Newsletters

Dear families and friends of JoG,

I cannot quite believe where this year has gone.  So much has occurred since September, but the progress our school and our students have made has been tangible.  

Students in all year groups and staff have worked tirelessly, but this does not mean things have been easy or straightforward.  When it comes to improvement and the acquisition of knowledge and skills, learning is tough and supporting learners is hard work.  We must not forget, we only learn by making mistakes and by being resilient to develop our understanding and being able to apply ourselves.  I am sure your child has been challenged at some point, or many times, throughout the year and this is a good thing.  They should be proud of themselves if they have pushed on and succeeded.

I know many students have demonstrated 'Excellence every day'.  I have signed so many bronze, silver and gold certificates over the year.  I have met hundreds of students on Friday mornings to celebrate their positive attitudes based on our values of, 'Kindness, Positivity and Belonging' and their excellent attendance at school.  This morning, I met another large group of students attaining their gold values award, and it was another special moment for me as a proud Headteacher.  Over this year we have recognised students who have graduated from the Scholars programme at Bristol university, students representing the school at the national maths competitions, students gaining instrumental graded awards, students representing the school at the Youth parliament and competing in the Shakespearean Ovid competition.  Our students have so many opportunities to utilise their academic skills and talents and thrive at The John of Gaunt school.

This final week of the year represents our school perfectly.  We have our values and our students at the core of all we do, and we focus on nurturing the whole person supporting them in becoming rounded young adults.  Our sports day launched our activities' week in such an uplifting way.  Since then, we have had students on work experience, students on expeditions to Peru and completing volunteer work, students practising their French in France, students caving, go cart racing, refining photography skills, developing animal welfare skills, cooking curries from scratch, hiking over the countryside, completing first aid training; the list just goes on.   

We had over 80 nominations from families for staff to receive Equa Mead's ABCD awards.  Each award has the reasons written for the award on the certificate.  I read every one and it is inspiring.  I want to thank every family member who took the time to send in their nomination. It will mean so much to the individual staff member.

We all deserve a well-earned rest this summer.  Please do have a pleasant break and we'll see you all in September.  We all look forward to celebrating the exam successes with our Yr11s and 13s in August and welcoming your child back when they return next academic year.  

Please ensure your child has the correct uniform and equipment, you have completed the mobile phone pouch declaration form and purchased the pouch on parent pay before the start of the year.  Many of you have completed this already and I thank you for your support.

Take care

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Mr Rhodes

Headteacher

Dreams Turned into Words: Year 8 Poets Achieve National Success!

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievement of several of our talented Year 8 students, whose poetry has been selected for publication in the prestigious Young Writers' "I Have a Dream" competition.

Inspired by the theme of hopes, ambitions and aspirations, students were encouraged to express their thoughts and creativity through poetry. Entries were submitted from schools across the country, making this a highly competitive national competition. We are delighted that several of our students' poems stood out from thousands of entries and have been chosen for inclusion in a published anthology.

Having work selected for publication is a remarkable accomplishment and reflects not only the students' creativity and imagination, but also their ability to communicate powerful ideas through the written word. Their poems demonstrated originality, thoughtful reflection and excellent use of language, impressing the competition judges and earning them a place alongside other young writers from across the UK.

This achievement is something our students should be immensely proud of. Seeing their work published in a professionally produced book is a memorable milestone and a wonderful recognition of their talent and dedication. We hope this experience inspires them to continue developing their writing skills and reminds them that their voices and ideas have the power to make an impact.

Congratulations to all of our published poets on this fantastic success. Your creativity, hard work and willingness to share your dreams have earned you national recognition, and you have represented John of Gaunt School with pride. We look forward to seeing where your writing journey takes you next!

Year 12 Geography Field Trip – Dorset Coast

On 12th July, our Year 12 geographers enjoyed a fantastic day of fieldwork on the Dorset coast in glorious summer sunshine.

Students visited Burton Bradstock Beach, Abbotsbury and Chesil Beach, using ranging poles, clinometers and measuring rolls to investigate coastal processes and landforms. One of the most memorable activities saw students throwing oranges into the sea to measure longshore drift—a surprisingly effective piece of geography fieldwork that attracted a few curious looks from passers-by!

