An honour for our PIpes and Drums to play at last night’s Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres. The ceremony, held every evening at 8pm since 2nd July 1928, is in remembrance of the soldiers of the former British Empire and its allies, who died in the Ypres Salient during the First World War.
Second place for our students in the National Royal Holloway University of London Psychology Competition. These four Psychology students from Year 12 competed against 24 schools across the country in the competition, producing an outstanding three minute video, poster and presentation on their chosen topic of postpartum depression in men and the importance of raising awareness for positive change and support to both men and women. Congratulations!
Sixth Form students Isaac Johnson (left) and Daniel Drakeford (right) have spurned the lure of beaches, nightclubs and festivals as a celebration of the end of their A Levels in favour of the challenge of the Via Francigena, a 1,900km pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome via the Alps! The two have chosen to raise money for the whole-school charity the Camelthorn Foundation which is raising money to build a girls' boarding house in Zimbabwe, to be named Gordon's House. For the full story, please click here. For further information on Gordon's House, please click here. To donate, please visit their Justgiving page here.
In a glorious celebration, marking the end of the academic year, staff, parents, gordonians and friends congregated on the Front Field at Gordon’s today for the 137th Annual Parade and Inspection. Leading the Pipes and Drums for the last time, Drum Major Rose Roberts, to ‘The Spirit of Gordon’, which was composed by four students over lockdown. Inspecting the Parade was Guest of Honour General Sir Peter Wall GCB CBE DL, former Chairman of the Gordon Foundation. Sir Peter said: "It's wonderful to see how the military connection with General Charles Gordon is maintained". After paying tribute to Governors, staff and parents, he told students who are leaving this year: "...wherever you go, you are an ambassador for this great school". For those staying on, he advised: "...come back here next term and seize the opportunities that Gordon's provides with even great vigour". Sir Peter all paid tribute to the Pipes and Drums, who in this their 80th anniversary year, have carried out 40 engagements.
Please see below for a short video of the Parade:
Pots for rowers Immie Spink and Mimi Hewetson, who competed at the Egham Regatta at the weekend. The two train eight times a week before and after school and during the weekends and were rewarded with their first win in the Women’s J16 double scull. They are pictured here with their Coach, three times Olympian cox Alan Inns and the school’s Head of Rowing Maddie Shoolbread. Congratulations both! Click here to see more information about rowing at Gordon's.
Promising to be the best ever, Summer Arts returns to the Front Field this afternoon, featuring music, dance and art. Gates open to all in the community from 4.30pm.
Congratulations to U13s cricketer Tom Norman, who has been awarded a Bedser Scholarship. For the all-rounder opening bowler and top order batsman, the award is a fantastic end to a very successful season, in which his teams at Gordon’s have won every game played. The Bedser Scholarship identifies six children aged between 8 and 16 years old from Woking schools who have the potential to become performance cricketers.
Congratulations to the school's Code Club team, who came first in the Apps for Good showcase with their Food.it, encouraging users to change their diets for the better, reduce food waste and improve the future of the planet. The Gordon’s team presented to a panel of industry experts from Spotify and have been awarded ‘Judge’s Favourite’ in the Global Innovators category. Announcing the award, James Ferguson from Spotify said their app “…really stood out”. He continued: “Both the pitch itself was superb, the presentation, idea, research and understanding and ability to answer any question posed to them was truly impressive.”
Presented with the Tes Boarding School of the Year Award in 2022, which recognises innovation, imagination and efforts to develop children in ways that go beyond academic achievement and the league tables as well as maintaining continued excellence. Gordon’s was one of eight boarding schools across the country to have been nominated.
Congratulations to Rose Roberts, Drum Major of the Pipes and Drums, who was recently awarded with a Girdlers' Medallion for what she has achieved and overcome. Rose, who leads the Pipes and Drums, was nominated by Gordon's staff as a student who personifies the five Gordon's characters strengths of courage, integrity, diligence, enthusiasm and resilience as she fulfils her role in the Pipes and Drums and carries out her school work while suffering from Stargardt's Disease, which affects her eyesight. Rose was presented with the Girdlers' Medallion at an awards dinner at Girdlers' Hall recently by the Master Girdler Major General Sir Sebastian Roberts KCVO OBE.
Hockey midfielder Cara Falconer has been selected to represent Scotland against England at the end of this month. Cara, who started playing for Surrey two seasons ago and was then selected for the England Hockey’s Performance Centre last season, now plays for the Scottish National Emerging Squad. She will be receiving her first cap for Scotland in the series against England from 24th to 26th June. Wishing her the very best of luck!
