A place in the finals for Gordon’s golfers, after a win against Regional Champions Winchester College in the Swifts Foursomes Regional Final! Jonnie and Zach won 3 and 1 (shot -3), Harry and Jake lost one down on the last hole (shot +2) and Noah and OIlie won 5 and 4 (shot +2). This is the sixth time in nine years that the Gordon’s golf team have qualified for the finals of what is the longest running national schools golf event in the UK. They have previously achieved a third place and runners up. Could this be the year they lift the trophy?

The annual GMUN Conference was opened today by Surrey Heath MP Dr Al Pinkerton, who spoke to delegates about the “extraordinary times” we are living in, the breakdown of the tradition world order, disinformation, challenges such as climate and technological changes, and the potential for AI leading to human unemployment. “These are the challenges my generation is thinking about, my generation has often caused and the one that has gone before, so it is absolutely vital you think of yourselves as stakeholders in these challenges” he told the delegates. The two day conference is being attended by some 150 students from Reading Blue Coat School, Blenheim High School, Beaconsfield High School, Prior’s Field School, Ibstock Place, The Marist and Hurstpierpoint College. Among the topics listed for debate are the American intervention in Venezuela, the conflict in Thailand and Cambodia, energy requirements of AI and piracy prevention in international water. On Friday, Gordon’s delegates were presented with their MUN files during drill and were wished good luck for the conference and applauded by their peers.

It’s been a whirlwind few months for netball player Jasmine Akrasi. The Gordon’s netball scholar  plays for Super League Club London Pulse, her local club Eagles and trialled for England U19s in November. She was selected in December, playing her first internationals for the U19s against Scotland U21s  and Northern Ireland Seniors.

A goal shooter with unerring accuracy, Jazzy is credited with a 100 per cent success rate in one of her England games.

She came into the sport around six years ago and hasn’t looked back.

Almost every night she is training or playing somewhere, either for London Pulse in East London, or school and at weekends and during ‘the netball season’ she can be found travelling the country for games or England training. There is also the S&C and following an athletic development programme to combine with studying for three A Levels in French, art and maths!

She describes herself as a “go with the flow” person but one who grabs every opportunity with both hands.  But behind every success is her mother! “mum is my team manager. She gets me to all my trainings, she’s the one that sorts out my food.”

A cancelled flight due to bad weather gave Sixth Form student Zac the chance to meet many of his Olympic heroes (including double gold medallist, skeleton racer Matt Weston), also travelling back today. Zac, a keen sportsman, had spent his holiday glued to the coverage of the Winter Olympics. Returning to Gatwick Airport a day later than planned after the half term holiday, he came across a sea of Union Flags before realising that the victorious Winter Olympic teams were arriving at the same. “I don’t think anything could top that one” he said after posing for selfies with the Olympians, including from his favourite sport, curling!

The National School Theatre Awards have nominated the senior school production of Amelie for five awards! The musical, which played to capacity audiences in the newly opened Wynter Bee Theatre at school, has been nominated for:

Best Musical
Best Ensemble
Best Actress - Kate Brazendale (pictured above)
Best Supporting Actor Elliot Watson
Best Lighting Design - James West.

To hear co-Director Robbie Olden talking about Amelie in the latest Quarterly Gazette podcast, please click here.

This is what the National School Theatre Awards had to say after they had watched the production:

Kicking off National Apprenticeship Week at Gordon’s were four inspirational Gordonians, who talked about the benefits of apprenticeships together with the application process. Harrison Dodd, a former rugby scholar, is on a government economic service degree apprenticeship; Freddie Compson, is with Ward Williams on a construction management degree; Jex Kidd is with Amazon as a finance degree apprentice and Lyla Gilbert is with Charles Russell Speechlys on a solicitor apprenticeship. Today students will be able to visit the school’s National Apprenticeship Fair.