NEWSLETTER

www.bexleygs.co.uk 16th December 2021

Bumper Christmas Edition
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 2

 Shows will be social distanced and masks will be required for anyone aged 11
years or over except for persons medically exempt.

 Audiences are encouraged to take a Lateral Flow Test before coming to the
show.

 We will endeavour to keep everyone as safe as possible.

www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 3
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 4

Year 7 ~ Christmas News

Another busy term is now over at BGS. The Year 7s have again taken part in a host of house
events including the 2 big sporting events of the term, House netball and football. A number of
Year 7 students have starting training for House chess which takes place in the New Year and
the annual photography competition. So 2022 will again be jam-packed with house events and
opportunities to take part in our wider school community.

In PSHCE, Year 7 we have been discussing what it means to be environmentally sustainable.

This has helped to show students how to think about their own impact on the environment.
The final piece of work that all students have completed is to design a sustainable menu for
their own restaurant. There have been some very delicious sounding ideas. All of the Year 7
tutor team have been impressed with the work that students have completed.

The Year 7 Student Council have been completing work to survey some of
the school facilities to help identify areas for improvement. I have enjoyed
the many heated discussions that have taken place in our meetings. The
council representatives for each tutor group were also instrumental in
organising the Christmas decorations on their tutor room door. Our first
inter-tutor competition! The aim was to plan, design and implement a
sustainable door. This meant that decorations could be up-cycled, made
out of recycled paper or waste materials, and must be either recyclable or
usable again in the future. I enjoyed seeing the designs take shape over
the last couple of weeks.

Ms Orchard and I had a tough decision to decide who

the winning door would be. The runners up were:

7JOO: An ex cellent use of paper and origam i

skills. We loved the snowy trim too.

7JMP: This w as an ex cellent use of tinsel … You

can never have enough!

7MPM: The recycled Father Christm as, m ade out

of crisps packets was inventive as was the use of
French to sway the judges!

We loved the design from 7MAM, this was perhaps the

most creative door out of all of the 6 entries. This has
certainly caught the attention of other members of
staff. Well done!
The only double door design was from 7FTM. We loved
the snow flakes and painted trees. A great effort by
this team.
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 5
The winning door went to 7STA, we really loved the creativity used to make
the folded snowman and Santa. Along with the sign of the North Pole. The use
of made and upcycled decorations from home helped to win the competition
for 7STA. A fantastic effort!

Year 7 have also completed some beautiful Christmas card designs, which are
now on display in the school reception. I absolutely love the Painted Robin, by
Lila Osborn in 7M P M and the Gingerbread M an in a BGS school
uniform, by Tabitha Selby-Boothroyd in 7JM P .

We wish all of our Year 7 students and their families a fabulous Christmas and Very Happy
New Year.

Mrs Belton-Owen & Ms Orchard

 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 6

Music News

Congratulations to Nathan Singleton for achieving

grade 8 piano with distinction!
Mrs Casling, Head of Music

TSBA Reading Group

This term it has been fantastic to run the Trinity School Book Award twice, with both Year 7s
and Year 8s, who have taken part in activities such as writing reviews, delivering publishing
presentations, creating marketing materials and participating in a Kahoot quiz on all the books
they read. All of the students were excellent at sharing their opinions on the books, and
listening to others' viewpoints. I was particularly impressed by Kit Jardine (7JOO) who wrote
interesting, amusing reviews about all six of the books that we read.

Mrs Carey, Librarian

 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 7

PE News
Netball Club
A huge well done to everyone who has attended Netball club this term. We
have had record numbers participating in Year 7 & 8 and I am hugely proud
of the progress you have all made. I would like to say a big thank you to our
Sixth Form helpers and to each and every one of you who has attended
sessions with big smiles in all weathers.

NETBALL STARS OF THE TERM: This was very tough to select as all students
have been amazing.

All of our stars have had very impressive attendance to training and have
both shown a positive attitude towards both games and training.

Year 7
Adebola for her trem endous progress this term . She is able to read
play and react by making lots of interceptions and tips.

Poppy, again for her progression throughout the term . Her shooting
has been very accurate, scoring many of our goals in games against other
schools!

Year 8
Ellie C for her determ ination w ithin the centre court. She w ork s hard
to win the ball and has shown a huge improvement of the term.
Charlie for her calm and patient play and leading the team w ithin
competitive games. She is a very versatile player who has played all over the
court this term!
Our Sixth Form netball team managed to secure an impressive 25-6 victory over Christ the
King on Wednesday afternoon.

Well done ladies!

