Headteacher's Newsletter December 2025

Respect, Excellence, Determination

Positive Pathways

What an outstanding term! Our students have truly embraced the school’s values and are flourishing. The overall positive achievement points have reached a huge 94,826 this academic year. An incredible achievement!

At TWGSB, celebrating these successes is essential for keeping motivation high and nurturing a positive school culture. Congratulations to every student – your hard work and commitment have made this possible. Here’s to even greater accomplishments ahead. Keep up the amazing work!

Mr Lewis, Assistant Headteacher

Well-being

Doris our school dog has spent a lot of time at the Sevenoaks campus this term, spending time in lessons with Mrs Rose. In addition, Doris continues to visit Southborough Primary School each week to listen to the children read – she received some lovely Christmas messages from them.

Well-being at Christmas

Christmas and holidays can be a trying time for some families. There is always lots of online support and advice for parents and carers if you have concerns. Here are some helpful links below:

Films for Parents / Carers | Nip in the Bud

Anxiety: Tips for Parents & Carers | Nip in the Bud

How to support a child with depression or anxiety | NSPCC

Social Media & Mental Health | Guide For Parents | YoungMinds

We wish you a lovely holiday season.

Mrs Rose, Assistant Headteacher

Anti-bullying events

Anti-Bullying Week is an annual event every November that aims to raise awareness of bullying and highlight ways of preventing and responding to it. The child-centred policing team visited both campuses to engage with students at break times and discuss what is bullying and how, unchecked, it can move into criminal behaviour. Their message was that children should report when they experience or see unkindness.

This message was reinforced by our Emotional Intelligence Coach, Roisin Fulton, who delivered assemblies to Years 7 and 8 at Tunbridge Wells on ‘The Psychology of Bullying Behaviour’. 

Roisin wanted the students to understand that children who behave in bullying ways need support from us, and that the students must report any such behaviour to enable that support to get to those children. In other words ‘Hurt people, hurt people’. She advocates that this fosters a school community based on compassion and challenges unhelpful labels.

Roisin’s stong message was ‘report to help, not to get people in trouble’. This is very clearly not about feeling sorry for children who choose to bully, but to understand that they need our help. This is one way of tackling the unfortunate ‘snitch culture‘ that can spread amongst children, making them feel fearful of telling adults when they experience or see unkindness.

The students were also given clear and varied ways to report any unkindness. These include speaking in person to an adult they trust, or by email, via parents or via friends. The message was a powerful one and some sobering national statistics around the impact of bullying behaviour were also shared.

On behalf of the school, Roisin promised the students that our team will deal promptly and carefully with any bullying reports and will not make it worse for them. This is crucial in helping them trust us with such delicate and difficult life challenges.

In addition, the child-centred police team visited us again this term to talk to students about anti-social behaviour. It promoted an interesting discussion about why some behaviours may be seen as antisocial and where the lines may be crossed. 

Sixth Form Open Evening

It was a pleasure to welcome so many prospective Sixth Form students and their parents for our annual Sixth Form Open Evening in November. The event was very well attended and visitors enjoyed chatting to current Sixth Formers and teaching staff about life at TWGSB6 and the broad choice of A Levels we offer. Those who attended the presentations in the Main Hall heard from Mr Smith, Head of Sixth Form, and Ms McCullagh, Acting Headteacher, as well as Sixth Form students who gave excellent, articulate talks about why they love studying in our Sixth Form.

Applications for TWGSB6 (2026 entry) are now open – click HERE for details.

Mr Jackson, Deputy Headteacher

STEM Rising campaign

As 2026 approaches, TWGSB is getting ready to celebrate 70 years of educational excellence. Our history of growth has been accompanied by many campus improvements along the way, the most recent being a parent-funded new Sixth Form Study Centre at Tunbridge Wells, built in 2021.

Even against the backdrop of COVID, TWGSB chose bravely to acknowledge this need and believed it possible. The result was £586,000 raised by our remarkable parents over the last five years, benefiting our very grateful consecutive Sixth Form year groups.

Now we need to be bold again.

The STEM Rising campaign aspires to offer our students the best possible facilities in Science and DT. The total sum required is significant and will require true and generous support once again from our wonderful parent body and alumni to help us achieve this goal. Our belief is bold, our courage undeterred. We believe that TWGSB students deserve the best possible chance to ‘touch the future, today’ and so we will do all in our power to assure an environment that enables and inspires this. Do save the date for our campaign launch.

