We were fortunate to start the new academic year on a real high, with our Upper Sixth leavers achieving the best A Level exam results seen at WGS for over ten years. A broad and exciting range of onward destinations lay ahead: most to university but some also to the increasingly popular apprenticeship route. Our Year 11 students also did fantastically well, achieving GCSE results significantly higher than in 2019, the last year of exams being sat in the normal way pre-pandemic.
Many factors contributed to this wonderful success story but, above all, I feel immensely proud of our students, who worked with commitment, ambition and diligence to achieve their goals, and grateful to the staff, who did so much to support, guide and encourage them. This includes the exceptional standard of online teaching that was provided through the Spring 2021 lockdown, which fell in the middle of the first year of those exam courses.
Two important new programmes started up in the Senior School in September, under the auspices of new members of staff Mrs Keeley, Head of Wellbeing, and Miss Kailey, Head of Careers. The Wellbeing Programme, which takes over Personal, Health and Social Education, Relationships and Sex Education and a host of other lessons for life, is in place for all year-groups and is being taught through a mix of timetabled lessons with specialist teachers, tutor time ‘bitesize’ discussions and activities and an exciting schedule of visiting speakers. It is critical to ensure that our young people are equipped to thrive in the world around them and that is what our commitment to this revitalised programme is designed to achieve.
Meanwhile, the post of Head of Careers has been separated out from that of Head of Higher Education, ensuring clear visibility for the two roles and highlighting their different, though complementary, areas of focus. Miss Kailey has launched a new Careers Education programme in timetabled lessons and a wide range of additional activities and talks in School
and external visits. As you will see in the following pages, the first phase this term has been extremely successful and I am excited to see the next developments. The School came together in September to remember Her Majesty The Queen and celebrate her life and reign in ageappropriate ways. With the exception of our longest-serving member of staff, Johnny Johnson (albeit he was a baby when Elizabeth II came to the throne), it was a first-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone in School to reflect on the death of a British monarch. We recalled Her Majesty The Queen’s visit to Wolverhampton and the School in 1962, when she graciously marked our 450th Anniversary by planting a weeping ash tree which flourishes to this day on the lawn outside the main Senior School building. We are perhaps still getting used to having a King: the Head Boy and Head Girl certainly noted the change to the Loyal Toast when we attended the annual Doctors’ Dinner at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, an event which celebrates the connection of a number of schools to the Merchant Taylors’ Company.
Interest in joining the School is at an all time high. We enjoyed a well-attended Open Day in October, and have waiting lists for all three of our Infant classes, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Indeed, with 190 students on roll, our Junior School has never been bigger, but its family feel and personal touch remain as strong as ever under the expert leadership of Mr Peters and his newly promoted Deputy Head, Mr Griffiths.
This fact was supported by the positive response to our wellbeing survey in which all WGJS children contributed. This highlighted that 100% of children feel safe at School and feel supported by their teachers. All children also understand how to stay safe online.
The end of a busy term in Junior School saw all children taking part in a Christmas performance. Infants delighted with their annual nativity ‘Shine, Star, Shine’, and Years 3 to 6 brought the house down with their Christmas Concert. Photographs of both can be viewed later in this magazine.
As The Independent went to press, we were devastated to learn of the untimely passing of our dear friend and former colleague Carrie Bennett, who served the School with distinction as Director of Marketing & Communications from 2014 to 2021. Carrie passed away earlier this month following a courageous two-year battle with cancer, and the end of term has been shadowed for the entire WGS community. In the New Year, we shall look to the best way of paying tribute to Carrie at School, but for now our thoughts and prayers are with her family.
Alex Frazer Head
Year 6 pupils had a fantastic taste of Senior School life as they took part in their Immersion Day. Visiting the Art studios, they created a Jackson Pollockinspired piece of art, experienced performance and acting in the Hutton Theatre, made badges in the Design & Technology block and learnt about the fire triangle with some exciting fire demos in science. There was also the chance to ask lots of questions.
Thank you to Mr Birch, Head of Year 7, and the senior school staff for providing this enjoyable insight into life in Year 7. Every pupil received a ‘Welcome to Senior School’ gift and both parents and pupils attended a Transition to Senior School evening which included talks from Head Girl, Ella Grew, and Year 7 student Gurjeevan Athwal who both shared their experiences about moving up from the Junior School.
Thank you to Mrs Baker for organising lots of activities in school to mark Blindness Awareness Month. During a ‘We See Differently’themed week, students were given the opportunity to participate in activities including blind football, tastebud testing, goal ball, a blind Lego competition and a guided obstacle course – all designed to raise students’ awareness about visual impairment.
The highlight of the week was certainly the special visits we received from two incredibly inspiring Guide Dogs UK volunteers: Karl and Claire, and their lovely
As a School we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on 8th September 2022. The WGS community joined the nation in observing a period of mourning whilst The Queen lay in state in Westminster Hall. A book of condolence was signed by many members of the School community past and present and the dedication and service of the longest serving British monarch was remembered and admired. Dr O’Brien shared photos and mementoes from the School archives as we reflected on Her Majesty’s visit to Wolverhampton Grammar School in 1962.
guide dogs, Bilko and George. Claire visited the Junior School and shared her experiences of day-today life with her guide dog George. The children had a lovely afternoon asking Claire questions and learning about how George helps her.
Meanwhile, Karl delivered a wonderfully informative assembly to Senior School students, followed by a fascinating Q&A session to a smaller group during which he shared stories of swimming with tiger sharks and being the first blind person to speak in the House of Lords. Karl’s key message to our students was “Nothing is impossible when you are visually impaired, you just have to adapt.”
What a joy to be able to celebrate the return of school trips both home and away! Pre-pandemic extra-curricular activity has fully resumed and WGS students and staff spent a busy halfterm travelling to Europe.
The Land of Science tour to Iceland, led by Mr Jeavons, was the first of three successful international trips. After a six-month delay, this much anticipated trip offered the chance to see some of the natural phenomena studied across all year groups in science subjects. Whether a discussion about the migration and evolution of whales in Biology, walking on a melting glacier and learning about the impacts of carbon dioxide on our planet in Chemistry or seeing and appreciating the Physics of ionised particles from the sun interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field, it was a memorable educational experience.
