As England battled on the pitch against America in the World Cup 2022 on Friday, Sixth Form student Nicole was hoping her question would blind-side the panel of BBC Radio 4s Any Questions? which was being recorded live from Gordon's. The 17 year old founder of Gordon’s Political Society, posed the question to a panel of MPs, a trades unionist and editor, “Is it fair for the UK to criticise other countries such as Qatar for their moral values?”. Her question, to trade unionist and writer Paul Embery; Shadow Business Minister Seema Malhotra MP; Transport Minister Huw Merriman MP and Economist Editor Zanny Minto Beddoes, was one of only a handful of questions to have been selected for the programme. She is shown here with the panel and the programme's presenter Alex Forsyth.  

BBC Radio 4s Any Questions? comes to Gordon's tonight for a live broadcast that promises to be full of interesting and topical debate. The panel will be trade unionist and writer Paul Embery; Shadow Business Minister Seema Malhotra MP; Transport Minister Huw Merriman MP and Economist Editor Zanny Minto Beddoes. For tickets, please click here.

More used to playing a little further along the road at the annual Whitehall Parade, the Pipes and Drums (shown here on the steps of Great Westminster Hall) had the privilege of playing at 494 Fighter Squadron's (United States Air Force Europe) Dinner Night at Parliament on Friday. An exceptional evening all round was made even more special with all members of the Pipes and Drums being presented with a unique Commander's Coin by the Commander of 494 Squadron, also known as the Mighty Black Panthers.

Major awards for Gordon’s soloists and instrumentalists as they hit the high notes at the Woking Music Festival. Alice Kermeen sung her way to a First Place (Folk Song U19), Distinction, The Ryde Cup (U19 for a musical after 1970) and the Newman Cup in Musical Theatre (U19 category); Emily Hallett bagged the Pop/Jazz U19 category as well as the Hilliger Memorial Cup (U19 Solo category) and Max Scannell was awarded distinction in the String Sonata category. Congratulations all!

Members of the community joined students, parents and staff from Gordon’s on Sunday for the Parade and Service of Remembrance around the Parade Square, conducted by the School Chaplain the Reverend Graham Wright.

Dressed in their Blues uniform and accompanied by the Pipes and Drums – a unique feature of Gordon’s that has been part of the school since its inception over a century ago – the student body marched and remembered the sacrifices of so many, including the 155 former students killed in action during the First World War; 31 in the Second World War and Gordonian Darryl Gardiner and affiliated staff member Steve Curley, both killed in Afghanistan.

Poppy wreaths were laid by Mrs Jane Valner, on behalf of the Gordon Foundation Trustees; Gordonian Jessica Kruger for the Gordonians and Gordon’s School Sergeant Major Isabelle Fleming for students and staff.

Staff, students and their families – many of whom are currently serving their country in the Forces - observed the two minute silence, preceded by The Last Post played by trumpeter Jess Fowler.  The Reveille was performed by trumpeter Ben Hallett with Pipe Major Lucy Massie piping the Lament.

In his address the Reverend Wright said: “…Sacrifice is the supreme act of love. The exact opposite of the ‘me culture’ where ‘self comes first’. Acts of sacrifice for others are at the heart of the Gordon’s culture. It sums up the true value of stopping today to remember the fallen and taking the time to consider the direction of our own lives…”   

Congratulations to the 31 students from Gordon’s who received their Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 2 awards this week, at an awards evening also attended by Woking High School.

Gordon’s School and Woking High School, both members of the Arete Partnership of schools, collaborated on the training for the course, which is designed to develop leadership and management skills for a recognised qualification.

The two-module course, taken by 40 students from the two schools, covers self-leadership and mentoring skills and is designed to develop self-leadership and resilience in young people.

All Gordon’s Junior Prefects were encouraged to study for their ILM Level 2 Leadership and Team Skills qualification. They were presented with their certificates by Woking High School’s Headteacher Maiken Walter at a ceremony also attended by the Headteacher of Gordon’s, Andrew Moss.

Mr Moss described the group as the “next aspiring leaders” and said that the ethos behind the awards was “leading for a reason, not just for yourself but to try and serve other people”.

The opportunity to study leadership and management skills, leading to professional qualifications through the Institute of Leadership and Management has long been afforded to students and staff at both schools. So committed were Gordon’s and Woking High to the programme of leadership awards, that they became an approved centre in 2015.

Mr Moss explained: “We became an approved centre a few years ago, offering ILM courses to all our staff – both teaching and support. After seeing the benefits to staff we decided to extend the courses to Key Stage 4 and 5 students to enhance their profile for university applications and give them the edge when applying for apprenticeships”.

Please click here for further information about ILM at Gordon's.