Skip to content ↓

news and Announcements

August 2022

  • A YEAR IN REVIEW

    Published 30/08/22

    A taste of the past year at Gordon’s as we say au revoir to our Year 13 leavers and look forward to welcoming our new intake as well as returning students. What an incredible year! Visitors have included the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of Dorking, HRH Princess Beatrice, Paralympic Gold Medallist Gordonian Hannah Russell OBE (and some hatching chicken eggs!). Our sportsmen and women have excelled on pitches, greens, Astro and water (to name but a few!), for school, county and country and our Pipes and Drums have celebrated 80 years with almost as many engagements. Two musical productions, MUN, debating, giving back and outstanding academic results. No doubt our students #bleedgreen! Here’s to another amazing year! For full video, please see below: 

     

    Read More
  • GCSE Students buck national trend

    Published 25/08/22

    Gordon’s students have bucked the national trend, recording excellent results in both A Level and GCSE exams. Almost half of those taking their GCSEs this year were awarded the highest grades; nearly all made the pass rate, the vast majority gaining the historic ‘gold standard’ of five or more GCSE grades, including English Language and Maths. BTEC students also excelled, averaging a merit grade.

    Today’s GCSE results, which saw 96% of papers marked for Gordon’s students with a pass or better (Grades 9-4), far outstripped the national average of 73%.

    Ninety four per cent of students gained  five or more GCSE grades, including English Language and Maths and the percentage of students achieving the highest grades (Grades 9-7) was 48% - over 20 per centage higher than the national average of 26%.

    Headmaster Andrew Moss has paid tribute to the students for displaying resilience, determination in what has been a difficult time for them. He said: “I am delighted that the efforts of both staff and students have been reflected in this year’s results.” For a full break down of the results, please click here.

    Read More
  • GCSE Results Day 2022

    Published 24/08/22

    Best of luck to all our students waiting for their GCSE and BTEC results tomorrow. Results will be ready for collection in the Rec at 10am and will be emailed to students’ school accounts from 10.30am.

    Read More
  • Piping for the Angry Salmon

    Published 22/08/22

    Not only did she act, sing and dance in the British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) production of the Angry Salmon but Alice Kermeen also added a Scottish twist by playing the bagpipes! The play, performed over two nights at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, tells the story of salmon escaping from farms without being equipped for life in the wild. Alice, whose performances have been enjoyed at many of the school’s musical shows, played alongside a cast of 13-21 year olds in this outstanding production.

    Read More
  • PILGRIMS' PROGRESS

    Published 19/08/22

    Congratulations to two Sixth Form students, Daniel Drakeford (pictured left, below) and Isaac Johnson, who embarked on the challenge of the Via Francigena a 1,900km pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome.

    During their trek along the historic UNESCO trail through the Alps, they encountered a wild boar and searing temperatures. They tried walking at night and sought sanctuary in cool churches where they could, but a combination of heatstroke and heart-related problems ended the pilgrimage before reaching Rome. However, the pair achieved between 475 and 500 miles (around the same distance of Gordon's to Aviemore, Scotland!). In doing so, they have raised £960 towards the building of Gordon's House,  the girls' boarding house in Zimbabwe.

    Isaac commented afterwards: "We have vowed to return in the future and complete the journey and have both agreed not to visit Rome until we have walked there, so that we may have earned it. I think that we were proud of how far we had come while still being disappointed at not being able to complete the whole journey."

    Thank you to all those who supported them on their journey.

     For further details on their challenge and Gordon’s House, please click here.

     

    Read More
  • 'Outstanding' A Level Results

    Published 18/08/22

    A Level and BTEC students are celebrating today after recording an outstanding set of results. Sixth Form A Level students all passed three or more with over 48% achieving A*-A grades, well above the national average quoted as 36.4%. BTEC students secured an average grade of distinction. As well as securing places at Cambridge, two students will take up places at Leeds Conservatoire to study Music and Performing Arts and three golfers have been awarded scholarships to universities in America and another a football and academic scholarship in America.  Headmaster Andrew Moss said: “These results are outstanding and testament to the resilience and ability of our students in the face of what has been an incredibly difficult period in which to study for their A Levels. We are delighted at what they have achieved through their hard work and determination together with that of our staff and their dedication in helping students accomplish their very best.”  For further information on the examination results, please click here.