The trip began with a visit to the Perlan Wonders of Iceland museum, which provided a tantalising taste of what to expect in the week ahead. An educational film in the planetarium explained the science behind the Northern lights and students were able to explore the world’s first indoor ice cave.
Venturing to the LAVA Centre, a Volcano and Earthquake Exhibition, students had the opportunity to learn about different
types of volcanoes and eruptions and watch a live lava show. A visit to the magnificent waterfalls of The Golden Circle also offered breath-taking scenic views. Next was the exploration of the Solheimar Eco village. Here, tomatoes are grown year-round, and students learnt about what is needed for life at the Fridheimar Tomato greenhouses. There was even a chance to taste some tomato ice cream!
The theme of sustainability continued with a trip to a geothermal power station showing how Iceland manages to be a low-carbon economy through their clever use of natural resources. It was then on to the geothermal park where an egg and bread were cooked underground using only natural energy. Food duly sampled, students went on to explore the inside of a lava tunnel and were introduced to a new bacteria that is unique to the interior walls of these tunnels and a very recent scientific discovery.
The trip concluded with views of a spectacular night sky lit up by dancing green bands; the Northern lights were visible in all their glory.
In Southern Europe, the Sports department were busy leading two European tours. Boys and girls took part in a Portugal Football Development Tour which provided a golden opportunity
to train in world class facilities, interact with elite players and learn from highly qualified coaches.
The 5-day football experience began with the Liga Portugal game: Famalicão vs Paços Ferreira. All the students enjoyed watching an excellent game of high-quality football, which was eventually won by the home team, 2-1, much to everyone’s enjoyment.
The next day began early with the first training session delivered by Porto coaches. The students enjoyed a mixture of activities and a high standard of coaching, with a specific focus on possession and positional play. During the afternoon, they played three very competitive fixtures against local teams, which resulted in one victory, one draw and one defeat. It was an excellent opportunity for students to experience a very different style of play that focuses on ball retention and patience with the ball. Training continued the next day at Dragon Force HQ, where students worked on improving skills observed by the coaches the previous day. This was followed by a relaxing evening spent playing pool and bowling.
The final training session gave our students an opportunity to play a game against the coaches which was very much enjoyed. That evening, in their final fixture, WGS were able to achieve a notable victory against a much stronger local team.
The highlight of the trip came on the final day with a full stadium tour of Porto’s ground, Estádio do Dragão exploring the presidential box, changing room, touchline and even the pitch itself. In the club museum, students could view the numerous trophies won
by Porto, including the Champions League trophy won by José Mourinho in 2004. A three-course meal in one of the club boxes, overlooking the stadium, provided the perfect end to the day.
Mr Martin travelled with 29 Year 8 and 9 girls on his first WGS tour to Valkenburg in the Netherlands. After a very early 2.30am start the girls eventually arrived at their hotel at 5pm local time. After unloading the coach and having dinner, the girls enjoyed a wonderful trip to a local pancake house before turning in ahead of an early morning training session and a busy week to come.
Day one consisted of a hockey coaching masterclass followed by an incredibly competitive game of laser tag in the caves of Valkenburg! That evening the girls played their first competitive fixture at the incredible facilities of the Horst Hockey club, where they took on a very strong local side. Despite losing, our WGS girls gave their best and were rewarded with some wonderful post-match hospitality.
Wednesday proved another actionpacked day with a trip to the Netball facility for a bumper 5 hours of training and coaching in preparation for the end-of-tour tournament. Evening hockey
fixtures were played against Peel en Maas Hockey Club and Sjinborn Hockey Club. Once again, the opposition proved difficult to beat but Zara Patel sparked wild celebrations amongst the A team with 2 fantastic goals.
Congratulations also go to the A team who finished second in the end-of-tour Netball tournament. Gabbi and Rebecca were voted players of the tournament in their respective pools and teams and were each awarded a trophy.
Back in the UK, 13 Sixth Formers were also embarking on their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expedition in Snowdonia. At Gold level, students have to complete a four-day expedition in an area of 'wild country' and must camp for three nights. They must also be completely self-sufficient, which means they need to carry large amounts of kit!
At this time of year, the weather and lack of daylight is always a challenge, and the students occasionally experienced some rather wet and windy conditions. However, they all coped admirably and proved that they are ready for the qualifying expedition which will take place in the Lake District in July.
What can
students look forward to in 2023?
minds
With extra-curricular trips firmly back in the calendar there is plenty to tempt those seeking adventure! Perhaps a sports and cultural tour to South Africa? A French trip to Château du Broutel in Northern France, a visit to the First World War battlefield sites at Ypres and the Somme, or even a chance to volunteer at a school in Morocco? We look forward to hearing about these exciting trips in the New Year.
To mark 100 years since the unveiling of the WWI Memorial boards in Big School, we were honoured to welcome Royal Engineer, John Corfield (OW 2009) and RAF Officer, Gurpal Mann (OW 2014), to join us for two special assemblies.
These assemblies were led by Mr David and Mr Taylor who paid tribute to the courageous OWs who had fallen in the First World War. Everyone was invited to turn and face the memorial boards for a moment of reflection whilst Mr Frazer and John read out a verse of the School Song which was added after WWI to remember the fallen. On the boards are the names of 102 OWs who died in the Great War (1914 - 1919).
On Thursday 11th November, the whole school observed a two-minutes silence, to reflect and remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have fallen protecting our freedom. Thank you to Upper Sixth student, Tom Frith, who performed The Last Post for us.
As part of our Black History Month activities, we were delighted to welcome Ruth and Esther from ‘Communities Against Racism Enterprise’ (CARE) to present to us the Sucoteto Wreath of Remembrance, Hope and Healing.
The wreath was designed by Ruth to honour all those forced to live and work as slaves and also the abolitionists of all ethnic backgrounds who fought to end slavery. It represents a powerful tool for change; to educate and empower, and to support those impacted by racial trauma today. Staff and students were presented with a postcard depicting the wreath to take home.
In Junior School, the children celebrated the birthdays of important sports people such as England footballer Bukayo Saka and tennis player Serena Williams, as well as including Asian public figures such as skater Yuna Kim and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
On Friday 21st October, we celebrated the founding of Wolverhampton Grammar School by Sir Stephen Jenyns in 1512. It was lovely to be back in St Peter’s Collegiate Church for our service, and the first time for many of our students, due to the pandemic.
