We have enjoyed a truly beautiful week of events. On Monday, the entire school came together with compassion and reflection to mark our Remembrance event. We were able to capture the reverent respect shown by all here, do take a moment to reflect with us. The school was its usual hive of activities in between with our Y11s taking their mock exams and the rest of the school working hard in lessons. We paused on Wednesday afternoon to reflect further on the journey so far. Do ask to see the journals where the achievements of term 1 have been captured and new targets for term 2 made. Friday was a day of charity fun as we united to raise money for Children in Need. What a way to end the week!
Assembly
This week we have been informing students how we can support them to make good decisions regarding their behaviour. Initially, we looked at all the opportunities which are available to those who are working at ‘Green’ standard or higher. Students have also been reminded about how our warning systems work and given more guidance about what will happen if a student accumulates high numbers of negative incidents on Edulink. We now have a three-tier report system whereby students will be on report to either their tutor, head of year, or Senior Leader link teacher. Communication home, via a phone call, will happen at every stage to ensure everyone is aware what support has been put in place.
Honouring Remembrance Day in School and in our Town
We are incredibly proud of our students, especially our cadets, for the respectful and heartfelt way they conducted themselves during our Remembrance Day observance. The entire school community joined in a solemn moment of reflection, led with great dignity by our visiting bugler and representatives from our uniform organisations, including one of our trustees, who guided the parade. We were also brilliantly represented in Cirencester’s own Service of Remembrance on Sunday morning, where Bella and Matt, our Head Students, laid a wreath and so many of our school community wore the uniforms of their organisations.
To continue our tribute, we kept our Remembrance area displayed throughout the week, allowing students and staff a dedicated space to reflect and pay their respects. Thank you to everyone involved for helping us honour the memory of those who served, with reverence and pride.
Woodchester Mansion
Last week students in Year 9 had the chance to visit the stunningly gothic Woodchester Mansion as inspiration for our ‘Ghost Stories’ unit. A famous tourist attraction for the local area, it provides a perfect setting to fuel our imaginations.
You may ask why is this a tourist attraction? What’s so special about it? Well, the reason is that randomly in 1873 the builders put down their tools and left never to return (you can still see the scaffolding and ladders), making the mansion look like a perfectly finished gothic revival house from the outside, but the secrets are shown once you step inside. Sadly, the main reason it is unfinished is that the original owner (William Leigh) ran out of money and died leaving the only finished original room the dining room.
So, the question is why did the builders leave so suddenly? Well, the bland truth is financial issues but there is speculation that the supernatural might have also been at play, around the mansion there has been several ghosts sighted including a girl crying for her mother, a workman who died during construction and an American soldier who drowned in the lake during a training exercise for WW2 and can be found by the boat house. There are also several cold spots and rumours of strange whispering, floating lights, ghostly music and sudden temperature drops. The spookiest parts of this mansion by far are the secluded corridors (especially the top floor), the cellars and the unexplained objects (a dummy on the bench just hanging).
Overall, this mansion is a must-see destination whether you believe in ghosts or not. There are lots of activities and things to see including a bat observatory, a guided tour where you can learn so much about the mansion, even the walk down is scenic. It is just dripping with rich history and there is so much to see and unpick, making this a bucket list worthy attraction.
Eliza, Year 9 student
Oxford Natural History Museum
Year 10 GCSE Fine Art & Phtography students spent a lovely day in Oxford on Friday 8th November visiting the Natural History Museum and Botanical gardens. Fine art students are working on a project focused on Natural Forms, the museum is a fantastic resource with a huge range of insects, skeletons, fossils, stuffed birds and mammals. Students sketched and photographed the exhibits and will use their images to support their coursework. Photography students were given the brief "Places and Spaces" and "Groups". The stunning Victorian Gothic architecture of the building and the multiple specimens fitted perfectly with these themes. Luckily it was also graduation day in Oxford and as we walked across the town to the botanical gardens we saw many groups of graduates all dressed up in their caps and gowns. Everyone really enjoyed the trip and have an excellent range of images and sketches to use for their coursework.
Y9 Patchwork
Our Year 9 pupils have demonstrated PRIDE in their sustainable patchwork cushion project! They have been a pleasure to teach and have achieved fantastic outcomes, incorporating advanced techniques in their work. Well done, Year 9 — we are so proud of you!
Lunchtime Concert
Please enjoy the YouTube video from our recent Lunchtime Concert here. Our students worked incredibly hard, and we couldn’t be prouder of their performances!
Looking ahead, our next Lunchtime Concert is on November 21st, and there are still spaces for anyone interested in performing. Choir rehearsals are also going strong, and we’re excited to share their incredible work at our Christmas Concert.
Speaking of which, mark your calendars! The Christmas Concert is scheduled for December 9th at St John's Church in Cirencester. Tickets are available by clicking here.
We recently held auditions, and we can’t wait to showcase the amazing acts we have lined up.
Mr. Ashby
Y7 Rugby Festival
Last Saturday we took 16 of our most dedicated year 7 rugby players to the SCAPE district rugby tournament held at Katharine Lady Berkeley School in Wotton-Under-Edge. It was a fantastic day and the quality of rugby on show was very high from across all schools. Overall, the boys finished 4th in their pool playing against KLB, Thomas Keble and Rednock school. Earning them a spot in the silver playoffs. Where they played a fantastic game against Marlin Grammar that ended in a 15-15 draw to finish the day strong. Man of the tournament went to debutant Bobby C on his first outing in the black and red after putting in a strong defensive performance throughout the entire day, really showing his grit and determination, well done Bobby!
Y8 Student Success
We’re thrilled to share that Y8, Ethan H, has won the prestigious first place Craig Ogden Salver Award (Grade 4 & 5) in the classical guitar competition at the Royal Wootton Bassett Arts Festival this last weekend. Ethan’s exceptional talent also earned him a 1st place trophy in the Junior Duet category, where he performed alongside a friend. Congratulations, Ethan, on this wonderful achievement. Thank you for sharing your musical talent with us, and we look forward to seeing more of your accomplishments in the future!
Uniform Sort Out
This week, the Friends of Kingshill have been hard at work on-site, sorting through all of our pre-loved uniforms in preparation for the upcoming uniform sale on December 6th. We kindly ask that parents hold off on any additional uniform donations until we announce a new collection date.
The Friends of Kingshill will also be present at our Y11 GCSE Awards Evening, selling drinks before and after the awards ceremony. If any parents are interested in volunteering to help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
A Kind Reminder about Parking Considerations
We kindly remind parents/carers to avoid parking or picking up from Millennium Way, at the back of the school. This area can become very busy, and parked cars can make it difficult for residents to access their driveways. Your help in parking considerately and choosing alternative areas for pick-up ensures we maintain positive relationships with our neighbours. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
Closing Remarks
To our Y11 students, we wish you a further resilient weekend as you prepare for your second and final week of mock exams. You have been exceptional in your preparations and conduct. To our parents and carers, we want to thank you for the resilience you display week in and week out when washing the uniforms - we know they are often covered in mud, but this is because we are fortunate to be able to keep our fields open during social times. Our students benefit enormously from being able to let off steam and this paves the wave for calm and settled lessons! To the rest of the school, we wish you all a restful weekend.