The group also spent time in Weymouth, carrying out human geography research and collecting valuable data to support their studies.

A huge thank-you goes to Mr Powell and Mr Gray for leading the fieldwork, and to Ms Yates for expertly handling minibus driving duties throughout the day. Although the day was a great success, there was one disappointment: Mr Gray was saddened not to spot any of the Little Terns nesting on Chesil Beach, despite keeping a hopeful eye out.

Most importantly, the students were outstanding throughout. They worked hard, embraced every challenge and represented the school brilliantly. With excellent weather, valuable data collected and plenty of geography brought to life, the trip was a resounding success. 

Period Product Giveaway

On Wednesday 15th July, we held a free period product giveaway to help tackle period poverty and ensure that all students have access to essential period products.

Students were invited to collect a range of free products and were also able to access information and guidance about puberty, menstruation, and the different period products available. The event provided a safe and supportive space for students to ask questions and seek advice in a confidential and non-judgemental environment.

We would like to remind students that they are always welcome to visit G34 or the Medical Room to request additional period products or to ask any questions they may have throughout the school year.

If your child collected a pair of reusable period pants, please ensure that the washing and care instructions are read carefully and followed to maintain their effectiveness and longevity.

We hope it has helped to ensure that all students have access to the products they need.

Wishing everyone a lovely summer.

Miss Martin

Year 5 Taster Week 

It's been a real pleasure to welcome over 400 Year 5 students to The John of Gaunt School this week. Students have been able to gain invaluable insight into what it is like to be a secondary school student as well as participate in lots of lessons they may not be able to do at Primary school.

Students have learnt key knife skills in food, explored chemical reactions in science, met tarantulas, African land snails & snakes as well as becoming a History investigator.

We hope students have found this experience beneficial & helps to make their decisions next year about where they will attend. 

We wish you all the best. 

Miss Lewis & the Year 7 team 

On Thursday 9th and Friday 10^th July, 45 GCSE Historians travelled up to London for our annual Crime and Punishment residential trip.

The students started off in the Tower of London, with many taking the time to visit the Crown Jewels and the site of Anne Boleyn’s execution. We then took a Thames river cruise down to Westminster pier, before heading off to Covent Garden. Following a good meal at Frankie and Benny’s, we travelled into the East End of London for a Jack the Ripper walking tour around Whitechapel.

After a huge breakfast in the Premier Inn, we headed off to the Royal Courts of Justice where the students re-enacted a historical murder trial – taking the parts of judges, barristers and witnesses. Our last stop was the London Dungeons for a tour around the gorier aspects of London’s history – this saw Ms Davison locked in a cage as a suspected witch and Mr Gray accused of taking part in the Gunpowder Plot!

We got back late on Friday night – tired but happy – and found out a lot more about the history of Crime and Punishment!  The students involved were a credit to themselves and the school.

Ms Davison, Mr Gray and Mr Stallworthy

The Expressive Arts Faculty OSCARS

On Tuesday 7 July, the Expressive Arts Faculty proudly hosted its annual OSCARS Evening, a special celebration recognising the outstanding achievement, dedication and creativity of students across Art, Drama, Music, Photography and Art Textiles.

This year's event honoured 60 nominated students from across all year groups, celebrating not only exceptional talent but also commitment, perseverance and enthusiasm for the expressive arts. Dressed for the occasion, students and their families enjoyed a glamorous evening that truly reflected the spirit of the awards.

Each nomination was accompanied by a heartfelt tribute, highlighting the individual achievements and contributions of every student. As the golden envelopes were opened and the winners announced, students made their way down the red carpet to receive their certificates and awards to the applause of family, friends and staff.

The evening also featured an outstanding programme of live performances, showcasing the incredible breadth of talent within the faculty. Highlights included a debut performance by the Year 10 band The Corduroys, who performed Supersonic by Oasis; a beautiful piano and flute duet by Leela Pang and Hannah Higgs; a live catwalk featuring GCSE Textiles creations; an energetic musical theatre mash-up by the new Musical Theatre Club; and a powerful performance of No Time to Die by Billie Eilish from the orchestra and choir.