Mrs Roberts, Development Manager

Sixth Form

Year 13 UCAS success!

We are thrilled to announce that our Year 13 students have reached a major milestone in their academic journey. One hundred and thirty-seven UCAS applications have been successfully submitted, showcasing the ambition and dedication of our Sixth Formers as they take the next step toward higher education. Forty-seven students have already received offers from all five of their chosen universities – a fantastic achievement that reflects their hard work and commitment.

Congratulations to all our Year 13 students for their perseverance and determination. We look forward to celebrating even more offers in the coming weeks!

Alumni visits

Austin Venes and Luke Chatfield: On Tuesday the Sixth Form had the pleasure of welcoming back two 2025 leavers – former Head Student Austin Venes and former senior prefect Luke Chatfield who gave a talk to Year 12. They outlined their experience of Sixth Form, the UCAS process and their tips for success. The talk was exceptionally well received and there were many students who stayed longer to ask further questions.

Will Stevens-Amos: As part of our Sixth Form enrichment programme, we were delighted that former student Will Stevens-Amos was able to take time out of his busy schedule to return to TWGSB. Will graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2022 with a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Sports Management, and is now Senior Executive of Partnership Operations at Liverpool Football Club.

He came into school to talk to the Year 13s and pass on tips on career planning, for example how his volunteering activities had helped his CV stand out from others with the same qualifications and had led to his first job offer. He also shared a little about his fascinating career to date, focusing on the partnership and sponsorship spaces in the professional football world. The visit was a great success – he is pictured here with the Head Students.

Year 13 Christmas Jumper Day

This year, our Sixth Form celebrated Christmas Jumper Day with festive cheer and a strong sense of community spirit. Students donned their brightest and most creative jumpers to raise funds for the Head Students’ chosen charities: Sands, supporting families affected by baby loss, and Hospices of Hope, providing care and comfort to those in need. Thank you to everyone who contributed – your generosity helps make a real difference.

Mrs Brooker, Head of Year 13

Co-Curricular

Record-breaking DofE celebrations

Our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) community came together in early November for two fantastic celebration evenings, one at each campus. These events marked an incredible year of achievement for our students and staff.

Over 140 students proudly received their certificates and badges, making this a record-breaking year for completions by this point in the academic calendar. The students’ dedication and perseverance reflect the very best of what the DofE programme stands for – commitment, resilience and personal growth.

Adding to the celebrations, we were honoured to receive a certificate from the DofE organisation recognising last year’s outstanding contribution:

• 8,229 hours of volunteering and activities completed;

• £52,664 in social value generated for our community.

This achievement is a testament to the hard work and generosity of our students, and it underscores the positive impact that the DofE scheme has beyond the classroom.

We are proud to be the largest DofE cohort in the area, with consistently high completion rates. This success would not be possible without the dedication of our staff – those who supported the celebration evenings and the wider DofE team who make the programme thrive all year round. Thank you for your commitment and passion; without you, these achievements would not happen.

A special thank you also goes to parents and carers, whose guidance and encouragement from home have been invaluable in helping participants stay motivated and achieve their goals.

For those who have not yet completed their award, there is still time! We encourage you to keep going so we can celebrate even more successes in future assemblies. Every certificate and badge represents hard work and determination – we want to give out as many as possible!

As adventurer Steve Backshall once said: ‘Your DofE shows you have fortitude and the ability to stick to a task, which is recognised by universities and employers alike.’ And in the words of HRH Prince Edward: ‘This has given you the skills, wherewithal and confidence to make a difference to others. Make sure you tell your story. You are, each one of you, an ambassador of this award.’

The skills, confidence and experiences gained through the DofE programme will stay with our students for life, opening doors to future opportunities and adventures. Congratulations to all our award recipients – you are an inspiration to your peers and the wider community!

Click HERE for a gallery of more photos from the evenings.

Mrs Fedrick, DofE Coordinator, and Mr Hamilton, Assistant Headteacher

Year 11 army visit

On 20th and 21st November we welcomed the Army into school to work with our Year 11 students at both campuses. A careers presentation was followed by assorted team-building, leadership and resilience activities out on the fields. These sessions were designed to encourage collaboration, communication and problem-solving, while also giving students the opportunity to challenge themselves in a fun and supportive environment. The students threw themselves into all the activities as well as into the mud. In the words of two of them:

'It was great to take part with my mates. The activities we did were really tiring but we had such a fun time. Especially getting covered in mud!' 

