students across all key stages, including those completing GCSE and A Level projects. His technical expertise - particularly in woodworking and the use of specialist machinery - has enabled students to bring complex design ideas to life. Julian’s knowledge, patience, and supportive approach have made him an invaluable colleague, and he will be greatly missed by both staff and students.

We thank Julian for his dedicated service and wish him a long and happy retirement.

Lauren Camps – Teacher of Art Lauren Camps joined the school in September 2023 as a Teacher of Art, having also completed her training here. During her time at the school, Lauren made a positive contribution to the department, supporting students in developing their creativity, confidence, and individual artistic style. Her calm and encouraging approach in the classroom ensured that pupils felt supported and valued, enabling them to take risks and express themselves with confidence. Beyond her teaching, Lauren demonstrated a genuine care for the wellbeing of her students and contributed more widely to school life, supporting colleagues and engaging with the broader school community. She built strong relationships with pupils and staff alike and approached her work with professionalism and warmth. We thank Lauren for her contribution and commitment to the school and wish her every success in the future.

Jennie Vine – Teacher of Food Technology Jennie Vine joined the school in November 2025 as a Teacher of Food Technology. In her time here, she made a very positive impact within the department, helping students to develop their practical cooking skills, knowledge of nutrition, and confidence in the kitchen. Her supportive and nurturing approach ensured that pupils felt encouraged and capable, regardless of their starting point. Jennie was also committed to the wider life of the school, working collaboratively with colleagues and contributing to the supportive environment that underpins student success. Her care for pupils and willingness to go the extra mile were greatly appreciated by both students, particularly in KS4 and by her colleagues too. We thank Jennie for her contribution and wish her all the very best for the future.

Duncan Walthew Duncan joined the school in September 2024 as an English and Drama teacher, and decided after officially retiring last summer - to then stay on for another year. During his time at Crypt he has inspired many students with his enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication. His passion for literature and performance has brought lessons to life and encouraged students to grow in confidence both inside and outside the classroom. Duncan also played a hugely important role in last November’s school production of Oliver!, co-directing alongside head of drama, Alex Crozier. The production was a tremendous success and reflected the commitment, energy, and care he brings to everything he does. Beyond the classroom and stage, Duncan has been a fantastic tutor, a supportive colleague, and a valued friend to many across the school community. His kindness, humour, and willingness to help others will be greatly missed. We thank Duncan for everything he has contributed to school life and wish him every success and happiness for the future.

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James Green James studied at The Crypt School as a student, before embarking on his university course in physics. He rejoined the school as a key member of our science technician team, where his passion for science has been evident in everything he has done, helping to ensure that science and in particular physics lessons have run smoothly and supporting the work of teachers in inspiring curiosity and enthusiasm amongst the students. James has always been willing to go the extra mile, offering support wherever it was needed. His warm, friendly nature and genuinely caring personality have made him a valued colleague and a pleasure to work with and he has made a lasting impact on our school community.

As James now leaves his role as Physics and Science Technician to begin training as a teacher, we would like to thank him for his hard work, dedication, and outstanding support for both staff and pupils. We wish James every success in his teacher training and future career and we have no doubt that he will make an excellent teacher and continue to inspire young people with his love of science.

Supporting School Life

CANTEEN The canteen provides a wide variety of nutritious tasty foods from around the world. We provide breakfast, selection of grab and go items at break time and then at lunch time a well balanced main meal with grab and go options as well.

We have a monthly theme day, which brings something different to the counters where the students can enjoy special foods from around the world.

SITE TEAM

Andy As an Old Cryptian, I have always been proud of my connection to The Crypt School and the values it instilled in me from an early age, particularly the ability to think critically and to question everything. During my time as a student, I had the privilege of representing the school in rugby, cricket, hockey, and athletics, and these experiences taught me the importance of teamwork and commitment.

Before moving into site management, I worked in industry across logistics, processing, and engineering. These roles provided valuable opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, technical knowledge, and an understanding of how effective systems and strong teamwork contribute to success.

