Headteacher Blog
December 2024
Kings and Queens
Kings and Queens is a Christmas afternoon tea for elderly residents in the local area. This event happened on Wednesday, 11th December and was an extremely enjoyable and joyful event. The afternoon tea was made and served by teams of Year 8 students who were in turn supported by Year 12 students managing hot drinks service. Different groups of Year 8 students, also prepared table decorations, wrapped presents, made Christmas cards, set up the room, laid the tables, ran activities and made and ran a quiz. The students, ably supported by Mikey Dicken from the charity Leatherhead Youth Project, operated the mic and did the announcing. The event and the run up has been a great opportunity for the students to work together and show their community spirit! It was a brilliant way to bring the festive spirit to the locals of Leatherhead!
Thank you to Tesco, Marks and Spencer, parents and staff for their donations to this special afternoon.
MFL Christmas Market
Councillors Visiting Therfield
Overview by Ms Walker – Subject Leader for History and Politics
“This week we have had a number of local elected councillors visit to talk to the students in assembly about why they decided to enter politics and what their party stands for. Year 8 heard from Stephen McKenna from the Green party, Year 10 were presented to by Kieran Persand from the Conservative Party and Andrew Matthews from the Liberal Democrats and Year 11 heard from Ann Clark and Chloe Roper both representatives for Labour. This was part of our wider Politics education conducted through the new PPE tutor programme and the celebration of UK parliament week last month. Tutor groups will be provided with some printed resources about our Parliament should they want to learn more.”
Life Drawing Trip
Overview by Miss Mansbridge - Head of Art
We had the pleasure of taking our Sixth Form artists to Kingston for an inspiring life drawing class led by instructor Robin. During the session, students worked from a live model and created a series of timed drawings inspired by a variety of dynamic poses.
As always, our talented artists made us proud and even shared some messages of gratitude for our workshop leader:
“Thank you so much for the workshop experience – it really helped me develop my life drawing skills. The critique was very helpful and allowed me to improve my drawing each time” – Taya
“I found Robin’s advice very useful and easily applicable to my work therefore the development from beginning to end was visible” – Leah
“The workshop was extremely valuable as it helped me focus on drawing what I saw and really observe the subject. I was very grateful of Robin’s tips and information” – Izzy
“I found that the proportions started to get better as I stopped thinking about what it should look like and what I could actually see – very engaging and a great experiment” – Matilde
“Advice given on seeing the body as ‘shapes’ was really helpful when it came to sketching with confidence” – Lucy
“We were given the perfect amount of time to develop and finish before moving on alongside helpful criticism for developing skills” – Josie
Christmas Caroling
We were delighted some of our students from Year’s 7-10 participated in The Swan Centre's December Christmas events. Our choir sang a medley of songs including Last Christmas, Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town to name but a few. It was the first time we've participated in this wonderful event with the centre raising money for Momentum Children's Charity.
Drama lessons
Overview by Miss Barrimore – Teacher of Drama and Science
“As we approach the festive period, some of our KS3 students have recently had the exciting opportunity to explore pantomime-style performance within their Drama lessons, incorporating the use of costumes and props to enhance their presentations. Throughout this process, students have risen to the challenge, demonstrating creativity and enthusiasm in bringing their characters to life. The integration of colourful costumes and dynamic props has allowed students to fully immerse themselves in the fun, exaggerated nature of pantomime, developing their performance skills in a supportive and lively environment”.
November 2024
Remembrance Service
This poignant service was held on a crisp, blue-skied morning outside our sports hall. Students filled the area, and we marked this sombre occasion laying a wreath and hearing a short reading about Normandy, one poem about D Day and another of ‘In Flanders Fields’. We also held a two-minute silence. The service was completed with the playing of the Last Post. I was very proud how respectful our students were.
Brebas Challenge
Overview by Mr Pettitt - Teacher of Computer Science and Digital Information Technology
“All students in Key Stage 3 and all students that have taken Computer Science at GCSE and A Level are currently participating in the UK Bebras Challenge, an international competition designed to introduce young people to computational thinking. Organised by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the University of Oxford, this annual challenge is a great way for students to develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills through interactive tasks.
The Bebras Challenge takes place during school hours over a two-week period each November. During their Computing lessons, students are given 45 minutes to complete a series of engaging tasks appropriate for their age group. Each task is automatically marked by the competition system, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all.
Last year, over 3 million students from more than 80 countries took part, making this a truly exciting opportunity to be part of a global community. The challenge is open to students of all ability levels, whether they are naturally inclined towards maths and computing or simply enjoy a good challenge. It’s a valuable experience that supports skill development, creative thinking, and perseverance.
Thank you for supporting our students in their journey of exploration and learning in Computing!”
Romeo and Juliet Performance
Overview by Miss Richardson – Teacher of English
“On 14th November Year 11 were invited to watch a performance of Romeo and Juliet by the Guildford Shakespeare Company. This was to aid their revision for their GCSE English literature exams in the summer. It was an incredible performance, watched in the round just like it would have been in the original Globe Theatre. The performance was a condensed version, with only four actors, who each played a variety of roles from the play which always adds to the drama and atmosphere. Year 11 behaved admirably and made the entire English department proud!”
Shakespeare Schools Festival
Overview by Miss Cunnington – Teacher of English
“On Tuesday, 12th November, twelve of our Year 10 GCSE students took to the stage at Leatherhead Theatre as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival. This event brings together schools from the local area to present their unique adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays to an audience of parents, teachers, and community members. This year, our students performed The Taming of the Shrew, reimagined in 1920s Hollywood to explore power dynamics within the film industry. Despite having only two months to prepare, the cast delivered an outstanding performance, showcasing their dedication, creativity, and talent.”
Humanutopia
Overview by Mr Hostler - Head of Year 8
“Led by the team from Humanutopia, the students took on a range of reflection activities about focus and attitude about self and others at school. Humanutopia have 5 core values: Hope – Confidence – Happiness - Relationships – Employability. In our time together, we mostly focussed on the first four, and the day worked as a “thought” journey for students through these core principles to guide them to consider who they are, who they want to be in the future and what changes they might need to make. It was a thoroughly engaging programme and students got to know members of their peer group much better as a result. The students listened and participated really well and I was very proud of them, especially those who volunteered and spoke openly about their experiences, thoughts and changes for the future in front of everyone. A fantastic day!”
History Trip – Auschwitz
Overview by Miss Shepherd – Teacher of History
“On the 14th November, three sixth form students and myself were invited to take part in a day trip visit to Auschwitz, organised by the Lessons from Auschwitz project.
The students participated in an online seminar scheduled before the day trip, which included reading to do ahead of the trip to help students understand the purpose behind the project.
The day trip itself was incredibly moving throughout. We began our day at Auschwitz I or Main Camp. Our guides were from the Lessons from Auschwitz project and the Holocaust Educational Trust. The Main Camp was full of brick barracks which had previously held soldiers, but during the war became a concentration camp. Most of the barracks now have become individualised exhibits, some remembering the different nationalities of Jewish people who were taken there, others to show the physical items that Jewish families had taken away from them by the Nazis when they arrived. One barrack in particular, that the students found most moving was the exhibit which showed pre-war Jewish life through film footage. The people shown in these videos varied in ages and activities that they were doing, it aptly reminded us of the lives and culture that had been extinguished.
We then visited Auschwitz-Birkenau II where the killing centre had been established in 1941. We went inside the wooden barracks to try to understand what the living conditions must have been like for those forced to experience it. At the end of our visit, there was an incredibly moving remembrance service held by the organisers of the trip. A rabbi spoke to us about the importance of trips such as the one we went on, and then in front of the former crematoriums, sang to us all in Hebrew. It was a very emotionally charged moment that was completely unforgettable. The Lessons from Auschwitz project staff were absolutely fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable and open to questions and support throughout the day.
Our students were invited to a follow up seminar where they were able to participate in an interview with a Holocaust survivor Janine Webber. Whilst not sent to a concentration camp herself, she spoke about her experiences in the Jewish ghettos, and having to pretend to be Catholic so she could hide in a convent at the age of 11. Our students felt that this experience helped them to consider the wider impact of the Holocaust, reminding them of the extensive damage to Jewish culture and lives at that time. They are now looking forward to being able to put what they have learned together for the assembly during Holocaust Memorial Month.”