'Really interesting presentation from the Army which broadened my ideas around careers in the Army. I didn't realise how many options there were.'

Mr Lewis, Assistant Headteacher – KS4

The Library

Fellowship of the Reads Book Club

The library’s autumn/spring book club, The Fellowship of the Reads (FOTR), is now in its third year and continues to be popular across both campuses. It is so popular that in Tunbridge Wells this year we have had to run two groups on different days because we couldn’t fit all club members in the library at one time! That’s close on 100 boys signed up for a reading club!

We developed FOTR with the Senior Librarian from The Skinner’s School. There are 12 books on the reading list, half chosen by each school’s Head Librarian. Students are required to read as many of the shortlisted books as possible.

Fun and purposeful meetings work for us each week with biscuits, small prizes and house points awarded. We have a version of Just a Minute incorporating a bicycle horn. This is oddly popular and gives rise to many eloquent and sometimes tear jerking one-minute speeches about the books. Another much-loved activity that always goes down well is a game of literary consequences.

The library would like to wish all TWGSB families a happy Christmas. We look forward to the New Year, which is the National Year of Reading. We will be in touch in due course with news about how the TWGSB Library will be taking part.

Mrs Musselwhite Steel, Library Manager

PTA Update

We are delighted to share the fundraising efforts of the PTA since the beginning of the new school year. So far we have raised :

• £1,700 on the chocolate tombolas

• £2,300 on non-uniform day

• £2,652 so far on the Christmas cash raffle. The raffle ends Friday 19th December, so there is still time to buy tickets HERE.

We would like to give special mentions to the Art Department for organising the fabulous calendar, the site team who are always so amazing at helping make our events possible and all the office team and teachers who always go above and beyond to help with our fundraising efforts, and finally all the parents who support us with donations and volunteering.

We simply cannot do it without you.

At the beginning of the school year we were able to donate over £25,000 to departments such as Design and Technology, Science, Food and Nutrition, Music, Maths, Art, Drama, PE and many more – all from our fundraising throughout the year.

We have also provided the school with decorated Christmas trees at both sites and served refreshments at the Christmas concerts.

We have lots more exciting events planned for next year including a disco, quiz night and many more fun events. We would love to have as many parents as possible supporting us. If you are able to volunteer any time, however small, we would greatly appreciate it. Please let us know at pta@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Best wishes, a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all.

The PTA Committee

Anaphylaxis kits thanks to the PTA

We would like to offer a huge thank you to the PTA for purchasing two Kitt medical anaphylaxis kits for our school. There is now a kit located in the dining hall at each campus. Each kit contains emergency adrenaline auto-injectors, along with clear step-by-step guidance for use. With food allergies becoming increasingly common, having these kits to hand helps ensure we can respond quickly and confidently should a severe allergic reaction occur. 

We very much appreciate the PTA’s support in helping us strengthen the safety measures in place for our students.

Mrs C Taylor, Medical Officer

Art

PTA calendar

Thank you to all those who purchased one of the fundraiser calendars – we have raised over £850 for the PTA from calendar sales. Every year the standard of entries seems to get better and better and we are so impressed by the enthusiasm from our students; click HERE for images from the calendar if you haven’t already viewed it.

A Level Art trip to London

On Tuesday 4th November, the Art Department took the A Level students to London to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and the Serpentine Galleries. The trip was highly inspiring as the wide range of artistic styles, materials and approaches we experienced offered many creative ideas.

At the V&A, we saw a remarkable variety of art, design and decorative objects, including the mechanical marvel ‘Tippoo’s Tiger’, the Meissen porcelain fountain, Donatello’s ‘Chellini Madonna’ bronze roundel and the Dale Chihuly glass chandelier in the rotunda, demonstrating how craftsmanship and creativity evolve across cultures and time. At the Serpentine Galleries, we explored two contemporary exhibitions: ‘Peter Doig: House of Music’, an immersive experience combining painting with curated sound zones that examine music and communal interaction, and ‘Danielle Brathwaite‑Shirley: THE DELUSION’, an interactive video game‑inspired installation addressing polarisation, censorship and social connection, which challenged our ideas about audience participation and the boundaries of artistic media.

