Blog week ending 22nd July
As I write, the school is alive with the energy of our End of Year Assembly – a tradition that 
continues to capture the very best of our school spirit. It is a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate the collective efforts of our community. From the classroom to the sports field, from the stage to the science lab, our students have once again demonstrated what it means to be part of Wilmington Grammar School for Boys.
This year, we have continued to build on the strong foundations of academic excellence and personal development. Our Year 11 and Year 13 students approached their external examinations with maturity and determination, and we look forward to celebrating their results in August. Across the school, lessons have been characterised by creativity, challenge, and curiosity – a testament to the dedication of our teaching staff and the enthusiasm of our learners.
This past week, our school has been buzzing with creativity, collaboration, and curiosity as we embarked on a Whole-School STEAM Activity Week—and what a tremendous success it has been and a perfect finale to our academic year!
Our goal for STEAM Week was simple yet ambitious: to immerse students in activities that blend Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics—not as separate subjects, but as interconnected pathways to understanding and shaping the world. And I am proud to say that our students embraced every opportunity.
From Sci-Fi inspired clay chess pieces and Sci-Fi soundscapes to pre-crime inspired writing in Year 7, to Slingshot Game Design, Glider Construction, and Science Superheroes in Year 8, the timetable was packed with hands-on, minds-on activities. It was a joy to see students exploring everything from the Science of Time and Gardening & Wildlife, to Graphic Novels, Drama and Film, and even the historical intrigue of English Chivalry.
In addition to the creative sessions, students engaged in strategic thinking through Board Games and Strategy Workshops, tested engineering principles with model railways and gliders, and reflected on personal growth in the Self-Sovereignty sessions.
Students supported each other, shared ideas, and gained confidence in new settings. For staff, it was a pleasure to step out of traditional roles and co-lead exciting interdisciplinary workshops.
More than just a break from routine, STEAM Week has helped nurture many of the key skills we aim to develop in our learners:
- Problem-solving and innovation
- Teamwork and communication
- Creative thinking and design
- Adaptability and resilience
These are the very skills that will prepare them for the ever-changing future, in education, the workplace, and beyond.
STEAM Week is the perfect conclusion to an academic year, a chance to consolidate and reflect, but better yet .. for us all to share a week of new opportunities, let our creativity run wild and in doing so, have a great deal of fun!
Our Science Department led a packed schedule of sessions on the over-arching theme of ‘the science of superheroes!’ Year 8 have been looking at the science of superheroes. During the week, students have made models of rockets, air cannons, planes and bullet proof armour. Before testing their functionality! Students have also carried out research to see if the powers of superheroes could be possible in real life.
Year 7 students have been investigating the science of time, taking part in a chemistry reaction experiment, research on the life cycle of animals and how the angle of a roller coaster effects the time the ride will last. Additionally, Year 7 have embarked on a WGSB environmental week project.
Year 7 Wildwood. As part of the curriculum students at WGSB study the science of zoos and their place in the conservation of species. To experience this first-hand, Year 7 visited Wildwood in Herne Bay. Wildwood is a charity dedicated to restoring nature through innovative rewilding projects, with a mission to bring back Britain’s lost wild spaces and the creatures that inhabit them, these included endangered species such as red squirrels, barn owls, dormice and honeybees. For their brown bears the park offer sanctuary to animals who have experienced unimaginable hardships in their life. For animals, such as bison, water vole and Konik ponies, these have been part of breeding programmes designed to help release native species back into our countryside.
Students were given a guided tour by staff who explained the projects they undertake. Students also got to take part in a CSI forensics workshop where they had to decide which animal was responsible for killing a rabbit by studying the droppings of other animals!
Here is what some of the students had to say about the day.
‘My day at Wildwood was good, I learnt a lot including how the animals survive in the wild and I was fascinated by and had sympathy for how the bison survived extinction and how horses use their body to get flies out of their face. It was very interactive experience thank you’ Kaneesgar 7T
‘The Wildwood trip was fun and very interesting as I got to learn about different animals and their way of life especially ravens which are supposed to save the United Kingdom as well as how the bison and how they make the land great again.’ Jeona 7J
‘We had a great time at Wildwood, it was such an amazing experience, thank you to the staff who took us’ James 7B
Duke of Edinburgh. As part of STEAM week, our Year 9 cohort of 121 descended on Hope Hill Campsite, Meopham for their assessed expedition following their practice expedition in May. Following kit hand out, training, and refresh on camp craft and map reading skills on the Monday, students arrived on Tuesday excited to put their training to the test and build upon their experiences learned from the Practice Expedition.
When the students arrived, they were met with a slight change in the recent hot weather we have experienced, they were greeted by thunderstorms for the day on Tuesday, adding a further complexity to their expedition. However, this did not dampen the students’ attitude and engagement. I am pleased to say, that for the first time in the school’s history, all 18 groups successfully passed their expedition section. The DofE assessors were impressed with the confidence and capable manner in which our students conducted their expedition, and all passed with flying colours!
The Duke of Edinburgh award gives students the opportunity to learn practical life-enhancing skills, build resilience and supports independence, whilst also working as part of a team. Students should be very proud of their efforts, and I look forward to them completing their Physical, Skill and Volunteering sections, and giving out a large number of Bronze Awards, next academic year. Thank you to all staff that assisted with the expedition, without them this event of this size, would not be able to happen.
The Model Railways Group have achieved a phenomenal amount in such a short time. Student engineers designed and made the countryside, stations, depots and models to showcase their working miniature railway! A real team effort across the planning, design and construction – the attention to detail is wonderful, Wilmington International station and the House branded freight cars were a triumph!
