Half term heroes
Mr Lissimore's half term message to parents included a few vignettes about things that have been going on in the school that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Teacher Education
We are very proud to have not only our own training routes for new teachers, but also to work with the local Sutton SCITT as well as maintaining a long-term relationship with the Institute of Education. We are delighted that Ms Denison has gained the title of Honorary Lecturer at UCL in her role as Lead Geography Mentor supporting the Geography PGCE Programme at the university.
Reading
Helping pupils to maintain great reading habits so that they continue to take lifelong pleasure from this activity is a high priority. Behind the scenes, a team of teachers including Mrs Barnwell, Ms Paschoud and Mr Kavanagh has been reflecting especially carefully on the reading material that will most benefit our highly able and high performing EAL learners. Look out for teachers’ reading recommendations during Non-Fiction November!
Year 7 Instrumental Programme
This is the fourteenth year of our Year 7 Instrumental Programme, which was made possible thanks to investment from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Trust. Today it is Mr Kramer and his highly committed team of instrumental and vocal teachers who keep the original intentions alive and enable nearly 200 pupils in Year 7 to experience all the joys and frustrations of learning a new instrument. The first Showcase events will take place as usual next half term.
University Preparation Programme developments
The school’s curriculum is very carefully devised to ensure that students have the knowledge and skills to excel during the university admissions process. We are very grateful for parents’ support in helping us to maintain the integrity of the curriculum and ethos of the school. Work in the sixth form, overseen by the Director of Sixth Form, Mr McLaughlin has focussed on refining the university preparation arrangement further, particularly in enabling students to engage in more academic dialogue, engage with updated reading lists, and attend dedicated support sessions.
Shelves, hooks, and a lick of paint!
Visitors to Wilson’s often remark on how clean and neat the whole school site is. This is a testament to the hard work of our Estates Manager, Mr Mulcahy but also his team, including Mr Marshall (Deputy Estates Manager) and Mrs White (Estates Assistant), whose versatility means that repairs are made very quickly and skilfully.