Ms Leffen
PE Department
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 8

Year 9 Rugby
A wonderful last game of the term with the Year 9 rugby team. Matias’ last second try secured
a 22-20 win. Fantastic from these guys!

KS3 Sports Clubs

Well done to our top KS3 sports clubs attendees this term! We've been really impressed with
the incredible number of students who have come along to extra-curricular sport since
September - and the students listed below were the most committed. Thank you for making
the effort and we hope you've had as much fun as we have.

Mr Lines, Head of PE
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 9

Well done to our Year 7 & 8 netball stars. During our final training of 2021 we competed in
the Christmas tournament.

Final results:

1st The Jingle Belles

2nd The Rocking Reindeer
3rd Santa’s Elves
4th The Santa Squad

Ms Leffen

Cyberhackers make it to the Finals!

Diep Anh Nguyen, Angela Luong, Sophie Huang and Anagha Pai, all from 8LPV have won a
place in the South East Finals for the CyberFirst Girls competition. Run by the National Cyber
Security Centre each year, the competition is open to girls in Year 8 across the UK and aims to
support girls interested in a career in cyber security. This year BGS fielded seven teams of four,
who each worked together to solve puzzles and crack codes,
over a week-long online qualifying round. Our winning team
(known as "D.A.S.A.") was one of the 12 highest scoring teams
from the South East, which means they will be travelling to a
secret venue somewhere in the South East for the regional fi-
nals on February 5th. Well done girls!

Mr L Villazon, Head of Computer Science

 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 10

Upskill Me
Upskill Me are running a brand new programme to break the glass
ceiling and empower young women and non-binary students to enter
the world of STEM careers. As a school we were invited to nominate 10
students in Year 12 and 6 of ours were successful in getting accepted
on the course! An impressive feat when over 600 people applied for the
150 places. They are:
Lora Stancheva, Leila Thaifa, Bianca Daniele, Mayukhi Panda,
Christabel Masaba and Francesca Adeloye

Congratulations!

Ms Lusted
STEM Coordinator

This programme is for girls and non-binary people in Year 12 who have an interest in STEM,
and allows us to meet once a month with STEM professionals from employers such as
Facebook, Google, UCB and Atkins, who share their own experiences as women in STEM with
us.
The sessions are engaging and let us interact with a lot of amazing people
in STEM, who really help you understand what a career in STEM is like,
and how to thrive in one. I would recommend this program to girls who
enjoy STEM subjects, as I feel it has been such a great opportunity to
meet and get to know new people, as well as to get more experience
around work and practical skills.
Mayukhi Panda, Year 12
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 11
The Women in STEM programme is a 6-month course for non-binary and female pupils
interested in science, technology, engineering, or maths. It provides group mentoring
sessions, work experience and workshops, plus the amazing chance to meet females in top UK
companies.

I think it’s a wonderful opportunity as you get to be around other non-binary and females who
have a passion for these academic areas. It really is empowering being in a room – or zoom
rather – with people you can identify with and look up to. I’ve found these sessions have made
seeing myself in a STEM career more vivid, simply by seeing a fellow woman there. They also
teach you how to present yourself professionally, which builds your self-confidence. I would
definitely recommend it to other non-binary/ female pupils currently enjoying their STEM
subjects.

Christabel Masaba, Year 12

AWS Girls' Tech Day 2021 activities:

 Learn about coding through interactive sessions

 Connect with our all-star line-up of women in tech and girls in STEM
 Discover how algorithms, machine learning, and cloud
computing power Amazon’s fulfilment process
 Register for the Launch Prize Space Competition
 Dance with DJ Les, play trivia games, and much more

This is a fantastic opportunity for any girls who want to learn more
about STEM careers and complete different activities. There is the
potential to work with NASA scientists on a project as well as learn
about coding, be inspired by women in STEM and get some great
experiences for your future.
https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?
LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=E3B90249-7BCD-
47C9-B042-5ED8C1E9EDA4

Students will need a parent/guardian to register and they have

until February 2022 to access the activities. Could be a fun thing
to do over the Christmas break!

