The Chase returned for a second year at the STEM Festival, hosted by Penwortham Girls’ answer to Bradley Walsh (Mr Dean). It’s a great opportunity for the students to start to see the links between STEM subjects rather than viewing them as entirely separate disciplines.  It was also a chance for some friendly competition between the staff and students. Five volunteers from each year group, representing their form groups, competed against a member of staff to answer a wide range of STEM related questions, aiming to answer enough correct answers to make it through to the final chase. However, each year group had no idea who they would be facing. Would it be the Smiling Assassin (Mrs Byard), the Beast from the North-East (Mrs Snowdon) or the Ber Linguist (Mrs Ingram)?

There were some fantastic performances from the students, but a special mention has to go to Amber S. Amber was the only year 8 student to make it to the final chase but then went on to singlehandedly beat the chaser!

Mr Coogan

Science Department

During the STEM festival, the gym was used as the location for a very successful ‘Pennies to Pounds’ Fair, where over one hundred buddy groups sold their goods and products over two days. Prior to the start of the fair, students in each buddy group had been working hard to raise capital for their business by selling shares to friends and family.  They then marketed and made their products in preparation for the big selling opportunity.  There was a wide range of goods on offer: food, drinks, handmade cards, soaps, raffles and tombolas, jewellery, to name only a few. The groups will now have to record their business costs and profits and pay back their shareholders.  Each buddy group has chosen a charity that they would like to donate their profits to, with a range of local and national charities represented. The fairs were supported superbly by the school community and it was fantastic to see students of all ages working together to make their businesses a success.

Mr Herbert

Associate Assistant Headteacher

Visit to the BAE Systems Apprentice Open Event

On the 9^th February I took a small group of Year 11 Design Technology students to the BAE ASK Centre at Salmesbury.  This was an amazing opportunity for them to find out about the world-class apprenticeship programmes offered by BAE Systems, covering everything from Logistics to Business Adminstration and the various engineering roles.

Our students were able to meet with apprentices and hear exactly what it’s like to work and learn at the ASK centre, which has a welcoming part-university, part-workplace feel.  Along the way we bumped into some former PGHS students, and they are thriving at BAE!

The visit was so inspiring that two students have since gone on to apply for an apprenticeship and I really hope they are successful.

Mr Ramsdale

Senior Assistant Headteacher