From an impressive student fundraising effort to numerous field trips and sporting successes, it has been another busy week for our students and I am pleased to share the highlights with you below.

A cause beyond their individual needs

An International Baccalaureate (IB) education nurtures a desire to support causes beyond our students’ individual needs and I am incredibly proud of the effort our students put into supporting projects around the world. Last weekend, nine of our students, including Amaike V-B., Ettie L., Eve B., Annabelle E., Iris L., Milan D-P., William J., Lottie B and Finch L., arranged a sleep out to raise funds for children suffering in Gaza. Despite the near freezing temperatures and torrential downpours, our students slept outside under a canvas all night long, and they raised an incredible £4,500, which will be donated to UNICEF’s children in Gaza crisis appeal. There is still time to donate if you are interested.

Howzat! Table cricket stars shine

Elsewhere, following success in their area final a few months ago, a cohort of our students travelled to Bury St Edmunds to participate in the Regional Table Cricket Finals. Our students competed against schools from Southend, Cromer, Ipswich and beyond and showcased both their sporting prowess and their respect for their opponents. They placed fourth overall, which is a fantastic achievement given the strength of the opposition. Congratulations to them all and thank you to them for representing the College in such a positive light.

Students support live election count

Politics is a hot topic of conversation at the moment and today, our Sixth Form IB Global Politics students travelled to Duxford to participate in the live election count for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner. The trip provided a unique opportunity to witness firsthand how democratic elections are managed and enhanced their understanding of how historical military events have influenced current political structures through the exhibits at the Imperial War Museum. Trips such as this help to bring classroom learning to life and enable our students to gain a greater understanding of the context of their subject learning.

Analysing the state of the Cambridge highstreets

Our Sixth Form Geography students have been working on their IB International Assessments (IAs) and this week, completed a fieldwork study exploring to what extent does Cambridge city centre show indicators of high street decline. The students were tasked with completing an environmental quality survey, conducting pedestrian counts and monitoring traffic flows at various points across the city. The data will now be processed and compiled into one central location that all students will have access to as a resource when completing their IAs.

Exploring the Industrial Revolution

Did you know that the first modern factory was a water-powered cotton spinning mill? Our Year 8 History students have been learning all about the Industrial Revolution and have recently been exploring some of the different reasons why the revolution happened. They were tasked with designing word clouds to explain their findings and I have seen some fantastic examples of conceptual thinking. Do keep an eye on the College’s Instagram page for examples of some of their creative works.

Year 8 Progress evening – thank you for joining us

Finally, on Wednesday, it was a pleasure to welcome parents and carers of our Year 8 students to their Progress Evening. Building strong parent/teacher relationships is something that I am truly passionate about as they have a profoundly positive impact on students’ personal and academic develop. Evenings such as this help to further cement those bonds.

The evening also provided an opportunity for us to analyse our students’ IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) progress and for parents and carers to ask any questions they may have. Thank you for joining us!