Welcome from the Head
Dear Parents
Welcome to this week’s newsletter, as we head into a well-deserved two-week break for students and staff alike.
Last week saw our first House Charity Day of the academic year, with Clarke pulling out all the stops to raise money for Oasis India. Their Take Me Out–style show had a little bit of everything; singalongs, dance routines, drum solos and even juggling, as our wonderful (and brave) participating teachers showed off their special skills. Well done to Phoebe and Ana, our House Captains, for all their work creating a super day’s entertainment for us all. The Houses were hard at work again on Wednesday, when we held our annual House Drama Competition. It was a brilliant event, and huge congratulations to Holst House for their winning performance of Sleeping Beauty.
This week we finished our series of Autumn Term Open Mornings for our prospective 11+ applicants to JAGS; we have held three weekday Open Mornings, with fantastic tour guiding from our Year 8 and Year 9 students, as well as our whole school Open Morning on Saturday 1 October. This was just a superb day. We were so proud to welcome over 1,000 visitors to our school that morning; the atmosphere was joyful and our students, both tour guides and department helpers, were the best possible ambassadors for the school. Many thanks to everyone for their contributions.
On Wednesday, we held our first school photo for Senior and Junior Schools since 2015, with the pandemic having delayed the previous date in 2020. After spending my first two years at JAGS without the possibility of seeing the whole school together, I still get very excited seeing this wonderful community en masse!
Thank you to those parents who attended the JPA AGM on Thursday evening. This year is the 40th anniversary of our fantastic Parents’ Association, and we are so grateful to them for their hard work in support of the school. If you are interested in taking a role on the Committee or supporting as a parent rep, please contact the JPA Executive Committee via exec@jagsjpa.org.uk.
We are also excited to announce that the Governors have given approval for us to start the first project in our ongoing Masterplan programme. This project will see the Holst Hall transformed into a new and exciting community space for the whole school. The project will encourage us to reimagine how the students can work and collaborate together in this historic space at the heart of our school. Over the next year the project team, with key stakeholders, will be working with our team of architects and consultants to review, design and deliver this exciting new space at JAGS and we look forward to sharing updates with you throughout the project.
Looking ahead after Half Term, we are eagerly anticipating the Autumn Concert on Wednesday 9 November, our first major concert of the school year, and also celebrating Remembrance together as a whole school on Friday 11 November. Much further ahead, we now know the Coronation of King Charles III will be on Saturday 6 May 2023, and we await news of whether Bank Holiday arrangements will be altered. We will, of course, keep you informed when we hear further news.
I hope that all those travelling overseas at half term on our school trips to Iceland, Venice and Paris enjoy a wonderful experience, and wish everyone a happy and fulfilling half term break
With best wishes
Mrs Alex Hutchinson
Head
Dates for your Diary
- Monday 17 to Friday 28 October – Autumn Half Term
- Monday 31 October – Pupils return to JAGS
- Thursday 3 November – 7pm JAGS Parent Talk: Matthew Shaw
- Friday 11 November – 7pm JPA Quiz Night
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.
Introducing
Jamie Styles,
Teacher of Chemistry
What was your last role?
I have just returned from Budapest, Hungary, after a short sabbatical to complete a few projects and to allow my children – Matej and Jàzmin who hold dual nationality – to improve their speaking and writing skills. Prior to that, I was Deputy Housemaster of a large boys’ boarding house, Head of Transition and Head of Chemistry at Epsom College, Surrey.
What is your role at JAGS?
I am covering Ms. Davidson for a year whilst she is on maternity leave, teaching Chemistry to Years 7 through 13. That said, having had teams win or place in several national and international STEM competitions I hope to get involved in much more.
What attracted you to work at JAGS?
I’ve actually gone ‘back to the future’ having previously been science Enrichment Coordinator and Head of Chemistry at JAGS, albeit 12 years ago! I have been lucky enough to love every school I have worked at, but my previous spell at JAGS was particularly enjoyable and so when the opportunity arose to return, I jumped at it. It really is a special place, full of energy and enthusiasm.
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Continues . . .
What kind of student were you?
In general, I loved school and developed a love for Science and Technology through my extra-curricular activities. After Chemistry, my favourite subject would be DT. My A-Level DT project was on display at the Millennium Dome – now the O2 – and I had to present it to members of The Royal Family during one of their visits. I enjoyed getting involved with a wide range of different things, many of which link to my interests today.
What do you want to achieve in your time here?
Ultimately, I just want everyone to feel happy, supported and like they are making progress. I have always enjoyed being in the classroom, and having stepped back from being Head of Department and living with 60 boys in a busy boarding house, I’m really enjoying focusing on my lessons again.
What kind of student were you?
In general, I loved school and developed a love for Science and Technology through my extra-curricular activities. After Chemistry, my favourite subject would be DT. My A-Level DT project was on display at the Millennium Dome – now the O2 – and I had to present it to members of The Royal Family during one of their visits. I enjoyed getting involved with a wide range of different things, many of which link to my interests today.
What do you want to achieve in your time here?
