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  • Bursar's Toughest Challenge

    Published 13/06/23

    As anyone who has ever learned the bagpipes (or the parents of children who have) knows, it’s a notoriously difficult instrument to master. Not just a case of playing a tune but ultimately adding in the airbag and in the case of Gordon’s pipers, marching as well! In addition, it requires good co-ordination as well as hand-eye and a formidable memory for the music! It is also a notoriously loud instrument so understanding neighbours are a must! So for her final swansong, Gordon’s Bursar Susan Meikle, who retires this Summer after 11 years, has decided to take on her biggest challenge, that of learning the pipes! Since last November, she has been discreetly learning to play the chanter (the part of the bagpipe used to create a melody), under the expert eye of Senior Pipe Major Iona Scotson. Now Mrs Meikle is producing recognisable tunes!  The reason for learning the pipes is she wants to leave a lasting legacy in the form of a set of them (or two!) for the iconic school Pipes and Drums Band. So, she has set herself the challenge of passing the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board Level 2 examination (there is no Level 1). Mrs Meikle explained: “Throughout my 11 years working at Gordon’s School, I have admired and supported our student Pipe Band. Its main focus is to lead the eight School Parades each year, one along Whitehall,  but they are involved in so much more, playing at many Surrey civic, community and private events, at Wembley, Windsor Castle, with Army Pipe Bands, this year competing in ‘the Worlds’, Glasgow.  This takes commitment, teamwork and determination. While I am unlikely to progress to bagpipes, let alone manage to both play and march at the same time, I can appreciate some of the challenge of starting to learn and along the way, raise sufficient funds to purchase another set of bagpipes, maybe two.”

    Sponsoring Mrs Meikle would encourage her to practise and hopefully pass the examination and who knows could lead to a new hobby in her retirement? Please follow this link to sponsor her https://www.justgiving.com/page/smeiklechanter

     

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  • Patron's Parade

    Published 10/06/23

    The annual Patron’s Parade today in glorious June sunshine, where we welcomed Guest of Honour, Colonel Jody Davies MBE, Colonel of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Parade, led by Sophie Bodell, featured all the Main School students. Among the announcements this morning were for Cara, on her selection for Scotland Hockey’s U19s for the Four Nations tournament in Belgium and Zuko Robb, who will tour South Africa with the England U18 Rugby squad. Golfer Millie was congratulated for becoming Lady’s Champion of the JCB Tour Championships and overall champion of the Order of Merit for the 2022-23 season and the Golf Team for being crowned British Schools and Colleges National ISGA Team Nett Champions with Fraser the individual Champion. Medals in rowing for the two James’s were presented to them for their second place at the national Junior Sculling Regatta. A highlight of the Parade was Drummers’ Beating.

     

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  • Founder's Day Honour

    Published 09/06/23

    Honoured to be invited to the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s Founder’s Day Parade, Year 8 students, dressed in their ceremonial Blues uniforms. Each year representatives from Gordon’s are invited to attend this special event, which remembers King Charles II who issued a Royal Warrant for the foundation of the hospital and commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to design it on the 66 acre site. This year the Parade was held in the presence of His Majesty the King of the Belgians and his wife Queen Mathilde.

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  • sapper skills for Army cadets

    Published 06/06/23

    Command tasks, survival skills and observation skills, topped off with raft building and a raft race to finish off. The school’s Army Cadets are having a field day! The group of 27 are with the Royal Engineers at Gibraltar Barracks in Minley. Thank you Royal Engineers!

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  • Pathway to Silver

    Published 05/06/23

    Not just about the trekking over two nights and three days but camping out, carrying provisions, planning the expedition and the lasting bonds made with friends. Nearly 50 Year 10 students embarked on their final expedition at the weekend as part of achieving their silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Wiltshire's Pewsey Vale. 

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  • on the crest of a wave

    Published 30/05/23

    Back to Dorney Lake for the rowers at the weekend, for the largest junior rowing race in the calendar – the National Schools Regatta. Stand out performances from Mimi and the two Jameses, competing against some of the top clubs and crews in the country. Mimi, battling a strong cross wind in the Women's Championship singles, managed a creditable fifth place. James and James, competing in the Open Championship Double Sculls, came third in their B final producing the best performance in the school’s rowing history! Congratulations all!

