This October half-term, 38 students from across our three sites and a range of year groups flew out to China for our annual exchange programme. The week-long trip consisted of a combination of amazing cultural activities, school visits, traditional food, and lots of shopping. Students had the opportunity to climb the Great Wall of China, go on a boat ride, and walk around the Forbidden City. They also visited four different schools, ranging from kindergartens to high schools. Despite their intense, action-packed days, the students still managed to keep their spirits high. Well done to all the students involved. Your behaviour was amazing, and you were great ambassadors not just for our school, but for the country! Thank you to Mr Walker and Mr Curtis for organizing the trip, and to the PTA for their funding support. Our full trip can be watched here: https://youtu.be/g3G47wvvESU

On Monday 5th October, our Year 12 and 13 Beauty Therapy students enjoyed an exciting and inspiring visit to the Professional Beauty Show at ExCeL London , accompanied by their teachers, Mrs Rose and Ms Wallis. The event provided students with a fantastic opportunity to explore the latest trends, innovative treatments and exciting new product launches within the beauty industry. Throughout the day, students were able to experience professional products, observe live treatment demonstrations and engage with industry experts, gaining valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of beauty therapy. The visit was an excellent opportunity to broaden students' industry knowledge, develop their understanding of emerging technologies and treatments, and discover potential future career pathways. A fantastic day of learning, inspiration and professional development , helping our aspiring beauty therapists take another step towards their future careers in the beauty industry!

Across all three school sites, 150 Year 11 students experienced a Taster Day at Barking and Dagenham College, Rush Green Campus. This provided them with the opportunity to experience college life, try out different subjects and explore potential career pathways. Throughout the day, students took part in hands-on sessions across a range of curriculum areas and got a feel for what it's like to learn at the college. Our students got stuck into new experiences and began thinking about what their next steps could look like. Mr Hamill

The Year 9 boys played in their first National Cup game against Saffron Walden last week. The boys had a fantastic start, with the whole team working together through their set pieces and plays. A big contribution to their defensive only conceding 1 try through the match. A proud moment, scoring a rain of tries to finish the game at 44-7. The boys worked extremely well seeing them through against Southend High School in the next round at home.

To celebrate National Poetry Day on Thursday 1st October 2026, our English, Science and Geography departments created a lesson linked with their subject that explored this year's theme of 'Wonder' around a poem called 'Who's The Boss'. Lessons were taught to Year 7 and 8 students, and provided the opportunity to explore discussion and oracy based skills with students. Mrs Crowther-Green

On Monday 5 th October to Friday 9 th October 2026, 36 of our Year 13 A-level Biology students visited Trewern Outdoor Education Centre in Hereford, Hay-on-Wye, to participate in a 5-day long residential field trip. During the trip, students showcased excellent biological understanding, traversing many different ecological habitats (including stream/river systems and rocky shores) to expertly sample populations of plant and animal species. Pupils not only developed excellent fieldwork skills, but they also demonstrated fantastic levels of communication and teamwork. Our Year 13 pupils left such a fantastic impression at Trewern Outdoor Education Centre that they were even invited back to participate in work experience! We are incredibly proud of the excellent attitude and sense of community our A-level Biology students showed on this trip, and sincerely hope the memories they now have of this trip are lifelong.

As part of Year 9 PSHE this year, representatives from Project Guardian as part of Transport for London delivered sessions about Safety on Public Transport to all Year 9 pupils across the three sites. Pupils were given clear information about how to keep themselves and others safe, including how to report an incident as well as what pupils should do if they need support. Year 9 pupils were actively engaged throughout each session and made very valuable contributions towards the various discussions surrounding safety on public transport. The representatives from Transport for London were very impressed with the maturity shown by our pupils and the excellent behaviour displayed on each site. They not only provided our pupils with very important information, but also provided pupils with the tools to keep themselves and others safe on public transport. We look forward to booking the sessions again next year.

A massive congratulations to Elijah A , who has officially signed for Queens Park Rangers Football Club. This is a fantastic achievement and a very proud moment, and we wish Elijah every success in this exciting next chapter of his football journey!

An unforgettable NFL experience at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. What an incredible opportunity for our pupils! As the No. 2 ranked NFL Flag team in the UK , our pupils were recently given the fantastic opportunity to attend an NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — and what made the experience even more special was that it was their first ever live NFL game! On Sunday 4th October, the pupils travelled to London to watch the Indianapolis Colts take on the Washington Commanders in front of a packed crowd at the spectacular Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.  Having worked so hard on the NFL Flag field and established themselves as one of the leading teams in the country, receiving free tickets to an NFL game was a fantastic reward and a brilliant way for the pupils to see the sport they love being played at the highest level. For many of the pupils, stepping into the stadium was an experience in itself. The atmosphere, the noise of the crowd, the music, the entertainment and the sheer scale of an NFL game made it a day they are unlikely to forget. The excitement continued once the game got underway, as the pupils were able to watch professional NFL players up close and see many of the skills, tactics and techniques that they have been developing through their own NFL Flag sessions. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to experience the speed, intensity and atmosphere of American Football at the highest level. The Colts went on to defeat the Commanders 30–13, but for our pupils, the final score was almost secondary. The real highlight was being there, experiencing their first live NFL game together and seeing the sport they enjoy brought to life on such a huge stage. The trip was a fantastic celebration of the pupils' achievements and a memorable experience that they will hopefully look back on for many years to come. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this opportunity possible. Experiences like this not only inspire our pupils to continue developing as players, but also show them where their passion for NFL Flag could potentially take them in the future. No. 2 in the UK, first NFL game, and one unforgettable day!