AUTUMN Newsletter TERM
MESSAGE FROM MS WILSON
Dear Parents, carers and all in the Chessington community
As we approach the end of a very busy term here at Chessington I am bursting with pride following our Winter Concert last night, there was a range of talent including musicians, singers and dancers. Seeing some usually quite shy students stand on the stage performing was an incredible achievement. A huge thank you to the Performing Arts Faculty for their time, energy and effort putting the concert together.
This term there has been so much going on both inside and outside of the classroom, much of which is described later in this bumper newsletter and written by many members of staff that work tirelessly to ensure that your children get the best possible opportunities from their school experience.
Save the date for the ‘Parents’ Think Tank’ on 14th January 19.00 - 20.00. We are relaunching the format of this and will share the agenda with a sign up form at the start of next term. We would like this to be an opportunity for parents to help shape the great work that the school does and be the critical friend who becomes part of the solutions. Look out for the email from Mrs Cooper and Mr Smith.
We launched the new report format and method of assessment for Years 7, 8 & 9, which has received some positive feedback from students, parents and staff. This will hopefully provide greater clarity of the areas in which the students need to work on to maximise their progress. Year 11 Mock results will be out early in January, we will hold our usual exam results assembly where the students will receive their results in an envelope just like in August. I know that
whatever their mock results are they will rise to the challenge ahead of their GCSEs in May. Our students, on the whole, work incredibly hard, their effort levels are something I am incredibly proud of, the amount of resilience points clearly demonstrates that Chessington students don’t give up!
We are saying goodbye to Mrs Austin who has served the Chessington community for 23 years as a Teaching Assistant.
I use the word serve very deliberately, she is an incredible person who has worked with dedication and tirelessly for our most vulnerable students. She has a superb way with students, builds up their confidence and enables them to believe in themselves and she is always there in the background for them. The amount of cards, presents and words of thanks from the students are testament to the impact that she has had on so many. Her work in the SEND Department over the years is hugely appreciated. Nothing is ever too much for Mrs Austin, she has not only supported students but many staff members throughout her years here. A very big hole will be left when she leaves us but I know that her retirement will allow her some cherished time with her family.
I wish you the loveliest of holidays and very best wishes for a wonderful 2025
Ms S Wilson Headteacher Chessington School
MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNORS
Dear all,
We hope you are all feeling festive and are ready for the Christmas break? It seems to come round so quickly each year!
This is the busiest term for Governors: The Quality of Education Committee has gone through the detail of last year’s fantastic results for both Y11 and Y13 students, plus looking at results across the whole school; the Finance and Business Committee has looked at the school budgets; and the Behaviour and Personal Development Committee has been focusing on (in particular) how the school is improving the attendance rates of students. A huge thank you to those parents who support the school and their children’s education by make ensuring our students are in school on time on these dank and dreary mornings.
A governor attended the leavers’ awards evening, and several of us were present at the Open Evening. During Open Evening we had a great vantage point to hear the band, see the drama presentation and watch the trampolining as well as
during exam time, and is recognisable for her colourful hair!
We do still have vacancies on the Board and we are looking for a range of experience such as human resources, health and safety, finance or education background. If you have none of these, but have a keen interest in being a ‘critical friend’ to the school with the ability to have an impartial overview then you are also welcome to apply. Full training is given and we do not expect you to be an expert in all areas. Have a look at our existing governors’ backgrounds for more about who we are Chessington School - Governor Profiles
If you would like to find out more about the role and what it entails, please do drop me an email on kcarman@chessington.kingston.sch.uk
Finally on behalf of the whole Governing Board I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Festive Regards,
Karen Carman Chair of Governors
HEAD OF YEAR UPDATES
MRS CHAPMAN Head of Year 7
MISS RUTLEDGE Head of Year 8
MR LUCAS Head of Year 9
MR POWER Head of Year 10
MISS SWAYSLAND Head of Year 11
MR DAVEY Head of Year 12 and 13
A Stellar Start to Secondary School!
Year 7 students are nearing the end of their very first term at secondary school, and what a term it has been! They’ve achieved a tremendous number of achievement points, reflecting their hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication to learning.
Beyond the classroom, Year 7 has been busy making new friends, getting involved in school life, and embracing all the opportunities secondary school has to offer. I am so proud of how well they have settled into this exciting new chapter of their education.
Keep up the amazing work, Year 7 – the future is looking bright!
Mrs Chapman Head of
YEAR 7 Mrs Chapman YEAR 8 Miss Rutledge
Year 7
Year 8 have come so far, I feel privileged to have witnessed and been part of such progress.
