Headteacher's Newsletter February 2025

Respect, Excellence, Determination

Positive Pathways

Well done to all our students for the continued hard work and efforts with their house points! Sixty-six students have now reached gold boundary, 15 students have reached diamond and two students have reached the platinum boundary – an amazing achievement! Special mention goes to Arlo (7J) for being the first student to reach Platinum level.

So far this academic year, 157,158 positive achievement points have been issued across the school, which is exceptional. Well done everyone and keep up the hard work! 

Mr Lewis, Assistant Headteacher – KS4

Well-being

This time of year can be challenging for people – dark nights, wet and cold weather, exam stress; it all starts to take its toll. Please find a link to a newsletter we subscribe to, which has lots of helpful information and tips on maintaining good well-being: Emotional Wellbeing Newsletter 2025.

Remember, if your son or daughter is struggling with their mental health or well-being there is plenty of support available in school via Student Services and online. Please follow the links to our website for more information: Student Well-being - Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys and Medical, Pastoral and SEND - Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys.

Mrs Rose, Assistant Headteacher

Governors’ Day

Governors were delighted to spend Tuesday 11th February at the school. This is an annual event which gives us the opportunity, beyond our regular programme of meetings and school visits, to see the school in action and to meet, and especially listen to, school leaders, staff and students.

This year our discussions included the school's programme for development of its Middle Leaders and how they are working with their teams to enhance the school curriculum and its delivery. We also heard from Ms Simpson about the school's plans ahead of the next Ofsted visit, anticipated later this year. In addition, we reflected as a group on aspects of the school's broader future strategic development.

It was a privilege to see our vibrant community in action and on behalf of the governors, I would like to thank the school leaders, staff and students who gave up their valuable time to meet us.

Dr Philip Drew, Chair of Governors 

Sixth Form

This term has been a busy one for our Year 13 students. They recently completed an intensive three weeks or so of mock A Level exams while simultaneously navigating the critical UCAS application process. We are delighted to report that every applicant has received university offers, with many securing all five of their choices. They are now evaluating their options, with some students already attending interviews and others preparing for upcoming ones. We wish them all the best for their continued success.

Meanwhile, Year 12 students are focused on preparations for their upcoming mock exams, now just six short weeks away. This term’s enrichment programme was further enhanced by the visit of former student Leo Henry, who shared valuable insights about university life and career pathways beyond education. Additionally, several Year 12 students have embraced the role of mentors, offering support and guidance to younger peers, fostering a strong sense of community and leadership within the school.

Mr Smith, Assistant Headteacher – KS5

The enrichment talk provided a good chance for Leo to catch up with his younger brother Max.

Year 10 Trip to Queens’ College, Cambridge

In January a small group of very high achieving students in Year 10, supported by the ‘Aim Higher’ project visited Queens’ College Cambridge for a day of talks on university life and the application process. The information was invaluable in helping students understand the types of subjects they would need to study at KS5 in order to follow specific degree courses.

The trip was a great success, and the students were all very inspired. Here are some of their comments:

‘We had the opportunity to visit Queens’ College at Cambridge University. Queen’s College presented a talk about what university is like and how to apply. The experience was amazing and we were filled with inspiration about our next steps: A Level to university.’

‘I was able to learn that if I wanted to study Medicine in the future, the only A Level I would have to take as a minimum requirement is Chemistry.’

‘I really love History so it was great to appreciate the history of the university and see some of the magnificent buildings.’

‘Great lunch provided in one of the great halls.’

Comment made when we got to visit one of the university's internal natural history museums: ‘How long can we stay in here Miss?’ 

It was a great day and we hope to now make this visit a regular part of our calendar for Year 10.

Mr Lewis, Assistant Headteacher – KS4 and Miss Mawn, Lead Practitioner for Science

Co-curricular

Charity Bake Sale

Congratulations to Luke, Josh and Harry at the Sevenoaks Campus for organising a charity bake sale in aid of Surfers Against Sewage. They baked a huge amount of cakes themselves and donations came from many of the other students. In total they raised over £350, which will also contribute towards them gaining their fundraising badge for Scouts. Thanks also go to their parents and grandparents for supporting them. 

Mrs Rose, Assistant Headteacher

Christmas crafting

Last term, Year 7 students in Sevenoaks made personalised Christmas cards and crackers for their family and friends in a one-off lunchtime festive craft club. The room buzzed with creativity and teamwork, all set to the cheerful tunes of Christmas music. It was a joyful event, with a sprinkling of glitter for all!