I am especially proud to have come full circle by returning to work at The Crypt School. Being able to contribute to the school that played such an important role in my own development is both a privilege and a source of great personal satisfaction. I am passionate about supporting the next generation of students and helping to uphold the traditions and standards that make The Crypt School such a special place.

Pete Reaching a 15-year milestone at The Crypt is a remarkable achievement. It represents a decade and a half of dedication, and unwavering commitment. Appling my deep institutional knowledge / skills, adaptability, and resilience have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the maintaining this wonderful building, making me feel an invaluable asset to our site team. The Crypts history goes back to 1539 and this gives me a sense of belonging of being a Cryptian.

Mark Having worked in the construction industry all my adult life both on the tools and teaching. I can now pool my skills in dedicating the Autumn of my working life to a very special school. It's full of dedicated talented students and teachers that have the history and future in their hands. If I can help them along the way to achieve their goals I'll be a happy man.

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It’s been a year of change, not just for The Cryptian (thanks to Lizzie for everything she has done to modernise the magazine, it looks wonderful!) but also for the Old Cryptians.

What’s really kept me engaged is not what just about we’ve done but what we’re going to do.

When I was President a few years ago I started a process to reform the club for the future. Its clear that the OCC is no longer fit for purpose and doesn’t deliver value for its members or the school. This isn’t a criticism of what the club was before, its just that times have changed and we have to change with it. Membership is static, unengaged and without change the club is on a downward spiral and will inevitably fold. So we have to protect the legacy of the club and change.

I’m grateful to the handful of members of who fed back their thoughts on some of our initial proposals. The fact that very few did gave me even more reason to try and bring about change.

But there were many common themes in the feedback that aligned with the discussions we had on the committee. At the AGM in March we put some of the ideas to the members that were present and I’m pleased to say that at a committee vote soon after we were able to decide on a future direction for the club and…a new name! From Founders Day on June 29th : The OCC and Crypt Bursary Fund (CBF) will come together under a new umbrella organisation, the 1539 Foundation, but with the trustees of the CBF remaining separate to oversee awards.

The OCC will become “Crypt Alumni” 25% of membership fees will go to the bursary fund which will be reviewed annually. This is seen as a way of members being more engaged with the school.

The club will encourage members to network and provide mentoring to students.

The club will continue with the annual reunion dinner and organise more social events.

The committee will plan support through events and fundraising for the schools 500th anniversary in 2039 I’m grateful to the committee for their support over the last 12 months and I’m so pleased that we are finally able to move forward. This is an exciting time for the club and I look forward to watching it grow. I’m staying on the committee for now and will support Greg as he takes up the Presidency of the Crypt Alumni on Founders Day. Steve Knibbs President, Old Cryptian’s Club 2025-2026

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Hello all. I will become the next President of the Old Cryptians Club at Founders Day. A little bit about me: I am Greg Hickman (only my parents or a teacher called me Gregory when I had done something wrong!). I was born in Gloucester, went to Tredworth Rd Infants and Juniors School (when they were both in the same Victorian School with a dinner canteen across the road in a tin hut). After passing the 11+, I attended Crypt School from 1970 to 1977, along with my twin brother (he left in 1975).

After that, I worked for the National Coal Board at their research plants in Stoke Orchard (Cheltenham) and Point of Ayr (Prestatyn in N Wales). During that period, I took a degree with the Open University in pollution, environment and chemical engineering.

I then worked for a Norwegian/Finnish chemical manufacturer, rising to Health, Safety and Environment Manager. As part of my role, I continued with education pretty much until I took early retirement – ranging from First Aid, Fork Lift Truck, Fire, Diploma in Occupational Safety, Dangerous Goods transport, Chartered Member of IOSH. I have pretty much been doing courses and training through the whole of my working career, as continuous professional development.

I am a Leader with a local Scout Explorer Troop and help at a local Gaming Club (by local, I mean Oswestry!). I have a motorbike but don’t ride it nearly as much as I would wish. I have three children – one lives in Cirencester, one in Manchester and one in Macclesfield.

I live with my wife Hilary between Owestry and Chirk on the Welsh Border (Chester is 20 miles North, Shrewsbury 20 miles South and Wrexham 10 miles North – where you may see Ryan Reynolds at the football ground).