Ultimately, I just want everyone to feel happy, supported and like they are making progress. I have always enjoyed being in the classroom, and having stepped back from being Head of Department and living with 60 boys in a busy boarding house, I’m really enjoying focusing on my lessons again.
Key Stage 3 Update
As the first Half Term comes to a close and we look forward to two glorious weeks of holiday, it is time to take a step back and think about everything that we have done and all the successes that we have had in KS3.
The Year 7s have settled in well and are really finding their feet. Year 8 continue to work hard and play hard and Year 9 are giving their all to their academic and sporting events.
Over the past two weeks, Year 7 and 8 have been concentrating on the idea of forming positive friendships and we were so fortunate to have ‘Moonshot’ come and deliver a session to these groups. Their contributions and questions really demonstrate that they are thinking deeply about how to form close bonds with their peers and to be community minded and inclusive in all that they do.
We are always so proud of the students when we open our doors to prospective pupils and parents. Over the past few weeks, Year 8 and 9 have served as superb tour guides and I would like to extend my thanks to them all for being such wonderful ambassadors for the school. It gives them an opportunity to show off their surroundings and to reflect on how fortunate they are to have such superb facilities here at JAGS. There was a real buzz around the corridors and they really did us proud.
All that remains is to wish all of KS3 parents and pupils a relaxing holiday. There is no homework set over the break, so just take the time to read, relax and recuperate.
Myfanwy Bournon, Head of KS3
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Further!
JAGS is proud to introduce Further! ; our extension classes for pupils in Years 8 and 9.
The programme will held between 3.50 and 4.30pm in Room 9 each Thursday after Half Term.
Each session is led by a different subject teacher, covering areas of the academic curriculum which pupils otherwise would not encounter at this level. The sessions offer opportunities to engage with new ways of thinking and develop more advanced academic skills, as well as to meet topics that are interesting in their own right.
The draft schedule for next term is as follows:
10 November: Mr Chesterman
Supercharged Kinder Eggs! An Examination of Opulence
17 November: Mr Roussel
Can we make computers learn languages?
24 November: Ms Moorehead
Could the metaverse perfect our imperfect world?
1 December: Dr Peacock
Proto-Indo-European and the Origins of Language
8 December: Ms Payne
The Art of Chance
How to sign up?
As space is limited, we are asking that pupils sign up to the Further! Team to register their interest and receive updates on upcoming sessions; they can do this using the Teams code otck23q. These details will also be posted in their year group Team to enable them to access the group directly.
JAGS is proud to introduce Further! ; our extension classes for pupils in Years 8 and 9.
The programme will held between 3.50 and 4.30pm in Room 9 each Thursday after Half Term.
Each session is led by a different subject teacher, covering areas of the academic curriculum which pupils otherwise would not encounter at this level. The sessions offer opportunities to engage with new ways of thinking and develop more advanced academic skills, as well as to meet topics that are interesting in their own right.
The draft schedule for next term is as follows:
10 November: Mr Chesterman
Supercharged Kinder Eggs! An Examination of Opulence
17 November: Mr Roussel
Can we make computers learn languages?
24 November: Ms Moorehead
Could the metaverse perfect our imperfect world?
1 December: Dr Peacock
Proto-Indo-European and the Origins of Language
8 December: Ms Payne
The Art of Chance
How to sign up?
As space is limited, we are asking that pupils sign up to the Further! Team to register their interest and receive updates on upcoming sessions; they can do this using the Teams code otck23q. These details will also be posted in their year group Team to enable them to access the group directly.
Key Stage 4 Update
Is it already Half Term? I’m sure I say this every year, but the last few weeks have flown by! The last two weeks have seen the usual hive of activity amongst our students, and it was great to see members of KS4 attend the newly revamped school council meeting. I always love hearing how passionately our students feel about the school, and the opportunity to reflect on the positives is fantastic.
Both our year groups have enjoyed a range of opportunities. Year 10 had a superb morning with the Life Skills Company honing their study skills, and there was a huge amount of excitement for Year 11, with the arrival of the Year 11 sweatshirts. I must say these looked particularly brilliant in the whole school photograph on Wednesday!
This Half Term break sees members of Year 11 go on some fabulous trips to Venice and Iceland, and I wish those students a fabulous and enriching time. My plea to all, is that students are encouraged to have a really good rest over the next two weeks; time out, and relaxation are always so important after such a busy few weeks.
Anna Jones, Head of Key Stage 4
Sixth Form Update
What a Half Term! So much has been achieved in the Sixth Form community and it was wonderful to see Year 12 and 13 patiently waiting for the school photograph to be taken on Wednesday. As the photos show, they were still smiling 40 minutes after getting into position! Patience, determination and a willingness to do the right thing with a smile on their faces, these are qualities that sum up the students. These are also some of the qualities that have resulted in 66 UCAS forms from dynamic and aspirational early applicants being sent off already; we wish all university applicants every success over the next few months as they await news from universities.
In their role as Clarke House Captains, Phoebe and Ana arranged a superb charity event inspired by Take Me Out which included the necessary persuasive skills to encourage a number of teachers to display their ‘party tricks’ on stage in front of several hundred students.
