Blog week ending 19th June
Careers Update – Years 7-12. Our Careers Programme is dedicated to supporting every student to achieve their career goals. This week we, together with alumni and guest contributors have provided a programme of dedicated activities, talks and presentations packed with real stories, practical advice, and first-hand experiences.
We were thrilled to welcome back some of our amazing alumni who shared their pathways since leaving WGSB/WG6. From apprenticeships in engineering to studying medicine at university, their stories proved one thing: there’s no single path to success. Our collective aim is to inspire students by exposing them to a range of opportunities, including new and emerging roles and careers that they may not have heard of or considered.
Alumni and guests represented a huge range of local, national and global operations, including the Cabinet Office, Clifford Chance, BAE Systems, KPMG, Merchant Navy, Sky, the Environment Agency, Coca-Cola, FIFA, Laing O’Rourke and the London Ambulance Service.
Our sincere thanks to all those who supported our Careers Programme, your contribution could never be understated – your sessions provide inspiration and insight, allowing every student a unique window into the endless opportunities that lie ahead of them. I, and other members of staff have already had countless chats with students invigorated in their ambitions for the future with next-step goals already under discussion!
A special thank you to our wonderful Alumni, many of whom are featured in the above photos – it was incredibly heartwarming to catch-up and hear of your adventures and achievements, we hope to see you all soon! All Alumni speakers are highlighted in bold
Medics Dream Doctor for a day! This was a very hands-on afternoon session which saw Years 12 and 11 being coached in a series of medical procedures demonstrating different roles within the medical field and providing an understanding of the corresponding pathways into medicine. This taster day included real-life examples of working in medicine with guidance from Doctors and Medical students.
Alumni Lily Jackson is currently studying BioMedical Science at Queen Mary’s University London and delivered sessions across the year groups, sharing her route into medicine with practical advice and details of life as a Uni medical student. Lily also works with the Maypole Project which supports children with complex medical needs and their families. Lily has trained as a lead volunteer with the charity and her contribution has been recognised with a prestigious Jack Petchey Award.
Additionally, for students interesting in a career in medicine, we welcomed Nigel Hogg, trust-wide lead on apprenticeships at Oxleas Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (pictured below). Chloe Jolley, Allied Health Professionals Faculty Lead at Kent & Medway NHS Trust who was supported by two Occupational Health students. Joe Kidd, Senior Antibodies Formulation technician at Thermofisher Scientific. David Russell, Principal Pharmacist and Tom Tribe from the London Ambulance Service.
Alumni Berri Cooper-Croft, Trainee Solicitor with Norton Rose Fulbright delivered a myth-busting session into embarking on a career in law, highlighting the many routes into the profession including apprenticeships, and vacation schemes as well as university courses. Berri’s engaging session included a debate into the legal dispute between McVitie’s and her Majesty’s Customs and Excise. Are they biscuits or cake? The court ruled they are cake (avoiding additional VAT rates payable by biscuits!) An enlightening and instructive session .. with added cake!
Law Sessions proved exceptionally popular with high attendance in all groups. Thanks also to Danny Chapman, Senior Clerk at 36 Family Chambers (pictured below). An ‘Aspiring Lawyers’ session for Year 12 was delivered by Will Buckley (Partner Beale), Samsoon Noor (Barrister in Training) and to Clifford Chance for their Year 12 Careers ‘Pathways into Law’ interactive online session.
Media and Sport sessions included a fascinating talk from Lewis Avery, data and collection lead at FIFA regarding sports data and how fixtures, odds, world rankings, statistics and more are used and calculated. Bethan Steehuis Assistant Producer TV and Media is currently working on content projects for amongst others Love Island! Bethan spoke about a range of roles within media from cameraman to producer, highlighting career paths and sharing industry secrets! Dan Stribbling, Director of Football and Ben Bennett Head Coach (also pictured below), Kelly Ashton, Senior Associate Producer Sky Sports, Joe Robinson, Editor Rugby World, and Matt Green Broadsword Global Events Company also delivered excellent sessions.