I am lucky enough to teach each and everyone of my own year group getting to know them all, this gives me unique insight into their ways of learning as well as their individual personalities. I get to celebrate successes weekly in assemblies and ensure those that are doing great are rewarded.
I have seen some exceptional science lessons recently and communicated home some exemplar pieces of work.
Letters have gone home to celebrate the top 15 for progress and attitude to learning from the recent reports.
Miss Rutledge
Head
of Year 8
YEAR 9
Mr Lucas
We’ve had and excellent Autumn Term and beginning to year 9. As a year group we have amassed a huge total of 10,994 achievement points which is a true reflection of the excellent attitude to learning we are seeing from year 9 in lessons.
There have been numerous collective and individual successes that I wanted to highlight within the year group.
There were three Jack Petchey Foundation Award winners in year 9!
Matthew H won his award for excellence in agriculture.
Michal A was awarded for qualifying for the GB national team in his age group in Judo. He has since competed and trained abroad and is really progressing in his sport.
Matthew R has been regularly volunteering as well as competing in park runs.
He started parkruns aged 4, and has now completed 389x five kilometer parkuns, 235x two kilometer (junior) parkruns and 121 volunteering occasions too.
He recently completed 104 different locations, across 2 countries.
In October 2024 I was awarded the Bushy parkrun award for the most junior boy attendance over the last year.
A group of enthusiastic year 9 students represented the school in a competition where they had to create and pitch a presentation at Stamford Bridge focused on improving diversity amongst the fans of the Chelsea Women’s team. They spent weeks creating an excellent presentation filled with brilliant ideas. They pitched in the board room at Chelsea Football club and beat two other secondary schools to win the competition. Well done to Callum J, Omar M, Jessica E, Evie B, Phoebe JO and Maisie B! We’re very proud of you
Mr Lucas
Head
of Year 9
YEAR 10
Mr
Power
It has been such a pleasure to begin the GCSE journey with our lovely Year 10s. Finally seeing so many of them in their element studying things they are passionate about and engaging in topics they enjoy.
I’ve seen some incredible games made in Childcare and Development, great T-Shirt designs in Business Studies, Excellent projects going on in Design Technology and even learned a few new words by observing some Spanish! The list of successes in their option subjects absolutely does go on.
There have been some great strides in the core subjects, too. Despite a few of them moaning about Trigonometry there is a real thirst for learning that is shining through. They have had excellent annotations and discussions around their War and Conflict English module and some great practicals in Science.
Outside of the curriculum the successes and engagement continues; art and drama trips, sports fixtures, MasterChef catering competitions and excellent musical performances. It is truly inspiring to see our young people going above and beyond their studies.
Our Year and school are represented so well by our Sports Leaders and our Student Council members. This year will bring the opportunity of becoming a Prefect, too. Which has sparked interest among some.
This year’s focus is Ambition - wanting to be better every day and achieve. From what I’ve seen so far, these young people truly embody that.
Mr Power Head of Year 10
YEAR 11 Miss Swaysland
This term, Year 11 students have been working incredibly hard as they prepare for their upcoming GCSE exams. They have just completed their mock exams, and students have shown great resilience and maturity, taking valuable lessons from the experience and many have already begun refining their revision strategies to ensure they are fully prepared for the summer.
made so far, and we know that they are on track to achieve great things in the summer.
Miss Swaysland Head of Year 11
YEAR 12/13 Mr Davey
The Sixth Form students have had a very busy first term. The Y13s have settled back into study and are making progress within their units of work. They have all had a one to one meeting with the Careers Advisor and in PDW sessions, with support from their Head of Year, they are making applications to University, Apprenticeships or Employment. All students will have a plan in place for when they finish Y13. The Y12 Sport students have had a careers talk from Chelsea FC looking at career pathways, and the different roles within a football club. The Child Development students have also had a Careers talk, from a Nursery Practitioner at a local nursery, again looking at career pathways and how the setting supports students with SEND. This was linked to a visit to St Philip's School to see their provision. All Y12 and Y13 Child Development students are gaining fantastic experience working daily in the onsite nursery, ensuring they complete all the necessary work experience hours required by the exam board. The Nursery Manager has reported on all of the students who are making excellent progress. The students are developing their skills, in order to work in this profession full time once they finish their course.
mock exam ready for the real exam on 15th January for the unit Investigating Business in Sport. The Y12 Sport students have settled into school life and are enjoying assisting in school PE lessons and after school clubs with the younger year groups. This is a fantastic experience for our students and some of the students are taking advantage of the school's links with local Basketball and Football clubs, participating in volunteer work to make themselves more employable in the future. The Y12 Sport students also sat a mock in November and they have their Anatomy and Physiology exam on 12th January. There were also mock exams for Y13 Child Development students who have three exams in January.