The evening concluded with the presentation of the Faculty Fellowship Award, the highest honour of the night. This prestigious award was presented to Leela Pang in recognition of her exceptional dedication to the Expressive Arts Faculty, having given countless hours beyond the classroom to concerts, workshops, community projects and school events since Year 7. Her commitment and enthusiasm have made a lasting impact on the faculty and serve as an inspiration to others.

Congratulations to all of this year's nominees and award winners. Your passion, creativity and hard work are a credit to yourselves and to our school community.

Finally, we wish our Year 11 and Year 13 students every success as they move on to the next stage of their journey. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.

We are already looking ahead to next year's OSCARS Evening. Could you be one of our nominees?

The Expressive Arts Faculty

A message to Year 8

The 2025 /26 academic year for our Year 8 Cohort, has seen many students accept and rise to the challenge in Sports, Literacy, Maths, Music and community engagement.

We started the year with a fantastic team of students co-ordinating and packing numerous boxes under the watchful eye of Mrs Addecott, to send to those in greater need as part of the shoebox appeal.

The community-minded have also successfully participated in the school council and our leadership programme. Two of our students were selected to participate in the Wiltshire council Time Capsule project. The two students created an original work in the form of poetry with a bespoke piece of art.

In Music, we had students who have successfully undertaken music lessons in school across a range of instruments, including singing, and participated in music competitions too. Our choir and Samba band go from strength to strength. Our Drama students have been equally active in fine-tuning their stage craft.

In sport, we have successfully reached the county finals in a number of disciplines, including Dodge Ball and Cricket. We have also had students recognised for their outstanding sportsmanship. Netball has been a highly successful club this year too, with over forty regular players attending throughout the season.

Academically, we have seen many students recognised for their Maths skills in the interschool Maths challenge and recently a number of students who entered a literacy competition have seen their poetry and prose published.

We have seen a number of year 8 students drive the formation of the Young Carers support club, which is now fully operational.

In the Fun Friday challenges, we have seen a number of students exhibit both mental aptitude and physical skills. The most recent challenge to design and create a roller-coaster using Straws and Sticky tape, saw some incredibly ambitious designs and excellent engineering skills, with 8G winning the overall challenge.

Wednesday will see our second cohort of students celebrate their Gold Class Charts awards with Mr Rhodes at a small reception in school.

It has been a wonderful privilege for the tutor team, Miss Murden, Mrs Addecott and I to see so many students achieve success this year. With year 9 on the horizon and a year of big decisions ahead. We want to wish all of our students a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you all in September.

Kind regards.

Mrs Scott

Free tips and resources for supporting your child’s reading over the Summer:

1. Encourage your child to read and talk to them about what they have read/what they are reading – reading in short bursts and with reading material of their choice is best to encourage a reluctant reader (everything counts – magazines, non-fiction, poetry, fiction…). Reading around their interests might be a useful starting point too.

2. Turn subtitles on when you’re watching television – this supports students hearing the words and creating an awareness of spelling and recognising the words as they watch the programme.

3. Visit the local library and sign up for the Summer reading challenge. This year’s challenge explores the connection between stories and music. Summer Reading Challenge. If you are not a member of a library, they are free for all to join and borrow books and resources.
4. Sign up to authorfy for free author masterclasses, videos, creative writing challenges from famous and popular authors. It’s free to sign up for the remainder of 2026. Home - authorfy
5. Listen to audiobooks to rebuild or strengthen a love of stories. Free audiobooks can be found on Spotify, YouTube and through the library with your free membership.

Careers Newsletter

So much has happened over the past term. For lots of interesting information, and key dates please click here.

Advanced notice of immunisations next academic year

Consent links will be sent out to parents in due course.

The Brilliant Club! 

Today we had the pleasure of celebrating 17 students from Years 7, 8 & 9 who have graduated from the Scholars Programme.

For the last few months, they have been working with a PhD student focusing on the areas of life expectancy and sustainability. They have contributed to tutor sessions & learnt how to analyse research, construct arguments & tailor their critical thinking. They then submitted a piece of work that reflects their findings & were given feedback & a grade. All our students passed with 3, achieving a 1st, which is an incredible achievement. 

