They sprinted, ran, walked, hobbled or just cheered….and raised over £6,000 for Cancer Research UK Race for Life! No obstacle was too muddy or wet for Gordon’s staff, who took on today’s Pretty Muddy 5k at Windsor Racecourse. The group decided on the fundraiser to support a colleague currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Great fun had by all for a fantastic cause (and they’ve vowed to do it again next year!).
Three of the four Woking Young Musicians Trust awards were made to Gordon’s students this year. The awards aim to encourage aspiring young musicians in the area and are made after an audition and interview with the panel of trustees. On Sunday at St Peter’s Church, Old Woking, Kate Brazendale (voice); Daria Hudson (piano) and Audrey Man (harp) performed at a celebration concert in the presence of the Mayor of Woking, Cllr Amanda Boote.
One hundred students trekking across the Surrey Hills this weekend in pursuit of their residential section of their Bronze The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The Year 9 group, split into 16 teams, must walk 16 kilometres per day carrying their tents and sustenance. Best of luck to all of them!
An afternoon of pure sport as the Houses battled it out in athletics on the Front Field with running, high jump, long jump and discus events. Some great performances from every Year group with winners’ medals after every race and cups for the winning Houses - Main School, Victoria and Buckingham and for the Seniors, Sandringham and China. Congratulations all!
Pulling together for their Houses in the Inter-House Tug of War today on the Front Field. The noisy, colourful prelude to Sports Day saw Khartoum’s hopes for a hat-trick of wins, dashed by Balmoral’s brawn (although they did win the Main School competition!), and Kensington securing yet another victory to make it a whopping four wins in a row!
A celebration of the artistic talent among the GCSE students as their exam pieces were put on show in an exhibition for parents and friends last night.
The inaugural Gordon’s Model United Nations Junior (GMUN) involved 25 students from Years 7 and 8 debating the topics of the Chinese attitudes towards Taiwan, the historical conflict between India and Pakistan and the impact of rising seawaters on Pacific Nations. Early days for these MUN delegates but they are proving to be rising stars in this academic simulation of diplomatic decision making. While all were put forward by the chairs for ‘Most Improved Delegate’, the Best Delegate Awards went to Florence (USA) and Samuel (Canada).
Happy birthday Kensington House! The girls’ Day Boarding House, which was opened by His Royal Highness the Earl of Wessex (now HRH the Duke of Edinburgh) today, 25 years ago, celebrated its quarter of a century on Sunday by welcoming Gordonians and current students and their families for a birthday tea and cake. It also provided an opportunity for a tour of the House and School. Among those enjoying the celebrations were the current Head of House, Kate Connery, the original Head of House Jenny Wilson, Paralympian gold medallist Hannah Russell and her sister Alice.
Congratulations to Archie, Caleb, Harry, Oscar, Nana, Andrew, Cassius, Anthony, Lochlan, Fikunore and Isaiah, all of whom were confirmed yesterday by the Bishop of Dorking, the Right Reverend Paul Davies, in the school Chapel of St Edward the Confessor. Bishop Paul spent time with the confirmation candidates in January, as well as students from the Alpha Youth group and Easy Chapel and joined friends and families after the Confirmation Service for drinks and cake in the Library.
Introduced to hockey when she arrived at Gordon’s in Year 7, Phoebe Schollick has played for just three years yet is now turning out for the Gordon’s First XI, playing for the Ladies 1s at Woking Hockey Club (who recently awarded her their ‘Most Improved Player of the Season’) and England Hockey’s Talent Academy. This week she was offered a place in the Hockey Mentors Programme for players showing international/national hockey leagues potential. Luckily her training schedules are on different days so she is able to juggle her hockey commitments alongside her school day and homework!
The dream is to play hockey in the Olympics. The 14 year old who plays half back said: “I have made lots of friends and have such a sense of pride when I play” and she urged others to take up the sport – “Give it a go. You’ll surprise yourself!”
A mixture of culture, fun and of course speaking the language for 32 Year 9 and 10 students on a four day trip to France. The group visited the Vimy Ridge Memorial and Carriere Wellington yesterday while today’s main event is the Parc Asterix amusement park.
Two of the schools most successful sporting teams came head to head in a clash of the Titans as the boys 1st XV rugby team took on the 1st VII netball team in a game of netball! In this, their last school game, the stakes were high. Captaining the boys’ side, England U19 back row Elliot Williams, who led the school’s ACE Team to victory in the ACE League and played his debut game for Harlequins on Sunday. Summer, a member of London Pulse U19, who are consecutive national champions, led the girls, three of whom finished sixth in the country at the national schools’ finals last year. The rugby boys made valiant attempts at understanding the rules (and showed great promise with their terrifying passing!) but failed to counter the deftness and agility of the girls!
