Welcome from the Head
Dear Parents
Welcome to this week’s newsletter – our final newsletter of 2024 and one which comes full of the festive excitement of the end of term!
As ever, it’s a delight to review all the activities that have kept us so entertained over the past fortnight, with the Christmas Winter Wonderland, Christmas jumpers, gingerbread houses, Christmas lunch and the (Grammy Award-winning) staff lip-sync performances to name but a few. Huge thanks go to the Music and Drama departments at this exceptionally busy time of year. Following the Drama highlights mentioned in the previous newsletter, let me add to these the spectacular Senior Concert at All Saints’ Church, which showcased such depth of talent, and our Key Stage 3 Concert here in school. Full marks to both our performers and the audience for their participation, and well done to all involved, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Please do see my separate End of Term letter which contains further updates from across the school.
It just remains for me to wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and we very much look forward to seeing all our students back in school on Wednesday 8 January 2025.
With best wishes
Mrs Alex Hutchinson
Head
Dates for your Diary
- Wednesday 8 January – Spring Term begins
- Tuesday 14 January – 5.30pm – Year 9 Parents’ Evening
Reporting Absences
A reminder to all parents to use this form to report absence in the Senior School due to illness or to request absence for appointments. This form can also be found on our Contact page.
Additionally, when informing a teacher of any health issues your daughter may be facing, please remember to cc or School Nurse team on Nurse@jags.org.uk.
Key Stage 3 Update
As the Autumn Term draws to a close, we can all look back over the last few months with a real sense of pride and satisfaction.
The Year 7s settled really well and have proved themselves to be a wonderful, joyful and hard working group. It was a genuine pleasure to read their end of term grade cards.
This term has been so busy – we have done everything from Maths Challenges to DC collaborations, catapult building to gingerbread house decorating. It has been a lot of fun. One of my favourite moments was watching the whole section sing along in six different languages to Christmas songs in the MFL assembly.
Now it is time for all of KS3 to take a well-earned break. For those who celebrate Christmas I wish you Feliz Navidad! See you in 2025!
Myfanwy Bournon, Head of KS3
Key Stage 4 Update
Well done to all of Key Stage 4 for their incredible efforts this term! It has been an exceptionally busy time, and everyone has worked so hard across all areas of school life.
A particular highlight of the term was the outstanding performance by our talented musicians at the concert last Thursday at All Saints Church. It was a true showcase of skill and dedication, and we couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and creativity.
The sunshine of the Azores and Seville does feel like a distant memory now, but these trips were a wonderful opportunity to make lasting memories and enjoy learning outside the classroom.
Hannah Dodson, Head of KS4
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Year 10
Year 10 also had their first study skills session, setting a strong foundation for their GCSE preparations. They represented the Key Stage brilliantly in the Gingerbread House Decorating Competition and, judging by the smiles, thoroughly enjoyed eating their creations as much as making them!
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Year 11
A special mention goes to Year 11 for their resilience and focus during their first mock exams this week. These exams are a crucial milestone, helping students and staff identify strengths and areas for improvement as we head toward the final GCSE exams. It’s been a demanding week, and Year 11 have shown great maturity and determination in managing their workload. We’re proud of how they’ve approached this challenge and wish them the best of luck in preparing for the rest of their exams when we return.
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Thank you!
Thank you all for making me feel so welcome in my first term at JAGS. Wishing everyone a restful Christmas break and a very Happy New Year. I look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready for the new term ahead!
Year 10 also had their first study skills session, setting a strong foundation for their GCSE preparations. They represented the Key Stage brilliantly in the Gingerbread House Decorating Competition and, judging by the smiles, thoroughly enjoyed eating their creations as much as making them!
A special mention goes to Year 11 for their resilience and focus during their first mock exams this week. These exams are a crucial milestone, helping students and staff identify strengths and areas for improvement as we head toward the final GCSE exams. It’s been a demanding week, and Year 11 have shown great maturity and determination in managing their workload. We’re proud of how they’ve approached this challenge and wish them the best of luck in preparing for the rest of their exams when we return.
