42 Year 7 students participated in our production of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ on Thursday, 20 June, giving an amazing performance to an audience of 150 parents and students.

Year 7 also performed to 120 Year 5 and 6 pupils from Heston Primary School on Wednesday, 19 June, as their dress rehearsal. The primary pupils enjoyed the experience of visiting the School and were impressed by the wonderful facilities for Drama afforded by the stage, sound, lighting and space in the Hall. They were also truly spellbound by the play!

On both occasions, the Year 7 actors’ confidence and commitment were outstanding. Our Sixth Form team also did an excellent job with lighting and sound, as well as serving refreshments to parents in the interval and supporting the Year 7s back stage with costumes and lines. This was a fantastic enrichment experience for all involved.

Gurnoor Dhawan [Albus Dumbledore] commented: “‘Harry Potter’ was like being in a fantasy; there were so many funny moments and good memories, it is hard to count them. Ms Gould was amazing, she is so kind and nice. Thank you so much.”

Sonia Arora [Hermione Granger] added: “My experience in the ‘Harry Potter’ play was absolutely amazing. I felt like I was on cloud nine. I loved every single bit of it. Thank you ever so much to the teachers and Sixth Formers who put so much effort into the show.”

Bianca Bolbocean [Ron Weasley] said: “My experience was incredible. We had a lot of fun during rehearsals. I felt like I was in an actual play at the theatre. Thank you to our teachers.”

Arshil Warsi, part of the Sixth Form team, reports: “The Harry Potter production was a fantastic experience - everyone was filled with a sense of excitement leading up to the final show. Thanks to the many hours after school Ms Gould and Mr Chana put in, the show ran smoothly and I am sure the Year 7s felt highly proud of themselves due to their West End worthy acting!”

Ms Gould, who directed the performance, said: “It has been an utter joy working with such talented students over the past months. They have all worked tremendously hard and my goodness, has it shown! The performance was an absolute success and I could not be prouder of each and every one of them. This will be an experience I will never forget and will cherish forever.”

Having co-lead the production, Mr Chana said: “It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of the Year 7 ‘Harry Potter’ team. The students truly brought the magic of the story to life on stage and displayed excellent teamwork, creativity, and dedication throughout the process. I am so proud of their hard work and commitment to the production. Well done, everyone!”

Summer sports have returned, which includes cricket clubs on three days after school every week. There is Girls' Cricket on Monday, Advanced Cricket on Wednesday and Cricket for all years on Thursday. We have been able to practice all of our skills, including bowling, batting and fielding. One of the best things about the Cricket Club is that we are able to use the bowling machines to simulate a fast bowler which has challenged us. We played well and won our Year 8 match against Isleworth and Syon, so we hope we can win our next three matches. The next two home matches are Year 8 and Year 10 against The Heathland School. They have strong teams, but Heston are stronger due to the support the School has provided for us with our new outdoor cricket nets. Also, the extra sessions with Middlesex coaches have really helped us improve our batting and bowling.

Come and have a go as it is really fun.

Ilyas Hamidullah [8B]

Year 13 T Level Management and Administration students are approaching the end of their Industry placements.  The placements have provided our students with a valuable insight into the world of work.  The employers hosting placements, including IBM have been very impressed with our students in terms of their business acumen and professionalism.  The School has built a good working relationship with many providers, and now has a bank of providers that are keen to host placements for future cohorts.  We look forward to future years making us equally proud.

T Levels 2022 - 2024

Congratulations to Ms Forrest for successfully completing a half marathon.

My first half marathon: a journey of ambition, failure and resilience

Two years ago, I ran 2 kilometres for the first time and felt exhausted. I never imagined I could run a longer distance, but as I moved to a new neighbourhood, I surrounded myself by people who inspired me to become better and stronger. I watched some of my friends run the Ealing half marathon in September 2022 and set myself the goal of running it myself the following year. However, as Summer 2023 came and went, I was forced to admit to myself that I wasn't ready, I hadn't prepared and trained hard enough to complete it in a satisfying time. The disappointment was immense as I saw people around me celebrating and wearing their medals, but I could only blame myself.

I did not, however, let this disappointment become a crutch. Instead, I used it as motivation and in December 2023, my sister and I signed up to run our first half-marathon in Geneva, where she lives. From there, the hard work began. I set myself the goal of running 21.1km in under two hours and, with the help of some of my more experienced friends, I created a training plan which included interval, tempo and long runs as well as high intensity cardio and strength sessions. It was important that I stuck to it no matter the weather conditions, so I ran in the cold and the rain on several occasions. It wasn't always easy, it certainly wasn't always comfortable and sometimes it would have been easier to skip a training day - but I was determined to meet my target and couldn't let the weather get in my way. 

Fast forward to May 2024, my sister and I walked up to the start line under heavy rain alongside 20,000 others, confident that our training would pay off and allow us to complete the race in good time. The route took us through the Swiss countryside and circled back along Lake Geneva, where we were met by crowds of friends and family cheering along their loved one. Finally, after 1 hour and 56 minutes, I passed the finish line on the iconic Pont du Mont Blanc, my sister not far behind me. We placed in the first tier of women to cross the finish line. I was filled with pride and an incredible sense of achievement to see through this challenge I had set myself several months back and to have surpassed my target time. I was reminded of the importance of determination as well as discipline to stick to a rigorous program, but also of the positive influence the people I chose to surround myself with had and continue to have on me. 

In September 2024 I intend to [finally] run the Ealing Half Marathon, the challenge which originally set me on this path, emboldened by my previous success. The next step will be to fundraise for Shelter in the 2025 London Landmarks Half, to help people struggling with poor housing conditions and homelessness. 

The Year 7 girls gave an incredible performance playing their second rounders game against Springwest Academy. Sonia Arora led the girls as captain for the game showing excellent team work and communication skills. They showed hard work and determination on the field, winning both innings against a strong side. Ema Mikuckaite displayed her athletic skills, scoring full rounders each time. They secured a win by beating SWA 20 - 17. The girls will look to continue their winning success next week when they play Bolder and Rivers. 

Team:

Sonia Arora, Ema Mikuckaite, Heer Kapoor, Holly McCarthy, Aariya Sharma, Zarah Merchant, Bianca Bolbocean and Amreen Kaur.

"I think rounders is really fun. It has been competitive, especially getting picked for our games. Matches have been enjoyable. I have made so many new friends because of the club. I am proud to represent the School as part of the rounders team. We have an amazing team and hope to stay unbeaten in the league". Sonia Arora [7W]

"Rounders has been so fun. I enjoy away matches the most, as all us girls have fun and support each other on match days. The games against other schools have been competitive, maybe this is because we want to win so bad!!" Ema Mikuckaite [7P]

"I think having started rounders club I have become better at communicating with those who I work with. Our teamwork and communication has been excellent, winning all of our games so far". Bianca Bolbcean [7W]

"It has been so fun and I have enjoyed it a lot. I have learnt lots of new skills and they have taught me how to work as a team. I have enjoyed it as I have made lots of new friends where we all help each other when at club or games, like cheering for each other and celebrating when we win". Zarah Merchant [7G]