Sixth Form Parent’s Evening
The Year 11 Parents Evening was so constructive and positive. It felt very encouraging that lots of students were mentioning using Cornell notes, it was also noted that some students are less confident about the Leitner method (and revision cards) so we will be looking into more ways to support the students with this, for their forthcoming exams.
October 2024
This half term has certainly been a busy one! This time, I’ve included several updates from our staff so you can hear directly from them as to their thoughts.
Eco Club
A brief update from Mrs Knox who runs Eco Club.
“Our litter pick was carried out in partnership with Surrey County Council and the Leatherhead community hub. Our aim is to increase the involvement of young people in the local area to improve it for everyone. 10 students went on the litter pick all from the Eco committee. We went to the local park and walked through the housing estate along the pathway going to the railway station. It is something we try to do once a year and we have just started working with the Leatherhead hub.”
Overview from Joe Hendy – student leader of Eco Club
“"As leader of the Eco Team, this year, I’m proud to share we already engaged well within the community. Our eco members recently participated in a local community litter pick alongside the Leatherhead Hub and Mole Valley Council. This was a fantastic opportunity to extend our eco connections and make a difference in the local area. We collected over six bin bags of waste, including some odd items like an empty toothbrush tube, rusty bolts, and even a cushion! From me and the team, we strongly encourage everyone to recycle, avoid littering, and choose sustainable alternatives over single-use products. As all the little changes helps to protect our environment. Let's all do our part!
P.S we hope to keep you updated with our plans and work soon."
Revision Seminar
Early on in October, both Year 11 and Year 13 took part in a revision techniques session led by Michele Miller. It was a very productive and focused day, and the student feedback was very positive. She also delivered a session for parents in the evening which was well received.
Ada Lovelace Day
Overview from Mrs Harvey – Teacher of Computer Science, Digital Information Technology and Maths
“For Ada Lovelace Day on Tuesday 8th October we organised 3 online chat sessions for year 9’s with Computer Scientists, discussing Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and STEM Careers. Students were able to view the Scientists’ profiles and prepare questions in advance of the chat. We were really pleased with the thoughtful questions prepared and the enthusiasm and engagement on display.”
Here is some feedback we received from the students:
“I thought that last lesson was really fun and it really got me thinking about taking a computing GCSE, I think that we should do more of these lessons as i think they are very effective and engaging for us.
Yesterday I learned about the pay and flexibility around getting a job in Computer Science. I also found out the differences between each section of Computer Science. Lastly, I found out about the qualifications needed to be successful in that field.
I liked the computing meeting as the scientists in the meeting with us were very accommodating and answered all of our questions, even the sillier ones. Also, it was a chance to meet real people working in the professions we always talk about in lessons which gave a better idea of what they actually do. The highlight though was definitely meeting someone that worked a bit on "Little Big Planet 2", as me and my dad play The Little Big Planet series together all the time! :)
Personally, I thought that the data management experience was very helpful. It was great to talk to people so passionate about their job, and it has influenced my opinions on CI positively. The computer scientists were very nice and easy to talk to. They also provided a lot of information and taught me a lot. I also really liked the anonymous aspect of it”.
SATRO Business Day
Overview by Ms Buckell - Careers, Higher Education, Work Experience and EPQ Lead
“We were happy to welcome SATRO to Therfield on Wednesday 8th October to run the Dragon’s Den Business Game with our Year 7’s. Tutor group teams had to design a product and pitch it to the Dragons Den and their year group in the afternoon. Teams worked together taking on roles within their business such as marketing director, HR, finance and sales to produce a branded key ring. The SATRO team were extremely impressed with the entrepreneurial skills of our students, many securing very profitable contracts for their business in negotiation with the much more experienced Dragons!
As well as learning about business, the day is always a great way for the new tutor groups to get to know each other and their tutor better helping the transition to secondary school all feel a bit easier. One of the highlights of the day are the Year 12 Business students who support the event with careful attention and good humour. It’s great for the Year 7’s to see what life at Therfield looks like further on in their 7 year journey. Thank you to them for their invaluable support and good luck with your Business Studies A Level!”
Fixtures
This half term has been another busy time with different fixtures both at home and away. Here is a brief overview from Miss Davey – Teacher of PE.
“We have had a busy and successful term of fixtures for the girls’ football and netball teams so far. The girls have played extremely well as a team; supporting, praising and encouraging each other throughout, which has been great to see. They always start, and finish all fixtures in a positive light, even if it hasn’t always gone their way.
Some stand out moments include the Year 7 and 8 girls football team coming back from 4-0 down in the first half of a National Cup game, to a final result of 4-3, despite not having their goalkeeper. A special mention to Maija for scoring the most number of goals so far and to the rest of the team for their determination and effort throughout. Another success for football saw the Year 9 and 10 girls finish in joint-first place in a football tournament where great teamwork was shown once again.
The girls’ netball teams have also had a busy start, all showing huge amounts of enthusiasm and motivation to succeed during both training and fixtures. The Year 7 team have already had some victories where they won two games during a recent tournament despite having only played once together. The early successes are very exciting for the upcoming year and we can’t wait to continue to celebrate more achievements!”
Sixth Form Open Evening
The Sixth Form Open Evening was an opportunity to showcase all our fabulous Sixth Form has to offer. A number of prospective parents and pupils had a good look round the Sixth Form and listened to talks by myself and Mr Bux.
Open Morning
Due to the high demand, we offered a further Open Morning on the 22nd October. It was a pleasure to have been able to welcome more families to our school.
Year 7 Flight Path Information Evening
It was great to catch up with so many of you at "Meet the Teachers" recently so do please get in touch if you ever have any feedback for me or other colleagues.
Headteacher Hot Chocolate Rewards
I hold a Headteacher hot chocolate break through the colder months to give a small reward to students who have achieved a range of success. This term we have celebrated with students who have achieved their Bronze, Silver and Gold Award Winners from the Endeavour Programme which were awarded at the end of the summer term; prefect mentors and Year 8 students who have had a great start to the new academic year to name but a few.
Matilda!
We are delighted to announce this year’s musical production and Miss Christopher – Acting Head of Drama has provided the following:
“And so it begins! As I am writing this, the 2025 Therfield School Musical has just been announced to the school. We are all very excited to be putting on Matilda JR. The Musical in February 2025!
I am very much looking forward to the challenges ahead and the overall chaos that is trying to get 70+ teens and pre teens to sing and dance on stage- but with the support and enthusiasm from staff and students I have no doubt that Matilda JR. will be the best musical yet! (fingers crossed). After half term it is all systems go with auditions and then straight into acting, singing and dancing rehearsals the next week!
Thank you in advance for all the support you will give to the students and staff during this exciting but busy time!”
Ukelele Club
Brief overview by Ms MacLeod – Teacher of Music
“The first half of the club the students played in small groups on songs of their choosing, including Pachelbel’s Canon which we are studying in Year 8 music. The second half of the lunchtime club, we did a few ukulele play-alongs as a full group, including Riptide by Vance Joy and As It Was by Harry Styles.”
Iceland Trip
Brief overview by Miss Bull – Teacher of Geography
“The field trip to Iceland last week with 70 of our students was a fantastic success, offering a blend of adventure, learning, and unforgettable experiences. The group explored Iceland’s diverse landscapes, including the Golden Circle, with its geysers, waterfalls, and Þingvellir National Park, which fascinated the students with both natural beauty and geological significance. They also visited black sand beaches, glaciers, and even enjoyed a relaxing soak in the Secret Lagoon. The students were captivated by the Northern Lights, which made an unforgettable appearance on our first night, adding magic to the trip.
Throughout, students engaged in hands-on learning about geothermal energy, volcanology, and Iceland’s unique ecosystem, deepening their appreciation for environmental science and sustainability. The group navigated the itinerary incredibly well, they were engaged, respectful, and inspired! They returned home enriched by Iceland’s natural wonders and with a deeper understanding of its environment and culture and with friendships and memories to last a lifetime!”
September 2024
Exam Results – GCSE & A Level Results
This summer was a celebration for our Year 11 students who have received their GCSE results. The year group have been excellent ambassadors for the school and should be rightly proud of their achievements. Overall, we saw an amazing set of results, which have given our students a really strong opportunity for their next steps and show us with really strong progress across the cohort. We have also celebrated our A Level results; again having had some very successful A Level results. We are extremely proud of our students who worked very hard to go onto some of the very best Universities.
This has been a very successful half-term for the school and students can look back on the last few weeks or so since we started this new academic year with a collective sense of a great start to the 2024-25 academic year.