Overall, the trip was extremely motivating, providing us with lots of visual and conceptual inspiration that we plan to explore in new work, experimenting with ideas, techniques and materials inspired by the exhibitions we saw.

Naiyla J, Year 12

Classical Civilisation

A Memorable Medea

The Classics A Level group had an inspiring visit to the Bloomsbury Theatre, London in November. Euripides’ play features a feminist heroine who seems more at home in the 21st century than in Ancient Greece. Refusing to be cast aside by her former lover, she takes a horrifying and powerful revenge.

The lead, Medea, was ably played by Isabelle Flynn of the UCL Drama Society under the directorship of Aria Singh-Bernath. Singh-Bernath had reimagined the fifth-century BC play in the glamorous setting of 1853 Rajasthan. As a result, we were treated to some rich 19th-century colonial Indian costumes and lively traditional Indian dancing, all of which provided much-needed colour and relief from the stark, tragic themes of the main drama.

Speaking of a long-held ambition to stage the play, Singh-Bernath referred to her revolutionary great-grandfather. He had rebelled against British rule by refusing to wear the prescribed British-made garments. In this production, she said, she was seeking to ‘reframe colonial history and centre the voices of those who experienced its impact’.

It is fair to say that Flynn was almost universally successful in maintaining the tragic perspective. She struck a sombre, declamatory note throughout, which culminated in an emotionally charged final scene.

Mrs C Henshall, Classical Civilisation teacher

^{Photographs: Frederike Buchanan}

Computer Science

Computing success with the Beaver Challenge!

Building on last year’s success, the Computer Science Department once again took part in the national Bebras (Beaver) Computing Challenge this November. This competition is designed to assess students’ computational thinking and logical reasoning skills. All Computer Science students from Years 7 to 13 participated, eagerly awaiting their results at the end of the term.

Students can now log in to their Bebras profile (log-in details have been sent to student emails) to check whether they earned a certificate of Participation, Merit (top 25% in their school category), or Distinction (top 10% in their school category). Certificates can be downloaded and printed directly from the site.

We are thrilled to announce an outstanding achievement: 175 students scored within the top 10% nationally across various categories – our best result to date! A special congratulations goes to Joshua N, who achieved a perfect score of 165 points. This is an incredible accomplishment, and we can’t wait to see what TWGSB students achieve next year. Try out an example question below! 

Mr Hamilton, Assistant Headteacher

Design Technology

Our Year 12 Design and Technology students recently visited D3O, a company that develops advanced impact-protection products used in sports, industrial safety, electronics and defence applications. The students were given a demo of their material in action, as well as a tour of the company’s showroom, in-house laboratories, test rigs and prototyping stations. A Q&A session with the senior design team concluded the visit, giving the students valuable insight into working as a professional designer.

Miss Bramham, Head of DT

Drama and Theatre Studies

Newsies Jr!

Students at both the Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks campuses have been busy preparing for our spring musical Newsies Jr! They have been taking part in lunchtime and after-school rehearsals with Miss Turner and Mrs Rose, focusing on the scenes, choreography and songs from the show. We look forward to sharing more information about the show and about purchasing tickets in the spring term, so watch this space!

Miss Turner, Head of Drama and Theatre Studies

History & Politics

Year 9 trip to Ypres in November 

The History Department recently took a group of 90 Year 9 students on a two-day trip to Belgium to see for themselves where the fighting took place during the First World War, and get a sense of the scale and intensity of the battles that occurred in such a small geographical area. The fascinating itinerary of museums, memorials, trenches, battlefields and the ceremony at the Menin Gate gave the students plenty to think about and allowed some to delve into their own family history. Read on for reports from two students and click HERE for more photos:

Acount 1: We had two days to see the once entrenched land and protected city and in two days we did. The agenda of the visit follows the muddy tracks of the soldiers on the Western Front and what they encountered, and takes time to appreciate the sacrifices of German, French, Belgian, British and Commonwealth soldiers.

On our first day we sat with hot chocolate and biscuits and listened to a talk from our guide. We got to try on helmets and feel weapons first-hand; wandered through the Hooge Crater War Museum; walked along the German front lines looking over Ypres; learned how the entente secured the opposition’s frontier using explosives; explored the Bayernwald trenches, a significant German strongpoint used for mining operations and observation of Allied activity; and listened to a bugle performance commemorating the British and Commonwealth soldiers at the Menin Gate.

