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Windsor Girls’ School
21 May 2021
Year 13 Afternoon Tea
Today, Friday 21 May, we celebrate the end of Year 13's time at Windsor Girls' School. As we go to
print, students are currently enjoying an afternoon of celebration including an individual afternoon tea
for each student and we have arranged for an ice cream van to come to school to recognise
students’ hard work and dedication. We have had some lovely farewell messages from staff, both
past and present. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Year 13 students the very
best in their next stages and thank parents and carers for their support throughout your daughters’
education at Windsor Girls’ School. We are incredibly proud of your daughters' and everything they
have achieved.
Continued on Page 5
Dear Parents and Carers
We hope that you have all had a good week.
Today we say goodbye to our amazing Year 13 students who have their last day in school. They
spent this morning participating in Zoom presentations and some students met representatives from
universities to discover more about results day and clearing, finance and budgeting, accommodation
and life at university. Other students participated in a Virtual Work Experience task. This afternoon
they were in school for a farewell celebratory afternoon tea. This group have shown real resilience
in the face of the challenges of Covid 19 and we have been incredibly impressed by their
determination to succeed and make the most of their unusual Sixth Form experience. We wish them
all the very best for the future.
Year 11 have now finished their courses and all assessments are complete. They will be involved in
a variety of activities next week to mark the end of their time in school including a CSI event
organised by the Science Department and a retro Sports Day.
On Thursday, Year 9 took part in a virtual Enterprise Challenge with the Prince’s Trust. They were
organised in teams to compete in an online task setting up a small business and pitching to potential
mentors. The winning teams will go through to the next round of the challenge. There were some
excellent examples of teamwork and presentation. Well done to all involved.
We have been considering and discussing issues around Diversity as the theme for Community
Week throughout Tutor Time this week. In addition, assemblies were also focused on this theme
and lesson starters in English considered ideas about the power of language in relation to diversity.
Next Friday, the Interact Group will be fund-raising by selling doughnuts during Break 2. Tokens to
buy doughnuts can be purchased from the canteen stands using the cashless payment system.
Well done to our students for continuing to wear masks responsibly in the communal areas of the
school and for co-operating in keeping us all safe. More Lateral Flow Test kits have been distributed
to students and staff this week. It is vitally important to the health of our whole community that we all
remember to take these tests and to report the results. Thank you for your continued support with
this.
We wish everyone a safe and relaxing weekend.
Mr P Griffiths and Mrs E O’Carroll
Co-Headteachers
WGS Geography @GeographyWgs
Windsor Girls’ School @WGSWindsorGirls WGS Aspiring High @WGSAspiringHigh
Careers at Windsor Girls’ School @careersWGS WGS English @WindsorGirlsEng
Windsor Girls’ PE @WGSPE Windsor Girls D of E @wgsdofe
PE Instagram wgs_pe WGS D or E Instagram wgsdofe
Windsor Girls’ LRC @WGS_LRC Windsor Music @twbsmusic
WGS Science @WGS_Science Friends of Windsor Girls’ @FriendsofWGS
WGS MFL @WGSMFLdept
‘
SIXTH FORM
Today is the day we
celebrate our wonderful Year
13s. We really hope that all
students enjoyed the
celebrations, the Afternoon
Year Information Tea, the many farewell
messages and the ice cream
Parents and carers are reminded that all students cycling to school van.
should be wearing an appropriate cycle helmet.
Don't forget, even though you
Year 9 are leaving we are still here
This week, Year 9 have been engaging with the whole school 'Community Week'. The for you! The door is never
students have had assemblies on Diversity in Society, Tutor sessions on Wellbeing closed!
and Inclusion, English lesson starters on the power of language and much more. We
would encourage the students to keep reflecting on how we can all behave and Staff will be here for you from
engage with important issues such as racism, sexism, discrimination and how we can 8:00am on Tuesday, 10
use our voice for the better. The students also had the fantastic opportunity to engage
August for Results Day.
with an Enterprise Day where students attended virtual presentations with business
experts, led by the Princes' Trust. All students did a wonderful job working as a team
and pitching ideas to professionals. Year 12s will be receiving
their timetables for Internal
We would also like to remind Year 9 about uniform expectations. Students should Examinations which begin
have correct school shoes on; have white ankle socks or tights; jewellery is limited to a week beginning 7 June;
pair of studs, religious jewellery and a watch; and blazers. Hoodies and trainers are Students are encouraged to
not allowed and PE kit should only be worn on days when they have PE. read these carefully and start
planning for revision.