Ms Piper

The Library

Fellowship of the Reads Book Club

One of the twelve FOTR books this year is The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery. The story features an old man’s fading years haunted by his past and broken promises in the aftermath of the atomic bomb in 1945. His granddaughter is determined to help him. As the Japanese senbazuru legend goes, if you have the patience to fold 1,000 paper cranes, you will find your heart’s desire and it turns out her grandfather has only one more origami crane to fold…..

Liam in Year 8 writes:
'Personally, I enjoyed this book despite it being such a sad story as it was a very emotive read; the setting is in Hiroshima – a destroyed Hiroshima – and is written in the first person making you feel the pain and sadness that Ando Ichiro (the main character) is feeling. This creates a sense of empathy towards not just him but all who suffered from the bombs. I also like the layout as it starts in the present (which is written in poems), goes back to the past and then forward to the present (also in verse). The actual story is written in medias res – see, I was listening in English! This is very effective as it links you to the character as you have as little clue as they do about what is happening when the bomb hits.
I think the cover is simple yet also effective as it depicts Ando and Keiko’s silhouettes as well the silhouette of a broken tree. The tree shows that it wasn’t only humans who were affected by the bombs but nature as well.'

In Japan, the crane is a symbol of both longevity and fortune leading to it being one of the most popular origami creations. Throughout Japan, the story of 12-year-old Sadako Sasaki perhaps best epitomises the senbazuru legend. Having suffered radiation poisoning from the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bomb, Sadako set out to fold 1,000 cranes, hoping to be granted her wish to recover. Her story resonated with the nation and paper cranes continue to be a symbol for recovery, messages of peace and hope across Japan.

In book club we have learnt to fold paper cranes with the help of Ed in 13G, Conrad in 9I and Liam in 8G as guiding experts. The boys have also created paper cranes at home and even on the school bus, resulting in a paper crane folding club with students from other schools.

Mrs Musselwhite Steel, Library Manager

Classics Theatre Trip, Oedipus

On Wednesday 12th February our Year 12 A Level Classics students travelled to London to see Oedipus at The Old Vic. They summarised the performance as follows:

'The performance was fantastic: powerfully lit and brilliantly acted by a phenomenal cast. The performance was accompanied by a stunning choral performance and amplified by powerful use of sound and lighting. Several characters, such as Jocasta and Creon, were beautifully interpreted and adapted to truly elevate them to levels not present within the original text. The effects were also perfect, for example the use of actual water to represent the rain on-stage. The absence of props leaving room for interpretation was very powerful.'

Mrs Panou, Classical Civilisation Teacher

Design Technology

The DT department has been as busy as ever this term and Year 8 students have been applying their understanding of forces and structures when designing and making assorted bridges.

Ms Hannah, DT Teacher

Drama and Theatre Studies

Lord of the Flies at Tunbridge Wells

On Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th February a cast of students from Years 8–10 performed the school production of Lord of the Flies at the Tunbridge Wells site. The cast did a fantastic job and created an entertaining and professional performance, which was enjoyed by their families, the public and TWGSB staff. Thank you to everyone who attended the performances, we look forward to welcoming you to the next production in the near future! 

Miss Turner, Head of Drama and Theatre Studies

Food & Nutrition

It has been another busy term in the Food and Nutrition department! The Year 7s have been busy learning lots of new skills by cooking margherita pizza and tasty homemade chicken nuggets. The Year 9s have extended their skills by producing some wonderful quiches, chilli con carne and swiss rolls. Thanks to the generous donations of lots of new kitchen gadgets from the PTA, the Year 10 GCSE students have been able to produce some rather impressive dishes, including chocolate profiteroles using their new-found choux pastry and pasta dishes using the pasta machines. Also, thanks to the PTA donations, we have been able to grow some fresh produce in our new vegetable raised beds.

Ms Geer, Food & Nutrition Teacher

Geography

2025 Worldwise Quiz

We are thrilled to share the results of the Geographical Association’s 2025 Worldwise Quiz. This exciting competition brought together 30 students from Year 7 at Sevenoaks and our invited guests, who showcased their outstanding geographical knowledge and teamwork.

The quiz challenged participants on a variety of topics, including geographical facts, capitals, place names, country outlines and landmarks. Teams represented our school live online, competing against schools from South and East London and beyond. Questions included ‘What is the capital of Guinea-Bissau?’ and ‘What D is the smelliest fruit in the world, which grows in SE Asia. It smells of rotten onions and sewage!?'

It was a fast-paced quiz, with Ms Piper and her assistant marking and entering results after every round. The top five teams at TWGSB were awarded prizes. Regionally we are proud to announce that our teams scored highly, the highlights as follows:

• Atlas Avengers: 3rd place  in Year 7 out of 40 teams, 12th overall out of 80 teams.
• Le Courgettes: 4th place in Year 7 out of 40 teams, 18th overall out of 80 teams.
• Pingpins: 8th place in Year 7 out of 40 teams.