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  • Trekking for Bronze

    Published 30/05/23

    Two days of trekking in the Surrey Hills for students in Year 9 on their bank holiday weekend. The group of 113 students, on their Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Final expedition, also camped out overnight. In order the complete this part of the award, the students had to plan and train for the expedition, which must be completed unaccompanied.

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  • England Selection for Robb

    Published 26/05/23

    The early mornings, hard work and dedication have paid off! Gordon’s rugby player Zuko Robb has been selected for the England U18 squad that will head off to South Africa during the Summer.

    For Zuko, rugby is his life. Since the age of six he has played the game at club level for Twickenham RFC. His former school, Grey Court was a massive part of his rugby development as well as Rosslyn Park, before he progressed to Harlequins and gained a coveted place on the Harlequins/Gordon’s Partnership Programme, as a DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) player, playing in the ACE League.

    His move to Gordon’s Sixth Form in September last year has meant getting up at 5:30am from his home in South West London so he can get to school for training and studying. “My life pretty much revolves around rugby” admits Zuko. “On a Friday when I go home it’s sleep and on a Saturday and weekends, it’s Quins games. There’s not much going out!”

    In April he was told by the England coaches that his progress and development at Gordon’s and Harlequins had been noticed and he was offered the chance to take part in an England Development Squad Training on a four day/three night camp with the possibility of selection for the squad. He joined fellow Sixth Form student Enock Addai in Hartpury RFC for the camp. While injury has cut short Enock’s selection, Zuko has a confirmed place on the touring side and will carry the torch for them both. “It’s a dream come true” said the delighted Zuko adding: “This season has been the best one. I feel like the jump of competitive rugby, the more you go up in years the harder it gets, the more challenging so you are forced to develop. The ACE League is definitely the pinnacle of English schoolboy rugby it is very channelling and quite hard”.

    Zuko’s coach, Head of Rugby at Gordon’s, Chris Davies paid tribute, saying: "Zuko was identified as a talented player and more importantly a good person which gave him the opportunity to study at Gordon’s and in addition the DiSE. This has allowed Zuko to receive more 1:1 expert coaching and support on his journey to date. Zuko is an excellent role model for our younger years and we look forward to seeing him follow in the footsteps of recent ACE team graduates Tom Golder and Caleb Ashworth by representing his country".

    Currently studying A Levels in PE, sociology and media as well as the Diploma in Sporting Excellence, Zuko comes from a “supportive family of rugby  – my uncles and cousins are all massive Harlequins supporters’’ he says.

    The ultimate ambition in his rugby journey? “My aim is to go professional and get a contract at the end of this time at Gordon’s”.

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  • Golfers Turning National Leaderboards Green

    Published 23/05/23

    The school’s golfing teams are now through to the National HMC Foursome Finals in July, for the third time in four years; the ISGA National Finals; the British Schools and Colleges National finals and the National Schools golf finals with Millie Cottrell crowned Ladies Champion of the HMC National JCB Tour championships. Recently in the National Schools Golf at Piltdown Golf Club the golfers won all three competitions – the stableford team event, individual scratch competition and individual stableford.

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  • Win for Rowing Double

    Published 22/05/23

    A win at the Walton and Weybridge Regatta for Ben and Tom in the 1,000m side by side sprint. The two, racing in the Junior 15 Double Sculls went through two rounds before rowing to victory against Staines Boat Club. Congratulations both!

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  • speak out 2023

    Published 18/05/23

    A chance for Years 7 and 8 to hone their public speaking skills and talk about a subject of their choice that they are passionate about. Performing in front of their whole year groups, to a panel of judges, the students delivered some compelling speeches including ones on running, global warming, the teaching of sign language in schools and failure. The one that prompted the loudest applause – should homework be banned?!

    Congratulations to Tara and Neela, the overall winners, and to all those taking part, for executing their speeches with such eloquence.

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