Mat Weeks, Head of Sixth Form
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JAGS community
Continually ‘leaning in’ to the wider JAGS community, there have been so many examples of Sixth Formers taking an active role in the life of the school. From delivering interesting assemblies on different religious harvest festivals and Black History Month to resurrecting the Gospel Choir thanks to the spirited leadership of Keira in Year 12.
Elsewhere, seven Year 13 student leaders attended a student leadership conference aimed at embracing the idea of inclusive school communities. A number of Year 12 students have also nominated themselves to take up the important positions of Equity and Respect reps
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A well-deserved break
Alongside these community endeavours, students have been extremely busy this past fortnight, whether that be; working incredibly conscientiously on their academic studies, winning a prestigious place on the ‘Credit Suisse Inspires Future Female Leaders’ event involving shadowing of the Managing Director (well done Fareedah in Year 12), rehearsing avidly for the senior production, participating in or leading the myriad of societies, concerts, sports teams and charitable endeavours, or directing House Drama.
And of course, having fun with giant Connect 4 or table football in the common rooms!
To say that a well-deserved break and a rest over Half Term is due would be a vast understatement! Whether staying at home, going on holiday or joining a school trip to Iceland or Italy, we hope everyone has a restful and fun-filled two weeks!
Continually ‘leaning in’ to the wider JAGS community, there have been so many examples of Sixth Formers taking an active role in the life of the school. From delivering interesting assemblies on different religious harvest festivals and Black History Month to resurrecting the Gospel Choir thanks to the spirited leadership of Keira in Year 12.
Elsewhere, seven Year 13 student leaders attended a student leadership conference aimed at embracing the idea of inclusive school communities. A number of Year 12 students have also nominated themselves to take up the important positions of Equity and Respect reps
Alongside these community endeavours, students have been extremely busy this past fortnight, whether that be; working incredibly conscientiously on their academic studies, winning a prestigious place on the ‘Credit Suisse Inspires Future Female Leaders’ event involving shadowing of the Managing Director (well done Fareedah in Year 12), rehearsing avidly for the senior production, participating in or leading the myriad of societies, concerts, sports teams and charitable endeavours, or directing House Drama.
And of course, having fun with giant Connect 4 or table football in the common rooms!
To say that a well-deserved break and a rest over Half Term is due would be a vast understatement! Whether staying at home, going on holiday or joining a school trip to Iceland or Italy, we hope everyone has a restful and fun-filled two weeks!
Careers
As ever, its been an extremely busy time for the JAGS Careers Department.
Since the beginning of term, it has arranged a plethora of valuable events and work experience designed to highlight the abundance of exiting opportunities awaiting students as they prepare to embark on their next steps, whatever path they choose to follow.
Follow the tabs below to hear more from staff and students about what’s been going on:
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CIBC 100 Women in Finance
As part of the 100 Women in Finance Investing in the Next Generation Initiative, twelve Year 12 students were invited to visit the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).
Students had the opportunity to tour the trading floor and hear from a panel of female professionals about their paths to the industry, details of their daily roles and advice about what they can be doing now to develop the skills they will need if they are interested in pursing a career in sales and trading in the future.
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Architecture Study Day
This weekend a group of us visited St Paul’s School, where we attended a range of lectures and joined in with discussions. The lectures were fascinating, discussing the future of London, asking where to build next and how to do so sustainably. Furthermore, the Zaha Hadid firm showed us the possibilities in architecture when ancient principles of geometry are combined with modern day technology, presenting us with a 3D printer which created a
delicate, concrete lattice which ultimately formed a bridge. Finally, we explored how games such as Fortnite and Minecraft could provide clients with greater control and choice, causing us to question the role of the architect in the future. Overall, it was an eye-opening and incredibly useful day. Saskia, Year 13
The Study Day was great. Although we weren’t able to go on the site visit scheduled for Sunday, the lectures on Saturday were so interesting and, importantly, varied. I learnt so much about what should be considered when designing architecture – from the people inhabiting the space to the way that technological advancements can lead to more environmentally sustainable solutions to the housing crisis. The day also allowed me to meet students from other schools with similar interests and aspirations to mine. The discussions at the end of each lecture were also useful as I was able to contribute as well as hear other students’ input on certain topics and debates. Overall, the day was entirely worth it! St Paul’s School was extremely welcoming – even allowing us to take a look at their extensive art department! Tilly, Year 12
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Law Society
Last Friday, JAGS alumna Sophia Hassel gave an informative talk to the Law Society on her experience of applying to study Law at university and studying the subject itself. She is currently in her third year at the London School of Economics and Political Science – a highly renowned institution.
Overall, it was a highly interactive session with a Q&A, in which she was able to answer questions posed to her by students, allowing her to offer valuable advice to members of the society. Furthermore, she even created a pack containing all of the information that she wished she had known in Year 13, when she was completing her application.
The pack included personal statement advice, information on how to tackle revising for the LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) and advice on whether you should consider studying Law at undergraduate level or studying another course and doing a conversion.
This pack was distributed to members of the Law Society and has since incentivised many students to attend the society and consider studying Law at undergraduate level
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2022-2023 Q5 Youth Panel
Congratulations to Safiya who has successfully gained a place on the 2022-2023 Q5 Youth Panel.