Thank you all for making me feel so welcome in my first term at JAGS. Wishing everyone a restful Christmas break and a very Happy New Year. I look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready for the new term ahead!
Sixth Form Update
All I want for Christmas is… a good rest! I think this sentiment is shared by many within the JAGS Sixth Form community. So much has been packed into the last few weeks of the Autumn Term that it is hard to know where to begin.
Many Year 13 students have relished the chance to demonstrate their ability and curiosity during university interviews. Students in both Year 12 and Year 13 have showcased their talents in the Dulwich College production of Our Country’s Good, the Christmas Concert, Winter Concert, and Choral Evensong, to name but a few.
Not to mention the sheer joy and exuberance of the Inter-Form Christmas Scavenger Hunt and the Sixth Form Christmas Challenge – the traditional contest between the two year groups to impress an auspicious team of judges with their dance moves, singing, and showmanship. Well done to Year 13!
Wishing everyone a joyous and restful holiday period!
Mat Weeks, Head of Sixth Form
Music
On Thursday 5 December, we held our Winter Concert at All Saints, West Dulwich. This featured over 100 of our senior musicians, who performed a range of challenging repertoire to a packed audience in a stunning setting.
Highlights included Sophie K (Y13) playing the slow movement of the Bruch violin concerto, the Madrigalists singing James MacMillan’s Nova, Ave fit ex Eva and the combined forces of the choral society, Holst choir and baroque soloists orchestra performing Bach’s Magnificat.
On Tuesday 10 December, we welcomed our more junior performers to the stage of the VWA for the Christmas Concert. This featured Bel Canto, Chorale, Wonderbrass, Little Band and Concert Orchestra performing a range of festive favourites alongside a few traditional sing-along carols.
The term and calendar year end for music with the two carol services at St Barnabas, led by the Holst Choir and featuring carols from all of the main choirs at JAGS.
Tommy Foster, Director of Music
Charity
Bettany House Charity Day
“As Bettany House captains, we had the amazing opportunity to organise a fundraising day for our chosen charity, Mind. We arranged a teacher lip-sync battle, and it was heartwarming to see all the teachers having so much fun taking part and spreading joy to all the students who watched. Alongside a bake sale and a non-uniform day, we managed to raise an incredible £1,043.78! We are so excited to send this money off to Mind and want to thank everyone who took part and donated to make this brilliant day possible!” Tilly (Y13)
Winter Wonderland
Our amazing Charity Club went above and beyond for this year’s Winter Wonderland as they raised money in aid of the incredible work being done by Little Village which supports families with babies and children under five living in poverty across London.
Gingerbread House Decorating Competition
Our fundraising for Little Village continued later in the day with the return of the annual Gingerbread House Decorating Competition.
It was a great event where students had the opportunity to get creative, work together and raise money for a brilliant cause.
Thank you to everyone involved!
MFL
German Christmas Markets Trip
Although we began our coach journey to Germany very early at 5:00am, all 45 students and five members of staff were in good spirits as the excitement built ahead of our arrival at our first traditional Christmas market in Aachen in the afternoon.
It’s a beautiful market, with the main stalls nestled between the Aachen Cathedral and the historical town hall. The JAGS students were eager to sample the regional speciality of gingerbread known as “Printen”.
After an early(ish) night at our beautiful and trusted youth hostel, we enjoyed another sunny but cold day, starting with a visit to Bonn in the morning (including a trip to the Haribo flagship store) and its scattered traditional Christmas market stalls. We then made our way to Monschau, with its picture-perfect town centre that transforms into a wonderful Christmas market.
Year 11 students provided the entertainment on Saturday evening, hosting a quiz and a disco. After one last delicious German breakfast, we began our long journey back to London!
MFL Christmas Concert
Nothing says Christmas at JAGS quite like the annual MFL Christmas assembly, and this year was no exception.
