Term 4 Newsletter 2025
Dear Parents, Carers and Students
As we reach the end of another busy term, it is great to have the opportunity to reflect upon all that has been achieved over the last few weeks. Obviously this term has been particularly crucial for our Year 11 and Year 13 students, who will shortly be leaving us to embark upon their GCSEs and A Levels. We know how hard they have been working and how much time and effort their teachers and support staff have devoted to preparing them for the upcoming exams. We are proud of all that the students have already achieved and wish them every success in the coming months.
In this newsletter you will also be able to read about a whole range of additional highlights of this term - including trips, workshops, school events and charity activities - and we hope that you enjoy this insight into the day to day reality of our vibrant and busy school!
As ever, we are delighted that our students have such a rich and varied range of activities on offer and we are always pleased to have the opportunity to share some of these with you. Many of you will have attended the fantastic school production of ‘Oliver! Jr’ or watched one of the many sporting fixtures that our students played in this term; you may have supported your children in learning their poems for ‘Poetry by Heart’ or in creating a fascinating science research project - or perhaps you attended the PTFA Quiz - whatever you have provided support for this term, thank you. We hope that you all have a lovely Easter.
Best wishes
Mrs A J McIlroy
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at the Woodville Theatre 
On Friday 28th February, the English Department took 130 Year 10 students to the Woodville Theatre in Gravesend to see a performance of the GCSE text Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The general opinion was that it was a good revision of the story, characters and themes and we had an enjoyable and educational afternoon out.
'Is it cake?' Competition and cake decorating with jane beedle
The final of the 'Is it cake?' competition took place recently. Head Judge, Jane Beedle (former Great British Bake Off finalist), commented on the exceptionally high standard from our students. This was a great competition, in which all finalists were outstanding and the results were extremely close.
The results are as follows:
- In third place was Jacques M-C (Year 7) with his Christmas candle
- In second place was Lana R (Year 8) with her red apple
- In first place was Ethan H (Year 7) with his hot chocolate. Congratulations!
A huge well done to all finalists involved!
cake decorating with jane beedle
Jane Beedle also gave an interactive cake decorating demonstration to Year 9 and 10 Food Technology students and the 'Is it cake?' competition finalists.
This was held in the school theatre and the majority of students got involved in the process and finished by eating cake!
Spring/Easter Themed Bake Off Competition
Students were invited to bring in an Easter/Spring themed cake/cupcakes at the start of the day on Thursday 3rd April for the Easter/Spring Bake Off Competition. Once the judging had taken place, the cakes were sold at break time to raise funds for Happy Endings Rescue, a local animal charity; we will share with you the full amount of the donation after the holidays.
We were so impressed with the quality of entries - take a look at the photo gallery!!
All entries received house points - WELL DONE EVERYONE!
Best cupcake
1st - M.S in 8G
2nd - E.H in 7S
3rd - M.H in 12K
Best cake
1st - l.R in 8K
2nd - S.L in 7S
3rd- J.M in 8F
Sixth Form House Captain Favourites
1st - S.S in 7E
2nd - L.B in 7E
3rd - L.F in 7F
Most Unique Cake
A.T in 8E
Most Traditional Cake
B.P in 7E
oliver! jr
This term has seen another outstanding year for our school production, with students from Years 8 to 13 taking part in this year’s
musical, Oliver! Jr. The show ran for four public performances across two talented casts and for the first time, we were delighted to welcome pupils from St Mary of Charity Primary School to our dress rehearsal.
Every performer and member of the backstage crew gave their all to deliver a truly engaging and memorable show. It is remarkable how much hard work and passion go into this event each year, and the students would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all staff who supported them during rehearsals and in set construction.
We also bid a fond farewell to some of our dedicated QE Performing Arts Committee members—Will, Joe, Nancy and Cara—whose efforts have played a key role in delivering such a high-quality production.
Ms Oben is exceptionally proud of all the students involved, not only for their dedication and professionalism but also for the support and camaraderie they showed one another throughout the run of the show.
SPANISH VISITORS - Concorde International
This term we welcomed a school group from Miranda in Spain, who were buddied up with QE pupils between Years 8 and 12. They experienced a typical school week and it was great to have the opportunity to involve them as a 'live resource' in Spanish classes.
Some highlights of the week were participating in an escape room in class and joining in technology lessons to create lights!
