For her essay entitled ‘Which aspects of physical geography have the strongest effect on the economic growth and output of a country’?, Year 9 student Maisie Ho has been awarded highly commended in the national Aristotelian Essay Competition run by the Perse School, Cambridge. Maisie, an academic scholar, wrote about economic growth and the physical aspects of the environment and geography that helps economic growth such as hydrology and minerals, referring to Botswana and its diamonds; Sierra Leone’s minerals and Norway’s natural gas. She entered the competition because she thought it would be fun, and to help her write essays in the future. Admitting to being surprised at doing so well in the competition, Maisie said “I was proud because it took me ages to write it. I had to go through it, plan and add references.”

They did it! Congratulations to Gordon’s Marathon runners Jamie Harrison and Daisy Cooper, who smashed the TCS London Marathon, raising hundreds of pounds for their charities and both signing up to take part next year! Director of Sport Mr Harrison last ran it in 2016, this time he donned his running shoes in memory of his mother, who died from bowel cancer in 2019. He completed his run for Bowel Cancer UK in just over four hours.

Woolwich Houseparent Daisy Cooper, running for Barnardo's children’s charity completed it in 5.25 hours.

Donations to their charities would still be very welcome. For Bowel Cancer UK, please click here and for Barnard's, please click here.

Here are pictures of the two of them from yesterday's marathon:

Over 100 miles rowed for charity by Balmoral House! Their Sunrise to Sunset Challenge saw every student and member of staff in the House take to the ergo in the common room from 6am to 8.10pm yesterday in ten minute slots, which raised over £600 for the school’s charities – The Camelthorn Foundation; CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young; Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Congratulations to all! Further donations can be made here.

Newly-capped England U18 Six Nations player Elliot Williams does his stint in the Balmoral House ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ row for charity. Every member of the House, both staff and students, are rowing for ten minutes each in the common room between 0605 and 2010hrs for the school charities. To sponsor Team Balmoral, please click here.

From residential and day boarding at Gordon's to snow boarding in Italy! Over the Easter holidays, it was the turn of the younger year groups in the school to hit the ski slopes. The group of students, from Years 7-10 headed to Bardonecchia, where they enjoyed five hours of ski tuition a day in the beautiful Susa Valley, as well as plenty of apres ski fun.

Happy Easter from all at Gordon’s! here are a few of the imaginative paper mache giant Easter eggs made by residential boarders for an Easter Egg Competition.