More ammunition for Angus’ Army as boarding houses across the school put their creative talents to the test to produce banners to spur on the team running in the Oxford Half Marathon this weekend. Sandringham House staff Tom Webb, Max Roffey and Matt Boote, together with students Frank, Sam and Will, will be running in aid of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The charity is close to their hearts as Angus, one of the students in Sandringham House, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma over the Summer holidays and has been receiving his chemotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden in Sutton. Angus’s parents will also be taking on the challenge. Students across the school have pledged their support with brightly coloured banners and donations to the Justgiving page. Further donations can be made here - https://www.justgiving.com/page/1691765396285?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2F1691765396285&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Her sailing has taken her across Europe this Summer competing in international sailing competitions and more recently selector events, culminating in an Open Qualifier at Paignton. Now Sixth Form student Kaitlyn Wyatt has been selected for the ILCA 6 British Youth Sailing Performance Squad for 2023-4 – the highest level in ICLA Youth sailing. One of only eight to have made it, Kaitlyn was informed by the selection committee that she demonstrated potential through the process suggesting that with hard work, she could achieve success at the highest level in Youth and Olympic sailing. Congratulations Kaitlyn!

A clean sweep in four national golf events for Gordon’s golfers. The B Team won 3-0 in the first round of the national Independent School Golf Association (ISGA) Singles Knockout against Hurtwood House. In the National Schools Golf competition, competing against 70 golfers from across the South of England yesterday, four golfers were in the top ten of the scratch event with victories in the individual scratch and stableford competitions and the Team event. Congratulations all – a great start to the season!

Her compelling story of a child experiencing the Ukrainian War, made it to the top 60 out of 600, in the BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University. Kate Brazendale (pictured above in her role as Mary Poppins in the school production) said: “I chose the topic of the Ukrainian war because I wanted to put myself in the shoes of a child growing up in such a tragic situation. I wrote this in the mist of the war in March when the news was full of headlines about it and I thought it would be a great topic to research". To read her story, please click here.

The importance Gordon’s places on oracy in the curriculum has led to a national award from the English Speaking Union. The School has been Highly Commended for the Oracy Culture Award. New Year 7 students are currently taking part in a Talk The Talk Workshop to develop their oracy skills and academic activities such as LAMDA, MUN (Model United Nations); debating and public speaking have grown in popularity and success.

Honoured to have taken part in the Memorial Service at RAF Lakenheath for those that lost their lives in the events of 9/11. Members of the Pipes and Drums, invited and hosted by 494 Fighter Squadron, were humbled to have taken part in their poignant commemorations. Students were also given the opportunity to tour around the aircraft and watch them take off, as well as learning about what goes on in the control room.