These fantastic results reflect the hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment of our students. Congratulations to all who took part, it was a great night. Everyone who attended received a treat to keep them going after a long day at school, a certificate from the Geographical Association and bonus house points.

Ms Piper, Geography Teacher

Media

Year 12 trip to the BFI

Our Year 12 A Level students, accompanied by Mr Stephens, Mrs Wood and Mr Tidy, spent an exciting day in London in January attending the annual Media Studies Students Conference at the BFI. Curated by the English and Media Centre, the event offers Sixth Formers the opportunity to hear and engage first-hand with leading creative professionals and academics from the media industry – including Professor David Hesmondhalgh, one of the theorists studied on the A Level course.

Other speakers took to the stage to represent film, television and music video, offering an insight into the impact of AI on the academic and creative industries.

This year’s Keynote speaker was the writer Nida Manzoor, who gave an inspiring summary of her TV experiences and the challenging creative journey she undertook to bring her critically lauded sitcom, We Are Ladyparts to Channel 4.

Other speakers included Alison Phillips, former editor of The Daily Mirror, and Harv Frost, director of the memorable recent videos for indie band The Last Dinner Party. Harv’s insight into her creative and practical decisions proved to be particularly valuable for students interested in the medium, while Alison’s frank discussion about the tough decisions taken each day as a tabloid editor was fascinating.

The feedback from our students this year was once again overwhelmingly positive about the breadth of topics covered and the quality of the speakers. Hopefully, attending the conference has not only helped deepen their understanding of the subject, but also inspired their creativity – just ahead of their NEA practical projects.

Mr Stephens, Head of Media Studies

Modern Foreign Languages

Contemporary and New Wave cinema visit for KS5 French 

Our Year 13 French A Level students enjoyed a study day, analysing the style and themes of the French New Wave and its impact on contemporary French cinema. The day included a screening of the film Bande des Filles. 

This study day was aimed at helping KS5 French students develop their film analysis skills and build a deeper understanding of the styles and themes of key set texts. Conducted in French, the morning consisted of a clip-based presentation introducing the concepts of the French New Wave, highlighting key films of the movement such as The 400 Blows and using scene analysis to reveal how it influenced the style and themes of contemporary French films such as La Haine (1995) and Entre Le Murs (2008). 

By exploring key scenes and applying textual analysis, students had the opportunity to learn about film language, gain a deeper understanding of the set text and expand their vocabulary. 

Mrs Gray, MFL Lead for French 

Visit by sports journalist, Chris Dennis

This week Year 9 and Year 10 students were visited by Chris Dennis a multilingual sports and broadcasting journalist. As well as English, Chris broadcasts in French and speaks German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. During his talk to the students Chris reinforced the importance of using languages in sport and in other careers, and talked about his recent experience working in the press office live at the Paris Olympics. 

At the end of each session Chris asked for students to volunteer to be interviewed in English and to demonstrate a 'two-way', which is an interview conducted by a studio-based presenter and which is widely used in broadcast news. 

Ms Blenkin, MFL Teacher

Physical Education 

Table tennis

U13s: On Tuesday 12th November the U13 table tennis team travelled to The Howard School in Gillingam. The team played well but being low on numbers meant that they were knocked out in the first round.

U16s: On Wednesday 20th November the U16 table tennis team travelled to the same venue. After a successful morning the A and B teams both finished second in their groups, moving on to the knockout round. The B team made the semi-final despite being one person down. The A team made the final and finished second in the consolation bracket.

U19s: On Wednesday 20th November the U19 table tennis team travelled to The Howard school. The U19 team played exceptionally well and managed to win the competition in straight games. This team will now move on to the next round of the competition. Good luck!

Miss Burdett, PE Teacher

Football

Two Kent Cup victories and three TWGSB teams reach ESFA National Cup quarter-finals

The Year 7 U12B and the Year 9 U14B teams have both won the Kent Cup. The Year 7 U12B team, the Year 8 U13 B team and the Year 10 U15 A team have all reached the quarter-finals of the ESFA National Cup – a brilliant season for TWGSB football.

U18 1st XI: The U18 1st XI reached the quarter-final of the Kent Cup. Unfortunately, this had to be played on a fixed date during the mock exam period, meaning we were without three players and missing another with injury. The team led for a while but eventually lost 3-1 against Borden GS from Sittingbourne.

U18 2nd XI: The U18 2nd XI also reached the quarter-final of the Kent Cup, losing 2-1 away at Norton Knatchbull in Ashford.