Concorde International Pupil from The Czech Republic - term 4
This term we have hosted a visiting pupil from the Czech Republic, who has taken part in Year 12 lessons. This is what she says about her experience...
"My name is Sofie, and I am an exchange student from the Czech Republic. I have been studying in the UK for six weeks, and it has been an amazing experience.
The school system here is quite different from what I am used to in the Czech Republic. One of the biggest differences is the number of subjects. In my country, even in Year 12 and 13, we have to take many mandatory subjects (one of which is also English), while here, students can focus on fewer subjects that they choose. Also, in the Czech Republic, our classes are shorter, but we have more of them in a day (usually around nine). Also, many people in my country speak English because it’s one of the most useful languages, but most students actually speak at least three languages, even if just a little.
Another difference is school uniforms. In the Czech Republic, we don’t wear them at all. However, in this school, older students don’t wear uniforms either, so that hasn’t changed for me. One thing I really like about the UK is the food - I am going to miss it when I go home!
Overall, I have really enjoyed my time in the UK and will never forget this experience. I have become more fluent, learned new expressions and I feel much more confident when speaking. I would strongly encourage anyone learning a language to travel abroad because it is the best way to improve!".
From France to Faversham!
This term we were delighted to welcome 28 French students to Queen Elizabeth’s for the home leg of this year’s French exchange programme. Our pupils were so excited to meet up with their partners again having not seen them for three months.
On their arrival, French students and QE students visited Faversham town centre and had tours of the Magna Carta exhibition as well as the Guildhall. Did you know that whilst it looks like the Guildhall has seven windows, there are only three in reality?! On the Friday, it was time for our joint visit to London, where we discovered some amazing art work at the Tate Modern. Afterwards, all students boarded a river cruise where we were treated to some amazing sights of the London Eye, the Palace of Westminster and the Globe Theatre to name but just a few! Finally, students had time to do a last bit of souvenir shopping with a stop at Bluewater. The students then returned to school excited by the prospect of spending the weekend with their host families. Students visited various parts of the county, including the seaside, the zoo and for some, a return visit to London! On the Monday, the French students spent the day in Canterbury in the sunshine. They were taken on a guided tour of the city and then took part in a treasure hunt. On the last day, the French students participated in three lessons in school across a variety of subject areas. The exchange went so quickly that before we knew it, it was time for the French to leave. It was clear that many of our students had developed great friendships and were sad to be saying goodbye. However, for many students this is not the end of the exchange, having made a friend for life!
I would like to say a big thank you to all students, parents and carers who took part and made this year’s exchange so successful.
Mr Johnson
What’s been happening in QuEST?
This term, at the beginning of March, QuEST attended the Tonbridge conference. This was a wonderful day and a chance for everyone to present what they’d been working on. All QuESTs sent a couple of representatives, many of whom chose to give a talk on their projects. AeroQuEST, SpaceQuEST, PollutionQuEST and BioQuEST all spoke in front of other students and people at the conference, meaning they had the chance to share everything they had been working on. We also heard many talks from other students who had done similarly interesting projects and it was great to participate in such knowledge sharing.
We were also lucky to listen to some fantastic keynote speakers at the conference. Firstly, a scientist working on the new detector at CERN spoke about the fundamental model of particle physics and the way that the new detector works. Very exciting developments are happening and it was fascinating to hear about them from someone so close to the action. The second talk was on robotic surgery and the developments in that field. It was incredibly informative as to just how far the field has come and what can now be achieved with the technology we have. Finally, we had a talk from a researcher at Oxford University who was researching bird migration. He managed to explain Quantum physics, namely particle spin, which affects how birds detect the earth’s magnetic field and use this to navigate. Who’d have thought that such seemingly different areas could be so intrinsically linked?
We also hosted a few talks ourselves this term. The first was by PhD student Jonathan Cousins. He’s working on materials that could be used to build structures on the lunar surface. This requires innovation and creating and it was super to hear about all the new advancements in this field. He’s also looking at working with the Year 10s on a project to research these materials which would be a wonderful opportunity for them. In addition, we had a talk by former pupil Stanley Wilcox and now a student at the University of Aberdeen, about the philosophy of science. He spoke about why science is important, and what exactly science is, and the ethics associated with it. It was a fascinating talk that got the audience thinking beyond just what they are taught in lessons and how this links to other subjects they are studying.