It is a great honour I have been given, and I am proud to be President Elect and look forward to my year in Office.

I must take this opportunity to thank the outgoing President, Steve Knibbs. He has taken us through a challenging period of change and brought us to the point where the future looks to be exciting and positive. It would also be remiss of me not to thank the previous Presidents as well as the t committee on which I will be relying for support, guidance and gentle correction.

I have also been lucky to have a school year where many have kept in touch (indeed, two of my year are on the Old Cryptians’ committee as well as me). This has encouraged me to keep in touch, even though I moved 100 miles away.

To a successful year for all.

Vivat Schola Cryptiensis,

Me (on the right) receiving my award for 100 blood donations earlier this year.

Greg 76

CRYPT ALUMNI EVENTS 2025-26

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Lt Cdr RICHARD LEWIS QVRM, Royal NavY (RTd) It’s coming up to 50 years since I walked through the main gate of grammar school for the first time and thought it a good idea to look back at my life while I can still remember.

I was born in The Rhondda, South Wales in 1959 and ended up being settled in Quedgeley in mid 1968. I attended Quedgeley primary school where I was one of the few in my year to pass the eleven plus. Armed with zero knowledge of the education system I was allocated a place at The Crypt Grammar School where I made a start in September 1971. I was placed into Class 1.3 and was subsequently graded into the A stream.

Academic life started well however in 1974 my father took a job in Gibraltar resulting in me having to attend a Roman Catholic Grammar school in Gib where my education effectively ground to a halt; the students and teachers seemed to resent us Brits and my maths teacher did not speak English! On return to the UK, I was playing catchup and decided to leave school after the 5th year having scraped 5 O’levels. It seemed that Gibraltar had not been good for my education but it did give me first contact with the Royal Navy as Gib Naval Dockyard was a key staging post in those days.

A school visit to HMS Ark Royal in 1974 to look around the Phantoms, Buccaneers and Helicopters ranged on deck excited me and I knew then that the Royal Navy and aviation would eventually become a huge part of my life.

Initially however, this clueless 16-year-old needed a job. I knew that I needed to continue with my education so I successfully applied to the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) in Barnwood for a position as Engineering Trainee that would take me along the ONC / HNC route. On completion of my training I immediately jumped ship and joined the Royal Navy as an Engineering Officer and in 1983 I finally re-streamed as Rotary Wing Aircrew.

On completion of basic training at Dartmouth and a very short stint in the Engineering pipeline I attended aircrew grading at RAF Biggin Hill where I passed for both Pilot and Observer (weapons and tactics Officer) training however my previous technical training led me down the Observer route and so after another two years of hard graft I was streamed down the reborn Airbourne Early Warning (AEW) specialisation and joined 849 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose, flying the Sea King AEW Mk2 Helicopter: this Mk of the Sea King having been designed, built and rushed into service during the Falklands conflict of 1982.

The Sea King Mk2 was a multi role surveillance aircraft requiring a number of skillsets including having to qualify as an airborne Fighter Controller and also be trained as a Sea King Co-Pilot. There was no AEW Flight simulator in those days so all training was live, and expensive: so after an intense 50 flying sortie syllabus and endless ground school I finally joined the front line in early 1986 and was assigned to 849 A Flight embarked in HMS ILLUSTRIOUS just in time to join her for GLOBAL 86, a 9 month world tour and a great way to be introduced to Naval life.

After a long first frontline tour I was selected for Instructional duties which involved another tense period of training to become a Qualified Observer Instructor (QOI) in 1989 followed by an instructional appointment with 750 NAS at RNAS Culdrose to teach basic flying training. I really enjoyed the instructional role and would subsequently be appointed as a QOI in all my future aviation roles.

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Every good thing comes to an end and in1992 I was appointed back to the front line with 849 B Flt. During this period, I qualified as an Electronic Warfare Instructor (EWI) and served with 848 B Flt in HMS ARK ROYAL during the Former Yugoslavia conflict as their EWI and QOI. In 1994 the hard work paid off and I was selected for a foreign exchange posting with the United States Navy at NAS Norfolk, Virginia flying as a Naval Flight Officer Instructor and Mission Commander in the E2C Hawkeye. This was a fabulous 3-year appointment where I was firmly embedded within the American Military and got to operate with them both ashore and embarked in several of their aircraft Carriers.