Year 11 U16 B: The team reached the ESFA National Cup Last 16 teams before losing 3-0 against a talented Hurstmere team from Sidcup.

Year 10 U15 A: The team reached the ESFA Elite National Cup quarter-final and played the current national champions, Shenfield High. With five players missing for a variety of reasons the team led 1-0 with Shenfield High equalising with the last kick of the first half. Despite a promising start to the second half, we went on to lose 5-1 against a very strong team.

Year 9 U14 A: The team reached the ESFA Elite National Cup Last 16 teams. Despite leading 3-2 away at Buckswood with 10 minutes remaining, we ultimately lost 4-3 to a goal scored in the last minute of the game.

Year 9 U14 B: The team has had an excellent season. They lost 2-1 away at Hurstmere in the Last 32 of the ESFA National Cup, despite being the better team. However, the squad showed great determination to play the Kent Cup final at the end of the same week, under floodlights at Herne Bay FC, with TWGSB winning 6-2 against Simon Langton GS from Canterbury. It was a brilliant team performance with six different goal scorers. Congratulations to all involved!

Year 8 U13 A: This team has had another excellent season. We reached the Last 16 teams in the ESFA Elite National Cup before losing away in Reading against an exceptional team containing numerous pro club academy players. In the Kent Cup (in which 87 teams had entered) the team reached the semi-finals. They led 3-0 away at Bonus Pastor in Bromley but the game finished 3-3 with TWGSB losing 4-3 after extra time.

Year 8 U13 B: This team is having a brilliant season and reached the Kent Cup semi-final, only to lose 3-2 against Ravens Wood from Bromley. In the ESFA National Cup the team has had a number of impressive wins and has reached the quarter-finals. This fixture will be played at home against a school from Gloucestershire in Term 4.

Year 7 U12 B: This team has won all of its games this season. They played brilliantly to win 4-2 against Harris Garrard Academy in the Kent Cup semi-final. In the Kent Cup final the team played against Simon Langton GS from Canterbury with TWGSB winning 5-0 under the floodlights at Maidstone United FC. Congratulations to all involved! The team has also performed fantastically well in the ESFA National Cup, winning several matches and has reached the quarter-final. The team will travel to Bournemouth, Dorset in Term 4.

Thank you to all of the students involved in the various teams from Year 7 to Year 13. Your contribution is greatly appreciated. In addition, over 200 students from Years 7 to 9 have been training after school every week at both campuses. Very well done.

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

RE & Philosophy

GCSE trip to Neasden Temple

On Wednesday 12th February the RP Department took the Year 10 and Year 11 RE GCSE students to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, commonly referred to as the Neasden Temple, the largest Hindu mandir (temple) outside India. There follows a summary from one of our Year 11 students, Gabriel R:

‘During my time at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, I was able to experience the true perspective of Hindu worship, along with receiving useful information which will serve me well in my upcoming RE GCSE.

Upon arrival, you may notice the huge contrast between the vastness of the temple and the typical village homes and scenery surrounding it. But this only helped to increase the awe and wonder of the temple when we first saw it. Once we entered, we of course removed our shoes and were taken into the prayer hall in silence, to not disturb the place of worship. We were then shown a video detailing the three years of arduous work that it took to build the temple, with marble from Italy and limestone from Turkey. The temple was inaugurated in 1995 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

If I were to sum up the trip with one key event, however, it would be experiencing the Arati ceremony. We sat in the main upstairs Mandir filled with carvings of Hindu Gods from marble. The ritual consisted of the Sidhus (priests) waving candles and ringing bells in front of Murtis (enlivened statues of Gods) and Bhajan (hymns) playing in the background. It was a truly enlightening experience to see them worshipping in both ‘sound and in silence’ Maitri Upanishad 6:22.

To put it simply, it may be filled with unfamiliar customs and a completely unique environment, but I felt truly welcome at the temple. This is explained by the Atharva Veda which I learnt inside the Mandir as many believe that "The whole world is one nest".’

Mrs Hawkes, Head of RE & Philosophy

Football signing

A huge congratulations to Sam F (Year 9) on being signed to AFC Wimbledon in December.

Independent Catering celebrated Chinese New Year by serving delicious noodle dishes and crackers and showcasing some amazing pineapple carving skills!

Marketing, Development & Alumni Relations

Parents and students, please do get in touch if you have any news you would like to share with us. We love celebrating our students’ achievements on our website and social platforms so let us know if someone deserves a pat on the back. Simply email Ingrid Roberts at iroberts@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk.

TWGSB Alumni

Join | TWGSB Connect

Thank you so much for the story contributions and please keep them coming in: connect@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk.