Legally Blonde 2024!
What a show!
Congratulations to all the cast and crew on an amazing 4 nights. The quality of the performances was simply amazing, and we are still receiving compliments from audience members about just how amazing it was.
All the hard work paid off! The Mayor of Bexley who attended the Gala Night performance had nothing but high praise for all involved and the final night was full of heartfelt messages to and from our Year 13 leavers.
Now... what shall we do next year?!
Click on the link here to view the Legally Blonde Photo Gallery.
Mrs Casling, Head of Music
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 A Message from the Headteacher
Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope that you thoroughly enjoy reading this newsletter, the last of 2023/24. Not only do we have an array of stories and updates from the last two weeks of the term, but also a chance to review the highlights of the year.
Thank you all for your support of the school during the last year. Without it, we wouldn't be able to offer the variety of activities and opportunities that we publish here.
Have a lovely summer with your families.
H.J. Gilmore
Headteacher
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Music News
Jazz Evening 2024 ~ Mr Laing’s last concert!
Wow, what a night! We were so privileged as a music department to be able to invite back so many alumni students, past staff members, previous heads - as well as our current students and staff - to give Mr Laing the fitting send off his 27 years at Bexley Grammar School deserved. After weeks of planning between Mrs Casling and Mr Laing, the concert was opened up by Mrs Eacott with a few numbers from Tour Choir and one specially written song that encompassed as many music department-related anecdotes about Jez as we could squeeze in! The tour band followed shortly after under the baton of Miss Todd, with hits from the movies and audience-based participation in ‘Tequila’.
Then the jazz began. An epic three hours of repertoire, rehearsed and performed separately by Junior Jazz, Big Band and Improv Group. The talent displayed on stage was astounding and the joy that the students felt was evident in their playing; they were exuding musicality! And it didn’t stop there, with the final numbers being performed by a hybrid of past and present students all performing at once (at one point, we didn’t know whether we would have enough amps or music stands to go around!) The sound was incredible and fully appreciated by the pizza-eating audience that had gathered to support this event. It was hugely memorable and both highly enjoyable and sad in equal measure for those who have worked closely with Jez. His presence will be missed dearly but his legacy and all that he has done in the music department - and the school as a whole - will live on! Thank you for everything.
Mrs Eacott, Head of Music
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ABRSM Exams
Congratulations to all the students (52 in total!) who took their ABRSM or Trinity exams at BGS this week (10th-12th July). As I write, the exam results from the Trinity exams are in and are FANTASTIC!
A particular mention to Ben and Nuno from Year 7, who both achieved their Grade 1 clarinet exams having come through our clarinet taster programme in the Autumn Term at the start of Year 7 with Mr Cooper.
To make such progress in less than one year is excellent.
We had 4 students taking either Grade 7 or Grade 8 on their instruments, which is such a fantastic achievement, the youngest being Giulia M-B and Emily H, both in Year 9.
It was also lovely to welcome in 17 external students who took their exams with us at BGS, and we look forward to hopefully seeing them at BGS when they choose their secondary school choices! Lovely to make those connections with our surrounding primary schools.
Mrs Casling, Head of Music
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Year 10 Activity Day ~ Monday 22nd July
Year 10s have enjoyed a fun day off timetable, participating in a range of activities.
The day began with an inter-form quiz, with each form contributing the questions for their own round. Students then had the opportunity to complete a 2-hour team-building session on the field, with a range of 30 different physical and mental puzzle challenges, which proved to be a great success, with all students engaging and enjoying themselves. They also participated in a further activity with a choice of multi-sports; a bake-off challenge or a film.
Mr Gilmore & Mr Martin, with a team of staff & Sixth Form helpers, provided a BBQ lunch for the students, which was most appreciated by everyone. The day was rounded off with a series of form group photos and a treat from the visiting ice cream van. The team-building activity & the ice creams were most generously supported by the funding from PTA.
 The students have enjoyed this opportunity to share time and complete activities with their friends and peers - a fitting end to their hard year’s work!
I wish all Year 10 students and their families a restful summer break.