Ms Lusted, STEM Coordinator

 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 12

LOOKING AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AT CHRISTMAS

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” is what we hear
constantly at Christmas. Whether it’s on the radio, the T V or out
in public, we are constantly told that Christmas is a time to be
happy. But what if you’re not happy?
Just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean caring for your
mental health has to be put on hold .
Take time out
It’s so important to take time out every day, not just in the festive
period . If you feel yourself getting a bit overwhelmed , or upset,
take five to ten minutes away from everyone on Christmas Day to
just have a bit of time to yourself. This could be as simple as
watching something on television or sitting down with a good
book . Christmas Day can be quite an overwhelming day, so by
taking time out you can allow yourself time to recharge .
Sleep
A good night’s sleep is so important when it comes to looking after
your mental health . It’s said that teenagers need an average of
nine-and-a-half hours' sleep each night. When it comes to the
festive period , ensuring you get enough sleep can become difficult
due to things like late nights at home . To make sure you get back
into your normal sleeping routine easily, try going to bed at
normal times as the festive period draws to a close . This’ll make
getting up for school a lot easier and , in turn , will help your
mental health a lot.
Exercise
Physical activity releases a chemical called endorphins, which
makes you feel good , so if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed or low
at Christmas, why not go out for a walk? You could go on your
own or with someone else , or go for a bike ride or even a run .
Try to relax
It’s easy to say “Christmas is fun - just relax”, but the reality is
that relaxing can be tricky. Try doing things like yoga , breathing
exercises or meditation to help you calm down if you’re feeling a
bit stressed over the festive period . Just because it’s Christmas, it
doesn’t mean caring for your mental health has to be put on hold .

Ms Brand
Mental Health & Mindfulness Lead
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 13

A message from Young Minds

Dear Bexley Grammar School

You may have heard by now: we’re having the biggest conversation we’ve ever
had with young people. And we need to hear from you.

There’s so much going on in our lives, and in the world, that it can all feel so
hard to deal with. Things need to change. You and other young people deserve
to feel good and hopeful about the future.
To make things better for you, we need to know what you’re struggling with.
We don’t want to take a guess at what these things are, we want to hear direct-
ly from you.
If you’re 13-25 and in the UK, take the Big Young People’s Survey and tell us
more about the things that worry you. Whether it's covid-19, climate change,
problems at school, political issues, bullying or loneliness – it’s important that we
hear what are the big issues affecting your life and how you feel.
By taking part in the Big Young People’s Survey, you w ill be contrib-
uting to the biggest piece of mental health research we’ve ever done. What you
tell us will influence what we focus on over the next couple of years. Your voice
has the power to make a difference.

Already taken the survey? Please share with your friends, school, college or
workplace so we can hear from as many young people as possible.

Thank you,
The Young Minds Campaigns team
p.s. When you finish the survey, you’ll be entered into a draw to win a £10
Wagamama gift voucher (we’ve got 1000 to giveaway) AND the chance to win
Wagamamas for a full year! Terms and conditions apply.
The survey is available here: https://opinionpanel.decipherinc.com/
survey/selfserve/53b/211118?state=908650d5-753e-48dd-9f63-
2421f6787b04#?
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 14

Holidays during Term Time

Please beware that The Education Authority has
made it very clear that parents should not be
removing students from school during term time
for holidays. Removing your child to go on
holiday will have a negative impact on their
education. We have 13 weeks of holidays in
which you can arrange to visit family or go on
holiday. Please do not let your plans
interfere with your child's education, there is no
online learning for students who are absent from
school due to holidays or sickness.

 It is a legal requirement that students attend school every day unless

unwell. Only the school can authorise an absence from school.

 If for any reason you do require your child to be away from school you
must contact the attendance office beforehand and obtain an application
form.

 An email or telephone call on the day is not acceptable.

 You will be asked to provide evidence supporting your request. Without

supporting evidence your request will not be considered.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents that do comply with
the schools policy on holidays and for supporting your child's education.
Mrs Jeffrey, Attendance Office
Application Form can be obtained from:

Mrs Jeffery Years 7-11

[email protected]

Mrs Thomas Years 12-13

[email protected]
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 15
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 16
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 17
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 18
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 19
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 20
www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 21
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 22

News items you may have missed

PROVISIONAL GCSE EXAMINATION TIMETABLE Summer 2022

The date that has been set aside as the contingency day is Wednesday 29 June 2022.
This means that all exam candidates must be available to sit exams from the date of their first exam until
Wednesday 29 June 2022.
This decision is not a school decision and does apply to all candidates in all schools .