Cambridge Trip
Our new Year 7’s have joined one of our first school trips of the year with our annual visit to Cambridge. We had inclement weather but managed to dodge the rain when punting on the Cam and doing the walking tour. The students were very impressed with seeing the colleges and the beautiful bridges along the Cam and asked lots of interesting questions of the tour guides. In the afternoon, on the journey home, the students visited Mountfichet Castle. Here, they had the chance to walk around a restored motte and bailey castle and have a go at the various learning activities associated with life in the castle grounds. It was a very enjoyable and inspiring day with lots of social time for students to build their new friendships.
Headteacher Ice-Cream Rewards
Our new academic year has started off with our first Headteacher ice-cream rewards and the students from our Endeavour Program 23-24 were rewarded for their hard work for being winners of Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Well done to these students!
Club Fair Morning
We had a very busy and productive club fairs morning where students had the opportunity to talk to staff and to choose their extra curricular clubs. For any students who have not yet done this, please see below for the link which shows all the opportunities students can join in.
Open Evening
Early on this month, we welcomed over 300 prospective families who joined us for our annual Open Evening. This bustling evening showcased how warm, caring and ambitious our school and curriculum really are, and we received a number of heartfelt thanks and positive comments. Our student helpers were exemplary and proudly showed off our school and classes. We have another Open Morning in October (details below) and look forward to welcoming more families to our wonderful school on that day. Morning tours of the school are also another option so please book in with the school office if this is something that might interest you.
Sixth Form Surrey County Cricket Open Evening
We were delighted to host our first Surrey County Cricket open evening for prospective sixth formers. This is a new and exciting initiative for Therfield and we were welcomed parents and their children showcasing our excellent offering for all budding cricketers. The evening had informative talks from Judy Wallis who joined us from Surrey County Cricket. Thank you to Judy for joining us at this event. We have our Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday, 2nd October, details below.
Chateau Trip
Our annual Chateau Trip for Year 11’s has just been successfully completed. This is a key part of our ambitious KS4 Curriculum and I'm sure students will have gained a lot from this experience. The various groups were involved in a wide range of activities such as visiting a mini-farm, learning to play homeball (a Norman game) and making French bread. The students also kept busy with airball, archery and music bingo and met the official ferry bear on the Channel crossing over. The teachers even won hats in the quiz onboard the ferry!
July 2024
Curriculum Enrichment Days
European Experience
Approximately 50 students took part in our European Experience in July, just before we broke
up for the summer. They visited Strasbourg and whilst there enjoyed a boat tour, completed an interview challenge and of course did some shopping. Another highlight on the trip was travelling to Germany to experience the Black Forest Open Air Museum and then hiked up Germany’s highest waterfall at Triberg. Some students even tried traditional German cakes including the legendary Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. The groups also managed to have a trip to the Europa- Park where they could try out the various rides. A packed school trip with lots of fun and experiences!
The Year 7s showed off their creativity during Mexico Day! They made Aztec masks inspired by Gods and cooked up fantastic enchiladas as well as decorated beautiful Talavera tiles. Students also mixed their own piece of Mexican music and created a presentation on Mexican traditions and celebrations.
Year 7’s also enjoyed an adventurous trip to PGL taking part in activities like archery, high ropes and building a shelter.
Headteachers Reward Trip to Windsor
The Headteacher Award of Excellence is given each year to select students who have excellent overall attitude to learning. As well as a certificate and the special pin badge students are invited to celebrate on a Windsor boat trip and lunch with an adult(s) of their choice. I had the privilege of taking 18 students this year and we had a fabulous day celebrating their achievements. Jenny Gamache, a long-standing member of staff, who is retiring this July was invited to attend the Headteacher rewards trip. She has talked about her experience of the day.
“I was really happy to receive my invitation to the Headteachers reward day trip due to my upcoming retirement but did not know what to expect! We were in for a treat.
We started off from school by coach and arrived in Windsor in time for a quick coffee (and cake for me!) before a short stroll to watch the Changing of the Guards, something I have never experienced before. Once the guards had passed, we had a lovely stroll through Windsor to where the boat was waiting for us for lunch and a river trip.
The boat was laid out with 2 long dining tables ready for us to have our lunch. Before we started eating, Mrs Martin (another member of staff invited) and I were awarded our Headteachers award badges by Mr Malley which was a lovely surprise. We were then served a lovely 3 course lunch and refreshments while the boat meandered down the river.
After lunch, because we were blessed with such lovely weather, we were able to go up on the outside deck. Here we had a chance to mix with the students and parents and catch up with their thoughts on the day. We all agreed we had had such a wonderful time. The coach then met us from the boat and we returned back to school around 3.30pm.
Thank you so much Mr Malley for letting me share this wonderful trip with you.
Jenny Gamache”
Bletchley Park
On 21st June 2024, our Year 9 students had the remarkable opportunity to visit Bletchley Park, the historic site where codebreakers worked during World War II. The highlight of the trip was the immersive D-Day exhibition, where students engaged in a hands-on code-breaking challenge using an authentic Enigma machine. This interactive experience allowed them to step into the shoes of wartime cryptanalysts, deepening their understanding of the crucial role that codebreaking played in the allied victory.
The trip was not only educational but also thoroughly enjoyable for all who attended. Students expressed their excitement and fascination with the intricate process of deciphering codes and the history behind Bletchley Park. The visit left a lasting impression, as they gained a newfound appreciation for the ingenuity and perseverance of the individuals who contributed to the war effort. Overall, the trip was a resounding success, blending learning with a memorable adventure into the past.
Chalke Valley History Festival
49 year 7 students had the opportunity to attend the Chalke Valley History festival. While there, they took part in special operations training from World War II learning how to defuse an explosive, use morse code via a radio receiver and learnt some war time self-defence. They also saw tanks driving around the festival site. Students had some time to explore the living history exhibits themselves and were able to find out more about particular areas of history that interested them most, before they attended a session learning about life in the Iron Age. Students also experienced a World War II trench and to finish the day half the group learnt some Viking crafts and the other half heard from an actor playing a World War II veteran about their experiences in the war.
Operation Mincemeat
49 Year 8 – 12 students joined the History department for a theatre trip to see the acclaimed production of Operation Mincemeat. The students all enjoyed the show, and it was fantastic to see just 5 actors playing a multitude of parts. The show was laugh out loud funny in places and also touchingly sentimental at key moments. We are looking forward to organising more theatre trips next year.
Mock Election
To share in the general election atmosphere, we held a mock trial at school where students voted on an end of term treat of either a mufti day, an extended lunch time or one tutor group winning ice-creams. Each tutor group represented a constituency which enabled us to have some good conversations with students about the first-past-the-post system. Turnout across the school was slightly lower than the national turnout at 53% with Year 9 voting in the highest numbers. The winning choice was for a mufti day which will be held on Wednesday, 17th July.
Year 7 and Year 8 Mock Trial
Some Year 7s and 8s took part in a workshop introducing them to how laws work in the UK and the processes of our legal system. They were then participants in a mock trial. Each student had a key role to play in the trial such as court artist, witness or barrister to help the trial really come to life.
Year 10 Worthing and Portsmouth Geography Fieldwork
As part of their geography GCSE, students are required to undertake two contrasting days of fieldwork. We study West Sussex as our coastal case study, and Portsmouth as our urban case study. These are the two locations we visited to complete our fieldwork investigations. In Worthing, we were investigating to what extent longshore drift occurs there and needed to complete beach profiles, longshore drift tests and sediment analysis. In Portsmouth, we compared the quality of life in two different areas and completed environmental quality surveys, services survey, noise surveys and traffic surveys. The year 10s had two great days which they now can write up and this will prepare them for their exams next year.
Summer Showcase
The Summer Showcase went brilliantly; all the students taking part worked so hard and represented Therfield so well. We had excellent performances from the Therfield Orchestra, Choir and a range of soloists, as well as the wonderful LAMDA students showcasing their recent work. The concert ended with a huge ‘Hey Jude’ showstopper, with all of the audience joining in and standing up in the encore!
Prizegiving
It was fantastic to celebrate the achievements of so many of our students at Prizegiving on Thursday, 11th July. We were able to award 170 students with a range of prizes including Therfield PROUD, Subject Achievement and Character Awards, Outstanding Attitude to learning as well as Half and Full Colours for PE, Performing Arts and Community. Well done to all the students who won prizes, it was a great way to close out the academic year and they should all be very proud of themselves.
