Impact Statement
Partnerships with State Schools:
Activity Days and Drama Performances
It has become an annual tradition for WGHS to host this popular and entertaining day of activities for Year 5 pupils from the local area. The boys and girls are split into groups of approximately 20 and, along with their teachers, they participate in around 6 activities in a variety of departmental areas. The activities are run by WGHS specialist teachers, supported by two Year 12 pupils per group. The activities are tailored to provide as interactive and lively a learning experience as possible. The day also gives the visiting pupils an insight into daily life in a senior school. The participating primary schools say the event is one of their annual highlights.
We also invite Year 5 pupils from local state primary schools to attend a matinee performance of the school's annual drama production.
Music Partnerships
For several years we have taken our Y12 music pupils from WGSF to perform for the pupils at the Pennine Community School, Durkar, Wakefield. The trip is comprised of a recital
of solo performances which the 6th formers will be performing later this year for their A level recitals. As well as being a useful run out for our pupils, the concert always creates great excitement at the school.
As a follow up to the BBC 10 pieces play day we ran at school some years ago, we ran a similar event for members of Wakefield Youth Orchestra, our school orchestra and members of the (adult) West Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra. The young players have to concentrate out of their skins to keep up with the more experienced players from WYSO and there was a real sense of pride and ownership when we played through the repertoire we had studied (2 of the pieces were A Level set works) for parents and friends. Our Director of Music have worked regularly with Wakefield Youth Orchestra for many years and for the last 5 years has been running a Training Orchestra to try to address declining standards in the main orchestra.