The next day we woke early to a hearty breakfast and made a visit to where the Christmas truce took place and the memorial for professional footballers who joined the war effort. For me, the second day made me realise the true scale of sacrifice as we travelled to memorials, including the Irish, New Zealand, German (Langemark) and British/Commonwealth (TyneCot) memorials, all the while hearing stories of brave men.

Afterwards we ended our trip on a bright note in Ypres itself. Ypres is a great city, almost as great as its chocolate, so I recommend bringing as many euros as possible that you may have lying around the house. We explored its bakeries and shops, picking up souvenirs as we went, and were lucky enough to see a marching band near the Christmas market. It was an atmosphere to remember.

This trip has shaped my perspective on the ferocity of the war and scale on which it happened. I 100 per cent recommend it to anyone who the GCSE history course appeals to, or who is interested in history in general, or who wants some fun with mates.

Tom C-C, Year 9

Account 2: The Ypres trip was full of fun and fascination. It had a wide variety of activities from trenches, museums and a visit to the largest British Commonwealth military cemetery in the world! I found the trenches particularly interesting as it allowed you to be immersed into the life of a soldier during World War One at the front line. I particularly enjoyed exploring the city of Ypres, visiting the towering cathedral with its amazing architecture while seeing the festive surroundings. Overall, I found the trip to be educational, fun and a wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend this trip to future Year 9 students. 

Teyen R, Year 9

Politics conference at Westminster

On Monday 24th November, Year 12 and 13 Politics students went up to London to attend the annual PoleEconUK Conference in Westminster. This is a conference for students studying A Level Politics and allows them to see speakers from the world of politics deliver speeches and take questions from the audience. This year students were treated to a star-studded line-up from a range of different political backgrounds including Jacob Rees Mogg, Richard Tice, Zach Polanski, Graham Brady and the Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. 

Thaks to the different speakers, students were able to get a real feel for the heat of politics and the emotion it inspires. Students were particularly impressed with Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney who confidently dealt with questions from the audience despite receiving some tricky ones! 

The former Conservative MP and House of Commons Stalwart Jacob Rees Mogg also made his mark. Students were impressed by the way in which he spoke with great flair and conviction, despite the fact he was airing some very unpopular views. 

Finally, students got an inside look at the chaotic final days of Boris Johnson’s tenement in Number 10 when former 1922 Committee leader Graham Brady shared his experience of visiting Johnson the eve before his resignation to tell him that his premiership was over. 

A range of topics were covered throughout the day, including the role the media plays in politics, devolution, the impact that minor parties can have and the prospects for the Conservatives and Labour. Students left the conference with a renewed drive for the fascinating and wild world of politics. 

Mr Stuart, History and Politics teacher

Modern Foreign Languages

Year 13 Spanish BFI study trips 

This term Year 13 Spanish A Level students attended two academic study days at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London, focusing on El laberinto del fauno (directed by Guillermo del Toro) and the play La casa de Bernarda Alba (Federico García Lorca). Consisting of sessions delivered in Spanish by specialists from institutions including LA Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Bristol University, the programme addressed key A Level content and contextual understanding. There were opportunities for student questions and discussion, followed by afternoon film screenings. The trips were useful for our students, two of whom described their days for us as follows:

El laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth), Friday 21st November: An entire day filled with Spanish, the trip to the BFI was certainly unforgettable. After sitting down in the centre of a large screen cinema, the room quickly filled up with hundreds of students and their teachers until we were completely surrounded by the Spanish language on all sides. 

A man named Miguel took to the stage, microphone in hand, and led us through the special booklets that we had been given via an in-depth PowerPoint presentation. Various clips were played, and we were presented with a new understanding of filming techniques, suspense, and most importantly, horror and fantasy. The workbook contained information, articles, as well as a section for creating your own storyboard.

After a quick bite to eat, we met up for the second part: the screening of the film. With special effects that were heightened, it was hard not to completely rethink the film. I heard every sound in detail, so that every step and scream of the Pale Man froze me to my seat and every command from Captain Vidal felt like staring into the eyes of the dictatorship. After a gripping two hours of cinema, the credits rolled and the room erupted into applause. The film was over.