In celebrating our magnificent 510year history, readings reflected our diverse and special WGS community: they included a reading in Punjabi from the Sikh Scriptures read by Dharam Sangha and Mr Peters, and words written by students in
THE SUCOTETO WREATH OF REMEMBRANCE HOPE AND HEALING.
YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOURSELF FROM WITHIN RENEW YOUR MIND BE KIND AND TRUE ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU YOUR LOVE FOR OTHERS MUST ALWAYS BE EQUAL REMEMBER WE ARE ALL ONE BLOOD ONE RACE ONE PEOPLE
WRITTEN BY RUTH SOUTH
Years 6 to Lower Sixth inviting us to reflect on our service to the School and to think of others in the world who are less fortunate or suffering. The Chamber Choir and School musicians performed an exquisite rendition of Adiemus from Songs of Sanctuary by Karl Jenkins and in his address, Reverend Keith OsmundSmith BEM shared heartfelt and often amusing reminiscences of his time at WGS, combined with important lessons for our young audience in exercising individual judgement and moral courage.
Head of Wellbeing, Mrs Keeley, launched our new Wellbeing Curriculum in Senior School this September. The Wellbeing curriculum covers topics including building positive relationships, physical and mental health, keeping safe, alcohol, drugs, smoking and vaping, First Aid, UK Law and the Equality Act, personal finance, building self-confidence and employability skills. These are delivered by specialist teachers to all students from Year 7 to Upper Sixth. In addition to timetabled lessons, students can extend discussions around Wellbeing with their Form Tutors. Once every week, Tutors lead activities and debate around topical issues, for example, this term we discussed issues appearing in the news with regards to Qatar hosting the World Cup and the new online safety bill discussed in Parliament in November. Tutor time activities link directly with our pastoral system and ensure all our students feel supported.
This term we have welcomed a wide range of visiting guest speakers across all year groups:
• Elliot Deeks from The Oddballs Foundation raised awareness about testicular cancer
• The Loudmouth Theatre Company performed “My mate fancies you” which tackled the subject of growing up and relationships
• Perry Power, bestselling Amazon author and speaker, spoke about mental health, including related careers, self-motivation and raising self-confidence
• Brian Carmichael, CMS Mediation Services, talked about racism, prejudice, promoting equality and how to combat hate crimes
• Zoe Burnett from First Steps Ed covered body positivity
• Fiona Conn from Shelter gave a talk about homelessness
Mrs Keeley has also been working with Junior School every Friday during Enrichment to give the children the opportunity to learn about how we must all care for our Wellbeing. This includes emotional literacy, healthy eating, mindfulness, kindness and teamwork.
This year the Anti-Bullying Alliance chose the theme ‘Reach Out’ for their Anti-Bullying Week. The theme of Reach Out came about following consultation with teachers and pupils across the UK. Teachers and children wanted a theme that empowered them to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.
All Senior School students participated in Anti-Bullying-themed Tutor Time activities, and Year 8 participated in a special virtual Anti-Bullying workshop with the Loudmouth Theatre Company. Mrs Keeley guided the students through clips and discussions about how we can recognise bullying, the difference between bullying and banter, cyber bullying and being a positive bystander.
In Junior School, Mr Peters ensured that all children understand the definition of bullying and who to speak to if they are worried about anything. Don’t forget to look at the Junior School Safe and Happy page on Firefly which has some useful resources on cyber bullying and staying safe online.
We encourage everyone in our school community to reach out and show each other the support we need.
To mark World Mental Health Day, Charity Club organised a Non-Uniform Day, encouraging everyone to wear something green, and a samosa sale, with all proceeds going towards the Mental Health Foundation and the local African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI), who provide support for members of the African and Caribbean Community suffering with their mental health.
We were delighted to invite John Fogarty, a specialist in First Aid Mental Health, to deliver a presentation to every Senior School student. Mrs Rowley, Mrs Keeley, Mrs Abbi and Mrs Young also organised a number of mental health-themed activities for students in the Jenyns library.
2022 saw the much-anticipated return of public examinations and we are extremely proud of our Year 11 students and Upper Sixth leavers who confidently took the exam season in their stride. They successfully achieved the best set of results in formal examinations at the School for the last 10 years.
‘Congratulations to this year’s Sixth Form Scholars’
The students above all received an academic grant of £500 and a Scholars’ pin badge for excelling in a subject that they are now studying at A Level. If you are currently in Year 11 and would like to be considered for an award next year, please apply via Firefly no later than 13th January 2023. (These awards are for current students only.)
For this year’s Upper Sixth there was the additional challenge of missing the opportunity to sit their GCSEs in 2020 due to Covid-19. Undeterred, they showed great dedication in their preparation and were justly rewarded with a fantastic set of results.
This year we have been able to provide an even broader and more diverse GCSE offering at Wolverhampton Grammar School. We introduced Business and Computer Science GCSEs two years ago, and we also currently have our first cohort of GCSE Drama students studying for exams next year.
In this year’s GCSE and IGCSE examinations, students’ hard work and diligence was rewarded with a bumper crop of 9, 8 and 7 grades (equivalent to A* and A). This accounted for 72% of grades awarded and 86% of the cohort achieved grades 9 to 6 (A*- B equivalent). Thank you to all the staff for their guidance and unwavering support and well done Year 11!
There are also Governors’ Academic Scholarships for current Wolverhampton Grammar School students entering the Sixth Form. Students must demonstrate the highest levels of academic endeavour and achievement in order to be considered for these awards which provide up to 50% remission on fees and are based on the outcome of the mock GCSE exams.
In addition, a Music Scholarship worth 25% fee remission and an OW Sports Scholarship offering up to 100% fee remission are available to both external and current students. Please contact the Admissions Office if you would like to apply.
Our 2022 cohort are now studying a vast spectrum of subjects ranging from Architecture and Aeronautical & Spacecraft Engineering to Law, Medicine, History & Politics, Modern Languages, Theatre and even Zoology at over 30 different universities across the country. 48% of grades awarded were at A* and A, and 72% at A* to B. 64% of those sitting the Cambridge Technical in Computing or Physical Education were also awarded a Distinction* or Distinction.