On 26th of March, The QuEST President and Vice President, with two Year 10s, went to the Natural History Museum to be the first students to use their new scanning electron microscope. Dr Perkins, alongside a researcher at the museum, worked very hard to give us the opportunity to use the machine and it was a complete privilege to do so. We looked at a few of their samples and some plants from QE under the microscope, taking images and analysing the chemical makeup of the samples.
As well as being an enriching experience in itself, it also means that there are now students who are able to show others how to use the microscope when it comes to QE! We also had a tour of the labs underneath the museum, getting the chance to see some of the fascinating work there and the machines that can create incredibly detailed 3D imaging. Finally, the day finished with a wander around the Natural History Museum looking at the dinosaurs on display. 
Finally, this term, we celebrated British Science Week (which turned into Science Fortnight!), from 7-16th of March. As a school, we enjoyed science linked activities across the fortnight! The theme this year was 'change and adapt'. In accordance with this theme, we organised form time activities for the Year 7s and Year 8s about bioluminescence, arguably one of the most interesting adaptations that animals have. We used chemiluminescent paint to simulate this and had everyone create their own glowing ball. We received lots of positive feedback from the students about how fun and engaging it was; we’re very glad it was a success.
Perhaps the highlight of Science Fortnight was the Science Fair!
Years 7 & 8 were given the opportunity to create their own projects and display them and to be judged by a team of Sixth Form students and an ex-QE student who was kind enough to come in especially. The room was absolutely packed full of projects and spectators, all of whom were blown away by the effort that had clearly been put into each and every project. These projects ranged from investigations into mass and acceleration, to research projects on science in the beauty industry. It was fantastic to see such passion for the sciences brought to life. Ultimately, we were most impressed by those students who had managed to conduct their own investigations and reach their own conclusions.
3rd place went to Lana R. in 8K and Hannah M. in 8S who conducted an investigation into how well cress grew in different environments. Their method included using food tests to determine how much starch was present in the different cress plants to see how much photosynthesis was taking place - very impressive!
2nd Place went to Tate S. in 8Q who was also investigating plants! He used different liquids instead of water when growing plants to see which had the best effect. He also conducted research into what nutrients plants needed to help make sense of his findings. He determined that almond milk was a good replacement for water as long as you didn’t use too much otherwise the plants would suffer iodine poisoning - super insightful!
Finally our winners… Ali Lou H. and Brandon B. in 7F. They conducted an investigation into the effects of antihistamines on Tourette syndrome and presented some in depth research. Well done to both students and well done to absolutely everyone who took part. Not everyone may have won but everyone did get a well deserved cupcake!
A few other events took place...on Friday 21st March, we had a Science T-Shirt day. We saw some fantastic T-Shirts from people all throughout the school and were super glad that so many people took part. We also put on some practical demonstrations from all the different science departments for Years 9-11, where students got to see some interesting science that they otherwise may not have learnt in class.
In addition, some of the science teachers also put on a stargazing event after school with the school’s new telescope! Finally, the QuESident spoke to each year group in assemblies to inform them of the activities being celebrated in Science Fortnight. This has been a wonderful celebration of all things scientific and we can’t wait for next year where it’ll be undoubtedly even bigger and better.
Alexis E. QuEST President
This term at EcoQuEST we planted a mix of wildflower seeds which included corn marigold, corn poppy, corn chamomile, cornflower and corncockle. These were planted in a patch of soil in front of the new D/E block. We prepared the soil by weeding and aerating the area and then scattered an equal spread of the seeds. We are hoping that these flowers will grow by summer and will increase the biodiversity of the school by attracting pollinators and creating fertile soils.
Jack R. Head of EcoQuEST
This term, MotorQuEST has heavily focused on building the frame of the car; this involved putting the wheels on and adding the electrics. We have spent some time designing our poster for the Tonbridge Conference and although we didn’t present at the venue, we still had a great time learning about the other projects that other students put together.
We have also continued our research into the material we will use for the shell of the car and the design options, however we have yet to decide the final choice.
Millie H.
In BioQuEST this term we have been investigating the dangers and risks surrounding tampons. In a recent study, it was discovered
that tampons contain over sixteen metal(loids) including carcinogens and therefore we hoped to test this theory and check if feminine hygiene products were really as safe as they said they were.
