Everest climber, explorer, film maker and children’s fiction author Matt Dickinson gave students workshops and talks about his adventures and writing. Mr Dickinson, who has survived an avalance, killer storm in the 'death zone' and a beaver attack, spoke to students about going out of their comfort zone and his experience on expeditions to Everest and Antarctica and Nepal.
Gordon’s tops UK comprehensive schools for its 2024 GCSE results! The Which School Advisor’s list of the best non-selective state schools in the UK, placed the school third equal with 51 per cent of this year’s GCSEs graded 9-7. Earlier this month, Gordon’s learned that it was the only school in England to hold all nine PTI Marks simultaneously for outstanding Subject Leadership.
For would-be vet Chloe, the afternoon offered the chance to find out about career pathways for her dream career – and hold a snake! For other Year 12 and 13 students there were boundless opportunities to discover their next steps, from businesses and training and apprenticeship providers under one roof today for the Surrey Festival of Skills. The event was one of many being attended by students as part of Gordon’s Careers Week. For information on all the careers events running this week, please click here.
Hats great! Our new Year 7s have been practising their marching for just a few short weeks. Today they swapped their green school blazers for their ceremonial Blues uniforms and took to the Parade Square, marching House by House, to the applause of their peers, staff, family and friends. They celebrated afterwards, throwing their Glengarry caps into the air, by the General Gordon statue on the Front Field!
Congratulations to tennis scholar Harry Wright, now Byfleet Lawn Tennis Club’s Junior Club Champion! The Sixth Form student beat his opponent by 6-1, 6-3 in the final of the competition recently. For further information about sports and creative arts scholarships at Gordon's, please click here.
A great pleasure to welcome the 18 students and two teachers from the Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium in Germany this week. The exchange is now in its tenth year and continues to go from strength to strength. Each student was paired up with a pen pal with many choosing to turn their virtual friendship into a real one. As well as attending lessons at Gordon's the German students enjoyed visiting London, Windsor and Thorpe Park with their host families. In December, the Gordon's students will visit their new friends in Germany. Thank you to all our host families.
Introduced to swimming when she was just three months old, Sophia Bastajian, now 11 years old, is making waves in artistic swimming (formerly known as synchronised swimming). She and her twin sister Katie train eight hours every week either on land for flexibility and core strength or in the water, where they work on figures and routine. They are both heading towards competing in the National Age groups this season. Sophia has recently achieved Grade 2 in both figures and routine and was awarded the Barbara Field Award by her club, the Rushmoor Artistic Swimming Club. She says: “The big dream is to compete at the Olympic Games. You have to be committed to doing it and put the time and effort into it”.
Inter-House Sport is now underway! The first event involved two relay teams per House, mountain biking around the Back Field and woods. Victoria House topped both the Main School and Sixth Form girls’ events with Buckingham crowned champions of the Main School boys and Khartoum the Sixth Form boys. Please click here to see Inter-House events and leaderboard.
Sixth place in the IWWF World Cable Wakeboard and Wakeskate Championships in France for Marley O’Toole (pictured in action, courtesy of IWWF), to finish off a fantastic season. Marley, who competes in both the GB Boat and Cable teams has also achieved Gold in the Nautique Wake Open, UK Boat Nationals and UK Cable Nationals and silver in the European Boat Championships. Congratulations Marley!
Another outstanding accolade to our teachers today as nine departments have been awarded the PTI Mark for 2024-5. The The PTI Mark celebrates the school’s commitment to increasing teachers’ subject knowledge to improve outcomes for all students in Art, D&T, English, Geography, History, Maths, Modern Foreign Languages, Music PE and Science.
Making his debut for the Gordon’s Golf Team, Jonnie Summerfield beat his closest rivals in the National ISGA Schools Cup to become the individual gross winner by one shot! Jonnie, playing off a handicap of three, had five birdies in his one under par round of 69. In the Scratch/Gross Team Competition, Gordon’s A Team finished third, just three shots off the first placed team and Gordon’s B Team were placed tenth. Congratulations all!
Silver for Marley O’Toole, representing Great Britain in the U14 European and Africa Wakeboarding Championships in France. His latest success brings his tally of medals to three after he won gold at both the UK Boat and Cable Nationals. Marley, who is the only rider in Great Britain to be included in both the GB Boat and Cable Teams, now has his sights set on the IWWF Cable World Championships this month in France.