DAY START SUBJECT Exam LENGTH

Board

Monday 8.30am Religious Studies AQA 1hr45m

16thMay
1.30pm Computer Science P1 Edexcel 1hr30m

Tuesday 8.30am Biology P1 OCR 1hr45m

17thMay
1.30pm Psychology P1 AQA 1hr45m

Wednes- 8.30am English Language P1 AQA 1hr45m

day
18thMay 1.30pm German Listening and Reading AQA 1hr 45m
Economics P1 OCR 1hr30m

Thursday 8.30am History P1 Edexcel 1hr15m

19thMay
1.30pm Italian Listening and Reading AQA 1hr45m
Drama AQA 1hr45m

Friday 8.30am Mathematics P1 Edexcel 1hr30m

20thMay
1.30pm Chinese Listening and Reading Edexcel 1hr50m
Business P1 AQA 1hr45m
Ancient History P1 OCR 1hr45m

Monday 8.30am Geography P1 AQA 1hr30m

23rdMay

Tuesday 8.30am French Listening and Reading AQA 1hr45m

24thMay
1.30pm Physical Education P1 OCR 1hr

Wednes- 8.30am English Literature P1 AQA 1hr40m

day
25thMay
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 23
DAY START SUBJECT Exam LENGTH
Board
Thursday 8.30am Spanish Listening and Reading AQA 1hr45m
26thMay
1.30pm Religious Studies AQA 1hr45m

Friday 8:30am Chemistry P1 OCR 1hr45m

27thMay
1.30pm Computer Science P2 Edexcel 2hrs

Monday 8.30am German Writing AQA 1hr20m

6thJune Chinese Writing Edexcel 1hr25m
Economics P2 OCR 1hr30m
Latin P1 WJEC 1hr30m

1.30pm Psychology P2 AQA 1hr45m

Tuesday 8.30am Mathematics P2 Edexcel 1hr30m

7thJune
1.30pm Geography P2 AQA 1hr30m

Wednes- 8.30am English Literature P2 AQA 1hr45m

day
8thJune

Thursday 8.30am History P3 Edexcel 1hr20m

9thJune
1.30pm Physics P1 OCR 1hr45m

Friday 8.30am English Language P2 AQA 1hr45m

10thJune
1.30pm Japanese Listening and Reading Edexcel 1hr50m
Physical Education P2 OCR 1hr

Monday 8.30am Mathematics P3 Edexcel 1hr30m

13thJune
1.30pm Ancient History P2 OCR 1hr45m
Business P2 AQA 1hr45m

Tuesday 8.30am Geography P3 AQA 1hr

14thJune
1.30pm Italian Writing AQA 1hr20m

Wednes- 8.30am Biology P2 OCR 1hr45m

day
15thJune 1.30pm Russian Listening and Reading Edexcel 1hr50m
Design and Technology AQA 2hrs
Latin P2 WJEC 1hr15m
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 24
DAY START SUBJECT Exam LENGTH
Board
Thursday 8.30am History P2a Edexcel 55m
16thJune
1.30pm French Writing AQA 1hr20m

Friday 8.30am Spanish Writing AQA 1hr20m

17thJune

Monday 8.30am Chemistry P2 OCR 1hr45m

20thJune
1.30pm Food preparation and nutrition AQA 1hr45m
Japanese Writing Edexcel 1hr25m

Tuesday 8.30am History P2b Edexcel 55m

21st June
1.30pm Latin P3 WJEC 1hr

Wednes- 8.30am Music Edexcel 1hr45m

day
22ndJune

Thursday 8.30am Physics P2 OCR 1hr45m

23rdJune

Tuesday 8.30am Russian Writing Edexcel 1hr25m

28thJune

Wednes- Contingency day

day
29thJune
 www.bexleygs.co.uk Page 25

Forthcoming Events
December
Friday 17th ~ Final day of autumn term
Year groups will be dismissed at the following times:
12.10 Year 12 & 13
12.15 Years 9, 10 & 11
12.20 Years 7 & 8

January 2022
Tuesday 4th ~ First day of the spring term
Students Years 7-11 Covid testing and then go home

Tuesday 4th ~ Schoolcloud booking system opens for the Year 12 Parent’s Evening at 9am

Wednesday 5th
Students Years 7-11 normal start time registration 8.30am
Sixth Form students staggered start times and Covid testing
Year 12 test from 8.30am and return to lessons for period 2
Year 13 test from 9.30am and return to lessons from academic monitoring

Monday 10th ~ Schoolcloud booking system closes for the Year 12 Parent’s Evening at midday

Tuesday 11th ~ Year 12 Virtual Parents’ Evening 4pm - 6.30pm

Mermaid Production (see notice)

Wednesday 19th ~ Mermaid production 7pm (tickets automatically transfer from 8/12/21)
Thursday 20th ~ Mermaid production 5.30pm (tickets automatically transfer from 9/12/21)
Friday 21st ~ Mermaid production 7pm (tickets automatically transfer from 10/12/21)

Tuesday 25th ~ Inset Day school closed to students