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Posted on: 23rd Apr 2025Rowing Success: Hettie H
In March, Hettie H, a Year 10 student, had an extraordinarily busy week, competing in two of the biggest national rowing events for the Junior category. Hettie participated in both the Schools Head of the River and the Oarsport Junior Sculling Head.
The Schools Head of the River involved over 300 boats time trialling a 7km course on the Thames Tideway. In her age category, Hettie’s team placed third. The very next day, Wednesday 26th March, Hettie was competing at Dorney Lake in the Oarsport Junior Sculling Head over a 2km time trial. This massive event saw over 500 crews competing from all over the UK. In one of the most competitive categories, with over 60 boats racing head to head, Hettie’s quad secured a fantastic second place, earning them a silver medal.
Congratulations to Hettie on both remarkable achievements!
Posted on: 23rd Apr 2025STEM Club’s Trout-in-the-Classroom Project
This year, students once again had the exciting opportunity to take part in the Trout-in-the-Classroom project, run by Laura from the Chilterns Chalk Stream Project. The initiative provided a hands-on learning experience, allowing students to explore biodiversity, conservation, and the challenges facing local ecosystems.
In the first week after the Christmas holidays, STEM Club took charge of a school of brown trout alevins—tiny fish in their early life stage, just after hatching. Housed in a specially set-up tank in the Science Department, the students observed their development while learning about the unique characteristics of chalk streams, their rich biodiversity, and the environmental threats they face.
Over the following weeks, as the alevins matured, they transitioned from relying on their yolk sacs to swimming freely and feeding. STEM Club members took responsibility for caring for the trout, feeding them daily and monitoring their growth.
Just before Easter, twelve STEM Club members, along with Laura, Dr. Lowe, and a few A-level Biology students, set off on a trip to the River Chess near Chenies to release the young trout into the wild. This marked the beginning of the fish’s challenging journey in their natural habitat. While at the river, students also conducted an invertebrate survey, discovering first hand the abundance and diversity of aquatic life. They even had the opportunity to discuss river management and conservation with the landowner, gaining valuable insight into real-world environmental stewardship.
This fantastic project continues to inspire and educate students about the importance of protecting local ecosystems. Well done to all involved!
Posted on: 24th Apr 2025