A final reminder: aerosol deodorants are not allowed in school. For the safety of
students with medical conditions such as asthma.
Have a lovely weekend!
Have a lovely weekend and we will see you next week!
- Mrs Jenkins & Mrs Quéré
- Ms Feary & Mrs Payne
Year 10
This week has been Community Week and our focus has been 'Our Community'. Students have been covering sensitive
topics this week in am registration but areas that as a school community we feel are really important to be discussed. In
the Year 10 assembly on Tuesday, the main message was around forming and accepting other's identity. Linked to this
there was also a wellbeing drop-in session led by our Sixth Form Student Leadership Team on Wednesday at break 1.
Thank you to all parents and carers for the support in maintaining our high standards of uniform. As a reminder, all
students should be wearing their blazer to school and need to continue to wear their masks when in communal areas such
as the corridors.
We continue to have a strong uptake for afterschool clubs. All students are encouraged to attend. There is lots going on
and it was lovely to see students coming in with their own yoga mats on Wednesday for yoga afterschool.
- Miss O'Gorman
Year 11
Next week is an exciting week for Year 11 students as we celebrate the end of their Year 11 year. On Monday, students
will take part in a CSI day, where they will be presented with a crime scene and they must try and work out which member
of staff is the culprit from a list of suspects! Tuesday will see students celebrate their final day on site. Year 11 will have
an extended Tutor Time and celebration assembly Period 1 before competing in their final House sporting event in a ‘Retro
sports day’. I hope students have a steady hand in the egg and spoon race! To finish the day, students will enjoy wood
fire pizzas and chips as they spend time together as a Year group, celebrating their achievements over the last three
years. There will also be ice cream available for students to purchase. From Wednesday to Friday, students will be
involved in a remote careers programme of which details will be sent out shortly.
I look forward to being able to celebrate next week with Year 11.
- Miss Castle
Dates for Your Diary
Date Year Group Detail
28.05.2021 Year 11 Last day of school
10.06.2021 Year 10 Virtual Subject Evening
17.06.2021 Year 10 Virtual Subject Evening
22.06.2021 All Years Prize Evening (TBC)
09.07.2021 Years 9 & 10 Sports Day
12.07.2021 Year 9 Activities Week
12.07.2021 Year 10 Work Ready Week
12.07.2021 Year 12 UCAS Week
Geography
Geography Enrichment
Year 12 Geography students have been taking part in a six week online workshop from EduSpots
focused on Postcolonial Perspectives. The course is enabling students to understand different
meanings of postcolonialism, and expose students to key themes, debates and scholarship in the
field of postcolonial studies, asking them to apply these theories to development practice and wider
social conversations. The course runs in the form of a blog post which is sent out directly to
participants and pupils complete a task, then comment on another students’ post, responding to
questions.
Students are on week two of six and below are some of their reflections on the course so far. Well
done to all students involved.
‘As part of the post-colonial course that I am taking part in, we have been looking deeper into
colonialism, each week focusing on a different aspect. This week, we have been focusing on our
opinions about slave trade statues being monumented around the world and whether or not we
believe they should be taken down. We have also previously been looking at a range of post-
colonial relationships and the dominance of western culture. This course has allowed me to delve
deeper into understanding post-colonialism and the superpower nations involved and their effect on
their partnering nations, both positive and negative. It has also encouraged me to engage in other
people's opinions by asking them further questions as well as sharing comments on our thoughts.’
- Vivienne Alija, Year 12
‘I have really been enjoying working through the Postcolonial Course which we have been kindly
granted access to. So far, we have been focusing on defining postcolonialism and its different
perspectives, as part of our introduction, week one and week two tasks. It has been great exploring
aspects of Geography outside of our A Level specification, as well as the collaborative aspect of the
course whereby we are able to comment on other people’s posts and also share our own ideas and
analysis. The content is varied and engaging - ranging from TED talk videos to satirical pieces to
academic theory - I am looking forward to learning more about postcolonialism in the weeks ahead!’
- Olatz Bulson Roman, Year 12
Year 13 Afternoon Tea
“It was lovely to have The school has encouraged
one more time us to follow our dreams.
together, and to look Thank you to the Music
back on everything department!”
we’ve achieved! The - Emma Gyngell
colour green will never
be the same!”
- Celeste Fisher
“Today was a great way to
look back on the last 5 years
at this school and a nice way
to tie everything off.”
- Sam Allum
“It was a great last day “It’s strange to think
with a few tears. The that after 5 years here,
teachers definitely made it we’ve just gathered all
special. We left with a together for the last
bang.” time!”
