Staff and students again gathered for our annual whole school remembrance service on Friday 10^th November.  The time-honoured tradition was not overshadowed by the damp weather. Staff, students, and invited guests observed the service with impeccable grace despite the wet conditions. Wreaths were laid in memory of the fallen, poems were read out, Jerusalem was sung impeccably by the student choir, and the last post provided a poignant moment as the school community fell silent.

We will always remember them.

The Eco-Group at Oriel High School has been working really hard to complete their application to become an Eco-School.

Being an Eco-School is the perfect way to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the ecological achievements of young people.

It demonstrates that their hard work is appreciated, and it provides them with the confidence and motivation to continue actively engaging with environmental issues now and throughout their lifetimes.

The group has begun to tackle this by looking at environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, litter and plastic pollution. The students completed a whole school audit on what Oriel High School is doing well to reduce its footprint on this earth and raised the profile of the work the students have been doing by producing posters to display around the school.

The posters are designed to brighten up the school garden with vibrant artwork and continue to encourage others to save water by using reusable water bottles, and recycling their litter around the school.

Eco-Group received some great feedback from the Eco-Schools team, which demonstrates the hard work the group has shown.

Eco-School Team, said: “This shows you have a confident Eco-Committee dedicated to maximizing their impacts. We like how active your Eco-Committee was in communicating their Eco-Schools activity school-wide, including assemblies, communicating with the SLT, using your Eco Board, posting on social media and the use of the mentor board.

“Your Eco-board especially is incredibly visual and engaging and promotes your work in a very attractive way. This is really strong informing and involving and shows how valued and embedded the Eco-Schools programme is in your school.’’

The group’s work does not stop there. Over the coming weeks, the group aims to deliver assemblies to share ideas outlined in its action plan as well as to create flower beds around the school grounds.

The group will also be leading a community litter pick and heading out into the Oriel Garden to plant some seasonal veg.

Eco-Schools is a charity that is passionate about engaging young people in environmental education and action. The charity provides a simple, seven-step framework that guides, empowers and motivates pupils to drive change and improve environmental awareness in their school, local community, and beyond.

Oriel High School U16 Boys’ football team contested the final of the Sussex Schools’ FA County Cup against Tanbridge House School on April 21. The team won the game by 6-0, which earned them the trophy.  Well done to the staff and entire squad of players.  This is their second county title, a fantastic achievement. #OrielPE

On Wednesday 18th January, 25 year 9 students participated in an inspiring and exciting photographic workshop where they were asked to reimagine their future.

By asking a series of thought-provoking questions Photoworks, working in collaboration with Lindsey Smith (Photographic Artist), encouraged the students to explore ideas creatively and challenge perceptions to create innovative photographic art pieces.

If we believe that the future is made from fragments of the past, which parts must we keep for the future? How can we create change and adapt? Who is responsible for the future? How can artists help visualise a better tomorrow?

Students worked with cameras on phones to create “phone sculptures” and then went onto to explore DSLR cameras in a studio setting to create “letters to their future selves”. This was a valuable and enriching experience for all those involved.