The Sport students have been enjoying their training with our specialised coaches. The Basketball students are particularly keen, in school every morning for training at 6.45am. The Basketball teams have had success in their fixtures. A one point defeat to the current sixth form champions was the stand out performance for the 1st Team. We look forward to playing them in the return fixture. The 2nd team’s best performance was a convincing win over Haywards Heath School.
Our Football students have had a good start to the season, most notably a 6-3 victory v Esher College. It has been good to see some talented Y11 students also play alongside their Sixth form peers for the school 1st XI. Our links with Chessington & Hook FC remain beneficial, especially for the Sixth form students regularly playing for their U18 and U23 teams.
It has been a pleasure working with all our Sixth Form students and I look forward to further success stories throughout the academic year.
History Department
Autumn has been exciting for the History Department with studies of ancient civilisations, in Year 7, to depth studies of Elizabethan England in Year 11. Students have been engaging in the study of narratives, sources, and interpretations of history to consider ‘the big’ questions associated with each topic. For example, Year 8 has considered whether the First World War deserves the name ‘World War’ or should be referred to as ‘The Great War’, as it was at the time.
Homework has been a big positive for the department, with students positively engaging in homework across Google Classroom and Google Forms. Year 7, 8, and 9 have been studying different parts of history across the world, with Year 10 and 11 revising key content of Medicine Through Time and Elizabethan England. Thank you for all of your support with this!
Exciting term ahead with studies of Romans, the British Empire, World War Two, Medicine on the Western Front, and Nazi Germany. Please do speak to your child about what they are enjoying in History lessons and encourage them to further this interest by reading outside of lessons and visiting museums.
Mr Forsyth Head of History
CHESSINGTON.KINGSTON.SCH.UK
COMPUTER SCIENCE
During the autumn term in Computer Science:
Year 7 students were introduced to the fundamentals of the subject with a strong focus on developing digital literacy and understanding how the school’s systems operate. They were taught how to effectively use Google apps, such as Google Docs as well as navigating the Google Classroom online environment for assignments and communication. This introduction aimed to build their confidence with technology, ensuring they can engage with digital tools effectively for learning.
Year 8 and 9 deepened their understanding of hardware, software, and data representation. They explored how computers function at a basic level, identifying key hardware components such as the CPU, RAM, and storage devices, and understanding how software interacts with these components. A significant focus was placed on data
representation, including how computers use binary number systems to represent numbers, text, and images. Students learned how images are stored using pixels, colour depth, and file types, and were introduced to other number systems such as hexadecimal. This knowledge is critical for understanding how computers process and manage data.
Year 10 and 11 worked on their GCSE curriculum, which is more rigorous and detailed. This involved both practical and theoretical components:
In programming, students further developed their skills in Python, covering key concepts like loops, conditionals, functions, and data structures (e.g., lists and dictionaries). They were also introduced to algorithm design and problem-solving techniques.
On the theoretical side, they studied computer architecture, particularly the workings of the CPU, including its role in executing instructions and managing processes. They explored registers such as the accumulator and program counter, learning how data flows within the CPU and how different components work together to perform calculations and process data. These topics provide
essential foundations for understanding how software operates at the hardware level.
Throughout the autumn term, students across all year groups engaged in activities designed to build both their theoretical understanding and practical problem-solving skills, laying the groundwork for further studies in computer science.
Mr Cosgrave Head of Computer Science
Autumn has been exciting for the Geography department with new topics being studied across KS3 and two fieldtrips this term. Year 11 visited the River Tillingbourne in October and had a beautiful sunny day to investigate how the characteristics of the river changed downstream! Students really enjoyed wading in the river and measuring the depth, width and other key characteristics of the river.
A small group of Year 9 students also attended an Eco Conference at Tiffin Girls School, where they discussed sustainability, built wind farms and bird feeders and debated whether certain products were “actually green”.
KS3 students have been enthusiastic and engaged in Geography this term with Year 7 studying Amazing Places, Year 8 focusing on Extreme Environments and Year 9 studying Development and Globalisation. Year 10 have made an excellent start to their GCSE course and are currently studying Urban Issues and Challenges and have been comparing Rio de Janeiro to London. They will be going on a field trip next term to Stratford, to look at the regeneration of the area around the Stratford Olympic Park in more detail.