After unsuccessful attempts to use a university’s mass spectrometer machine, we decided there was limited availability for us to test for metals in tampons. Therefore, we have so far tested bleach content in which there were trace amounts, though nothing harmful to the body. We tested for microbes in tampons’ applicators and cotton (using different brands). We let the cultures develop for a week and we returned to fortunately find that there were no microbes or bacteria present from the cotton. We are hoping to retest this next week but will be soaking the tampons in water before testing for microbes.
Grace R. Head of BioQuEST
This term, we have been visiting primary schools in the local area to give them a presentation on air pollution. We are focusing on the causes of air pollution, the dangers of air pollution and how they can limit these in order to promote a more eco-friendly lifestyle. To do this, we are also inviting them to build a modified version of our pollution monitor with a simple traffic light system in order to show the levels of CO2 in their classrooms: Green= <1000ppm, Orange= 1000-2000 ppm, Red= >2000 ppm.
To do this. They are using a simple arduino uno and a pre soldered sensirion CO2 sensor. Additionally, they are designing their own ‘earth-saving inventions’ to get them thinking more about what changes need to be made to either lower their production of carbon dioxide or to lower the negative impacts of carbon dioxide in order to get them thinking about what changes they could also make in their lives.
Ellie K-J Co-Head of PollutionQuEST
In SpaceQuEST, we are nearing the deadline for our experiment to be shipped to Belgium, ready for the ASGARD launch in May. Our capture mechanism, including the stepper motor, to open the syringe, and servo to close it, is working successfully. However, it still requires some low temperature and pressure testing. We have been communicating with the team in Belgium ahead of our collaboration and are super excited to be able to bring these projects together.
We also got the opportunity to present our project at the Tonbridge Conference which gave us the chance to practice our presentation skills which we will need for our presentation after the launch in Belgium.
Cleo R. Head of SpaceQuEST
This term at AeroQuEST we have been looking at the drawbacks of ionic thrusters and how we can minimise that. The main drawback 
we have found in our research is the diminishing returns we get once ionic thrusters are running at higher air speeds and/or lower air pressures - this is due to a multitude of reasons, some of the main ones being the reduction in air pressure at high speeds meaning there is less air to ionise and the increase in speed means the thruster has less time to ionise the air. The graph for thrust of an ionic thruster with varying speeds is as shown here.
To mitigate this effect we have worked lots with computational fluid dynamics, also known as CFD. This allows us the simulate the airflow around complex 3D structures and even simulate the ionic thruster at different air speeds. There have been lots of developments due to this and we are close to getting an optimum intake shape to push the thruster as far as it can go with the current limitations. The CFD Simulation can be seen below. As you can see the exhaust isn't perfect but the spiral shape of the intake, mixed with the differing widths, allows us to take full advantage of Bernoulli's effect and decrease the speed of the air as much as possible for the ionic thruster without losing any momentum as the air is now just at higher pressure. Using this, we plan to optimise our ionic thruster as far as we can for use within an aircraft which means further optimisation for higher velocity as we can only reduce the speed so much using fluid dynamics. We are also going to test new designs to find a way of increasing the speed at which an ionic thruster is effective using computer simulations to rapidly test and improve designs.
James E. Head of AeroQuEST
It has been another extremely busy term for the PE department - we have played host to all schools around our district twice a week, each week of this term for both Netball & Rugby tournaments. It is great to be able to host schools here on our fantastic pitches and courts and it really is quite a spectacle to see so much going on at our own school site. This is testament to the very hard work and effort of our PE staff here, organising and running these tournaments to a high standard. I am very proud to be able to host and our wonderful staff go above and beyond each week to put this on for so many students across the Canterbury district. Please read on to find out how our own teams have fared in the many, varied competitions that have taken place!
Looking forward to next term, we turn our attention to our summer sports programme where students will have the opportunity to take part in rounders, softball, tennis, athletics, cricket, swimming and pickleball, amongst others. These will be both in and outside of the students’ usual curriculum time - bring on the summer!
Trampolining
This year we took a group of 16 competitors to the Kent Schools’ Trampolining Championships, alongside two excellent Sixth Form helpers. Firstly, we would like to thank Luca B and Anabelle E who both sat on the judging panel. Luca spent the day judging routines and Annabelle kept score both in written and manual form. The competition cannot run without this level of help and we are so grateful for their support.