Huge congratulations to the F1 in Schools season winners! The competition has been running over the academic year and our winning students have shown exceptional engineering, design and team skills across the topic! Well done, on your win (and quickest track times!)
1st – Zion 8T
2nd – Zak 8B
3rd – Tomiwa 8B
Board Games. Students developed and made a series of fiendishly tricky (and fun!) games before going on to play them and a range of other team board games that require a level of skill, strategy and critical thinking.
The Design and Technology department led a particularly delicious session. Using the theme of past, present, future students revived a very British afternoon tea, baking a spread to challenge the Great British Bake-Off! The focus was on time management, presentation skills and flavours. Students excelled, creating a a deicious range of pastries, breads, cakes and biscuits.
Year 8 showed their creative talents .. and a certain healthy competitiveness with the design and build of a classic game, Slingshot! Students used traditional materials and method to design a host of brilliantly decorated working games before putting them through their paces!
One of the cross-curricular activities, across English and Art, was very, very popular – graphic novel composition! Students worked in pairs or small groups to create a 4-page episode of a science fiction graphic novel anthology, combining excellent illustration with great storytelling. All would be worthy of a place on our library shelves!
Year 7 students made their own (often rather terrifying!) chess pieces, each creating a clay model of a specific piece but with a science fiction brief. Excellent creative workmanship with some highly skilled and considered designs.
Sci-Fi soundscapes. Year 7 musicians used a range of tuned and untuned percussion and string instruments to compose rousing sci-fi soundscapes as the perfect accompaniment to the Sci Fi artwork on display at the STEAM exhibition.
Year 7 English Chivalry students learned about medieval strategy and battle before making their own unique shield and standard designs. The sessions culminated in an exciting reinactment battle! .. The ‘charge’ was truly terrifying!
Miss Holledge accompanied 30 Year 8 students to the theatre in London to see ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ which they absolutely loved! The show is an adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s animated feature film and has won six Olivier Awards.
Our Summer Afternoon Tea for retired and semi-retired members of the community was a wonderful, shared event. We were joined by over 90 guests, Deputy Mayor Avtar Sandhu, Councillor George Holt, our Chair of Governors, David Stachan and other governors. Guests enjoyed an afternoon tea and performances by our students. We had an excerpt of our school play, band music and solo performances. Guests were also joined by host students who sat at their tables with them, chatted and enjoyed the performances with them. They couldn’t sing the students’ praises enough and had a fabulous time. As usual, we had our complimentary raffle and a number of guests went home with prizes ranging from prosecco to cinema tickets to restaurant vouchers. A big thank you to all who made it happen, to our student performers and hosts and to our lovely guests. Please keep an eye out, in the new academic year, for the publication of when our Christmas one will be. We love to see familiar and new faces and can’t wait to have you with us again.
Year 12 History students this week visited Hampton Court Palace. The palace was used by many key Tudor figures like Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Cardinal Wolsey. The visit allowed students to see the Tudor world up close, including the gardens, galleries and Great Hall. Students also took part in an education session talking about the ‘Mid-Tudor Crisis’ which will complement their studies in Y13.
Careers Update. Our Year 10 work experience has been the most successful year so far and we have placed around 40 students with our local employer contacts.
Students benefitted from a wide range of opportunities including Sony Playstation, pharmacies, Shell, Guys Hospital, solicitors, Wilmott Dixon, YMCA Swanley and a fishmongers which meant getting up at 4am for Billingsgate Market!
“It was an absolute pleasure to host your Year 10 students at the Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe office last week. He is a confident, polite, and friendly young man who approached each day with enthusiasm and a genuine eagerness to learn and try new things.”
Kenard Engineering said “Your Year 10 student was everything you would want from a work experience student, polite, respectful, punctual and enthusiastic. A model candidate, consistently excellent attitude and a positive, enthusiastic approach throughout.”
Our 5 students at YMCA Swanley “All arrived early, working very hard and been a God-send.”
Three Year 10 students attended Southampton University with 40 other Year 10 students from across the country experiencing what life at university is like.
Year 12 has also been a very successful work experience year. We have placed over 20 Year 12 students with our employer contacts – with many gaining valuable work experience in hospitals, solicitors, banks and multinational companies.
One of our Year 12 students is at the Bank of England – and has received a glowing review with the manager saying he would employ him tomorrow.
London Air Ambulance said “Your Year 12 student has been a joy to host – diligent, insightful and keen to engage with every opportunity we have presented him with”
PTA Update. As we come to the end of a fantastic year, the PTA would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the past months. With the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of our school community—parents, carers, staff, and students—we’ve been able to raise amazing funds that will directly benefit our children’s education and school experience. Whether you volunteered your time, attended events, donated, or simply cheered us on, your contribution made a real difference. We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved together and can’t wait to build on this success in the year ahead!
Sports Week. We’re thrilled to share that an incredible £3,478.04 was raised during Sports Week—an amazing achievement that truly reflects the spirit and generosity of our school community! The students showed fantastic enthusiasm throughout the week, and it was wonderful to see them enjoying the cold drinks, ice creams, and snacks that were on offer. Not only did these treats keep everyone cool and energised, but every purchase helped contribute to this brilliant fundraising total. A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise, donated supplies, volunteered their time, or supported in any way—you made this success possible!
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.
Wishing all our families a wonderful summer break, and we will see you back in school for the new academic year on Tuesday 2nd September for new Year 7 and Year 12 students and all other year groups on Wednesday 3rd September.
Best wishes,
Stuart Harrington
Headteacher
