In May we performed two runs of 'A New Fairytale', this year's musical, written by our very own Year 10 student, Hayden Carey. The story showed an amalgamation of fairy tale characters in a creative story, interspersed with songs from the 60s to the modern day! Everyone involved did a phenomenal job; all of the performers demonstrated excellent talent and even more amazing confidence. The musicians performed fantastically, and created such a buzz in the musical numbers. Huge thanks to everyone involved, that is all the cast and backstage crew ranging from Year 7 through to Sixth Form, Darcey Yearley and Faith Trustram assistant directing, Mrs Young for directing, Mrs Hillwalker and Mrs Boyd-Leslie for directing the musicians and               Mr Devine on the technical side of things. 

Vehicles on school grounds

Remember that vehicles should not be driven onto campus unless you are authorised to do so by the school office.  Please park and walk.  Unauthorised drivers are increasing the risk of accident by significantly adding to the volume of traffic.

 If authorised to do so, parents should drop-off directly in front of reception.  Please do not use the parking bays for drop-off.  The car-park directly in front of school is for staff vehicles only.

Please also be reminded that vehicle engines should be switched off when dropping off, or waiting for  students to come out of school.   Idling  causes air pollution which is harmful to the school community.  

Step into NHS

Well done to three Year 8 students, Roisin Carey-Jones, Hannah Jaggers and Catherine Smythe who entered the Step Into NHS Competition.  Their recruitment video and poster for a Play Specialist was chosen as the JCS entry and has been entered into the regional competition.

Timbers trip to Ercol Factory

Our Year 10 Timbers students had a very interesting morning visiting Ercol Furniture Ltd finding out about manufacturing of wooden furniture and apprenticeship opportunities.

MACH 24 Trip

Some of our Year 10 students enjoyed a visit to the MACH 24 Exhibition at the NEC looking at various manufacturing exhibitors from a range of different sectors.

Iceland

Our unforgettable school trip to Iceland began with a flight into Reykjavik, where we loaded our bags onto our coach, and our experience began.

We first visited ‘Fly Over Iceland’ which gave us a taste of Iceland's history, and a unique perspective above mountains, waterfalls, and rivers all across the country.

On the second day in, we visited the Volcano Centre, which gave us an insight to the sheer amount of volcanoes, active and dormant, all across Iceland. We were also told more about the two plates that cross Iceland in the middle, and how they affect the tectonic activity in the area. In addition to this, we also had the opportunity to explore two incredibly stunning waterfalls, though most of us got drenched, as water was flying everywhere. We also walked to a huge glacier. Its sheer size was truly breathtaking, and its glistening surfaces in the water were truly beautiful.

On the third day of our adventure, we embarked on a journey around a breathtakingly beautiful crater which housed a small frozen lake in the centre. Following our exploration of the crater, we made our way to a hidden gem known as the 'Secret Lagoon'. The 'Secret Lagoon' is a unique natural bath that is heated by the earth's geothermal hot springs. Immersing ourselves in its warm, soothing waters, we experienced a sense of relaxation and rejuvenation that only nature can provide.

On that night we saw possibly the most anticipated part of the trip, The Northern Lights. We patiently waited until the early morning, and were rewarded with a dazzling display of the Aurora Borealis, a spectacle of green and purple lights dancing across the night sky. It was a moment of pure magic that left us in awe.

The trip was not only about sightseeing but also learning about the geology, ecology, and history of Iceland. We learned about the country's extensive geothermal activity, its unique landscapes formed by volcanic eruptions and glacial movements, and its Viking history.

As we returned home, we carried with us not just souvenirs, but also a deeper appreciation for nature's beauty, a better understanding of a different culture, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Article by Finley Bayliss.

First World War history trip to Somme and Verdun

On Saturday morning we arrived at John Colet at around 7am to begin our journey to France to see the battlefields of the First World War in the Somme and Ypres. Our first stop was Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery where we found out about some of the 30 nationalities buried there. We hear stories about Nurse Nellie Spindler, William Baker who was shot at dawn and John Rapael who was an English cricket and Rugby player. The weather was fantastic and we arrived in Ypres around 4pm and were assigned our rooms. We had a few hours to ourselves to make our beds and chill out- there was a games room which is where my friends and I spent a lot of time in having competitive pool tournaments.   In the evening we walked through the town to a restaurant for dinner and after that we got a little more free time back at the hostel before bed. 

On Saturday and Sunday we explored the battlefields around Ypres, visiting the graves of Valentine Strudwick, who was one of the youngest soldiers to die on the Western Front. Near this was the location where the poem, In Flanders Field was written and where we get the poppy symbol from. We then visited two sets of preserved trenches which gave a great idea of the conditions in which soldiers had to live and fight. One of the main visits for the day was to Langemark German cemetery, this is a truly sombre place with a mass grave containing the remains of over 26,000 individuals. 

Ypres is also home to the cat festival, which is shown every three years. The streets were filled with people, there were lots of costumes and a carnival atmosphere that peaked with toy cats being thrown from the cloth hall. 

On Tuesday we were up and out early to learn about the events of the first day of fighting in the Battle of the Somme; 1 July 1916. Our first stop in the Somme was the Lochnagar crater; our guide Mr Clarke explained that this huge crater was created a mine that the British exploded under the German front line on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. It was so interesting to see the actual fields where men had fought and died 100 years ago and to get an idea of the scale of this conflict. After this we stopped at a cemetery and heard some of the personal stories behind the men who fought.the Thiepval Memorial, which bears the names of 72,000 men whose bodies were never found after the Battle of the Somme. Mr Clarke explained that bodies are still being found today. We then walked across what would have been the battlefield and heard lots of stories about the brave men who fought there.  In the afternoon we visited Newfoundland Park which is a memorial to the Canadian men who fought on the Somme.

After this we made our way back home to calais to get back on the Eurostar train!