Careers and apprenticeships in Finance and IT were delivered by a range of high-profile global organisations including Nicola Stokes, EY graduate and apprentice lead for UK Financials Services Tax Team, Alex Booth, Senior Associate at PWC, Annabel Coppitters Project Manager with KPS, Phillipa Coppitters Fund Operations Associate IQ-EQ, Sukhraj Hundal Tax Associate Degree Apprentice BDO, Louise Fitzpatrick Investment Banking program manager, Alex Godwin-Turner, Apprentice Insurance Administrator at Lockton LLP, Michael Edison-Odiase Operations Strategy and Transformation Senior Manager KPMG, Brian MacAulay principal economist with Digital Catapult, Ted Taylor aviation underwriter analyst AIG. Aaron Lashbrook Finance Apprentice at Amazon, Callum Townsend trainee market reporter at S&P Global Community Insights and Jane Gough, QBE Insurance
Talks form Universities included, Sarvin Hassini, Senior Lecturer International Business at Anglian Ruskin University, a ‘thinking of applying to Oxbridge’ talk from WG6 teacher, Rory Salt and David Rushton who is currently studying at Cambridge. Plus sessions from University of Kent and University of Southampton.
Construction, engineering and environmental sectors were represented by Nicky Coales from BAE Systems, Shingi Hudson Apprentice Quantity Surveyor MAC Construction, Amy Webb, senior sustainability consultant Whitecode Consulting, Mikolaj Ogorek Mechanical Business Services Engineer, Emma Eisinger Development Manager Planning Department Dartford Council, Andy Howe from the Environment Agency, Louis Joseph and Harry Zimmerman Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Ben Warner Architectural Designer Benoy, Sonya Swaley, Building Surveyor Murray Birrell and Louis Joseph, Town Planning Apprentice.
Year 12 students travelled to the UCAS Discovery Exhibition at the University of East London. The exhibition brings together over 100 universities, colleges and employers to help students shortlist their options and explore new ones! As you can see, students made full use of the opportunity, gathering lots of information, inspiration … and ‘swag’!
Clubs and Societies are more than just extra-curricular activities and study sessions; they are a vital part of the educational experience that enriches student life, enhances learning and informs future pathway decisions. By participating in clubs, whether in or outside of school, students can explore their interests, develop new skills, and build lasting friendships. These activities provide a well-rounded experience that goes beyond the classroom, helping students grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Our Clubs timetable can be viewed on our website here Learning – Wilmington Grammar School for Boys. WGSB offers a range of additional activities through our inter-House activities – these ‘drop-in’ activities are arranged by year group and allow students an extra opportunity to win House Points on behalf of their House!
Science Club. This popular club runs after school on Thursdays with students working in rotation to allow for smaller groups for the hands-on practical activities. In the pictured session, Miss Barry and Mr Stimson ran activities to support students’ understanding of light and optics – and enjoy a fun, interactive activity in the process! We started with a series of visual and optical illusions which cause a disconnect between our brain and eyes to trick us into seeing something that isn’t there. Students went on to create their own visual illusion – a hologram. Holograms record both the intensity and phase of the light waves, creating the notion of depth and detail. This makes it possible to view an object from various perspectives as though it were physically present. A great session that fired imagination and scientific curiosity. Next week the topic is forensic investigation!