This is an advisory board of 16 to 18-year-old students who share their views, expectations and insights on business challenges faced by consultancy giant Q5 Partners and its clients.
The board meets four times per year during the school holidays. Application for this unique opportunity to gain experience in a leading global management consultancy was competitive, so well done to Safiya!
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Commerzbank work experience
Four girls had a thoroughly rewarding and immersive experience when they took part in the week-long work experience placement at Commerzbank. They worked in different departments including Treasury, Human Resources and Client Verification.
Below, two students share their experiences:
The work experience was very interesting, I was mainly working in Client Verification and HR, in which I sat in on a weekly meeting. As a group we also spoke to over 15 people in varying positions at the bank, for example a trader and someone in non-finical risk. We also worked on a presentation about the overall experience, which we gave to the Head of Treasury and HR. Lucy, Year 12
During our two-week work placement at Commerzbank, we gained an insight into the many different departments within a major bank, such as the Treasury, Client Verification and HR, as well as many others. One of the most exciting moments of our time there, for me personally, was watching the trading floor operate, and the software displayed on the many screens. There were up to eight screens on some desks, constantly updating.
The fast pace at which the bank runs is definitely very vivid in my memory, furthermore being able to sit in meetings debating different topics and future strategies in the bank were very significant moments.
The individual journey of each employee and the huge variety of backgrounds was also surprising, but it also showed the many different careers available to young people, such as the young people who had opted for the vocational trainee scheme, which is one area I would like to research more on in the future, as an alternative to university.
The overall idea of working in the city was also something we were able to experience, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Manasvi, Year 11
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Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Over the summer, Esme, now in Year 13, gained a place to participate in online work-experience at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s Neutron and Muon Source, a particle accelerator that is a major research facility in the UK. Esme had an excellent time and highly recommends other students to apply in the future.
During the work experience, I worked alongside current accelerator physicists on developing a computer simulation for the particle accelerator that could accurately describe the proton beam as it moved around the synchrotron. Using Python, I constructed graphs and Heatmaps to illustrate certain qualities of the protons as they were accelerated. It was a thoroughly enjoyable work experience! I was able to learn lots of new physics, as well as develop my programming skills! Esme, Year 13
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Credit Suisse
Year 12 student, Fareedah, has won a competition to shadow a managing director for a day at Credit Suisse. The event’s aim is to ‘Inspire Future Female Leaders’ and Fareedah submitted a competitive application to win one of the 12 national places.
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Summer Psychiatry School
Huge congratulations to Year 12 student Ayana, who has won the annual Summer Psychiatry School competition.
Her submission has been recognised for its high standard, and plans are in place for her writing to be published via the Royal College of Psychiatrists media outlets.
As part of the 100 Women in Finance Investing in the Next Generation Initiative, twelve Year 12 students were invited to visit the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).
Students had the opportunity to tour the trading floor and hear from a panel of female professionals about their paths to the industry, details of their daily roles and advice about what they can be doing now to develop the skills they will need if they are interested in pursing a career in sales and trading in the future.
This weekend a group of us visited St Paul’s School, where we attended a range of lectures and joined in with discussions. The lectures were fascinating, discussing the future of London, asking where to build next and how to do so sustainably. Furthermore, the Zaha Hadid firm showed us the possibilities in architecture when ancient principles of geometry are combined with modern day technology, presenting us with a 3D printer which created a
delicate, concrete lattice which ultimately formed a bridge. Finally, we explored how games such as Fortnite and Minecraft could provide clients with greater control and choice, causing us to question the role of the architect in the future. Overall, it was an eye-opening and incredibly useful day. Saskia, Year 13
The Study Day was great. Although we weren’t able to go on the site visit scheduled for Sunday, the lectures on Saturday were so interesting and, importantly, varied. I learnt so much about what should be considered when designing architecture – from the people inhabiting the space to the way that technological advancements can lead to more environmentally sustainable solutions to the housing crisis. The day also allowed me to meet students from other schools with similar interests and aspirations to mine. The discussions at the end of each lecture were also useful as I was able to contribute as well as hear other students’ input on certain topics and debates. Overall, the day was entirely worth it! St Paul’s School was extremely welcoming – even allowing us to take a look at their extensive art department! Tilly, Year 12
Last Friday, JAGS alumna Sophia Hassel gave an informative talk to the Law Society on her experience of applying to study Law at university and studying the subject itself. She is currently in her third year at the London School of Economics and Political Science – a highly renowned institution.
Overall, it was a highly interactive session with a Q&A, in which she was able to answer questions posed to her by students, allowing her to offer valuable advice to members of the society. Furthermore, she even created a pack containing all of the information that she wished she had known in Year 13, when she was completing her application.
The pack included personal statement advice, information on how to tackle revising for the LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) and advice on whether you should consider studying Law at undergraduate level or studying another course and doing a conversion.
This pack was distributed to members of the Law Society and has since incentivised many students to attend the society and consider studying Law at undergraduate level
Congratulations to Safiya who has successfully gained a place on the 2022-2023 Q5 Youth Panel.