Ben D, Year 13

La Casa de Bernarda Alba, Wednesday 3rd December: The trip was fairly useful to a Spanish student studying La Casa de Bernarda Alba, as it gave us a deep insight into the possible topics that may appear in our essays. By looking at characters, themes, historical context, etc., I believe this will help both myself and many other A Level Spanish students, as we were able to confirm ideas we already had about the play, further consolidate our knowledge, and discuss new ideas that we can use in the future.

Furthermore, the fact that the lecture was delivered almost entirely in Spanish was particularly useful. If I had to give a critique, I would say that it would have been even more helpful if there had been more information on how to apply this knowledge to our essays, along with tips on how to structure them in order to achieve top marks. Ultimately, this is what’s most important in the exam.

Jonty M, Year 13

Ms C Blenkin, MFL Lead for Spanish

Music

Inspiring musicians visit TWGSB

Dr Ray Russell came into school recently to talk to music students from both campuses and provide an insight into the music industry. A session musician and experimental jazz/rock guitarist, Ray Russell is also an award-winning record producer and composer, with a distinguished career spanning over 60 years. He has worked with an extraordinary list of artists including Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Van Morrison, Bryan Ferry, Phil Collins, Art Garfunkel, Sting, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner to name but a few. The students loved hearing from Ray and seeing their own music teachers play with such a legend.

One parent reported that their son ‘came home buzzing from ... this event’. Another emailed us to say ‘My son loved it and spoke at length over dinner on how you all inspired him and how lovely it was to see musicians playing for sheer enjoyment, particularly those who teach him! .... it was lovely to hear how much he learnt from the visit which was beyond the four walls of the classroom!’.

On another occasion, alumnus George Norman visited our Music Technology A Level students to deliver a two-hour masterclass. George shared his growing expertise on recording and mixing that he is gaining at BIMM, where he is in his second year of the Music Performance and Production degree course. The workshop included a clear presentation of the key tenets of recording, mixing and mastering, followed by some modelling of one of George’s current projects. Our students really took the opportunity to soak up new approaches that they will be able to use in completing their coursework this year and the department will be able to share George’s presentation with future students as well. 

Mr Joris Head of Music

Christmas concerts

Sevenoaks: On Wednesday 10th December, we held our Christmas concert at the Sevenoaks campus. A sell-out event, this show delivered on outstanding musical performances, humour and Christmas spirit. In addition to student performances, including solos, band items and the Year 7 Singers vocal ensemble, the audience took part in Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Good King Wenceslas and The Twelve Days of Christmas. Covering a wide range of musical styles, one standout performance was Leo H-B’s classical rendition of Once in Royal David’s City, with soulful, gospel-infused piano accompaniment by Mr Thompson. Incidentally, the same Mr Thompson our newest member of staff also did the lion’s share of the organising and rehearsing. Feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive and we are pleased to have played a small role in contributing to our community’s Christmas festivities.

Tunbridge Wells: On Thursday 18th December, the Music Department held its annual Christmas show at the Tunbridge Wells campus. The music, Christmas jumpers, Christmas tree, tinsel and lots of fairy lights all combined to encourage the spirit of Christmas to flow freely. As well as the usual school ensembles – Grammar School for Noise, Seventh Heaven and Orchestra – there were performances by a host of soloists, Sixth Form bands and the Year 7 Singers. Classical music, such as Paganini’s Caprice No. 20, was intermingled with jazzy numbers, including Fly Me to the Moon and Maple Leaf Rag, rock anthems and Christmas hits. We even had the audience singing along to Good King Wenceslas and The Twelve Days of Christmas! Finally, the audience was treated to a sneak preview of our upcoming musical production Newsies Jr!. 

Click HERE for more pictures from both evenings. Merry Christmas to all,

The Music Department

Physical Education 

GCSE PE students reach new heights

In November, our Year 10 and Year 11 GCSE PE students experienced rock climbing with TrekCo, as part of their assessed practical performance for AQA GCSE PE. Over two action-packed days at the Withdean Sports Complex in Brighton, students received expert, personalised coaching from TrekCo’s specialist instructors. The sessions were designed to develop key climbing skills, including movement techniques, route planning, balance, communication and problem-solving – all essential components of the AQA specification. Students challenged themselves physically and mentally, showing impressive determination as they gained confidence on the climbing walls.

