Enrichment Week is always a highlight of the school year, giving students an opportunity to learn new skills, gain valuable cultural experiences and interact with their peers in positive, productive and exciting ways.

Many students in Year 8 had the wonderful opportunity to visit LEGOLAND. With so many rides and attractions, this was a fabulous chance for students to bond and build unforgettable memories together.

Other Year 8 students were given the opportunity to visit Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s South Bank. This unique architectural space, a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original Globe Theatre, is an amazing attraction for visitors of all ages. Students were given a fascinating and insightful tour, as well as the chance to experience a little of what it might have been like to watch a performance in Shakespeare’s own time.

Many students in Year 7 also had the amazing opportunity to visit the Isle of Wight and take part in a wide range of PGL activities. Superbly led and organised by Mr Hurst, Mrs Thomas, Mr Macleod and Mr Patel, the trip gave students a truly wonderful experience. They were able to participate in activities ranging from kayaking and Jacob’s Ladder to the Giant Swing and Tag Archery. This annual trip is always a uniquely special event, giving students the chance to bond with their classmates and create lifelong memories.

Students who remained in school certainly did not miss out, as they were involved in a plethora of exciting learning activities from Wednesday to Friday.

Superbly led by Ms Lynch and the Computer Science Department, students explored the history of coding before competing in teams to break a series of codes in the fastest time possible. It was a challenge of dexterity, intellect and teamwork, with some excellent prizes for the victorious teams.

Elsewhere, the Science Department taught students about air velocity, challenging them to create different types of paper aeroplane and then test how far they could fly. Let us just hope that they do not put their newly developed skills into action back in the classroom!

Meanwhile, the Social Science Department organised a murder mystery event on both Thursday and Friday. Brilliantly orchestrated by Miss Marple, also known as Miss Butterfield, and Mr Poirot, otherwise known as Mr Harris, this was a hugely entertaining activity which students embraced with gusto. They dashed between North Side and South Side in search of clues before identifying the culprits. The “usual suspects” who were finally exposed were Mr Shoedeinde on Thursday and Mr Harris on Friday, both of whom were apprehended by the students with unsurprising enthusiasm.

Another culturally rich activity was organised by the Creative Arts Faculty. Using the outside classroom, groups of students produced watercolour and ink paintings inspired by the work of the late David Hockney and the watercolour artist Anna Brewster. They spent time carefully observing the outdoor space, the sunlight dappling through the tree canopy and the contrasts between light and shade in the natural environment around them. As a result, many students produced some stunning ink and watercolour studies.

The MFL Department organised a range of enjoyable activities, including watching Spanish films and creating masks inspired by what the students had seen. However, the undoubted highlight was the salsa dancing with Mr Spada on Friday afternoon!

On Friday morning, a group of 80 Year 7 students made an intrepid and daring journey into the labyrinthine world of mythology in an event superbly organised by the English Department. Students formed teams and, over the course of the morning, completed a series of challenges. They began in the Minotaur’s Maze before progressing to the Trial of the Gods, where they attempted to discover who was responsible for the Trojan War. They then embarked upon a Hero’s Quest, inventing their own heroic figures, before finally facing Prophetic Problems, in which they had to solve a series of enigmatic riddles to discern the true meaning of the Oracle’s Prophecy.

It was a fantastic, fun-packed morning. Many congratulations go to the aptly named Cham-Pions, who claimed both the prize and the much-coveted laurel wreath crown.

 

Enthusiastically led by Ms Sobolewska and Ms Zsembery from the Cover Department, a large group of Year 9 students enjoyed a fascinating cultural morning. They learned about some of the major sights of Budapest and Hungary, including Budapest Zoo, the historic metro system, the stunning cathedral and Lake Balaton. They also gained valuable knowledge about traditional Polish and Hungarian cuisine.

Students practised useful phrases and had great fun decoding the names of different dishes in their original languages. This wonderful event culminated in the students watching Freddie Mercury’s 1986 performance in Budapest, during which he delighted the audience by singing a traditional Hungarian folk song. This moment added a unique cultural touch to the week’s activities and demonstrated how music can connect people across languages and borders.

Beyond these events, there was a host of other exciting activities. Mr Jafari and Mr Kanagaratnam from the Maths Department ran a chess workshop, while Ms Porter from the Cover Department organised film workshops which gave students the opportunity to explore why certain movies become classics and remain beloved by generations of viewers. Students also learned how music can be used to create tension and atmosphere before being given the chance to invent their own film plots. This was the perfect opportunity for all our budding filmmakers.

 

A huge THANK YOU to Ms Kallah and to all the teachers and staff who organised such an incredible week of engaging, enriching and memorable activities for our students!

 

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