We are now halfway through this half term, and time is moving quickly. This means that Year 11 and Year 13 students have just three months remaining before their examinations begin in earnest in early May. The weeks ahead will be busy, which is why it is so important that students are in school as much as possible.

Extra-curricular activities
We continue to offer a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, running both after school and during second break. These activities form an important part of our school ethos, and it is encouraging to see so many students choosing to get involved.

This week, I visited the second break board games club and found a number of students deeply engaged in a variety of games. One that particularly caught my attention was What Came First?, a game I had not seen before. It was a pleasure to listen to the students discussing their answers, developing their listening, conversational and persuasive skills. The questions I observed included: What came first – Wi-Fi or the TV programme The Office? and electric elevators or electric escalators?

What struck me most was that these were the same students I often see before school, sitting together but focused on their screens playing Clash Royale, with very little conversation. The clear takeaway for me was that when students are given opportunities to step away from their phones, they are more than happy to do so. Playing board games, both in school and at home, helps develop a wide range of valuable skills. I very much enjoyed the visit and will certainly go again.

It was also great to see at least 250 students across different areas of the school enjoying football on the astro and 3G pitches, as well as using the front court and tennis courts. Fresh air, physical activity and the inevitable problem-solving around offside decisions were all in abundance! We are extremely fortunate to have such a range of spaces that allow students to socialise and enjoy their break times.

Finally, this week a local professional cartoonist visited the school to work with students in lessons. This is an excellent example of staff bringing external professionals and experts into the classroom to enrich and enhance the curriculum. Thank you to the Art department for organising this valuable opportunity.  You can read more about it in our news stories below.

Check out this week's news stories by clicking on the images below

Fun Cartoon Workshop for Year 9 Students

AFBT Bursaries Support Charters’ Rising Sports Stars

Hands-On Gyoza Workshop

Take a look through our social media using the buttons below

A huge well done to all our Stars this week...

Here is a round-up of the fixtures from the past fortnight.

BERKSHIRE SCHOOLS XC CHAMPIONSHIP

Well done to everyone who took part in the Berkshire Schools Cross Country Championship last Saturday.  Below are the results from the day.  A special mention goes to Reuben (8H) and Harry (12 BLUE 2) who have been invited to represent Berkshire at the SE Inter Counties Cross County Championships on Saturday 31^st January at Chelmsford! Well done!

RACE NIGHT

Our exciting social fundraiser is taking place on Friday 6th February and who better to tell you all about it than Ms Compare herself, Miss Joel...

Date: Friday 6 February 
Time: 7.15pm 
Cost: £10 (Pizza and first drink included) 
 
Cash & card accepted at the bar. 
CASH ONLY at the tote. 

Tickets are available now on ParentPay - Buy yours below

Event has been kindly sponsored by Blueberry Dental Practice

HOUSE UPDATE

After a fantastic autumn term and into the start of the spring term the leaderboard for our Houses currently is the following Panthers sit in 3rd place,  Bulldogs are holding strong in 2nd, and Eagles are soaring ahead in 1st place! But with so many exciting events still to come before Easter, the leaderboard could change — so get involved, earn those points, and help your House finish the term on top!

As we head towards another busy half-term in the new year 2026, our Bulldogs, Eagles and Panthers have an action-packed calendar full of opportunities to get involved, give back, and celebrate together! Over the coming weeks, students can take part in our Food Bank Collection, for our local food bank Kerith Community Church, Bracknell which helps support local families in need, and join in on raising money for our wonderful House charities with our Non-uniform day on Friday 30^th, donations can be made by ParentPay.  

In the spirit of raising money we will be holding our annual Valentines Bake Sale on 12^th February where Houses are encourage to bake/buy cakes to help support our Charities – house points awarded for best homemade cakes! All Houses will be getting creative in our House Easter tutor door decoration competition – best decorated door per house will win the max amount of points!  We’re also cheering on our talented teams in the Girls Robotics Competitions, showcasing innovation and teamwork at its best, Plus, get ready to test your knowledge and House spirit in our House Quizzes, where teamwork and quick thinking will earn valuable points every week!

Don’t forget to keep up to date with our House Calender on our website!

Keep up the team spirit!

Go Bulldogs, Eagles, and Panthers

Upcoming House Events

Foodbank Collection – Tuesday 27th – Thursday 29th January

On Tuesday 27th – Thursday 29th  January we will be donating food to our local food bank – Kerith church, Bracknell​.  Each Student/Staff has the opportunity to bring in any dry stored food e.g. Canned foods, Cereals or other packaged food. Each item will contribute to your house total. At the end of the week the house with the most items will win the maximum points for their house.

Please bring your items in the morning of Tuesday 27th, Wednesday 28th or Thursday 29th – House captains will be at the front and back gates where you can drop your donations off.

Friday 30th January  - Non – Uniform Day

Wear non-uniform to raise money for House Charities - £1 Donations can be made via ParentPay or cash.

NATIONAL YEAR OF READING

In celebration of the Nationl Year of Reading, the school is delighted to introduce a Genre Reading Challenge encouraging our community to explore books from 12 different genres throughout 2026.

Students, staff and parents are all warmly invited to take part. The challenge is designed to inspire readers to discover new authors, broaden their reading choices and perhaps step outside their usual comfort zones. Reading widely not only deepens our understanding of the world around us, but also helps develop curiosity, empathy and confidence — opening doors to new ideas and future possibilities.

The challenge is simple: participants are encouraged to read one book from each genre on the reading wheel. There is no fixed deadline, although we recommend completing the challenge during 2026. Books can be searched via the school Library catalogue and Mrs Olding is always happy to offer advice and recommendations to help readers find titles that suit their interests.

Students who take part will be rewarded with House points, achievement points and may also be nominated for Star of the Week when they submit details of their completed genre reads in the Library. Beyond these rewards, the knowledge and perspectives gained from reading across different genres can provide valuable insights into how to become the best version of yourself and make the most of life’s opportunities.

We would also love to celebrate your reading journey — do get in touch via our social media channels if you have any fantastic photos of you enjoying your new favourite book!

Our Upcoming Opportunities page is constantly updated with new and exciting Careers opportunities.

Primary School Music Opportunities

The Music Department will be hosting an open evening in partnership with Musicscool to promote the benefits of learning an instrument to primary school parents and children. From 16:30-18:00 on Wednesday 4 February, the Musicscool teachers will be on hand to showcase a variety of instruments. Any children that come along will also be able to have a go and try out the instruments and learn the joys of music making. Please register your interest with Musicscool here: info@musicscool.co.uk or you can report to Main reception at any time during the open evening and someone will be there to welcome you. 

BE PREPARED
EVERY DAY STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BRING...

HOPE FOOD SHARE

The Hope Church food share takes place each Tuesday from 12pm-1pm. 

The items include mainly fresh food and bakery items donated from local supermarkets. The food is at the end of its shelf life (but still perfectly fine to eat!) and would otherwise just go to waste. Bring a bag to fill up, stop for a chat and a cup of tea (and cake!!) and warm up in the church. ALL welcome, no voucher/referral required.

Hope Church, Sunningdale, The Hope Centre, High Street Sunningdale, (next to Nag’s Head).

Please CLICK HERE for more details.

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PARENT CURRICULUM/SUPPORT INFORMATION

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