Miss Barry also runs our Wildlife Club (a seasonal club – keep an eye on the Science noticeboard for updates) Miss Barry rescued a beautiful stag beetle .. saving it from the perils of our bus lane! Miss Barry tells us that Dartford is quite a hot-spot for stag beetles, boasting plenty of natural habitat, and crucially, an established population. However, they are an endangered species and as such, should never be disturbed unless they are in mortal danger from roads and feet. This lucky female stag beetle was released on Dartford Heath as Miss Barry walked home, and is pictured below. Stag beetle sighting can be recorded at the People’s Trust for Endangered Species
Our Drama Club’s latest production is Animal Farm (last performance is tonight, 19th June) Miss Holledge’s talented group have staged a variety of shows ranging from musical Oliver! to Shakespeare’s MacBeth – all expertly stage managed and performed. The club is open to all year groups. Congratulations to all actors and production members on their latest blockbuster (cast and crew are named below). I would urge you to come along and see their performance for yourself – it’s sensational!
Kyle S 10A
Alastair C 8T
Bisesh S 9A
Tom B 7T
Herbie B 9A
Juan R 9A
Arthur W 9A
Edoardo C 8K
Ronnie S 7B
Matthew B 7M
Nathaniel W 7J
Splendor A 7A
Kyan A 7A
Noli M 7A
Al-Ameen A 7M
Jude E 7A
Zexi Y 9A
Shuvam D 9A
Conor M 9J
Noah Q 9M
Aiden of 7J began studying Taekwondo at Oaks Martial Arts at four years old and has steadily progressed through the belt ranks with commitment and determination. In September 2024, at the age of 11, he achieved a remarkable milestone by earning his black belt — making him among the youngest in the UK to do so! He has competed at both the UK and English Opens and he receives coaching from England Internationals. The period leading up to his black belt grading was especially demanding, as it coincided with the start of his first year at Wilmington Grammar School.
Aiden assists in running the two junior classes before attending his own black belt training session in the evening. We are all incredibly proud of his dedication and work ethic. To find out more about the classes available at Aiden’s Club, click here Oaks Martial Arts
Please join me in congratulating Zac G of Year 9 who has just completed a percussionists’ course with the London Symphony Orchestra which culminated with him performing with them at a (huge!) open air concert in Trafalgar Square. Zac is a drummer who regularly plays in the Bexley Concert Orchestra and Youth Band, touring England with the Concert Orchestra and in July will be travelling to Barcelona to play with the Youth Band. Zac has been travelling to Shoreditch in London to play and practice with the London Symphony Orchestra’s percussion department and has been interviewed talking about his experience with them.
Year 7 Cricket Team good news! Following the Year 7’s 10 wicket win against Hayes School, we will now host Langely Park in the next round. Akshith M of 7M scored 53 not out, and Dawood A scored 39 not out, chased Hayes 106 runs single handedly to win by 10 Wickets! The team have had two games this week against Hurstmere and Chis and Sid, and won both, meaning we have topped the North Kent Cricket League, winning five out of five matches, and will qualify for the finals day on Friday 27th June. What a brilliant performance!
Mr Lynch, Head of PE shared the following (more!) good news. Yesterday the Year 9 cricket side beat Forest Hill School in the quarter final of the Kent T20 Cup. Forest Hill set a competitive score of 137-2 in their 20 overs. Captain Sam S opened the batting and scored an impressive 56 runs. Guneet and Josh then saw the team home getting 20 runs each not out. They’ve had a tough season in the North Kent League this year but saved their best performances for the knockout Kent T20 games. I am biased of course, but some wonderful students to work with in this team, please join me in congratulating them on their achievements. Only four players in the team play club cricket. The captain of the side Sam S is a wonderful player but an even better leader, he encourages throughout every game and VC Josh H also a huge credit to the team and school.
The team will next play Eltham College or Hurstmere in the semi-finals.
As we approach the end of term, we are running a Library Book Amnesty to collect any outstanding books borrowed by students. With the busy end-of-year period, it’s easy for books to be forgotten, so we are encouraging students to return any school library books by Friday 4th July.
There are no penalties or overdue charges – we simply want the books back, no questions asked. Any books not returned by the deadline will unfortunately need to be charged for, to cover the cost of replacements.
Thank you for your help in ensuring our library is fully stocked and ready for the new academic year. Additionally, we ALWAYS welcome (and are very grateful for!) any book donations!!