Year 11 Prom
After months of dedication, hard work, and late-night study sessions, the time had come to celebrate their success in style. The Year 11 Prom was not just an event, it was a well-deserved reward, a night to remember, and a rite of passage marking the end of an important chapter.
Held at the stunning Tithe Barn at the Burford Bridge in Dorking, the prom was nothing short of spectacular. The venue was transformed into a dazzling wonderland, with twinkling lights, elegant decorations, and a vibrant dance floor that beckoned everyone to let loose and have fun. Arriving in glamorous outfits, the students looked like stars ready to shine on their special night. The evening began with a grand entrance, where students arrived in style, stepping out of classic cars and even a tractor! With lots of proud parents and teachers greeting them, each arrival was met with cheers and applause, setting the tone for the night. The red-carpet moment gave everyone a chance to feel like celebrities, and the photographer captured the smiles and laughter.
It was a warm and sunny evening and once through the doors students congregated outside onto the lawn, laughing and joking as they mingled in their friendship groups. It was lovely to see the student’s excitement about the evening and hear them laughing as well as discussing the after party at a student’s family farm barn! There was lots of entertainment throughout the evening, including a photo booth with silly hats and outfits and a magician that was mesmerizing students and teachers with his card tricks! The students enjoyed the buffet and the sweet stall was also a big hit.
Throughout the evening the DJ spun a mix of current hits and classic tunes, ensuring the dance floor was always packed. There were group dances to solo showcases, everyone brought their best moves, creating a fantastic atmosphere. Due to the warm weather, there was a constant stream of students back and forth from the dance floor to the garden so that they could cool down. Special mention to Mr Bartram for joining the students on the dance floor for most of the evening!
As the night drew to a close, there was a sense of unity and accomplishment in the air. The Year 11 Prom was more than just a celebration, it was a testament to the hard work, resilience, and spirit of a remarkable group of students. A big thank you to Mrs Benham and Mrs Lansbury for all the organisation of a stunning evening.
To the class of 2024, congratulations on completing this significant milestone. Keep shining and we look forward to seeing you all on GCSE results day.
Year 13 Prom
Celebrations for the end of exams took place at the Year 13 Prom at the Woodlands Park Hotel in Oxshott. Both students and staff enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, drink and music (thanks to DJ Milo and DJ Harvey). Many thanks to all staff involved who made it happen and we look forward to seeing the students again for A-level Results Day in August.
May/June 2024
McLaren STEM day
On Wednesday 27th March Year 9 students took part in the McLaren run STEM Day. The day was all about developing students’ engineering skills as they designed, built, and presented their own model car. Working in teams, they learnt about aerodynamics, gear ratios and more as they created a car and presented it to the rest of the group at the end of the day. This was a great opportunity to develop their skills in practical design and bringing their learning from science and technology to life with the support of specialists from McLaren.
Presentation Evening and Inspire Awards
On the 25th April, we held our annual upper school celebration event for KS4 and KS5 students. I am privileged to celebrate the achievements of our students with their parents. There are some special awards given to our senior students who have shown their excellence and commitment to subjects and school. We follow this event with the Inspire Awards, a celebration of the special awards with our Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Teachers nominate students, who they believe are on task, to receive these awards during assembly. The winners were clearly proud of their achievements being recognised. We were also fortunate to have the band and extra music accompaniment which made the event extra special. The Inspire Awards are made extra special as the senior students who received their awards at Presentation Evening hand out the Inspire awards to the junior students.
Year 7 River Model Competition
The Year 7s in Geography have been learning about rivers. Many had taken on the challenge of making models for the model competition. Congratulations to the winning models:
Duke of Edinburgh
It has been a busy term with Duke of Edinburgh expeditions! Almost 100 students have been out in their teams exploring the countryside, completing their practice and qualifying expeditions, alongside continuing to work on their skills, volunteering and physical sections.
Bronze
Year 9 students have been busy working towards their Bronze DofE award. After a very successful training day and practice expedition in May, the weekend of 22-23rd June saw 12 teams head to the Surrey Hills for their qualifying expedition. They had perfect expedition weather; the sun was shining but it wasn’t too hot. Starting in Walliswood, the teams all had a successful first day, with the first teams arriving at our campsite just after 4.00pm. Once at camp, students set up their tents and cooked dinner in their teams. It was a lovely evening. We even had some students start an impromptu game of cricket with a rucksack for stumps and a stick for a bat! An early start on Sunday saw all 72 students leave the campsite by 8.00am after a good breakfast. To up the challenge, we reduced the number of checkpoints on day 2; a few teams got a little lost, but it’s all part of the fun! The students all did fantastically well, and were excellent ambassadors for Therfield, DofE and Adventure Expeditions. Well done Year 9!
Silver
We had 19 Year 10 students working towards their Silver DofE this year. After a very cold practice expedition in the New Forest in April, the Silver qualifying expedition started on Saturday 15th June in very heavy rain in the Chiltern Hills! By the time all three teams had made it to the campsite, the rain had stopped, and the sun had come out, so everyone was dry. Fortunately, everyone had cooked and eaten before a heavy shower in the evening! Another successful day on Sunday saw all teams arrive at the campsite in good time enabling them to relax in the sun before cooking their dinner. Day three of the expedition was again very successful for all teams, another fantastic group of young people representing Therfield, well done!
We look forward to celebrating our students’ success at our Duke of Edinburgh Celebration Evening in the new academic year. I would also like to thank all the staff who support expeditions, without them giving up multiple weekends, our students wouldn’t have these opportunities. Huge thanks to Miss Smith, Mr Bartram, Mr Pettitt, Mr Willis, Miss Richards, Mr Collett and Mrs Southworth-Turner for their support on expeditions this year.
A-Level Geography Trip to Seaford and Cuckmere Haven
On 6th June, the A-Level Geography students went to Seaford and Cuckmere Haven to complete their coastal fieldwork. They practised rock sampling and beach profile techniques, as well as completing sketches and groyne profiles. The Year 12 students were a credit to the school in their conduct and work ethic on the day. Luckily, the weather was sunny, and they also had time for an ice-cream too!
March 2024 - Fundraising Update
RaG Week
As part of the annual RaG week (Raise and Give week), this year at Therfield, our Sixth Form Committee raised money for the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity. 100% of all profits made in school will go to the Rainbow Trust. The Sixth Form had organised fundraising events throughout the week for students to participate in.
The events organised were: Teacher Car Wash, The Battle of the Bands, Teacher Lipsync Battle., Sponge a Teacher, Therfields Got Talent and a Kristy Kremes donut sale.
We are incredibly grateful to the Ashtead Rotary offered to match fund up to our original £500 goal, so a big thank you to them for supporting our students. We are so proud of everything they have achieved and the final amount raised was over £2000 which is a terrific amount.
First Give
This half-term in English, our Year 8 students participated in First Give – a programme designed to improve students’ public speaking skills while igniting a spark of social conscience. Each class researched social issues and chose a local charity to advocate for, raising money and awareness in numerous ways: cake sales, a sponsored silence, a car wash, sponge the student and many more! We were immensely proud of the passion and drive displayed by the students, who raised nearly £1,000 for their charities: The Forward Trust, Mary Frances Trust, Pals Battalion, Leatherhead Start, James’ Jar of Gifts, Myeloma UK, One in Four and Learning Space.
The programme culminated in a competition final – judged by a panel including Head of SESSETT, David Blow, and two Local Councillors - in which each class delivered a pitch to win an additional £1,000 for their charity. Students spoke with eloquence, enthusiasm, and pride, showcasing the invaluable skills developed throughout the programme and setting a strong foundation for their future endeavours as leaders and social activists.
A huge congratulations to 8EY1, who won on behalf of Myeloma UK. Well done Year 8!
March 2024
There have been some great opportunities for our students this term. Parents often tell me how much they value the variety of trips we offer and this term has offered a couple of terrific ones! The Sixth Form USA trip to Washington and New York (details below) and the annual Ski trip due to leave on Friday. The school production of ‘We Will Rock You’ was a real highlight and I am so proud of all those involved. We have had some excellent learning and all the work that goes into getting the Year 11s and Year 13s exam ready has been a major consideration. I am pleased to see the students being so focused, planning revision and attending extra sessions.
We Will Rock You!
In February we presented the school production ‘We Will Rock You’. The many hours of rehearsals really paid off and I have to say that the production was fantastic.
