Assessment Centre

As the number of students interested in applying for Level 4 and Level 6 Apprenticeships grows, we decided to host an assessment centre day, which would replicate the apprenticeship application process many of our students will have to go through next year.

This started earlier in July with students filling out an online application form, which led to an official invitation. Students were also given some pre-reading materials, which would prepare them for the group task they would have to complete on the day.

On Friday, 12 July, students lined up outside our luminous Sixth Form Centre to sit verbal and quantitative reasoning tests under time constraints, allowing them to demonstrate their ability to work well under pressure. They were then split into groups, where they spent time discussing three different businesses, deliberating and finally presenting their recommendations to the rest of the class. This not only allowed them to develop their oracy skills, it also provided them with an opportunity to showcase their team-working and problem solving skills, whilst exposing them to the high-pressure environment of assessment centres.

At the end of the day, recommendations were given by tutors regarding who could progress to the next step and eight students were shortlisted for interviews, which took place the following week. The eight students involved got to experience yet another real-life scenario, as they were interviewed in a conference room by a panel of teachers. All eight students’ performances were impressive and it was extremely hard to select only two winners, but that is the nature of apprenticeships. We hope it offered valuable insight into how competitive it truly is and how resilient candidates must be.

Well done to Alisha, Abdur-Raheem, Dino, Diya, Aakarshit, Arsalan, Naima and Rayhan for coping incredibly well with the pressure of the process!

Sports Day

The afternoon of 12 July continued with our very own Sports Day. As our students were very keen on including football and the usual array of athletics activities, they organised a football tournament on the Thursday to allow for a big final to take place on the Friday. The football final was preceded by 100m and 800m runs as well as a mixed team 400m Relay and Tug of War heats. The atmosphere was competitive but supportive, with classmates and tutors cheering from the side lines. Even the teachers got involved by kicking off the event with a teacher/student sack race! Everyone ended the day in high spirits and feeling rejuvenated by the sense of community and solidarity displayed by students throughout the day.

Thank you to the tutors for encouraging participation, students for showing true sportsmanship and Sandeep Webra for organising and coordinating the football tournament.

We are delighted to announce that Heston Community School has achieved the School Games Silver Mark Award for the 2023/24 academic year. The School Games Mark is a government-led award scheme launched in 2012, facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community, and we are delighted to have been recognised for our success.

Our sporting achievements this year include:

• Over 50% of all students have attended a sports club
• Over 25 different sports clubs and teams
• Completed over 75 sporting fixtures against other local schools
• Sports provision is inclusive for all students and provides equal opportunities regardless of gender 
• Students have a voice within physical education and the provision of extra-curricular clubs
• All students are given opportunities to be active for a minimum of 60 minutes every day.

With young people competing in local inter-school competitions this year, we are extremely proud of our students for their dedication to all aspects of school sport, including those young volunteers, leaders and officials who made our competitions possible.

As part of our application, we were asked to fulfil criteria in the areas of participation, competition, workforce and clubs, and we are pleased that the hard work of everyone at our school has been rewarded this year. We look forward to applying once again in 2025, and will be aiming for Gold!

The Programme

Girls into Electronics gave Sixth Form students the unique opportunity to develop their interest in Electronics through the one-day event at Royal Holloway University. During the day, participants found out all about Electronics, Computer Science and Engineering courses at university and got an opportunity to experience microcontrollers. They heard from female students, researchers and graduates working in this sector as well as software engineers from Apple.

This initiative was designed to inspire young women to explore careers in tech, fostering an environment conducive to learning and innovation through hands-on workshops, in three separate labs. Participating in guest lectures from industry professionals, and collaborative projects, we gained invaluable insights into the vast field of technology. The program emphasised the importance of problem-solving, coding, and digital literacy, equipping us with practical skills that we could immediately apply.

Moreover, the supportive community of peers and mentors encouraged me to push boundaries and pursue my interests in technology further. Our time at Royal Holloway University through the Girls in Technology programme was not just educational, it was also transformative, encouraging us to continue our career aspirations of working in this industry.

Hana Mumin [12F], Amani Tajuddin [12D], Sandeep Webra [12C] and Hafsa Moalim [12H]

The Culture Day festivity at Heston Community School is a lively and thrilling demonstration of diversity and inclusion. It is an opportunity for students and staff representing various cultural backgrounds to highlight their heritage through their flags and dress. The energetic environment perfectly mirrors the diverse identities and shows of our multicultural community. 

The occasion served as an excellent platform for learning and fostering a stronger sense of unity amongst the students, while at the same time raising over £650 to support a local food bank. 

Ridwan Fleary [12F]

The Eton Summer School was a fantastic way to explore the degree I wish to pursue after A Levels. The courses vary in length, between 3 and 5 days. Sara, Hariny, and I chose the Economics course and Arya chose Chemistry. They are designed to help students with university applications and to delve further into content well beyond our school curriculum, such as the Latin American economy.  

Students from across London and the South East attended and the lectures simulated what we would experience at university. We were given split into small classes of around 10–14 people, taught by the Eton teachers, and as well as subject-specific lessons, we attended various university applications and career webinars.  We went through personal statements, applying for Oxbridge, soft skills, student finance and an undergraduate Q&A.

We were given a tour of the School, and it is huge! There is a chapel, a mini museum/gallery, and the boys have their own pub on the high-street! The Eton Summer School enhanced my academic knowledge, and I made many new friends. We were very fortunate to be given this opportunity.  

Rianna Ludhra [12G]

On the 21 June, we said our goodbyes to the Class of 2024. We had a fantastic time during the BBQ, reminiscing about their journey. The Duke of Edinburgh Silver Awards were presented to Moaiad Adam, Dylan Afonso, Jai Kholsa, Ubaid Malik, Omolara Moloney, and Christopher Pontes.

Teachers nominated students for the Heston Values Awards. We were overwhelmed by the number of deserving students, but the following students stood out since the start of Year 12: 

• Jaspreet Sarna - Resilience 
• Kiran Barras - Honesty 
• Victoria Sowinska - Kindness 
• Ibrahim Azher - Respect 
• Kavya Ramachandran - Ambition 
• Zacchaeus Soares - Equality 

It was a lovely and memorable conclusion to their journey with us, and we wish them all the best for the future.