We are thrilled to be halfway through our 300th academic year! Each student has been tasked with completing three hours of volunteering before May half-term, and with our community already amassing 1,500 hours, we are on track to achieve our goal of 1,725 hours. It has been inspiring to witness SWPS students embrace this challenge through a variety of activities including litter picking, taking on extra tasks at home, participating in local community projects, engaging in sponsored sleep-outs, and running cake sales for charity. One enthusiastic student even dressed up as a woolly mammoth to help her primary school learn about the Stone Age!
To kick off our 300th celebrations, we held an alumni afternoon tea event, where we embarked on a journey to uncover more about the history of Sir William Perkins, our founder, our school, and our role within the community—an exploration we are excited to continue, just as Sir William Perkins did many years ago. Thus far, we have discovered that our school once had a building on Pyrcroft Road, a site all current students have walked past on their way to the Pyrcroft Picnic. We have also located and are in the process of refurbishing the school bell, provided information to the Chertsey Society for a talk on Sir William Perkins, and hosted a Curiosity Week during which Year 7 students delved into the history of SWPS and its place in Britain and the world over the past 300 years.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our celebrations with a music concert at Sinfonia Smith Square in London this March. We also look forward to hosting an exhibition at the Chertsey Museum in the summer term and celebrating with all students on Jamboree Day, all while further exploring the legacy of Sir William Perkins as both an individual and a school.
Here’s to more exciting milestones and celebrations as we honour 300 years of excellence at SWPS!
