Sixth Form News Archives - Page 8 of 41

Year 12 students travelled to Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station on Wednesday 16 March, taking in an informative tour, enabling them to see nuclear energy in action.

John shares his experience of and thoughts on the day, below.

Year 12’s John

26 enthusiastic Sixth Formers travelled to Sizewell B with Dr Law, to take a tour around the nuclear power plant. We arrived and enjoyed a presentation on how the nuclear plant operates from some friendly employees; we were also briefed on the safety procedures within the plant. We then toured around the plant in groups of five or six, I particularly enjoyed seeing the water cooling system, and was shocked to discover around three million litres of water was used per minute to help condense the steam exiting the turbines.

Another thing that I enjoyed on the trip was learning from one of the guides about the radiation in and around Sizewell B. It was encouraging to hear that within the plant the radiation level was only slightly higher than regular background radiation, and that just being in a different part of the country such as Cornwall would expose you to a higher radiation level (but still well within safe limits). This was nice to learn, as while I was aware of the safety of nuclear power plants, I didn’t know that there were such negligible effects.

Finally, it was encouraging to learn about the large economic benefit Sizewell B brings to our community – £40 million a year! Hopefully, Sizewell C will do the same in the years ahead.

In summary, I greatly enjoyed this trip, and found it very informative and exciting, and would recommend it to current Year 11s for next year.

GCSE Drama is a dynamic and creative subject, offering students the opportunity to explore the world of theatre making, acting, and performance. Combining practical skills and theoretical knowledge, the curriculum enables students to develop as directors, performers and critical thinkers.

Since 4 March, through to this Wednesday 26 March, Year 11, 12 and 13 Drama students have been busy with their practical and scripted exams in School.

Year 12 Devised Practical Examination

Our Year 12 students took their Devised Practical exam, a component during which students are assessed on their ability to create and develop ideas, communicating meaning for theatrical performance, applying theatrical skills to realise artistic intentions in live performance.

Year 11 Scripted Examination

A practical component of the exam for our Year 11 students, they were assessed on their ability to create and develop ideas in order to communicate meaning for theatrical performance. They also had to apply theatrical skills to realis artistic intentions in live performance.

Year 13 Scripted Examination

As above for Year 11, Year 13 students also took their scripted examination.

Commenting on their hard work, dedication and focus during these exams, our Head of Drama, Miss Mayes shared,

“It’s been absolutely wonderful to watch these young creatives commitment to these exams, and their enjoyment – which is such an important part of the GCSE and A level course. Their passion has been evident, as ever, and I’ve been extremely proud to not only have had the chance to guide them, but to watch their live performances which were all incredible, I felt very proud – as they should do of themselves.”

Last week was a Hockey week to be proud of! From outstanding team and individual performances, to great progress made in all matches – whether a win, draw or loss was the outcome.

Woodbridge Senior 1st XI vs New Hall 1st XI

The senior 1st XI got the week off to a good start with an entertaining and structured performance against a skillful and well drilled New Hall 1st XI. Woodbridge had a number of early chances but could not convert. Woodbridge ultimately scored the first goal of the match but New Hall came back strong with two quality team goals and individual finishes!

The second half continued in an intense fashion with players trying to get the upper hand on each other and manipulate things in their favour. Woodbridge scored to bring the scores level and Year 13’s Bash in goal had to be on top form in the closing stages to keep it so, including a diving save to his right, and see the match out for a classic draw.

The Woodbridge team may feel they missed an opportunity against this top opponent, but this was a great result, turning around a much more one side affair from last season, showing the progress our group of senior players have made. A great season to date with five wins, one draw and one loss.

The last match of the season is another showdown against RHS. More about this in next week’s report.

Our Junior Teams Had a Glorious Afternoon of Goals against RHS!

The Junior 1st team, made up of Year 8 players, was on cloud nine following the opening match of Wednesday afternoon. Things just fell into place as they prepared for the East Regional Finals.