Year 11 have been focusing on the Changing Economic World alongside completing their first piece of fieldwork towards their GCSE. They will also be heading to Stratford next term to study the regeneration of the Olympic Park and looking at how the area has changed over time.
Miss Stafford-Jones Head of Geography
art art
It has been a great pleasure to be so warmly welcomed to the Chessington community and I have been blown away by the fantastic talent and enthusiasm of our art students.
CURRICULUM
Year 10 have had a fantastic start to their GCSE course, starting off their natural forms project with tonal experiments in a variety of media and a trip to the Natural History Museum, where we collected visual information of strange and wonderful creatures, through live drawing.
Year 9 have been delving into the subconscious, dreamy minds of the Surrealists. Inspired by Rene Magritte and Dali, students explored the concepts and techniques used in this movement including juxtaposition, metamorphosis, symbolism, scale from several (actual and metaphorical) perspectives.
Year 8 have been diving into the oceans, experimenting with techniques such as collage, stick and ink, and oil pastel sgraffito, inspired by artists such as Yellena James and Amber M Moran. We are now moving on to think about art as activism to raise awareness of plastic pollution in our oceans.
Year 7 Great start to art at Chessington. Our focus has been on observational drawing and deepening our understanding of how the formal elements can be used to build our drawing skills.
hallway gallery
This term our hallway gallery has been focused on the work of Kehinde Wiley in conjunction with BHM and students created wonderful backdrops for prominent figures.
competition gallery
This term our hallway gallery has been focused on the work of Kehinde Wiley in conjunction with BHM and students created wonderful backdrops for prominent figures.
GCSE students have benefited from joining the after school sessions to boost their portfolios and make use of equipment, helping to be fully prepared for the mock exam.
KS3 art club has a lovely vibe where students are given a task or can produce their own work and create with friends. Why not pop along…?
Mrs Hudspith Head of Art
What a great Autumn term it has been for our young linguists at Chessington School. Students have been focusing on key verbs through our ‘do now’ tasks at the beginning of lessons and using their sentence builders to increase their range of vocabulary and sentence structures to be able to produce language in a range of topics. Year 7 have been learning to greet each other and introduce themselves in Spanish; Year 8 have been learning to talk about their family, friends and the town/city they live in; Year 9 have been learning to arrange to meet with their friends and they have been exploring future aspirations and employment in Spanish, which link directly with Spanish GCSE content; Year 10 have started their Spanish GCSE journey talking about holidays and about their school; Year 11 have been learning to talk about their city/town using complex language structures and about their future plans and aspirations. In addition, our Y11 Spanish students have put a lot of effort into their recent set of mock exams, for which they deserve to be congratulated.
I thoroughly recommend all our linguists to continue to put their language skills into practice during the upcoming holidays with examples of real language use. Why not try watching your favourite festive films or series in Spanish or tune into an international radio station online for a few minutes a day listening for gist?
Mr Murray Head of Modern Foreign Languages
Chessington students assisting with the MFL Department on Open Evening
LIBRARY
Since we’ve returned to school from the summer, the library has been bustling with updates and activities. We’ve installed brand new shelves to accommodate our growing collection (including lots more football books!), and we’re thrilled to introduce our 10 dedicated student librarians, five of whom are volunteers from our new Year 7s. These budding bookworms have done an excellent job helping to label, stamp, and catalogue books, as well as sharing their thoughts on how we can best make the library a welcoming space for everyone. Our Accelerated Reader lessons have also returned to the library this term, with students diving into classic and contemporary literature, including works by Roald Dahl, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, and The Giver by Lois Lowry.
The start of term saw our English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes begin again in earnest, help our students to better navigate daily life in school and feel more confident in using English day to day. We are currently supporting 17 students in four different regular interventions, which range from introductory English to GCSE level skills. Classes take place in small groups, focussing on honing students’ speaking skills and providing them with the tools to rapidly acquire new Tier 2 vocabulary through visual learning, educational games and conversation practice.
PHONICS AND READING
Since September we have also introduced new morning phonics classes for students who need extra support with their reading. Our teaching assistants work with small classes of students during their morning tutor time to help improve their decoding and word recognition skills, building their confidence with literacy and allowing them to better access the curriculum in the classroom. The current programme of study is based on the widely used ReadWrite Inc. system, with a focus on strengthening student’s decoding, blending and phonological awareness in the context of fun short stories and interactive, sound-based group work.
Mr
Murray
Head
of the Language, Literacy and EAL Faculty
On Wednesday 13th November we held our Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge in school. Sixty Year 10 students took part in this whole day workshop delivered by the Speakers Trust which proved to be a great opportunity for our children to develop their speaking skills in addition to our whole school oracy approach. The aim of the day was for students to deliver a speech to an audience (their peers) on a topic of their choice, and the level of speeches heard in both workshops was highly commended by the two workshop leaders from the Speakers Trust.
