Welcome to our weekly bulletin,

As we continue to prepare for our big move, there is an increasing sense of excitement across the school. With more updates, developments and milestones emerging week on week, we look forward to keeping our families informed as we get ever closer to this important next chapter for our school community.

This week, we are also delighted to introduce a new weekly feature: our Subject Spotlight. Each week, we will shine a light on a different subject, celebrating the fantastic learning taking place in classrooms and giving families an insight into the knowledge, skills and experiences our students are developing. We hope this new feature will showcase the breadth of our curriculum and the enthusiasm of both our students and staff.

This week has been a busy and exciting one in the English Faculty, as students across the school have been putting their writing skills into practice through a range of assessments linked closely to their current units of study. Writing Week gives students the opportunity to demonstrate how they can apply the knowledge, vocabulary and writing techniques they have developed in lessons.

In Year 7, students have been creating vivid descriptions of their own Greek monsters, building on their study of Greek myths. They have been developing their use of ambitious vocabulary, imagery and descriptive techniques to bring their mythical creatures to life.

Year 8 students have been exploring Gothic literature and have put their knowledge of the genre into practice by writing a detailed description of a Gothic character. Their writing has focused on creating atmosphere, developing character and using carefully selected language to engage the reader.

In Year 9, students have been writing a letter as Queenie from Helen Edmundson's Small Island. This task has challenged students to consider character voice, emotion, perspective and appropriate register while demonstrating their understanding of the play and its characters.

For Year 10, students are completing their first formal assessment on A Christmas Carol. This marks an important milestone as they begin developing the analytical writing skills they will need for GCSE English Literature.

Meanwhile, Year 11 students are continuing with completing fortnightly assessments linked to their current unit of study, An Inspector Calls. These regular assessments allow students to practise their exam skills, demonstrate their understanding and identify areas for further development as they prepare for their GCSE examinations.

Writing Week is a great opportunity to see students applying their learning across every year group and developing the confidence, ambition and precision needed to become successful writers.