The first half saw Woodbridge dominate but continue the trend of the season; making lots of chances but being denied by great goalkeeping. Josh opened the scoring half-way through the half, before Dex made it two just before the half time whistle. Not many things to talk about at half time, except “let’s use our chances”- and then goals followed almost every second minute.

Griff racked up a hattrick, Dex completed his hattrick, Josh got another and co-captain Otto got a brace, including a split grip volley goal he has been working on all season! Even though it was goals galore on the day, our defending trio of Joseph, Dylan and goalkeeper, Max, did their job outstandingly! Tackles, intercepts and saves made sure that the opposition didn’t get a sniff, the clean sheet making it seem more one sided than it was.

Well done to each of these players on all they have put in so far, mentally and physically, into their hockey season.

The Junior 2s would not be outdone, going one better in the goals count. The race for top scorer in the team is well and truly on, as the team continues to play entertaining Hockey, using speed and creative skills well. Some nice eliminations, passing and decision making meant RHS could not keep Woodbridge at bay. Year 7’s Jack opened the scoring and there was no looking back. Year 7’s Ollie and Max both got a hattrick of goals while Year 8’s Arthur scored a brace and Year 8’s Michael added to his growing tally of goals. Year 7’s Archie finished off a magical game and win for the team.

The Junior 3s followed a similar trend where almost every touch in the D turned to gold. Indeed an unprecedented afternoon of Hockey!

Brothers, Year 8’s Alfie (3) and Otis (2) got the bulk of the goals between them, with Year 8’s Tom and Giles scoring two and one respectively.

The Junior 4s completed the home matches against Royal Hospital School with another good victory. Woodbridge started off slowly but built into the game stringing together a series of attacks to only be denied by a good RHS defence. The first goal came from some excellent play down the right with Year 8’s Thomas slapping to take a deflection off an RHS stick into the net. RHS put together some good attacks of their own only to be turned away by some great shot stopping by Year 7 goalkeeper Harry.

After half time Woodbridge started to play more freely, moving the ball quickly proving difficult to defend against. Year 8’s Alex and Oliver both managed to get their names on the scoresheet before the final whistle.

A great win! Well done!

The Junior 5s played away, with RHS using their home advantage well. It was a slightly lackluster performance from our team, which Mr Davis will use as motivation to get the team to fire on all cylinders in their last match against Ipswich School. Year 7’s Miles put in his usual energetic play and scored yet another goal. Despite a goal and a player-of-the-match performance from Year 8’s George B, the win was not to be this time. All to play for in the last match of the season.

The mighty Junior 6s, under the excellent guidance of Mrs Winchester, continued their unbeaten run! Hard work, positivity and a desire to compete lies at the heart of their success and this match had it all. It was clear that one team wanted this more than the other and ultimately led to a victorious outcome with three-goals each for Year 7’s William and Luke, and one for Year 8’s Rufus. This is looking like ‘team-of-the-year’ stuff! Just one game to go against our nearest rivals…

U15A Display Sublime Skill Despite Narrow Defeat to Norwich

The U15A team delivered a performance of exceptional quality against Norwich School, despite a defeat. In what was undoubtedly their best display of the term, the team showcased remarkable skill and determination, leaving coaches and spectators alike impressed.

The match began with both sides displaying evenly matched play. Woodbridge’s defence worked tirelessly, consistently thwarting Norwich’s attacks and initiating swift counter-attacks. However, the elusive clinical finish proved to be the difference, and Norwich managed to secure a first-half goal.

A focused half-time team talk revitalised the Woodbridge side, who emerged with renewed vigour. The first 20 minutes of the second half saw Woodbridge dominate play, culminating in a well-deserved equaliser. Unfortunately, a deflected shot and a momentary lapse in communication as Woodbridge chased the winning goal, allowed Norwich to score two quick goals, deciding the match in their favour.

Despite the setback, Woodbridge continued to press, earning an impressive 12 short corners in the match, including one on the final whistle. After a flurry of attempts at goal Norwich managed to clear the threat and in so doing, end the match. Only converting one of our corners highlights a good area to focus on.