- Emily Helsby - Jess Woods
“Through thick and thin, Year
13 has been through it all. “It was really fun
Maybe we’re better for it; looking back at all
maybe we’ve made the the photos from
school a better place. Good the past 5 years!”
luck to all other Years, - Rachel Clark
hopefully Windsor Girls’
School is as good to you as “Thank you for
it was to us xxx” giving us the send
- Emily Cave off we needed. You
have all done so
“Thank you to all the much for me and I
teachers for making it a will never forget
memorable last day. I will that.”
never forget my time at - Gracey Caller
“It has been an amazing
Windsor Girl’s.”
day celebrating the leavers’
- Ariela Veizaj
assembly. I enjoyed my time
at WGS and have learnt so
much from this school. Strive
to do what you want to do in
life and don’t let anyone
discourage your aspirations
and future plans. I wish future
students all the luck.”
- Louise White
Windsor Girls’ School Centenary
Time Capsule
To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the opening of
Windsor Girls' School in 2020, we are pleased to
announce there will be the burial of a time capsule to be
reopened in 2070. This is an incredible opportunity for
all members of the WGS community to get involved with
our school's historic past, and exciting future.
This will be formally launched in the final week of this
term to the students, but students and staff should
begin considering what they would place inside the time
capsule to commemorate, celebrate, and contemplate
the 2020-2021 academic year to be sealed for 50 years.
The time capsule itself will be made of lead composite
and supplied by a company who have expertise in these structures and accompanied by a plaque to
commemorate the site.
Parents and carers can get involved by discussing with pupils the events of the past year in terms of
history, society, and school community, and how that can be reflected with an artefact to be
included.
Please bear in mind when considering artefacts, their suitability for burial for example no food items,
liquids, chemicals, wool, flammable items, or organic recycled material.
Any further questions can be directed to Mrs Peck via email peckc001@windsorgirls.net
Careers We would now like to invite you to our next meeting “Meeting 5” on Wednesday 26 May 2021 @ 4:30pm - “Writing your CV and Covering Letter with Bright Red Resourcing”. By joining us in this meeting you will:- Find out how to go about writing an eye catching CV and what to feature in your covering letter Key Learning Points: Explore the importance of style, tone and grammar Mazz Saleem 9I What does your CV say and not say about you Understand what information goes where What are employers/unis looking for? The meeting will take place via Zoom. Email Miss O’Neill if you would like to attend: oneik001@windsorgirls.net A reminder of your Work Ready Club Membership Log in details are as follows:- https://www.learningtowork.org.uk/work-ready-club/ Username: students Password: workreadyclub Upcoming Free Events for Year 10 – 13 Students and their Parents/Carers Sony Music Sony Music Look Beyond Series: Streaming, Analytics and Email Marketing Tuesday 25 May at 5:00pm This FREE virtual insight session is the Third and Final of our series to help young people explore careers at Sony and work out how to get there. Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152657321157 Job Ready Scheme Leonardo – Innovating in Business Wednesday 26 May at 5:00pm Have you got a passion for technology? Come along to hear about the amazing opportunities Leonardo have to offer! Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/153497084913 Previous session recordings: https://pathwayctm.com/job-ready-scheme-2021/
Year 9 Art Over the last few weeks, Year 9 have been working on their new project titled ‘Portraits’. The Year 9s have explored features of the face with some students opting to extend themselves by capturing a section of the head. Below is a small selection of the fabulous work produced by the students.
Year 9 Art
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Duke of Edinburgh Award - Year 10
Sophie-Alice Gillborn and Leah Hartstone have been
volunteering with the brownies for their Bronze DofE Award.
“Sophie and Leah are amazing. The girls have really taken to
them. They get stuck in with activities - making rockets from
vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, grave hunting at the church,
teaching fire safety and so on.
They really are naturals and I can relax when they’re around.
Happy to keep the flow of DofE volunteers from Windsor Girls’
to our brownies.”
Duke of Edinburgh Award - Year 11
This weekend, Year 11 will be taking part in their practise
expedition.
Year 11 English Year 11 have been completing a final in-class assessment this week. This was a Creative Writing task and to prepare, students were taught about aspects of successful creative writing. As they worked through the materials on this, they completed Knowledge Organisers like those shown here to keep a record of key information and for use as a memory aid.