Here are some statistics following the voluntary feedback that our students provided at the end of their workshop:
Congratulations to the six students who were proclaimed winners on the day:
Woody Elsworthy
Edmund Coy
Teanna Silva Santos
Krishan Ahmad
Maria Mohammed
Jessica Kasza
As winners, they will be delivering their speeches again to a larger audience for a decision to be made about who will enter a competition structure to represent Chessington School at regional and national stages. Speeches are judged by panels of VIP judges – which helps to raise aspirations for students and the profile of young people in the community. The programme culminates in the Grand Final event, usually held at a West End theatre. Students share inspiring, thought-provoking and uplifting speeches to an audience of a thousand people and a prestigious panel of judges, and stand a chance to win a significant cash prize for themselves and their school.
For more information click on the following link: https://www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk/opportunities/partnership-programmes/speak-out-challenge/
For a workshop information film please click here
Mr Murray Head of the Language, Literacy and EAL Faculty
This term, we are delighted to welcome back Miss Spink, our Head of Maths, after her maternity leave. Both staff and students are thrilled to have her back at school.
Year 11 students have demonstrated impressive dedication to their Maths lessons as they work towards completing the GCSE curriculum. They have shown remarkable resilience in tackling more challenging topics, such as trigonometry and quadratics. Meanwhile, Miss Corbett’s Further Mathematicians have already shown great potential as they begin their course.
Year 10 have been fully engaged with topics such as proportion, percentages, and Pythagoras. A reminder to Mrs. Stallard’s class—remember, Pythagoras is a tricky one who likes to sneak into questions!
Key Stage 3 students have also shown great commitment. Year 9 have been diving deep into numbers, focusing on estimation, and using decimals and negative numbers in calculations. Year 8 have been tackling problem-solving with the Cartesian plane, progressing from coordinates to an introduction to the equation of a line. Year 7 began the year exploring Algebra and have made impressive strides. It’s also been fantastic to see Year 7 students embracing the Sparx Maths learning platform.
Sparx continues to be used effectively by our students across the school. So far this year, they have completed an impressive 4,601 hours on Sparx — fantastic effort! This term, we also launched our Sparx and Snax club on Tuesday afternoons, and it’s been wonderful to see so many students attending for extra Maths support, remember all students are welcome!
Mrs Stallard Trust Maths Lead
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOG
Year 10 have had a wonderful start to their Construction course, learning about different types of structures and buildings and creating a model of a stud wall with roof section.
We have now moved on to electrics and learning how to wire a domestic lighting circuit. Special mention has to go to Mason, Tyler and Ollie who have been brilliant at figuring out the wiring for multiple lights.
Engineering Club have been experimenting with 3D printing, and are now building their own Scalextric cars to run the Chessington Grand Prix. Watch this space!
Year 8 and 9 created pewter keyrings of their own design and a presentation box. You may have seen one already as most of these have been taken home (probably to be given to parents as Christmas presents).
Year 7 have produced beautiful design work and created a food package that’s good enough to put on a shop shelf.
Mr May Head of
English
It has been a busy half term and a bit for the English department. The new members of our team have become key members of the school community, they have been full of praise for our students ability and commitment to English.
Year 11 have been working at pace to finish the GCSE syllabus; they have immersed themselves in war poetry, creating thought provoking arguments and think pieces on the power of man Vs the power of nature. We know that this energy and interest will serve them well in their mock exams!
Year 10 have also been analysing and inferring on the themes of power and conflict as they begin their GCSE course. Lessons have showcased intellectual debate and sensitive attitudes to challenging topics.
Key stage 3 has been equally busy as Year 9 got to grips with the ‘ Great Gender Debate’ & Ms Williams' class took on the challenge of criticising the Disney franchise for its outdated ideas! Whilst 7 & 8 focused on creative writing and developing their own writing style, producing a wide range of fictional stories in just 7 short weeks!
Mrs Cooper Deputy Headteacher
Great Gender Debate Display
Year 7
Year 10
Year 9
Year 8
DRAMA
We have started drama at Chessington school by introducing the students into the world of performance, we have explored this with the students creating their very own performance based on spending the night in a haunted house. This half term the students are exploring the style of theatre Pantomime and having a go at creating some performance in this style.
We have been exploring Puppetry in year 8, the students have looked into a brief history of puppetry and how different cultures have explored the style. The students were then able to create a shadow puppetry performance in groups for their assessment. This half term the students will be looking at a script and exploring the themes, characters and plot of the performance.