This is an advisory board of 16 to 18-year-old students who share their views, expectations and insights on business challenges faced by consultancy giant Q5 Partners and its clients.
The board meets four times per year during the school holidays. Application for this unique opportunity to gain experience in a leading global management consultancy was competitive, so well done to Safiya!
Four girls had a thoroughly rewarding and immersive experience when they took part in the week-long work experience placement at Commerzbank. They worked in different departments including Treasury, Human Resources and Client Verification.
Below, two students share their experiences:
The work experience was very interesting, I was mainly working in Client Verification and HR, in which I sat in on a weekly meeting. As a group we also spoke to over 15 people in varying positions at the bank, for example a trader and someone in non-finical risk. We also worked on a presentation about the overall experience, which we gave to the Head of Treasury and HR. Lucy, Year 12
During our two-week work placement at Commerzbank, we gained an insight into the many different departments within a major bank, such as the Treasury, Client Verification and HR, as well as many others. One of the most exciting moments of our time there, for me personally, was watching the trading floor operate, and the software displayed on the many screens. There were up to eight screens on some desks, constantly updating.
The fast pace at which the bank runs is definitely very vivid in my memory, furthermore being able to sit in meetings debating different topics and future strategies in the bank were very significant moments.
The individual journey of each employee and the huge variety of backgrounds was also surprising, but it also showed the many different careers available to young people, such as the young people who had opted for the vocational trainee scheme, which is one area I would like to research more on in the future, as an alternative to university.
The overall idea of working in the city was also something we were able to experience, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Manasvi, Year 11
Over the summer, Esme, now in Year 13, gained a place to participate in online work-experience at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s Neutron and Muon Source, a particle accelerator that is a major research facility in the UK. Esme had an excellent time and highly recommends other students to apply in the future.
During the work experience, I worked alongside current accelerator physicists on developing a computer simulation for the particle accelerator that could accurately describe the proton beam as it moved around the synchrotron. Using Python, I constructed graphs and Heatmaps to illustrate certain qualities of the protons as they were accelerated. It was a thoroughly enjoyable work experience! I was able to learn lots of new physics, as well as develop my programming skills! Esme, Year 13
Year 12 student, Fareedah, has won a competition to shadow a managing director for a day at Credit Suisse. The event’s aim is to ‘Inspire Future Female Leaders’ and Fareedah submitted a competitive application to win one of the 12 national places.
Huge congratulations to Year 12 student Ayana, who has won the annual Summer Psychiatry School competition.
Her submission has been recognised for its high standard, and plans are in place for her writing to be published via the Royal College of Psychiatrists media outlets.
SSLP & beyond
Maths Enrichment Lectures
As part of the Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership (SSLP), JAGS has had the pleasure of hosting a series of Maths enrichment lectures for Sixth Formers and Core Maths students from schools across the programme.
This week we were privileged to welcome mathematician and evacuation modelling specialist, Dr Aoife Hunt.
She delivered a fascinating lecture in which students discovered the maths behind crowd control at huge festivals such as Glastonbury and how Covid has impacted modelling of these large events.
Follow the tabs below to find out more about our SSLP and other collaborative events:
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Professor Alastair Owens
On Thursday 29 September, Professor Alastair Owens from Queen Mary University, came to JAGS to discuss the process of ‘hipsterfication’ in East London.
The talk served as the launch event for the new South East London branch of the Geographical Association and was well attended by over 100 enthusiastic GCSE and A Level Geography students from 12 schools.
It gave students a great opportunity to stretch their understanding of place beyond the courses they are studying and be exposed to some contemporary ideas for their Non Examined Assessments. A number also enjoyed the opportunity to speak to Alastair after the talk about studying Geography at University.
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Engineering
JAGS Alumna, Molly Dalton, spoke to the students in Years 7 to 10 about her life as a railway track designer for Balfour Beatty. This was a live event, hosted by the JAGS Careers department, and joined by 120 students from the Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership and 26 students from the Junior School.
Molly spoke passionately about her career, including routes into Engineering, participating in the Year in Industry Scheme and her drive to promote an inclusive agenda at work. The quality of questions from the audience was fantastic and all that joined the event commented how interesting the talk had been.
This week, I led an SSLP talk to younger pupils called ‘So you want to be an Engineer?’ . We led a live webinar from a JAGS alumna, Molly Dalton, who is now a Project Engineer at Balfour Beatty after graduating with a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering.
It was great to see so many younger pupils from our Prep and Senior school as well as other schools in the area intrigued and curious to ask many questions. Engineering impacts all aspects of our society, and its wide variety means there is something of interest for everybody and a great possibility to help improve the world we live in.
This series of talks gives younger students an invaluable insight into a wide range of interesting career paths and all the different ways they can contribute to our society in the future. Sofia, Year 12
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Charity sector careers
JAGS hosted an after-school ‘Careers in the Charity Sector’ event for students in Years 9 to 13 from schools in the Dulwich Foundation and SSLP.
It was attended by students from Kingsdale, St Olave’s, Alleyn’s, Dulwich College and JAGS.