Geography
Psychology
EPQ
Undergraduate at Birmingham University. Studying Geography with a year abroad.
I chose to study Geography at university because it is a constantly evolving subject. I get to study the biggest issues facing society today at a high level which helps me to understand in depth the world that we live in. I decided on the University of Birmingham because I get to study a mix of Human and Physical modules during first year, meaning I gain a more diverse understanding of the subject and the range of issues that Geographers study. As well as this, Birmingham has an incredible campus and is also fairly close to Wolverhampton, meaning it is very easy to get home quickly and affordably!
In what way do you feel WGS helped you to get where you are today?
I was provided with constant guidance and support during the application process, which meant that my personal statement was the best it could be. As well as this, the academic staff at WGS really inspired me with their passion for Geography. They incorporated current events into their lessons, which motivated me to research further into the subject, inspiring me to continue studying Geography after Sixth Form. I was also awarded the Zeps Natural Sciences Scholarship by OW Professor Nikolajs Zeps for my contributions to the WGS community as well as my devotion to Geography and the Natural Sciences. This opportunity, provided to me by WGS and Professor Zeps, allowed me to purchase new equipment to help me in my studies.
EPQ
Currently on a gap year in France.
Why did you choose to do a Gap Year?
Just before I received my A-level results in July 2022, I made a scary but exciting decision that would completely change my life and my future, which was to move to the South of France. Leading up to this decision I was struggling to see how I was going to adapt to university life and whether I was doing the right thing by going, but I realised that what truly made me happy was French. After doing some research, I quickly came to the conclusion that becoming an au pair would be the most cost effective way to live. I joined multiple sites where I connected with many families from all over France but eventually found the perfect family, living on the French Riviera. My French has improved immensely and I’m even starting to unconsciously think in French which is the best feeling. I know deep down this is where I am meant to be, exploring more about who I am as a person and making unforgettable memories.
So what is next?
I have intentions of going to university in Manchester to study French with Law, or possibly even just French. In an ideal world, I would absolutely love to stay here and find a job, working on my French as I see a future here in France. Taking a gap year can be fundamental in knowing who you truly are and what you really want to do after your gap year. I did find it hard at some points to make it where I am now, taking a step in the other direction away from all my peers was daunting but I have realised it’s more than okay if you believe in yourself and this decision has been the best decision I have made yet.
A Levels: Geography , Maths Physics
Undergraduate at Bristol University. Studying Civil Engineering.
When walking round Bristol on a tour last year, I immediately loved the city, it has such a nice buzz to it, and it has everything you could possibly want in a city as a student. I chose Engineering because I would love to make a difference in the world. I also enjoy solving problems and designing things to make, and there’s no better way to put these things together than Engineering. In my future career I would love to help make a difference in the climate crisis, whether it is in the renewable energy sector, or something to do with geoengineering.
Would you like to add anything else? Although I am absolutely loving university, I had the most amazing time at WGS. I would love to re-live some of the best memories I made there because I really did make some life-long friendships!
Many of the Class of 2022 including Adithya, were welcomed back for Festive Drinks in December organised by the Development Office.
We caught up with 3 OWs to see how they are adjusting to life beyond WGS
The new academic year brought with it more new and exciting author visits to WGS. At the start of term, Year 7 and students from Beacon Hill Academy and Codsall Community High School enjoyed the opportunity to meet Aisling Fowler, author of the wonderful fantasy adventure book Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest. In an interactive session students were encouraged to think up their own heroes, monsters and settings by focusing on the importance of being creative, imaginative and fantastic. This formed the foundation for students to write their own amazing stories. At the end of the event, students asked Aisling questions about her creative process as an author, how she devised the idea of the Hunting Lodge, and the best advice for budding writers.
As well as reading from his book and revealing how his ancestors inspired this story, David impressed upon the students the need to grab the reader’s attention straightaway by challenging them to come up with an opening paragraph full of intrigue and suspense.
A second treat was in store for Years 5 and 6, this time in conjunction with students from Highfields School, Glenthorne Primary and St Michael's CE. Author and illustrator Thomas Taylor came to talk about the latest book in his Eerie-on-Sea mystery series, Festergrimm
fascinating facts,” Ian produced brilliant drawings of some of these unusual words, as well as ideas contributed by our brilliant audience, which included students from WGJS, St Bartholomew’s CofEl, Penn Fields and Christ Church School. Indeed, pupils told Tom and Ian that their favourite words included ‘hippopotamus’, ‘leotard’ and ‘gooseberry’, all of which Ian brilliantly turned into a hilarious drawing.
The event concluded with students quizzing Tom and Ian on their favourite words before they purchased a signed copy of Every Word Tells a Story
With just a couple of weeks left of term there was just enough time to welcome back the bestselling author and illustrator of the hugely popular Amelia Fang and Rainbow Grey illustrated fiction series, Laura Ellen Anderson. Laura joined us to introduce her graphic novel Evil Emperor Penguin: Antics in Antarctica
Our second visit was from David Farr David visited the Junior School to share his latest title The Book of Stolen Dreams, which is a rich story, full of adventure, peril, and huge bravery. Year 5 and 6 were joined by students from Caldmore Primary Academy and Merridale Primary.
Thomas, who famously created the cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, wowed his audience not only by revealing the secrets to writing a compelling mystery but also by bringing along special treasures found on his local beach. This included the tear of a mermaid, the scales of a sea monster and a radioactive find that changed colour under UV light.
Our penultimate visitor caused quite a stir amongst some star struck members of staff as well as the children! Tom Read Wilson, author, presenter and etymology enthusiast, and his illustrator, Ian Morris, visited WGS on 18th October for an afternoon of wonderful wordplay in celebration of Tom and Ian's Every Word Tells a Story
Whilst Tom revealed that “English language has evolved in an extraordinary exploration of the origins of everyday
It was lovely to involve some of our younger WGJS children this time and Laura enthralled Years 2-4, as well as children from Bantock Primary School, Warstones Primary School, Caldmore Primary Academy and Christ Church School. She gave an illustration masterclass in how to turn cute animals into evil geniuses, an interactive storyboarding exercise and readings from her comics.
