It has been great to have everyone back in school after the Easter holiday – even if the weather hasn’t felt quite like the “summer” term yet!

We have hit the ground running with Year 12 at a UCAS Conference in Farnborough, the second Stars rewards trip to Silverstone, Year 11 students in their GCSE Photography exam and a good amount of end-of-season football fixtures. Next week we roll on with Year 13 students revising in the Lake District and our Year 10 students on their Work Experience placements.

At the start of term we send out our clubs and activities programme for terms 5 and 6 and the range and depth of things to become involved with at breaks and lunchtimes is tremendous including (and a deep breath!): Dungeons and Dragons Club, Art Club, Choir, Gardening Club, Chess Club, the Creative Writing group, Warhammer Club, Strings group, Dance Club, Debating Club, the Decibels group, Media Club, the Bigg Band, the Flute and Saxophone groups and a whole range of sporting activities including basketball, rounders, athletics, tennis, cricket and archery. In addition, we have really good support activities for students available including our peer supporters and young carers groups.

All of the above are vital to the life of Wallingford School and it is brilliant that our staff are able to offer such a variety of activities to our students. Involvement and participation are high but it may be that now is the time to try something new and this is something which we wholeheartedly encourage and support.