Weekly Update
16th June 2025
Message from the Headteacher
We look forward to speaking to families of our incoming Year 7 students this Thursday at a Welcome Evening. Whether they already have children at secondary school or the whole experience is new, after speaking to our teachers, students, and amazing pastoral team, I am sure they will feel reassured by the welcoming atmosphere we provide.
As the GCSE and A-Level exams continue, we are encouraged by the positive feedback we have received from our students about their progress. I know I speak on behalf of all the staff when I wish them the best of luck with their remaining exams. Best wishes also to our Year 10 students whose exams will be starting this week.
We have another busy week for our students with two Year 7 trips to Ingleborough caves, a Combined Cadet Force sailing event and our Year 12 students will be attending a STEM taster and Psychology Student Conference at Lancaster University on Thursday.
With Open Evening now just over one week away, you can register to attend one of the talks which will be taking place at the event on Thursday 26th June. Besides booking a place on one of the talks, you can register for the 11+ entrance test, or find out about the Admissions process via the following link: Year 7 Admissions
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Positive News
Congratulations to Mr Williams (Flight Lieutenant Robin Williams), who received an Award on Monday 9th June at Blackburn Cathedral for his contribution, over nearly a decade, to the school’s Combined Cadet Force. The Award was presented by Mrs Amanda Parker JP, Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire.
The ceremony was attended by many volunteers who have shown an incredible dedication to the Service, and Mr Williams received the Lord-Lieutenants Certificate of Meritorious Service for reserves, cadet force adult volunteers and civilians.
‘He is an outstanding leader of cadets and has served for nearly a decade. Flight Lieutenant is a keen, enthusiastic, whirlwind of a man who cares about his cadets and works hard to develop them as cadets and members of society.’
Mrs Amanda Parker JP, Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire.
Refugee Week – 16th-22nd June
To mark the start of Refugee Week, we welcomed Dr Omar Jouzdan from Syria to talk to our Year 7 students in this morning’s assembly about the issues that he and his family faced when war broke out in his home country. Having arrived in the UK with a visa as a visiting academic, Omar now has leave to remain in the UK and is working as a Senior Support Worker for RAIS: a Lancaster charity which provides advocacy, information and support for refugees and asylum seekers.
On Friday this week we will be holding a bake sale in school to raise money for RAIS, and we invite as many students as possible to bake and also buy cakes at lunchtime.
The Belonging Team organised a Poetry Competition on the theme of ‘Community as Superpower’ which celebrates Refugee Week. The entries are displayed outside the Library for our students to read.
The winners of the Poetry Competition are: First Prize to Eniola in Year 12, with a Runner Up prize going to Aisha in Year 9. We hope you enjoy their thoughtful poems.
The ‘Roots Film Festival‘ is being held at the Dukes Cinema at 7:00pm on Tuesday 17th June. Roots is a Lancashire film festival created especially for Refugee Week 2025. Roots showcases powerful and important stories from refugees and asylum seekers within our local Lancashire communities and beyond. The Belonging Team
Pollinator Patch Sightings
Thank you to Mrs Stevens for providing pictures of the diverse Eco system within the Pollinator Patch at school.
There were sightings in the last week of 2 different forms of Harlequin ladybirds (which are now classified as naturalised and not pests) and a plasterer bee!
Jodrell Bank
For over 75 years, Jodrell Bank has been at the forefront of a quest to understand our own sense of place and purpose through the study of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Jodrell Bank Observatory is owned and managed by the University of Manchester and is a world-leading science research institute, with scientists working at the cutting edge of modern astrophysics.
Our Year 7 students were fortunate to visit the observatory last week and as you can see from the photos, they very much enjoyed the experience.
LGGS Art Exhibition
We hope you can join us for our annual Art Exhibition which will be held in our Art department on Monday 30th June from 4:30-6:30pm. Entrance is via Queen Street.
The exhibition is open to all year groups and their families. You will be amazed by the talent of our GCSE and A-level students.
LGGS Fun Run
We are pleased to announce that the Mid-Summer Fun Run will take place on Monday 30th June and registration is now open.
We would appreciate as much help as possible on the night to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible. If you are able to assist please email school. Thank you.
LGGS Young Musician & Music Festival
Young Musician of The Year LGGS 2025 Final
Join us on July 1st at 6:30pm in the Main Hall, come and see our wonderfully talented musicians. The finalists from our piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, guitar and vocal categories will perform some excellent pieces at the free to attend final. So no ticket needed, just come along and enjoy the music!
Music Festival 2025
Tickets for the Music Festival’s evening performance, which takes place on Thursday, 10th July, are now on sale – tickets priced £6.
Future First Alumnae Network
We have a growing Alumnae network and, as a reminder you are able to keep in touch with school, each other and receive our termly Alumnae newsletter by signing up to Future First.
Our Alumnae also provide support to our current students through talks, mentoring or offering work experience. Further along your career path, this may be something that you wish to be involved with.
Android Smartphone Guide for Parents
As with other devices, there are Android offers a variety of parental controls, including controls that allow parents to set the maturity level of apps and games. Full information, including detailed instructions, can be found here: Android parental controls guide | Internet Matters
For those who have experienced low mood or depression
Have you experienced low mood or depression? Do you have a child aged 13-19 years? If so, you and your child may be able to participate in a new UK-wide study called SWELL, run by Cardiff University. SWELL is trialling an online group wellbeing programme aiming to protect against depression symptoms in young people and also includes extra support for parent depression if needed. Families will receive up to £160 in vouchers.
Please visit Skills for Adolescent WELLbeing study – Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health – Cardiff University
Citizen’s Advice Clinics
C.H.A.T.S. Parent Support Group
Find below information about upcoming events and a ‘Behaviours That Challenge’ workshop.
NHS Apps to Support Your Mental Health
SEND Newsletter 2025
The SEND Newsletter contains signposting to support for parents and carers of pupils with SEND and also lists extra curricular activities for pupils with SEND.
Helping young people stay safe on smartphones & online webinar
In light of the recent series shown on Netflix, titled Adolescence, and the need to educate young people about the pressures and the content they can view online, Kooth are offering parents and carers this 30 minute webinar covering how you can encourage them to think about how they spend their time on social media platforms and how they can get help to deal with similar situations that they may find themselves in.
The webinar will cover:
How our platforms can help Young people online
Social media, the law, the pros and cons
Smartphone safety
What parents can do to support their children
Mental Health Support for Young People
There is a wealth of useful information from Young Minds to help parents and carers understand more about their young person’s mental health, find the right help for them or hear from other parents who’ve been there.
You will find advice on:
- Helping your child to talk
- Looking after yourself as a parent/carer
- Speaking to professionals
An A-Z guide to mental health and a guide to mental health services