We are pleased to report that it was, once again, one of the highlights of our festive season. Year 7 were introduced to the tradition, while our Year 13s made the most of their final Christmas sing-along.
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Virtual Exchange
JAGS students spread Christmas cheer during a virtual exchange and sing-along with students from Scuola Media A. Manzi in Bergamo, Italy.
The fun link-up provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to put their Italian to good use, as well as bond with students from another country over Mariah Carey’s stone-cold classic, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
JAGS students spread Christmas cheer during a virtual exchange and sing-along with students from Scuola Media A. Manzi in Bergamo, Italy.
The fun link-up provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to put their Italian to good use, as well as bond with students from another country over Mariah Carey’s stone-cold classic, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Classics
On Friday 29 November, our Year 11 GCSE Classical Civilisation students visited the Parthenon galleries at the British Museum to study up close the sculptural elements from the Parthenon and the Temple of Apollo at Bassae.
Both buildings are prescribed sources for their GCSE and the students spent the morning analysing and sketching sections of the Parthenon frieze, the metopes from the Parthenon depicting the Centauromachy, and the unique inner frieze of the temple to Apollo at Bassae, which depicted both a Centauromachy and an Amazonomachy.
Being able to study these hugely important sculptural works at such close range was a valuable and memorable experience, and also served as excellent revision for the upcoming mocks!
Saltanat Hanif, Teacher of Classics
Careers
Our Careers Department has been busy organising valuable networking events and work experience opportunities to support our pupils as they consider their next steps.
Follow the tabs below to learn more:
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Women of the Future Careers Trip
Amy (Y12):
“On December 3, I attended a PR, Communications, and Marketing Careers event at Lansons, organised by Women of the Future. I had no prior knowledge of the world of PR but was very interested when I saw this opportunity in the JAGS Sixth Form Higher Education and Careers Newsletter, so I was excited to have the chance to learn more about it. From the very beginning, all of the speakers were extremely engaging and happy to answer any questions about their roles within Lansons.
“In particular, I found the talk about a day in the life of an account executive especially interesting, as it showcased what life at a PR firm would look like. The various speakers also offered insightful advice on how to stand out in interviews and CVs, should we decide to pursue marketing or PR as a career.
“Overall, I had an incredibly positive experience, which gave me a strong first impression of what it would be like to work in this sector and at Lansons. I am so grateful for the opportunity, as it has provided insight into a career path I hadn’t initially considered. I will now definitely be exploring this as a possible career.”
Isobel (Y12):
“It was an incredibly engaging and insightful day, with speakers from all aspects of the diverse industry. I wasn’t previously aware of this as a possible career path, but I saw the opportunity in the weekly Sixth Form Higher Education and Careers notices and thought it would be interesting. All the speakers were engaging, passionate, and willing to answer any questions. I found the review of a campaign carried out by Lansons particularly interesting, as it showed us the great work they do and how collaborative the PR industry is. It was a fantastic day that made me aware of a career path I may not have otherwise considered.”
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Careers in Journalism
Ruqayya (Y13):
“On Tuesday, Gracie Daw from The School of Journalism ran an amazing workshop for students interested in pursuing a career in journalism. It involved reading proposed headlines for The Southwest Londoner and choosing which ones to prioritise, based on those we felt were of utmost importance.
“We realised that everyone had different opinions on which headlines were more urgent, which highlighted the subjective nature of journalism and how it is fuelled by personal creativity and initiative. At the end, there was time for questions, including those regarding higher education and which educational route is best for those interested in journalism, which Gracie answered brilliantly.
“Overall, it was a highly beneficial workshop that opened our eyes to what it takes to be a journalist and what the day-to-day schedule of a journalist may look like. We’re extremely grateful to Gracie for running the amazing workshop!”