The team’s overall attitude and sportsmanship were exemplary, earning praise from the board umpire for their behaviour and intensity. The Player of the Match award went to Year 10 captain, Oliver Y, whose outstanding work rate and captaincy were instrumental to the team’s performance.

While the result was disappointing, the team should be immensely proud of their performance. This match demonstrated the high level of skill and commitment within the U15A squad, and they can look forward to building on this foundation in their last fixture of the season. Well played, team!

The U15B team showed great progress in their match against Norwich School. Norwich dominated the first half, peppering our defense and goal. Year 9’s Barnaby made tackle after tackle, often having multiple Norwich defenders to take care of. Year 10 goalkeeper, Frank, stood strong and made a number of great saves to keep Woodbridge within touching distance at half time, knowing if they made better choices and execute their passes better, they can get the two goals back.

The tides did indeed turn somewhat in the second half, with Woodbridge spending much more time in the opposition half and feeding their forwards much better. Year 10’s James B moving to right back brought nice urgency as well as Year 10’s Toby trying to lift the pace of our attacks. Nice rotations and leading from Year 9’s William and George led to exciting attacks and now it was the Norwich GK who had to be alert. A cracking strike on the bounce from Year 10’s James S was well saved.

A second half which I hope fills the group with confidence going into their last match. Good observations and learning from the team to make their own changes and corrections at half time, which led to a much improved overall performance, is a real positive to take away from this game.

The Army section of our CCF held their annual Minden Dinner on Wednesday evening, enjoying a delicious three course meal ahead prepared by our wonderful catering team. Traditional toasts were made to the King by one of our junior cadets, Year 9’s Bay, there were readings, extracts from notable figures such as Victoria Cross recipients, shared by our Head of Contingent Year 13’s Oscar, Year 11’s Sam C and Jack, and speeches were made by Capt Capjon as well as Year 13’s Oliver.

You can read Oliver’ speech below:

Oscar and Oliver at the Minden Dinner

Ladies and gentlemen, officers, cadets, and guests,

Thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate Minden Day. This is a special evening where we come together to remember the incredible history of the Royal Anglian Regiment, but also to celebrate what makes our CCF so unique—the people, the experiences, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.

Being in charge of the Army section this year has been an honour. When I first joined, I never imagined I’d be standing here, giving this speech. Over the years, I’ve been through it all—getting soaked on exercises, sleep-deprived on field days, and, of course forgetting my beret. But through it all, the CCF has been an incredible journey. It’s about more than just training—it’s about building confidence, overcoming challenges, and making friends who, at some point, you will have to share a basha with.

We’ve all had moments we’ll never forget— clearing buildings, and spending entire exercises wondering when we’d finally get to eat. But that’s what makes the CCF special: the shared experiences, the teamwork, and the fact that, no matter how bad the weather is we will always come out of it stronger.

Minden Day is about remembering the bravery of those who fought in 1759, but it’s also about recognising the people who keep that spirit alive today. And who better to represent us than our very own Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet, Oscar? It’s a huge achievement, and we’re all incredibly proud of him. But let’s be honest—when he turned up in his Number 2s, I thought Dad’s Army had been brought back for a reunion special. I was just waiting for him to start shouting, “Don’t panic!”.

Now, speaking of people who keep us in check, I have to say a huge thank you to Mr. Stollery, Mr Capjon, and Mr. Garvie. They put in countless hours behind the scenes, making sure we actually get to do all the things we enjoy. Whether it’s planning exercises, organising events, or reminding us that, yes, our uniform does include a beret, they keep this section running behind the scenes .

Mr. Garvie, of course, has his own approach to things. Whether it’s his barefoot shoes or walking around school with no shoes at all, he’s very much in tune with nature.

And tonight is particularly special because it’s Mr. Stollery’s birthday! Now, I won’t say how old he is, but I’m fairly certain when he first joined the Army, they were still issuing swords and horses.