Staff were incredibly impressed with the mature attitude, teamwork and resilience shown by all our students. The experience not only supported their practical grades but also provided a memorable opportunity to try a demanding and rewarding physical activity.

Well done to all our GCSE PE students for representing the school brilliantly throughout the trip!

Mr Woods, Head of PE

Football

It has been another very busy and enjoyable term of football. The teams have continued to play in 27 cup competitions this season, ten Kent Cups and 17 ESFA National Cups at A and B team levels.

U18 1st XI: The team lost a close match against Sevenoaks School and are now out of both cups.

U18 2nd XI: The team lost 3-2 away at Buckswood in the ESFA National Cup. The team will play away at Harvey GS, Folkestone in the Kent Cup Quarter-Final in January.

Year 11 U16 A: We won 5-0 against St Gregory’s in Round 4 of the ESFA National Cup; the team will play Norton Knatchbull from Ashford in Round 5 in January.

Year 10 U15 A and U15 B: The A team won 3-2 against Peacehaven in Round 3 of the ESFA National Cup and then won 5-0 against Ark Alexandra Academy from Hastings in Round 4. The team then produced an excellent performance to win 2-1 against Coopers’ Company & Coborn School from Essex in Round 5 of the ESFA National Cup. The U15 B team won 3-2 against Shoreham Academy and then won 8-0 against Glyn from Surrey in the ESFA National Cup. The U15 B team has reached the Last 16 teams in the ESFA National Cup and will play Hampton at home in January.

Year 9 U14 A and U14 B: The A team had an excellent 5-3 win away at Willingdon in Eastbourne. The next match was a brilliant game against Shoreham Academy in Round 4 of the ESFA National Cup. We played without one of our strikers and one of our midfielders and lost 5-3 in a match that could have gone either way. The B team, which reached last season’s ESFA National Cup Semi-Final, won 4-2 against School of Science and Technology in the Kent Cup Quarter-Final. The team won 9-0 away at Dover GS in the Kent Cup Semi-Final. The Kent Cup Final will be at the end of January against Hurstmere at the Maidstone United FC stadium. In Round 2 of the ESFA National Cup the team won 15-1 against Riddlesdown Collegiate from Surrey.

Year 8 U13 A and U13 B: The A team performed very well away at Ravenswood in Bromley losing 5-4 with the last kick of the game. The B team, which won the Kent Cup last season and reached last year’s ESFA National Cup Semi-Final, won 5-1 against Norton Knatchbull. We won 12-0 against the School of Science and Technology in the Kent Cup Quarter-Final and will play away at Dover GS in the Semi-Final on Saturday 10th January. The team won 4-0 away at Simon Langton GS, Canterbury in the ESFA National Cup. The team has played five matches, won five scoring 39 goals and conceding just one goal.

Year 7 U12 A and U12 B: The Year 7 A team has had two very difficult away matches losing the second match 3-2. The B team won 4-0 away at Oakwood Park GS in Maidstone. The team won 7-1 against Oxted before losing 2-1 away at Simon Langton GS in Canterbury. The team returned to Simon Langton GS in the ESFA National Cup and won 4-1.

After-school football practices have been very well attended at both campuses for Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9.

Very well done to all students involved in all year groups and thank you for your efforts since the start of September.

Mr Menzies, Head of Football and Head of Co-Curricular Sport

Rugby

KS3: Year 7 are well underway in their season in the newly formed Kent Developing Schools League, with both A and B teams competing and delivering strong, committed performances. Both squads have shown excellent enthusiasm and teamwork throughout the term and are looking forward to building on their momentum and continuing their positive run of form in the new year.

The Year 9 team’s Shield campaign came to an end following an away fixture against Norton Knatchbull. Despite this, both the Year 8 and Year 9 squads have maintained strong attendance at training sessions, demonstrating a high level of commitment and a positive attitude towards development. This dedication puts the teams in a strong position as they head into the remainder of the season in the new year.

KS4: The Year 10 team enjoyed an exciting and memorable run in the National Vase this season. The team recorded an impressive victory against Worth School and followed this with a tightly contested draw against Cardinal Newman, progressing to the next round following a decision. Unfortunately, their journey in the competition came to an end with an away defeat to Maidstone Grammar School.

