Over the last few weeks we have been busy establishing this year’s KWS Student Council. Year group assemblies marked the launch of the Student Council for the new academic year. We received over one hundred applications for the positions and this week, tutors and students have been selecting their form group reps. A massive thank you to all students who have applied.  The Student Council offers an excellent opportunity for students to build leadership skills, strengthen communication and teamwork, and develop the values we hold highly at KWS: creativity, organisation, independence, and bravery. We look forward to announcing our Student Council for the academic year ahead at next week’s Celebration Assembly.

This week saw Period 7 in full swing across the school, running Monday to Thursday from 3pm to 3.30pm.  All our students get to select their Period 7 options each term – from Year 7 right the way through to Year 13.  So what do they get up to in this time?

Year 7, 8 and 9 participate in one Mind, one Body and one Soul session each week.  For our new Year 7s, they can choose from a range of 12 Body options, including exciting new additions of golf and rugby; alongside 12 Mind and 10 Soul options, including Warhammer Painting, Greek, Origami, Spheros, Harry Potter Club, Creative Journaling, Team-Building and Portrait Sketching!

In Years 8 and 9 we have some exciting new additions this term such as Song Writing, Word Puzzles, Indian Culture, Short Story Club, Fashion Drawing, Using VR to step back in History, Meditation and Taskmaster!  On a Thursday students in Years 7 to 9 return to their forms during Period 7 for Independent Study – a great time for students to engage with home learning or extra revision, whilst being supported by their tutor.

Our Year 10s get to choose two Period 7s a week, which run on Monday and Thursday.  On Tuesday they all complete a structured course of Community, Careers and Study Skills (CCSS) sessions which supports them in preparing them for Work Experience and their first Mock Exams.  On a Wednesday some Year 10 students now receive one to one mentoring from our Year 12 students, whilst others complete Independent Study.  After Christmas Further Maths starts as a Period 7 for those keen to take on this additional GCSE.

In Year 11 students choose one Period 7 a week, on a Thursday, joining in with Year 10 for many Body options or  picking from exciting new options such as Big Questions, Canadian History, Making Bracelets, Military History Club, Singing for Fun, Decoupage and Match of the Day.  Monday is Independent Study for all Year 11s, who are supported by their form tutor to complete home learning and revision.  Tuesdays and Wednesdays see Year 11 in a mix of activities: either one to one mentoring from Year 13 students, Further Maths lessons, focused subject intervention sessions or completing more independent study in this important year.

Our thriving 6th Form a play a key part in Period 7, leading activities for younger years – opting to either mentor Year 10/11 students one to one, support them with Independent Study sessions or support a sports or language Period 7 session for them.   They also get to choose one Period 7 to participate in themselves each week: their options include Circuit Training, Science Journals, UCAS support and some Life Skills courses in Finances and DIY.

Our aim with Period 7 is to give all our students more choices and more opportunities, perhaps finding a life long hobby or interest along the way.  As staff we get to share our passions with students – from gardening to chess, calligraphy, yoga and oh so much more.  For more information on what we offer, please see our Period 7 page.

Congratulations to Kaylee F (Y12) for participating in the Final Round of the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition 2025. Kaylee passed the qualification and pre-final stages before joining us at KWS and successfully completed the Final Round at school last week, scoring in the top 25% of participants internationally.

A huge well done to her for showing such great subject knowledge, passion for an area of exciting and cutting edge science, and willingness to dedicate learning time to extra-curricular endeavours. Y11-13 especially should be on the look out for opportunities outside of our extensive curriculum offering to give them plenty to talk about for future 6th form/ college, university, apprenticeship and job applications.

We are thrilled to announce that the Katherine Warington School Trust Board won the Highly Commended Award in the Outstanding Governance in a Single School category at the NGA Awards 2025! 🏆🎉

The KWS Trustees celebrated this incredible achievement at the awards ceremony on 17 September at the Houses of Parliament. This national recognition reflects their unwavering commitment to continuous improvement, strong leadership, and a relentless focus on staff and student wellbeing.

Since opening just six years ago, with the guidance and support of the Trust Board, Katherine Warington School has gone from strength to strength, delivering excellent academic and pastoral outcomes for its students. 💜👏

“Winning this prestigious award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the passion and dedication of our trustees, and the amazing students and supportive staff who make our roles such a pleasure. We are committed to high standards of governance to drive improvement and success for all. We had a truly special afternoon at the Houses of Parliament and are delighted with our success. It is a privilege to lead a team of volunteers who are all so engaged and committed to making KWS a success” said Jenny Howarth, Chair of Trustees

“We are still such a young school, yet this recognition proves what can be achieved when staff, students, families and trustees work together with a shared vision. I want to extend my deepest, heartfelt gratitude to our entire Trust Board at Katherine Warington School. The sheer dedication, strategic vision, and tireless commitment they demonstrate is the bedrock of our school’s success. This award, by the NGA, is a powerful testament to the impact of their governance.”

David Martin Headteacher

@nationalgovernanceassociation

Reading challenges are a great way to encourage students to read widely and often. Every year the Hertfordshire Library Service organises a Summer Reading Challenge over the six week summer holiday to encourage engagement with the local library, and to keep young people reading whilst they’re not in school. 

We know lots of our students took part this year, and if you’d like to bring your certificate to the library, we’d happily give you 5 recognition points. It was lovely to hear from Thea D in year 8, who enjoyed her summer reading, and was happy to share her thoughts on the books she’d read with our Librarian, Mrs Yates.

Here at KWS, we have two reading challenges running at the moment: one for year 7, called The Great Purple Reading Challenge, and one for year 8 (The National Year of Reading). If you’re interested in attempting the challenges, pop into the library for more details. There are prizes to be won, alongside recognition points. You can read the books on the e-Reader, in hard print copy or listen to them as an audiobook, and then share your thoughts with us via a book review. You can write the review online or on a form you pick up in the library. It couldn’t be easier! Come and challenge yourself!