We are very proud of 3 WGS students who represented the School at this year’s ASCEL Conference. This takes place annually for Heads of Children’s and School Library Services. Thomas (Year 9), Andrew and Jaipal (Year 12) took part in the Libraries, Young Activists and Climate Change panel, where they passionately shared a range of ideas linked to climate action. This included the planning of a story garden in School.
Jaipal also spoke at a conference on the future directions of surrogacy law at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London. This
Over 150 11–18-year-olds across the region submitted poems along the theme of ‘The Environment’ in response to a competition set by Mrs Rowley. 25 finalists were invited to perform their work in a Poetry Live Event at School. They also took part in a workshop with rap artist, poet and author, Breis. Breis is a dynamic Nigerian rap artist based in the UK and is the author of Brilliant Rappers Educate Intelligent Students
Congratulations to six students from Beacon Hill Academy, Codsall Community High School and Wolverhampton Grammar School who were all presented with prizes for their thought-provoking poetry and powerful performances.
was as a result of being chosen as the West Midlands winner of the BBC Young Reporter Competition for her report covering surrogate births. Jaipal was one of 6 young people invited to a young persons’ panel to share their lived experiences of surrogacy. Well done Jaipal!
Mrs Rowley is delighted that many students are keen to follow in Jaipal’s footsteps and is running BBC Young Reporter club during Tuesday lunchtimes. A large number
of students from Year 7 to Upper Sixth are currently conducting interviews and undertaking research to share the news stories that they feel passionate about. We look forward to seeing their final video reports in the Spring term.
Following the success of the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award, we launched a new award in conjunction with King Edward’s School, Birmingham, to inspire teenagers to read Young Adult fiction.
The titles shortlisted for the inaugural Two Cities Book Award were:
• The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
• Unraveller by Frances Hardinge
• Never Forget You by Jamila Gavin
• Medusa by Jessie Burton
The winning author, Jamila Gavin was revealed at the Two Cities Book Award Ceremony at King Edward’s School on Wednesday, 7th December. Hundreds of votes were cast, and over 150 young people from a dozen schools across both cities were in attendance to meet, listen to and question the shortlisted authors.
Following last summer’s launch event for the Discover Reading Project, we have been continuing our work to inspire families across Wolverhampton to read for pleasure. A group of Reading Ambassadors from Lower Sixth have been trained by Professors at Southern Connecticut State University to deliver the project. Our latest event saw families from Merridale Primary School, Caldmore Primary Academy and Glenthorne Primary School join a Tiger Who Came to Tea inspired party. As part of this event, children undertook craft activities, singing and rhyming challenges.
Greenpower is a UK-based charity that helps young students in pursuing their interests in STEM subjects by challenging them to design, build, and race an electric car. The Greenpower Project is one of WGS’s extra-curricular clubs. Four of its members, who made their debut at Mallory Park earlier this year, were excited to pay a visit with Mr Villafrati to the Mercedes High Performance Powertrains Centre in Brixworth earlier this term. We asked Tom to report back on his day:
“The first thing that struck us as we arrived at the Mercedes High Performance Powertrains centre was the shiny sign at the entrance. We were warmly welcomed by our guide, Chris who took us through everything from company structure to annual goals, recent projects (which we later saw the fruits of), the reason for Mercedes’ interest in F1, and how they ensured success in the sport from the bottom up. Chris particularly emphasised the order of hierarchy (or lack of) at the centre. There were very few, if any, offices – everyone was collaborating on the same level. Designers, project managers, engineers, and even the finance team, were grouped
as closely together as the space would allow – speed and efficiency were the main goals in everything they did. How Mercedes profit from Formula One is not directly quantifiable said Chris, but he did point out the growth in profit margins for every year Mercedes had won the F1 World Championship (of course, they weren’t short of data to work with). Something Chris was particularly close to was the AMG Project One – an audacious attempt to fit a fully-fledged V6 F1 engine into a totally road-legal production car – it may have taken 6 years, but as was pointed out to us, a new lap record at the Nürburgring was probably worth the wait. He told us that the main challenge with the car was fitting the engine to noise and emission regulations – something the team at the powertrains development centre were solely responsible for. Seeing the £2.4 million hypercar in person was, naturally, a highlight of the day, but the car only managed third place in the car value leaderboard. Stoffel Vandoorne’s Season 8-winning Formula E car, delicately placed in the stairwell of the Hybrid Technology centre, took home second place, whilst the clear champion was Valtteri Bottas’ 2018 F1 car, suspended from the ceiling in the main lobby.
Lunch was followed by an extensive tour of the on-site facilities. We began in a large factory for the most valuable parts (intellectual property-wise) of the engines, which boasted more than a 97% rate of compliance – each part is individually inspected before it is sent off to the assembly centres. Moving on to the testing of new components, and then to the fabrication of the electrical engine components, before seeing the final assembly process of the engines, we saw all there was to see of engine development and assembly on our tour. Finally, we reached the Dynos – used to test engine quality, weaknesses, and readiness for competition, before a final treat at the end of the day – a peak into the control room, gathering an astonishing volume of live engine data from the Abu Dhabi race weekend, following Free Practice 2.
And so our tour had come to an end: what an endlessly inspirational, totally absorbing day out!”
Tom Frith, Upper SixthFriday lunchtimes have seen the return of Pudding lectures delivered by students, staff or OWs. Aptly named because there is always a sweet treat available for the audience, this is an opportunity for students to stand up in front of their peers and become more confident in their public speaking. Well done to Emily who spoke about 9/11 Conspiracy Theories and Devina who talked about Ancient Myths and the prominence of Greek Mythology in modern society.
Students applying for Medicine and Dentistry degrees took part in a Multiple Mini Interview session which will help prepare them when they are called for interview by their university choices. Each student experienced a round of interviews at various stations and answered questions such as how the healthcare system has been affected by Covid, data analysis, as well as taking part in role plays. Thanks to Miss Grew for organising this.
