Visiting Williams F1 Racing

Our students had an unforgettable experience visiting the Williams F1 headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire, where they enjoyed racing each other on advanced e-sports simulators and tested their engineering skills by crash-testing their own designed nose cones. This exclusive day was not only thrilling but also educational, leaving them with lasting memories and insights into the world of Formula 1 engineering. Our students received keepsake souvenirs from Williams adding an even more exciting touch to their visit. 

A huge thank you to Dr Atwal for organising this and to all the staff supported this great trip.

Staying at Durham University

24 Year 10 students travelled to the Van Mildert College on Thursday for their annual University residential. 

After being given the keys to their university accommodation, suitcases were unpacked and the activities kicked of with team building and ice breakers. The four day experience includes karaoke, Dragon's Den, Sports, mini Olympics, careers talks, quizzes, challenges and a whole host of tasks designed to build confidence and ambition. 

Our students are joined by another local school and always make life long friends.

This is our fourth year participating in the YPP project and the fully funded trip really does change the lives and aspirations of our students. 

Courtney in Year 10 said, "We have developed teamwork skills and it has given me an insight into what University life is like. It has made me think University would be a lot of fun. I have decided to study A Level Biology, Literature and Psychology before doing a degree in Psychology."

Thank you to Mr Talbot for organising this and all staff who have given up their evenings and weekends to accompany the students. 

Planning ways to change the world

School Council have also been out of school this week as part of our ALP Advantage programme. The focus for this event was Sustainability. 7 students visited Wolsingham school to take part in a sustainability project. 

Students designed their own sustainable pen using some excellent creative ideas to reduce the impact on the environment. As a group, students also shared their ideas on how as a school we can look after the environment and be more sustainable, the students submitted their proposal to be viewed by ALP leaders.  

Well done everyone!

Having a go at archery

Year 7, 8, and 9 Boys Enjoy an Exciting Day of Archery

On Monday, 24th March, students from Years 7, 8, and 9 had the opportunity to take part in an exciting archery session with St Giles Archers as part of their PE lessons.

The boys were introduced to the fundamentals of archery, beginning with the all-important safety aspects before learning about the equipment and how to use it correctly. Under expert guidance, the students practiced their shooting skills, with many getting multiple attempts to refine their technique. Some even demonstrated impressive accuracy, managing to hit the bullseye on several occasions!

The day was a great success, with students enjoying the challenge and the opportunity to try something different. St Giles Archery Club will be returning in a couple of weeks to provide the same experience for the girls, ensuring everyone gets a chance to take part in this thrilling sport.

I would like to thank Nathan Davis, Colin Major and Michael Mount for giving their time and expertise so our students could experience the sport in a safe and supporting environment.

The club is based at Durham Academy School and they train every Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm. If you would like to give this great sport a go, please contact the club on the details below.

Nathan Davis:

tournamentsstgiles@gmail.com

Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/share/18pCurrJ8d/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Thank you to Mr Bewley for organising this. 

Celebrating great attendance

A huge well done to Year 10 this week who had 93% attendance. 

Rewarding Year 11 students

This time of year is always tough for Year 11. Their upcoming exams are on the horizon and the time left to prepare is dwindling. We know they need extra encouragement and support to stay focused and calm and so we always build in special star rewards for Year 11 in the lead up to Easter. This week saw students enjoy a very special lunch delivery for everyone who had attended every lesson and revision session over the last two weeks. 

Well done Year 11. We are very proud of you.