The students thoroughly enjoyed three engaging talks from different speakers including Olly Belcher (founder and CEO of the international charity Shivia), JAGS Alumna Yasmin Downie (Learning and Engagement Officer at The Jewish Museum of London) and Tia Modi (Intern at LinkAge Southwark).
After the talks, students participated in a Q&A session followed by networking; a really thought-provoking and interesting event.
Anyone who would like a copy of the first presentation by Olly, which included collated information about where to search for volunteering/internship opportunities, please email Lara Brookes, Head of Careers, lara.brookes@jags.org.uk.
On Thursday 29 September, Professor Alastair Owens from Queen Mary University, came to JAGS to discuss the process of ‘hipsterfication’ in East London.
The talk served as the launch event for the new South East London branch of the Geographical Association and was well attended by over 100 enthusiastic GCSE and A Level Geography students from 12 schools.
It gave students a great opportunity to stretch their understanding of place beyond the courses they are studying and be exposed to some contemporary ideas for their Non Examined Assessments. A number also enjoyed the opportunity to speak to Alastair after the talk about studying Geography at University.
JAGS Alumna, Molly Dalton, spoke to the students in Years 7 to 10 about her life as a railway track designer for Balfour Beatty. This was a live event, hosted by the JAGS Careers department, and joined by 120 students from the Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership and 26 students from the Junior School.
Molly spoke passionately about her career, including routes into Engineering, participating in the Year in Industry Scheme and her drive to promote an inclusive agenda at work. The quality of questions from the audience was fantastic and all that joined the event commented how interesting the talk had been.
This week, I led an SSLP talk to younger pupils called ‘So you want to be an Engineer?’ . We led a live webinar from a JAGS alumna, Molly Dalton, who is now a Project Engineer at Balfour Beatty after graduating with a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering.
It was great to see so many younger pupils from our Prep and Senior school as well as other schools in the area intrigued and curious to ask many questions. Engineering impacts all aspects of our society, and its wide variety means there is something of interest for everybody and a great possibility to help improve the world we live in.
This series of talks gives younger students an invaluable insight into a wide range of interesting career paths and all the different ways they can contribute to our society in the future. Sofia, Year 12
JAGS hosted an after-school ‘Careers in the Charity Sector’ event for students in Years 9 to 13 from schools in the Dulwich Foundation and SSLP.
It was attended by students from Kingsdale, St Olave’s, Alleyn’s, Dulwich College and JAGS.
The students thoroughly enjoyed three engaging talks from different speakers including Olly Belcher (founder and CEO of the international charity Shivia), JAGS Alumna Yasmin Downie (Learning and Engagement Officer at The Jewish Museum of London) and Tia Modi (Intern at LinkAge Southwark).
After the talks, students participated in a Q&A session followed by networking; a really thought-provoking and interesting event.
Anyone who would like a copy of the first presentation by Olly, which included collated information about where to search for volunteering/internship opportunities, please email Lara Brookes, Head of Careers, lara.brookes@jags.org.uk.
MFL
The Prismatic Jane Eyre School Project
Last year, several of our MFL pupils participated in workshops organised by The Prismatic Jane Eyre School Project.
The project, a joint venture between the University of Oxford and the Stephen Spender Trust, encourages pupils to try their hand at creative translation.
It launched a competition in which entrants were asked to compose a poem in a language other than English inspired by a selected passage from Jane Eyre.
Congratulations to Anvita in Year 10, whose submission was selected by judges to feature in the recently published The Prismatic Jane Eyre School Project School Anthology.
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Anvita
The poem was based on a text provided by the project organisers and is sourced from Jane Eyre – The Red Room. The extract itself was rich and raw in its description of emotion and I knew immediately that my poem was going to be solely based off the feelings within the passage. The best bit about having just a small bit of the book is that we can just ignore the context and story behind it and consider our interpretation alone.
The process was simple in its steps. I started by writing my ideas in English and slowly translating each bit while considering the crucial differences of writing in French. I sent my poem in, just as the deadline crept closer. I didn’t hear back for at least a month, until, amidst the clutter of emails in my Outlook, an email seemed oddly familiar. I remember it felt so surreal because I was anything but a linguist (or a poet for that matter) but I guess you don’t have to be a linguist to write a great poem! Anvita, Year 10
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International Translation Day
To celebrate International Translation Day on Friday 30 September, the Sixth Form MFL Society participated in a special meeting in the school library where our young linguists held fascinating discussions covering texts.
The poem was based on a text provided by the project organisers and is sourced from Jane Eyre – The Red Room. The extract itself was rich and raw in its description of emotion and I knew immediately that my poem was going to be solely based off the feelings within the passage. The best bit about having just a small bit of the book is that we can just ignore the context and story behind it and consider our interpretation alone.
The process was simple in its steps. I started by writing my ideas in English and slowly translating each bit while considering the crucial differences of writing in French. I sent my poem in, just as the deadline crept closer. I didn’t hear back for at least a month, until, amidst the clutter of emails in my Outlook, an email seemed oddly familiar. I remember it felt so surreal because I was anything but a linguist (or a poet for that matter) but I guess you don’t have to be a linguist to write a great poem! Anvita, Year 10
To celebrate International Translation Day on Friday 30 September, the Sixth Form MFL Society participated in a special meeting in the school library where our young linguists held fascinating discussions covering texts.