Sixth Formers can also opt into sessions on employability and interviewing techniques as part of The Futures programme for Sixth Form which runs on a five-
Well done to Sixth Form Economics students Gurveer, Sachin, Gurjeevan, Aaron and Harry who competed in the UK Intermediate round of the World Economics Cup. They came an impressive joint 24th, competing against some of the most selective schools in the country including St. Paul’s School and the eventual winners Harrow School.
week rotation. Miss Kailey has been tasking students to apply for real-life jobs that are being currently advertised and to write a job application based on the required specification, preparing and rehearsing interview questions and techniques with members of staff.
The students studied hard and were coached by their Economics teachers, Mr Smith and Ms Keys in the run up to the event held on Friday 7th October. They were also supported by fellow Economics classmates, Hamzah and Kabir, who were unfortunately unable to participate on competition day due to prior commitments. On competition day, the team faced a gruelling first round, impressively making it through to the tiebreak round. They were confronted with 100 multiple choice questions, some as simple as supply and demand equilibriums calculations, to more challenging ones regarding why is MR=0, or why do budget deficits impact the value of the multiplier. It was a fantastic effort from the whole team and a triumph for Economics at WGS.
This September we were delighted to welcome Miss Kailey as our new Head of Careers. Miss Kailey successfully built and implemented a multi-award winning, rigorously differentiated and inspiring programme of employability skills, development and employer engagements for all students at her previous school Bristnall Hall Academy. Together with Mrs Hind, she has already started to implement a range of new opportunities which are having a positive impact on our students.
The WGS Career Team are based in a new Careers Hub, providing a space where students are welcome to explore all things careerwise and aspirations for their future. Equipped with a multitude of careers literature, students can access a range of information from university prospectuses, apprenticeships information, career profiles and self-help books.
In November, a group of Year 11s had a fantastic afternoon at the National Apprenticeships Show in Coventry. The students got to speak to representatives from organisations such as the BBC, Collins Aerospace and The British Army, and learnt about the exciting
apprenticeship opportunities they offer. Our students did a phenomenal job representing WGS and many employers commented that they were highly professional and inquisitive.
From the 7th – 12th November, we were proud to participate in the UK’s first Green Careers Week. We were delighted to welcome GP and Environmentalist, Rumina Onac (OW 2000) and Royal Engineer, John Corfield (OW 2009), who spoke to our students about how their roles are contributing towards the Government’s Net Zero Strategy. The key takeaway for our students was that no matter what area of work they go into, there is always something that can be done to support improving sustainability. Green Careers will continue to be a part of the Year 8 Aspire curriculum over this academic year.
A group of Year 12 Mathematicians journeyed to the University of Warwick to participate in a variety of universitystyle lectures on the uses of Advanced Mathematics in real life: including the mathematics of diseases, gaming analysis and prime number theory. They were also provided with some useful hints and tips for their future exams. Miss Kailey has more exciting trips lined up for the New Year.
“The best part about working in Careers Education is supporting students to find their purpose and passion and in breaking myths and stereotypes surrounding further education, higher education and job roles. It really is a joy exposing young people to the multitude of opportunities available to them.”
Asha Kailey
On the 22nd November, the Lower Sixth Viner Society and selected Year 10 artists had the amazing opportunity to visit Walsall Art Gallery’s sculpture exhibition ‘Breaking the Mould’. Emily Connor in the Lower Sixth shares her report:
“The sculptures inside the exhibition were the works of only female sculptors, whose work had previously been overlooked in the art industry: a fact that meant the exhibition contents resonated with me personally as we saw sculptures that had previously not been properly appreciated.
The whole of the Junior School took part in a Religious Education Day along the theme of 'Milestones'. The day began with an assembly to get the children thinking about what milestones we have in our lives and how these might link with different religions. Reception and Year 1 children looked at birth and naming ceremonies, Years 2 and 3 considered marriage ceremonies and Years 4 to 6 discussed coming-of-age or religious maturity ceremonies, something that they might well experience in the near future. Working with Devi Bansal at Interfaith Wolverhampton, Mrs Hughes was able to welcome a wonderful variety of speakers for the day.
Mr Aman Verma and Mrs Sandy Verma came to talk to the children about the Hindu religion. Firstly, they visited Reception and Year 1 to share some of the customs and traditions of Hindu birth and naming ceremonies. They were then welcomed into our Year 2 and Year 3 classes, where they
In the hours we were there we were able to look around the exhibition and see a different side to the art we are ordinarily used to. There were sculptures made from all kinds of materials from sand to wire to bronze; they were all individually unique and unusual.
After looking around the gallery, we all enjoyed a workshop learning about the sculpting process and attempted to create our own mini sculptures out of plaster of paris. Inspired by our visit, I look forward now to creating our own sculptures at school ready, for an
shared artefacts and images from Hindu weddings, which the children were fascinated by.
Years 2 and 3 were also lucky enough to be visited by Mr Khalid Akhtar, who shared his knowledge of Muslim marriage ceremonies. He showed the classes a PowerPoint presentation and engaged the children wonderfully, encouraging them to ask questions so they could find out more. He then visited Year 1 to talk about Islamic birth and naming ceremonies.
Across Years 4, 5 and 6, the children learnt about the religious maturity ceremonies in Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Ms Eve Clevenger, Mr Inderjit Singh, Simranjit Kaur and Devi Bansal provided the children with
groups even learnt a dance which is a traditional part of Jewish celebrations associated with this religious milestone. The children thoroughly enjoyed the range of activities and spontaneous re-creations of the dance they had been learning could be seen breaking out on the playground at the end of the day!
We were excited to welcome our new Reception children to WGJS in September, the second year of Infants at WGS and an extremely popular entry point with growing waiting lists! Mrs Samra joined us as our new Reception teacher and she has been a fantastic addition to the Junior School team. Reception have settled in wonderfully, adjusting to new routines and proudly wearing their new school uniform. They have even ventured off site for their weekly swimming lessons.
In the first half of term, the children had fun learning about each other in their ‘All About Me’ topic. They painted their own self-portraits and also had a visit from Bob the Senior School skeleton to help them learn about different body parts!
Recently, as part of their topic ‘Changing of seasons and celebrations’, they discussed harvest and participated in a bread making session, also linking in with the story of The Little Red Hen. The children learnt about instructional language, following a list of instructions to make their own piece of bread and then taking a turn at writing their own instructions. Well done Reception!