Amy (Y12):
“On December 3, I attended a PR, Communications, and Marketing Careers event at Lansons, organised by Women of the Future. I had no prior knowledge of the world of PR but was very interested when I saw this opportunity in the JAGS Sixth Form Higher Education and Careers Newsletter, so I was excited to have the chance to learn more about it. From the very beginning, all of the speakers were extremely engaging and happy to answer any questions about their roles within Lansons.
“In particular, I found the talk about a day in the life of an account executive especially interesting, as it showcased what life at a PR firm would look like. The various speakers also offered insightful advice on how to stand out in interviews and CVs, should we decide to pursue marketing or PR as a career.
“Overall, I had an incredibly positive experience, which gave me a strong first impression of what it would be like to work in this sector and at Lansons. I am so grateful for the opportunity, as it has provided insight into a career path I hadn’t initially considered. I will now definitely be exploring this as a possible career.”
Isobel (Y12):
“It was an incredibly engaging and insightful day, with speakers from all aspects of the diverse industry. I wasn’t previously aware of this as a possible career path, but I saw the opportunity in the weekly Sixth Form Higher Education and Careers notices and thought it would be interesting. All the speakers were engaging, passionate, and willing to answer any questions. I found the review of a campaign carried out by Lansons particularly interesting, as it showed us the great work they do and how collaborative the PR industry is. It was a fantastic day that made me aware of a career path I may not have otherwise considered.”
Ruqayya (Y13):
“On Tuesday, Gracie Daw from The School of Journalism ran an amazing workshop for students interested in pursuing a career in journalism. It involved reading proposed headlines for The Southwest Londoner and choosing which ones to prioritise, based on those we felt were of utmost importance.
“We realised that everyone had different opinions on which headlines were more urgent, which highlighted the subjective nature of journalism and how it is fuelled by personal creativity and initiative. At the end, there was time for questions, including those regarding higher education and which educational route is best for those interested in journalism, which Gracie answered brilliantly.
“Overall, it was a highly beneficial workshop that opened our eyes to what it takes to be a journalist and what the day-to-day schedule of a journalist may look like. We’re extremely grateful to Gracie for running the amazing workshop!”
SSLP
So you want to be a …. Social Media Creator
Students in Years 7 to 10 were delighted to be joined by Amy Atkinson for a live webinar during a lunchtime careers event. Amy, the founder of a marketing consultancy company, has helped small businesses grow into Fortune 500 companies by increasing their sales and customer base. Students asked Amy insightful questions about her use of social media and thoroughly enjoyed her talk on digital marketing.
Sport
What a fantastic first term it has been this academic year! We have played 165 fixtures across seven different sports, with just under 400 pupils participating in competitive school fixtures. We have also seen fierce participation in Interhouse competitions over the past couple of weeks, including Fitness, Netball, and Table Tennis. The Year 7 and 8 competitions achieved a 100% participation rate, which was fantastic to see!
Football, hockey, and netball continue to go from strength to strength. Not only are the teams competing and performing well in national competitions, but the number of pupils actively attending the clubs and training sessions is still increasing. Our Intermediate Cross Country team has qualified for the National Finals, which were recently postponed due to Storm Darragh. However, the team is now training hard in preparation for the rescheduled date of Saturday 1 March. The Year 7 and 8 swimming team has also qualified for the London League A Final — the first time in a number of years we have achieved this — and we are very much looking forward to the final in February.
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Goodbye to Miss Barr
We are sadly saying goodbye to one of our PE Gap Assistants, Miss Barr. Miss Barr has made an incredible impact on the department, particularly on the netball programme.
We wish her all the best in her travels and in her studies at Loughborough University next academic year.
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Fencing
Eleanor (Y8) recently represented Great Britain at an Under-14 European Fencing Confederation event in Craiova, Romania. She competed excellently throughout the competition and was ranked 11th out of 60 competitors. Eleanor also recently participated in an Under-17 event, placing 15th out of 40. At both events, she was the highest ranked of the British girls competing.