But beyond the jokes, tonight is about more than just our own section. The Royal Anglian Regiment has a long history of excellence, and as cadets, we are privileged to wear their cap badge. Their ethos speaks of teamwork, trust, and striving for excellence—values that we, as cadets embody. Whether we’re training for competitions, learning new skills, or just helping each other through a tough exercise, we are part of something much bigger.

So, as we look to the future, I hope the younger cadets take everything in and realise that the best moments are still ahead! You’ll face challenges, you’ll make mistakes, and you’ll probably forget your beret at some point—but you’ll also have some of the best experiences of your life.

Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for a toast to the Royal Anglian Regiment…

‘The Royal Anglian Regiment!’

Last Saturday, athletes from Woodbridge School represented Suffolk schools at the English Schools in Sussex, the final Cross Country fixture of the winter. This being the third race for some of the runners in three consecutive weekends due to the rescheduled nationals cup date from last December; a real test for the best especially for those who would be competing in their first ever English schools.

The ESAA National Cross-Country championship is the most eagerly anticipated event of the winter for young athletes. It brings together the best athletes in each of the 46 counties in England to compete for the honour of being the best in the country. It is often hard to put into context but a top 100 finish can be the equivalent to significantly higher up in other national events. The starts are super-fast and the competition is the best there is for their age groups in England.

Four students recorded top 100 finishes and were amongst the first home for their county. Year 9’s Alice was 63rd and Year 8’s India J 100th in the junior girls race, Year 10’s Romilly 71st in the inter girls category and Year 8’s Dexter 23rd in the junior boys race.

Special mentions go to the first two home for Suffolk in their age groups. Alice and Dexter. Alice had the absolute race of her season! She has had a brilliant shift in mindset in her training to marry up to her talents and has committed to the cause week in week out. A well-deserved breakthrough race!

Dexter who brought it home for Suffolk once again, put the icing on the cake for a phenomenal winter of racing, national titles and a top 23 in his first ever English Schools Cross Country. Huge congratulations to them both.

We cannot forget to acknowledge all of the individual athletes who qualified for this high calibre race (please see mentioned below). Every single one of them has worked incredibly hard and should be extremely proud of unparalleled achievements both as individuals and more importantly as a team this winter. They will all now enjoy a well-earned rest and recovery as they take a mid-season break before they enter their track season. A final round of applause for them all as it is now over and out for another brilliant cross country season by Woodbridge School.

Here is a full summary of the Woodbridge School athletes results (context being up to 340 athletes in each race, once again, as we mentioned last week all good enough to be representing their county):

Junior Girls:

63rd – Year 9’s Alice
100th – Year 8’s India J
141st – Year 8’s Alexandra

Junior Boys:

23rd – Year 8’s Dexter
222nd – Year 9’s Hamish

Inter Girls:

71st – Year 10’s Romilly

Senior Boys: Suffolk Team :

138th – Year 13’s Iwan

Once again a massive thank you to all of you who follow and support their journey at these events and to all parents travelling up for the weekend to help.

Year 13 students Eloise and Ronnie have delivered an outstanding presentation on the geography of COVID-19. Drawing on the most recent epidemiological and social science research, they have critically examined the complex interplay between social, economic, and political determinants of health that have contributed to spatial disparities in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality at both global and UK scales.

Their analysis has underscored the role of pre-existing health inequities in shaping the disproportionate burden of mortality among socioeconomically deprived populations and ethnic minorities, as well as the long-term exacerbation of these disparities due to the pandemic’s syndemic nature and its socioeconomic consequences.

Their presentation exemplified the ‘power of geography’ in uncovering the social determinants of health and the intersectionality of social, economic, and political factors in shaping health outcomes at multiple spatial scales.

Equally commendable were the contributions of Hugh and Ollie, whose data visualisations and spatial analysis provided further empirical depth, strengthening the quantitative dimension of their own exceptional presentations.