Moving on to the results, we have Kent Schools’ Champions - Claudette R in the U19 girls’ intermediate category, showcasing excellent skills for her GCSE Trampoline assessment. Alongside this, Florence H achieved Bronze in the U13 girls’ elementary category. Florence was against 83 other competitors!!! In addition, Skyla H took home 5th place in this category and Evie 15th. This led the team, including Isabelle E, to win the U13 elementary team trophy. Well done to everyone that competed, it was a big competition and it was great to see students showcasing Trampolining.
District Netball Tournaments
This term Queen Elizabeth’s PE department organised and hosted the local district tournaments. For four consecutive Wednesdays, local schools joined us, to conclude the school Netball season.
Year 10
A big well done to our Year 10 team for winning the competition! After a tie break at the top, QE came out on top with a phenomenal goal difference. Games against Herne Bay High School, Simon Langton Grammar School, Barton Court and Canterbury Academy. The undefeated year group have powered through their previous four district competitions, captained by Ella K, Molly C, Rosie F and Keeley C. We wish them luck going into their final year at QE and they have made us extremely proud.
Year 9
Following in Year 10’s footsteps, the Year 9 team also finished as District Champions! A clean sweep for the Year 9s who remained undefeated throughout the whole afternoon. Games against Herne Bay High School, Simon Langton Grammar School, Barton Court, Canterbury Academy, Spires Academy, Barton Manor and St Anselm's Catholic School. It really was a superb team effort, but special mention must go to Jess R for her shooting, Dora O & Amy F for their defensive skills and Evie P for keeping close control in the centre court! Congratulations to the whole squad - we look forward to seeing you develop further as a team next year!
Year 8
Another fantastic tournament took place at QE with visiting schools from Canterbury and Faversham. The girls performed outstandingly well and finished in a very respectable 2nd place, behind a very well-drilled Simon Langton Girls’ team. A special mention to Bethany S for leading the team this year and outstanding play from both Libby W and Annie N. Hopefully we can go one place better next year!
Year 7
To conclude our District Netball tournaments this term, we saw Year 7 take to the courts. Firstly a special mention to Nancy and Ava for leading the team and to all of the girls who have attended training and represented QE. We finished in a very respectable 3rd place and look forward to seeing what they can achieve next year!
KS3 5-a-side
Between Year 7 and Year 8 we had 19 teams enter the KS3 competition, so the format has changed slightly with only one year group playing each term. The Year 8s have possibly been the most entertaining year group to play 5-a-side this year. The football has been slick, direct and very exciting. Despite a reduced crowd capacity (only one year group), the decibel levels have been through the roof with each team chanting their own songs! The players of the match this term have actually been the goalkeepers, in particular Henry H and Thomas W. We had one week where there must have been 30 odd shots on target, but only one team scored out of 9 - a tournament first. Multiple teams are in the running to be crowned champions - the top two teams will face the top two teams in Year 7 next term.
Rugby
Year 7
Despite a lack of experience among this year's cohort, the Year 7 rugby team should be very proud of how they have represented the school this term. It is very difficult to share these highlights without mentioning everyone involved. They played in a very tough Swale Shield competition, especially as Borden Grammar and The Howard School were full of seasoned performers and some of their players were twice the size of some of ours. However, they gave it their all and despite a loss in their first game, they showed great resilience and fight throughout the rest of the tournament going from strength to strength as the rounds progressed. Theo P and Albert W (a pair of really good players) demonstrated great leadership with key decision making. Edward L also played his part in helping organise and direct the team alongside ‘Mr Motivator’, Elijah S. George D was first to protect his teammates at the breakdown, whilst Nathan and Jason scored some very skillful tries. Elijah O finished as top scorer for QE - we lost track of how many he scored. Overall, we lost 2 and won 2 games and we finished in a very admirable 3rd place. The squad have plenty of potential and many are now looking to join local clubs - very impressed boys, keep it up!