Mrs Spencer, Director of Studies, Year 10
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|  | 23 Jul 2024 8NRC ended the year with a Maths group project, where students collaboratively researched famous mathematicians from various centuries. They explored the significant contributions and lasting impact of figures like Euclid, Ada Lovelace and Terence Tao. Each group presented their findings through det... |
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Science News
 In the last few weeks, Year 8 got to go on a trip to Wildwood for science. While we were there, we got to do a CSI investigation where we got to figure out who killed Mr Rabbit. There were a series of clues such as fur, feathers and paw prints to help us with this. Additionally, we went on a wildlife tour and got to see a variety of animals such as bison, wallabies and otters. On top of that, we got to play and shop as well!
This trip was great fun, and I’m very happy that we got to go on it.
Click on the link here to view the Wildwood Photo Gallery
Liv Harmer, Year 8
Click on the stories below to catch up with other latest Science news!
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23 Jul 2024 Following the Year 10 success in the Biology Challenge competition, we have the results from the Year 12 Intermediate Olympiad Biology competition. This is a very tough and competitive challenge involving only the brightest 16–17 year old Biology students around the wo... | 23 Jul 2024 The following students took part in the national competition; Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, which really challenged the students. Our students, filled with the highly developed BGS ethos of intellect and courage, worked through unfamiliar content (Year 13 IB spec) as well as unfamiliar contexts... |
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|  | 22 Jul 2024 Sports Award Winners 2024On the last Friday of term, we were delighted to hold a Sports Awards brunch for our prize winners. Students were given awards by Mr Gilmore for both their dedication to co-curricular sport, and for various successes and team performances. Thank you to all of our win... |
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MFL News
La comida hispana
This half-term in Year 8 Spanish we have been studying the delights of Hispanic cuisine and last week we had the opportunity to cook some dishes and taste them. The students had to translate a recipe from Spanish in their group before bringing in the correct ingredients and putting the dish together. The students made guacamole, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, migas and palmeritas for a sweet snack. They all did incredibly well and made some delicious food! iQué rico!
Miss Roberts, MFL Department
“Palmeritas and migas were really good” Kavinsan
“In Year 8 Spanish we were learning about Spanish cuisine, so we had a lesson dedicated to actually making and trying simple Spanish recipes which were really easy to make, with few ingredients and turned out great!” Fabio
“The food was nice, and the sauce was the perfect mix of flavours” Hashim
“It was great fun cooking the migas españolas, and it was interesting to see how little ingredients and time could make something so tasty!” Tomiwa
“I was so surprised that the meal only cost less than £5.00, we loved the palmeritas, and tasting other spanish foods too!” Princess
“In Year 8 spanish, we made Hispanic foods. I didn't realise how much garlic is used, but on the whole they were all really good, and I would definitely have them again.” Victor
“This week we had a cooking lesson. My group made migas, which is stale bread mixed with chorizo, eggs and garlic cloves. It was surprisingly good for how little effort it took to make. It was a fun lesson overall.” Laurence
Click on the link here to view the La comida hispana Photo Gallery
Click on the Story below to catch up with the latest MFL news!
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 | 23 Jul 2024 Last month, the MFL department hosted the vibrant and multicultural MFL2 Fest, an event directed by the Year 10 language prefects and Ms Giglione.The MFL2 Fest opened its doors to the entire school during break time, allowing everyone to partake in the festivities. Later, during Period 3, the ev... |
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 | 22 Jul 2024 Bexley Grammar School has had another exciting and action-packed year of STEM. There is a summary in the Summer Magazine that is well worth a read, to see all the things the students have been doing.The summer holidays are a great time for students to build up experiences that they do not have t... |
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Windrush Voices
On the 22nd July, some of us had the chance to attend a workshop by the name of Windrush Voices at the British Library. The intention of the workshop was to explore the experiences of the Windrush generation through the examination of a variety of historical sources, and thought-provoking discussions. We had time to look over some really interesting sources like old newspapers, novels, etc. as well as have the opportunity to visit the Treasures Gallery, which holds a trove of historical documents. Despite not taking history as a subject, it was really fascinating to be able to see these relics, some pertaining to the Windrush generation, like a letter from a son at home to his father in Britain asking for new shoes, and some not, like Shakespeare’s First Folio. We were able to ask questions, talk about them as a group, and then got to give our perspectives on the importance and utility of oral history by listening to some recordings from members of the Windrush generations and their experiences growing up in Britain. The workshop was very well run by a lady who was ecstatic to have a cohort of students who showed deep engagement with the topic, which added a lot to the quality of our discussions.
