Operation Wallacea 2025

“Over the summer, for Operation Wallacea 2025, we went to South Africa for two weeks. For the first week, we stayed at Somkhanda Game Reserve to help Operation Wallacea (Opwall) with surveys they were overseeing. This included conducting a vegetation survey on the grass and trees in a section of the game reserve, doing a bird point count and completing game transects in a trail in the reserve. Whilst out in the reserve, we were delighted to see elephants, giraffes, rhinos and buffalos. In the second week, we went to Sodwana Bay for a diving course. We all did a skills check in a pool on the first day, then went to the beach to dive or snorkel. Whilst diving, we saw dolphins, sharks, turtles and some stingrays. Throughout the trip, we were given lectures on all of the wildlife and importance of what we were helping with; to contribute to real conservation research.”
Jack F
Year 13 and Operation Wallacea 2025 Participant

Former MFL Students

We were delighted to welcome back former students Destinie and Adrien, who are now studying Spanish and History at university. They gave an inspiring talk to our pupils and students from Years 9-13 about the importance of learning a language. They spoke with passion about their years abroad, the friendships they built, the opportunities for travel and how studying a language helped them stand out when applying for internships. They also reflected on the personal growth and confidence they gained through their experiences.

Author Visit Inspires Budding Writers

Last week, we welcomed enthusiastic Year 5 pupils from Sheringdale Primary, Southmead Primary and St Michael’s Church of England School for a special visit from best-selling author Vicky Holmes aka Erin Hunter. Vicky spoke about her books, explained why she writes under different names and answered some fabulous questions. Everyone received a signed bookmark to take home. In the afternoon, selected Year 7 pupils took part in creative writing challenges and received expert feedback from Vicky, who also talked about her career.

Competition Winner

Last term, The Sutherland Grove Conservation Area Residents’ Association (SGCARA), challenged our pupils and students to design a new logo to give the association a fresh new look. We featured the top entries and we can now announce that the winner is Sanika K in Year 11. This was her final entry. Well done Sanika!

NEW Enrichment for Year 12

We are thrilled to have introduced a new initiative for Year 12, our Enrichment afternoons. The focus for this year is ‘getting your foot in the door’ and provides students with a range of skills and experiences that will help to bolster their personal statements, CVs, applications etc. when applying for university, apprenticeships or the world of work.

Head Boy, Head Girl and Prefect Team Appointments

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Head Boy, Robin E and Head Girl Eva D. The term has only just begun, and already they have shone, showcasing their leadership and communication skills by delivering impressive speeches at our open events and taking on key front-of-house responsibilities.

They are supported by a selected Prefect team, who will take on important leadership roles and represent the student body throughout the year. Anabeth B, Sophie B, Scarlett C, Scarlett D, Faith E, Lucy E, Jack F, Ronan F, Charlotte J, Marria K, Dylan N, Kayden PS, Barnabas W and Dejuan W. 

Results 2025

This summer, our pupils and students demonstrated that hard work and ambition yield excellent results. A Level results were particularly strong and we are exceptionally proud of our students. Many of them secured places at their first-choice universities — including Oxford, Imperial, LSE, Durham and Warwick – and will go on to study a wide range of subjects across many disciplines.

Our Year 11 pupils also achieved results above the national average with a good number of pupils gaining a combination of the very highest grades across all subjects. These successes are more than statistics; they are the stories of resilience, aspiration, and perseverance. They set the tone for the year ahead, showing us what is possible when talent meets opportunity.

La Rochelle Music Tour 2025

At the end of the Summer Term, we took 80 pupils and students from Concert Band, Choir, Jazz Band, String Group and Chamber Choir on tour to La Rochelle. It was a fabulous week with three concerts, a water park trip, boat trip, visits to the old town of La Rochelle and the beach, and some lovely restaurant meals. Next year’s tour in July 2026 will be announced in the next few weeks and will be open to all regular members of Choir, Concert Band, Jazz Band, String Group and Chamber Choir. It will be an exciting tour so look out for the letter which will be emailed in early October.