As Promised!

 'Somewhere In My Memory'

 A Christmas Market 

Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël!

A huge thank you to our German tutor, Eva and our French Tutor, François who helped to run the MFL Christmas Market stall this week, enabling students in Years 7 and 8 to experience this aspect of culture and tradition.

Students got the chance to experience the taste and smell of traditional Christmas food, such as waffels, crêpes, double chocolate biscuits and Lebkuchen (gingerbread biscuits) which are all typically sold at the Christmas Markets in France and Germany.

Students ordered their preferred food in German or French, before paying the correct amount from their plastic euros. They did an excellent job of interacting with the market sellers and ordering and paying for their snacks in target language!

Year 7 students have also been learning about the 1914 Christmas Day truce and some got to re-enact the moment when fighting ceased and gifts were exchanged between the two sides.

Congratulations to Robert from 7NBI who won the MFL Christmas competition and Tudor from 7JDO who won a Weihnachtswichtel (Christmas elf) as part of the German Christmas elf tongue twister competition!

Congratulations to Caitlin, Laura and Layla who all achieved 100% in the recent Year 11 exams.

Finally, a thank you to all the Year 10 Language Leaders for their hard work and positive contributions towards the development of ideas and resources in MFL this term.

Miss Finney

Acts of Kindness

This afternoon Mrs Lyddon and some Year 8 students, visited Jackman’s Lodge Care Home to deliver the Christmas parcels, letters and cards from our wonderful year 8 students.  

The staff and residents were delighted to receive the tins of biscuits, shortbread, Christmas cake, chocolate cake, mince pies, tea and coffee and the very thoughtful hand made Christmas cards and letters.  

Our year group values are Kindness, Respect, Community and this kind gesture has certainly demonstrated all three!

Have a wonderful Christmas 🎄 

Mrs Lyddon

A Snowy Winston!

 No Clouds, Just Snow!

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With the help of some good friends of Winston, we finished the term with snow fall at the back gate and the sports gate.  This was behind the last door on our Advent Calendar.

A huge thank you to Mr Penfold, Miss Nye, Miss Elliot and Mr Coll for creating and managing the calendar this year.  It has been a great success.  We hope that you all enjoyed participating and each day is still on Frog for you to see, including the flying reindeer. 

Generous Parents Making a Difference

Below is just a very small sample of the gift boxes of essential food items being delivered  by Ms Knight and Mr Flood during this week.  Thank you to our parents for all of your donations, it has ensured that we have been able to support many more families, than originally planned.  It is making a difference and has meant a great deal.

Thank you!  🎁

Creative Christmas

 A Creative Christmas!

Year 10 were set the challenge of making a Christmas cake in a tin can. Although some students had to make and decorate them whilst self-isolating, everyone participated.  I am sure you will be impressed with the cakes in the images below.  Well done Year 10! 

Latin in Action

Students are taking advantage of the smaller class size, to filming their courtroom drama, 'in basilica' in Latin using the stage in the main hall. 

At the same time, students have been producing creative responses to the same text from home, showing ingenuity and resourcefulness to produce lego reconstructions and animated courtroom sketches, among other media. 

Christmas Biscuits

Mrs Vadi's lovely Year 7 class ( 7C3) were offered a cooking demonstration by a fellow classmate. Melissa demonstrated how to make Christmas Glass-Stained Window Biscuits. Afterwards they each got to enjoy the buttery biscuits .

Jingle Bells!

 Making Music Together

Over 50 students contribute videos or audio tracks for Jingle Bells and from across all year groups. We even had some of our violin scheme students, in Year 7, contribute, which is a great achievement after only a few weeks of tuition.

If you enjoy this, then keep looking at the blog for the next performance; 'Somewhere In My Memory' from the film Home Alone.

 Thank you Mr Drake for creating this video.

Christmas Thoughts

 Sharing Christmas Thoughts and Kindness

Year 7 and Year 8 have sent everyone in Winston a lovely, thoughtful Christmas card, which is displayed in the main foyer of the school.

Thank you students, I have enjoyed reading your wonderful messages.

What's New at Winston

 Discovery Space

While everyone might be spending a little more time at home than usual, now is the perfect opportunity to get involved in one of our reading challenges; The Discover Reading Challenge. Come into the Library to find out more information and take a challenge sheet. What will you discover?

Behind Door Number 4

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Mr Penfold, Mr Harrington-Tucker and Ms Nye offering cream and marshmallows' to go on top of hot chocolate!

Welcome to Music

If you are in Ms Shlackman's groups then this is your new teaching space.

Something Different Inspires!

 GASP Mechanics 

At the start of the term eight boys, from Year 10, completed the GASP Mechanic's project. Over the six week course the boys learnt about the different aspects of mechanics and improving teamwork and communication skills. The course finished with the boys building a small Go-Kart.  They were lucky enough to have a go in the Go-kart and even Mrs Walton had a go in the Go-kart and lives to tell the tale. Well Done Boys ! 

Army Programme

A group of thirty Year 10 students have completed the School Module Programme, with the Army, this half term. They have completed a number of different modules across the six weeks including,  planning, Values of the Army, teamwork, leadership and Health and Fitness. This has been a great programme for students who aspire to be in the Army but also students who want to develop their personal skills.  

The session the students really enjoyed the unit on health fitness, where they dressed as soldiers and had to work as a team to carry equipment across an assault course. 

Chelsea FC

Through our relationship with Chelsea FC, we were offered the opportunity to work with Chelsea FC Foundation with their 'Inspire' program which runs with the Premier League and the social youth voice action #iwill campaign. The 'Inspire' program includes work towards a Princes Trust Achieve Award certificate.

A Chelsea representative visits our school and together we deliver a weekly 20 hour 'Inspire' educational programme, to a group of students, in both Year 7 & Year 8, who want to reach their potential. 

By participating in this programme, the selected students will gain maximum benefits; be able to improve their relationships with their peers; and their own self-belief. The content of their Digital Intelligence Framework is designed to inspire and engage students in a smaller group setting.  The students develop key skills to support them to reach their potential in the digital world and in turn, improve their confidence with their learning throughout their educational years. Both the year groups have impressed with their commitment to the course. 

Let's Sparkle at Winston

 Christmas has arrived in the Library! 

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 Back by popular demand, the 'Not so Secret Santa' book recommendations from staff are back for students to come and browse. Choose a book based on the description given on the tag, check it out, unwrap and enjoy over the Christmas holidays!

Warm up with a good book this winter; choose from a selection of popular titles to enjoy in December. Need help for a recommendation? Just ask Miss Dodds and she can help you choose. 

Ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated around the world? Find out in the Library by reading some of the 'Christmas Traditions' cards and gain an understanding of a range of other cultures. 

Students have been reading more than ever, with over 1800 books checked out of the Library so far this term, which is almost triple the amount at this time last year, so a big well done! Keep up the fantastic reading over the holidays and in 2021. Make sure you pop by to come and choose your holiday read!

Miss Dodds 📚

Our Winston Advent Calendar!

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HAPPY DECEMBER 1ST!

 

Today marks the start of our advent calendar, which means activity number 1 can be found by clicking the link below. We start of with an inter-form Christmas Quiz.

11 questions

1 attempt at each

The form with the highest score will win our first Christmas Prize!

 

https://frog.wcsc.org.uk/e3c4693f4c9267feafa84b724f94a419/christmas-quiz 

Merry Quizmas

Mr Penfold

Our Tree!

Thank you to Homebase, in Woking, for donating the Christmas Tree again this year.  It is very much appreciated.