Spring Term 2022

Spring Term 2022 saw our current Year 13 receive over 120 offers, across 35 subjects, for universities around the UK and in North America, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. This reflects the hard work of our sixth formers, who have been strongly supported in their ambitions by our Sixth Form team, including our two US university advisors to guide our young people through the admissions process. (You can read more about this in an article with Independent School Parent). This term alone, our sixth formers have enjoyed a mock US admissions event (where they took on roles as admissions advisors, to better understand what US universities look for in an application), a well-attended university fair, and a visit to St Mary’s University, Twickenham, which enabled many in Year 12 to see a campus university.

In addition to university support and guidance, our Sixth Form team continues to arrange a fascinating and inspiring careers programme. Talks this term have included speakers like Sandra Scheerer, a pioneering female barrister and company board member, and Amaka Uche, a careers specialist. Alongside this, our co-curricular programme saw sixth formers head to Manchester for a Model United Nations event, volunteer at Marylebone Library to help older people use digital devices, and run their own successful business as part of Young Enterprise.

As Covid restrictions have eased, this term saw our School welcoming back many aspects of life that were previously taken for granted, with sports fixtures, drama productions and musical recitals taking place again, alongside trips to places of interest in London and beyond.

For our PE Department, a return to sporting fixtures saw our football and rugby teams compete against numerous schools, representing Wetherby Senior with pride while staying healthy, both physically and mentally. In addition, our staff were bowled over by the performance of Years 7 and 8 at Lord’s Indoor Cricket Centre, as our youngest pupils took part in training sessions there, using the indoor nets and equipment available. Our PE Department was also delighted to launch a new functional movement initiative with FMS Schools, one of the UK’s leaders in sport movement this term. This technology will enable our PE Department to screen for movement efficiency, then improve and develop functional movement as every pupil involved is given a personalised development pathway to support, balance, mobility and postural control. (You can read more about this in an article with Independent School Parent).

For our Drama Department, the easing of Covid restrictions meant our Drama Studio set for So Long Mr Longland, was finally in use after two years of waiting, with Trib Drama taking place at the end of term. During our Spring Term, boys in Years 7 to 9 were also busy auditioning for roles in our Lower School play, The Useless Tree, to be staged next term.

For our Music Department, a return to live musical performances meant three events that involved our numerous music ensembles and School Choir performing classical pieces by Chopin and Beethoven, and modern classics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Our Spring Term ended with Brass Bash, showcasing talents from across our School and providing a valuable performance opportunity for our youngest pupils, since all in Year 7 are taught a brass instrument.

While our Brass Band head on tour to Jersey this Easter, other trips took place this term with staff and pupils making the most of our School’s central London location. Our Geography Scholars were inspired by lectures on migration and on genetic modification at the nearby Royal Geographical Society, which they aim to attend once a month. Our theatre enthusiasts enjoyed acclaimed productions of Best of Enemies and Life of Pi on stage. And our recent Field Day, saw an amazing array of activities and events to excite our young people, with all of Year 7 watching & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Year 8 examining regeneration in Stratford, and many in Years 10 and 12 heading out of London, to take part in their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions in the Chiltern Hills.

World Book Day saw an author visit at Wetherby Senior, a book swap amongst pupils, and generous donations by all in our community to a charity that redistributes new and gently used books to children and their families.

Our Spring Term also included our first Wetherby Senior School Sponsored Spin, as our Trib teams competed to be first to cycle 346 km, or the length of the River Thames, in 12 hours, all from the comfort of our School’s spin studio. This fantastic event raised over £5,000 for our School’s chosen charities, so well done to all involved!

Headmaster, Joe Silvester, said: “As we reach the Easter holidays, we can look back on the last three months which have included many wonderful aspects of Wetherby Senior life. Spring Term 2022 has been a brilliant showcase of our academic excellence, extensive co-curricular opportunities, and successful charitable activities.”