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Water Polo
Amy (Y9), Chelsy (Y9) and Bella (Y10) were recently selected to play for Kent Under-16s . A fantastic achievement for the pupils, who have also been performing very well in our school matches.
We are sadly saying goodbye to one of our PE Gap Assistants, Miss Barr. Miss Barr has made an incredible impact on the department, particularly on the netball programme.
We wish her all the best in her travels and in her studies at Loughborough University next academic year.
Eleanor (Y8) recently represented Great Britain at an Under-14 European Fencing Confederation event in Craiova, Romania. She competed excellently throughout the competition and was ranked 11th out of 60 competitors. Eleanor also recently participated in an Under-17 event, placing 15th out of 40. At both events, she was the highest ranked of the British girls competing.
Amy (Y9), Chelsy (Y9) and Bella (Y10) were recently selected to play for Kent Under-16s . A fantastic achievement for the pupils, who have also been performing very well in our school matches.
Sportsperson of the Term
Each term, as a department, we create a shortlist of pupils who have stood out for their effort, application, and achievement in both their PE lessons, co-curricular clubs and fixtures. The pupils below have been awarded a place on the shortlist and should be commended for their efforts this term.
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Criteria
The criteria the pupils are assessed against is as follows;
– Good commitment to co-curricular activities
– Helpful in lessons / all-round good human / going above and beyond
– Any sporting excellence in lessons / co-curricular activities
– High levels of development / progression over the course of the term
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Year 7 Nominees
- Darcie S
- Jessica G
- Kayla H
- Skyla O
- Annie L
- Juliet N
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Year 8 Nominees
- Chloe A
- India W
- Alanna K
- Ella B
- Mia A
- Carys O
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Year 9 Nominees
- Chelsy O
- Dom B
- Imogen B
- Cecila S
- Monica S
- Farah T
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Year 10 Nominees
- Ethan W
- Blaise H
- Chloe K
- Goldie H
- Isa O
- Matilda T
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Year 11 Nominees
- Liv H
- Emily S
- Eloise R
- Amelia B
- Rose P
- Imi W
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Sixth Form
- Rose H
- Elyssa H
- Olivia C
- Gargy S
- Emilia S
- Maggie S
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And the winners are . . .
Year 7 Darcie S
Year 8 Chloe A
Year 9 Chelsy O
Year 10 Ethan W
Year 11 Liv H
Sixth Form Rose H
The criteria the pupils are assessed against is as follows;
– Good commitment to co-curricular activities
– Helpful in lessons / all-round good human / going above and beyond
– Any sporting excellence in lessons / co-curricular activities
– High levels of development / progression over the course of the term
- Darcie S
- Jessica G
- Kayla H
- Skyla O
- Annie L
- Juliet N
- Chloe A
- India W
- Alanna K
- Ella B
- Mia A
- Carys O
- Chelsy O
- Dom B
- Imogen B
- Cecila S
- Monica S
- Farah T
- Ethan W
- Blaise H
- Chloe K
- Goldie H
- Isa O
- Matilda T
- Liv H
- Emily S
- Eloise R
- Amelia B
- Rose P
- Imi W
- Rose H
- Elyssa H
- Olivia C
- Gargy S
- Emilia S
- Maggie S
Year 7 Darcie S
Year 8 Chloe A
Year 9 Chelsy O
Year 10 Ethan W
Year 11 Liv H
Sixth Form Rose H
JAGS Alumnae
JA Parent & Staff Drinks Reception
We are looking forward to hosting our inaugural JAGS Alumnae Parent & Staff Drinks Reception on Wednesday 12 February 2025 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. The event is open to alumnae whose children attend JAGS, as well as alumnae who have gone on to work at the school. Partners are also warmly invited to join this wonderful new networking event.
Please click HERE for the full details and to book.
Thank You
A warm thank you from the JAGS Alumnae Association to those who have kindly supported the JAGS Bursary Fund, and a huge thank you to the JPA for all the brilliant events in support of bursaries. Together, we can continue to create life-changing opportunities within this community.