We have explored the play 'DNA' by Denis Kelly, the students loved the twists and turns that the plot uncovers. We then were able to take a look at some of the technical aspects of the play as the students created their own designs. We have now started exploring 'Verbatim theatre' and the students will be creating their own performance in this style. Keep your eyes peeled for information on the year 9 trip to the National Theatre where the students will be able to explore backstage of this amazing space!
We have been looking into the history of theatre and how different practitioners have been able to shape and adapt the world of theatre as we know it. Some of the styles the students have enjoyed more than others! We have also begun to explore 'An Inspector Calls' as this will be the set text that the students will complete their assessment on. We took a trip to the Rose theatre, where the students watched a production of 'Never let me go', the students were captivated and really enjoyed this performance.
Miss Twomey Head of Drama
Year 11
We have spent the autumn term completing the students devising performance ahead of their assessment before Christmas. In the new year the students will be starting to prepare their scripted performance prior to the visiting examiner coming in to assess them in the Spring term. We took a trip to the Rose theatre, where the students watched a production of 'Never let me go'. The students really enjoyed this performance and now have lots to write about in their exam.
The Addams Family
Rehearsals for this year's school production of ‘The Addams Family’ are well underway!
We have performed a snip-it of what we’re preparing for open evening in September, since then we have cast the show and begun to rehearse the solo numbers throughout.
This years show is definitely ‘Pulling us in a new direction’ as it is a comedy performance with some incredible show stopping numbers
Shoebox Theatre Compeition
CIENCS E
It has been a busy start to the academic year in Science. Y7 have been taught how to work scientifically. This included learning about safety in a science laboratory, planning, carrying out and analysing data from experiments and exploring the links between maths and science. They have also been looking at properties of solids, liquids and gases and energy. Y8 have also been looking at working scientifically where they were building on knowledge taught in year 7. They have also been looking at elements, mixtures and compounds. Year 9 have been introduced to the KS4 AQA GCSE course where they have been looking at cells and how they divide and exploring the structure of the atom. Y10 have been building on the GCSE content that they have previously studied where they have been looking at communicable vs non communicable diseases and the process of photosynthesis. The team have been focussing on preparing Year 11 students for the mock GCSE exams both in lessons and morning and afternoon intervention. Well done year 11 for getting through these!
Primary Outreach
Our Primary Outreach at Chessington has taken off this year, where several primary schools have been in the Chessington Science department to take part in a range of activities. Students from St Pauls, Castle Hill, Ellingham and Spring School have participated in lessons such as forces, Electrical circuits and plant dissections. All Students have been exceptional and we look forward to working with these schools even more in the future.
Science Club
Science club has involved some fab practicals, with some of our veterans taking the reins and helping our new students learn and get excited about science. Elephants Toothpaste, making fake blood and making giant paper aeroplanes is just some of the fun they’ve had so far!
Mrs Andrews Head of Science
MUSIC
Year 7 are working on ensemble performances for "Hit the Road Jack" and year 8 are doing the same for "Rock around the Clock". Year 9 are learning about electronic dance music (Techno, House, Jungle and Drum 'n' Bass) using music technology and we are looking forward to hearing their assessments.
Year 10 BTEC students are making some great inroads for their learning of different music styles for Component 1. Year 11 are close to final submission for their Component 2 work, leaving only the final synoptic Component 3 assessment to go.
Rehearsals are continuing for the school production of "Addam Family" and the casting has been announced. Pupils are learning their lines and songs and working on read through's. Mr.Ide is supporting individual student rehearsals too, so everyone will get some extra support.
The Winter Concert is coming up on 18th December and we have a few soloists and groups performing a mixture of secular and Christmas themed music. We will have the first half of the concert dedicated to secular performances and the second half for festive themed pieces. We are looking forward to hearing from the year 8 band, year 9 band and the year 10 band this year, along with the dance group and several solo performances.
Music club is thriving but preference must be given to Winter Concert performers preparations for the next few weeks.
Mr DuBock Head of Music
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Year 12 and 13 child development students visited at Philips for a morning of observations. The primary school were very welcoming towards us and we got fully involved for an hour of their morning learning. The students had a fantastic experience and gained useful knowledge to put into practice when writing assignments linked to SEN provision. It was an invaluable experience for all. We are very grateful to St Phillips for being so accommodating. We hope to visit again soon!
Miss Rutledge Head of Child Development
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
I have been so excited to take on the job of leading the religious studies department. It has been an exciting term implementing a broad and diverse start to the curriculum.