Year 2 have been looking at different types of communication and the ways in which people have communicated over the years. The children watched a film about the carrier pigeon and discovered that pigeons were used to deliver information and even medical supplies during the First World War. For a long time this method of communication was able to evade enemy detection. The children made their own 3D pigeon and attached a message to its leg. Year 2 have also looked at telegrams and the invention of the telephone. They had a go at making a simple version of a telephone using plastic cups and string. It was a real surprise to find out they could hear each other even with this primitive version of the modern-day telephone.
Appointed as Deputy Head of WGJS, James is now in his 8th year at Wolverhampton Grammar School and during his time in the Junior School he has taught as a Class Teacher in Years 4, 6 and Reception as well as being a Games and Maths Coordinator and Assistant Head for the
Year 1 royally enjoyed their topic work on the splendour of ‘Castles, Kings and Queens’. They explored the different parts of a castle and talked about who might have lived there. They studied kings and queens throughout history and made shields and model castles based on what they had learnt. A highlight was the trip to Warwick Castle where Year 1 were toured by a historian, looking around the castle grounds, moat and armoury and feeling the weight of a large sword which was almost the same size as them. A falconry display was also taking place, so the children were able to learn about many different birds of prey.
Year 5 have been learning all about the Victorian era in Humanities this term. They began by focusing on Queen Victoria, researching her childhood, coronation, reign and relationship with Albert. They learnt lots of interesting facts using videos, podcasts and a range of different websites. As the term progressed the children looked at other related topics including the top ten Victorian inventions that remain influential in our lives today, the different toys that children would have played with, the tough existence of the workhouses and the Industrial Revolution.
Year 3 had a fascinating morning exploring the world of Ancient Egypt with Birmingham Museums. In two special online sessions the children were able to immerse themselves in the world of Ancient Egypt thanks to the wonders of technology.
In the first session our museum guide was able to talk about artefacts that were thousands of years old and some had been sent to school for the children to hold and touch in the classroom. She described the different uses for the artefacts and the materials that would
Finally, history came to life in a funpacked visit to the Black Country Museum where the children were able to experience Victorian life first hand. The day started with a show in which everyone learnt a lot more about how tough it was to be sent to work down in the mines. After this, everyone headed off to explore the different types of Victorian houses before experiencing the strict regime of a Victorian classroom.
They discovered that school life was very different in those days and were very glad that they had Miss Austin and Miss Bassett rather than the rather formidable canebearing school mistress that took the lesson that day!
have been used to make them. Next the children were treated to an interactive guided tour of the Egyptian Gallery in the Museum. The children were particularly struck by the close-up of two real life Egyptian mummies.
They were able to view x-rays of the mummies and see inside the sarcophagus. Following the museum session Year 3 have been making their own canopic jars from clay. Canopic jars were used to store the entrails and other visceral organs extracted before the bodies were embalmed.
Year 4 have had a busy term learning all there is to know about the Vikings! From long boats, to houses, Viking portraits to weaponry there has been plenty of cross-curricular work involved. The children looked at different Viking settlements and villages and learnt that some of the street and town names are still around today. In English they read The Saga of Erik the Viking by Terry Jones and used their imagination to write their own chapter of the book.
Here is a short extract from the chapter written by Siddak Ghuman:
“It had been a day and the storm was raging and the hail stones were chucking it down like mad giants crying unstoppably. Then Sven the Strong cried, “There’s an island over there!” Just through the thick hail you could make out a minute island on the horizon. When they reached the island they all hiked up the mountain, which was rocky and steep, then they started hunting for wild boar, passing through lush green forests…”
Congratulations to Lower Sixth students, Cassie and Leah, who had the honour of representing Great Britain and England in their chosen sports this summer.
Cassie competed at the Commonwealth Karate Championships in Birmingham and won a bronze and gold medal in the Kumite and Kata classes of Karate. Meanwhile, Leah competed in her first international competition and represented GB in the European Championships held in Munich, completing a 750m swim, 21km cycle and 5km run. Leah also represented Team GB in the Europe Triathlon Cross Duathlon Championships held in Bilbao, Spain.
Both students were awarded the prestigious Sports Colours ties by the Head, Mr Frazer, in recognition of their sporting successes. Congratulations to Cassie who has since retained her European Kata Champion title.
At the beginning of term, four teams competed in the Rounders City Finals. Year 8 beat Wolverhampton Girls’ High by an innings, Year 9 narrowly lost to The Royal, Year 10 pipped Wolverhampton
Girls’ by one rounder and Year 11 beat Highfields School with an innings to spare. A great start for WGS Sport!
semi-finals via a penalty shootout. The team headed into the final with confidence levels on a high. Their class, commitment and hard work shone through in the final game and a 1-0 win secured us the Plate. Congratulations boys!
Our first silverware for the term was won by our U13 girls who beat Wrekin College 6-5 in the finals of the Oswestry Netball Tournament.
The U11 boys added to our trophy cabinet winning the IAPS Plate in the National U11 Boys' Football Finals hosted at Millfield School.
Unfortunately, due to a huge swing in goal difference in another school's final game, the boys were pipped to second spot, meaning they entered the 'Plate' competition but they dominated the quarter finals before edging through the
A wonderful penultimate week of the term saw our U15 Girls’ football team compete in the City Cup quarter final and beat St. Matthias 4-0 to reach the semifinals. One team also came away with bronze medals in the Wolverhampton District Girls Futsal Tournament.
WGJS entered the Sports Hall Athletics finals as reigning champions but with some less experienced members of the team nothing was taken for granted. Mr Cothey proudly witnessed some incredible individual performances: Harry Bunn, George Hay, Serena Ram and Emma Halford winning the gruelling 6 lap parlauf; Xavier Anosike winning the 'vertical jump'; Evan Moyo gaining a 20m lead in the obstacle relay and both Zaine-Cole Equaino and Chidera Iwuorah winning their javelin throws; this meant we went into the last relay in a strong position.
On Wednesday 16th October, we were excited to welcome children from six schools across the West Midlands for an U11 Tag Rugby Tournament. Leicester Tigers Community Coach, Kieran, came along with the Premiership Cup to give the children some top tips. It was a wonderful afternoon and there was a great display of team spirit. Well done to Evelyn (Year 5) and Arjun (Year 6) who won the ‘Team Player’ awards for our WGJS teams; they were presented with signed programmes from the Leicester Tigers Senior Squad.