Year 8
What a season for Year 8 rugby! Their aim was to go one better than last season and win the Swale Shield - but there was tough opposition that stood in the way. Borden Grammar School and the Howard School are notorious for putting out strong rugby teams and this year was no exception. In the tournament, QE cruised past Westlands School, Fulston Manor School and The Sittingbourne School with strong performances from the squad. Will K muscled his way through the opposition supported by the ever present Ethan Bi both forwards scoring many tries. Then the tournament really got going - the next match was against Borden Grammar School. A quick switch to scrum half and Ethan Bu’s electric feet and sound tactical decision making made a big difference, Tom W and Henry H were outstanding in defence and it wasn’t long before QE started hammering last year's champions. Now, the mighty Howard School was the only team to stand between us and victory. QE put on a dominant display putting four tries past the opposition to clinch the Swale Shield. Harry M and Oli W were outstanding in attack and Ethan Bu just kept scoring tries as he mazed his way through the opposition. Well done to the whole squad for what really was a great team effort!
Year 9
The Year 9 team have made vast improvements over the course of the season and are now a force to reckon with. Liam D playing at fly half has been the star of the show, ably assisted by Alex D and Jack T. Benjamin scored a hat trick of tries in a superb display of skill - more to come from him in the future for sure! The team finished second only to the Howard School in the Swale Shield, a sign of great things to come. The team has some great depth to it, Arthur H playing as prop and Finn M at No 8 have made a big difference to the success of the team. Nathaniel N at hooker has been a positive influence at the breakdown meaning the team regularly secure the loose ball. All in all the signs are incredibly positive for the team and we look forward to next year's season to see if they can go one better again!
Year 10
The Year 10 rugby team made an electric start to the Swale Shield competition scoring five tries against The Sittingbourne School in their first game. We were aggressive, sharp and very organised to distribute the ball to our brilliant centres and wingers with Bobby F scoring 2 tries. Liam B and Axel I were an immense presence in a much tougher game against a physical and experienced Borden Grammar School team. Both players were first at the breakdown and were regularly complimented for their driving runs to gain vital territory and relieve pressure throughout the whole game. Leyton B scored a late try with a run from his own 22 to seal a 2-0 victory and he was later awarded player of the tournament for his agility and evasion. Mark H was an inspirational leader as he was looking to help his team win a 4th successive Swale Shield. He held the ball up twice to prevent The Abbey School from scoring in the deciding game. Mark also labelled Jack T a star player who, for the last two years, has played a year up - great work Jack. Logan H, our top try scorer and most dangerous threat in terms of breaking lines, scored the first try of the game but was forced to retire with an injury along with Ollie BB, another instrumental tackler. The Abbey School piled on the pressure and eventually scored two tries to win the competition in the dying moments of the game. The squad were very frustrated, especially as they had led from the start of the tournament, but they should be immensely proud of their QE rugby careers as they have always performed with great pride and dedication - well done boys!
U13 Girls’ Football
We have had a great season, playing in the district friendlies. First up, was a tough match against a very strong Simon Langton Girls’ side. We had a fair bit of inexperience through our side and despite them all running their socks off, we eventually lost 3-0. Next up was a great game against Canterbury Academy, where the loss certainly does not illustrate the game. We had some superb chances and were unlucky not to convert some of these into goals. The staff from Canterbury Academy were very impressed and complimentary of our girls, especially Agnes and Nia. This week the girls face The Abbey School for their concluding game. There have been some outstanding performances throughout the pitch and some notable appearances. I am excited to see how far this group of girls can go next season in the Kent Cup. A special mention must go to Agnes for her silky skills in midfield, Maddie & Isla S for scoring the majority of the goals, Paloma for keeping the defence in check and Molly & Nancy for being the only Year 7s to regularly be on the team sheet. Well done to all involved and I hope we can get even more of you playing school football next year.
Term 4 Maths Round-up
It has been a term full of opportunity in the Maths Department, starting with three Year 11 students competing in the UKMT Pink Kangaroo, having qualified through their excellent results in the Intermediate Maths Challenge last term. We expect their results at the beginning of next term.
A group of Year 12 and Year 13 A level Mathematicians recently attended a Maths in Action event in London. The day consisted of a series of interactive talks and a useful session on how to improve your A Level Maths exam technique.
Students heard talks from:
- Kat Phillips, demonstrating the maths behind how different sounds are made
- Alison Kiddle, discussing risk and reward, the probabilities of winning a game of Heads or Tails (with an interactive demonstration!) and how they won £250,000 on Who wants to be a Millionaire?
