Putting Theory into Practice

McLaren Manufacturing Challenge

Ms Blackman and Mr Gunnoo took a team of Winston students to participate in the McLaren Manufacturing Challenge on Monday 10th November.

The students who were eager to participate in this opportunity were Zak Churcher, Ed Phillips, Thomas Dreys, Imogen Bradfield and Sophia Dobson, all from Year 10.  They achieved a very creditable fourth place in the competition.

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A number of the McLaren workers were supporting the Winston Team, as many of them had once attended Winston.  This reinforced our perception that local young people will be given opportunities to work for this prestigious company.

We would like to thank McLaren for organising such a fantastic day.

 Practical Skills in Technology

Year 7 preparing crumbles

Year 8 preparing scones

Making a mobile phone holder

Parents Learn the Winston Way

On Thursday evening a large number of parents joined the Maths Department, with their son or daughter to discover how we teach Maths at Winston.

SHAPE Maths Competition

As part of our drive to ensure that able students are challenged, we have elected to participate in the SHAPE Maths Competition run by the Surrey Heath Schools.  Each team consisted of three students and we were represented by Years 7, 8 and 9.  Six schools attended and our highest placed team was the Year 7s, who came 2^nd  in the overall competition.

Year 7 working hard.

Winston Remembers.

Winston's Tribute to the Fallen

Key stage 3 students have been designing and making poppies in their Art Lessons to create this moving display.  Each poppy is different and they have been mounted to represent the fallen soldiers.

 Year 9 Visit to Ypres

Eighty Year 9 students have visited Ypres this term - they had the opportunity to walked through German trenches, paid a visit to Tyne Cot, the largest British war cemetery in the world and compared it with Langemark German cemetery.  We also visited Essex Farm cemetery to pay our respects to the youngest fallen British soldier of the war in that area - Private V.J. Strudwick - who was just 15 years old...barely older than the students themselves. On both trips, our students laid a poppy wreath as part of the Last Post service at the Menin Gate on behalf of the staff and students of our school.  

 A member of the public, Colin Hayward phoned the school to say that he was in Ypres on Friday, with three friends, as it was 100 years to the day that a relative was sadly killed.  Colin wanted to congratulate the school on the excellent behaviour of our students.  He said they were very courteous to others, interested in what was going on and lovely to talk to. Colin was very impressed that the students laid a wreath in memory of those who had lost their lives.

 

Woking: Sunday 9th November

A small group of Winston students, led by the Head Boy, Freddie Fisk and Head Girl, Danielle Ariyo-Francis, laid a wreath at the Remembrance Service in Jubilee Square on Sunday 9th November and afterwards joined the procession.  Mike Smith, a governor at the school and Past Mayor, remarked that he had received many favourable comments about Winston's participation and congratulated the school.

Winston: Monday 10th November

Students in a Year 8 English class were asked to complete the following piece of work, which ensured that they were able to describe the conditions found in the trenches by new recruits.  Some students decided to protect their loved ones from the truth and had to skilfully disguise the reality.

Year 8 students in Mr Hough's science lesson looked at medicine in WW1 and how the war changed how we approach battlefield medicine today. The students in 8W6 were then challenged to learn how to do sutures as part of this. They took to it fantastically and did very well.

Our LSA, Gavin Henry, taught them how to do the stitching on pieces of chicken. He then went around and judged them.  The stitches, although not perfect would have been perfectly suitable if you had been wounded.

 

 

 

 

Winston: Tuesday 11th November

Just before 11.00am on Tuesday 11th November the school fell silent for the Last Post, played by Mr Mackula and then two minutes silence, before the students went out for break.

Mr Mackula and Students prior to the Last Post being played.

Catching Up!

Dear Parents and Friends of The Winston Churchill School,

As you will have noticed, I have not been able to maintain my blog recently but wanted to thank everyone for their kindness and support for my family over the last few weeks.  You can be reassured that I will be posting as much information as I can about the school, in the coming weeks and celebrating the successes experienced by our students and staff.

Thank you for your understanding.

Zoe Johnson-Walker
Headteacher

Year 7 Assembly

In an assembly before half term Year 7s were awarded with their Sports Representative and Form Representative  badges.  These will provide excellent leadership opportunities for all concerned.

Teachmeet

On Tuesday staff elected to stay to join a teachmeet session aimed at sharing and collaborating on imaginative and engaging ways to enhance pupil progress.  Our staff are focussed on ensuring that students experience the best possible lessons.

 

GCSE Music Students Experience a World Class Orchestra

The second Music Department event of the week, following the Year 7 Surrey Arts visit on Thursday, saw Year 10 GCSE Music students travel to The Anvil, Basingstoke, on Friday evening. They were treated to a world-class concert by the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra with highlights including Tchaikovsky's incredible 6th Symphony and Nimrod from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations. For a number of the students this was the first time that they had been to a classical music concert but all of them came away buzzing about what they had seen. 

Surrey Arts Workshops: 06.11.14

On Thursday 6^th November the Music Department welcomed seven instrumental tutors from Surrey Arts to Winston. They put on a series of workshops that every student in Year 7 was able to take part in. The workshops showcased a range of brass, woodwind and string instruments and students were able to have a go at playing themselves. The Year 7 students were exceptional and the Surrey Arts tutors commented on the high level of behaviour and enthusiasm shown in every workshop.

All Year 7 students were issued with a form about instrumental lessons following the workshops. If parents would like their child to have lessons through Surrey Arts they should complete the form and return it to Mr Drake in M2 as soon as possible.