I had spoken to the primary school children who came to see our matinee performances, who had said (very enthusiastically!) how much they enjoyed it too. Our students involved are thriving and this is thanks to all the adults who have done so much to make this happen. The whole cast and crew worked so hard and I am so proud of them all.
Careers Fair
As part of National Careers Week 2024 we once again held our annual careers fair with over 70 exhibitors from a really wide range of professions ranging from tree surgery to accountancy and geophysics! All the students in the school visited the fair as part of the C@T (Careers at Therfield Programme) which focusses on our students learning specific employability skills in each year group. There were also a number of further education and higher education institutions present who were able to talk to the students about the courses they offer and the entry requirements. Students had the opportunity to interview employers about their pathways to their jobs and consider which skills are the most important for each profession.
Feedback from students so far has shown that an overwhelming majority of students ‘feel more motivated’ after the fair with over 90% speaking directly to an employer. This is great to see -interviewing a professional adult at the age of 13 is not as easy as it looks! We are really proud of our students proactive approach to the event.
We hold this event every year so any parents wishing to take part as exhibitors are always welcome -please contact jbuckell@therfield.surrey.sch.uk if you are keen to get involved. The weekly Careers Padlet is also available at the QR code below or on the school website in the Careers section. 
Sixth Form USA trip to New York and Washington
30 Sixth Form students left early on Friday morning and by mid-afternoon (EST) arrived in New York. Wasting no time, they started on seeing the sights - including Time Square and then a well deserved rest back at the hotel. This fabulous trip develops students knowledge of culture, politics and history of the United States. It also builds their independence, leadership and initiative skills. There where so many sights, the students averaged 30,000 steps each day.
I would also like to thank the staff involved who spend their half term making sure that our students have the opportunity to explore and grow on this fabulous trip.
Year 8 Hyundai Careers Day
We are lucky to collaborate with Hyundai Leatherhead who support our Year 8 careers. Students created memorable presentations with the top 3 teams being invited to the Hyundai Head Office to present to their Directors. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students and to develop their teamwork skills and the new cars were on site for the students to get some inspiration for their advertising campaigns and promotions.
Year 12 Politics
Year 12 Politics students visited London this week to attend a conference for A Level students.
They heard Wes Streeting MP discuss the plans for the Labour Party should they win the upcoming election, Lord Dubs talked about his experiences as a refugee arriving in the UK on the Kindertransport and how this has impacted his work to amend the Government's immigration policies.
Baroness Shami Chakrabarti spoke about her experiences as a human rights lawyer. Richard Tice party leader of the Reform Party spoke about the issues effecting young people and future generations and faced a significant number of challenging questions from the students present.
Jacob Rees-Mogg MP spoke about why he is a Conservative and Ed Vaizey from the Times newspaper discussed the impact of the Media in Politics and the importance of choosing your sources wisely.
Zack Polanski, Deputy leader of the Green Party explained how the Green Party are not just the party in support of Polar Bears and how they intend to join the dots between the climate issues and the social concerns across the UK and Sarah Olney MP (Liberal Democrat) shared her views on the importance of accurate representation within Parliament.
Finally Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart delivered a session of their podcast "The rest is Politics".
Our students were able to hear what current issues are important to peers their age across the country through the questions raised by students in attendance and to see first hand the encouraging level of political engagement that exist amongst 16 and 17 year olds today.
We also stopped in to look at the Supreme Court as they have just begun to learn about its role in Government.
LAMDA Show Case
On Tuesday, 19th March 40 students took to the stage to perform in a LAMDA Showcase. We were treated to a wide range of performances from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to a scene from Breaking Bad. With children from Year 7- 11 taking part. If you would like to find out more about LAMDA at Therfield please contact hellolamdaclub@gmail.com
December 2023
Kings and Queens
On Wednesday 6th December, Year 8 came together to host Kings and Queens where we welcomed a number of those from the local community for an afternoon of festive entertainment and food. The Year 8 students spent weeks in the build up to the event preparing decorations, quizzes and gifts. All food served was prepared by students from scratch with support from the Food Technology Department. Students served a range of afternoon tea style nibbles from sandwiches to meringue kisses. It was a wonderful event to see us into the Christmas break and a fantastic opportunity for the students to serve those in the community and showcase the wonderful talent, camaraderie and kindness they possess.
Computer Science in Action
Our Sixth Form students had an exciting experience at the recent Computer Science in Action conference.
The adventure began with our journey to the conference, a combination of train and underground tube travel. This not only added an element of excitement to the trip but also served as a real-world illustration of the technology and systems our students are studying in their computing classes.
At the conference venue our students had the incredible opportunity to attend talks delivered by respected professionals in various computing fields. These experts included professors from leading university courses, pioneers in quantum computing research, specialists in user interface design, and authorities in artificial intelligence.
One of the highlights was a talk on best exam practices by a distinguished professor from Birmingham University. The session emphasized the importance of key term mastery and the ability to relate classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. This insight proved invaluable, providing our students with practical strategies to excel in their examinations and beyond.
Students not only absorbed the knowledge shared at the conference but also conducted themselves with utmost professionalism. They actively engaged in discussions, asked thoughtful questions, and represented Therfield impeccably to well-respected industry professionals. This not only reflects their enthusiasm for the subject but also speaks to the quality of education and values instilled at Therfield.
The Computer Science in Action conference empowered our students to envision the future possibilities within the realm of computing. The insights gained from the talks will undoubtedly inspire them in their academic pursuits and future careers.
In conclusion, the trip was a resounding success. We hope this experience will continue to motivate and guide our budding computer scientists towards a future of innovation and success.
Castle Competition
Year 7 took part on the Castle competition this term building on their learning in class looking at how William I took control over England after the Battle of Hastings. There was an impressive selection of castles from Motte and Bailey, to Stone Keep to Wild card castles. As in previous years we had many castles made from recycled materials and a few cakes and this year for the first time we had a castle made from pegs. The winners were announced in assembly. Well done to all the year 7s we were very impressed with your work.
The Therfield Trust Christmas Fair
The Trust held a fabulous Christmas shopping event last week, thank you to all those involved. Our Food Technology students and Eco Committee held their own stalls selling produce they had made from recycled items.
Schools Shakespeare Festival
Drama students got into character to perform Othello at the Schools Shakespeare’s Festival at Leatherhead Theatre in November. The students were amazing, please see the performance appraisal below:
Therfield Choir visit to All Saints Pre-School
Our festive and talented Choir visited All Saints Pre-School to spread some jolly Christmas cheer and were a real credit to Therfield! All Saints were kind enough to let us know their children enjoyed the performances.
MFL Christmas
This week saw all our Year 10 groups running mini Christmas markets - planning as a team, researching and baking French Christmas recipes, decorating their stalls and producing posters. Delicious! 
The Year 11 German group put on a German language version of the Christmas story, much to the amusement of Mrs McCan and Olivia who helped the group with their speaking last year & had come back to visit. 
Mental Health Support over the Christmas Break
Earlier this week we emailed information to all parents regarding mental health support that can be accessed over the Christmas break. This can also be found here: Mental Health Support Letter.
After such an amazing term full of fantastic events we all enjoyed a superb Christmas concert yesterday evening. Every time I go to a Therfield concert the quality of performance astounds me and the audience appreciated wonderful entertainment and reflected on the significant effort involved from students and staff. It provided a great sign off to 2023 at Therfield and so I wish you all a very Happy Christmas before we all 'go again' on Wednesday, 3rd January.
November 2023
Therfield MFL - Château Trip
At the beginning of November MFL students travelled to France for a French immersion trip. This involved speaking French while day today and undertaking a number of activities. Students arrived at the Chateau and after a tasty dinner they were given a tour of the grounds before everyone settled in their dorms ready for a busy day. There were 6 groups of students all doing different activities each day. These included climbing and initiative activities, archery, bread making, tending to animals as well as trying the cuisine.
All the students embraced the language and were TherfieldPROUD in experiencing new things.
On 8th November Year 10 and Sixth Form Art students visited the Tate Gallery and spent the afternoon immersed in artwork and creating sketches/photographs along the way. Students were excellently behaved and represented Therfield perfectly!