    Read More
  • The Waiting is Almost Over...

    Published 17/08/22

    Wishing all our Year 13 students the best of luck tomorrow for results day. We look forward to welcoming them into school from 8am. Alternatively, results will be sent via email from 8.30am.

    Read More
  • Making history in 80th anniversary year

    Published 15/08/22

    In less than a year they have taken part in the Armed Forces Day Military Convoy, Surrey Police Pass Off Parade, Remembrance Service at Menin Gate, Ypres and played alongside the 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logic Regiment Pipes and Drums (and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers) to name but a few. At the weekend the Pipes and Drums, celebrating their 80th Anniversary this year, set their sights on the international stage for the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. Competing against the best from across the globe, our Pipes and Drums took 13th place in Novice Juvenile B in their first ever appearance at the prestigious event. Their Senior Pipe Major Iona Scotson enthused: "What these students achieve in such a short space of time, is amazing. Some have only been playing for three years; so to be able to come up to Glasgow and compete at this level is something they should be so proud of! However the result isn't what matters. What matters is the courage, diligence and teamwork in preparation to even step up to that line in the arena. But more so, that they have fun doing what they're doing, make memories they can cherish for a lifetime and relish friendships that develop and strengthen along the way. And I hope that in some way or other, this trip has inspired them in their piping and drumming and shown them how diverse and fun the Pipe Band world, in all its different strains, can be; so much so that they continue with it later on in life."

    Read More
  • STEM boost

    Published 12/08/22

    Finishing touches being made to the new Science laboratory, which will allow students to undertake more practical work in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and reflects the growing popularity of this STEM subject as well as the changes to the GCSE and A Level specifications. The science laboratory is the school’s seventh and has been made possible thanks to a £44,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation which supports and promotes excellence in education.

    Building and renovation works being carried out this Summer also include enlarging and relocating the Fitness Suite to the Sports Hub; the former Fitness Suite on the Parade Square becoming a second art studio; the refurbishment of the Simmons Memorial Library; addition of a new Science classroom next to Sudan and work to Sandringham and Balmoral Houses as part of the first phase of a five year £1 million refurbishment to senior Residential Boarding Houses.

    Read More
  • Piping Live!

    Published 11/08/22

    Performing in the beautiful Glasgow sunshine this afternoon, the Gordon’s Pipes and Drums. The band is taking part in the annual Piping Live! Festival, playing at the Glasgow Concert Hall, Buchanan Street and St Enoch. Tomorrow it's off to Glasgow Green for the World Pipe Band Championships!

     

    Read More
  • Pipers make history in Scotland

    Published 03/08/22

    Believed to be the first English juvenile pipe band to take part in the Scottish Pipe Band Championships for a very long time, if not ever, pipers from Gordon’s, together with Senior Pipe Major Iona Scotson competed against 110 other bands in the prestigious competition. Mrs Scotson said afterwards: “A short, yet sweet trip; and whilst not getting placed, new experiences were had and memories were made to treasure. There are things to work on, but the only way is up. Hugely proud of these guys. Nobody can fault their continuous enthusiasm, resilience and commitment but more importantly their team ethos and that above all else, is what is most important”.

    Gordon's Pipes and Drums are this year celebrating their 80th Anniversary of being on the Surrey Heath site of the school and have been involved in around 40 public performances, ranging from playing alongside the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and the 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment Pipes and Drums to taking part in the Armed Forces Day Military Convoy and the Menin Gate Service of Remembrance. Next week they are off to Glasgow again for Piping Live and the World Pipe Band Championships!

    Read More
  • Costa Rica for global citizen award winner

    Published 02/08/22

    The start of his adventure of a life time – Edward de Vries, winner of the inaugural Wynter Bee Global Citizen Award, has arrived in Costa Rica. Edward will spend two weeks on an all-expenses paid trip to take part in conservation and development work. As well as keeping track of the population of indigenous species there by trekking in the forest and setting up camera traps, Edward will be canoeing down the rivers of Tortuguero National Park to observe rare bird species and heading out at night to spot mother turtles making their nests on the beach.

    Read More