The boys should be extremely proud of their achievements, as reaching this stage of the competition marks the furthest the school has ever progressed in the National Vase. Their performances have demonstrated outstanding commitment, teamwork and skill. The team now looks ahead to the remainder of a busy season, eager to continue showcasing their high level of skill while representing the school.

Mr Stevens, PE Teacher

The U15 rugby team won the Kent Shield at Gravesend Rugby Club, beating Bennett Memorial 57-14. A fantastic performance all round and an impressive hat trick from Peter Z.

1st XV: The 1st XV recently travelled to face Gravesend Grammar School in the U18 Continental Schools Bowl regional final. In a closely contested and highly competitive fixture, the team put in a committed performance but were ultimately undone by a well-organised Gravesend side who proved difficult to break down. Despite the result, the match was an excellent showcase of the squad’s resilience, work rate and determination at a high level of schools rugby.

Away from competition, the U18 squad have continued to play an important role within the wider rugby programme, supporting the high-flying U15 team through joint training sessions. These sessions have been a valuable opportunity to share experience, raise standards and strengthen the pathway between age groups, with clear benefits for both squads.

Looking ahead, the U18s will return after the Christmas break with fresh challenges to face, including participation in the newly formed Kent Developing Schools League, as well as the Kent Schools Rugby Sevens tournaments. The squad are looking forward to building on their performances so far this season and continuing to represent the school with pride. 

Mr G Woods, Head of PE

Religion & Philosophy

Year 11 TWGSB RE Day – The Human Quest for Meaning

In sessions held across both Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells this term, Year 11 students continued their Human Quest for Meaning, exploring existential questions about life, identity and purpose. The key concepts explored were:

• Existentialism and the idea that ‘Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards’ (Soren Kierkegaard);
• Philosophical ideas such as ‘Existence precedes essence’ and ‘Bad Faith’ (from Sartre).

The students thoroughly enjoyed their opinion corners where students physically positioned themselves based on agreement/disagreement with statements such as ‘There is a meaning to life’, ‘I have free will’ and ‘My life was predetermined at the start of the universe’. On the essential question ‘Is there a meaning of life?' students shared initial thoughts and revisited them after discussions. Feedback from the students was positive and included the following comments: ‘Freedom to say what you think and listen to others' views’ and ‘Fun and enjoyable whilst still being informative’.

Mrs Hawkes, Head of Religion & Philosophy

Other News

Independent Catering served up a total of over 1,000 delicious traditional Christmas lunches across both campuses on Wednesday 10th December – greatly enjoyed by students and staff.

Students can shape the future of Tunbridge Wells.

Your vote matters! The UK Government has announced its intention to give the vote to people aged 16+. Until that happens, this is how you can tell your Councillors what you would like in Tunbridge Wells.

Help shape the future by completing the Tunbridge Wells Budget Survey. Tell us how you feel about a range of issues, including:

• Environmental issues: What steps should we take to protect our environment?
• Local services: What services are most important to you?
• Parks: Do you want more recreation facilities like Skate Parks?

Freestyle it on the ‘Council Tax’ page by clicking ‘Not sure’ and you can tell us exactly what you want.

By taking part in the Budget Survey, you can have a direct impact on how your Council spends its money. Click HERE to share your ideas.

www.teachkentandsussex.org.uk/events/

Marketing, Development & Alumni Relations

To our TWGSB Community

Reaching the end of another full and busy year here, I want to share TWGSB’s appreciation for all of you who believe in and support our school  so loyally.

Whether you’ve attended events, volunteered your time, backed our campaigns or simply cheered us on from the sidelines, your commitment strengthens our community in ways that truly matter.

This season always invites a moment of reflection on the work we do, shaping the lives of every student who walks through our doors.

From the Development Office and on behalf of the school,  I wish you and your loved ones a joyful and restful Christmas and a happy New Year, one filled with hope, good health and moments that will make you proud.

Share your news!

We love celebrating our students’ achievements on our website and social platforms so please do get in touch if you have any news you would like to share with us. Equally, we love hearing from ex-students – news, views and pictures (see TWGSB Connect News) as we look to connect the past, present and future of this great school.

Thank you in advance, for any items you generously choose to share with us via one of these email addresses below. We are so grateful always! Thank you.

Mrs Roberts, Development Manager

iroberts@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk

connect@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk

TWGSB is on three social media platforms: