Latest News Page Updates | 6 February

Strikes, Spares, and Silverware: A Golden Day at Bexley Panathlon

I had the absolute pleasure of taking 11 students from across all year groups to the Panathlon Foundation Bexley Secondary SEND Ten-Pin Bowling Competition on Friday 30th January. Team captains Olivia A and Bobby C led the group brilliantly. Following some initial team-building activities in the sports hall, which encouraged students to communicate and get to know one another, they confidently organised themselves into two teams for the competition.

The teams naturally formed into a girls’ team and a boys’ team, and all students were happy with the outcome. While a small number of students were initially reluctant to attend, it was fantastic to see that by the end of the trip every student was smiling, engaged, and clearly enjoying the experience.

All students demonstrated excellent effort throughout the competition, resulting in some impressive scores. Our top-scoring girl was Summer, who achieved 95 points and recorded three spares, closely followed by team captain Olivia with 89 points. On the boys’ side, Mason delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an incredible 127 points, including three spares and two strikes. He was closely followed by Alfie, who also broke into the 100 club with a score of 103, achieving four spares along the way.

As the results were announced, the boys’ team were thrilled to be named competition winners. They were awarded gold medals and proudly brought home a trophy for the school. The excitement continued on our return, with students eager to show Mr Dixon their medals and trophy and share stories from the day.

The boys’ team have now qualified for the next round of the competition, which will take place in June, and we very much look forward to supporting them again.

Mrs Beswick  |  Coordinator of Learning PE

MYP in Language and Literature

In Year 8 English, our MYP curriculum is designed to develop the whole student, not just their ability to analyse a text. This term, students in Year 8 have explored the question of the rightful owner of the island in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. This unit has encouraged them to weigh different perspectives and consider how ideas about power and ownership are shaped by their context. Students have been supported to balance Jacobean attitudes to colonialism, which influenced Shakespeare’s writing, with contemporary views on fairness, rights and responsibility. Learning has moved beyond traditional “book learning” through a sequence of active experiences that develop confidence, communication and an understanding of different viewpoints.

One example is the Whoosh, a drama-based activity where students collectively retell key moments from the play by briefly stepping into the role of a character, helping them to understand competing claims to the island. This is followed by a Socratic fishbowl discussion, where students practise listening, questioning and responding as they explore the island ownership debate. These activities directly support students in preparing for their written assessment, in which they write a structured argument about who they believe is the rightful owner of the island, or whether it should belong to no one. After completing the assessment, students will take part in a learning trail, using their written arguments in a real, structured debate. This sequence helps students see assessment as preparation for applying ideas thoughtfully in real-world contexts — a core aim of the MYP.

Virtual Assembly this week

An Exciting Archaeology Opportunity at Lesnes Abbey

We are delighted to share that our school has been selected as one of only three schools to participate in a National Lottery-funded archaeology project at the historic Lesnes Abbey. The project offers a rare opportunity for students to see the “behind-the-scenes” of history. By carrying out an archaeological dig themselves, they will gain a deep understanding of what a career in archaeology entails and how the Historian works outside of the classroom 

Founded nearly 900 years ago in 1178, Lesnes Abbey was originally built by Richard de Luci to make up for his role in the murder of Thomas Becket. Today, its beautiful ruins and ancient woodlands are the perfect place for a “hands-on” history lesson. You can take a look at the site and its history here: Lesnes Abbey Woods Website.

Our students will be working directly with professional archaeologists and historians to get to the very heart of how we learn about the past. During the visit, students will:

• Undertake Archaeology: Participate in active investigative work on-site, learning the techniques used to find and preserve artifacts.
• Expert Talks: Hear directly from Abbey historians and professional archaeologists about their daily work and the “detective stories” they solve every day.
• Explore the Site: Students will have the chance to explore the ruins and ancient woodland to learn more about the area’s History. 

As we are one of only three schools chosen for this initiative, we expect interest to be very high. Please keep an eye on your inbox for further information.

BREAKING NEWS!

Year 11 and Year 13 students commenced their second series of mock exams on Monday, 26th January 2026. These assessments build upon their first set of mocks and provide vital preparation for the final exams this summer.

Our students showed exceptional discipline and resilience last week, and external invigilators were notably impressed by their conduct. We wish all our students the very best of luck for the remainder of the mocks and their upcoming summer examinations.