On return to the UK in 1997, I completed my final instructional appointment with 750 NAS; leaving the Royal Navy on completion of a 16year Medium Career Commission in October 97.

I immediately joined the Royal Naval Reserves (RNR) and for the next nine years I continued to support the Royal Navy as a contact Flying Instructor training new entry Observers at 750 NAS on the Jetstream aircraft.

In 2006 I took a short break from full time aviation and joined Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems as part of their future Naval Projects team but continued to support the RNR as an augmentee with the front-line squadrons. By this time the Sea King Mk 2 had been majorly upgraded and brought into the 21st century. It was now designated as the Sea King Mk7 Airborne Surveillance and Control, abbreviated to SKASaC, supported with a full mission ground simulator. SKASaC was a quantum leap in capability over the Mk2 and now equipped with a world beating pulse doppler surveillance radar and the Link 16 tactical data link: I had much to learn… again!

I can’t say that I really enjoyed my civvy desk job so I smiled to myself when, in 2008 I received a compulsory mobilisation back into the Royal Navy to conduct an Operational tour in Kandahar, Afghanistan to manage the UK rotary wing operations, a tense but very

rewarding 6 months of my life.

On return to the UK my mobilised period was extended and I was appointed back to RNAS Culdrose as the Deputy Force Commander, Sea King. In 2014, and always a sucker for punishment I was remobilised for a second operational tour as the Air Operations SME at the UK Maritime Control Centre (UKMCC) in Bahrain.

On return to the UK, I severed my links with Lockheed Martin and re-joined the Sea King Force on a full-time reserve contract: basically, I was back in the Navy and back flying. My final appointment was as the Officer in Charge of the SKASaC Full Mission simulator (FMT) as well as an airborne instructor on 849 NAS until the Sea King Mk7 was retired. In September 2018 I was a member of the crews that flew the last three SKASaCs to Portsmouth Naval base for disposal. By some stage quirk of fate the airframe I flew that final day was XV 714, the very same airframe on which I conducted my first Sea King flight 36 years earlier: a very sad day indeed.

I continued my simulator role until the Merlin Helicopter that replaced the SKASaC came on line and finally hung up my flying boots in December 2021 after nearly 41 years of Naval service.

The military are quite good at recognising their people: in 2011 I was awarded the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM) at an Investiture at Buckingham Palace for services to the Reserve Forces. In 2017 I was awarded the Robert Sandison Trophy for the development of tactics and federated simulator training.

I finished my Royal Navy career in the rank of Lt Commander with over 5000 flying hours, a record number in the SKASaC Force : I should have gone further up the pole however promotion is limited if you want to remain in the cockpit and I guess I should have worked harder at school!

I am now enjoying retirement in Cornwall with my wife Jan. We have a son, Philip who is an 79

Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy and a daughter, Josephine who is a serial world traveller and currently living in Australia. I keep my instructional hand in as an Advanced Driving Instructor and I am passionate about Motor Cycling, Cooking and walking the Caminos de Santiago.

Non Flying RNR appointments: 2004 - NATO CAOC 5 – Poggio Renatico Air Force base – Liaison Officer for Navy Exercise in Western Mediterranean (3 weeks).

Responsibilities centred on generation and execution of Air Tasking Order (ATO) to support major Naval exercise.

2008 - Kandahar Air Force Base, Afghanistan – mobilised for 6 month period as Operations Officer in CJ3 Aviation. Responsible for generation and execution of ATO to provide support helicopters (military and civilian contract) for coalition operations.

2009 - Kandahar AFB, Kandahar Intelligence Fusion Cell (KIFC) – SKASaC liaison Officer responsible for generation and coordination of Sea King 7, SKASaC military tasking (2 months).

2010 – NATO JFTC , Bydgoszcz – Air Planning SME for Op Herrick (Afghanistan) work up.

2014 – UKMCC, Bahrain – N3 SO2 Air, aviation SME and air safety Officer.

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