Drama
House Drama Competition 2022
On Tuesday evening, 110 JAGS students came together for the annual House Drama Competition.
A fantastic array of talent was on display in every performance. Each student involved was a credit to their House and should be incredibly proud of their achievements.
The final results were as follows:
- Overall Winner: Holst House with Sleeping Beauty
- Best Direction: Desenfans House with Cinderella
- Best Ensemble: Clarke House with Beauty and the Beast
- Best Use of Costume: Bettany House with Sinbad
Chess
ECF National School Girls’ Chess Championship
Last weekend, our wonderful JAGS Chess Teams travelled to St Catherine’s School in Bramley, Surrey, to compete in the South England semi-final of the ECF (English Chess Federation) National School Girls’ Chess Championship U19s.
Both teams had great day of chess with JAGS Team A (Navieinaah, Anya and Esme) ultimately placing fourth out of 36 teams and qualifying for the finals in April 2023!
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‘It was intense . . . ‘
“It was intense yet exciting. We went to the tournament only really looking to gain some experience playing over the board, so to find out that we had qualified for the final was fantastic news! It was great to see so many like-minded girls playing chess, getting involved in the wider chess community, and make new friends.”
Navieinaah, Year 12, JAGS Chess Team A
“It was intense yet exciting. We went to the tournament only really looking to gain some experience playing over the board, so to find out that we had qualified for the final was fantastic news! It was great to see so many like-minded girls playing chess, getting involved in the wider chess community, and make new friends.”
Navieinaah, Year 12, JAGS Chess Team A
Sport
This Half Term seems to have flown by in the world of JAGS Sport. We were straight back into action with our busy pre-season schedule, where we have had record numbers of pupils attending sessions, developing their skills and fitness with the aspiration of getting into the squads for their respective sports. We quickly moved into fixtures, with lots of cup knockout rounds played over the first couple of weeks and as we end this Half Term, we are well and truly into tournament season with the country and regional rounds in all sports taking priority.
Michael Golding, Director of Sport
Follow the tabs below to learn of the latest achievements in each field:
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Netball
Well done to our U16 netball team who remained undefeated at the Surrey Netball Preliminary tournament on Monday 10 October and now progress to the Finals Day in March 2023.
Unfortunately, the U18s could not quite follow suit and despite a valiant effort, narrowly missed out on qualification. Due to printing deadlines, the results for the U14s and U15s are not yet known, but please keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on this. We have also seen our Year 7s compete in their first set of mass netball fixtures, with over 50 pupils representing the school against Putney.
Miss Whyte and Miss Smith had a fantastic weekend at Condover Hall with our U13 and U14 netball teams. The pupils played some brilliant netball and participated in lots of team-building exercises. The teams finished in third and fifth place respectively, a great achievement which will hopefully set us up for a really competitive netball season!
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Hockey
The hockey teams have also been busy playing fixtures, with the teams progressing and developing with each passing week. A special mention to our U14 team who played incredibly well against SCHS last week, earning a very creditable 1-1 draw against a good side.
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Swimming
Our Year 7 swimmers had their first taste of competitive action with our annual ‘Kit Kat’ gala against Alleyn’s. The gala is open to all Year 7 pupils regardless of ability and in total 40 JAGS swimmers competed. They performed very well on the day, winning multiple races and most importantly having a fantastic time (as well as stoking some friendly rivalries along the way!).
The Year 8 and 9 swimming team had a similar gala the following week. We took 15 pupils to Alleyn’s to compete and again, came away with a very convincing set of results. Well done in particular to Martha who dominated the session, winning all but one of the races that evening and even PBing in her backstroke, which is very much not her main stroke!
Our English Schools Swimming squad team represented the school very well at Whitgift School last week in the regional qualifiers for the National Relays. The U18 team made up of; Anna, Delyth, Elsa and Olivia performed superbly; breaking both the school freestyle and medley relay records and beating all schools on the evening. The U13 team made up of; Florence, Martha, Sasha and September also swam amazingly well but narrowly missed out on qualification for the finals at The London Aquatic Centre.
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Water Polo
Our water polo practices have been proving very popular throughout the week and we are looking forward to playing our first set of fixtures after Half Term. We are always looking for more players, so if you are keen to come and try water polo, regardless of your level / experience we would love to see you. Please check the PE extra-curricular timetable for details on when the sessions will be running.
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Cross Country
Well done to our Junior and Senior cross country teams, who have both qualified for the Regional Round of the Schools National Cross Country Cup, to be held on Saturday 12 November.
Our Junior Team made up of; Izzy, India, Honor, Emilie, Ines, Clementine, Martha and Florence dominated the Junior 3k race, with JAGS placing first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh.
The Senior Team also ran incredibly well, with strong performances from Megan, Trinity, Phoebe and Myfanwy.
The Intermediate Team; Sophie, Nerys, Ayla, Jessica and Valentina finished third overall in the race and now face an anxious wait to see if they have qualified as a best placed runner-up.
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European Biathle
A huge congratulations to Megan in Year 11, who last weekend represented Great Britain in the European Biathle in Marathon, Greece. Megan performed really well, finishing in sixth place overall in a very strong and competitive field.
