The Independent Head’s Welcome

Welcome to the latest edition of ‘The Independent’, showcasing news, events and activities from Wolverhampton Grammar School over the Spring Term.

This term, our expanded Careers Department has been hard at work opening students’ eyes to a wide variety of sectors and professional opportunities. A group of nine Year 11 and Sixth Form students took part in a virtual work experience scheme in investment banking which kept them busy over eight lunchtimes. Students from Year 9 to Upper Sixth attended a Psychology and Public Services Careers Fair at School, speaking to representatives from the West Midlands Police, the West Midlands Ambulance Service and the Armed Forces among other employers.

March was Creative Networking Month, giving students the chance to engage during lessons and lunchtime talks with a number of professionals from the creative industries which, with around 2.3 million jobs, make up 6% of the UK economy. Among our visitors we welcomed former WGS students: actor and singer Me’sha Bryan (OW 2001) and music executive Jonathan Badyal (OW 2007), along with Birmingham-born author Mike Gayle and the artist Zarah Hussain. 32 Year 8 students enjoyed an eye-opening visit to Sky Studios in London, where they learned about careers in television and audiovisual media.

The Spring Term has also provided plenty for us all to enjoy in the creative and performing arts. Our excellent class of Lower Sixth A Level Art students exhibited their work to great acclaim in the Viner Gallery, and a select group of Art students contributed to an exhibition of sculptural projects at the Newhampton Arts Centre in Wolverhampton. Meanwhile, on the stage, Years 3 and 4 put on an entertaining portrayal of Hansel and Gretel and the Senior production Shakespeare in Love

Sixth Form students aim to make a difference at Youth Council

Congratulations to Lower Sixth student, Jaipal Uppal, who has been elected as the Chair of Wolverhampton Youth Council.

played to three sell-out audiences. An uplifting Dance Showcase provided exceptional feel-good entertainment over two nights in the penultimate and last weeks of term, featuring individual dancers and groups from Year 3 to Upper Sixth. Also in the last week of term, the Spring Concert offered an engaging and enjoyable programme of instrumental and vocal performances.

The desire to reach out and make a positive contribution to society, close to home and further afield, continues to inspire and motivate large numbers of our students. Charity fundraising is driven by well-attended committees and clubs in both Junior and Senior School as well as by the new Diversity Champions group in Senior School. The annual Coast 2 Coast Challenge, celebrating its 25th year, is well into the training stage. The team has chosen to run in support of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity, and there has been a strong start to fundraising; more details are on page 21. Between its inception at WGS in 1999 and this year’s anniversary outing, 248 students will have completed the challenge alongside countless members of staff and parent supporters, covering 4,280 miles between them and raising over £100,000 for 25 different charities. It’s a wonderful tradition, and we shall look forward to the next 25 years!

Year 6 students have continued their Friday afternoon litterpicking missions around Bantock Park and other nearby spaces, garnering much praise from members of the public. Opportunities for Senior School students continue to expand, including the ongoing Discover Reading Project run by Head Librarian Mrs Rowley in conjunction with our partners at Southern Connecticut State University: following a period of training, Sixth Formers are working with reluctant readers and their families from a number of our partner primary schools, improving their reading confidence and their desire to read for pleasure. This academic year, I have been delighted to forge a link with an educational charity in Morocco, which enabled an inaugural group of Lower Sixth Formers to spend their February half-term teaching English to children at a primary school in the countryside outside Marrakech. They had a truly life-changing experience, which you can read about on page 14.

Finally, huge congratulations to our Under-11 boys (Year 6) who outplayed a number of tough opposition schools to emerge as regional champions in their Independent Schools’ Football Association age-group. I wish them the best of luck for the national finals in May!

Jaipal and fellow Sixth Form student, Stefan Pataki, joined the Youth Council in September, after being nominated by WGS History and Government & Politics teacher, Mr Taylor, to represent the School. Jaipal and Stefan were amongst 50 other young people aged 11-18 from across the city who attended a ceremony at the Civic Centre’s Council Chamber in November to be officially named and welcomed by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Sandra Samuels.

Wolverhampton Youth Council has been in operation for 20 years, with this year’s group being the largest membership recorded. The Youth Council meet once a fortnight to discuss issues and projects within the local community, alongside attending additional events such as scrutiny panels with Wolverhampton Council and youth summits. Current projects and issues that the Youth Council are discussing include recycling and the cost of living.

Both Jaipal and Stefan are hopeful of a future career in politics and we wish them the best of luck in their endeavours. We are very proud of their involvement in the Youth Council and look forward to seeing the projects they help to get underway.

Year 9 Aristotelians

Congratulations to Year 9 students: Trishna, Sophia, Riches and Sanuka who were selected as finalists to represent the School in the Year 9 Aristotelian Award.

Students excel in Physics Olympiad

Alex Frazer Head

Congratulations to 15 of our Year 11 and Sixth Form students who have been awarded for their achievements in the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) competitions hosted by the University of Oxford. These prestigious competitions are designed to encourage the study of physics and recognise excellence in young physicists.

Upper Sixth students, Olu and Vishwas, participated in Round One of the Senior BPhO in November and both achieved a Silver award, putting them in the top 36% of the 2,830 students who took part nationally.

This was followed by 13 Year 11 students taking part in the Intermediate Physics Challenge Online. George, Marc and

Mason achieved a gold award, placing them in the top 16.8% out of 5,653 students nationally. Six students received a silver award, and four achieved bronze.

Thank you to Mrs Wainwright for encouraging and organising the entrants and well done to all our students.

The Award, which is in its second year, was launched by The Perse School in Cambridge to promote the development of independent research skills in young people. Children in Year 9 from across the UK were invited to write a 1,500word essay chosen from five titles in two categories: Arts/Humanities or Sciences.

All Year 9 students at WGS entered a School competition, from which four finalists were selected by Assistant Head, Mr Yarnley, to enter the main competition on behalf of WGS. WGS Head, Mr Frazer, congratulated the students and presented them with prizes.

We await the results of the national competition and wish all our finalists good luck.