- Dr Colin Wright, discussing the maths behind games, its applications to the corporate world and a demonstration of his impressive juggling skills
- Sophie Maclean, sharing her experience as a Quantitative Trader and revealing the maths behind making money on the stock market
- Dr Tom Crawford, who shared his love of the Million Dollar Mathematics Problems. Students were particularly pleased to meet Dr Crawford, who is known for sharing his work on YouTube, and kindly autographed students' calculators.
We also took advantage of the location of the conference to enjoy a relaxed lunch outside with a view of some of London's famous landmarks, and many of the students took up Mr McIlroy's offer of escorting them on a little bit of sightseeing.
Finally, we finished the term with the KS3 Maths Inter-house Competition. Students in Year 7 and Year 8 completed the challenge in class and the results will be announced in an assembly at the beginning of next term, along with which students have been selected to take part in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge on Thursday 1st May.
The Great History Debate
This term has seen some of the winning teams of Round One lock horns with each other in their quest to reach the Grand Final. Debates on who is culpable for the Cold War erupting, King Arthur's existence, Churchill's reputation, the activities of the Suffragettes, the alleged greatness of Henry V, the significance of the printing press and whether there really was such a thing as "Blitz Spirit" in the 1940s have raged in H1 and H2.
We would like to very much applaud William, Seth, Zoe, Freya, Joni, Daniel, Emma, Eva, Thomas, Douglas, Iggy, Harry, Elian, Stanley, Rafi, Sophie, Thomas, Jake, Reuben, Gabe, Emmeline, Mary, Edward, James, Sebastian, Rae, Ethan, Flora and Lottie for their speech writing and interrogative skills. But, we would also like to say a huge thank you to all of the other students and staff who have popped along at lunch time to listen to the arguments, pose questions and praise the competitors. The knock out competition will continue next term and, as always, all Year 7s to 9s are welcome to attend if they are interested.
Mr Buckland
year 12 trip to barcelona
The Year 12 Geography students recently embarked on their five day fieldwork trip to the Spanish city of Barcelona.
We set out on Tuesday 11th of March and made our way over to London Gatwick where our journey began! After a somewhat taxing wait at check in, we were through security onto the plane and we were off!
After a flight packed with beautiful mountain views and a coach journey with occasional sightings of the shimmering blue Mediterranean, we arrived in Sitges, which would be our home for the next five days. When we got to our rooms we were greeted by the unexpected surprise that we all had balconies with views of the sea - unfortunately this event was not anticipated as it was ‘not on the risk assessment’, a phrase that would become all too familiar on the remainder of our trip!! (Thank you to Dr Brunger for looking out for our safety.)
We were repeatedly told before our arrival to the Spanish coast that this trip was ‘not a holiday’, however, the delicious breakfast buffet which greeted us on Wednesday morning told a different story! Wednesday was ‘Physical Geography’ day which meant we would be, despite the somewhat stormy conditions, completing a day of exploring the impact of management strategies on the coastline of Sitges. The day went incredibly smoothly with sketches of the shoreline and many beach profiles proving to be much more fun than I had personally expected! That afternoon we had some free time and many of us went exploring in the old part of the town and had some of the best ice cream of our lives! In the evening we did some more work on our data, had our dinner (actually very nice) and went to bed (late!).
Thursday was ‘Human Geography’ day so, after another delicious breakfast in the hotel, we got back on the coach and headed into El Raval (the area of Barcelona we were to explore for the day). We were shown around the streets by Derick or ‘Dutch’ as he is generally called, due to the fact he is from the Netherlands! The highlight of this tour was being able to look around a community garden which had been set up by the local residents - a fight against the gentrification of the area. After sitting beside the contemporary art museum, MACBA, to eat our lunch, we then spent the afternoon collecting data to explore the impact of regeneration on the area. We then made our way back to the hotel and did further work putting together our own NEA investigations.
Friday and Saturday were the days for collecting our own NEA data. This meant two days back on the coast or two more days in El Raval for those investigating the urban areas of Barcelona. On Saturday, we travelled by double decker train into the city along the coast which was very beautiful. Despite the small amount of rain and the large amount of data we collected, we still managed time for sightseeing and shopping around Barcelona. We all enjoyed taking lots of amazing pictures of the architecture and famous landmarks. Saturday afternoon was particularly pleasant as many of us went for a peruse around Sitges. I personally kept myself busy doing a few paintings sitting by the seafront. After the last few bits of work in the evening we tried to get an early night for the day ahead!
