During the first week back after Easter, 68 of our Year 10 students went on their practice expedition for their Silver DofE Award. At the start the weather was wet and cold so their waterproofs were immediately put to the test but the students maintained bright smiles and greeted their instructors with enthusiasm and excitement which was lovely to see. They set out on their day one routes and easily managed the more complex navigation which is required at Silver level, finishing at the campsite in good time to enjoy cooking by the fire and some fun time.
Day two began bright and early but this time in sunshine! Participants completed their routes in good time and were able to enjoy cooking their supper in some warm evening sun followed by a quiz, singing songs and dancing and toasting marshmallows on a huge bonfire.
Year 10s teamwork and ‘can-do’ attitude was brilliant and their approach towards all of the challenges that Silver brings was outstanding. They showed resilience and made a huge effort to remain positive and motivated throughout.
Anyone who has participated in the DofE Programme knows it’s an invaluable experience that teaches young people essential life skills for their futures and we are so pleased so many students at Presdales take part.
Using grant funding already received from EdufundUK Ltd and the Royal Society of Chemistry, Presdales’ Science Department are currently in the process of updating their range of Data Loggers.
New Bluetooth Data Loggers communicate wirelessly with bespoke software installed on students’ own devices. Their ease of use allows them to be utilised in a wide range of experiments through all year groups and with data saved on the computers it can also be recalled for homework and for cross-curricular use, increasing the depth of learning gained by students.
Replacement of all of the data loggers will cost around £8,000 of which £3,000 has already been funded and the decision on a £3000 application to the Royal Society is pending.
A further application to the Tesco Community Grants Team for their Blue Token scheme has resulted in our project going live in the Ware store this week. With the opportunity of gaining £1500 funding Presdales would sincerely appreciate you taking the time to drop a token in the box whenever you are there. Please share this request with your friends and family too.
Alternatively, if you are in a position to be able to support the purchase of any of this equipment by way of a charitable donation/sponsorship our Grants Officer would love to hear from you and can be reached at nalbone@presdales.herts.sch.uk.
On Monday 16th December, we were delighted to invite our amazing ex- year 11 and 13 students to celebrate their fantastic achievements and superb exam results. It was lovely to see family, friends and teachers come together to celebrate all the hard work of our students.
The ceremony opened with the senior sixth form team summarising the academic year and the school’s many achievements, including trips ranging from school exchanges to a Lion King theatre visit, offering students a wealth of new experiences.
This year’s inspiring speaker was Katie Forbes, a former Presdales student who is now the Chief of Staff at KPMG. Filled with enthusiasm and joy, Katie inspired students with advice on perseverance, seizing opportunities, and embracing failure as growth. Katie’s optimism was infectious, she finished by emphasising that positivity, enthusiasm and willingness are key to success.
Speech day was finalised with a speech from former head girl and deputy head girl, Adesola Jinadu-Adewale and Gracie Cook, who looked back fondly on their time in Presdales. Adesola reminisced saying, ‘Although I’ve left Presdales, Presdales hasn’t left me’. As the event drew to a close, the heartfelt speeches served as a reminder of the lasting impact of the Presdales experience. It was a day filled with pride, gratitude, and hope for the future, leaving everyone inspired to carry forward the spirit of Presdales in all their endeavours.
Last Saturday (7th December), as the forces of nature were doing all they could, outside, to destroy the country, the forces of justice, in the form of several Bar Mock Trial teams, were doing their best, inside, at the University of Hertfordshire at Hatfield, to make the country a better place.
Fifteen members of Presdales Year 12 (names below) were using logic, evidence and their considerable powers of persuasion to either convict or acquit:
Leigh Hinton (a security guard) charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and Vim Speed (a professional track cyclist) charged with possession of a Class B controlled substance
Faced with considerable opposition in this roleplay from schools from all over outer-London, and from 6th Form Colleges able to select from up to 1,000 students (versus our c.135 per year group) the Presdales team did brilliantly, in F1 parlance, to “podium” – coming in a superb 3rd place. All the participants deserve huge congratulations!
Group 1: Dee Cole, Martha Ker, Jacob Colligan, Alice Lynn and Emily Lock
Group 2: Cynthia Kasonde, Amelia Johnson-Hart, Charlotte Appleford, Martha Brown and Jess Collins
Group 3: Imogen Warhurst, Sai Siddantham, Sophie Carter, Neive Reid and Olivia Karahasan
Latest News
Coming Up
Friday 4th
Sports Day
Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th
Duke of Edinburgh Silver 2024-2025 Qualifying Expedition
Year 9 Battlefields Trip
Monday 7th
Culture Day
Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th
Year 12 Work Shadowing
Contact Us
Presdales School
Hoe Lane
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 9NX
Tel: 01920 462210
admin@presdales.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher:
Mr Warren