Year 12 Travel & Tourism
The Year 12 Travel and Tourism class have been working hard in their
revision for their up and coming Unit 1 Internal Assessment. Several of
the class came into school and took the examination in January during
lockdown and high grades were gained. The assessment next week is
the final one for this unit of work and all students are striving high to
achieve the top grades. Revision lessons have been a mix of
examination technique through past papers, improving their knowledge
of the examination specification and using this within their revision resources. We have also been
mixing up our revision with terminology games such as Taboo, Pictionary and question Battle Ships
and Bingo. Good luck to all of the class next week.
‘The Little Mermaid’ Auditions
This November we are staging “The Little Mermaid” and, as you know, our productions are always
fantastic. We are excited to start working on this show and the first stage of the process is to get the
cast together. If you would like to be involved, then please use this QR code to visit the form that
you need to fill in. The auditions are for the Principal Roles, if you would like to be in the chorus you
are not required to audition, but please sign up.
The form will give you a chance to tell us if you want to audition for a part,
or if you want to be in the chorus. The show is open to all students in all
Years, all we ask is that you are regularly involved in one of the school
choirs. We are also looking for students who dance regularly outside of
school. The more the merrier, this production is going to be fabulous and
we need you!
If you have any questions, please email – jmanwaring@twbs.co.uk.
Auditions for the principal characters will be held at TWBS on:
Tuesday, 25 May – Girls – Principal Characters – 15:30 – 18:15
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=NER4DFI8-
0GbxesIrvtjUR9Tlw1bZoBIj11wByTix2RURDZIUEwxMTBBM0xVMVZNUVZLWVVLQ0ZWUi4uCommunity Week
This week at Windsor Girls’ School is Community Week with activities running within Tutor times and
in the host subject, English. The week’s theme is “Our Community”, exploring several areas that can
prove challenging to our students. As a result of the week’s topics, we aim for students to be tooled
with the knowledge and awareness to support one another. The week’s Assembly focuses on identi-
ty, gender and sexuality. Tutor time activities explore the correct use of social media and the impact
of trolling, forming healthy relationships and racial slurs, and the history surrounding inappropriate
use of language so that all are aware of why it’s not acceptable to be used. The Student Leadership
Team and Wellbeing Committee are holding drop in sessions for each Year group, setting the scene
for the future fortnightly sessions. Within English lessons, students have been completing starter ac-
tivities focusing upon the power of language and how it can be used in both positive and negative
ways to change the narrative.
Our Community- One Community- WGSYear 9 Prince’s Trust Enterprise
Challenge
On Thursday, 20 May, all Year 9 students took part in the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Challenge
hosted by Learning to Work. The Programme is developed and managed by The Prince’s Trust, a
national youth charity that helps 11 to 30 year olds to live, learn and earn. The aim of the Enterprise
Challenge was to develop young people’s enterprise skills in order to increase their confidence and
aspirations. The Programme was delivered through a business simulation game and competition
and students worked in small groups to create a pitch that was then shared with other classes. The
winners of the competition will automatically go through to the 2021 Regional Final to represent
WGS and these will be announced shortly.
The winning team will get to join VMWare on a Business Insight Day and win prizes.
Miss O’Neill, Careers Leader says “Well done to all of Year 9 for participating so positively in the
programme. Your ideas and energy were fantastic and don’t remember to log the day on your
Unifrog account”.Interact Doughnut Sale
RBWM Youth Council
AfC Info website - Windsor and Maidenhead :: Young
People / Information and Advice / RBWM Youth Voice /
Youth Council
Check out this fantastic opportunity to have your opinions heard
and to have an impact on the Community as part of the Youth
Council.
