Blog week ending 18th March - WGSG

At Wimington Grammar School for Girls it’s science week, every week, as we regularly celebrate and report upon the many exciting and progressive activities and lessons available.  However, this week is British Science Week so the department has been even more awesome!  The theme of this year is ‘Growth’ and Mrs Munden and her team have put together a range of quizzes, competitons and special Science Club activities to inspire and foster a love of science and to explore all the exciting places and careers it can take you.

Year 10 Computer Science students are writing code in the “Python” Programming Language.  They are creating a Text Adventure Game which requires them to essentially code an interactive story game where depending on the choices you make, depends on what happens next in the story.  Thus far they have used IF Statements, variables and a range of basic python practices.  Today specifically, they have begun to include loops and a life system where the game will end if they run out of lives.  Very impressive stuff indeed!

Mr Dawson’s ever-popular Science Club was the scene of an elephant’s toothpaste demonstration this week!  The ‘elephant’s toothpaste’ involves adding a chemical catalyst, in this case Potassium Iodide, to Hydrogen Peroxide.  The resulting reaction is an impressive whoosh of foam escaping from the tube!  Our Science Clubs are a wonderful companion to our lessons and extra-curricular subject sessions creating wonder and igniting curiosity with a broad range of hands-on activities and exciting demonstrations.

WG6 Chemists were investigating the rate of hydrolysis of different haloalkanes. To do this, they looked at the time taken for the haloalkanes to form solid precipitates.  Halogenated hydrocarbons have several commercial and industrial applications including as the active component in flame retardants, used as refrigerants and propellants.

WG6 Chemistry.  The aim of this practical was to synthesise and purify an organic liquid (a haloalkane). During this lesson students purified the substance they had made by distillation and calculate their yield before testing the product to confirm what they produced.

We recently focused on Women in Science Week, understanding and celebrating women’s important contribution to scientific development.  These women form valuable role models, proving what can be achieved.  However, within our own school Alumni we have many more aspirational and crucially, relatable role models for our students to take inspiration from including Ruthann Osei who is currently in her final year at university and is working with a scientist helping to make Zoonoses Barrier and Cytomegalovirus based Vaccines for Ebola.  And Dr Stephanie Wills who is currently doing an Equine Internship following a veterinary medicine degree.  Our Alumni have always played a valuable part in our career support delivering talks and demonstrations to give a tangible view of what pursuing studies and careers within the scientific field can offer.  Now that we are able to welcome guests back into school, Mrs Munden is planning to invite more of our ex-students to visit school and deliver talks, answer questions and where possible, mentor our students.

Miss Skrine took our trampoline team to this year’s Kent Schools Trampolining Competition Final at Jumpers Rebound Centre, Gillingham.  Everyone was very excited for our first chance to compete and represent WGSG in two years.  Poppy A, Perla T and Abigail V volunteered as marshals at the event. They organised all 210 competitors during the warm up and flight phase when they weren’t competing themselves. WGSG were running the show!

Special mentions – Tyler C came 1^st in Year 9-10 Novice individuals; Lotte D came 4th Year 7-8 Novice individuals (out of 53 - the largest category); our Year 7-8 intermediate team Ava F, Zoe G and Grace G placed 3^rd; Year 9-10 intermediate team Angeleena K, Abigail V and Sophia Smedley missed out on 3rd place by 0.1!

Congratulations to our Year 7 Netball Team who fielded two sides against Dartford Grammar School for Girls winning both matches.  The matches were incredibly tight and hard fought, congratulations to our WGSG team who won both of their matches by one goal; 5-4 and 9-10 – a brilliant perfomance!

Malena M

Tenu B

Ayomide O

Naiya P

Fayokemi O

Grace G

Beth R

Lottie B

Gabriella R

Nikol S

Maya K

Saanvi K

Nadira A

Chloe

Kosi E

Julia O

Year 11 GCSE ‘Walk & Talk’ revision sessions are taking place twice a week at form time.  Subject specialists lead the group, walking the room providing support to students across the subject syllabus.  These sessions work in conjunction with regular lunchtime and after school subject extra-curricular clubs. 

Part time work opportunity at WGSG!  We are currently seeking Exam Invigilators to join our busy school.  You will be employed on a casual basis as and when required during the school year to supervise students taking public and internal exams.  The salary is paid on an hourly basis at a rate of £10.89 per hour (£9.51 per hour basic salary, plus £1.38 per hour representing payment in respect of annual leave entitlement)

Our ideal candidate will:

• have the ability to work under pressure in a busy environment
• have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• have the ability to issue instructions to a wide range of candidates in a confident manner
• have ability to keep calm under pressure or during unexpected circumstances
• have ability to work to predetermined instructions and to judge when a decision is not theirs to make
• be reliable, flexible and punctual

Our application form can be completed via our website Recruitment (accessacloud.com). Closing date is Monday 28^th March

Forthcoming;

As if this week was not busy enough in the life of WGSG, next week we have our first Year 7 Epistemic Insight Celebration Evening on Tuesday with guest from our link research partners Canterbury Christ Church University and St. Mary Twickenham followed on Thursday by a visit from Rory Steyn who was the bodyguard to Nelson Mandela, and he is coming to share his journey and experiences of working with him with the students and staff.  All the pictures and details to follow in next week’s Blog.

Cambridge Roadshow (Years 10 & 11) 23^rd March

Cultural Clothes Day.  Wednesday 30^th March

School reports.  Year 10 written reports will be available 31^st March.  Years 7-9 will receive Grade Reports on the 31^st March

Best wishes

Michelle Lawson

Head Teacher