In all, it was a fascinating experience even for someone who hasn’t taken the subject, and it is definitely an activity that I would recommend.
Edward Bourlet, Year 12
Students relax at the Beyond the Bassline exhibition at the British Library
It was a pleasure to offer the opportunity to 19 students to attend a Windrush Voices workshop at the British Library as a reward for their hard work and performance in Year 12. The students had the opportunity to engage with oral histories and see the amazing resources at the British Library first hand. Thank you to everyone who attended for their enthusiasm and engagement. Have a restful summer.
Mr Martin, Assistant Head, Sixth Form &
Miss Aspill, Director of Studies, Year 12
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|  | 23 Jul 2024 On Friday 5th July, Year 10 GCSE and Year 12 IB Design Technology students embarked on an exciting journey to the Business Design Centre in Islington for the annual New Designers Exhibition. This event showcased the innovative work of newly graduated degree students across a wide range of desig... |
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Geography News
Year 7 Docklands Diploma
It is that time once again when the Geography department is bowled over by the creative efforts of the Year 7 Geographers; it is Diploma time! The Year 7s have all completed a poster reflecting their views on whether the regeneration of Canary Wharf has been successful or not. It has been so hard to select the outstanding ones from each class, but see below for a selection of the delights. Students have been awarded prizes like London-themed keyrings, pencils or stickers!
Well done!
Miss Surplus, Geography Department
Cameron Miller (7JR)
What a whopper of a diploma - very professional and detailed!
Click on the link here to view the Year 7 Docklands Diploma Photo Gallery.
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|  | 23 Jul 2024 On the afternoon of 14th July, a team of seven Year 7 boys took on seven girls from Newstead Wood School, brought over by Dr Beaven, who recently taught some maths at BGS. This was the first inter-school chess competition that has happened at the school in more than eighteen years. It... |
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Class of 2023-2024
Inspirational, Creative & Successful!
A Year in the Life of Bexley Grammar School.
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September 2023 PE News ~ Celebrating Sports Award Stars of 2023 | 13 Sep 2023 Thank you to everyone who participated in extracurricular clubs last year, we look forward to welcoming everyone this year!The PE DepartmentClick on the link here to view the Sports Award Photo Gallery |
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October 2023 MFL News ~ GCHQ National Language Competition | 18 Oct 2023 This half-term, 41 BGS students from Year 9 and Year 10 have been selected to participate in two virtual outreach workshops hosted by GCHQ, the largest intelligence agency in the UK. As the government's premier employer of linguists, GCHQ is always seeking bilingual graduates who can contribute... |
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November 2023 History News ~ Remembrance Day | 08 Nov 2023 When we commemorate those who lost their lives in the First World War and other conflicts over the course of the 20th century on 11th November at 11.00am (the time when this conflict came to an end), this has come to be a moment when we reflect upon the nine million soldiers and seven mill... |
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December 2023 House News ~ Christmas Card Competition | 13 Dec 2023 Earlier this week, students submitted designs for the House annual 'Design the BGS Christmas Card' competition. Miss Harrison and Mr Gilmore from the Art Department, kindly compiled a short-list of card designs for Mr Gilmore (Headteacher) to judge. There were so many genuinely... |
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January 2024 Music News ~ Performing with the LSSO | 17 Jan 2024 Mia Nguyen, Year 10, was recently invited back to perform with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra at the beginning of this term at the Barbican. Some of you may remember she performed last year for the first time, but this year Mia was promoted to the first violins, a very prestigious opport... |
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February 2024 Geography News ~ Field Trip to the Azores | 28 Feb 2024 Over the half-term, 40 BGS students and four teachers eagerly left Heathrow and flew to the Azores in the Atlantic for 5 days. What ensued was a fantastic trip! All 40 students were outstanding ambassadors for BGS and many people we met commented on how our students were the best group they ha... |
