I hope you and your families all enjoyed the long weekend. Although slightly shorter than usual, it has been a busy and exciting week at the College and I’m pleased to share recent highlights and upcoming events with you.
En garde!
On Saturday 13 May, Year 9 student, Freddie M. will be competing in the Leon Paul Junior Series Cambridge Foil fencing competition. With more than 150 children taking part, it is an exciting opportunity for Freddie to showcase his skills and I wish him the best of luck!
As you know, each Tuesday afternoon, your children have the opportunity to sharpen their own fencing skills as part of their weekly iCAS activities. Taking place during the school day, they can choose from a range of over 40 activities, including baking, debate club, philosophy and many more.
Imam visit
I am incredibly proud of the inclusive and supportive culture we have nurtured at the College, and last week, I was pleased to welcome Imam Zakarya Gangat from Cambridge Central Mosque to meet our students. Imam Zakarya discussed balancing faith and fitting in prayer around exam preparations with our Year 10 and 11 Muslim students, before leading the midday prayer. The students found the experience both enlightening and helpful and they have since been invited to join Imam Zakarya at Cambridge Central Mosque for tea and cake.
Explore the limits of liberty
The next of our ongoing series of Gropius Lectures will take place on Wednesday 24 May at 15:45. Dr Nathan Waddell, Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Birmingham will explore free speech and ‘cancel culture’ – topics that have become increasingly contentious in recent years – during his presentation: ‘Is Free Speech Free? George Orwell and the Limits of Liberty.’
Dr Waddell has authored books on John Buchan, modernist utopias and Beethoven, and his next book will focus on George Orwell. Confirm your attendance by emailing Neil Jones.
Congratulations to our Rugby finalists
Our Year 9 mixed touch rugby team recently took part in the ‘Touch to Twickenham’ competition, competing against other schools from across the region. I am pleased to share that our students played extremely well and won all of their games apart from one. As a result, the team has qualified to compete in the national final, which will be taking place at the Worcester Warriors stadium on Thursday 22 June. Congratulations to everybody who took part and best of luck in the final!
¡Hola, hola!
Cultivating international-mindedness is fundamental to our students’ learning and one of the ways we manage this is through our language exchange programmes. Earlier this week, 25 of our Year 8 and 9 students travelled to partner school, Instituto Santiago Hernandez in Zaragoza, Spain. I know how much they enjoyed the opportunity to practise their Spanish language skills with native speakers while learning more about life in Spain and I look forward to more exchange visits taking place in the future.
May 12, 2023