In year 7, we started learning some key theories that form the basis of religious studies. We have looked at what Philosophy is as well as understanding the study of social sciences. In addition in more recent lessons, we have discussed the concept of Gods in both Abrahamic and Dharmic faiths.
In year 8, we have looked at Hinduism as the start of our study on the Dharmic faiths. The students have looked at where Hinduism began and understood some of their core beliefs such as reincarnation. In the last few weeks, we have looked at the practices of the Hindu faith and understood what a Mandir is and why Hindu’s celebrate Diwali and Holi.
In year 9, we have really stepped up their learning of theology. We have started questioning religion and looking at if we believe in God, why or why not. In addition we have started to look at Britain as a society and by the end of the term students will have to make a judgement on religion in our society as we see it today.
Key stage 4 have been looking at similar topics and have studied Christian beliefs and Practices as this is the first topic in their GCSE course. Year 11 are currently sitting their mocks and have sat a themes paper in RS as part of this mock.
Mrs Sheriff Head of Religious Studies
CATERING
This term has had some wonderful moments in all year groups
At the start of September the new year 7 classes found their feet in the food room, by learning about the safety rules of a kitchen and equipment and going straight into practical lessons
They have so far made fruit drinks, cakes, pasta salad and jam tarts, learning valuable skills such as using vegetable knives, stoves and oven and making shortcrust pastry.
Year 8 classes have started the year looking at energy and carbohydrates Making dishes like homemade pizza, pasta bakes, chocolate tiffin bars
Year 9 have started by looking into KS4 skills like making fresh pasta, making a roux sauce for mac and cheese, pastry and bread doughs
Year 10 have started the Level 1 and 2 Hospitality and catering course to a high standard
We have been studying topics in our theory lessons including Commercial kitchens and hotel, job roles, residential establishments and we have had a visit to tour around the school canteen. In practical lessons we have been making a wide range of high skills including choux pastry, lasagne and pastry pies
Year 11 have spent the term focusing on the NEA which is 60% of their overall grade
Cooking club is every Friday 3-4pm and is always full of life! Many students arrive at the door and sample different skills and foods to take home
On Wednesday 20th November, we hosted our Annual Masterchef competition with year 10 high achieving students winning a place to represent Chessington in this Kingston Borough competition.
Edmund and Zoe were wonderful and created incredible dishes that the judges were highly impressed with. Out of the 10 students from 5 schools, Zoe did amazing and gained a 2nd place prize. She will now represent Chessington at the District finals in Feb 2025. Well done to all students
Mrs Ford Head of Catering
CAREERS
The first term has been very busy for our year 11s as they have completed and submitted their applications for Colleges or Apprenticeships once they leave school. Building on the Careers Fair that we held in the Summer term in Year 10, our Year 11 students have had talks from Kingston College, Hollyfield School and NESCOT.
Many have been to Open Events at local Colleges and have attended interviews regarding a place next academic year. The majority of Year 11 students have also had a meeting with our trained Careers advisor, with the rest due for completion in Term 2. Year 11 students, along with Sixth Form students were invited to attend a Careers Fair at Hollyfield School in October and it was fantastic to see so many of our students there, talking to and engaging with a range of local employers and post 16 providers.
The year 10 students have had a presentation in assembly from NESCOT building on from Careers Day at the end of Year 9, with an Apprenticeship Provider coming in during term 2. It is important that our students make informed decisions about their future, so we want to present them with all options available. The year 9 students have also had an Assembly on Apprenticeships as we get them to start considering their options for the future.
Looking forward to next term, there will be a visit to the National Apprenticeship Fair for our Sixth Form students. We have also set up a fantastic link with local companies to do some exciting activities during STEM week later in the year.
Mr Davey Head of Careers
PPHYSICAL HYSICAL EEDUC DUC
Since September, Chessington School’s female sports teams have been extremely active, competing in over 16 fixtures and competitions.
nnetball etball
Year 7:
The newly-formed Year 7 team have had a tough start to their season, with a 1-1 draw (EEHS) and a 12-1 loss (RPHS). However, players such as Gladys T, Chloe H, and Lucia B have been praised for their dedication and strong performances.
Year 8:
The Year 8 team began their season with a strong 12-0 win against Epsom & Ewell (EEHS), with Hope M being named Player of the Match (POTM) for her contribution to the scoresheet. Their first league match saw a victory over Raynes Park High (RPHS), with Jasmin B receiving POTM for her defensive dominance in the shooting circle.
Year 9:
The Year 9 squad saw two competitive league games. Results included a 8-4 win (RPHS) and a narrow 6-8 loss against The Kingston Academy (TKA). Megan N and Evie B delivered standout performances.
