Exeat weekend for all but seven students who found themselves in Guildford Crown Court! However, the seven were acting as witnesses, defendants, magistrates and lawyers for the prosecution and defence as part of a Mock Trial. As well as visiting the court, the students toured the holding cells at Guildford Crown Court and were given the chance to engage with a wide range of legal and law enforcement professionals. For more information on Mock Trials at Gordon's, please click here.
Thousands of pounds were raised for bursaries for students at a glittering evening hosted by the Girdlers’ Company at Girdlers’ Hall in London. The event, in this the school’s 140th anniversary year, attended by Gordon Foundation Trustees, Governors, staff, parents and supporters of the school, included a live and silent auction with many of those present generously donating items, services and events.
Head of Careers, British soprano Augusta Kennedy, a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music performed for guests and was part of the live auction, offering to sing at a dinner party or event of the highest bidder’s choice! She raised £1,100 for bursaries! Other donations included a flying lesson, polo, golf and stays in Cornwall and Guernsey and a Eurostar break.
Angus Maitland Master of the Girdlers’ Company, spoke of the livery company’s support for Gordon’s bursary students stretching back some 40 years and past and present students described the opportunities their bursaries had given them.
Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell, Chairman of the Gordon Foundation Trustees declared that they were “…enormously important. They change lives”.
Donations to the school’s bursary fund can be made here.
A firm favourite on the Careers calendar – speed networking. Guess the profession of the person in front of you in just a few minutes! Thank you to our volunteers representing such a diverse range of industries and careers: Simply Dine Cafe and Events; Weyside Physiotheraphy; Kimberley Clark; Bristol Myers Squibb; Thales UK; AXA Health; Nationalwide Building Society; Cromwell Property Group Ltd; BP; Claire Seager Pilates; Mercedes Grand Prix; Nigel Unsworth Personal Car Brokers; Fridge Fallout.
Hip hop artist, poet and author, Karl Nova brought his unique style to Gordon’s students today as part of World Book Week. As well as providing an inspirational and engaging talk about his early life in London and Nigeria, Karl spoke about his journey into creative writing through rap music and word slam poetry. Thank you Karl Nova!
Gordon’s students struck gold on the greens of one of Europe’s top golf courses in the Daily Mail World Junior Championships.
The team of boys, playing the Villa Padierna Alferini Golf Course in Marbella were competing against 250 golfers from 36 countries in the tournament, in one of the largest and most prestigious junior golf tournaments to be played on European soil.
Jonnie Summerfield a Gordon’s golf scholar with a handicap of 0.8, was crowned U18 Daily Mail World Junior Champion!
After a practice round and three days of competition on the 54 hole WAGR event, Jonnie shot rounds of 75, 72 and 76 (+3, Even and +4) to finish +7 par, four shots clear of the runner up.
A golfer since the age of ten, Jonnie was modest about his win and said of his opponents: “They were really good players but did not play well because it was a really tight course. If your shot was just off target you weren’t going to score high”.
Successes in Marbella were also recorded by other Gordon’s students. Ben Lovell finished fifth with rounds of 76, 76 and 80; Fraser Brammall came 22nd and Barnaby Gough 25th in the 16-18 category.
Zach Mathews in the 14-15 years old category finished 11th, after a practice round which included five birdies and an eagle!
U18 Daily Mail World Junior Golf Champion Jonnie Summerfield in action on the fairway of the Villa Padierna Alferini Golf Course in Marbella.
Jonnie with his Daily Mail World Junior Golf Champion trophy.
One hundred and fifty one students from six schools taking part in the Gordon's MUN (Model United Nations) Conference this weekend, representing nine different committees. Students will thrash out weighty topics such as the rise of political extremism; protection of human rights in war-torn areas; emergency healthcare in Israel/Palestine as well as in a special committee on the question of combatting the martian invasion! Guest of Honour is Surrey Heath’s newly-elected MP Al Pinkerton who will speak on his own experiences in international relations as an MP and as an Associate Professor in Geopolitics at the Royal Holloway University of London. Also speaking is Major Ali Bexton, who has extensive experience in Ukraine and is able to provide a unique and focused perspective on global affairs.
A once in a lifetime opportunity for Gordon’s pianists, four of whom took part in a Masterclass with Charles Owen, a leading British classical pianist at Steinway Hall, home of Steinway and Sons in Marylebone.
The students, who played a range of music from Chopin to Gershwin, were also able to take part in a question and answer session with Mr Owen, who is Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Guest Professor at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Steinway & Sons’ UK Ambassador. During their visit they toured Steinway Hall. Afterwards Mr Owen said: "The staff and pupils from Gordon's School couldn’t have been more friendly or receptive. It was a pleasure to work with their four pianists and watch the improvement they all made".
The events were part of Gordon’s School’s intention to form a partnership with Steinway & Sons and become a Steinway School. Click here for further information.
Congratulations to netball scholar Emily Brownleader, selected for Northern Ireland’s U21 National Academy for 2025. In announcing their 20-strong squad, Netball Northern Ireland said the players had demonstrated ‘exceptional skill, commitment and determination’ to earn their place in the high-performance pathway as they work towards the World Youth Cup in Gibraltar this September.
Easter and Summer Holiday Camps return to Gordon's offering Easter and Summer Holiday Camps return to Gordon's offering sport (football, netball, rugby) and performing arts to children aged between 9 and 16 years old. For further information and to book, click here.
Through to the national finals of the Springboard Future Chef competition, Matilda Spink whose sea bass tortellini with rocket pesto and her deconstructed lemon meringue pie catapulted her to the top spot in the regional final today in Brighton. Matilda will now take on the best of the rest of the UK in March at Westminster Catering College.
Senior Prefects from Gordon’s and Blenheim High joining forces for the second of two days of their ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) Level 3 Award. The students must complete the two units of problem solving and decision making and developing yourself and others for the industry -recognised leadership and management award.
They’ve been active, received chocolate, written notes of appreciation to staff and today students finished off Bounce Week by playing board games for ‘connected and engage’ day. On a wet, Friday afternoon, it was the pe
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