Delighted to welcome back  Paralympian Hannah Russell MBE to school today. The inspirational Hannah, who left Gordon's in 2012 now has six Paralympic medals - three of which are Gold! Today she brought in her most recent one from Tokyo where she retained her title from Rio in the Women's S12 100 metre backstroke. Congratulating her are her former PE teachers Paul King and Jamie Harrison.

This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the Pipes and Drums and a host of events and activities will be held to help raise money for band equipment for the next 80 years! While the band was established at the same time as Gordon Boys' Home in 1885, it only took up its home in West End, Surrey when the Gordon Boys' Home in Dover was bombed. At that time there were just six boys making up the band! Today there’s a chance to snap up a piece of history with the first auction for the three and four tailed feather bonnets. They are now live on eBay. To bid for a three tailed bonnet, click here and for the four tailed bonnet click here. 

Congratulations to James West, who was awarded Bronze in the U21s Men’s Sporter (10m Rifle) at the England Small-Bore Shooting Union (ESSU) Championships recently. Nobody was more surprised by the result than the Year 9 student, who only took up shooting three years ago as a co-curricular activity at Gordon’s! He said: “I was not expecting it! It was my first competition after Lockdown and I just thought I would get back into it and shoot as best I can!”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend Justin Welby was welcomed to Gordon’s last night, bringing to a close the Big Questions events in the Diocese of Guildford. During the weekend he addressed local communities throughout the Diocese in schools, churches and a football stadium, making 11 visits, during which audiences were given the chance to hear him speak on how to find security and hope in uncertain times. They were also given the opportunity to ask him questions. Greeted in true Gordon’s style by the school’s Pipes and Drums, the Archbishop spoke to hundreds in the school’s sports hall on a wide-range of topics from homosexuality to Prince Charles becoming a ‘defender of the faiths’ rather than faith when he ascends to the throne. A student, asked what their response should be to their peers who claim the Bible is a fairy tale. Bishop Andrew Watson said: "The Pipes Band was a great touch and a reminder of the history of Gordon's".

Gravesend House has become the first boys’ House to win the Bunbury Cup since girls arrived at Gordon’s! The boys’ Day Boarding House achieved the most academic stamps during the year. Stamps are awarded by staff for good work over a period of time or exceptional progress and recognise good effort, self-discipline and motivation. A “thrilled and delighted” Gravesend Head of House Gary Knight said: “It is down to the effort and enthusiasm of all the boys in the course of the last year, particularly during lockdown”. To celebrate their success, the boys will be treated to donuts at Friday’s breaktime!

Welcome to our new school Chaplain, The Reverend Graham Wright! The father of two daughters, Mr Wright is married to Joanna, a Headmistress in  Witley, and takes over from The Reverend Sarah Norbron, the school’s Chaplain for the past four years. Since his ordination, he has undertaken parish ministry and also worked for the international charity The Leprosy Mission before moving to school chaplaincy. The family relocated from York where Mr Wright was House Master of a junior boarding house, a teacher and school chaplain. Gordon’s is the fourth school in which he has ministered. He will continue the daily Chapel Services, Holy Communion during a Friday lunchtime, an informal worship group, as well as preparing candidates for the annual Confirmation Service. However, he would also like to introduce Chaplain’s Dinners, a prayer group for parents and informal gatherings with students to explore Christianity. He is already keenly anticipating the start of the Gordon’s Parade Services. “The Pipes and Drums band parades are very special” he said, adding, “particularly in England. Three Parades this term and then London [Whitehall Parade] – I’m looking forward to that!”.