Celebrating Year 11

 Festival of Celebration

Five years seems like a long time when your 11 years old and then suddenly it's over and you are leaving Winston!

Today students went from the final core exam, Maths, straight into the Leavers Assembly, planned and presented by Ms Shahid.  There was a buzz of excitement around the hall, as a whole range of awards were made and trophies handed out! It is the last time that the Year Group will all be together and they were generous and vocal with their support for each other, throughout the assembly.

Then the students received a round of applause as they walked up to the field.  Students and staff stopped work to come out onto the patio to celebrate the Year 11 students and provide recognition that they are almost at the end of their time in the school.

Once on the field, shirt signing came first, then ice-cream, burgers and games. Mrs Jones had planned and organised the afternoon, which also included collecting hoodies and year books!

And on the field...

A huge thank you to Mrs Jones and Ms Shahid, who have been planning today's events for weeks.

Well done Year 11! We wish you every success for your future.  As sad as it is to leave, you have a sparkling future ahead.

Zoe Johnson-Walker

Headteacher

Science Club and Volleyball

 Mixed Grill

Last week, science clubbers participated in Mr Pearson's Mixed Grill (no we didn't really eat anything). Students were able to dissect sheep lungs, heart, and kidneys to see their internal structure and satisfy their curiosity.

Mr Pearson

Year 7 Boys' PE 

Year 7 boys took part in their 2nd Volleyball lesson and the progress they made was incredible. Underarm serve and volley was being applied in small games, while looking for space, developing their movement with the "3 point contact catch". Some excellent work and great motivation being shown by this group. 

Mrs Smith 

Osmington Bay

 Year 8 Developing Independence, Resilience and Communication Skills

Over the half-term break, our Year 8 students set off for an unforgettable 3-night adventure to Osmington Bay with PGL – and what a trip it was! From the moment we arrived (in matching new hoodies, of course), the energy was high and the excitement was contagious.

Across the four days, students threw themselves – sometimes quite literally – into a huge range of activities. Whether it was soaring through the air on the zipwire, taking a leap of faith on the trapeze, working together to build and float their own rafts, or going head-to-head (or against teachers) in laser tag and archery tag, everyone got stuck in with enthusiasm. 

What made the trip truly memorable was the way students supported one another. From overcoming fears on the high ropes to solving challenges as a team, they showed fantastic resilience, teamwork, and determination. Many discovered strengths they didn’t know they had – and had a brilliant time doing it.

It was four days full of fresh air, new friendships, and memories. A huge thank you to the staff and PGL team who helped make it all happen.

Ms Dunlop; Deputy Year Leader

Classroom Learning and Oxford Bound

 Tectonic Plates

Year 9 have been recently learning all about tectonic plates in their Geography lessons. By applying their knowledge and understanding they were able to plan/create their very own 3D models of tectonic plates onto a globe.

Students had to produce a detailed plan based on their previous lessons and show ingenuity to create their own 3D models. 

Year 9 students are now beginning their GCSE options, with many of the 9WN cohort carrying on their studies of geography! 

Mr Fuller

Year 10 visit to St. Hilda’s College, Oxford University

Before half term, 14 Year 10 students were fortunate enough to attend a taster day at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford. They learnt about life at Oxford University, how to apply to Oxbridge and the type of courses on offer. Two students from the University were on hand to answer any questions and gave a guided tour of the college. After a fabulous lunch in the dining hall, our students were treated to a fascinating academic lecture by one the college’s master's students, where they looked at the history of the human body.

After leaving the college, we took a short walk into the city to visit the colleges of All Souls and Exeter, and this provided our students with the opportunity to see some of the oldest buildings that the university has to offer. Many preferred the newer design of St. Hilda’s! As ever, our students were fully engaged and a credit to the school. The students were inspired to apply to university, including Oxbridge and they know that anything is possible with hard work and commitment.

Mr Costard

Deputy Head Geography

Music Recitals

Recital Videos

Please see below two videos; one is a big montage of all the recitals this year and the second video is a montage of the most recent Year 7 recital.

On Thursday 22nd May the Music Department held our forth recital evening of the academic year, this time for Year 7 students. This was their first opportunity to perform as soloists at Winston and all of the students who participated gave exceptional performances. Amongst the highlights were Eleanor performing her Grade 5 trumpet piece, Oliver singing the challenging song 'Lost In The Woods', Sophie performing her Grade 6 guitar piece, and Lucy singing 'Times Are Hard for Dreamers' from Amelie. An audience of over 100 were there to support those taking part and along with those involved gave each and every performer the fantastic round of applause they deserved.

We have a phenomenal level of engagement in music from Winston students and, with the standard being so high at each of the Y7, Y8, Y9 and KS4 recitals.  

The level and range of talented musicians we have here exceptional and so many have started their musical journey once they joined Winston. 

A reminder: We are now looking forward to our Young Musician of the Year competition which will take place on Wednesday 25^th June and our 100 Years of Musicals which is running on Wednesday 9^th and Thursday 10^th July.

Student Leaders

 Your Student Leaders

Introducing your student council for the coming academic year : 

Head Students :  Nour and Rishant   

House Captains: Natalia, Archie, Holly and Jeremiah 

They are delighted to represent Winston Churchill’s student body and are determined to represent you and your voice. 

Your student council, understands that effective leadership means listening to others, working efficiently and collaborating effectively to the benefit of all students, creating an inclusive environment. 

Their aim is to instil a sense of community, setting a positive example and to leave a legacy for future Winston students. 

Watch this space for future updates such as house competitions, town hall meetings much more!