If you would like to be the Windsor Girls’ School representative
follow the link and get your application started!Windsor Teaching Alliance On 16 June, Windsor Girls' School are hosting an Open Morning for potential Teacher Training candidates on-site between 9:00 and 11:30am in our training centre. Representatives from the school and the borough's SCITT will talk through the application and training process. This is an opportunity to ask questions and to get a feel for the school environment and to meet staff. To register your interest, please contact Mrs Courtney Peck via email peckc001@windsogirls.net or contact the School office 01753 795 155
Friends of Windsor Girls’ School (FOWGS) Friends of Windsor Girls’ School (FOWGS) On Wednesday 26 May at 7:30pm, Windsor and Eton Brewery is hosting a private brewery tour and beer tasting experience event by Zoom link exclusively for FOWGS. Will Calvert will take us on a two hour experience sampling some of their finest beers. It will be great fun and also raise some money for our school. Access to the Zoom link is £25; this will include six beers, an engraved Windsor and Eton beer glass and Will’s expertise. Please email FOWGS@windsorgirls.net to sign up for the event. Shout out for parental support. One of our FOWGS parents is keen to facilitate an extra-curricular sports club from September. We are looking for parents who are interested in sport to join a FOWGS Sports Committee. This is an ideal opportunity to help support our school and community. To move this idea forward we are asking for any parents that have a minimum of two hours a month available to help us. If you would be interested, please contact us via email: FOWGS@windsorgirls.net Virtual wellbeing sessions. Miss Krstovic – Head of Social Sciences, is pleased to offer our community free wellbeing sessions, initially they will be virtually but with a view to being in person. All you need is a chair, a quiet room for half an hour and some space for yourself. There are four sessions available please join us for one or all: Sessions available: Tuesday 8, 15, 22, 29 June from 7:30pm – 8:00pm The Grounding for Mindfulness Technique is a deep and effective way to induce mindfulness in every-day life. The technique is effective and works instantly. Sessions are offered by an experienced mindfulness teacher. The aim is to teach individuals how to relax, positively programme their mind and provide them with stress busting strategies they can use daily. Learn how to deal with anxiety, Learn how to manage daily stress, Learn how to relax after a hard day’s work, Develop your concentration and focus in daily life, Develop your creativity and problem solving, Learn how to deal with conflict, Remember how unique and amazing you are, Learn how to positively programme your mind, Flourish! If successful, these sessions will continue into next term! To confirm a place, please contact us via email: FOWGS@windsorgirls.net
Extra-Curricular Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
AM
B1
Sixth Form
Year 12
Sixth Form Science Journal Year 9 Mock Trial
Wellbeing
B2 Debate Society Club Debate Club
Group
Room 61 Room 63 NAG
LQE
KAN/SGY
Interact Members
Year 12
Week B
Room 12
CPK
Sixth Form 3.15pm - Year 11
Mindfulness Debate Club – Fashion Drop-in Full School Choir
PM
Meditation Room 20 Year 10 & 11 3:05 - 4:00
Room 63 NAG
Athletics Badminton Dance Year 9
Year 9 Year 10 Year 9 Leadership
ESR/ASD SSCO 4Motion SSCO
Rounders Rounders Yoga Badminton
Year 10 Year 9 Year 10 Year 9
CCE CSD/ESR 4Motion SSCO
Leadership CN Catch up
Year 10 Year 10
SSCO ASD
Athletics
Year 10
ASD/CCE
ParentPay Tip - Low Balance Alert
DID YOU KNOW?
You may find it helpful to receive an alert when your daughter’s Cashless Catering account is getting
low.
To set up an alert, please log into ParentPay and click on your daughter’s icon. Then select
‘Communications’ and ‘Change alert settings’. Against ‘Windsor Girls School Dinners’ payment item,
enter the minimum amount for when you would like to be notified and select email. You can also opt
for text messages, but this will incur a charge to your account of 6p per text. Email alerts are free of
charge.
If you require any assistance with ParentPay, please email Mrs Jo Pickering on
pickj014@windsorgirls.netFirst Aid for Youth Mental Health We are offering some free training through our ESF funded courses. The attached flyer provides full details of the First Aid for Youth Mental Health training. This is delivered by a registered nurse and is fully certified, so attendees will receive a certificate upon completion of the course stating that they are a qualified Youth Mental Health First Aider. The whole course is delivered and assessed online. When enrolled to the course the participants are sent a link to join the course on MS Teams where they will be part of live delivered sessions, with some short tasks set between lessons. Each lesson lasts a maximum of an hour. Evening May - June course: All sessions running 7:30pm – 8:30pm. Long break between sessions 2 and 3 to avoid half term week. Mon 24 May Thu 27 May Mon 7 June Thu 10 June Mon 14 June If you wish to enrol the next steps would be as follows: 1) Email back to express your interest to: Jon.Childs@ActivateLearning.ac.uk and we will email you an enrolment form along with a secure onedrive folder. 2) Complete and upload the form, along with some copies of ID, into the folder. These will be specified when you declare your interest. The ID is required for us to evidence who we are claiming funding for, enabling us to offer the course free of charge. 3) Once this is all received and checked we confirm your enrolment and send a course manual to you. 4) Close to the course start a link is emailed to you with final joining instructions to join the first session. A:Oxpens Campus, Oxpens Rd | Oxford | OX1 1SA E: Jon.Childs@ActivateLearning.ac.uk | D: 01865 551869 | M: 07901553405 T: 0800 4880732 | www.activatelearning.ac.uk
First Aid for Youth Mental Health
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