We recently received our First Give report for last year where our Year 8s spent time tackling social issues in their English lessons by supporting local charities as part of a programme provided by educational charity, First Give. They have spent weeks raising funds and awareness for causes they care about and they also raised vital awareness of the amazing work these charities do. Please see below a summary from the First Give Foundation about our students:
‘Another fantastic year for First Give at Therfield School! The students were passionate about making change in their local community and carried out impactful social action, including planting wild flowers, designing a poster campaign and orgnaising a monthly foodbank which I am very pleased to hear will be an ongoing project. The majority of students met with representatives of their chosen charities which will have supported the development of their professional communication skills, and I was thrilled to see charities representatives also in attendance at the Final event. The students worked very hard on their presentations with our Facilitator commenting that there was a real improvement following the presentation skills workshop. Some of the students had to overcome significant nerves in order to present at the Final, which they were able to do and should be very proud of themselves. The Final itself was a fantastic event with the judging panel being made up of 2 local councilors, the Head Teacher and and ex First Give student. It was a close call for the winning group but the group representing Wild Life aid pipped their competitors to the post due to their strong charity engagement and creative social action. The students raised an impressive £303 for their charities as well as the £1000 won by Wildlife Aid, not to mention the awareness raised throughout the programme, and the Final brilliantly showcased all the hard work and passion demonstrated by students and left judges and guest feeling very inspired! Thank you to Mr Jenkins and Ms Byrne for coordinating a fantastic programme and I look forward to working with Therfield school again next year.’
Year 7 Football:
The year 7 team has started very brightly after drawing 2-2 away to St Andrews in their first match in September. They then struggled for a few matches as they couldn’t find a win -loosing in the national and surrey cups to Southborough and Harrodian School. After another draw away to TRA and a home loss to Epsom and Ewell, eventually they found form with 2 wins at Esher and at home to Blenheim. Going forward we have several league matches to play and a B team tournament.
Year 9 Football:
The year 9s have lost in both the national and surrey cups at home to Kingswood House and away to Oaks Park. After a strong win against TRA 8-0 they then lost 3-0 to Southborough. They then were joint winners of their 5-a-side tournament @TRA. Next week they play Ashcombe at home on Wednesday 13th.
Year 8 and 10 boys Football:
The Year 8s and 10s have both been drawn in a very tough pool in the league cup. Both years have shown a lot of progress in their most recent fixtures but unfortunately lost 2 very challenging and close fought matches against 3 Rivers & Hinchley Wood. The year 8s are attending a 6aside tournament on November 21st, hosted at 3Rivers and they are also playing St Andrews on 22nd November. The year 10s are due to play in a 5aside tournament on Thursday 23rd November.
Remembrance:
Students had spent time in assembly reflecting on the service of those who have given their lives in service for our country. This culminated in our annual whole school Remembrance service with readings by Robbie McMillan and Finley Smith and the last post played by Oliver Blogg.
UK Parliament week:
UK Parliament week was at the beginning of November and we were pleased to be able to welcome two external speakers to work with our Sixth Form students. Kieran Persand who works as a parliamentary researcher and represents Epsom and Ewell council for the Conservative party, visited to discuss how route into politics and the declining levels of political participation today especially amongst young people. We also hosted Helen Maguire who will be standing for election in the next general election to represent the Liberal Democrats in the reformed constituency area of Epsom and Ewell. She spoke to all the Sixth Form students in assembly about why their political voice is so important and she fielded questions from students about future growth of the economy and housing. She then met with the Y12 politics students for a Q&A session and spoke to them about her route into politics.
We hope use these visit as a spring board for wider discussions with the older students on political engagement and would welcome any links with the Labour party to ensure we are offering a balance to our students. Please get in touch with Ms Walker fwalker@therfield.surrey.sch.uk if you have these connections.
National Languages Competition:
Year 9s took part in the National Languages Competition and were wonderful – they showcased the best of Therfield students with their teamwork, collaboration, respectful behaviour, resilience, thinking hard while having fun, giving up lunchtimes and working hard after-school. There were over 3000 teams competing from across the UK. In the final standings, all our teams came well within the top half - a massive well done to all the teams and students who participated, with a particular mention going to the Amused Grinning Peacocks who came 159th out of over 3000 !!! 2nd in the Therfield standings were the Charming Famous Puffins, at 332nd, 3rd place went to the Honest Young Elks who came 363rd with the Zany Fair Rabbits (late joiners and a team of only two) coming a very commendable 845th out of over 3000. Given that we were up against, amongst others, private schools who had full days off timetable to complete this, they did exceptionally well and embodied everything that is great about our school. Well Done to you all #TherfieldPROUD
Year 7 Platinum House Points - Headteacher Hot Chocolate
20th October 2023
This has been a very successful half-term for the school and students can look back on the last seven weeks or so with a collective sense of a great start to their 2023-24 race!
I am very proud of the students who make the transition to the school, and this group of Year 7 students have settled in very well and are already living our values of "Excellence. Leadership. Opportunity" and we have seen that particularly through: -
In mid-September, the Year 7 students visited Cambridge. We had beautiful weather, which made the punting on the Cam and doing the walking tour seem that bit more special in the sunshine. The students were very impressed with seeing the colleges and the beautiful bridges along the Cam and asked lots of interested questions of the tour guides. In the afternoon, on the journey home, the students visited Mountfichet Castle. Here, they had the chance to walk around a restored motte and bailey castle and have a go at the various learning activities associated with life in the castle grounds. It was a very enjoyable and inspiring day with lots of social time for students to build their new friendships.
Year 7 had their first Careers Day last Wednesday. The entire year group were involved with a business activity and had to pitch their Team Therfield styled key rings to the SATRO Dragon’s Den Team. Negotiation and innovation were at the forefront of this high paced and exciting day. We were helped by Year 12 Business and Economics students who did a smashing job of supporting the younger students. Well done to 7CCL who won the most Teamwork tokens, which was the main employability skill focus of the day.
Great day-to-day learning during the half term:
I hold a Headteacher hot chocolate break through the colder months to give a small reward to students who have achieved a range of success. Previous sessions have been for school sport teams, students who have made big improvements or those who have contributed to school drama and sport. The students below were the recipients of last week's hot chocolate with the most house points so far. The 21 Year 7 students have already amassed 4,597 house points and it was a privilege to be able to hear about their achievements over their first few weeks at Therfield.
Livvy, Lucy, Ava, Youssef, David, Ellie, Ciaran, Anaya, Harrison, Will, Marnie, Thomas, Caleb, Lyla, Ben, Dylan, Oliver, James, Joel, Penny, Joe
For our older students, the success that comes through achieving a Duke of Edinburgh Award is exceptional. Over the weekend of 16th and 17th September, 62 Year 10 students successfully complete the expedition section for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. The weather was on their side for most of the weekend, with some heavy downpours in the final couple of hours on Sunday. The students arrived bright and early at Woldingham with their bags packed and boots on, excited to start the expeditions with their friends. Once teams had been briefed, they set off on their planned routes to our campsite. At the campsite, we saw some excellent team cooking and what looked like tasty meals being tucked into! Tired, students were tucked up in their sleeping bags by 9.30pm. Another early start Sunday saw one team lose their lunch to a hungry dog on the campsite! They did not go without though, we picked them up some sandwiches and delivered them in the minibus, a story I am sure they will be telling for years to come! Another great day of navigating saw groups finishing on a high ready for a bath and an early night!
Well done to the 25 students that have already got everything signed off and completed their award! We are looking forward to presenting their certificates and badges to them and launching the Silver Award after half term.
The Silver cohort are also doing well getting sections signed off and we are welcoming our next cohort of Bronze award students having launched with Year 9 last week.
The first interhouse of the year was run by the languages department to coincide with the annual European Day of Languages on 26th September. Teams of participants from each tutor group were invited to compete against the rest of their year in a range of activities with an international theme, and the outcomes were combined to find the overall winners. Year 7 completed a quiz on flags from different countries, Year 8s quiz was on capital cities, Year 9 did a taste test of foods from around the world and Years 10 & 11 had a tour de France / rowing across the channel contest in the new fitness suite. There was good participation across the year groups, but the final outcome was: 1st Polesden, closely followed by Juniper in 2nd place, with Norbury coming in 3rd and Leith 4th.
A particular shout out to Year 7 for absolutely fantastic participation across all houses, to Year 9 for being brave enough to willingly eat food while blindfolded, to PE for letting us gatecrash the fitness suite and of course to the MFL staff for running the events. Watch this space for the introduction of a pétanque contest in next year’s interhouse, and later this year students may get the chance to compete in another MFL bake off challenge.