Our Librarian is currently running two reading clubs, a Carnegie Awards Shadow Gorup and a KS3 Reading Club on Friday lunchtimes.
Practical Endorsement A Level Biology: Class 12B. As part of their practical endorsement activity Dr Musami’s Year 12 Biologists undertook field studies on an environmental biology topic (Measurement of the distribution and abundance of plants in a habitat). They used interrupted belt transects method for sampling plant species in a habitat. They then drew kite diagrams to represent species abundance sampled along the transect.
Year 12 WG6 CSI! Our Forensics and Criminal Investigation students investigated a crime scene. Students were assessed documenting, preserving and collecting evidence from a mock crime scene where a ‘suspicious death’ had taken place.
PTA Update. We’re thrilled to share that our Summer Fair, held on Saturday 14th June, was a fantastic success! This wonderful day wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from our students, parents, carers, staff and local community members who came along. Thank you also to the students who brought in donations for us to offer in our tombola.
A huge thank you to the many teachers who helped run activities throughout the day, ensuring students had a great time, particularly during the Year 7 football tournament organised by Mr Lynch. The ever-popular assault course, set up by Mr Powell, brought plenty of excitement (and mess!) for everyone who took part.
We were also delighted to welcome a variety of local businesses who joined us to sell goods, as well as host games and stalls where students could win prizes. Special thanks to Mrs Cross for leading the barbecue, which was a big hit! Our raffle proved incredibly popular once again, and all winners have now been contacted but the top prizes were won by the following:
£100 Bluewater Voucher – Matthew B – 7M
£50 Bluewater Voucher – Finn P – 13J
Round of Golf for 4 – Zachary C 9B
Afternoon tea at Rowhill Grange – Sidham G 8B
Banquet for 2 at Indian Valley – Ryan D 8A
2 Pizza at Enzos – Shreyas N 8T
We’re proud to announce that the fair raised just under £3,000—an incredible achievement. A heartfelt thank you to every single person who contributed.
Sports Week: 23rd – 27th June. During Sports Week, the PTA will be selling refreshments and ice lollies each day to help keep students cool and energised.
Preloved School Uniform. We are always happy to receive donations of preloved school uniforms. If you have items to donate, please drop them off at reception clearly marked for the PTA. If you’d like to request any items, feel free to email us at pta@wgsb.co.uk.
Matched Funding Appeal. Did you know some employers offer matched funding for charitable events? This can significantly boost our fundraising efforts. If you or someone you know might be able to support us through matched funding, please get in touch, we’d be incredibly grateful!
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we’re making a real difference!
Forthcoming Dates;
Careers Week & Year 12 Futures Week – till 20 June
School Production Animal Farm (tickets available on ParentPay) – 19 June 6-8pm TONIGHT
Year 11 Thorpe Park Trip – 20 June
School Shop uniform sizing event – 20 June – 4-6pm
School Shop uniform sizing event – Saturday 21 June 8.30am to 12.30pm
WG6 Induction Day – 12 June
Sports Week
Year 8 – 23 June
Year 7 – 24 June
Year 9 – 26 June
Year 10 – 27 June
Year 6 Transition Evening – 2 July 4-7.30pm
Year 12 Parents’ Evening (at WGSG) – 3 July 4-7.30pm
Community Afternoon Tea – 3 July
Year 6 Transition Day – 4 July
Year 7 Science Trip to Wildwood – 7 July & 8 July
STEAM week – 14 – 18 July
Year 10 work experience – 14 – 18 July
Year 12 work experience – 14 – 22 July
Senior Citizens’ Community Afternoon Tea – 14 July 2.30-3.45pm
Yer 9 DofE Bronze assessed expedition – 15 – 16 July
Last Day of Term 6 – 22 July @ 12 noon
Best wishes,
Stuart Harrington
Headteacher