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March 2024 Maths News ~ Year 10 Participating in the Maths Feast | 25 Mar 2024 Our Year 9s had the golden opportunity to experience an enlightening Maths Masterclass by guest speaker Michael Fletcher on Thursday 14th March 2024, in conjunction with International Pi Day! Michael captivated minds with real-world applications of probability and game theory, using nostalgic g... |
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April 2024 Business & Economics News ~ 'Illumina' Best Company Award | 24 Apr 2024 Five representatives from this year's Young Enterprise team, Illumina, competed against other school teams in the East London Finals of the Company Programme competition on Monday 22nd April. Students travelled to the BNY Mellon offices in London where they showcased their company. Students had... |
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May 2024 Library News ~ TSBA Awards | 07 May 2024 On Thursday 25th April 2024, we went to the TSBA ceremony at Latymer Upper School. To get there, we got the train to Victoria and then the tube to the school. When we got there, there was a lovely ceremony where all the student winners were announced for the creative responses and the book revi... |
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June 2024 KS3 News ~ Year 9 Trip to Barton Hall | 26 Jun 2024 We came, we had an amazing time, we loved PGL!Year 9 had an incredible trip to PGL at Barton Hall, Devon. Despite rain and wind, all the 145 students took part in a diverse range of adventure and team-building activities. All the staff and students had a fabulous couple of days together. We... |
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July 2024 Exams News ~ International Baccalaureate Success for Year 13s | 08 Jul 2024 Congratulations to our Year 13 IB students and their teachers for their IB results, which were released on Saturday 6th July. We're very pleased to continue to maintain high standards, and average point score of 34 points, with our biggest ever cohort studying the IBDP. With 168 points... |
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August 2024
Dear Reader,
As we look forward to celebrating our Year 11s GCSE results in August, we can look back and review this academic year.
It's difficult to pick stories that sum up all of our achievements this year, but the 11 links here give us a taste of BGS life. Week after week, so much has happened and the BGS e-newsletter celebrates our students’ successes and tells the story of our thriving school community.
Click on this link here to catch up on any of our 2023-2024 e-newsletters that you may have missed!
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|  | 10 Jul 2024 |
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 Please click on the link here to access all our Safeguarding Updates
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GCSE Results Day 
GCSE Results for Year 11 will be available for collection from
9am on Thursday 22nd August 2024.
Results will also be emailed to your school account later that day. Should you encounter any problems receiving your results please email the Examinations Officer, Mrs Bono (bono_a@bexleygs.co.uk)
If you would like any other person (including family members) to collect your results on your behalf, you must give your written authorisation to the Examinations Officer before results day.
GCSE certificates will be presented to pupils at a school assembly in November. Pupils who do not attend can collect their certificates from the Examinations Office.
Please email Mrs Bono to arrange.
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News items you may have missed
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 | 10 Jul 2024 Many of us are already looking forward to the summer holidays. It is a perfect opportunity to make time for some rest and relaxation. Here are some resources compiled by the Anna Freud association to help look after your mental wellbeing over the holidays.My self-care plan, by Anna FreudWell... |
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Lost Property
We would like to bring to your attention that we have a number of winter coats (pictures below) still to be claimed from the Lost Property rail located in the Reception area. If your child is missing their coat, then please ask them to come and see if their one is on the rail.
There are numerous school shoes, trainers, football boots and shin pads (pictures below) also waiting to be claimed back by their rightful owner. If your child is missing any of these items, please ask them to come and check the Lost Property box, which is also located in the Reception area.
End of Term Unclaimed Lost Property
Any items which are not claimed by the end of the summer term will be donated to local charities, the Salvation Army or disposed of.
Please click on the link here to report lost property or email us directly via
reception@bexleygs.co.uk.
Reception Team
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