Last week, eight students from our MUN Club, spanning Years 9 to 13, participated in the annual Felsted Model United Nations Conference. Representing the United States of America, they engaged in two days of rigorous debate across multiple committees, tackling a diverse range of global issues from environmental sustainability to international security.

On the first day, each delegate was assigned to a separate committee, where they engaged in deliberations over pre-submitted draft resolutions, advocating for or contesting clauses in accordance with US foreign policy. Notably, in the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) committee, one of our students had the distinction of drafting and submitting a resolution for debate.

The second day saw the merging of committees for broader plenary sessions, providing even greater scope for diplomatic engagement and strategic negotiation. In the afternoon, the entire Woodbridge delegation convened to represent the USA in a high-stakes crisis simulation. The scenario unfolded with the revelation that an unidentified force had seized control of the Panama Canal, sparking intense emergency negotiations.

As the crisis escalated, the US delegation was thrust into high-pressure diplomatic exchanges, formulating responses and forging alliances in real time. The situation took a dramatic turn when intelligence reports implicated US military elements in the takeover, prompting a wave of scrutiny and questioning from the international community. Despite facing a diplomatic onslaught, the Woodbridge delegation maintained composure, skillfully navigating the inquiries and articulating a compelling defense on the world stage.

The conference was a significant milestone, with two students attending their first-ever MUN and others further honing their diplomatic acumen. Several delegates received special recognition for their outstanding contributions: Year 11’s Jack and Year 10’s Maxim were highly commended, while Year 13’s Bruce earned a commendation for his performance.

Overall, the experience was both intellectually stimulating and immensely rewarding, reinforcing our students’ abilities in negotiation, public speaking, and international diplomacy.

On Saturday 8 March, 12 Woodbridge School athletes were included in the Suffolk team to compete at the UK Inter County Cross Country at Wollaton Park in Nottingham. The UK Inter County event is one of the most competitive in the country, with Area teams from Scotland and Wales competing against 45 County teams from England, almost giving the day a Home Nation International flavour.

At Senior and U20 level, the event also serves as a selection race for the World Cross Country Championships. Worlds are only held every two years and there is no championship in 2025.

Our athletes had a phenomenal day with three outstanding results to highlight.

Suffolk U20 Men won team silver against the very best the UK had to offer. The Suffolk scoring team included our own Year 13’s Iwan providing a very special reward for Iwan’s final cross country season at Woodbridge School. Just as special and worthy of a mention is the fact that all four of the Suffolk scoring team train together at Woodbridge School most Saturday mornings for exactly this reason – to raise the standard to compete with the very best.

The best individual result of the day came in the U13 Boys where Year 8’s Dexter finished an amazing 5th place, just nine seconds behind the winner over 3km – That’s 5th fastest in all of the UK! As far as we are aware only two Woodbridge School athletes have ever finished higher and both of those athletes went on to represent either English Schools or Great Britain.

Suffolk’s second best team result on the day was in the U13 Girls with a 9th place finish. What is unique with this result is that all four Suffolk scorers were Woodbridge School athletes. Our top two athletes had identical times in 28th and 30th, but such is the level of competition that they were only four seconds from 20th!

Here is a full summary of the Woodbridge School athletes (context being up to 350 athletes in each race, all good enough to be representing their county):

U13 Girls: Suffolk Team 9th:

28th – India J (Year 8)
30th – Chloe (year 7) – a brilliant run as a lower year!
39th – Alexandra (Year 8)
86th – Ella (Year 8)
222nd – Imogen (Year 8)

U13 Boys: Suffolk Team 14th:

5th Dexter (Year 8)

U15 Girls: Suffolk Team 21st:

73rd – Romilly (Year 10)
201st – Alice (Year 9)

U15 Boys: Suffolk Team 35th:

112th Digby (Year 9)
261st Hamish (Year 9)

U17 Men: Suffolk Team 15th:

97th – Angus Blackburn (Year 12)

U20 Men – Suffolk Team 2nd – Silver Medal:

53rd – Iwan (Year 13)

Congratulations to every athlete earning the right to compete at this event and a massive thank you to all the parents travelling up for the weekend in support.

