Book Week has arrived! Among a packed programme of events arranged over the next five days is a visit by Matt Whyman. As well as his work as an advice columnist for teenage magazines, Mr Whyman is a children’s author. His most recent book Our Planet – The One Place we all Call Home’ is the official book to the Netflix original documentary series. For further information on reading lists for each Key Stage, please click here.

Best of luck to Sixth Former Corum Nott, in his first game for Wales U18 when they take on Scotland on Sunday. Corum who follows in the steps of Welsh International Gordonian Jake Ball, has been part of the Surrey County and Welsh Exiles programme. As a member of the Gordon’s 1^st XV rugby team, they have recorded their best ever season in the school’s history. Proud coach, Chris Davies said: “This really is the icing on the cake!”.

First practise for our karting team taking part in this year’s British Schools Karting Championship. With a regional qualifier just around the corner in March, the group headed to Farnborough to hone their skills in the hot seat. Best of luck to the team for the coming season!

Well-known already for the delicious meals they serve up to students and staff, the Gordon’s catering team is now taking on the best chefs in the UK at International Salon Culinaire. Believed to be the only school entry at what is considered to be the UK’s largest and most prestigious chef competition, Head Chef Paul Hopkins’ team will cook in front of a live audience next week at London’s Excel. Mr Hopkins says the dishes the industry greats will judge are ones they are already producing for Gordon’s every day. He commented: “We are already satisfying our toughest critics, the students. Now it's time to see what the experts say”!

It’s beginning to look a lot like…the Sports Hub! In spite of a month’s rain in one day, the sports hub is taking shape and is still on track for being open for business in the new academic year. The sports hub, which will also include an all-weather pitch will add - badminton; indoor football; basketball; futsal; indoor cricket - and a host of other sports to be played at Gordon's whatever the weather. Fundraising for the internal fixtures and equipment is gathering pace with a sponsored skydive; London Marathon run; gastronomic evening and the GSPA Quiz Night on 13^th March (for further details, please click here). The hub will benefit both the school and local community. For further details on how to donate to it, please click here. Below is the finished article together with a video fly-through.

In this, their first time competing in Europe's most exciting sevens tournament, Gordon's U14s; U16s and U18s travelled to Lisbon for the Lisbon Junior 7s. Putting in excellent performances against tough opposition, the 31 boys finished off sixth overall in their categories with the U16s bringing home silverware as eventual Plate Winners. Head of Rugby Chris Davies commented: "“I see tours of this kind, as the ideal opportunity to assist with our preparation for the sevens season. To play different opposition in a foreign country presents these boys with many challenges which of course is great for their learning and improvement of their 7s game."