The early night was definitely a shout because we woke up early (6:00am) the next morning to sit out by the beach and watch the sunrise! This was an amazing experience, although for some the early wake up was a bit of a challenge! We then (after another amazing breakfast) packed our bags and headed to Barcelona airport, getting home in record time.
The trip was truly amazing and a big thank you to Dr Brunger, Mr Chandler and Mr Jamieson for taking such good care of us!
Anna D. Year 12
This term’s SEND focus is a continuing theme of Therapeutic Interventions.
Last year our Intervention Teaching Assistant, Mrs Wicks, trained as a Lego Therapist with the organisation 'Play Included' and will be starting a lunch time Brick Club for our Key Stage 3 students in Terms 5 and 6. See below for more information on Brick Club:
Wellbeing Ambassadors - Who We Are 
This term, the Year 9 Wellbeing Ambassadors have been celebrating raising mental health awareness to the school community over the last six months, culminating in receiving a Faversham Gem award this week in recognition of their focus.
Congratulations to all students who received a Faversham Gem award this week in recognition of going the extra mile and making life sparkle.
Year 11 Exam Support
As Year 11 move closer to their summer exam timetables, please find linked below the programme of extracurricular exam preparation activities that are available before and during this summer’s exam season.
Extracurricular Exam Preparation Activities
The school canteen will be open from 15.30 to 17:00, Monday to Wednesday and 15:00 to 16.15 on a Thursday for Year 11. This will be an opportunity for Year 11 students to complete supervised revision and work with friends after school. Further information about recommended revision strategies and exam specifications can be found here HERE
We are fully aware that students may need some wellbeing guidance as they move towards the exam period. The resources below will help students to understand their feelings and advise how you are able to support them during their exam period.
Please find below some useful information in preparation for the upcoming exams;
Preparing for Success - GCSE Guidance Booklet
KS4 GCSE Exam Preparation Booklet
Exam Support Guide 2025 - Website
Cambridge residential
Evie C is one of 50 students nationally to be accepted onto the English Residential for state educated students at Trinity College Cambridge. The course is a two day residential at Trinity College, Cambridge, discussing how languages have had an impact on power and culture.
Evie says...
"As well as attending lectures held by subject specialists, there is also an opportunity to attend a formal dinner and speak to fellow students, subject leaders and admissions officers. Throughout the application process, I was able to explore and discuss my links to language through my experiences in and out of school, including the school's RSC programme and Model United Nations. Overall, this is an incredible opportunity that can be discussed throughout university applications and allows for exploration of a variety of subjects."
Year 12 careers talk from Whitehead-Monckton solicitors
Year 12 students received a careers talk from Whitehead-Monckton Solicitors. The talk covered routes into law including apprenticeships and university routes. The speakers enthusiastically explained contentious and non-contentious areas of law. They also discussed the skills required to succeed in this industry such as communication, determination, self-motivation & discipline, analytical & logical, research and problem solving. Students were also given ideas on how to prepare for this career pathway.
YEAR 12 Post 18 Decisions Evening
Year 12 parents and students attended a talk to reflect on how to think about pathways post Sixth Form.
Two former Sixth Form students shared valuable information about their successful appointment into apprenticeships and gave an insight into what life after school is like if you follow the apprenticeship route. Both apprentices were delighted to have gained salaried positions with excellent vocational training.
Within the apprenticeship programme, Phoebe is studying a Level 6 BSc In Medical Physics Technology with Radiation Physics at the University of the West of England. Alongside this, she is working full-time in the Radiation Physics Department within Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust and undertaking some work within Nuclear Medicine.
year 11 sixth form application meetings
Year 11 students were invited to attend individual appointments to discuss their post 16 plans and share their preferred Sixth Form route. Students transferring internally were asked to confirm their A level subject choices and discussed the entry requirements to gain their place. If a student has questions about their post 16 options, please contact the Sixth Form Office.
30 minute careers talks
Students in KS4 and KS5 are invited to sign up to optional 30 minute careers talks. The talks give students an opportunity to learn about an industry that may form the next stage of their career planning research and help students to understand the full range of routes available.
The talks so far have included routes into law, construction and engineering, actuarial science and BBC apprenticeships and landscape architecture. If any students are interested, please contact Miss Slane in the the Sixth Form Office.