A great sporting start to the year with fixtures for all year groups. It has been a very busy start to the football season with a great deal of league & cup matches, as well as small sided tournaments. The netball season commenced last week with a tough match against Three Rivers Academy. The rugby and girls football league will be kicking off in the first week back after half-term. Numbers at extra-curricular clubs have been very positive this year with over 30 girls attending football club and over 50 students attending the Year 7 boys football trials. Mr Phelps ran a very well organised and successful dodgeball inter-house tournament with Norbury house being crowned the overall champions. We are all looking forward to another busy and successful half-term in PE.
On Thursday, 21st September we had a very important visit from guest speaker Dave Parvin from Drug Sense to deliver student, staff and parent sessions. As a former drug squad officer, Dave has a wealth of experience and since leaving the police he has delivered hundreds of Drug Awareness Sessions to schools and colleges across the country. Dave focused his age-appropriate sessions on the dangers of vaping, drugs and how students can keep themselves safe. The sessions were interesting and informative, and we have received positive feedback from students and parents.
On Friday, 13th October we partnered with ITV’s Get Britain Talking Campaign to encourage Therfield students to share any concerns they have with a trusted adult. If you feel your child requires any additional support for their mental health please do contact their tutor or Head of Year, and please find attached the support services we offer at Therfield.
For our Year 11 students there has been strong focus on the GCSE exams that will start in about seven months time. This included sessions with Michele Miller - including a meeting for parents too- which provided excellent revision strategies. Over the last fortnight this has included a strong commitment to a first set of mock exams which will provide a great 'base camp' towards the challenges of next summer. For our students studying Geography this terms learning included two field trips. Students completed their physical fieldwork by visiting Worthing and investigating the extent that longshore drift is present at this beach. This involved sediment analysis, beach profiles and throwing an orange into the sea to test the direction of longshore drift! We also went to Portsmouth to investigate an urban area to see if quality of life varies across two different parts of the city. Students completed environmental quality surveys, transport surveys and shop analysis. Despite the very windy weather in Worthing, both days were a success and students can now apply the theory from the classroom to real life examples.
On the last Friday of September Therfield’s Sponsored Walk returned after a four-year hiatus. Our sixth formers led the way supporting all students and this was a very special day where our whole school community came together to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease and the Therfield Trust. At the time of writing over £8,600 has been raised and it is not too late to send sponsorship if you would like to support this cause. https://gofund.me/2c1b8962 .
I am always very grateful to the Trust for their amazing support to the school and on Sponsored Walk Day that included providing free fruit to our students and selling some snacks and drinks to the students on their return. Next up for the trust is the quiz on 2nd November - please do visit ParentPay if you would like to book a team for this brilliant event. If you have any queries regarding the evening, please email Trust@therfield.surrey.sch.uk.
It was great to catch up with so many of you at "Meet the Teachers" last night and do please get in touch if you ever have any feedback from me or other colleagues.
25th September 2023
It's been a very successful last few weeks at Therfield as we have begun the 2023-24 academic year with some significant success. The summer saw a lot of building development with the following aspects being new this term
Another aspect that happens in the summer is when students come in for GCSE and A Level results and share their achievements with parents, wider family, friends and school staff. I think you can see from the photos below how happy and proud the "Class of 2023" were! Congratulations to all our students.
It was brilliant to welcome so many visitors to the school for Open Evening. It's a great opportunity for our students and staff to show what a great community we are and you get a sense of the vibrant and positive atmosphere throughout the school from the photos below.
Although a couple of months ago now it's also worth reflecting on our very successful Curriculum Enrichment Days in July. The events included a PGL trip for Year 7s, The European Experience for Year 8s and our Year 9 students visiting the World War One Battlefields. These wider opportunities are key to our success as a school and I know our new Year 7 students are already looking forward to their trip to Cambridge and Mountfitchet Castle and we'll bring you up to date with that, amongst many other events in our October Blog.
31st March 2023
It has been great to have a successful term and we remain extremely grateful for your support as parents and carers and your positive messages.
As always, we help our students to expand their knowledge by finding opportunities for them to shine and there have been some terrific events over the last few weeks.
Over the weekend of 17th March, 29 Year 10, 11 and 12 students headed to the South Downs to complete their training and practice expedition for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Miss Smith led the event:
“Friday morning was spent learning about emergency procedures, first aid and route planning for their qualifying expedition in July. The sun came out for us in the afternoon and we headed out for a rather muddy walk to refresh navigation and compass skills. We had a soggy start on Saturday; teams walked from their campsite in Poynings up and along the South Downs to Ditchling where a pleasant evening allowed for some lovely views whilst cooking dinner on Trangias. Sunday’s weather was much kinder and the teams completed another day of walking from Ditchling to Burgess Hill. All of the students seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves despite the amount of mud! They all did fantastically well and I look forward to taking them on their qualifying expedition in the summer.” 
There have been plenty of other important events and activities taking place. We’ve had Parents Evening for Year 9 students, ‘Walking talking’ mocks for Maths for our Year 11s, GCSE Options Evening for our Year 9 students and families.
Year 8 have spent this term tackling social issues in their English lessons by supporting local charities as part of a programme provided by educational charity, First Give. They have spent weeks raising funds and awareness for causes they care about and they also raised vital awareness of the amazing work these charities do.
The school final was a fantastic event. We had a past Therfield Head Boy, Elliot Dunham come in to judge the final alongside two of our local Councillors who got to see students epitomizing our school values of excellence, leadership and opportunity and it was truly a very special event.
It was the class that supported a local charity, Wildlife Aid, that took home the £1,000 prize for their charity which will go towards the fantastic work they do to support and rehabilitate the wildlife in our area. For more information on the charity please follow the link: http://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/ 
The English Department had some success with their Young Writers Competition receiving a Runner-Up and High Commendation amongst our entries!
Lucy M (Year 7) was given a High Commendation for her poem. The judge’s comments were: “What a delightfully philosophical poem. I had hoped for more entries considering just what peace might be. I wanted more. Congratulations and thank you.”
Ellah M (Year 10) was Runner-Up in the Senior Category. The judge’s comments were: “I love your script. It feels like an outpouring of ideas with no restraint. Internal peace seems to coexist with mental turmoil. The words rush on and are exciting to read.”
All students submitted for entry will be receiving certificates, Ellah received £10 W H Smith voucher as a prize.
Year 13 with help from Year 12 have spent the last week raising money for charity. RAG week is an annual event here at Therfield and the students have been magnificent at the end of a long term, carrying out their duties with a smile on their face. Every day has seen a different event with students dressing up in fun costumes with the aim of raising money for local charities. We have witnessed the hugely successful Therfield’s Got Talent show with acts across all year groups, alongside doughnut selling and sponge the teacher. We salute them all. Thanks to the Sixth Formers and for all the students and staff that have helped in the rain! 
Year 12 music had a really enjoyable evening at the Opera this week, to see Philip Glass' Akhnaten.
A mix of minimalist music based on prayers and text, sung in Egyptian, Hebrew and Akkadian. Breath-taking staging and scenery added to the rhythmic drive of the work, interplayed with slow motion acting. 
This week The One Show came to film the Ashtead All Stars netball team on site in our Sports Hall, if you would like to watch the episode it aired on Thursday.
I hope that you have a great Easter break spent with your family and friends and ‘we go again’ at 9.30am on Monday, 17th April.
17th March 2023
The last few weeks have seen a couple of very special events that I think show Therfield firmly putting the pandemic times behind us and to get back to doing the things that make our school special. Parents often told me how much they value the rich variety of trips we offer and our recent 'new' trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley was a stunning example of this. Every student I've spoken to said they had a simply amazing time and you can read more and see more below with the video and write-ups Mr Pettitt produced for the trip.
17th February 2023
Good morning from San Francisco!
Yesterday was a phenomenal day!
Students were treated to a city wide tour of some of San Francisco’s most prolific landmarks. Starting, of course, with an up close look at the Golden Gate bridge, where we learnt about how its iconic colour came to be. It turns out that it was originally supposed to be painted yellow and black. However, after they covered the bridge in the primer paint, they decided that was much better and left it, which resulted in the rustic red that now makes it so recognisable across the world.
Following this, we took a trip up to Ocean Beach and walked along beautiful trail, taking in the breath-taking sight of the largest ocean on the planet, the Pacific.
Twin Peaks was our next stop, which did not fail to deliver a stunning view of the entire city of San Francisco. I have attached some scenic photos to this email. Hopefully your child has forwarded some photo’s of this to you already, If not then I am sure they will be eager to show you when we are home.
