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Inspiring academic ambition across the full curriculum


Pupils on an art trip in Manchester

With a month of the academic year already behind us and the half-term break on the horizon, we are delighted with how well our pupils have settled back into life at SGS while following all the new Covid-safe routines.

In the Senior School, pupils are being taught the full curriculum and we have been able to take pupils out on a number of day trips to extend their learning. Junior School pupils are also enjoying their normal range of lessons and the Junior newsletter contains the latest update on their activities.

Art in Manchester

Lower Sixth pupils studying A-level Art and Design were pleased to be able to make the short journey into Manchester for a drawing research day.

The morning was spent drawing the industrial architecture around Castlefield Basin before they moved on to Spinningfields, Chinatown and the Northern Quarter in the afternoon.

Each area presented the students with different visual characteristics and challenges and the sketches and photographs they produced will be used to develop more resolved work back in school and form part of their A-level coursework portfolio.

Geography in the Peak District

Fourth Year Geography pupils headed to the peaceful surroundings of Edale in the Peak District on a field trip to collect data for their GCSE course.

Using a variety of methodologies, pupils worked in small groups to collect river data. Under Edale’s blue skies, the geographers also spent some time engaging in mindfulness and sketching the river and valley landforms beneath the tallest mountain in the Peak District, Kinder Scout.

Engaging Experiments

In Science lessons, experiments in Biology, Chemistry and Physics are being conducted as normal.

In Fourth Year Chemistry, pupils took part in a solubility practical to find the temperature at which their solution becomes saturated.

Clubs and Extension Sessions

In addition to timetabled lessons, pupils also have the chance to take part in co-curricular clubs and academic support and extension activities.

On Mondays at lunchtime, Head of Upper Sixth and Chemistry teacher Mrs Katrina Britton holds a session for Sixth Form students that are interested in becoming medics, vets and dentists. This is a popular club and last academic year 12 of our A-level leavers embarked on degrees in medicine – this is over 10% of the year group.

Support and extension sessions are held in a host of subjects to expand pupils’ learning and to develop their curiosity and enthusiasm. The sessions run regularly to help pupils consolidate or extend their work in the classroom and you can find out more about our Academic Support and Extension provision.

Information Evenings

Early in the Autumn term we usually hold Information Evenings for pupils and parents. Due to current government restrictions these have been unable to happen in person but we were delighted to deliver these virtually.

Here is a clip from the Second Year Information Evening.

 

And here is a clip from the Lower Sixth Information Evening.