Good luck to those athletes representing Suffolk Schools at English Schools in Sussex this coming weekend. The final race of the winter!

CCF RAF students from Years 9, 10 and 12 spend a full day at RAF Coningsby on Monday, organised by one of the School’s parents, Mr Winchester, who was stationed there as a flying instructor. Cadets visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, looked around a Typhoon jet and ‘flew’ on the simulator. Year 10’s Ishan shares his thoughts from the day.

Year 10’s Ishan

On Monday 3 March, ten cadets from the RAF section were given the once in a lifetime opportunity to have a very detailed tour of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Upon arrival we were escorted around the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) hanger, which was filled with old fighters including, Hurricanes, Spitfires and my personal favourite – The Lancaster Bomber. The tour guide was amazing, giving us access beyond what you would get as a museum visitor. My favourite thing about this hangar was a Spitfire that was painted as a memorial for Sqd Ldr Mark Long.

After we visited the BBMF hangar we were then joined by Fighter Pilot called Phil McQuade who already that morning had flown to Wales for some low level flying through Snowdonia and then some touch and goes at RAF Valley. He took us to the 29 Squadron hangar where we saw Flt Lt David ‘Turbo’ Turnball who was last year’s display pilot, ahead of a tour of the hangar, it was incredible to see all the jets parked up! Our guide showed us around and told us about the different parts of the jet including the pylons for the A/A missiles and A/G bombs/missiles, the external fuel tanks which were much bigger than I previously thought and the coolest part of the jet tour was where the flares and chaffs came out from and the engines themselves.

After that, we were all given the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in the jet which I didn’t think twice about, even the teachers got involved! Being in the cockpit was surreal, its much bigger than it looks and there aren’t many buttons to memorise which is very handy.

The next activity we had was the chance to have a go on the flight simulator, but not before being taken to where pilots were kitted up for their missions. We saw and learned lots about the pilot’s helmet from our guide; there was a day helmet and a night helmet which had the ability to put night vision goggles on. We also saw a G-suit which forces the blood up to the head to stay conscious. While we waited for the flight simulator we went to the crew room where we were able to get refreshments and food. The crazy thing was that everyone who walked in there was a pilot!!

The flight simulator was housed in a massive building for training pilots, we learned that most pilots in 29 squadron have a 70/30 spilt between simulator and flying. Following a thorough brief, we went into the simulator room – I was amazed! The throttle and flight stick were exactly the same as the one in the cockpit. We were ‘loaded up’ at Coningsby and told where we had to go and what our mission was – we had to fly under a bridge inverted, something I partly achieved; I managed to go under the bridge but I tried to roll out and I crashed!

This was most definitely one of the best trips I have been on, and we are all so very grateful to Mr Rob Winchester for organising the visit.

We are delighted to announce significant success in the Advanced section of the UK Linguistics Olympiad. With around 1,800 candidates taking part nationally, Woodbridge gained what the organiser described as “a remarkably distinguished set of results”.

In particular, of the 89 Golds which were awarded across Britain, two went to Woodbridge – a very impressive success-rate. Moreover, five of our winners were competing a year up (the Advanced section is for Sixth Form).

This is the third year in a row that Woodbridge has won a Gold in the Advanced section, and the second year in a row that Year 11’s Alexander has won Gold. He and Abigail qualify for Round two, from which the GB Olympiad squad is picked.

Results for the Breakthrough, Foundation and Intermediate levels will be announced in April.

Gold (in the top 5% in the country) (pictured above)

Alexander C (Year 11)
Abigail D (Year 13)

Silver (top 10%)

Sam L (Year 11, and narrowly missing Gold)
Jack C (Year 11)
Aurelia H (Year 11)

Bronze

Mika Q (Year 11)

Many congratulations to all.