Yesterday also marked our visit over to Alcatraz island, AKA “The Rock”. We have been incredibly lucky with the weather conditions, and everyday has been clear skies and sunny. This has meant that the iconic fog that usually surrounds Alcatraz was not there, resulting in a clear view of the entire island and a view of the Golden Gate bridge as we crossed over on the ferry. Students were provided with a headset, and taken on a audio assisted tour of the prison including information about some of the most infamous prisoners incarcerated on the island. We all walked out of the tour in amazement of the history of the places we had just walked.
We visited Pier 39 following our ferry back from the island, where some students purchased items like personalised hats, ornaments and more food! We were also treated to an excellent view of a group of sea lions that occupy the jetty at the end of the pier.
We have been ensuring we check in regularly with every student and all seem to be in very high spirits and have thoroughly enjoyed every day. When I asked a student in year 10 if she had enjoyed herself so far, she welled up and said it had been the trip of a lifetime, and she doesn’t want to leave.
Mr Das and I have been filming and photographing our excursions and will be providing a trip video to all students to keep as an additional souvenir, we have some incredible footage and photos of the students that we can not wait to share with you also!
18th February 2023
Good morning from San Francisco!
Today marks the beginning of our return journey. However, it is not over yet!
This morning students will have one last opportunity to buy souvenirs as we visit the West Fields San Francisco Centre.
Yesterday was another incredible day, we visited Tech Interactive, which featured lots of coding related challenges, including in-depth exhibitions demonstrating how the developments in Computer Science are driving innovation in the medical sectors across the world. In addition, students had a chance to learn about genetic engineering, vehicle automation and virtual reality roller coasters to name a few things. Following this, students were treated to an IMAX showing of a documentary about the very rare Spirit Bears of Northwest British Columbia, narrated by Ryan Reynolds.
The Intel Museum was next on the agenda, which did not disappoint. Students learnt how the devices they use every day have come into existence, and what the future of computing may look like in 2050. The Museum had lots of interactive experiences demonstrating the speed of current processors, including a challenge where students had to attempt to wave quicker than a sensor could detect, which was practically impossible. The on site gift shop also provided students with the chance to buy some souvenirs including stickers, hats, t-shirts and notebooks, all Intel branded.
Upon speaking with the local San Franciscans, they highly recommended we visit the city’s Arena for the Giants basketball team, which coincidently was hosting a promotion event for P!NK’s new tour. So of course, it would have been rude not to! Many students purchased clothing and basketballs from the Giants official shop and had an opportunity to speak to local fans of the basketball team and P!NK.
At the start of the trip, I pro-actively purchased 70 dollars’ worth of sports equipment just in case we end up with some spare time at the hostel, and yesterday that opportunity came around! As the sun set over the golden gate bridge, (which we can see from where we are staying) the students played a full 90 minute football match with staff, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Needless to say our legs are a little sore today!
Please click the video link to see more: San Francisco - Silicon Valley Trip
The end of February saw our first musical since the spring of 2019 with an absolutely stunning Bugsy. Cast, crew, directors and musicians produced a fantastic production which was enjoyed by everyone (even those of us lucky enough to be splurged!) who has able to get hole of a ticket. It's wonderful to see this team of students come together from every year group in the school to create something that we will all remember for a very long time. I know that Miss Owen and her team are already homing in on next year's musical choice so I'm already looking forward to that.
Our Year 8 students had a brilliant day of reflection with the Human Utopia Team which provided great opportunities for thinking and talking about relationships, bullying and future ambitions. We were very impressed by the way the students went about the day supported brilliantly by Year 12 students too.
In terms of our academic side of the school it has been great to see students in all year groups having great success in exams. Our Year 7 students recently took part in French oral exams which is all part of building their confidence for their (long way in the future!) GCSE exams in 2027! The GCSE Food Technology exams require a Masterchef style performance from each student as they race against the clock to produce a two-course meal. The standard has been exceptionally high!
It has been a pleasure to catch up with Year 10 parents in the last week as well as seeing Year 11 and Year 13 parents for our curriculum evening as we build up to the summer examination season. Our focus turns to Year 9s in the coming weeks as we have both parents Evening and Options Evening as the adults work together to guide the students regarding their choices about futures.
And speaking of futures, last week saw tens of thousands of individual conversations about careers and the world of work at our annual career fair. With over 60 business and organisations represented this event provided a terrific insight for our students as well as providing a great opportunity for developing the softer skills involved in speaking to adults. We are hugely grateful for everyone who gave up their time.
10th February 2023
I’m writing having just spent a fantastic Friday afternoon watching our Year 9, 10 and Year 11 football team compete in the Dorking Wanderers tournament. It was a brilliant tournament with our ‘Invincibles’ yet again living up to their name with a terrific group stage where they won three and drew one. That performance qualified them for the final against Reigate School who had topped the other group. What followed was an exhibition of skill, effort and some really great football with a sublime hattrick from Bella too, a 5-1 victory for Therfield. All of the girls represented Therfield exactly how I would expect them too and it made me very proud to watch them win some silverware (As a Portsmouth fan I’m not used to this!).
It’s been another great half-term of sporting achievement with fixtures in table tennis this week. Our extra-curricular offer has never been stronger and it’s been a pleasure to see the commitment, energy and enjoyment for so many students. I enjoyed meeting some of our sporting stars (with tennis, diving, netball, rugby and football all mentioned in our meeting) for a celebration hot chocolate this week.
I’ve also caught up with students in different year groups to say ‘really well done’ based on nominations from Tutors and Heads of Years, and thanks to our admin team for creating the hot chocolate (with marshmallows) for our students. Our students are our biggest asset of course and it’s amazing to think they’ve earnt over 356,215 house points already this year. There are lots of opportunities for celebrating success to follow in the second half of the academic year with House Colours, Presentation Evening, Prizegiving, Sports Day medals and the Headteacher Reward Trip too!
Like most schools Therfield remembered the Holocaust last month with thoughtful sessions in tutor time and for our Year 9s there was a webcast with a holocaust survivor. There will be only a handful of future year groups who will be able to hear directly from eyewitnesses to the horrendous events of the Holocaust and it was a privilege to be able to see the reflection from our students.
There is one event every year at Therfield which doesn’t really involve any students directly, but which nevertheless is very important to improve everyone’s learning, our Annual TeachMeet. We were able to run this for the first time in three years and it’s an absolutely fantastic event where teachers come together to share their good practice and to really think about how to create great and engaging lessons. We had over 20 schools represented and over 120 teachers coming together to think, discuss and enhance their teaching skills. It’s a real privilege to work with a group of staff who are so committed to spend their time into the evening, thinking creatively about how to ensure even better learning opportunities for our students.
Our Year 11 and Year 13 students have been working tremendously hard on their mock exams. It has been very impressive to see the youngsters coming together spending their time revising and really giving this set of exams their ‘very best shot’. Of course, their education has been impacted by the pandemic and yet they will face a full set of GCSE or A-level exams this summer. For tackling these preparations with great effort, with togetherness and with plenty of hard work they are making us all feel very proud.
Revision techniques and study skills are essential tools for students taking exams. Elevate Education have been in school to deliver motivation sessions to our Year 11 students in January and study skills this week to our Year 10 students. The aim of the session is to share a range of study skills and revision techniques and give students the opportunity to practise them. This will be followed up by using these skills in weekly tutor times to explore the techniques in more detail. There is also parent access to a series of webinars on how to support your child at Key Stage 4.
Thank you to Milestone Infrastructure who came in to speak with our Sixth Form for National Apprenticeship Week. Students were advised on routes into engineering, electrical infrastructure and the business side of the company. It was a good insight into the great opportunities out there.
On Thursday, 26th January, the KS4 and 5 Drama students travelled to London to watch Frantic Assembly’s Othello at the Lyric, Hammersmith. The performance was outstanding; it was a blend of Shakespeare and modern-day life which was enjoyed by all. The students had a fantastic experience and it was wonderful to be back at the Theatre. All of the students who attended behaved impeccably and were a credit to Therfield.
This week was our Hyundai event for Year 8 students. It was a brilliant day and included a fantastic team of Hyundai staff who visited Therfield to talk about the future of driving sustainably and their innovation in driving. The Year 8 students were tasked to design their own ideas using greener energy. They had to work on their business skills presenting and creating their ideas as a team. A big thank you to everyone at Hyundai for visiting and creating excitement surrounding future technology.
It’s been great to reconnect The Blog after a few years away and I hope everyone has a great half-term and I’ll include information about the Silicon Valley trip in the next Blog.
