Newsletters

County Cross Country Championships 2023

Following some outstanding performances at the Area Championships in November, 4 John of Gaunt students competed at the County Cross Country Championships on a bitterly cold and foggy Saturday morning at Sheldon School. Ben Gregory and Rayane Hamdia competed in the Year 9 race, with Rayane narrowly missing out on selection for the South West Championships by just two places. Grace Scotney competed in the Year 10 race, braving the cold and representing the school superbly in her race.

Finally, Ed Hill in Year 7 came 7^th in his race, which ended in an exciting sprint finish. He did the school proudly and will go on to represent the County in the National Championships in March, and at the South West Championships in two weeks time. Ed then went to a swimming competition in the afternoon and swam two personal best times- a very successful Saturday!

Well done to all four of the students involved - just getting to this stage is a terrific effort! Good luck to Ed in the next round of the competition.

Mr Merriman

Yr9 options

Yr9 students have now participated in our KS4 subject familiarisation event and had the opportunity to discuss, in greater detail, their choices with subject leaders with their family members at the options evening.  

Every student should have an options' booklet that holds all the information they require regarding timelines, courses and how to make their choices through our on-line options platform.  An invitational email was sent today steering them to their own options page.  Please ensure they follow the crib sheets in the back of the options' booklet, in particular the last page that details how they can re-enter their own page on multiple occasions.

Please refer to our website to access the electronic options' booklet, our subject pages and our very informative subject videos created by each faculty.

Deadline for options is Thursday 2^nd February.

Please seek advice from the YR9 team, our careers advisors or me, Mr Rhodes.  All details are in the options' booklet and on our website.

Ten Tors 2023 - First Weekend Camping Expedition!

On Saturday 14^th October, 29 hardy students set off in the blustery rain traversing the Imber Range Perimeter Path - a 32-mile (the older students did about 36 miles) circuit of eastern Sailsbury Plain. With a camp planned after 20 miles at Chitterne, students' bags were bursting with stoves, sleeping bags, tents, food and water and soon the increase in weight began to take its toll on students' legs and feet. 

The weather was unkind on Saturday, the wet wind hammering the students as they passed along the top of Bratton and the White Horse, through Gore Cross and past Tilshead petrol station. After some muddy miles the group arrived at the campsite in Chitterne (Lady Gooch's paddock!) and began to get their dinners cooked. The camping was superb - we've rarely had a group which demonstrated such good teamwork - helping each other light their stoves, cook their food and get their tents up. The students were quiet and civilised during the evening and their tiredness led to a quiet night with early bedtimes.

Sunday was cold and crisp but dry and a beautiful winter light played across the Wiltshire chalk hills as we passed along through the hill forts outside Warminster. By this point this notoriously challenging hike had claimed several victims and as the last students climbed up past Warminster golf course and back to their minibuses a sense of pride and achievement was felt by those still going.

A huge well done to all those who pushed themselves to their limits this weekend, and we were particularly delighted with the teamwork and cleanliness of the campsite. As always, a massive thank you to "Smoky" Bill Smith, Iain Richards, Mrs Brooks, Xavier Lord and Lady Gooch for the overnight accommodation and toilet facilities.

Excited about Dartmoor next week!

For a wonderful range of photos please click 

On Wednesday 25^th January, ex-student Emily Harrison returned to deliver a University outreach activity to Year 13 A-Level Mathematicians.  Emily is completing a 5-year apprenticeship and degree in Engineering.  The students considered bridge types, design, loading, distribution and sustainability. 

Following a presentation, the students had to design and test their own models on a particular type.

HPV Immunisations - Tuesday 31^st January

The School Immunisation Team are coming in on Tuesday 31^st January to do HPV Immunisations for Year 8 pupils and catch up Immunisations for Year 9 pupils whose parents have already given consent. 

Tutors will share names and times with pupils on Monday and remind them on Tuesday. 

Unfortunately if you have not already consented to this vaccination, your child will not be able to have this done on Tuesday. 

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .

Eighteen-year-old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive, but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them, and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.

The brand new unmissable crime thriller from Holly Jackson, best-selling, award-winning author of the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy, a favourite of mine and many students. I couldn’t help but make it book of the week, it’s another great book From Miss Jackson. It’s clever, high paced and full of suspense and big twists.

Happy Reading!

Mrs Bruton

Announcing a new after-school club on Tuesdays called “The Island” held at the Holy Trinity Church Centre on the island roundabout near Trowbridge railway station. 

It’s for Years 7-11 between 3pm and 4.45pm where you can get free drinks and snacks, play games including table tennis, on Xbox and board games. 

It’s a place where you can just chat with friends or shelter from horrid weather before going home.  See the above for more details and how to register.  Also, speak to Mr Heard in DT if you want more information.