We are extremely proud of the resilience & effort they have shown. They are now officially graduates of the Scholar Programme & alumni of the Brilliant Club. 

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort in 2027. 

Year 7 Race For Life event on Mon 20^th July 2026 (Activities Year 7 day)

We began the day in Wingfield Hall for our Race For Life event in aid of Cancer Research UK.  Firstly, we had a guest speaker from Snap Fitness (Maisie) who talked to the students about healthy living & her own career path in the fitness industry.  Some of the students asked some lovely questions!

Students spent the rest of the morning in classrooms & computer rooms on a rotation basis.  They researched more information about the Cancer Research UK charity, as well as finding ideas to decorate their Race for Life poster.  They also watched some videos about the charity.

The Race for Life event took place after break.  All our Year 7 students took part – some chose to walk, others chose to jog, run, hop, skip, dance, giggle or jump their way around the course!  We had a 1km route set up around the school site.  Many of our students completed this 5 times to ensure they had done the full 5km and some even did almost 10km, which is amazing!

We spent the afternoon learning some more about healthy lifestyles, along with some mindfulness sessions to give the students time to relax after the race.

Thank you to those of you who have already donated.  At the time of writing this article, we have raised over £430, which is simply wonderful!  Please find below the link to our online fundraising page for those of you who would still like to donate.  We really appreciate all donations – all money raised goes straight to Cancer Research UK.  We've had a really lovely day with our year group.

Thank you for your support. Mrs Green & Mr Walker ??
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/year-7-john-of-gaunt-race-for-life-on-20th-july-2026

On Wednesday 8th July, a group of our talented school choir members had the wonderful opportunity to perform at The Forum in Bath as part of the inspiring Songs Around the World project.

The concert brought together a massed choir of school children from across Wiltshire, accompanied by the West Wiltshire Youth Orchestra and the Trowbridge Symphony Orchestra. Performing on the iconic Forum stage—where many renowned professional musicians have appeared—was a truly memorable experience for everyone involved.

Our choir rose to the occasion, giving their all throughout the performance. They sang with enthusiasm, confidence, and commitment, contributing to a spectacular evening of music. It was a fantastic opportunity to be part of such a large-scale musical event and to experience performing in one of the region's most prestigious venues.

Most importantly, our students thoroughly enjoyed the event and represented the school brilliantly. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, dedication, and engagement throughout the project. They should all be congratulated on being such wonderful ambassadors for our school.

Normandy 2026

On Friday 17th July, students and staff left John of Gaunt at the crack of dawn and headed off to France. Right from the start at the ferry terminal, we were getting compliments on our students' exemplary behaviour.

The crossing was lovely with glorious sunshine! We had our own reserved lounge as a base but most students and staff enjoyed the views, the sun and the fresh breeze of the top deck. 

On arrival, we were picked up by our coach and taken to the Château de la Baudonniere for our stay. We were welcomed by Tristan, one of the animateurs (staff), who showed us to our rooms and then gave us a tour of the grounds. Dinner was served in the château, where the students learnt how to go to the kitchen and ask for more water. Ask any student, they will be happy to show off their new skills! Some loved the challenge and actively asked if any table needed more water, bread or butter, just to get the chance to go and ask! Ella was the particular star in this department! The château grounds were lovely and everyone fell in love with all the bunnies! They were everywhere! Mrs Bruton was trying to work out how we could bring one back to the library as the bunnies were the only things that made Ed silent! 

On Saturday after breakfast, we headed off to Avranches, where the student had a mission: buy fillings for their baguettes. The château provided the base of the picnic lunch and all students were given €3.50 to complete their baguettes. The market was filled with fresh produce, cheese, meat, some jewellery and even reclining chairs ?? Students set off in small groups, some put all their money together and bought various fillings: the boys bought an enormous amount of sliced sausage and fresh lettuce. Francesca confidently tried to buy 2 croissants by saying: Je m’appelle douze croissants but still managed to get the right order. Harriet was on a hunt for meat and a hilarious shopping experience was had when a bunch of girls helped her with bartering, a smattering of German and lots of laughs. We had our picnic by a field of sheep and had fun watching the farmer heard his flock to a different field.