Years 3-6 participated in the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools. Enthusiasm was high as the children ran and walked 2.6 miles over the school fields. The effort and support from everyone was fantastic. Thank you to Mr Doman for organising this event and for inspiring the children as just five days earlier he had also run the official London Marathon.
After some unlucky slips on a very highly polished floor in the 4x1 lap relay the results were in… Bronze and Silver medallists were announced and finally… WGS won gold!
Another individual sporting success to celebrate is Alby in Year 11 who competed in the Welsh Nationals in Swansea. Alby is currently ranked 3rd in Staffordshire in the 200m freestyle and 13th in the West Midlands. Alby’s aim is to reach the top 100 swimmers in the UK and he currently trains five days a week including early 5am training. Well done, Alby!
Did you know that you can apply for a Sixth Form Sports Scholarship and become a Sports Scholar like Cassie? The award is open to current and prospective students living in the Wolverhampton area (WV postcode) and is a means-tested award offering up to 100% fee remission. Applicants must fulfil the entry criteria for the Sixth Form and demonstrate a
As we head into the New Year we can look forward to some exciting fixtures following qualification rounds this term. Congratulations to our U19 Netball team who qualified for the West Midlands Regional Schools Tournament after their success at the County Rounds at the end of November. The standard of Netball was exceptionally high, and we are very proud of them.
strong sporting ability such as county, regional or national representation at their chosen sport. The successful candidate will be expected to make a significant contribution to the sporting life at the School and represent WGS in competitive matches, attending relevant training sessions as required. Contact Admissions to find out more: 01902 422 939
Congratulations to our newly elected Junior School House Captains. They have each led their Houses in several competitions this term, including tug of war, timetable rockstars, House poetry, a bake-off and house fixtures in hockey and Tag rugby.
As the term ended it was a close-run thing but Derry House emerged with the highest number of House points going forward to the Spring term.
We kicked off the year’s Senior House Competitions with the highly anticipated Tug of War. After five very competitive afternoons, including an incredibly amusing staff event, it was Jenyns that secured the first House victory. Well done to 7ZER who won the inter-form competition.
The level of talent and effort was extraordinary. From beautiful tribute cakes to Queen Elizabeth II, to a cauldron cake, our students really did create some showstoppers! However, it was Nechells that came out on top, thanks to Year 11 student Amarachi’s spectacular three-tiered creation. 7ZER won their second inter-form competition with Arjun Dhaliwal’s royal bake.
The next competition was House Poetry. Students were given a theme and had to quickly create a poem using only words cut out from newspapers. We were joined by hip hop educator, Breis, who chose Offley as this year’s winners. This time it was 7RJP who took the inter-form gold.
At the end of October, we celebrated Halloween with the annual pumpkin carving competition. Spooky pumpkins lit-up Big School, and it was Olivia Hobbs’ exquisite Haunted House design that secured the win for Nechells. Bobby Ash-Morgan struck gold for 7ZER with his cannibal pumpkin.
Lastly came the inaugural House Shout with all students coming together on stage to peform a song of their choice. In the qualifiers it was Nechells v Offley and Jenyns v Moreton; with Nechells and Moreton progressing to the grand finale. On finals day, Nechells came out on top with their energetic rendition of I’m Still Standing
At the end of a very competitive first term, it is Jenyns who are in the lead for the House Trophy but with the House Talent Show to look forward to next term there is all to play for!
The Music Tour to Jersey was one of the first overseas trips to be reinstated postpandemic. Lucy and Beth share some of their memories:
“What a way to start the summer holidays! 26 WGS musicians packed their suitcases full of sheet music, put on their matching blue tour hoodies and boarded the coach mid-heatwave to travel to Heathrow airport.
We arrived at Château Vermont, which is home to the Jersey School of Music and was our base for the week. Following a busy travel day getting saxophones and violins through Heathrow airport security, we spent our first evening playing football and relaxing, preparing for the busy week of rehearsals and performances ahead.
After a morning rehearsal on Wednesday, we all headed to the Howard Davis Park where we performed our first concert in the bandstand. Strings, Big Band and Flute Choir were just some of the ensembles –a particular highlight was Chamber Choir’s highly appropriate performance of We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday We spent the afternoon at Jersey Zoo then headed back to the Château, clutching our gift shop purchases including Jersey fudge, flamingo key rings and several fluffy gorillas. We spent Thursday at Mont Orgueil Castle exploring the castle and climbing a lot of spiral staircases. We replaced our horses, swords and princess dresses with instruments for the afternoon as we performed our second concert in the castle. That evening at the Chateau was the ‘Jersey themed dinner experience’.
There were definitely mixed opinions on the nettle soup and Jersey crock (bean stew), but everyone enjoyed the Black Butter cheesecake!
Friday was our big concert day which was a huge success. We were joined by members of the Jersey Music School and live streamed the concert to friends and family at home.”
Back at WGS, this term we have been treated to some wonderful evenings of music. On Wednesday 5th October, our incredibly talented Music Scholars and Award Holders took to the Big School stage for a magnificent showcase of talent. This was followed by Junior and Senior Teatime concerts; both lovely occasions to celebrate the developing musical skills of our talented young musicians.
Sixth Form Music Scholar, Dharam Sangha, has been sharing his musical passion with younger students. Dharam leads a weekly Dhol club for students in Years 7 and 8, and alongside Gurjot Kular (Year 8), paid a visit to Reception to put on a fantastic Dhol demonstration to assist with their Diwali celebrations.
The Autumn term was brought to a festive conclusion with the annual Christmas concerts performed by Junior and Senior musicians. Christmas cheer was also spread as students went carol singing to Engleberg and Arbour Lodge Care Homes.
Happy Christmas from all at WGS!
@WGS1512 The
Reception posted letters to Santa.
Junior School students took part in the annual Christmas Fun run around Moreton’s piece.
Parents enjoyed an Infant Nativity and Junior and Senior Christmas Concerts.
If you would like to hear more about anything featured in this edition of The Independent please contact the School email: info@wgs-sch.net
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