We are very proud of our pupils’ achievements both in and out of school, so please do continue any success stories to Director of Sport, Michael Golding via email; Michael.Golding@JAGS.org.uk
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2021-22 End of Year Awards
In the Summer Term, we presented our annual end of year awards to pupils who had excelled in the previous 12 months:
Sportsperson of the Term – Summer 2022
- Year 7 – Marly
- Year 8 – Rania
- Year 9 – Sophia
- Year 10 – Chloe
- Sixth Form – Sofia
The Reggett Cup (services to school sport – performance, commitment and improvement)
- Rosie (Year 12)
- Phoebe (Year 13)
Head cup for Athletics
- Sophia (Year 10)
Team of the Year
- Junior Relay Swim Team (Anna, Delyth, Martha and Olivia)
Junior Sports Girl of the Year
- Ava
- Annabelle
Senior Sports Girl of the Year
- Emily
Well done to our U16 netball team who remained undefeated at the Surrey Netball Preliminary tournament on Monday 10 October and now progress to the Finals Day in March 2023.
Unfortunately, the U18s could not quite follow suit and despite a valiant effort, narrowly missed out on qualification. Due to printing deadlines, the results for the U14s and U15s are not yet known, but please keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on this. We have also seen our Year 7s compete in their first set of mass netball fixtures, with over 50 pupils representing the school against Putney.
Miss Whyte and Miss Smith had a fantastic weekend at Condover Hall with our U13 and U14 netball teams. The pupils played some brilliant netball and participated in lots of team-building exercises. The teams finished in third and fifth place respectively, a great achievement which will hopefully set us up for a really competitive netball season!
The hockey teams have also been busy playing fixtures, with the teams progressing and developing with each passing week. A special mention to our U14 team who played incredibly well against SCHS last week, earning a very creditable 1-1 draw against a good side.
Our Year 7 swimmers had their first taste of competitive action with our annual ‘Kit Kat’ gala against Alleyn’s. The gala is open to all Year 7 pupils regardless of ability and in total 40 JAGS swimmers competed. They performed very well on the day, winning multiple races and most importantly having a fantastic time (as well as stoking some friendly rivalries along the way!).
The Year 8 and 9 swimming team had a similar gala the following week. We took 15 pupils to Alleyn’s to compete and again, came away with a very convincing set of results. Well done in particular to Martha who dominated the session, winning all but one of the races that evening and even PBing in her backstroke, which is very much not her main stroke!
Our English Schools Swimming squad team represented the school very well at Whitgift School last week in the regional qualifiers for the National Relays. The U18 team made up of; Anna, Delyth, Elsa and Olivia performed superbly; breaking both the school freestyle and medley relay records and beating all schools on the evening. The U13 team made up of; Florence, Martha, Sasha and September also swam amazingly well but narrowly missed out on qualification for the finals at The London Aquatic Centre.
Our water polo practices have been proving very popular throughout the week and we are looking forward to playing our first set of fixtures after Half Term. We are always looking for more players, so if you are keen to come and try water polo, regardless of your level / experience we would love to see you. Please check the PE extra-curricular timetable for details on when the sessions will be running.
Well done to our Junior and Senior cross country teams, who have both qualified for the Regional Round of the Schools National Cross Country Cup, to be held on Saturday 12 November.
Our Junior Team made up of; Izzy, India, Honor, Emilie, Ines, Clementine, Martha and Florence dominated the Junior 3k race, with JAGS placing first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh.
The Senior Team also ran incredibly well, with strong performances from Megan, Trinity, Phoebe and Myfanwy.
The Intermediate Team; Sophie, Nerys, Ayla, Jessica and Valentina finished third overall in the race and now face an anxious wait to see if they have qualified as a best placed runner-up.
A huge congratulations to Megan in Year 11, who last weekend represented Great Britain in the European Biathle in Marathon, Greece. Megan performed really well, finishing in sixth place overall in a very strong and competitive field.
We are very proud of our pupils’ achievements both in and out of school, so please do continue any success stories to Director of Sport, Michael Golding via email; Michael.Golding@JAGS.org.uk
In the Summer Term, we presented our annual end of year awards to pupils who had excelled in the previous 12 months:
Sportsperson of the Term – Summer 2022
- Year 7 – Marly
- Year 8 – Rania
- Year 9 – Sophia
- Year 10 – Chloe
- Sixth Form – Sofia
The Reggett Cup (services to school sport – performance, commitment and improvement)
- Rosie (Year 12)
- Phoebe (Year 13)
Head cup for Athletics
- Sophia (Year 10)
Team of the Year
- Junior Relay Swim Team (Anna, Delyth, Martha and Olivia)
Junior Sports Girl of the Year
- Ava
- Annabelle
Senior Sports Girl of the Year
- Emily
Charity
Southwark Foodbank
On Wednesday, our Charity Club travelled to Pecan – Southwark Foodbank in Peckham to drop off donations from across the JAGS community.
The club, which features students from across every year group, provides the school with the opportunity to give back to the local community which JAGS is proud to call home.