Year 10:
Known as “The OGs” (a nickname coined by Miss Williams), the Year 10 team remains undefeated, with impressive victories of 178 (TKA) and 22-1 (RPHS). Georgia D and Zoe S have been key players, forming an excellent partnership as GA and GS.
The growth of netball at Chessington School over the past three years has been outstanding. When I first joined, there was no netball club and minimal interest. Now, Chessington has competitive teams across Years 7–10 competing weekly in the Kingston and Merton leagues. Additionally, the school runs clubs on Mondays (for Years 9–11) and Fridays (for Years 7–8), providing ample opportunities for students to develop their skills.
Following their Summer League victory, the Year 7 and 8 girls' football team remain undefeated. Their performance in the Surrey Cup was impressive, progressing to Round 2 after a nail-biting penalty win (5-4) over Royal Russell. They also secured solid league victories against RPHS (1-0) and Coombe Girls (6-0). Captain Elsie B, goalkeeper Jasmin B, and Isla G have been particularly notable for their leadership, skill, and commitment on the pitch.
Year 9, 10 and 11s will begin their league campaigns post Christmas Break!
indoor at indoor ath
Both the year 7 and year 8 girl squads were crowned indoor athletics borough champions. They competed against the likes of TKA, Coombe and Holyfield. Year 7s accumulated 245 points, a solid 25 point lead over 2nd place TKA. Year 8s accumulated 246 points, 10 points ahead of 2nd place TKA. Year 7s will go on to represent Kingston in the London Youth Games in February.
Stand out performances
Year 7 Grace and Amelia Twin power coming first in the 8 lap paarlauf.
Year 7 Lucia coming first in her individual 6 lap race.
Year 8 Filijay coming first in her individual 4 lap and 6 lap race.
Final Point
This is 3 years in a row, the girls have done the double!
The Year 7 students have settled into their scholarship programme with enthusiasm, making the most of additional opportunities such as weekly sessions with the Harlequins Rugby Foundation. Parents and carers have been notified about an exciting upcoming trip on Alternative Learning Day (31st January 2024), which will offer further enrichment for the students (Yr 7, 8 and 9).
sscholarship cholarship sports leaders sports leaders
The newly-formed Year 10 sports leaders have been gaining valuable experience, assisting with scholarship sessions, afterschool clubs, and borough events. In December, they played a pivotal role in delivering a Year 1 and 2 multi-skills event. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with Surbiton Prep praising the sports leaders for their clear instructions and supportive approach:
Feedback from Surbiton Prep: “I thought the Sports Leaders were really clear with their instructions and supportive of the boys, which led to an excellent afternoon all round.”
boys sport boys sport
Chessington School’s male sports teams have continued to develop from the start of the year with multiple tough opposition played in cup competitions and our new leagues we have entered. With the highlight of the year being the double header against Southborough school with the year 8's playing out an exciting 3-3 draw, courtesy of an Isiah Bialy hatrick and the year 9's pulling back a draw with a last second free kick from Sid Thomas, to finish 2-2. The Under 16 basketball team had a strong showing against a tough outfit in Rutlish School, with Alfie Kingdon, Noah Rowling and Lucas Preda leading the charge in a game that slipped in the final quarter leading to our exit in the Surrey cup. With the rest of the league fixtures still to play, Chessington Boys Sport is ready to make a major bounce back in 2025.
Chessington School’s sporting landscape has seen impressive growth across all areas. The dedication of both players and staff continues to elevate the school’s sporting success, providing students with opportunities to excel both on and off the field. The recent accomplishments are a testament to the hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm from all involved.
Miss Williams and Mr Sherlock PE Teachers
SPRING TERM REMINDER
A reminder that Chessington School returns on Monday 6th January for the start of the Spring term. Students have a late start, and are expected in school at 09:30am
KS3 Assessment - Grade Descriptors
As shared at our Parent Information Evenings, back in September, we introduced our new strategy for assessing KS3 for Non Core Subjects This method primarily involves identifying if your son/daughter has been able to provide evidence in an assessment that meets the grade descriptors for that subject, in their particular year Please see the Grade Descriptors for each year group below to help you have those positive conversations with your children in what they are learning at present
Year 7 - Grade Descriptors
Year 8 - Grade Descriptors
Year 9 - Grade Descriptors
Kingston Adult Education Education provides a comprehensive range of courses to help adult learners gain qualifications, enhance employability and explore new interests, with many of of the courses being government funded, and therefore free of charge. For further information please click HERE
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