We arrived in Mont Saint Michel in the afternoon and what an amazing sight it makes! The students all had a bit of time for shopping in the bustling, winding streets of the medieval village. The boys went straight for the corner with swords and armour while everyone looked for ice cream to combat the heat and souvenirs to take home. 

We climbed seemingly endless stairs to the abbey where a community of monks and nuns of the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem have been living since 2001, replacing the Benedictine monks. The abbey is a warren of rooms, steps and even a human hamster wheel (yes, really) that boasts great views from the top.

On return on to the Château, we had dinner followed by a sports tournament.

Sunday and Monday were filled with activities at the château. Students tried their hand at bread making, canoeing, archery, aero ball and fencing. Everyone had a great time, especially Mr Pyper who especially loved the canoeing. We had a French evening where we dressed up and tried escargot. Most students bravely tried them, while others had 14! We also got to watch the World Cup final in the games room. Evening activities included quizzes and photo treasure hunts. 

On Monday, we left the château early and headed to Arromanches to visit the D-Day museum, do a spot of shopping before boarding the ferry home. 

Our students have been fantastic throughout and have had a go at everything thrown at them, and they are likely going to need a lot of sleep! 

They have been a real credit to the school, and we are very proud to have shared this trip with them!

Mr Pyper, Mrs Mitchell, Mrs Romero Perez, Mrs Bruton, and Mr Heard.

For lots more photos please click here.

This school year we’ve been working hard to create a club for all the Young Carers at John of Gaunt school.

We recognise that some of our young students who care for family members often face unique and very difficult challenges.

The club is student lead and a Year 8 student, Marcus, is our Young Carers Ambassador. Marcus helped set up the club and always brings enthusiasm, ideas and empathy to our sessions. We couldn’t be prouder of him!

The club runs every Thursday lunchtime from 1.10pm to 2pm. It provides the students with a safe, supportive space where they can chat with other carers, share issues and good news and just be themselves for an hour. It is a joy seeing them smile and laugh whilst they play games. We have hosted representatives from the Young Carers in School Workers on Wiltshire Council several times, and we are tapping into their knowledge and experience of how to run the club so that our students get the most from it. This last week a former student of our school, Sophia Blake, came and spoke to our club. Our students found her easy to talk to and very helpful. John of Gaunt is very proud of what Sophia has achieved.

If anyone has any queries about the Young Carers at John of Gaunt, please contact Simon Smith or Faye Roberts on our new email address: - Youngcarers@jog.equamead.org or on our new location on the school website: - Our School – Young Carers Club.

Summer Activities

Community Activities and Events
Wiltshire Council's What's On in the Community page includes a range of local activities, clubs and support services for children and young people with SEND and additional needs. It may be a useful resource for families looking for inclusive opportunities over the summer - What's on in the Community - Wiltshire Council

Us Girls Programme
Please see the attached poster for details and website link of the upcoming Us Girls programme - Activities for young people - Wiltshire Council

Youth Action Wiltshire Activities
There may still be spaces available on some of the Young Carers summer activities being run by Youth Action Wiltshire (YAW). If you know of any young carers who may benefit, please encourage families to get in touch with the team directly to check availability - Youth Action Wiltshire | Wiltshire Young Carers Service

FUEL Programme

The FUEL Programme is a bespoke provision for school-aged children from reception to year 11 who receive benefit-related free school meals. FUEL programme is also available to Young Carers, but spaces are limited. For information available via FUEL programme - Wiltshire Council

Inclusive Summer Activities
Wiltshire Parent Carer Council has collated lots of information about inclusive activities and events taking place across Wiltshire during the holidays: What's On - Children - WPCC

We would love you to help us spread the word about the next Sunday brunch on 26 July. Held in partnership with Westbury Festival on the Rotunda, next to Westbury Library.

We have an amazing line-up of live soul singer O’Rael, live animal encounters from JJ’s Reptile Experiences, free Silent Disco and many local street food and market stalls.